Page 19 of Flirty Fall Fling

“In any other setting, I wouldn’t tolerate that,” he admits.

“Do I have permission to touch you?” I ask.

He nods.

I uncork the bottle, and the sweet rosemary scent fills my senses. I reach forward, taking his hand, and twist his wrist. Carefully, I dab my finger with oil, and I slowly trace along the softness of his veins. His pulse races against my fingers.

“Anxious?” I ask, working small circles on his palm.

“No,” he says.

I whisper under my breath, and Jamie watches my fingers on his instead of my face.

His other wrist and hand get the same treatment. Negative energy surrounds him, clinging to him, covering him like an overgrown forest around a structure. It’s been there for a while.

I bring my oiled fingers up behind his ears. He swallows hard and closes his eyes. I trace down to the dip above his collarbone and press two specific points. Being this close to him is almost too much, but my breathing stays even. Heat from the fireplace warms my body. His shoulders slowly start to relax, along with his eyebrows and jaw.

We go through this process three more times in twenty minutes. When I’m satisfied, I take a step back.

“There.” I cap the bottle. “How do you feel?”

He opens his eyes, but his jaw is no longer clenched. He rolls his shoulders back and moves his neck from side to side. “What did you do to me?”

“Adjusted you energetically.” I place the bottle back in its place on the shelf.

He tilts his head. “I think it worked.”

“Why do you sound shocked?” I sit at the reading table and wave him over.

The fire pops and cracks as he settles in front of me like a king who belongs there. Jamie is studying me closer than he did before. After a deep breath, he pulls a folded document from his jacket pocket.

“Before we go any further, I need you to sign this,” he says.

“Wow, you actually brought it.”

He clicks a pen and rests it on top of the page.

I almost laugh. “Does a person’s word no longer matter?”

“It’s an insurance policy that legally ensures that you’ll do what you say.”

I blink at him curiously. “You don’t need to mansplain things to me. I know what an NDA is, but I also greatly value trust.”

“The last thing I need is for rumors to spread around about this.”

I sit and scan over the two pages. It’s real. My name is at the top. I’ve never been this desperate to know what someone’s hiding and why I need to be legally bound to keep it to myself.

“And what happens if I refuse?” I ask, blinking a few times.

“Your defiance is adorable.”

I scoff. “I’m not being defiant.”

“You are. And it’s okay. I prefer people who don’t agree with me constantly, but I’ve lost my trust in people. I apologize that you’re experiencing the brunt of that. However, it’s a two-way NDA. Whatever you say, I also cannot speak about.”

“Why would you do that?” I ask, intrigued.

“Fair is fair. If you can’t discuss our meetings, then I shouldn’t be able to either. It’s sacred and private.”