Though a final look at his face before her rear made contact with the marble told her all she needed to know. From the look on his face, nothing had changed.
She used several inventive curses to illustrate just how she felt, and he whistled low. “Looks like Jamison Reed finally grew up. Who taught you to swear, Jamison?”
Okay, in her case, she was going to look him in the pecs, then work her way up to his eyes. Yeah, hell of a plan. “It’s Jamie. And in case you were wondering, I’m fine.”
His lips quirked into a wry smile. “I see some things never change.”
No. Apparently they didn’t. Because he looked just as mouthwatering as he had the last time she’d seen him, seven years ago.
He’d cut his hair though, a style that was shorter on the sides and a bit longer on top, sort of a messy mohawk. It was stylish, just like his peacoat and Cole Haan boots. She recognized the boots because her brother had the same pair. Just her luck. Cole Nichols was still more gorgeous than the devil himself...and he was speaking to her...after seven years.
Jamie blinked hard to clear her head and not think of the last time she’d spoken to him.
“Sorry. Are you okay?” His voice was soft, gentle...almost.
Besides her bruised behind? She was not going to tell him about the state of her butt. “I’m fine. Or I will be when your employee over here realizes that until he finds me a room, I’ll be bunking with him.”
Cole chuckled low as he helped her up. “That won’t be necessary. Since you’re in the predicament because the property screwed up, you can stay in the owners’ suite...with me.”
Her eyes went wide. She might not have heard that correctly. Stay with him? Like, as in, with him, Cole Nichols? She shook her head “I—I—I can’t do that.” Especially not given she remembered every single detail of the last time they’d spoken.
He narrowed his eyes and Jamie got the impression that no one ever told him no. But when he spoke, his voice was calm, restrained. “Well, for starters, you won’t find another hotel with vacancies this close to Christmas. And second, the main suite is nearly a thousand square feet. I don’t need that much space.”
“B-but we...you...I—” She was a smart woman who knew words. Lots of words. Just not ones she could think of right now. “I have work to do and intrusions will be distracting and...” Her voice trailed.
His lips twisted into a wry smile. “I see the cat’s got your tongue. But call it the holiday spirit or whatever.” He shrugged then bent down to help her retrieve the contents that had spilled from her purse. As he shoved her phone and her inhaler back into her purse and handed it back to her, he asked, “Have you got any other options?”
Her inner adult scowled at the inner giddy teenager who was excited about this development. She was annoyed. But she could do this. Especially as she had no other choice. Jamie sighed. “Fine. Merry Christmas, roomie.”
You are an idiot.
The last thing on earth Cole wanted was company this holiday. Jamison Reed kind of company. Especially not since she practically screamed Christmas, with the red-and-green-colored stripes in her hair and her reindeer sweater. Oh yeah, and she signified everything he wanted to forget about that time in his life.
But where the hell else is she supposed to go? Yes, that. And this was Jamison. Matt Reed’s little sister. Back in high school, Matt had been his tight end on the football team. And his sister had always been around at team functions. And she’d outsmarted him for half the scholarships the school had to offer. Every time an academic competition was announced, the two of them were right there, neck and neck. Until his life turned upside down.
They hadn’t exactly run in the same circles, but she’d always been there. As Cole walked her back to the suite, the bellboy trailing in their wake, he tried not to remember all the little details he knew about her.
Things he didn’t need to remember. Like she was only eleven months behind her brother so they’d been in the same year in school. Details like how cute she was. Spunk and brains in a tiny package. Barely five feet three inches, she’d been a little dynamo.
But the number one thing he really didn’t want to remember? That smart mouth of hers. Yeah, probably best he didn’t think about her mouth.
She was one of those happy, bubbly kinds of people. Always looking at the positive slant on things. Always optimistic. He’d never understood her. Mostly, he’d kept a wide berth. Until that party.
Sure, he and her brother had been teammates, but they hadn’t been super tight. Even then, he’d understood the rules of the team. No one messed with anyone’s family. Too bad you broke that rule.
And now like a moron, he’d invited her to stay with him. As in, within feet of him. The scent of her apple-and-ginger shampoo would drive him nuts. Not that he had been trying to pay attention to what she smelled like. Whenever she was standing right next to him, it was impossible not to notice.
She was exactly like he remembered, different streaks in her hair maybe, but her skin was the same brushed cinnamon and her dark eyes still all knowing.
She’d looked at him with such focus that he was convinced she could see every thought. But the thing that still got him were her lips. They were full and soft. And he wondered if she still used strawberry lip gloss.
What? No. He was not going there again. The last thing he needed was that kind of distraction. Hell, she’d probably forgotten all about that night anyway. But the masochistic part of him hoped she hadn’t.
He opened the door for her and she whispered a “Thank you.” The bellboy went in next and Cole directed him to the loft bedroom just up the stairs. After he’d tipped the young man and Jamie set her laptop case on the counter, he shrugged, ready to show her where things were. But she spoke first.
“Th-thank you for this. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was going to do. Probably camp out in the lodge or something. You saved my behind.”
“Like I said, I have the room. And it’s no problem. We messed up the reservation so it was my responsibility to fix it. Besides, you’re a friend, of sorts.”
Her eyes went wide and his skin pricked with heat. Was she going to call him on what happened with them all those years ago?
But she didn’t. Instead, she said, “I—uh notice you haven’t decorated yet. You want some help putting all the stuff up?”
Her smile was overly bright and it was apparent that, unlike him, she was looking forward to Christmas. “Uh, well, I just got in myself. Besides, I’m not really a holiday person.”
“What?” Her mouth hung open.
A chuckle burst forth before he could stop it. She just looked so gobsmacked. “Sorry. You act like I just personally killed Santa. Not really my thing.”
“No tree, no lights, no gingerbread houses? No mistletoe or eggnog?”
“Sorry. No.”
“I just—” She shook her head. “Okay, fine. You just show me where all the stuff is and I’ll get it all set up for you. It’s the least I can do. Bring in a little Christmas cheer.”
Silent alarm bells clanged in his head. Oh no. Not going to happen. “No, it’s really not necessary. I’m really here to work anyway so—”
She waved a hand at him dismissively. “So am I, but working doesn’t mean we can’t do Christmas. I love the holidays. Show me where it all is. I’ll do the setting up. If you can make sure I’m not sleeping