Sunsets at Seaside(57)

He smiled and waved.

Mark turned and looked at Jessica. “This is the girl?”

“Yes. Jessica.”

Mark leaned toward Jamie and lowered his voice. “She’s pretty, Jamie, but pretty women are a dime a dozen for a guy like you. What is it? Does she give the best blow jobs on the East Coast?”

Jamie gritted his teeth against his rising annoyance and reminded himself that this was how Mark had always joked. He ignored Mark’s comment altogether and went to greet Jessica as she came into the yard.

“Hey, babe.” He stepped off the deck and kissed her.

“Hi. I don’t want to interrupt.” She smiled at Mark, who lifted his chin in response.

Jerk. He could be a jerk. Jamie knew it and had always overlooked it, but when that jerkiness was turned toward Jessica, it struck a whole different chord in him.

Jamie shot Mark the narrow-eyed stare that Mark had seen a million times in business meetings when Mark wanted to play the tough negotiator and Jamie was sure it wouldn’t suit the situation.

Mark stood and held out a hand. “Mark Wiley, Jamie’s attorney.”

Jessica shook his hand. “Jessica. Nice to meet you.”

“Jessica…?” Mark waited for her to answer.

Jamie knew exactly what he was doing—fishing for information.

“Jessica Ayers.” She drew her brows together in question.

“Sorry. I’ll remember your name if I have the full name in my head. There are a million Jessicas out there.”

A million Jessicas? Jamie’s patience was wearing thin.

“So you’re the pretty little filly that’s been keeping Jamie from concentrating on work. I can see why,” Mark said.

“Watch it, Mark,” Jamie warned.

Mark lifted his chin in acknowledgment. “What do you do, Jessica?” He slid his hands into his pockets. Jamie knew the casual stance all too well. Mark was trying to put Jessica at ease while he slithered in to gain information, and even though this was what Mark did with most of the women Jamie dated, when it came to Jessica, it made every nerve stand on end.

“She plays for the Boston Symphony Orchestra.” Jamie put a protective arm around Jessica’s shoulder and walked toward her apartment. “I’ll be right back, Mark. Go ahead and do your thing.”

When they were on her deck, safely away from Mark, Jamie took her hand in his and kissed the back of it. “I’m sorry about Mark. He can be a jerk around women, and he’s very protective of me. But I’ll set him straight. You won’t have to worry about that kind of stuff anymore.”

She circled his waist with her arms. “He didn’t bother me. Well, except for the million Jessicas comment. That kind of felt like he was trying to make me jealous.”

“Don’t worry. You’re the only woman I want in my life.” He tilted her chin up and took her in a sensuous kiss. “I missed you, and I’m sorry this is taking so long. The issue goes much deeper than I thought.”

“That’s okay. Will you be there tonight to hear me play? It’s okay if you can’t. I don’t want to stand in the way of your work.”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it for the world, and you’re never in the way. Work is work.” He shrugged, but he knew Jessica would see right through his shrugging it off so easily.

“Well, I’m sorry that you have a much bigger issue to deal with.”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” He glanced over the quad and caught Mark watching them. “I’d better get back if we’re going to be done in time. We’re going to work straight through dinner. I’m really sorry, babe. I hate to leave you hanging.”

“That’s okay. Oh, and I almost forgot to tell you that the guy with the baseball called. He gave it to his grandson and doesn’t want to sell.”

He read the sadness in her eyes. “We’ll just have to up the ante.”

“No, I tried. I told him I’d pay him three times whatever he paid, but he said it was important to his grandson, who apparently is a baseball fanatic. It’s okay. It’s not like my father asked for it or anything. It was just something I was doing to distract—” No, she wasn’t going to minimize her feelings any longer. “It was something I was doing for him. But we did the best we could, and thanks to you, it was much more than I ever could have done on my own.”

“Don’t thank me yet. This isn’t over. We’ll think of something.” He kissed her and saw Mark walking across the quad. Just what I don’t need. “Vera invited Mark to come listen to you guys play tonight, but he’s leaving tomorrow morning. I’m sorry about today. I hope you know I’d rather be with you.”