If I didn't know any better I'd say Jamie was jealous. Which is extremely interesting considering Jamie is never jealous. The moment any of his kind-of girlfriends got jealous of anything he was done with them. He hated when they got jealous of our friendship or jealous of other women, it's one of the reasons Jamie couldn't maintain a relationship.

He hated people trying to control him. He hated people trying to control what he could or couldn't do. Jamie just wanted to do whatever he wanted to do and that's that. He didn't want guidelines or stipulations on who he could or couldn't do it with.

This is exactly why I'm trying to stop this, whatever it is, directly in its tracks. If Jamie and I continue down this path of casually sleeping with each other I know we can't remain friends. Watching him be intimate with another female would be difficult now. Just like him watching Rhoen and I had clearly been hard for him.

The moment he'd touched me I felt things I'd never felt. The way his eyes had held mine made my heart flutter inside of my chest. I'd never understood how easily Jamie was able to get women into bed but I'd understood yesterday. His touch and the predatory look he gave me had turned me on. He had completely turned me on.

When he'd gotten off of me and apologized I didn't want it to stop. I'd stripped and he'd stripped. I figured if I saw him naked while I was sober maybe I'd feel like it was wrong. Maybe something would feel off seeing my best friend naked. Off was not what I had felt at all. I was completely turned on by him.

He was the best male lover I'd ever been with. Last night he proved that fact to me over and over again as he worshiped my body. I'd let him come inside of me over and over again as well, something I'm not too proud of myself for today. My best friend, someone I'd once thought of as almost a brother at one point in my life, had fucked my complete brains out. Something about the entire situation felt wrong, almost taboo.

That's why what I'm doing right now is important. Going on this date will show Jamie and me that we're better off as friends. Yes, the sex was good, really good, but it wasn't good for us long-term. I'm leaving in two weeks to go back to Boston and Jamie is staying here in Vegas. Jamie was going to do Jamie things; drink, gamble, and fuck, among other things.

I wasn't going to expect him to do anything else because that's not Jamie. Jamie has always been a player. He's always gotten everything he wants. I know the second I'm gone he's going to jump right back into that lifestyle. I mean, Christ, on his birthday he's probably going to fuck someone in the room right next to mine.

I look over my reflection and am feeling slightly self-conscious of my appearance. I never wear things this tight; skintight. It's a baby pink colored number that I've got some nice strappy silver heels paired with. My hair is in long loose waves, looking very beach-chic.

I hear a knock at the door and let out a deep breath before going to answer it. Once I open the door I'm met face to face with Jamie. Specifically, Jamie holding up a pack of condoms.

"Jesus fucking Christ, Amelia." He looks me up and down. "I'm fucking glad I bought you these. You're going to need them."

"Jamie, for fuck's sake." I see Rhoen walking up behind him with an interesting look on his face. I try to snatch them but he lifts them over his head. "Jamie, Rhoen is coming up behind you." That makes him smirk.

"What? I don't get a thank you for making sure you're protected?" He lowers his voice, "I don't want him to accidently come in you too. I'd prefer to be the only one to have done that in you."

"Jamie, shut up and give me those or put them away." I whisper-shouted at him. 

"Fine, here." I snatch them from him and put them in my purse.

"Am I interrupting something?" Rhoen said as he walked up beside Jamie then he looks me up and down. "Oh wow, Amelia, you look phenomenal." That puts a giant grin on my face. "Really, you're stunning."

"Thank you." Jamie clears his throat and I look over to him. "I'll see you later, Jamie. Thank you for uh, the precautionary measures."

He nods his head and says, "no problem. You two have a good night." He shoves his hands in his pockets and walks off down the hallway away from us.

After he's out of earshot Rhoen looks over me and then down to my purse, "am I mistaken or did he just give you a pack of condoms?" I feel my face completely flush at his words. "I take it that's a yes." He looks off in the direction of Jamie walking down the hall. "He's a hell of a friend, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is."

✩✩✩

"So, you live in Boston too?"

"No, I have a place I rent in Boston but my home is just outside of Vegas." He sips his wine. "How about you?"

"I have a two-bedroom apartment in Boston."

"Nice. So then you must have a roommate?"

"No." He quirks a brow because I know he's wondering how exactly I'm able to afford that by myself.

"How about your friend Jamie? Does he live in Boston as well?"

"No, he just moved to Las Vegas two weeks ago." He nods his head in understanding.

"Any particular reason for the move?"

"He got a job here."

"You know, it's a long way to travel for a friend who just moved here." I think I get where he's trying to go with this conversation but I steer it elsewhere. I don't want to end up in the inevitable place this conversation will end up if I let it. Because if it does, the answer will be a different one than I'd ever given.

"Well, I'm kind of in between jobs right now so I don't have much else to do. I figured since it's his birthday week I'd take some time off and spend it with him. I honestly can't remember the last birthday we celebrated apart." I give him a small shrug aiming for nonchalance as I pick at the appetizer in front of us.

"Ah, I see. That's really nice of you. How old is he turning?"

"He's turning twenty-three." His eyes widen marginally at that. "What?"

"Nothing, I just expected him to be a bit older. He looks a bit older than almost twenty-three." He sips his wine again and asks, "how old do you think I am?"

I ponder that for a moment. "Hmm, I'd say twenty-nine? Maybe thirty-years-old?" 

He gives me a wide grin before saying, "that's a nice compliment but I'm a bit older than that."

"Like... how much older are we taking here?" I quirk a brow at him because he sure as hell doesn't look like a man who's out of his twenties.

"I'm thirty-six." Oh. "I'm assuming you're the same age as your friend, Jamie, right?"

"No, I'm a bit older than him. I'm twenty-five." He nods his head then gives me a devilish look which makes my face flush.

"Does it bother you that I'm that much older than you?" I think about that for a bit. Eleven or so years between a twenty-five-year-old and a thirty-six-year-old isn't all that big of a difference.

"No, does it bother you?"

"No." He holds my gaze for a moment and then asks, "have you ever been with someone this much older than you?"

"I can't say that I have." That flirtatious glare he's giving me has me feeling hot all over the place. It also has me sipping my water automatically.

"I've never been with someone that much younger but I'd like to be." I choke slightly, probably looking like an idiot. He lets out a little laugh, "are you all right?"

I take a deep breath saying, "yeah, I'm fine."

"You say you're in between jobs." I nod because I can hardly find the words anymore. "What kind of work do you do?"

"Well, I've done some secretarial work here and there for my father and Jamie's father. I've also dabbled in accounting, that's what my degree is in. But my absolute love is freelance photography."

"Sounds like you're good at many things."

I shrug, "I suppose. I'm good with numbers and a handful of other anti-social qualities besides secretarial work." That makes him let out a deep laugh.

"Someone like you is antisocial?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" He gives me a pointed look and gestures up and down to my body. "You know, sir, just because someone is good looking doesn't make them social."

"I think I like it when you call me sir." That makes my cheeks flush again. "So, you don't have too many friends?" I shake my head no. "Is it just Jamie then?" I nod my head. "Lucky man."

"I suppose. We've known each other since childhood." We also slept with each other last night several times. Just the thought makes me look away from him to anywhere else in the room.

"Trust me, he's a lucky man." And just like that I have a feeling Rhoen could read my mind.

✩✩✩

The rest of our dinner went well. We talked light-heartedly about his passion for the arts and his excitement to see my photography someday. Rhoen was ever the charmer and he's currently walking me back to my room. He's got his hands in his pockets as he casually talks about his favorite places in Vegas.

Once we reach my room I turn to him with a smile. "Well, sir, thank you for the wonderful evening. I really had a good time." And I really did. Rhoen is a sweetheart and an absolute gentleman.

"You know, maybe it should make me feel like an old man that you keep calling me that but I kind of like it." That makes me quirk a flirtatious brow at him because I'd said it intentionally. "Sir." He grins mischievously at me. "I really do like it."

"Then that's what I shall call you." I lean forward and place a kiss on his cheek. The moment I begin to pull away I hear a loud bang on the door beside me followed by the moans of a woman. I automatically look at the door beside mine where the noise is coming from; Jamie's room.

Oh god, Bright. Oh god! Just like that, Bright! Oh fuck, Bright!

"Bright?" Rhoen's quizzical voice asks.

"Yeah, it's Jamie's name for when he's having a one-night stand or sleeping with someone he doesn't want to get to know him." I look back to Rhoen and he's nodding his head in understanding.

"Interesting." Then his eyes land on mine. "Do you want to stay here or come back to mine for a night cap?"

"Let's go back to yours." I give him a smile but the truth is I really did need that night cap, especially after hearing what Jamie was doing.