Page 83 of Last First Kiss

Jamie ignores her weak protest. “You’ve obviously got it bad for him, which, I must say—a future doctor with those gorgeous cheekbonesandhe’s great with kids? Exquisite taste, my dear.”

Kami cackles.

And Jordan feels a quick spike of…somethingat the way Jamie stares at Suraj.

“Down, boy,” Kami warns, teasingly. “Don’t even think about it.”

Jamie holds up surrender hands. “I wouldn’t dare. Besides, I’m…” he trails off. His eyes cut in Jordan’s direction. They don’t linger. Jordan doesn’t read into it. At least, not too much.

“You’re one to talk,” Kami says to Jamie. “Isn’t there someone new in your life? It’s not like you to be single this long. Who is she? He? They?”

Jordan watches carefully as blush streams down Jamie’s cheeks.

“No one new,” he says.

Kami turns her attention to Jordan, unconvinced. “Is he lying?”

Throat dry, Jordan croaks, “How would I know?”

“He’syourfriend, doofus.”

“Yeah, but—I mean… it’shislife and—”

Jamie lets out an insufferable groan. He ends Jordan’s misery with: “Her name’s Sloane. It’s not serious. We’ve been on a few dates. She’s not my girlfriend. We’re not in a relationship. Happy now, Auntie C.C. Junior?”

Kami’s jaw clicks shut. She looks as if Jamie has just ripped her soul from her body and all that’s left is a pale, wide-eyed, rigid corpse.

Despite his best efforts, Jordan cracks up. An all-out, hands-on-his-knees, gasping-for-air guffaw. While he recovers, Kami throws an elbow into Jamie’s ribs.

“You’re not funny.”

Jamie wheezes, “You had it coming.”

“Whatever.”

Kami welcomes a breathless Mikah with open arms. After pressing a kiss to her temple, Suraj says, “We’re going for celebratory ice cream at Jeni’s.”

“Yes!” Mikah yelps.

Kami’s eyes roam between Jordan and Jamie. “You two want in?”

Jordan’s gaze reflexively cuts to Jamie. He’s caught mid-stretch, the drooping sun haloing his silhouette. The hem of his button-down rides up. A flash of dark hair peeks from his waistband. He shrugs.

“I’m gonna stick around. Get some fresh air.”

“Have fun with that,” Suraj says. “I’m gross and sweaty and I didn’t even play soccer.”

Jamie smiles. It’s not pointed at anyone in particular. But, for some reason, Jordan’s skin gets even warmer.

It’s the heat. Atlanta summers are suffocating.

Kami nudges him. “Coming?”

He considers it. Ice cream would be nice. As would central air-conditioning. And a shower. Maybe a good old-fashioned Jedimind-wipe so he won’t keep thinking about how soft Jamie’s skin was as he held Jordan’s hand.

“I—” He swallows the crack in his voice. “I’ll stay too.” His eyes move to Jamie. “If that’s cool?”

Jamie’s face lights up like he wouldn’t have it any other way.