[chapter seven]
Disclaimer: If you've heard of
them, I don't own them. Everything else is mine, so no stealing, pretty please.
;-)
**
Jamie smiled and stood up as he saw Nya crossing her yard towards his back porch, where he had been sprawled for the last hour and a half, mentally and physically recovering from the 400 miles he had driven that day. When she was within earshot, he couldn't resist teasing her.
"Looks to me like your lawn mower broke down." Jamie smiled and Nya almost smiled in return, before catching herself. "You did a terrible job out here."
"I went with another option - dinner." Nya said, holding out the casserole dish in her hands. "It's not much, but..."
Jamie jumped down the two steps and took the dish from her. "Really? You made this? For me? Gosh, thanks, Nya." He said, peeking under the foil to discover a homemade lasagna.
"But don't get the impression it's because I like you. I just wanted to pay off my debt." Nya explained, following him to the porch and folding herself into a rattan chair. "I don't like being indebted to people."
"Duly noted." Jamie smiled. "Let me throw this in the kitchen - get you a beer?" He offered and she nodded, smiling as he practically jogged into the house, returning moments later with a sweaty bottle of beer and a smile.
"So." Nya said.
"So." Jamie echoed, sitting back down and looking at her.
"You did well." Nya said softly.
"You watched?" Jamie said, slightly incredulous.
Nya shrugged noncommittally. "Maybe for a few minutes."
"Where did I finish?" Jamie asked.
"Fourth."
"What color is my car?"
"Black with a big red star."
"What number am I?"
"42."
"Why do you hate boys?"
Nya started, then glared at him. "What?" She hissed.
"Is it because of Mr. Stick Up His Ass AJ? Or do you just always treat men with contempt?" Jamie prodded, but with a gentle smile.
"I'm only that way with cheeky bastards." Nya shot back icily, making Jamie laugh.
"That's cool, I was just asking." Jamie said, putting up his hands to fend off her imagined verbal attack. "I mean, you know, I just wondered. I thought maybe you were embarassed about having a crush on me."
"Really?" Nya said cooly, arching an eyebrow and looking for all the world like the Queen with a smell under her nose.
Jamie grinned winningly. "Yeah. You know. It happens. I get a lot of groupies." He was teasing, but enjoyed watching the emotions run the gamut across her face.
"See. Cheeky bastard." Nya breathed. "I saw no groupies on television, and I doubt any of them would pay you a second thought with people like...oh, that one bloke with the beer sponsor, or the one with the colourful flamed car. You're just a little boy who likes to play with big toys."
"I know. I even get paid to do it." Jamie shrugged and grinned again. He always seemed to be grinning when Nya was around. He wondered if that annoyed her or charmed her.
He was hoping for charm, but would
take would he could get.