Jamie's breath hitched at her words, the quiet confession threading through his veins like wildfire. He hadn't been wrong; she felt it, too. The tension wasn't just his imagination; it was alive between them, crackling in the charged air. And yet, even with the weight of her admission, she was still pulling back. All controlled and calculated. God, it drove him insane. His gaze dipped to where her hand lingered, mere inches from his own. It would be so easy to close the distance, to intertwine his fingers with hers, to break through the careful lines they kept redrawing. But she was right, this wasn't simple. Not with the way their lives were tangled up in expectations and responsibilities. Not with the way she was already fighting it, even if she didn't want to.
Jamie straightened just enough to meet her eyes again, his expression softening, but his resolve hardening. "Smart, huh?" He echoed, the edge of a grin tugging at his lips. "Funny thing about smart... I don't think it's ever done much good for people like us." He watched the flicker of surprise dance across her features, the barest crack in that perfect control. His voice lowered, the words coming out rougher than he intended. "I get it. I do. But I'm not sure I can just ignore it... And I don't think you can, either." When her gaze slipped to his mouth again, just for a fraction of a second, it was enough to send a fresh wave of heat through him. Jamie took a half step forward, just enough to close that whisper of distance she'd tried to force. His steel blue eyes never left hers as he spoke, his voice barely above a whisper. "You keep saying it's not the right time... But what if it never is?" His hand brushed hers, just enough for her to feel it, his touch gentle. "Are you really okay with that? Okay with how your husband can't satisfy you anymore like you always tell me during our training sessions?"