A/N: I'm back with another chapter! It satisfies me to chip away at Jamie and Eddie's little bubble. ;) Read on and enjoy!
"Because I don't want to, Danny," Jamie complains.
Eddie hears his voice from around the corner as she packs up in the locker room.
"That's why."
When she lifts her bag onto her shoulder, she pushes through the door and sees Jamie, having just changed back into his off duty jeans and t-shirt, standing in the hall of the precinct with his older brother.
"Come on!" Danny pleads, smacking Jamie in the chest with a folded piece of paper.
"What doesn't he want to do?" Eddie wonders as she approaches them.
"Explain to your partner here," Danny turns toward her. "That a commitment is a commitment."
"Hm." She narrows her eyes. "I need more information."
"What are you even doing here?" Jamie asks. "You come all the way up here to give me some memo?"
"I gotta see Farris about a collar he made," he explains. "We think it's connected to this dead end double homicide case I'm chasing."
"Yeah, well, go check his desk and quit hassling me."
Danny raises his eyebrows and glances at Eddie. "You know you're gonna have to turn up the charm a little bit, kid, if you want to bring in a top dollar bid Friday night."
"Top dollar?" Eddie quirks an interested brow.
"Your partner," Danny begins, "being the eligible bachelor that he is, agreed to participate in the NYPD charity auction."
Eddie tilts her head in confusion. "Auction?"
"You know. A date with a police officer," Danny explains, an amused smugness coasting across his features. Then he claps Jamie hard on the shoulder. "New York's finest. I mean, New York's true finest is happily married-" He points to his own chest. "But you'll do. Make some rich lady a happy camper for a night."
With wide eyes, Eddie's mouth falls open and she can't help the stuttering chuckle that comes out of her. "Wait, seriously?"
"You haven't heard about it?" Danny questions. "It's a big event at the Ritz-Carlton. Jamie dutifully signed up for it-"
"You signed me up for it."
Danny smiles proudly. "I did. I signed him up for it," he tells Eddie. "And you didn't seem to have a problem with it a few weeks ago when I ran it by you."
"Yeah, well, I figured you'd drop it."
"It's almost as if-" And then Danny folds his arms and brings one fingertip to his pensive lips. "Something changed between then and now. I mean, why would you agree to it a few weeks ago, and now you're trying to back out of it? You're a single guy." He looks at Eddie with this face, making a show of being downright dumbfounded. "You are-" And then his chest expands as he moves his hands to his waist, scrutinizing Jamie with a furrowed brow. "Single. Right?"
He pauses just a beat, stalling with a measured inhale. Jamie could be so squirrelly, Eddie noticed, when it came to his brother. "Just because I'm single doesn't mean I want to stand up on a stage trying to get people to spend money to go out to dinner with me. It's stupid."
"So you're too good to put aside your pride in the name of charity, I see." Danny shrugs, then looks to Eddie. "Or is it something else?"
His efforts fail to trip her up and she blinks over at Jamie. "Come on, Reagan. You've gotta follow through. For a good cause."
Jamie looks at her, meeting her with an unamused gaze. She simply returns it with a grin and a flutter of her lashes.
"How much would you pay-" Danny points at her. "For a night on the town with the most average-looking of the Reagans? Factor in the Harvard degree."
"Oh man, easily… ten bucks," she teases.
"That's what I was thinking." Danny smacks Jamie's arm. "Maybe fifteen if it weren't for that doofus haircut."
"You're one to talk," Jamie fires back, then turns to Eddie, offended. "Ten bucks, really?"
She feels one corner of her lips perk upward. "I'm more into firefighters."
His jaw sets and she doesn't miss the flash of unguarded heat that flickers there. It twitches inside of her in a way she wasn't expecting as they hold one another's gaze. It's funny how connected they were - even more so now - how a look from him prompts memories and reactions in her that she can't control.
But she doesn't let it show. Over the years, and certainly over the last week or so, she's attempted to train those reactions from showing on her face.
"Oh!" Danny coughs out as he pulls a disapproving face with a shake of his head. "That's blasphemy."
"So if you think I'm only gonna pull in ten bucks, why should I even participate?" Jamie questions, resting hands low on his hips. "Why don't you do it yourself if it's such a good cause?"
"Hey, every penny counts." Danny presses the piece of paper against Jamie's chest and slaps it there before he backs away. "Those are the details that came to my e-mail. I hear the programs are already printed, so… Don't make us look bad, kid!" And with that he passes through the hallway, leaving him with a pointed finger before he turns the corner.
Jamie rolls his eyes as he reluctantly looks down to glimpse the printed information. Then he glances out to the hall to ensure Danny had long gone, and turns back to look at Eddie.
She makes this face like she can't wait to hear how he plans to go through with this and folds her arms over her chest. "A night with Jamie Reagan," she sighs wistfully. "The NYPD's most eligible bachelor."
With a tilt of his head, he narrows his eyes. "Since when do you prefer firefighters?"
"Ooh," a low moan vibrates in her throat. "I knew that'd rub you the wrong way."
"Hey." He shrugs, then hooks his thumbs in the pockets of his jeans. "You wanna be rubbed the wrong way, spend the night with a firefighter."
Eddie's lips twist as she tries to fight off a smile. Slowly, she shakes her head. "You're awfully on edge with Danny."
"Don't you see what he was trying to do there?"
A puzzled look slants across her brow.
"He didn't come all the way to midtown to give me some damn e-mail he printed out." Jamie gestures to the paper. "He wanted to confront me with that in front of you. To see how you'd react."
She nods. "You're saying he's onto something."
"You think?"
"Hm. Quite the detective," she muses.
Jamie exhales a soft laugh and shakes his head as he moves to slide the folded paper into his back pocket.
"So you're really gonna do this auction?"
He glances up like he's considering it and while he does, takes a step forward. It prompts Eddie to move a step back toward the dimly lit wall. "I'd only get ten dollars out of you, huh?"
Her head tips back to peer up at him and she lowers her voice. "Would you rather I let your brother know I can get it for free?"
"Oh, is that right?" Jamie chuckles, a smile creeping to his cheeks. "Are you gonna come get it tonight?" He wonders, a hopeful jump of one eyebrow.
With a pensive squint, Eddie tilts her head. "Hm…" She hums and slowly turns to head down the hallway. "I don't know. It's looking like you have to save up your energy for the ladies on Friday night."
Quickly, he catches up to her. "Maybe I should. Maybe I can get more than ten dollars."
"Well sure." Eddie smiles. "If this is Manhattan's elite, then yeah, no one wants to look cheap."
"How much do you think someone would pay?"
She shoots him a look over her shoulder as she pushes open the door to the precinct. "You're actually going to do it, aren't you?"
"It is for a good cause," he reminds her.
She opens her mouth as they head down the steps and has to roll her eyes. "You are such a floozy, Reagan."
"I am not!" He laughs.
"If it were reversed and I was being auctioned off for a date, you'd say hell no."
"Oh, I'd kick the guy's ass, whoever won, but that's not what's happening here."
"Ha!" Her head tips back in amusement as they make their way along the sidewalk. "See?"
"So are you telling me hell no?" He wonders.
"Well… you don't need my permission."
"Plus, you prefer firefighters, anyway, so-"
"Oh man!" She flicks a playful smack against his stomach. "I'll pay for that, won't I?"
"You definitely will."
"Uh-huh." She nods. "I see. So what kind of girl do you think will win you?"
Jamie draws in a deep, thoughtful inhale as he waits beside her to cross the street. "I don't know. Hopefully she's tall, and has a thing for cops," he lists.
"Mm. Oh yeah? Loves salads and not having an opinion on anything?"
"Sounds good to me." He grins, earning a sharp jab from her in the arm.
"I hate you," she murmurs, a smirk threatening her lips.
He laughs softly and peers down at the sidewalk. "But seriously, if it bothers you just say the word."
"Oh, it doesn't bother me," she chirps.
He tilts his head, his skepticism settling there in his eyes. "Eddie."
She shrugs as she stops and turns toward him. "It doesn't. Like I said, you don't need my permission."
He sets a patient look on her and seems to wait for her to tack on a 'but' to that declaration. "So are we going to Foley's?" He points down to the corner.
She considers it as she glances at the entrance to the subway on the end of the block where they stand. "Nah, not tonight. I'm gonna go home."
"You're mad."
"I'm not mad!" She maintains as she begins to turn away from him.
But he reaches out and wraps a hand around her upper arm to pull her back. "Eddie."
She comes closer and fixes her earnest gaze on him as she repeats, "I'm not mad."
"Because trust me, I'll back out of it."
She leans forward and rests her palms on his chest, patting there once before she reluctantly slides them down and away. "No, that's not what this is. This isn't-" She shakes her head while she thinks and glances up at him. "We're not getting into something where we get mad at each other for stuff like this."
"Alright." He pauses to process it. "Fair enough."
She can't put a finger on why it bugs her. The idea of Jamie participating in something like this is genuinely amusing. She shouldn't be jealous. She should be highly entertained. Because all that's going to be at this event is probably a bunch of rich old ladies with deep pockets and a long standing relationship with the NYPD. Like what, is he going to meet his soulmate there? Some hot soulmate with money? No.
But she can't deny how easily her jealousy is triggered when it comes to Jamie Reagan. It's always been that way and she sort of hates it. She's not the jealous type, but with him, something possessive just materializes. It teases her nerves until it burns its way to the surface.
Looking up at him, she manages a hard swallow as she feels a smile curve along her mouth. "Bet you can't get a thousand."
A grin stretches his cheeks and he tips back with a laugh. "Oh, I bet I can."
A flash of intrigue jumps behind her eyes and she arches one brow. "Five thousand?"
He considers it with a tilt of his head. "Ten thousand."
Her eyes grow wide. "Alright, partner. Prove it. Work those rich girls for ten grand."
"Rich girls kind of have a thing for me."
"Ugh." She shoots a glare his way, but he's still so irritatingly charming. With a shake of her head, she backs away. "Oh, I can't wait."
"But I'm going home alone tonight," he says, as if to make sure. "Is that what you're saying?"
"Yeah, that's what I'm saying, ladies' man." She smiles back over her shoulder before she turns and heads down the steps to catch the train home.