A/N I am humbled & awed by the number of people who have asked me to continue this story. This is as far as I have gotten. It's short. Don't get your hopes up for more any time soon but know it's still in my system.

BB *~* BB*~* BB

The shrill ring roused Edie out of a deep, luxurious sleep. If she'd taken a moment to reflect, she would have had to acknowledge that she hadn't slept so well in a long time, longer than she could remember. Although she didn't have it as bad as many veteran cops, at night her mind was often filled with the worst images: a dead body she'd seen that day; a replay of her fatal shooting or Jamie's, with different and tragic endings to both; or that ever-present nightmare that something she longed for very badly that was just out of reach. That last nightmare was never clear about what she wanted or why she couldn't have it. Mostly she just knew it was frustrating.

This morning she knew she was warm and safe, but that seemed odd. She wasn't in her room. For a brief second, she had forgotten that she was in a hotel room in New Jersey for her cousin's wedding. The annoying noise was the hotel phone insisting that she pay attention to it.

As Edie reached for the phone she became aware that her movements were restricted. A protective arm was draped across her middle. She experienced a split second of panic before she remembered that she and Jamie has agreed to share this king-sized bed last night. They must have drifted together during the night because he was curled protectively around her in the middle of the gigantic bed, even though they had each been clinging to their own sides as they fell asleep. That thought brought a sweet smile to the blonde's face. Even subconsciously, they reached toward each other. She stretched to grab the phone before it woke her bed partner. The movement pressed Edie's bottom back into Jamie's groin. Realizing he was aroused, Edie stiffened involuntarily. Her reaction served to do the very thing she was trying to avoid, it stirred her companion who grumbled, trying to keep her pressed into his embrace.

Jamie had been having the best dream. He was snuggled up with a beautiful woman although his subconscious mind wasn't supplying her identity. He was warm and happy. That contentment was short-lived. Movement or rather the lack of, like something just froze, jarred him awake. Upon coming to, he realized that he was wrapped around his partner! He knew he'd fallen asleep hugging the edge on his side of the big bed, putting as much physical distance between them as he could manage while they were in the same space and mentally kicking himself for this cockamamie idea. Although he'd thought about sharing a bed with Edie more times then was probably heathy for someone who vowed to keep their partnership platonic, he never imagined that the first time they slept together, it would be just to sleep. But sleep had been the last thing on his mind. He kept replaying that kiss outside in the moonlight. It may have started as a cover to convince Aunt Z to leave them alone, but it hadn't seemed like pretend to him. Edie felt so right in his arms, molded perfectly to every plane of his body. Her soft lips tasted so sweet when she willingly opened up to him. Drifting off to sleep, there was tension in every muscle in his body while he tried to keep perfectly still, knowing he couldn't act on those desires. She didn't feel the same way. He was here to play a part – fake BF – no matter how real he wanted it to be.

Sometime during the night, they must have both drifted toward the center and connected instinctively. Worse than simply finding himself intertwined with the beautiful blonde, he was hard. Morning wood was a thing, always had been for him, but the fact that Edie's lush bottom was pressed so solidly against his arousal there was no way she failed to notice. He felt like such a pervert and jerked his hips back. While Edie was mumbling a greeting into the phone, Jamie hurriedly scooted to his side of the bed, mentally trying to get his uncooperative and traitorous body under control.

Jamie was trying to breathe, hoping the world would swallow him whole. He didn't realize that Edie had ended her conversation, hung up the phone and rolled to face him. The last thing he wanted was for her to come closer.

"Mornin'," she opened sweetly. Her hair was tousled and her voice was still a bit rough from sleep. It was everything he'd ever imagined waking up with Janko would be except he wasn't allowed to roll her pliant body underneath his and claim her in the light of day.

"I ah . . ." Jamie didn't know what to say. What would be the most polite way to phrase 'sorry I was groping you and practically humping you in your sleep'? Instead he jumped out of bed grabbing the pillow and holding it in front of himself. It was ridiculous really. Edie popped in on him in the locker room all the time when he was dressing. She'd seem him in just his boxers. Yesterday he came strutting into this very room in only a towel. His body's positive reaction to her proximity had never been quite so apparent. Still, he had never had so little on when his physical reaction to her presence was so blatantly obvious.

Knowing her Boy Scout as well as she did, Edie knew Jamie was mortified about his arousal but she was secretly flattered. Maybe there was some hope that they could make a go of it. This morning was not the time for that long overdue discussion. She had sleep late. That had been her aunt on the phone chastising her for not being in the bride's suite to get ready with the other bridesmaids. She knew she had to get going but man did she want to stay. A blushing bare-chested Jamie, holding a pillow in front of his erection seemed such much more appealing then getting her hair and make up done in the bridal suite.

Jamie looked like a deer in headlights. He could barely move another centimeter away from her without walking into the hallway. Edie took pity on him. "I'm late," she offered, throwing the covers off on her side and climbing out of bed. "I was supposed to be at the bride's suite 15 minutes ago to start getting ready."

Jamie relaxed a little but didn't budge. "You'd . . . ah . . . better . . .um go then." He was still mostly turned away from her but looked over his shoulder at her. "What time is it?"

"Ten-fifteen," Edie answered as she started looking for something to wear. Jamie almost choked on his own tongue when Edie bent at the waist allowing the t-shirt to ride up and reveal her panties while she rummaged around her open suitcase at the foot of the bed. Practically giving himself whiplash as he jerked to look away, Jamie stared at the wall. Settling on a pair of sweatpants that said 'bridesmaid' across the butt, Edie tugged them on before disappearing into the bathroom.

Jamie continued to think of things that would mask his obvious attraction to his beautiful partner: the names of the sitting Supreme Court Justices; the rule against perpetuities; the Ten Commandments, especially Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife. He really didn't want to ruin this before it got started because Edie thought he was some kind of horn dog who only wanted one thing. This was a nightmare. He was embarrassed but conflicted. He wanted Edie to stay so they could talk. He wanted her out of here as fast as possible but he wondered why she was moving so fast. He was actually worried that she was in a rush to get away from him. He sat down on the edge of the bed, on his side, facing the wall, with the pillow strategically over his lap willing his erection to go down. The sight of her pink lace panties filled his mind and prevented his body from deflating. He tilted his head back and let out a deep breath of frustration through his mouth.

Jamie heard the telltale signs of Edie brushing her teeth in the bathroom. The next noise was a flush, then Edie came out twisting her hair through one of those black ponytail elastics. "I gotta head up to the bridal suite to get ready. The wedding is at one on the terrace. You remember how to get there from last night?"

Nodding mutely, Jamie didn't understand how Edie could be so blasé. She was her usual gregarious self, babbling away as if this was any other morning in the RMP, not the morning they woke up snuggled together with him practically assaulting her. Even if he could speak, Jamie didn't know what to say so he just nodded.

Jamie watched as Edie stuffed what he imagined were a bra and panties into a smaller bag. Grabbing her bridesmaid dress, shoes and make-up bag she headed for the door. "I'll see you later. I'm sure you can find something to do while I'm gone." Jamie couldn't be sure, but it seemed like Edie had glanced at the pillow in his lap when she said that. It was as though she was implying that he was gonna rub one out as soon as she closed the door behind her. Even the idea that Edie looked his way, made Jamie's groin stir under that pillow.

"One o'clock, terrace. Got it," he promised.

"See ya then, Lambchop," Edie teased as she breezed out the door.

When the lock clicked behind her, Jamie fell backwards on the bed. The pillow remained over his groin. He ran his hand through his hair trying to ground himself and exhaled deeply. When he breathed in again, the scent that assailed his nose was all her. Horizontally across the bed, his head was on 'her side' and it smelled like her which caused more blood to rush to his already engorged member. Almost involuntarily, as if they had a mind of their own, Jamie's hands pushed off his sweat shorts. His hard on sprung free and into his willing hands. Precum was already leaking out of the slit. He used it as lube until he found his rhythm. This certainly wasn't the first time he had woken up lusting after his beautiful partner, but it was the first time he found himself in a bed she just vacated. He came hard and fast, whispering her name into the empty room. Lying there waiting for his breathing and heart rate to return to normal, Jamie wiped his sticky hand on the sheets. Getting through the rest of this wedding was going to take all of his self-control. He wasn't sure he had it in him.