MASTERMIND | Jamie Tartt

FORTY ONE: SNAKE IN THE GRASS

"This one's my favourite," Jamie muttered as he trailed his fingertip over her bumblebee tattoo as they lay, tangled in his grey bed sheets, morning sunlight dancing over their skin. He then trailed his fingers down to the dainty stars on her hip, "Tell me about this one."

"I just liked the design," Billie answered simply.

"This one?"

"The goldfish?" Billie looked down at the tattoo on her bicep, "Got that when we got relegated, it's what Ted says, 'be a goldfish.'"

"I like that, what about this one?" Jamie traced the three words written in cursive above the inside of her elbow.

"That's a lyric from a Harry Styles song," Billie told him, delighted by his personal intrigue in her tattoos, "We'll be alright."

"What does it mean?" Jamie asked as he pulled her body closer, letting her head rest on his chest.

"Whatever happens, no matter how big or small, we'll be okay," Billie muttered as she began mindlessly trailing her fingers up and down his tattooed forearm, "I got it when I was in Manchester, and felt lost in myself, rather than the city."

"Do you miss it?" Jamie replied, "Manchester?"

"Yeah."

"You wanna come back with me one weekend during the off season?" Jamie asked, because he really wanted the two most important women in his life to meet each other, he wished Billie had met his mum instead of his father, "We could stay at me mum's."

"You want me to meet your mum?" Billie smiled.

"Well, she already knows a lot about you," Jamie told her, and Billie's stomach fluttered with delight, "But if you don't want to, that's completely cool."

"I'd love to meet your mum," Billie assured him, "And I'd love to see your Manchester."

"I'd love you to see it too," Jamie grinned as he kissed her slowly, "And my mum keeps telling me she'd love to meet you."

"You've been talking about me, Tartt?" Billie smiled against his mouth.

"To anyone who'll listen," Jamie smirked as he kissed her.

"So, you've been telling people about us?" Billie asked, shuffling her body onto Jamie's, her chest pressed against his, as her chin rested against his chest.

"I told Mum, and then I might've told Higgins accidentally," Jamie told her.

"Higgins?"

"Yeah, I called him when I was cooking dinner last night, and I might've mentioned it," Jamie explained.

"You called Higgins?"

"Yeah, to ask how to make that paella you like," Jamie replied.

"You're adorable, Jamie Tartt," Billie grinned as she kissed him, butterflies filling her stomach.

"I'm sorry for letting it slip," Jamie ran his hand over her jaw, "I know you wanted to wait."

"It's alright," Billie assured him, knowing that he meant well, "But I think we should wait till next season to tell the team, spend the off season in our own little bubble."

"I can live with that, sneaking around at work," Jamie murmured against her lips as he kissed her, resting his hands on her hips and pulling her closer, "It's fucking hot."

"Yeah?" Billie muttered as she rolled her hips against his, "How about that?"

"That's fucking hot, too," Jamie mumbled as he began pressing kisses along her jaw, "How long do we have till we need to leave for work?"