Page 35 of Hayes

Letting go of his hand; she turned it over and slid her fingers slowly over his palm. "Perhaps I wanted to pay you back for having lunch with the very blonde and very dumb Carissa Gibbons." Her head lifted to give him a challenging look. "And to remind you that two can play the same game."

He gave her a wry look. "You knew very well that Carissa and I have been friends since we were children. Her parents and mine were friends."

"Still..." She drew circles in his palm, sending heat rushing through his body. The woman was lethal, he thought, his body hardening. "I had to teach you a lesson."

"And that lesson was that I belonged to you?" he queried.

"Something like that. What else did she say?"

"Who? Carissa?"

"No, you idiot. Your mother." She smiled at the dazed look on his handsome face.

"I don't- stop that." He bit off a groan when she lifted his hand and placed an open mouth kiss on the skin. "You witch." Hauling her into his arms, he took her lips in a ravenous kiss that had her reeling.

*****

Camelia’s euphoria lasted throughout the day. She had spent almost an hour with Hayes and missed lunch, but it had been worth it. A smile touched her lips as she recalled the frenzied lovemaking in the back seat of his BMW. It was a good thing she always had wipes and toilet paper in her glove compartment and deodorant.

Even so, she wondered if she smelled of sex. Certainly, his expensive cologne was still clinging to her sweater, and she could not get the taste of him out of her mouth.

It had been that way when they were younger. The inability to stay away from each other for long periods of time had always confounded them and had certainly frightened her.

She would be with her friends, strolling through the mall or grabbing coffee at their favorite spot when the urge would hit her. She would leave in the middle of being with them to go and find him, only to discover that he was doing the same thing.

She jolted at the knock on the door to see her assistant standing there. "Yes?"

"There is a Simone Bledsoe here to see you. She does not have an appointment."

Camelia felt a sudden prick of apprehension as she recognized the name of Hayes' ex. She had expected some kind of confrontation, but not this quickly.

"Tell her I will meet her in the parking lot."

"Of course." The woman gave her a curious look which was ignored. She would handle this with grace and extreme care. She could not blame the woman for coming to see her or for being angry.

She had been with Hayes, and Camelia knew firsthand what that was like. Not to mention the fact that Simone Bledsoe had lost an extremely wealthy suitor. She was bound to be pissed.

She found her seated on one of the benches near a rose bush. The sight of the sleek blonde wearing a very expensive and clingy red wool dress with a white cashmere jacket draped over her svelte figure had Camelia's step faltering a little.

Squaring her shoulders, she made a few steps toward the woman and sat down. "I would have asked you into my office, but I have a feeling this conversation is more suited out here." She turned to face Simone.

"How did you do it?"

"I am not sure I know what you mean."

"You roped him back in." Simone's light blue eyes were glittering. "After you left him without a word and broke him into pieces, he still chose you. What do you have on him?"

Camelia stared at her for a few seconds before pulling the jacket around her. It was heading into December and the weather gave every indication that the winter was going to be rough.

"We have a bond," She looked at the woman. "A connection from the very first day we met, and it only got stronger. I am sorry for the hurt and pain we have caused you–"

"You came back with the intention of worming your way back into his life. Admit it." she demanded.

Camelia's eyes flashed. "I came back with the intention of picking up the pieces of my life. I had no intention of ever being with Hayes again."

"And yet you are together. He told me things about you. Awful things. Like how you were a selfish bitch who went away to get rid of his baby." Simone's expression turned gleeful at the surprised look on her face.

"You didn't know that, did you? He confided in me. We had a bond as well. He sought comfort from me and told me things about you. He loved me–"

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