Page 24 of Hiding Hollywood

Then, Cameron was there, taking her hand away from her lips. He snapped, “You should be more careful.”

“I’ll get the aloe.” Mrs. Dempsey slid the pot off the hot eye and left the room. Addie hardly paid her any attention. Cameron’s hand completely enveloped hers. His eyes stayed focused on her hand where a red whelp the size of a quarter started to appear. His thumb skimmed back and forth along the underneath side of her hand. She hardly felt the sting any longer. Standing this close, she fixed her eyes on his faint stubble from a five o’clock shadow. She gripped the counter with her other hand to keep from reaching out to brush her hand along his jaw. He wasn’t hers to touch.

She’d let her guard down with Mrs. Dempsey. Impossible not to with such a sweet woman. Trying to switch it on now with Cameron didn’t seem right. Or possible.

“Here we go!” With a wide smile, Mrs. Dempsey passed a piece of the green plant over to Cameron and set a bandage on the counter. “I’m going to give your dad a quick call and see what his ETA is.”

Cameron squeezed the plant until a clear, gooey liquid appeared. That was aloe? She’d never considered that someone would have that in their house. She’d always seen green aloe in a bottle in the store.

He gently let the goop land on the back of her hand. He had so many sides to his personality. He was kind to old ladies and tended to the injured. She really needed to remember all the reasons she shouldn’t like him.

“I didn’t realize people had aloe plants lying around.”

He chuckled but remained focus on his task. “My Grandma used aloe to cure just about everything.”

He laid the bandage over the burn and pressed down the edges with such gentleness as if she might break. “Keep it covered.” He brought the back of her hand to his lips, laying a featherlight kiss on top of the bandage. His eyes met hers.

And that was why most fairy tale princesses immediately fell in love with the prince.

She’d never actually felt the cliché of her knees going weak from a man, but Cameron had accomplished it. Her breath hitched when she tried to speak. The silence of the room rested around them. Since she wanted to step closer, to feel what that kiss he’d given her hand would feel like on her own lips, she stepped away. His girlfriend wouldn’t appreciate her encroachment on her territory.

“You’re pretty good at patching people up.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. Was he embarrassed? “I visited my little cousin in Alabama last month. She’s six.” He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “I was informed that a kiss was required when applying a bandage.”

“Oh”—she wet her bottom lip—“it definitely is. Glad I remind you of a six-year-old.”

Cameron reached out and flicked her lopsided ponytail sitting on top of her head. “All you need is a big pink bow.” He smirked. “And your glasses.”

Addie rolled her eyes. “Will you stop teasing about the glasses? Didn’t realize you had such a mean streak to make fun of someone with glasses.” She turned away from him, grabbing a pair of tongs and rearranging the chicken on the platter for no reason. His hand rested along her shoulder. She froze.

His thumb brushed along the side of her neck.

She gripped the tongs in her hand tight. There went her knees and about two-thirds of her common sense. At this point, she’d prefer him being a jerk over seductive.

He leaned in behind her until his chest brushed her back, his heat soaking through her thin shirt. He lowered his voice to almost a whisper in her ear. “You look cute in your glasses, Addie.”

The warmth of his breath fanned across her cheek. A shiver snaked up her spine. She didn’t try to conceal her reaction. At least he couldn’t see her eyes roll into the back of her head. Ten days. That was all she had to hold onto her hormones and not make a fool of herself.

Addie nodded, hoping it came across as nonchalant, but it felt more like a bobblehead doll.

Mrs. Dempsey came bustling back in, and the heat from his body disappeared. “Your dad’s pulling in now. I’ll drop in these last two pieces of chicken, and then, we can eat. Cameron, the rest of the salad stuff is in the fridge.”

Without being asked again, Cameron immediately pulled everything out. His knife slammed into the cutting board with each slice of the carrot, like he was taking out his frustration on the poor vegetables. Addie made herself stay busy to keep from staring at him. He moved around the kitchen with his mom like it was second nature. Brian’s meals consisted of protein smoothies and a carryout service specializing in raw vegan food. And soup. She’d never seen one person consume so much soup before.

As soon as Mrs. Dempsey set the chicken on the table, Sheriff Dempsey walked into the kitchen.

“Hello, Addie.” His smile felt warm and real. Tiny lines crinkled around his green eyes, identical to Cameron’s. “I heard you made us chicken.”

“With your wife’s supervision. I don’t think I’d ever try this on my own. Probably set the whole kitchen on fire.”

Mrs. Dempsey brought rolls to the table and a tub of margarine. “You did fine.”

Cameron held out Addie’s chair.

She couldn’t help it, but she hesitated. His neutral look concealed wherever his thoughts had traveled. No way they were as confused as her own. He had Lacy. Contact with a female wouldn’t matter to him.

“How was work today, Cameron?”

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