Page 52 of Hiding Hollywood

“I’m not discussing her.”

The longer he drove in silence, the more questions Addie had about his ex. He might have turned back into the stuck-up Cameron for the night, but she’d find a way to get him to talk. No way she’d trust him with the biggest secret of her life to accept him shutting her out.

16

Three quick knocks at his door had Lacy scrambling from her mid-day nap and trotting to the door. Cameron set down one of the case files on the coffee table and followed behind her. He reached for the knob as he stepped around her, but her tail wagged at an incredible speed.

He ended up tripping over his own feet to avoid her. His shoulder slammed into the wall. A picture fell off the wall, but he dropped to his knees and caught it a second before it hit the floor.

The door opened. Addie sank to her knees right next to him.

“Are you okay? It sounded like half the house was about to come down.” She took the picture frame from him and set it to the side.

He rotated his arm, his ego as bruised as his shoulder. “Lacy was a little excited, and we collided.” Lacy jumped, two paws landing on the front of Addie. “No jump. Down!”

“She’s fine.” She scratched her behind the ears and made kissy faces at the slobbering menace.

He stood, taking his time to look over her outfit. She dressed in tight exercise pants in a lime green zebra pattern with a black shirt. Her long hair in a high ponytail. “Did you run here?”

Her lips tilted to one side, but she kept rubbing Lacy. “Someone told me I’d get a ticket for driving with a suspended license.”

“That someone sounds like a smart man.”

“Smart ass most of the time.”

He smiled despite the insult. “It came with the badge.”

“I’d hate to see what happens when you’re elected Sheriff.”

“It just gets bigger.”

She rose from the floor. “I feel sorry for your town, then.”

He narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “I was talking about the badge getting bigger, Addie.”

Mimicking his stance, she lowered her voice in a horrible imitation. “Are you sure about that?”

He laughed. “No, I’m not. I appreciate you not driving. You know, I’m still shocked that you run so well. My parents’ house is a good two miles from here, and you’re not even out of breath.”

She scrunched her nose into a cute wrinkle. “After everything you’ve learned about me, the computer hacking and”—she fluttered her hands in the air between them—“the fake job. The money. The only time you’ve been shocked, is finding out I’m a decent runner?”

“The computer stuff isn’t a surprise. Don’t forget. I remember the geeky ‘Addie’ from before.”

“Geeky Addie is long gone.”

His eyes met hers. “I don’t think geeky Addie ever went away. You just covered her up with that other woman.”

No emotion registered on her face. “I feel like I should be offended by that.”

Cameron reached out and grabbed her, bringing their bodies together and surprising a smile from her. He had no business giving in and touching her. Yesterday's revelation had shattered his nice, neat world. The rest of the night, he’d played out every dangerous scenario she could possibly face until giving up on sleep at four this morning.

She held onto his shoulders.

“There’s more to you than only a geek or a flirt. You should let the world see this Addie.” His free hand skimmed down her hip, touching her possessively. If she were his girlfriend, he wouldn’t have a prayer in accomplishing anything. He’d be too busy wanting his hands on her every chance he got.

Addie tilted her chin up. “Sometimes, when you look at me, it reminds me of how you looked playing football.”

“How so?”

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