Page 52 of When You Are Mine

He did mind. He wanted her to go to her own overpriced apartment and vacate his when he wasn’t here, but these were the small intimacies he’d allowed over the last year. He couldn’t snatch them all back because he’d had an epiphany waking up with a strange woman in his bed.

“Whatever.” What was he? A thirteen-year-old girl now? “I’ll wait for Pierce in the lobby.”

“Wait.” Sofie grabbed his wrist. “I don’t even get a good-bye kiss?”

By all rights, he should be pouncing on Sofie at every opportunity. Five eleven. Body most women could achieve only through surgical enhancement. Blond hair down to here, and legs up to there. He leaned down and kissed her, knowing this might be the last time.

“Mmmmmm.” She pressed her perfectly perky breasts into his chest. “I wish we had more time so I could send you off properly.”

What could he say to that?

“I’ll see you when you get back from Paris, Sof.”

“K, I love you.”

He saw see the vulnerability in her eyes. He couldn’t fake it this morning. He nodded once, brushing past her, hurrying to the door. As much as he didn’t want her, she still deserved better than this.

She was in love with a real asshole.

Chapter Twenty

The dreams are getting worse, Cam.” Kerris poured fabric softener into the washing machine, pointing to the basket behind Cam on the dryer. “Could you pass that to me?”

“I told you I’ve got it under control, babe.” He passed her the basket, a stiff smile on his face and a frown on his forehead.

“Sweetie, you were screaming last night.” She reached for his hand. “And crying.”

“I wasn’t crying.” Cam jerked his hand away like she was a hot stove.

“Okay, maybe you weren’t crying.” Kerris turned away to open the dryer, giving him the privacy he needed to compose himself. “But you were definitely upset.”

“Did I…” Cam leaned his hip against the washing machine, training his eyes on his scuffed boots. “Did I say anything?”

“I couldn’t make it out.” Kerris frowned, reaching again to hold his hand. He let her. “Maybe you should talk to someone.”

“Pffft. What, like a therapist?” Exasperation twisted Cam’s handsome face. “I’m not some circus freak.”

“I didn’t say you were. Just talk to someone. If not a therapist, or me, maybe Jo.”

“Or Walsh.”

His name fell like a tree into the washroom.

“Oh, I didn’t think about Walsh since he hasn’t been around much.”

Her voice was even, right? She sounded normal?

“He’s coming to the party tonight.”

Kerris forced her face into submission, not allowing it to show surprise or concern.

“You didn’t tell me Walsh was coming.”

Kerris leaned into the dryer, retrieving warm towels and giving her face time to recover from the shock that she’d be seeing Walsh for the first time after so long.

“That’s not a problem, is it?”

Did Cam watch her closer? Was she paranoid?

---