Page 65 of Thomas
“I don’t know. I saw him recently, and he didn’t give me the impression that he was being duplicitous in any way—or that he knew what had happened to me, or you…” When he’d seen Wyatt that night, Thomas had made a strict vow to himself to never cross paths with that insufferable and garrulous man again.
It pained him to think that he might need to break that vow sometime very soon.
Thomas walked Dawn back to her apartment, which was very near to the coral-and-cream church, tucked down one of the narrow alleys. As they approached her front door, the church bells chimed and rang through the night air, marking the ten o’clock hour.
“Cameron is really alright?” she asked, looking up at him. Her face was lit by the pale yellow lantern just above their heads. “Your elder father accepted this arrangement without your consent, but Cameron is a good man? You’re pleased with him?”
Thomas’s heart warmed from the mere thought of him. “Very pleased. He is wonderful.”
“And it isn’t just because you’re relieved to be away from your fathers?” Dawn asked, tilting her head. “If you wanted to leave Eden, I would help you, Thomas. You know that, right?”
“I know,” Thomas said, sighing. “And no, it isn’t just relief. I genuinely… I want to be with him. Thank you, Dawn, for having my best interests at heart.”
“Always. May I meet him before you leave? You said he’s a bit reserved, but… would he be willing to have coffee together?”
“I’ll ask him and ring you?”
Dawn nodded. They hugged, then parted ways.
Thomas’s thoughts churned in a frustrated tangle as he walked back, the cool and salty sea air doing nothing to ease his temperament.
Did Wyatt betray me? Could he truly be so devious?
He’d have to discuss this with Cameron. Maybe invite Wyatt to the estate to extract the truth from him. Thomas was not looking forward to any of this, but he needed to know.
His irritation was thwarted when he walked back into the third-floor room to find Cameron sitting upright in bed. He was wearing cozy-looking pajamas and his top buttons were undone, exposing a sumptuous peek of the beautiful brown skin spanning the top of his sculpted chest and firm neck. One leg was drawn up and a thick book was balanced on his knee.
Cameron exercised in earnest every other morning—lifting weights and squatting and all manner of things Thomas had never once considered doing to his own body. It amazed him, truly. When Thomas had asked him about it, Cameron had told him with a wry smile, “Well, I’ve got all this.” He’d made a casual gesture, indicating his large frame. “I might as welldosomething with it.”
“Hello,” Cameron said now, closing the book and focusing on Thomas. There was an obvious tension in his body and expression as he sat up straighter. “How was she?”
Thomas closed the door, then stuck his hands into the pockets of his long coat as he strode to the end of the bed. The night was brisk, but he’d been comfortable with leaving the garment unbuttoned. “She’s good. Happy and safe.”
“That’s a relief,” Cameron said. He lifted a hand to rub the back of his neck. “I’m very glad to hear it.”
“She wants to meet you. Would you be willing to have coffee together?”
Cameron paused in his massaging. “Whatever for?”
“Because you’re my partner, Cameron.”
“Yes, I-I know that…” He shifted his gaze down to the book resting against his thigh. “Won’t it be awkward?”
“Not at all. Will you, please?”
Cameron’s broad shoulders heaved as he inhaled and blew it out. “Okay. Yes.”
Thomas smiled, turned and shrugged his coat from his shoulders. “Thank you. I’m going to take a shower.”
The hot water felt good against Thomas’s muscles and helped him to further relax. Although, he missed the pressure of the shower and general coziness of his bathroom at the Ashford estate. Everything in Cameron’s home was designed damn near to perfection, so it was hard to compare the contemporary comforts there with anywhere else.
When he was clean and dressed for bed, he stepped out of the bathroom to find Cameron still sitting upright and reading. But he hastily closed his book. “How do you sleep? Do you prefer a lamp light or…” He left the question hanging. Accommodating as always.
Thomas carried his day clothes over to his luggage and folded them. “How doyousleep, Cameron?”
“Usually in darkness. But if that’s uncomfortable for you, I’m okay with lamp light?”
Finished with his task, Thomas turned. “I tend to sleep with the curtains in my room open, so if there’s moonlight, it serves as a natural night light. Can we leave one of the curtains over the balcony pulled back? Is that a fair compromise?”
