Page 107 of Already At Risk
I suppose it didn’t really matter either way, considering our agreement—the one that didn’t go beyond sex. Cameron’s motives didn’t make a difference, as long as he was following the rules we’d originally laid out, and one baseball game where we were careful about how we acted around each other in front of Chloe wouldn’t ruin them.
“I’m sure Chloe would love to go,” I said finally. “And I would, too. I’ll ask her when she gets home tomorrow.”
Cameron’s lips split into a genuine smile, his dimples indenting, and I tried to ignore the burst of emotion it caused in my chest.
Just sex—this wasjust sex, I reminded myself for the second time in a matter of minutes. It didn’t matter that this man was visibly excited at the idea of taking me and my daughter to a baseball game. It wasstilljust sex.
“Excellent,” he breathed. “We should probably get back to the party, but first…”
He looked around again, checking for anyone who might have shown up without us realizing it. But the front yard was still empty. I wasn’t sure where Blake had wandered off to, but he wasn’t anywhere in sight now.
Cameron placed a hand on my hip, giving it a little squeeze as he leaned in. The sudden proximity and heat of his touch that I’d spentdaysthinking about made my breath hitch.
When he spoke, his voice was everything I’d remembered from the other times we’d been this close. Deep. Demanding. A hint of gravel that made flutters erupt low in my belly. “Come home with me tonight. You deserve more than what you got last weekend.”
“What do I deserve?” I asked, my voice wispy as desire threaded through me, taking up every part of my being as I thought about what he was saying.
Cameron inched closer, letting his lips graze my ear. “To be fucked, Sunshine. Properly. Repeatedly.”
Embarrassingly, a whimper slipped out of me.
But I didn’t really care. Not considering how it made Cameron groan and release a hushed “Fuck” before pulling back to wait for a response. He plucked his beer back from my hands, like he needed something to hold onto. Then he took a swig of it, watching me with intent as he swallowed.
Oh,God, I wanted to say yes. But I couldn’t.
“I’d love to come over…but my friend is in town tonight,” I said with a regretful shake of my head. “We made plans?—”
“That can be pushed off until brunch tomorrow morning,” Ellie cut in, walking out of Noah’s front door with a sly grin on her face. “I think I can fend for myself for the night.”
“Ellie, no,” I insisted, knowing a deep red was coloring my neck and face. Had she heard Cameron’s earlier words? “That’s not?—”
“You’re the lawyer,” Ellie cut in, sticking her hand out to Cameron. “Aren’t you?”
Cameron nodded, his lips pulling into a crooked grin. He’d dropped his hand from where it had been on my hip the moment Ellie walked outside and now raised it to shake Ellie’s.
“I knew there was a reason I liked you,” she said, and I wanted to melt into the ground. “Ellie Summers. Nice to meet you.”
“Cameron Bryant,” Cameron replied smoothly. “Same to you.”
He looked between the two of us, and if he was bothered that we’d essentially just blown our cover, he didn’t act like it.
“I’ll leave you two to figure out your plans,” he said. “My offer still stands, Natalie.”
I nodded, struggling to breathe or formulate words while Cameron pinned me with a long, intense look before walking away.
“That offer involves some horizontal cardio, doesn’t it?” Ellie asked, breaking the tension and making me choke on air as a strangled laugh tried to escape my throat. “Or maybe standing cardio? Upside-down cardio? Experimental cardio?”
When she just stared at me, I threw up my hands.
“All of the above? I don’t know exactly what he has planned, but he’s…talented.”
My cheeks flushed, but Ellie just looked positively delighted by my answer. “I knew he was a man comfortable in his own sexuality.”
“You cannot tellanyone, Ellie.”
“Sworn to secrecy,” she promised, pretending to zip her lips shut. And then unzip them again. “But you need to fill me in on the whole secret. I’m not against begging for the details.”
“Can I fill you in over mimosas tomorrow?” I asked, feeling a little guilty at the idea of not spending the rest of the night with her. Even though the sun was already going down, and we both knew we’d probably fall asleep promptly at ten o’clock after one glass of wine.
