by Meg Ripley
Samantha was happy to see that he’d been very generous with the marshmallows, and she poked them down into the cocoa with her finger. “That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re bad ideas, just that they need a little improvement.”
Cameron let out a laugh as he lifted his drink. “You haven’t seen them. They really can be terrible. But I appreciate your vote of confidence. You and my wife would’ve gotten along very well. She had that same kind of attitude, where she thought anything was possible.” He slowly let his arm fall again until his mug made a quiet clink against the table. “That was exactly what killed her, too.”
Samantha looked up at him with wide eyes; curious, but wary. She didn’t want to overstep her boundaries. Cameron often seemed more like a friend than an employer, but the truth was that he was writing her paycheck every week. As much as she wanted to get to know him more, it could be very dangerous. “I’m sorry to hear that,” she said lamely.
“Have you heard of Spurnock’s Disease?” Cameron picked up a pen and twirled it in his fingers.
“I think I have, maybe in the news or something, but I don’t know much about it.” The only thing Samantha really knew was that it affected dragons. There were very few shifters in her small hometown, so it wasn’t really on her radar.
“It’s a virus, one that affects shifters, and one that our immune systems can’t cope with. It keeps a person from shifting into their dragon form, or at the very least doesn’t allow them to do so for very long. Tess had it.”
“Oh.” Samantha was thoroughly confused. First, he’d said her attitude had killed her, which she’d taken to mean that she’d been doing some sort of dangerous stunt and things had gone wrong. But now he spoke of a virus.
“Mostly, it just made her incredibly tired. We were hopeful that she’d pull through. Nobody else had, but we still believed she would.” Cameron’s eyes stared right through the surface of the table as he recounted the tale, distant and sad. “We had to believe in something, anyway. She might’ve at least lived longer except that she refused to let the disease change her life and what she wanted to do. Tess shifted and took off for a flight, but her body couldn’t hold its form long enough. She fell.”
Samantha’s heart squeezed, and tears came unbidden to her eyes. She blinked, trying to get them to go away before Cameron saw. She hadn’t known Tess, but she could easily see the hurt within Cameron and could only imagine the hurt inside Andy. “I’m so, so sorry.”
He sighed and shook his head. “Don’t be sorry. That’s all I ever heard for months from everyone I encountered, even people who didn’t know me. I don’t want anyone to feel sorry for me. I loved Tess, and I miss her, but I was lucky to have the time with her that I did. Andy is the only one I’m really worried about now.”
“I know I’ve only been around him for a few weeks, but he seems to have adjusted well. He’s mentioned his mother from time to time, and I can see that he’s sad, but he doesn’t let that stop him from living his life and having fun.” The boy had a picture of himself and his mother in a frame on his nightstand, and Samantha gladly listened one night as he told her how amazing she was.
Cameron gathered up his papers and tapped them into a stack against the table. “That’s only because you’re here. You’ve done some amazing work with him. He’s really come out of his shell, and his stuttering is noticeably lessened.”
“I’ve done what I can to make him feel comfortable with me, and I have a few tricks I’ve learned over the years when it comes to children with those kinds of issues, but really it’s all him. He’s a great kid, and I’m so lucky to get to spend my days with him.” Her face flushed with warmth as she thought of the sweet little boy. Already her bedroom wall was filling up with pictures he’d drawn for her.
Her boss’s eyes were deep and sincere when he looked across the table at her. “No, I believe in giving credit where credit’s due. He is a wonderful kid, but it takes the right person to help him show that off. I wasn’t so sure about this arrangement when Jane suggested you as the new nanny. It seemed so sudden, and the circumstances were odd, but I couldn’t have asked for things to work out any better. Thank you, Samantha. Really.”
She swallowed the lump that was building in her throat, touching by both the compliment and his sincerity. “I’m happy to help.”
They sat in silence for a moment. Samantha imagined Cameron was still embroiled with thoughts of his wife and son, and she was caught up in thoughts of her own. He might be her boss, but Cameron had been so open and honest with her. Maybe it was something in the hot chocolate, or maybe it was just the late hour, but as friendly as they’d been with each other, this felt like something more. It made her want to open up to him as well. Part of her felt that he deserved to know the truth about her. After all, this crazy spirit that wouldn’t leave her alone was coming into his house. She didn’t believe for a second that either he or Andy were in danger, but still.
As the hot liquid slid down her throat, she had to wonder what would happen if he found out she was a medium. It was a secret Samantha fought so hard to keep, but that hadn’t worked out back in Cooper City. Here, everything was different, at least when it came to other people. Nobody crossed the street so they wouldn’t have to walk near her. Nobody looked at her strangely or asked her if she could contact Andy Kaufman for them. Most of all, nobody believed she was evil or a bad influence on their children.
“I’m sorry. I’ve gone and made this all about me, when you haven’t been able to sleep, either,” Cameron said, interrupting her thoughts. “You want to talk about these bad dreams?”
Samantha opened her mouth, prepared to tell him everything, but the wall of fear that’d followed her around her entire life came crashing down again. Things were so good there, and she didn’t want to ruin them. “I’ve always had very realistic nightmares. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life. It’ll be all right.”
He lifted one shoulder slightly. “If you’re sure. Maybe if some of them are scary enough I can turn them into the next horror flick.”
“You probably could.” If his talent as a producer could recreate the gruesome scenes that haunted her mind, he’d have no problem winning over audiences that were into scary stuff. “For now, though, I think I should try to get some sleep. Andy and I have a lot planned for tomorrow.” She rose from her chair and headed for the sink to rinse out her mug.
“Before you go, there’s something I’d like to ask you.”
“Yes?”
“How would you like to go to the Oscars with me?”
The water filled her mug and ran over the sides for a long moment before she quite understood what he was asking. “I don’t think I heard you correctly.”
Cameron stood now and came toward her, reaching just past her to turn off the water. “I’ve been nominated for an Oscar, and I can’t exactly show up on the red carpet alone. Would you like to come with me?”
He was so close, she could feel the heat off his skin, a welcome sensation that burned straight through the silk of her pajamas. He spoke quietly as his eyes burned into hers, and Samantha felt a thrill of electricity shoot through her body. Could this really be happening? Had she fallen back asleep at some point. “But, what about Andy?” she finally choked out.
“I’ve thought about that. I have a friend I know I can trust with him. He’d be taken care of. Please say you’ll go with me. It’ll be a little awkward for me to handle the rejection, considering we live in the same house.”
He made her laugh with that comment. Samantha didn’t know what his intentions were behind this question, but she couldn’t very well turn down an opportunity like this. “All right. I’ll go. But for now, I really should be going back to bed.” She stepped back from the counter, taking a wide berth around him. Cameron was a dangerous man, but not because he could sprout sharp teeth and claws at any moment.
“You know,” he said, stopping her as she put her hand on the kitchen door, “it’s not always easy.”
She turned around, confused. “What?”
“Being a shifter, being somewhat famous. It’s not the kind of life that I would think of as ideal for my son. But you make everything around here seem much more normal, and I mean that in the best way possible.”
That soft smile he gave her was enough to make her heart melt, and yet he had no idea just how abnormal she truly was. “Thanks.” Samantha headed up to bed. She knew she still wouldn’t sleep, but at least it was for different reasons now.
Chapter Seven
Cameron had been to plenty of award ceremonies and celebrity gatherings; the first few of them were exciting, but he’d quickly gotten over it. But that night, being there at one of the numerous Oscars after-parties with Samantha, was nothing short of spectacular.
“I hate to sound like a hillbilly, but can you tell me what this is?” she whispered with a smile as she held up an hors d’oeuvre that one of the waitstaff had given her.
He frowned at the little crust of bread piled with some sort of brown fluff. He’d had the tiny pastries, the shrimp, the little tomatoes rolled in turkey, and the cucumber topped with salmon, but this one looked far less appealing. “I’m not sure. It might be pate. I’m sure it’s safe to eat, but you could always casually dump it in a potted plant.”
“You’re terrible.” She opened her mouth and popped the morsel in, frowning as soon as she started chewing.
“I’m telling you, you should have just ditched it. I’m sure if you picked up a leaf on one of these ferns, you’d see a whole pile of them.” Cameron snagged a glass of champagne from a passing server and handed it to her.
She took it gratefully, drinking it far too fast just to get the taste out of her mouth. “Oh, that’s just awful! It tastes like dirt.”
“There’s plenty of money that goes into these parties, but there’s no accounting for taste.”
“I guess not.” She finished the rest of the champagne, and the sparkle of the drink matched the sparkle in her eyes. “Still, this has been so much fun. I really appreciate you asking me to come.”
“Don’t talk like it’s over yet. These parties go on all night long. We can stay out as late as we’d like.” Cameron had left Andy with Damien and Brianna for the night. He trusted them implicitly, and while they’d watched Andy a few times when he’d been in a bind, he tried not to take advantage of them. Andy seemed happy to spend the evening playing with their daughter Stephanie.
“In that case, I’m glad I wore flats. I’m sure my feet would be killing me by now otherwise.” She nodded across the room at Michelle Pfeiffer, who was dancing barefoot.
“You’d look great either way.” Cameron meant it. Samantha had chosen a strapless dress with a sweetheart neckline. The dropped waist had a subtle sequined accent before descending into ruffles that brushed the floor. It was simple yet elegant, and it suited her perfectly. What made it even harder to take his eyes off her was the fact that she’d once again opted for red. Samantha had no way of knowing just how much that color meant to him or what it did to him, but he had to admit that it was the perfect compliment to her pearlescent skin. Her necklace, a dainty diamond drop pendant, kept his focus on the subtle throb of her heartbeat at her throat.
“You don’t clean up so badly yourself.” Her smile was full and genuine. She’d seemed a bit tired lately, and Cameron had worried that something was wrong, but the way she looked that night told him everything was completely fine. She reached out and touched the collar of his tux.
That touch was like a drop of water on a pond, sending rippling waves in all directions. He knew at that moment why she’d created such a stir. Samantha seemed completely unaware of it, but every journalist and photographer eagerly jumped forward to grab a picture of the two of them. There were people all around them in the film industry, people who were used to idle gossip and generally didn’t care who some producer brought to a party, but he’d seen several of them whispering behind their hands at each other as they looked in Cameron’s direction. Samantha had a fantastic energy about her, and everyone wanted to know who she was. None of them would probably ask, but they’d be watching the entertainment magazines the next day to see if they could figure it out.
And despite the lights, the expensive clothing and their opulent surroundings, Samantha remained solid and calm throughout. She never got overly excited when meeting a celebrity, and even though she giggled with him over the odd food, she seemed to fit into this scene much better than he could’ve imagined.
“We’ve spent all night socializing. Come dance with me.” He dared to take her gently by the hand and pull her toward the dance floor.
She smiled and came along with him, and Cameron could swear she was floating instead of walking. This entire night had been like a dream.
He hadn’t recognized the first few bars of the song that started up, but he soon recognized it as “The Next Time I Fall” by Peter Cetera. His heart rattled against his ribs. It was too fitting for the situation, and as much as he liked the fantasy of having a real relationship with Samantha, he knew it wasn’t right. But there he was with his hands on her hips and hers around his neck, their bodies swaying so closely together. He couldn’t stop this or change it, but he could at least distract himself. “What’s been your favorite part of the evening so far?”
She rolled her eyes toward the ceiling as she thought. “My favorite? That’s hard. It’s all been wonderful. But I think seeing you step up on stage as a winner was the best part. You should’ve seen your face.” Samantha laughed at him again, a sound he was becoming addicted to.
“I really thought Garry Marshall would’ve won.” It’d been more of a shock than Cameron could’ve predicted. “At first, I thought I’d heard them wrong. But then you were clapping and nudging my arm, and I realized what was going on. I barely even had a speech prepared beyond what I’d thought up in the shower.”
“You did just fine.” Her eyes glanced down at his lips for just a fraction of a second before returning to his eyes.
“I hope you’re right. I’m not sure I remember all of it.” Was it his imagination, or had their bodies suddenly become even closer? His fingers gripped her lower back now, enjoying the feel of the dress and the thought of what was beneath it, making his dragon flare with desire.
“It’s my first time coming to one of these, but I’ve watched them on TV from time to time. It sounded like you got everyone covered.” Her fingertips trailed gently across the nape of his neck.
“I think there’s one person I forgot.”
The slightest wrinkle of concern crossed her brow. “Who?”
“You.”
“Me?” Another infectious laugh. “You didn’t even know me when you made that movie.”
She had a point, but Cameron knew it didn’t matter. “Maybe not, but you’ve certainly changed my life. I was devasted enough to be out a nanny, but I didn’t realize there was a lot more that I needed.”
Even her blink could be seductive as he cheeks scrunched upwards briefly. “That’s very nice of you to say.”
“I mean it.” No one else was in the room. Cameron didn’t even hear the music anymore. It was just the two of them, his heartbeat matching hers as they held each other. His body raged at him, threatening to shift or do something crazy if he didn’t act on his instincts. They were the same instincts that had been thrashing inside him since he’d first met Samantha, and spending so much time with her hadn’t made them go away. He wanted to pull her close until her body pressed against the length of his, to kiss her as though no one was watching, to keep her in his arms and never let go.
His eyes flicked down to her mouth once again, and just as he was about to bend his head and give in to the cravings that haunted him, Cameron realized what he was doing. Samantha was beautiful, sweet, supportive, and one hell of a catch, but she was his employee. Moreover, he’d sworn to himself that he’d never be with another woman. Not after Tess.
Cameron’s arms stiffened as he pu
lled back, his entire body fighting against itself. “Excuse me for a moment. I see someone I need to talk to.”
Samantha looked confused, but she nodded and forced a smile. “Of course. I’m going to see what they might have on the food table that’s actually edible.”
Without a reply, Cameron rushed off to the other side of the room. He knew most of the people there, at least in passing, but he didn’t want to talk to any of them. Instead, he pushed past a cluster of young actors and made his way to the restroom.
It was quiet inside the wood-paneled room, and he leaned heavily on the sink as he looked at himself in the mirror. “What the hell are you doing?” he whispered to himself. “You can’t have her, and you know that.” Even he could see the haunted look in his eyes, and he wondered how many others had noticed.
The bathroom door opened, admitting Blane. “You okay?” he asked. “You practically ran in here.”
“Yeah, of course. I, um, I think the hors d’oeuvres don’t agree with me.” Cameron turned on the tap and splashed a little cold water on his face. But it did nothing to assuage the heat inside him.
Blane raised his eyebrows and smiled. “I don’t know. I’ve seen you sick before. Don’t forget, it takes a dragon to know a dragon.”
Cameron ripped a paper towel from the dispenser and wiped it across his face. “All right, wise guy, then you tell me what’s the matter.”
The actor’s smile stretched, like he was thrilled to be making the diagnosis. “It’s pretty simple, really. You’re in love with Samantha.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Cameron knew it was true, but those words felt so heavy as they hit his ears.
“What’s so ridiculous about it?” Blane spread his arms wide to encompass the situation. “She’s pretty. She’s smart. She’s obviously working out as a nanny or you would’ve fired her already.”