Every time he had closed his eyes last night, Cami was there, standing in the doorway, looking adorably sweet and so damn kissable it drove him insane. In his dreams, he actually kissed her, but then he’d wake up just as their lips touched, and he’d be reminded of how he hadn’t. He couldn’t fall asleep after that, tossing and turning, unable to shake Cami from invading his mind.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because now you have to go over to the Lobster Shack and work your shift. You look like all you want to do is find the nearest bed and crash.”
“If I didn’t startle you, neither of us would be in this position,” he said.
When he had stepped into the coffee shop, his eyes had landed on Cami standing on her tiptoes on top of a chair, hand reached upward, and the chair beneath her rocking slightly… memories he never wanted to remember, but could never forget, had flashed in his mind. He didn’t mean to bark at Cami the way he did, startling her and ultimately causing her to fall, but seeing her lifting up on tiptoes while teetering on the chair, made him panic.
And like an idiot, he had startled her, making her do the one thing he was hoping to prevent. Guilt had tugged at his stomach from the second she fell and only seemed to grow with each passing minute.
“I have some time before the restaurant opens. Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
“I’m perfectly capable of driving, since it’s my left foot that hurts not my right.”
“You’re already driving on a donut. I’m not going to let you drive with a bummed ankle, too. It’s too dangerous.”
“Seriously? We live in Willow Cove, the least dangerous place in the world. You’re going to have to come up with something better than that poor ass reason.”
“Don’t make me carry you.”
“How very barbarian of you.” He bent to pick her up, and she swatted at his chest. “Don’t you even think about it. I can’t leave. I have to stay and keep an eye on things. Answer any questions Ella has.”
“I don’t have any questions; get out of here,” Ella called from her spot at the cash register.
“Stay out of this,” Cami said, but Ella seemed undeterred. She nodded toward Enzo, lips pursing and eyes wide with insistence.
Cami sighed loudly. “You can drive me home on three conditions.” She held three fingers up and toward Enzo.
“Go on,” he said, curious what her stipulations would be.
“You bring me to the bank to drop off the deposit.”
“Done.”
She dropped a finger. “I don’t need you carrying me like a baby, but if you could give me a piggyback ride to the car, I’ll accept that.”
A smirk quirked at the corner of his mouth. “Okay. And number three?”
“You let me make you a coffee of my choosing, and you have to drink it without grumbling under your breath.”
Leave it to Cami to take advantage of a situation. “You’re using your injury to force coffee onto me.”
“You bet your ass I am. Either you say yes, or I’m making my way across the boardwalk to my car.”
“You really should have been a lawyer.”
“Nah, I would’ve been the female My Cousin Vinny, getting held in contempt every court hearing because I couldn’t bite my tongue.”
“Good point…You would have made a horrible lawyer.”
“Do we have a deal or not?” She held her hand out and waited.
“Deal.”
Chapter 13
Enzo was living up to his nickname with how slow he was driving. They were on the backroads avoiding the tourist chaos and there was no one around, yet he was putt putting along like they were driving along a parade route. Cami was tempted to wave to imaginary people lining the road.
“I think a turtle just passed us,” she said, and Enzo shot a glance in her direction. She couldn’t see his eyes beneath the dark tint of his aviators, but she imagined they were a nice icy blue.
“I’m obeying the speed limit.”
“You’re good friends with the sheriff. I don’t think he’s going to pull you over and give you a ticket if you kick it up a notch.”
“We’re friends because I respect his authority.”
“Then why is he friends with Marco? We know damn well Marco has pushed those boundaries many times.”
“I can’t speak for Marco. I can only speak for myself, and I don’t break the law.”
“Have you ever?” Cami asked as she thought back through the years. Enzo was always the one enforcing the rules with Ella, and as far as she could remember, he was never one to even go out to a party, preferring to stay home and read some book she’d never heard of.
“No,” he said.
“Have you ever wanted to? Or is your moral compass too strong that you can’t even think about something so scandalous?”
“Laws are in place for a reason.”
“Oh come on. You’ve never wanted to go to the park after dark? Jump off the docks down at the marina? Go skinny dipping?”
A strangled choke came from Enzo, and Cami laughed at the shocked look crossing his face. By that reaction she could guess his answer was a big fat no. A vision of Enzo, naked body glistening in the moonlight, invaded her thoughts.
“Have you done those things?” he asked.
“Do you even have to ask?”
“Who did you go skinny dipping with?”
“Why, are you jealous?” she asked, not thinking before the words were out. They hung there between them like an awkwardly placed wall, unable to ignore it, but not really sure how to proceed around it either.
“Maybe,” Enzo said, and Cami shifted in her seat to look at him. Pain bit her ankle, and she sighed in disappointment.
“Maybe when I can walk again, we can give it a try.”
Enzo let out a laugh, loud and robust that had Cami leaning back slightly. She didn’t know whether to be offended or amused.
“I didn’t realize the idea of me naked was so funny.”
His laugh died, and his head snapped to her. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“You’re the one who laughed.”
“I laughed at the idea of me going skinny dipping. Not exactly something I have ever thought about.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. I guess the opportunity never presented itself, and even if it did, I’m pretty sure it’s illegal.”
“That’s what makes it fun. You’ve never had the urge to just strip your clothes off and run into the ocean, feel the water against every part of your body? Feel the thrill of someone potentially seeing you?”
“Is that why you did it?”
“Partly, but the someone I was with wanted to, so I was like why not?”
“Who?”
“You wouldn’t know him. He was some summer fling that lasted no more than a couple weeks.”
His brow creased, lips curving down in a frown.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing.”
“You have that look on your face.”
“What look?”
“The one where I feel like you’re judging me, but you’re too much of a gentleman to actually tell me. So out with it.”
His hand tightened on the steering wheel as he inhaled. “Fine. I don’t understand why you get together with men you’ll most likely never see again.”
“What is there to understand?”
“What’s the point? Why bother getting to know someone if you know it’s not going to last more than a week or two?”
“For fun.”
“In all the years I have known you, you have never been in a real relationship.”
“Real relationships cost time, and I’m selfish with the time I have. I don’t want to have to rearrange my life for someone else. Summer flings work for me. It gives me a chance to have a little fun, a little human companionship, then I can go back to life the way I like it.”
“Doesn’t it ever
get lonely?”
She didn’t like where the conversation was going. She didn’t like being singled out and having her lifestyle choices questioned. “What about you? Other than high school and a little bit in your twenties, I haven’t seen you go on a single date. Don’t you get lonely?”
“All the time.”
She wasn’t expecting that answer. It was honest and raw and opened up a door to Enzo she never expected to glimpse behind.
“Why not date then?”
“Like you, I don’t have the time. My family and the restaurant have always come first, and most women don’t like to be third in line of priorities.”
“Men aren’t any better. God forbid you have a life outside of them.”
“Exactly.”
“And that’s why summer flings work for me. I don’t have to change my life to accommodate someone else.”
“Still lonely,” he said, and she couldn’t argue, because after listening to what he had to say, if anyone understood it was him.
“A little,” she admitted. “But I have my friends and family and all their drama to keep me busy.”
“Ditto. Or at least I did. With Marco getting married and Ella going to California.” He shrugged, a sad look on his face. “They don’t really need me anymore.”
“Maybe you’ll finally have some time for yourself.”
She thought the idea would thrill him, but the solemn glint in his eyes stayed. “Yeah, maybe.”
He put his blinker on to turn right. “I live that way.” She pointed to the left.
“I’m taking you to the doctor.”
“Oh no,” Cami said. “My cousin sprained his ankle two years ago and after they sent him for x-rays to confirm it was only a sprain, they sent him home with a script for pain pills and instructions to keep it elevated.”
“Your ankle is really swollen.”
“I have ice, I have a pillow, and I have an anti-inflammatory. I don’t need to go to the doctor.”
“It wouldn’t hurt to get it looked at.”
She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t have insurance, and the thought of spending money for a doctor to tell me what I already know…” She shook her head. “If I thought they’d be able to make me all better and get me up and walking, trust me I’d jump on it, but I know there’s nothing they can do.”
“Okay.” He put the left blinker on and turned.
He pulled into her development and headed toward her townhouse. “Make a right up here.”
“I know,” he said. He’d picked Ella up a few times the last couple of years when Ella was too tired to ride her bike.
“I thought you might have forgotten.”
“Nope.” He pulled into her driveway and killed the engine.
“I got it from here,” she said.
“If I remember correctly, you have a flight of stairs behind your front door.” Damn him for having a good memory. She appreciated his help, she did, but she also didn’t like feeling helpless and needy. It was only twelve stairs; she could manage just fine on her own.
Enzo got out of the car before she could protest and came around. He reached for the handle, and she shoved it open, nearly nailing him in the junk which he rightly deserved. Just because her ankle was swollen, didn’t mean she was some incapable woman.
“Nice,” he said.
“It’s a door. I don’t need you opening it for me.”
“I was being polite.”
“Well, don’t.”
“Where is all this rage coming from?” he asked with a playful smirk on his lips that she wanted to smack off.
“I prefer to do things on my own is all.”
“And sometimes you have to suck it up and take help when you need it.”
“But I don’t need it.”
“So the piggyback I gave you earlier was really so you could press against me, wasn’t it?”
She stood carefully and shoved his chest. “You’re an ass.”
“You’re the one being difficult.”
She hiked her bag on her shoulder and straightened. Enzo stepped out of the way and motioned his hand for her to go. Very carefully she took a step, a sharp stabbing pain shot right through her ankle. She bit her lip and quickly switched to her other foot. She didn’t let it deter her. She took a deep breath and gave it another go, the pain just as bad as the last step. She was getting used to the sharp stabbing sensation though, and she only had a little ways to go.
She glanced up to her front door and instantly deflated. Who moved her door? It seriously wasn’t that far away this morning. Now it looked like there was a football field between her and the end goal.
A tiny squeak slipped past her lips when the pain took her by surprise.
“That’s it.”
The ground disappeared, and Enzo scooped her into his arms.
“Put me down,” she demanded as he took long strides across her walkway. She was pressed against his chest and her treacherous body nuzzled closer into his embrace.
“While you might not care about wasting the entire day to walk to your door, I do.”
“Why? Have a hot date?” she asked which was dumb considering their earlier conversation.
“Yes, with you and an ice pack.”
“Me?” She looked up at him. “Oh no!” she said when realization settled in. “You are not staying. You can carry me to the top of the stairs, drop me at the landing, and head right back out. Then I’m going to watch Willow Cove and have a glass of wine to try and forget this day.”
“Willow Cove, really? That movie is terrible.”
“That movie is a cult classic and put our little town on the map, for your information.”
“Still terrible.”
“Not like you’ll have to watch it. You have to get to work anyway.”
“I already told them I wouldn’t be in today.”
She had been with him since she hurt her foot. When did he have time to make a phone call? “When did you do that?”
“Don’t worry about it.” He held his hand up. “Keys.”
She sighed and pulled the house key from the rest and held it up for him. With a shake of his head at all the keychains, he took the keys from her. “So unnecessary,” he muttered.
“This whole situation is unnecessary.”
He pushed the door open and looked down at her, blue eyes gleaming with a mix of arrogance and amusement. “Get over it. You’re stuck with me.”
Chapter 14
As Enzo carried Cami up the staircase with minimal effort, he couldn’t help noticing how well her fit body sat perfectly in his arms as her breasts bounced with each step he took. She smelled of coffee beans and vanilla, the scent surrounding him and making him crave her.
Coming to her place might have been a bad idea, but he was here, and he wasn’t about to abandon her because he couldn’t control himself. He swallowed down the desire to lean in closer to her scent, and focused on not missing a step.
He got to the landing, and Cami pointed to the right. “Living room is that way.”
Unfolded laundry sat in a pile at the edge of a gray sectional. Light pink accent pillows were haphazardly tossed about, and a pink knitted blanket was draped over the back of the far-right arm. A tufted white coffee table sat on a gray area rug and was covered in scattered sheets of paper.
A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, and on the walls silver frames held black and white pictures. The place looked like the making of a magazine shoot before the cleanup crew came in.
“Nice place,” he said.
“I didn’t have time to clean this morning.”
“How long has the laundry been sitting there?” he asked, nodding to the pile. “Be honest.”
“A few days.”
He placed her on the couch, and she immediately tried to get up. He stood in front of her, blocking her path. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Her head lifted in defiance. “To get an ice pack.”
&nb
sp; Even hurt she couldn’t relinquish control.
“I’ll get the ice pack. You stay.”
“I’m not a dog.”
“No, you’re not. A dog listens better.” He turned to the kitchen that was attached to the living room, separated by an L-shaped island.
He opened the freezer.
“On the door,” Cami called from her spot on the couch.
With a shake of his head, he scanned the door and grabbed the ice pack. He glanced around the kitchen.
“Hand towels are in the middle drawer to the right of the fridge.”
He retrieved a hand towel and laughed at the quote: “You can’t buy happiness, but you can buy coffee and that’s pretty close.”
He wrapped the ice pack and brought it to Cami who was cleaning up the papers on the coffee table that looked more like an oversized ottoman.
“What is all that?” he asked.
“New designs for the coffee mugs I sell in my shop. I’m having a hard time deciding.”
“What’s wrong with what you have now?”
“Nothing, but the design is a few years old. I want something new and fresh for my customers.”
“I like the design you have now.”
“Of course you do.”
He sat down on the coffee table, blocking her from gathering any more papers.
“You’re in my way.”
He took the papers from her hand and placed them behind him. “Sit.”
“Didn’t we just go over how I’m not a dog?”
“Please,” he added.
She sighed and plopped down. He took her ankle in his hand and brought it up on his lap. He removed her shoe, and his thumb brushed against the swollen skin. She inhaled a jagged breath.
“Did that hurt?” he asked.
“A little.”
With that admission he felt her vulnerability coming to the surface. “Sorry.”
“No worries. I’m sure it’ll be fine by morning. If you can’t sleep, looks like you’ll be running by yourself on the beach again.”
Their morning run had been unexpected, completely out of line with his normal schedule, and though Cami was right and he hated change, running with her before the sun came up was one thing he didn’t mind changing.
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