by Eve Gaddy
“There’s no need to. I just wanted to let you know you don’t have to worry about Maggie. I talked to her and she agreed not to look into your background.”
That was the last thing she’d expected to hear. “Just like that. Without even arguing.”
He frowned. “Not exactly. I told her you were running from an abusive boyfriend.”
For a minute she just stared at him. “You told her?” She jumped up out of the chair and paced the room. “How could you do that? I trusted you.”
“I had to. I couldn’t ask her not to check you out without giving her some kind of reason.” He continued to frown at her.
“How do you know she’ll do what you asked?”
“Because she said she would. I trust her, Delilah.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “I don’t.”
“Maggie agrees with me that the best thing for you to do would be to press charges.”
“Maggie needs to mind her own business. And so do you.” She left, knowing if she stayed she’d lose her temper. Besides, there was nothing to be done now but pray that Maggie Barnes kept her word to Cam.
A COUPLE OF DAYS LATER, Delilah went to Cam’s office to work on the payroll. She shouldn’t have stayed. If Maggie tried to find out more about her— But Maggie wasn’t, by far, the only danger. She wasn’t even the worst danger. Cam was. Or rather, her growing feelings for him were. How had he become so important to her, so quickly? Especially when she wasn’t free to start a relationship.
She wasn’t imagining his attraction to her. Or hers to him. He hadn’t kissed her, hadn’t done anything. Except look. Like he had that day when she’d forgotten her clothes and come out of the bathroom in a towel. His gaze had traveled over her in a slow sweep, top to bottom, and then had stayed on her chest. When he’d met her eyes, she’d seen desire darkening them to a deep gray. And she’d felt an answering response, deep inside. After that brief moment, though, he’d mumbled a curse and disappeared into the bathroom.
But the look in his eyes had said what he wouldn’t.
The door opened, startling her. Gabe Randolph came in. He looked as surprised to see her as she was to see him. “Cam’s not here,” she said quickly. She didn’t feel very comfortable with Gabe. He’d made it pretty clear he didn’t like her and thought she was up to no good.
“I can see that.” His eyes narrowed. “The question is, what are you doing here when he’s not?”
Ignoring his belligerent tone, she said sweetly, “I don’t really see that’s any of your business.”
His face darkened and he stepped forward. “What the hell are you doing with the restaurant checkbook?”
“I’m working on payroll. Satisfied?”
“Not by a long shot. Cam gave you access to the Scarlet Parrot’s books?”
“Obviously. Unlike you, he doesn’t think I’m going to rob him blind.”
“Unlike me, Cam’s a damn sight too trusting.”
She got up and glared at him. “This is Cam’s business, not yours. You need to take it up with him.”
“Don’t worry, sweetheart, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.” He turned away and strode to the door, then paused to look back at her.
“You think you’ve got it pretty cushy here, don’t you? I wouldn’t count on that continuing forever.”
He slammed the door shut. She picked up a box of papers and threw it at the door. Then she cursed herself for letting him get to her and went to clean up the mess.
UNTIL DELILAH STARTED WORKING for him, Cam hadn’t realized how wearing it was never to be able to leave the restaurant without worrying. Martha was a hard worker, and honest, but she was more of a worker bee than a manager. He never felt comfortable leaving her totally alone with the restaurant for long periods. With Delilah being there, it was a different matter. She could handle whatever came up, at least until Cam returned.
Delilah was fast becoming indispensable. He wondered what he would do when she left. Because she would leave. If she’d had her way, she’d already be gone. Once she got on her feet again, he wouldn’t be able to keep her there.
He should be glad of that. But he wasn’t.
It was early afternoon when he came in after running some of the errands that in the past he’d had to put off until Mondays. Gabe was sitting at the bar, drinking a beer and scowling.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Cam asked, coming around behind the bar.
“Where the hell have you been and are you crazy?”
Cam gave him a closer look, wondering what Gabe was so bent out of shape about. “I’ve been out and last time I checked, no, I’m not crazy.” He looked around and saw Martha, waiting on the lone table of customers, but not Delilah. “Have you seen Delilah?”
Gabe scowled, his face darkening. “Yeah, I’ve seen her. She’s in your office. Messing with your books. Doing your payroll, for God’s sake.”
Cam picked up his mug and filled it. “And that’s a problem for you, why?”
“Your problem, not mine,” Gabe snapped. “You’re asking for trouble. You’re giving her carte blanche to embezzle from you. Dumb-ass.”
Cam laughed as he set the beer in front of Gabe. “First of all, I see the books, too. And so will Cat come tax time. They’re pretty straightforward. It would be easy to tell if someone was skimming. Besides, I trust Delilah.”
“Why?” Gabe shot at him. “You took her in off the street. You don’t know anything about her.”
“I know enough.” He knew she still had secrets, but her basic honesty wasn’t a concern. “You’re just pissed because she turned you down.”
Gabe rolled his eyes. “Like I’ve never been turned down before? That’s not my objection to her. I know the type. She’s out to get something, Cam. Watch out she doesn’t take you for a ride.”
He knew Gabe was only worried because he cared about him, but Gabe’s attitude still irritated him. “It’s not like I’m rich. What do you think she’s after?”
“I don’t know. But trust me, you don’t have to be rich to have a woman con you.”
“Delilah’s not trying to con me. I know a con when I see one.”
“Normally, I’d agree with you.” He took a long drink of his beer and slapped the glass down. “But not this time.” He pointed his finger at him and jabbed it for emphasis. “You’re hot for her, that’s your problem. And your judgment’s all shot because of that.”
“What is it with my family? I’m not hot for Delilah.” Like hell he wasn’t, but he wouldn’t admit it to Gabe or anyone else. “I can help a woman without having the hots for her.” He started putting up glassware, hanging it in the overhead racks while he tried to think of a way to get rid of his brother.
“Sure you can.” Gabe studied him for a moment, then leaned forward. “So tell me, Cam, how long has it been since you had a date?”
“I don’t know.” But he did. He knew exactly. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“You haven’t had a date since Delilah moved in with you. Have you?”
He shrugged. “Coincidence. I’ve been busy.”
“You’ve never been too busy for women before. You’re too busy to go out because you’re obsessed with getting into Delilah’s pants.”
Cam’s temper snapped, spurred on by the fact that his brother was absolutely right. He grabbed hold of Gabe’s shirt. Only the fact that they were in his restaurant and there were customers around kept Cam from slugging him. “Shut up, Gabe.”
“Oh, I’m done. I’d say I just proved my point.”
Forget the customers. He might just punch him anyway. “You haven’t proved a damn thing other than that you’re an incredible ass.”
“Don’t let me interrupt, but you might want to take that outside,” Delilah said from behind Cam.
Both Cam and Gabe looked at her. “That’s what you always tell the customers,” she said, keeping her eyes on Cam.
He couldn’t tell if she’d heard what Gabe had said or not. He w
as tempted to do what she said and just have it out with his brother. Anything to release some of the frustration he’d been living with since Delilah had come to stay. But he was too old to pound the hell out of Gabe, no matter how much his brother might deserve it.
“We’re finished,” he said, and let go of Gabe’s shirt. “Get lost, Gabe.”
Gabe looked like he was about to say something, but after giving Delilah a dirty look and Cam a disgusted one, he threw some money down on the bar. “See you around, sucker,” he said, and left.
They were both silent, then Delilah sighed. “He really doesn’t like me, does he?”
“Why do you think that was about you?”
“Call it a hunch. I’m right, aren’t I?”
Cam didn’t answer directly. He picked up the dirty mug and dumped the leftover beer, then dropped it in the soapy water. “Ignore him. Sometimes Gabe is a jerk.”
“He’s sort of hard to ignore. A little while ago he came into the office and freaked out when he saw I was doing your books.”
“He’ll get over it.” To give himself something to do, he polished the bar.
“He thinks I’m going to steal from you. He practically accused me of theft. I thought he was going to call the cops right then and there.” She laughed without humor. “Maggie Barnes would have loved that.”
She was trying to act indifferent, but he heard the note of anxiety in her voice. “Delilah.” He caught her hand and squeezed it gently. “I know you wouldn’t do anything like that, and that’s what matters. I told you, ignore him.”
She gazed at him, her expression troubled. Then she looked down at their joined hands before raising her eyes to his. “Was it true?”
“Was what true?”
“What Gabe said. Do you want to get into my pants?”
CHAPTER TEN
HE DROPPED HER HAND as if it had scalded him. She might have laughed, but she didn’t find it remotely amusing.
He looked angry, not uncomfortable. “So you heard that, did you?”
“Yes.” And hated herself that her first reaction, her gut reaction, had been to hope it was true.
He turned away, pulling a towel out of his back pocket and wiping the spotless bar. “I’ve told you before, all I expect from you is for you to do your job.”
Don’t push it, she told herself. This thing between you can’t go anywhere. You know it can’t. But she couldn’t let it go. “That’s all you expect,” she agreed. She waited a moment, then added, “But what do you want?”
She’d asked him that before, and he’d denied wanting anything more than a platonic relationship with her. But judging from his brother’s reaction, he was worried Cam wanted more.
For a long moment Cam stared at her blankly, then muttered a curse and left her.
She blew out a shaky breath. Oh, Lord, she was in trouble. Deep trouble.
“What was that all about?” Martha asked her as she came to get her drink orders. “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Cam and Gabe go at it like that.”
Back in control, Delilah shook her head. “Some brother thing, I guess.”
“Or a woman thing,” Martha said shrewdly. “I’ve got eyes, haven’t I?” she added when Delilah looked at her quizzically. “You like him, don’t you? Cam, I mean.”
Unfortunately, yes. But she answered nonchalantly. “Everybody likes Cam. What’s not to like?”
“You know what I mean. And so does Gabe. He’s been on your case since you got here.”
“I’m not interested in Cam and he’s not interested in me,” she said flatly, knowing it was a lie. “Whatever his brother thinks.”
“If you say so, sweetie.”
“What’s with Gabe, anyway? Why doesn’t he like me? At first I thought it was because I turned him down when he asked me out, but I don’t really think that’s it.”
“Oh, probably something to do with Cam’s broken heart.” Martha set her tray down and started filling a drink order. “Gabe doesn’t want him hurt again. He must be afraid of what you’ll do.”
“Cam has a broken heart?” News to her. He didn’t act like a man with a broken heart.
Martha nodded. “Used to, anyway. On account of his fiancée.”
Fiancée? She’d known he’d never been married. He’d said nothing about having been engaged.
“Let me take these drinks and drop off my order and we’ll talk,” Martha promised as she hefted the tray.
But they never did. Business picked up and both of them got busy. Cameron got busy, too, she noticed as the evening wore on. He put a lot of effort into flirting with every pretty female who came in. They didn’t seem to mind. Delilah had seen him flirt before, and she knew from several sources that he dated a lot of women. Not that he had since she’d come to live with him. Still, this time seemed different. All that flirting seemed a little forced.
Right. Wishful thinking, Delilah.
She had no right to the jealousy his flirting caused her. No right at all. What Cam did was his business, and none of hers. Let him romance all the women he wanted. She should be glad. Glad he wasn’t coming on to her.
But she wasn’t.
If only she’d never met Avery. If she could have met Cam, gotten to know him without the secrets between them. Cam couldn’t be more different than Avery. Cam was about as true blue as they came. Don’t forget hot, she reminded herself, watching him serve another woman a drink.
Avery was good-looking. On the outside. Inside he was pure evil. She shook off the memories, praying she’d never have cause to think about him again. She had escaped. Once again she felt guilty because she hadn’t done anything about her suspicions. But they were just that, suspicions. And unlike Avery’s poor first wife, she was alive and meant to stay that way.
THE FOLLOWING MONDAY, Delilah walked into the kitchen to find Cam on the phone.
“Tell him I’ll take him soon,” he said. “When he’s not throwing up. Talk to you later. Good luck.” He hung up and said, “Poor bastard.”
“Who?”
“Mark. I was going to take Max to the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, but he’s got a virus. They’ve all got the virus.” A corner of his mouth lifted. “Except Mark. Poor bastard has to take care of them all.”
“You could offer to help him,” Delilah said mischievously.
He looked at her in mock horror. “Are you kidding? They’re all throwing up. I don’t feel that sorry for him.”
They both laughed at that.
“What’s the aquarium like?” Delilah asked. “I guess it must be big if it’s the Texas State Aquarium. I went to the Houston Aquarium years ago, but I don’t remember much.”
“It’s pretty cool. Why don’t you go with me?”
Delilah was startled at just how badly she wanted to accept the casual invitation. But she knew she shouldn’t. “I wasn’t asking for an invitation. I’m sure you have other things you’d rather be doing.”
“I like the aquarium. Why do you think I offered to take Max?”
“Because you’re a really nice man.”
His mouth lifted in amusement. “Boy, have I got you fooled. Nope. I go because I enjoy it. I take all my nieces and nephews.”
“I…shouldn’t.”
“Why not? We’ve got the day off and nothing urgent to do. Come on, it’ll be fun.”
Fun. It would be fun, but mostly because she’d be going with Cam. Don’t do it, Delilah. It’s practically a date and you have no business going. No business having fun. No business enjoying herself. No business enjoying Cam’s company as much as she did.
“Give me ten minutes to get ready,” she said, and hoped she wasn’t making a huge mistake.
“What do you want to see first?” he asked her when they arrived.
“I have no idea. Surprise me.”
And he did. He not only knew the exhibits, he knew a good many of the people who worked there. They started in the Back Bay Marsh, with the alligators and moved on through the exhibit w
here they rehabbed birds, sea turtles and marine mammals. They stopped at the hermit crab exhibit and saw some children picking them up under the guidance of the staff.
“Go on,” Cam said. “You know you want to.”
She let him talk her into it and was promptly fascinated by the creature. The sea-horse exhibit came next and Cam told her about them, mentioning that the male sea horse carried the eggs.
“How do you know all this?” He’d told her something about every exhibit. She’d had no idea he knew so much about marine life.
“When you’ve been as many times as I have, you have it memorized.”
“Did you really bring Max here?” she asked, thinking of the busy little boy and the acres of glass. It took a brave man to do that. “I can’t imagine.”
“The first time was an experience.” Cam laughed. “He was barely three. He went through the place in thirty-seven seconds flat, with me chasing behind him.”
“But it’s huge.”
“Okay, that’s a slight exaggeration, but he’s a speedy little devil. He’s gotten better now that he’s a bit older. Thank God.”
Delilah thought it was a shame that a man who so obviously loved children didn’t have any of his own. It didn’t seem to bother him, though. He’d told her early on that he had no interest in marriage or kids of his own.
They spent the day there, wandering through exhibits that held sharks and groupers, sea turtles, and a coral reef with a rainbow of colors. Cam laughed when she turned around and, finding herself face to face with a moray eel, shrieked and grabbed his arm.
“You’re as much fun to bring as the kids.” He gave her hair a tug and smiled. Slowly, his smile faded as their gazes held. His hand slipped beneath her hair to the nape of her neck. His eyes darkened and that look came into them, the one she’d seen before. The one that said he wanted her.
For an instant she forgot everything. All the reasons she shouldn’t have come, all the reasons she couldn’t have him, all the reasons she shouldn’t be standing there willing him to kiss her. For an endless moment she was simply a woman having a wonderful day with a man she could be falling in love with.