by Rita Sawyer
He draped his arm around her shoulders and together they walked to the door. “Will I see you later?”
“Sure. Why don’t you come over around six-thirty for dinner?” Joey said with a smile.
He hesitated for a minute or two. Normally, he would have jumped on her offer, but truthfully he was a little scared to face her sisters after his disappearing act.
“It’ll reassure my sisters about me going away with you if they get to grill you a little.” There was a teasing note in her tone, but probably some truth, too.
“I’ll be there.” He wasn’t going to give into his fear.
“Good.” Joey pushed up onto her toes and slid her arms around his neck.
The second her lips touched his he forgot about everything but her. She took control of the kiss, slipping her tongue in his mouth. Soon, she had him pinned against the wall beside the door, and they were both panting hard. She rubbed her body against his and parts of him were willing to ignore how sore and tired as he was if it got her in his bed. Joey whimpered as she eased away from him.
“I really need to go.” She reached for the doorknob, but he got to it first.
He opened the door, and as she walked through he gave her ass a swat. She jumped, and they both laughed. He stood there watching as she climbed in her car. Cameron was still standing there long after she was out of sight. It was in that moment he realized what he felt for her was love. The settle down and have kids kind of love. Once in a lifetime kind of love. And he hoped she felt the same way about him because he was about to make a total fool out of himself if she didn’t.
Chapter Fifteen
Joey had been having a great time until about five minutes ago. They’d driven down late Wednesday night instead of Thursday. Cameron had figured the extra time could be used visiting his bank, lawyer, agent and anyone else Joey wanted to get copies of the documents she needed. He’d been right, and they managed to find everything she had on her list. Cameron had taken her out to dinner to celebrate. The celebration continued until the wee hours of the morning.
Joey felt bad that he’d spent most of Friday morning and afternoon tied up in meetings while she slept in then did some shopping. She splurged a little and bought a light purple dress with matching shoes. The thin straps weren’t really needed since the bodice of the dress was so tight there wasn’t much of chance of it moving. The rest was loose over her hips and swayed around her knees as she walked. Cameron’s whistle when she walked into the room told her he like the way it looked just as much as she did.
Now they were at an upscale gallery attending a combination art show and book launch for one of Cameron’s friends, who happened to be published at the same house as Cameron. As they made their way around the lower floor, Cameron was stopped frequently by people who either knew him or wanted to. He kept her hand wrapped in his the whole time, but Joey couldn’t help but notice when it was a woman talking to him he pulled her closer to his side.
So, for the last five minutes, she had begun to wonder if this was the reason he asked her to come along. After all, he could have gotten the documents on his own. Joey rejected the drink a waiter offered her. Another woman approached them, and Cameron let go of her hand and slipped his arm around Joey’s waist.
“Cameron, I heard you were back in the city.” The woman leaned in and pressed a kiss to his cheek, and Joey felt his fingers press deeper right above her hip.
“We just stopped in for a quick visit.” He didn’t return the kiss. “Marianne Mancuso, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to Josephine Brazen.”
“Are you one of Victor’s sisters-in-law?” Marianne asked, and Joey nodded. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“You, too.” Joey lied, not giving a fig about meeting the woman.
Joey stood there smiling as Cameron and Marianne made small talk. The whole time it was running through her mind that Cameron was using her as some kind of buffer between him and the women mingling around the room. The second Marianne left, Joey excused herself to use the ladies’ room. Cameron’s smile left his face for the first time that night, but he pressed a kiss to her cheek and nodded. Joey could feel his gaze on her as she walked away, but when she glanced back she was surprised to find a few other men staring at her, too.
She decided they were only looking to see who Cameron was staring at. Joey walked into the bathroom and leaned against the door. The bathroom was actually two rooms—a sitting room and then another room that had toilets and sinks. Joey was glad the sitting room was empty since it gave her a chance to gather her wits. She could hear voices in the other room, so she knew the private moment wasn’t going to last long. She walked over and sat on the bench in front of a long row of mirrors.
* * * *
Cameron knew the second he saw Joey in that goddamn dress he was in big trouble. She may not realize it, but she looked like a million bucks, and he wasn’t the only one who’d noticed. Every woman he knew had come over to check her out, and the guys were practically drooling. Cameron was having a hard time keeping himself in check.
Joey didn’t seem to be having any issues. She was smiling and making small talk as if she did this kind of thing all the time. The few of his friends that had worked up the nerve to come over and introduce themselves had shaken her hand a little too long or gotten closer than he liked. Saying anything would only make him sound jealous, which he was. Nobody else needed to know that, especially Joey. Cam didn’t think coming off like a jealous fool would help him win her over.
Joey excused herself to visit the ladies room. Though he was more than willing to escort her there, she slipped her hand from his and walked away. Cam watched her go, along with half of the other men in the room. The second she was through the door and out of sight, his friends, the vultures, swooped in ready to get as much information about her as possible before she returned.
Cam knew not telling them anything would only make them more curious, so he told the basics. She was one of six sisters who lived in northern Maine. When they asked how he was lucky enough to meet her, Cam left out the part about her being his CPA and told them his friend Alec Mitchell had introduced them. A couple of his pals asked if her other sisters were single, which made Cam laugh. The only two single sisters were Georgie and Bobbie. He didn’t think Jake would take kindly to anyone making a play for Bobbie, and though these guys were his friends, he didn’t think any of them were good enough for Georgie.
One by one his friends drifted off, leaving him alone to wonder what the hell was taking her so long. He was about to go find out when he heard a familiar voice call his name. Abigail Kynsale was headed straight for him. It had been a while since Cameron had seen the influential critic. As she sashayed across the room, Cameron looked for some sign that she’d aged in the past five years. She didn’t look a bit over fifty, which was twenty-three years less than her real age, not that he’d ever tell anyone.
“If it’s possible, you look even more ravishing than the last time I saw you.” He leaned down and let her press a noisy kiss to his cheek.
“Flatterer.” She patted his chest in a grandmotherly way. “I see and hear the wilds of Maine have been good to you.”
“Word spreads fast.”
“Doesn’t matter. I knew you’d never settle down in the city.” She’d brought the subject up more than a few times. “Now, tell me the inside information about this artist. Don’t look so concerned. I know you’re good friends.”
“We are. Peter isn’t just a talented photographer. He dabbles in sculpting.”
He answered Abigail’s questions, deftly avoiding anything personal. She either didn’t notice how many times he glanced in the direction of the bathroom, or she was just polite enough not to mention it. However, when he looked over and spotted Joey talking with Nathan Ellington, a prominent restaurateur, he froze, and Abigail had no choice but to say something.
“Cameron, are you okay?”
“Yes,” he said finding his tongue.
“She�
��s lovely, as I heard. It’s no wonder you can’t take your eyes off her.” Abigail’s playful teasing slid right off him.
“Neither can Nathan.” He hated that his jealousy was clearly evident in his voice.
“Oh,” Abigail patted his arm, “that glorified hot dog pusher has nothing on you.”
They both laughed. Nathan would die if he knew she called him that. Cameron’s sister would have laughed her ass off. She’d gone to culinary school with Nathan, and they had been bitter rivals. They still were, even though they only saw each once or twice a year.
She gave him a gentle shove as she said, “Well, what are you waiting for? Go rescue your fair maiden from the evil clutches of the nefarious Nathan.”
Cameron didn’t need to be told twice. He was across the room in a flash, sliding his arm around Joey’s waist as he came to a stop. Nathan’s smile fell for a second at the possessive move, though Joey probably didn’t notice because she was looking up at him. Unable to resist the chance to lay firmer claim on her, Cameron leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her smiling lips.
“Hey, Nate, long time, no see.” He offered his hand, not surprised when Nathan reached out and shook it.
“Almost two years. How’s Kirsten?” Nathan made a mistake by bringing her up.
“Fine. Her restaurant scored a great review in the Post.” He’d have to tell his sister about the way Nate paled at the news.
Joey noticed, too, and must have sensed Cameron was goading him. “Cam, Nathan invited us to his restaurant later tonight to sample his dessert bar.”
“We’ll have to take a rain check. I already accepted another invitation just minutes ago.” Cameron hoped his smile told him wasn’t the slightest bit sorry he had to turn the offer down.
The polite thing to do would have been to make some small talk, but Cam wasn’t feeling very civil at the moment. After a few awkwardly silent minutes, Nathan told Joey she’d be welcome any time and excused himself to go speak someone who was waving at him.
“That was kind of rude, don’t you think?” Joey asked as he walked away.
“I don’t really care.” Cam saw the surprise flash in her eyes, and for a second or two he regretted his harshness.
Joey looked around nervously. Thanks to his angry tone, a few people standing close by were watching them. As Joey stepped out of his embrace, she slipped her hand into his and squeezed. With a tug he reluctantly let her pull him over to a little nook close by. The people around them may have been fooled since the move, accompanied by a sweetly deceptive smile, looked like she wanted to show him something. Once she had him where she wanted him, she let his hand go.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” She managed to say without the smile ever leaving her lips.
“I never liked Nathan.” He knew that wasn’t what she was really asking.
She laughed and slapped his arm. Again, to anyone else it would have looked like a playful act, but it actually stung. He forced a smile and winked just to piss her off. Her growl made him laugh, which just turned more heads their way.
“Fine. I didn’t like the way he was looking at you. Hell, I haven’t liked the way any of them have been watching your every move.” Her smile fell along with her jaw.
She turned away from him, facing the wall for a second. When she faced him once again with her smile firmly in place, he took pleasure in noting that she couldn’t wipe all the signs of surprise from her features. Her eyes were still a bit wide, and the red slashes of color on her cheeks had left a noticeable pink tinge. If his declaration had shocked her, the conversation they were about to have wouldn’t make things any better.
“Joey, trust me, he’s lucky all I did was insult him.”
“If I’m embarrassing you, then we should go,” she said softly, but before she could move he stepped in front of her blocking any chance of her escaping.
“Why do you always take what I’m saying wrong?” The angry glare told him he’d only made it worse, and he quickly rushed to take the blame. “What I meant to say is why do I always say the wrong thing when it comes to telling you how I feel?”
“I don’t know.” She sighed.
“I do. I’m an ass.” She smiled, and he felt like a weight had been lifted off his chest. “I wasn’t embarrassed at all. I was jealous. Every man in this room has been devouring you with his eyes, and I want to go around and poke them all to teach them a lesson about looking at my girl that way.”
Joey laughed. She covered her mouth trying to smother it, but the sounds filled the air. He glanced around, noticing they had drawn even more attention. She wiped at the tears escaping from her eyes. He felt a light tap on his shoulder and turned to find Abigail standing there looking at him with narrowed eyes.
“Good lord, Cameron. What have you done?” She elbowed him out of the way and moved to Joey’s side.
“Abigail, everything is fine.” Both women gaped at him, but Cam wasn’t about to explain how badly he’d fucked things up.
“I’m sure it is. We’ll just drop into the ladies room to compose ourselves.” She whisked Joey away, leaving him there looking like a fool.
Luckily, Joey returned within a few minutes looking as if nothing was wrong. Cam could only wonder what she told Abby.
“Maybe we should go,” Cam said when she reached his side.
“No. I think we should continue our conversation.” She would want to finish it here.
“Joey, I’m not used to being the jealous guy, so can you cut me a little slack?” He probably deserved being put on the spot, but he hoped she’d take pity on him.
He couldn’t tell from the smile she flashed him whether or not she planned on letting him off the hook. She laid her hand on his chest and leaned in close. He knew she could feel the way his heart raced under her palm. At that second he wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and kiss her. Never one for holding back, he did just that.
She gasped in surprise and wobbled on her high heels. He took advantage of her and dipped her backwards as his lips covered hers. Her hands clutched his shoulders, but the way she kissed him back told him it wasn’t from fear he’d drop her. Their tongues stroked each other, ratcheting up the heat between them. He eased his mouth from hers, lifting his head until their faces were mere inches apart.
“Marry me?” the words flew past his lips before he could stop them.
She blinked up at him, and her fingers gripped his shoulders tighter. What the fuck? Again, his mouth had gone faster than his brain. Sure, he planned to ask her eventually, but not like that. He envisioned roses, candlelight, wine, and some soft music. Cameron figured since she hadn’t responded that he blew it. He closed his eyes and started to straighten them both, but stopped when he thought he heard a softly whispered “yes.” Cameron looked down at her and she smiled up at him.
“Yes.” Her soft whisper came a little louder this time.
Chapter Sixteen
Three hours later, Joey was still walking on cloud nine. She still couldn’t believe Cameron asked her to marry him. It was even more unbelievable she’d said yes. Finding out he’d accepted an invitation for a midnight cruise just topped the evening off for her. Cameron seemed to be as stunned and happy as she felt.
After the scene they’d made, word of their engagement had spread quickly. They accepted congratulations and well wishes from those who had been at the book launch. Everything had been fine until ten minutes ago when someone she hadn’t been introduced to asked Cameron if they were going to have a long engagement. Joey wasn’t sure why, but the question seemed to burst Cameron’s bubble. Joey wondered what was running through his head.
She took his hand and led him to the railing. Joey stared out at the waves and waited for him to say something. The moonlight shimmering as it rocked on water would have been romantic if she wasn’t worried that he was having second thoughts. His arm slipped around her waist and pulled her close. Instead of relaxing against him, she held herself a little stiff. Cameron no
ticed and turned his face to hers. Joey could see he wanted to say something, but she couldn’t wait.
“Cam, have you changed your mind?” She blurted before she lost the nerve.
“Hell no!” His quick response reassured her.
“Then what is it? I can tell something is bothering you.” She needed to know what was bothering him.
He looked out at the water then back at her. “I just realized that it might be a while before we can actually get married.”
He was right, but she didn’t think it would have to be too long. Maybe a year or so. As soon as they got home, she’d tell her sisters they were engaged. That was going to be a shocker, but once they got used to the idea they could start discussing a date.
“Is that a problem?”
“Yes! No. Well, for me it is. I’d marry you right now if I could, but you probably want a wedding with all of your family and friends there?” He didn’t sound happy about the prospect.
“Truthfully, I’d rather it be a small affair.” She hoped that made him feel better. “What about you? Your family seems close.”
“My sisters and mother would probably want a big shindig, but I could go for the small ceremony.” Relief started to flood through her when he smiled.
“A small, intimate wedding won’t take long to plan.” Not with her sisters in control.
“Once we get everyone to agree.” Okay, he was right. It might take some time to get their families on the same page.
“It’ll be easier than you think.” She’d do her best to make sure of it.
“We’ll see,” He shrugged his broad shoulders. “But that doesn’t fix the immediate problem.”
“Which is?” If he’d tell her what the problem was, she could try to find a solution.
“I want you in my bed every night. The easiest way to ensure that would be for you to move in with me. The problem is somewhere along the line I guess my mother managed to drill some of her morals into me because I want us married before that happens. Your sisters would probably want it that way, too.” Since he was already putting so much thought into it, she may as well let him finish.