by Katee Robert
When she met Cameron, she never would have guessed he was too good to be true. She still wasn’t sure he was—not when his flaws were readily apparent. But the longer she spent with him, the more the brusque attitude and the painfully truthful comments stopped feeling like flaws and just became part of the man as a whole. “That’s really sweet.”
“I guess.” He got a strange look on his face but masked it almost as soon as it had come. “You do much traveling?”
“Only Stateside. A couple of spring breaks down in Florida. One very memorable road trip to see a Green Bay game with a friend who was a huge fan. Nothing fancy.” She looked around at the restaurant they sat in. It wasn’t fancy, exactly, but it was in London. “Thank you. For bringing me here. To London, I mean. This trip has been surreal in the extreme, but in a good way, and I just... Thank you.”
“You don’t have to thank me. I needed you to ensure I didn’t fuck up this contract.”
He said that, but she was no longer sure it was the truth. Nikki Lancaster might be standoffish to a criminal degree, but she obviously put her professional goals before any personal slight she might feel after how things fell out with Cameron. And she had the advantage of knowing how he operated, so she would have been prepared to handle him as needed to close the deal. Trish had been mostly ornamental to the whole situation. “You would have done fine.”
“No, Trish. You can claim that now that it’s all said and done, but it’s not the fucking truth.” He shook his head sharply. “There were half a dozen times during that meeting when I started to say something and looked at you—and realized I needed to keep my damn mouth shut. I wouldn’t have bothered to show restraint if you weren’t there. That might not seem like a big deal to you, but it is to me. I value your presence on this trip—and not just because you’re in my bed.”
“But I am in your bed, and that changes things.”
“Yes, it does. And we’ll negotiate as needed when we’re home.”
God, she loved him a little in that moment for not pussyfooting around the truth. No matter how long she stayed on in her current job, there would be an adjustment to how they handled themselves in the office, and if he were anyone else, he would have glossed right over that truth. “Okay.”
He eyed her mostly full plate. “You’re not going to eat, are you?”
“I’m not really hungry,” she admitted.
“We’ll get something on the way back so you can snack as needed.” He twisted and motioned the waitress to bring their check. “Are you tired?”
She blinked. “Not especially.”
“Good. There’s something I want to show you. I think you’ll like it.” He made a face. “Though it has nothing to do with untimely death, so maybe we should just go back to the hotel.”
“Cameron O’Clery, was that an actual joke?” She playfully smacked his forearm. “I don’t just like untimely death, you know. I like flowers and bright colors and telling other people what to do. I’m a well-rounded woman.”
“I’m aware.” His gaze dropped to her breasts where they pressed against her T-shirt.
She gave a mock gasp. “You’re terrible.”
“You like it.”
She’d had so many different emotions with him—frustration and irritation and lust and enjoyment. Playing fun only made her like him more. She was up to her neck and sinking fast, and she couldn’t bring herself to care. “I do. Now, let’s go so you can show me your surprise.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CAMERON ALMOST CHANGED his mind half a dozen times on the drive. His idea had felt like the right call when he’d first come up with it, but the closer they got to the waterfront, the more he felt like he’d made the wrong call.
Right up until the point Trish leaned against the door of the taxi and gasped. “The London Eye?”
“It’s rather touristy but—”
“No, I love it.” She barely waited for the taxi to pull to a stop before she opened the door and climbed out. Cameron paid the fare and followed her onto the street. Her captivated expression made her look even younger, and much less world-weary than she’d been since he’d met her. She spun to grab his arm and tugged him toward the giant Ferris wheel. “How did you know? I’ve wanted to ride this since I was a kid. It seemed like the most magical thing in the world to be able to see a nighttime London from so far up.”
“Aaron may have mentioned that you enjoy Ferris wheels.” He allowed himself to be towed along like some well-loved toy. It was only after the words escaped that he realized she might find them creepy.
“It gives you a different perspective of the world, and if that isn’t magic, I don’t know what qualifies.” She shot him a look. “I’d say I’m surprised you remembered what had to have been a passing comment, but I’m not.”
With her setting the pace, they reached their destination in short order. Cameron gave his information and they were directed to the priority boarding. As they stepped into their capsule, Trish gasped. “Cameron.” She took in the champagne and chocolates and turned to him, her eyes wide. “When you pull out all the stops, you pull out all the stops.”
He started to tell her that it was a normal package offered and nothing fancy, but he managed to filter himself at the last moment. This was important to her, and he had done what he could to make it special. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Like doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She explored the capsule, taking in the seats and the clear walls that would give a full 360-degree view of London once they got moving again. The package was for thirty minutes of uninterrupted time, but Cameron wished he’d booked more, considering Trish’s enthusiasm.
“This is amazing.” She gripped the railing and leaned out as far as the domed glass would allow. “I can’t wait to see it from the top.”
He made himself join her close to the edge, wrapped his arms around her and pressed himself against her back, letting the floral scent of her shampoo center him. Even though he’d braced for the movement, his stomach still took a dizzying dip when the wheel started up again. By the time they hit the top point of the Ferris wheel on the first rotation, his palms were sweating and he had to close his eyes in an effort to maintain control.
She turned in his arms. “You’re afraid of heights.”
“Not afraid. I just don’t like them.”
“Right. Not afraid at all.” She nudged him away from the railing and walked them to the chairs with the champagne. “I don’t think the bubbles will do well with your stomach, but maybe it’s worth a shot?”
“Sure.” With a little distance between him and the sheer drop to inevitable death, he managed to pull in half a breath. “Don’t let me ruin the experience.”
“You aren’t.” She poured them both a glass and passed his over. Trish gave him a surprisingly sweet smile. “You booked yourself a ride on one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the world for me—even though you’re not a fan of heights.”
“I didn’t want you to miss this opportunity.” Though he’d bring her back to London sometime in the future when they didn’t have work taking up so much time. She had such a unique view on so many things, and Cameron wanted to explore the city and see it through her perspective.
Preferably on the ground level.
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. “Thank you.”
He almost reached for her then and there, to hell with any potential audience, but Cameron didn’t want her to miss a second of this ride. He nudged her back toward the railing. “You’re going to miss the magic.”
“There’s absolutely no chance of that.” She kissed him again, longer this time, but finally rose and went to lean against the railing.
He watched her watch the city, and something irreversible shifted in his chest. This woman was nothing like he’d pictured for himself in the rare times when he imagined a future where wor
k wasn’t his one true love. She was fanciful and stubborn and sunny despite her shadows.
Trish was magic.
Fuck me, I love her.
His world rose and fell with that realization, turning to ash at his feet and rearranging itself into something entirely new. Oblivious to the turmoil going on inside Cameron, Trish took a sip of her champagne and hummed in what could only be described as pure happiness.
He wanted her to look at him the way she looked at London. To feel about him the way she felt about fucking Ferris wheels. He wanted to be her magic.
Cameron couldn’t tell her.
Every time they talked about the future, she got a little wild around the eyes. It couldn’t be clearer, despite her saying she was willing to give them a shot, that she had no intention of landing with him permanently.
He didn’t know how to fix that. People weren’t computers. Problems didn’t have a guaranteed solution if he just looked hard enough. Trish felt that every plan of hers ended badly. It stood to reason that, no matter how much she enjoyed him, how much she liked him, she would view being with him as settling because he had never been part of her plan.
There was a solution here. There had to be. Cameron wasn’t romantic enough to believe in soul mates or destiny, but he and Trish fit. That sort of thing didn’t happen often enough in life to throw it away just because it wasn’t part of the plan.
He just needed her to see that, too.
The lights of the city played across her body as the Ferris wheel went round, a slow slide that he ached to re-create with his mouth. If he couldn’t tell her how he felt, he’d damn well show her. There was plenty they did right. He just needed her to admit that it was right and wasn’t yet another of what she considered her life’s failures.
Cameron had never had to be convincing before. He usually just powered through any obstacles that life threw in his path.
But for Trish, he’d do whatever it took.
* * *
Trish could barely keep from bouncing as they made their way through the hotel lobby and up to their room. “That was amazing, Cameron. Seriously. Beyond amazing.”
“It was enchanting,” he said as he unlocked their door and stepped aside to let her through.
“I know you’re making fun of me, but it was.” She shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it onto the couch, still riding high.
No one understood her love of Ferris wheels, though Aaron indulged her as only older brothers were able to do. Her sister and their parents mostly rolled their eyes every time she demanded another ride or announced she was going to the fair. It was just another way Trish was a little peculiar, a little too square for the round-shaped hole they expected her to fit into.
Cameron had done more than indulge her. He’d planned a special event solely to give her a private Ferris wheel ride, despite the fact that he was clearly afraid of heights.
No one had ever done anything like that for her before. Not at the expense of their own comfort.
She turned to thank him for the hundredth time, and nearly ran into his chest. Trish looked up, her breath stalling in her lungs at the intensity of his dark eyes. “Uh, hi.”
“Hey.” He slipped his hands over her shoulders and up to cup her jaw, pausing there as if he meant to say something. She found herself holding her breath, waiting for... She wasn’t sure what.
But the moment passed. Cameron sifted his fingers through her curls and tilted her head back farther so he could kiss the sensitive spot beneath her ear. “What am I going to do with you, Trish?”
She cleared her suddenly dry throat. “I can think of a few ideas.”
“I imagine you can.” His dark chuckle curled her toes in her boots. “I’m going to start by taking you to bed.”
That sounded like the best kind of plan to her. She nodded, but he was already moving, scooping her into his arms and heading for their bedroom. Trish couldn’t help her breathless laugh. “I can walk, you know.”
“I know.” He kicked the bedroom door shut. “But why walk when I enjoy carrying you so much?”
Since she didn’t have a witty response to that, she kissed him. Cameron let her slide down his body without losing contact with her mouth. He teased her lips open and delved inside, kissing her as if this was the main event and he’d be happy kissing her forever.
It wasn’t enough.
Unwilling to break the kiss, she undid his pants and shoved them down. Cameron kicked out of his shoes and the pants and walked her back to the bed, working on getting her jeans off in the process. It wasn’t smooth or suave, and she ended up giggling as he wrestled the offending denim off, but they finished stripping quickly, until they stood before each other naked.
She stepped closer and pressed her hand over his heart. “This might sound corny, but you’re seriously beautiful.”
“You’re stealing my lines.” He pulled her closer, spreading one hand across the small of her back as he fit their hips together. “You know, the first time we had sex, I knew I wanted to someday trace constellations of your freckles.”
She’d always liked her freckles—aside from the middle school years where everyone hated everything about themselves—but she’d never considered that someday she’d be with a man who spoke about them like that. As if they were as attractive as her breasts or ass. “That sounds unbearably hot.” She grinned. “One second.”
Trish hurried into the bathroom and dug through her makeup bag. She headed back into the bedroom a few seconds later, wielding her lip liner. “Do it.”
If anything, the heat in Cameron’s gaze flared hotter. “On the bed.”
She scrambled to obey, so turned on she could barely drag in a steady breath. The way he looked at her in that moment would fuel masturbation sessions for the rest of her damn life.
He joined her on the bed and coasted his hand just above her skin, tracing a pattern only he could see. His brows drew together in concentration as he uncapped her bright pink lip liner and carefully connected a series of freckles on her stomach. It tickled, but laughing was the last thing on Trish’s mind. “Oh God.”
“Mmm.” He leaned down and pressed a light kiss to the space in the center of the new constellation. “Hold still.”
And so it went. Cameron drew another half-dozen constellations on the front of her body. Her chest. Under her right breast. Just above her pussy. On the inside of her left thigh. The top of each foot.
He knelt between her spread thighs and took in his work. “Fuck.”
“Take a picture.”
His gaze slammed into her own. “Trish—”
“Do it. I want to remember this always.” Because I won’t have it forever. It’s something we’ll share no matter what happens. She swallowed past her dry throat. “I trust you.”
Another hesitation, longer this time, but he finally nodded and rose to get his phone. Cameron seemed to take the photography as seriously as he took everything in life. He adjusted her position to his satisfaction and snapped a few pictures.
By the time he was finished, her entire body practically vibrated with need. “Touch me.”
He rejoined her on the bed and handed her the phone. “Passcode is five-five-six-three.”
She realized he’d stuck her photos in a passcode protected folder and typed it in. As Trish swiped through the photos, each sexier than the next, Cameron settled next to her and ran his hand down her stomach—avoiding smudging his work—and cupped her pussy. “You’re the beautiful one, Trish.” He kissed her neck as he fucked her slowly, thoroughly, with his fingers. He shifted to see the pictures. “That one’s my favorite.”
In the photo, she had her arms over her head and her legs spread as if she’d just been fucked within an inch of her life. From the angle, she could just make out the slightest glistening of her pussy where she was so wet, she ached for him. The bright pink con
stellations stood out against her pale skin, turning it from just another sexy-dirty photo into something closer to art.
She lifted her hips to take his fingers deeper. “It’s my favorite, too.” Driven by the knowledge that this might be one of the few things he kept to remember her by once everything was said and done, she flipped back to the camera and took a picture of where his fingers speared her. Don’t forget me, Cam. Don’t forget this.
“Trish—”
“Not yet.” She wasn’t even sure what she denied him, only that nothing good came from Cameron saying her name in that rough tone of voice. A tone that spoke of truths she wasn’t ready to hear.
She pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. A few seconds later, she had his cock sheathed in a condom, and Trish wasted no time sinking onto him, taking him as deep as she possibly could, until she wasn’t sure where she ended and he began.
She rode him slowly, determined to make this last, to hold out as long as possible. Pleasure built between them, as inexorable as their next heartbeats. The expression on his face was so stark, so possessive, so goddamn hot, she had to close her eyes to keep from coming on the spot.
“Don’t close your eyes, Trish. Don’t shut me out.”
Immediately, she opened them again. Cameron pulled her down to claim her mouth as he rolled them and leveraged her legs wider. He lifted her hips a little as he thrust into her, the new angle bowing her back and drawing a cry from her lips. “Oh God, Cameron.” She gripped his thighs and wrapped her legs around his waist and he leaned back, and he thrust again, hitting the same spot. Her mind went blank and words sprang from her lips, words she had no control over. “OhGoddontstoppleasedontstop. IlovethisIlovethisIlovethisIloveyou. Yesyesyesyesyes.” Another stroke and she was lost. Trish came hard enough that she damn near vibrated out of her skin. “Cameron!”