Riya sat with her feet up the back of her loveseat as she lounged. No condom had become a manta rolling unchecked through her mind since Cameron had mentioned it.
This is why I shouldn’t be left alone like I had been. I’ve repeatedly proven I can’t be trusted around this man. Why did I think it would be any different when he showed up at my place?
Right now, that very man was out helping one of her elderly neighbors by checking out her heater. The city was blanketed by nearly eighteen inches of snow and had come to a hard stop. She didn’t have work today and pretty much everything else had been shut down as well. The streets were slowly being cleaned and they didn’t want anyone out on them who didn’t have to be.
Power had been restored about an hour after they’d fucked in her bed. She couldn’t call it making love as they weren’t in love. Fucking? Yes. He definitely did that to her and oh, so well. She stared up at her toes and wriggled them. Her multicolored non-slip individual toe socks kept her toasty and they were bright. She loved the fluorescent colors on them. Each toe a different color and the broad stripes up the rest of the sock matched the individual slots. Then beneath it, all was the metallic silver hue of the rest.
Daylight had technically arrived but the clouds still covered everything with a gray color. They continued to appear full of snow and ready to drop it at any moment. So, while she had some light, she also had one table lamp illuminated.
Thankfully, it hadn’t gotten too cold in her place while they had lost power, so it didn’t take too long to get it back to a comfortable state. She wasn’t one who needed it eighty-five in the winter, she actually preferred to keep her place around sixty.
So, she was comfortable as she lay there with her legs and feet up in the air, smelling the breakfast that currently baked in the oven. She’d made a breakfast pizza and she wasn’t going to lie, it smelled delicious.
Especially, the bacon.
Okay, so perhaps she had a favorite. There was also some sausage on there, but she was definitely a bacon fan over anything.
Her gut tightened as soon as she heard the front door to her place open. Cameron had returned. She shut her eyes for a moment and took the time to pray for patience. And strength. Because, God, we know how sturdy my strength was when it came to him last night or rather into this morning.
Not even as strong as an al dente noodle. She opened her eyes and found him standing there staring over the back of the loveseat at her.
“What?” she asked.
“What are you doing?”
“Thinking. Waiting for breakfast to be finished baking.”
He reached out and snagged one ankle. “These are quite bright.” He touched the middle toe before dragging his finger down the sole of her foot. “I like them.”
Belly flipping like a fish out of water, she pasted a smile on her face. “I’m sure that played nothing at all as to why I wore them.”
He snapped his teeth at her. “Already with the snark, Riya. Do we ever get time off of that and have a truce?”
“We had one.”
Cameron moved his hand up along her calf, slipping around to continue on her inner thigh.
She gulped back her whimper.
“I mean do we get one without my cock being buried so far into you, I’m not sure where I end and you begin.”
Right, because she needed another reminder of what it was like when he was inside her. How full he made her feel, how it felt as if they were one and not two separate beings. How she actually felt cherished by this man and as if nothing in the world could hold her back.
She flicked her tongue along her lips taking perverse pleasure in the way his gray eyes darkened as she did. “Fine, we have a truce.” Riya swung her legs down and got to her feet, cracking her neck. “Thank you for helping, Ms. Arness. I know she feels much better now that you’ve checked her heater for her. She worries a lot.”
“She had right to worry, that thing is on its last legs. The landlord needs to fix it.”
“Being as she is the landlord, not sure if that will be happening anytime soon.” Riya walked around the seat and headed for the kitchen, not looking back when Cameron fell into step behind her. She reached for her hot pads just as the timer went off. “Are you ready to eat now?” She opened the oven and withdrew the round pizza stone then set it on the silicone trivet she had waiting. “Or do you need to make some calls first and check on people?”
“I’m good. I checked on Carter and my parents while working on the heater. They’re all glad I’m here with you, so you’re not alone.”
She glared at him over her shoulder. “Why should that make a bit of difference? There are a lot of people alone in this city.”
“Yes, there are, but none of them are you.”
She glanced away, not even wanting to allow the smallest sliver of hope to creep in at his words. She needed to stay strong. Be objective and honest. He wasn’t he man for her. This wasn’t going to be anything more than another booty call, no matter what he might say. “Grab the plates for me, will you?”
Within five minutes, they were eating across from each other at her small table.
Riya did her damnedest to remain focused on the food in her hand and not the fact he was making abstract drawings with his right hand on the smooth tabletop. It wasn’t easy. She put herself in place of the table. So, it was her hip he touched, her leg, the small of her back. “Shit,” she muttered after biting the inside of her cheek.
“You okay?”
“Fine,” she said dropping the rest of her slice and reaching for some juice to calm the sting. Crap, she was coming apart just sitting with him. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be. She was in charge. He had come to her, not the other way around.
His cell phone ring shattered the silence between them and he wiped his mouth. “Excuse me,” he stated before pulling it free and answering.
Doing her best to ignore his deep voice that sent her spiraling back down a road she didn’t need to be on, Riya thought about what she was going to do today. It would be a good day to get ahead on her assignment, given she wouldn’t be heading to the diner today.
After she finished her food, he was still on the phone, talking low to whomever was on the other end. She cleared away her plate and cup, made some coffee and took it after she’d added the appropriate amount of sugar and creamer back to her office and powered up her Mac.
As it took her to the place she needed to be, a tingle ran up her spine and she knew that Cameron was in the room with her, even though he never spoke and she hadn’t heard any footsteps. “Everything okay?” she asked before she could talk herself out of posing the question.
“They need me at the firehouse. I’m one of the closer ones and with this weather, we need all hands on deck.”
She nodded even as she stood. “That makes sense. A lot of people may still be without power and having emergencies. Drive carefully.” She began to walk by him to help take his bag out.
He snagged her around the waist and pulled her back to him. “I wanted to stay with you.”
“You’re a fire fighter, Cameron. This is your job. Even if your shoulder is sore, you can still do something to help over there. I’m fine here. Go help those who need it.”
“Damn it, you’re amazing.” He kissed her until she sagged against him. Brushing back some wayward curls, he dragged his thumb along her lips. “I’ll be back to talk to you about us, Riya.”
She believed that as far as she could throw him, but she nodded because this was no time for an argument. Riya walked with him to the door, was kissed again, until she forgot where she was.
“Stay put,” he ordered before swiping the bag from her hands. “I mean it, Riya. Don’t go out to try and help people. I don’t want to get a call saying you are in trouble.”
“Planning on schoolwork and a few books to read. Nothing else. Well, I may shovel the walk.”
Cameron gripped the front of her shirt. “You know what I mean, Riya.”
She snapped a salute. “Aye, aye, captain.”
He pecked her lips once more then vanished out into the cold leaving her alone in the warm apartment.
She rested her head against the cool wood and sighed heavily. “You are a dangerous man, Cameron Liaci. So damn dangerous. I should know better than to get involved with you once again, but I can’t just seem to think smart when you’re near.”
Not too much later she was back in front of her computer, the Mac running beside her as she worked on some code to stop intruders from accessing personal information. Hours passed and she only stopped to get more to drink and walk out the kinks.
Around five in the afternoon, she shut it all down and stretched. “I’m so hungry.” Rotating her shoulders, she left her office and padded her way into the kitchen. Hands on hips, she ran over her options. Sandwich and soup, finish up from breakfast, or fix something else quick.
Stealing a glimpse out the window, she saw it had begun to snow once more and shook her head. “This is not going to be a good thing.”
Riya dug into her cupboard and pulled out a can of tomato soup. This kind of weather made grilled cheese and tomato soup perfect compliments. Not that they weren’t on any other type of day.
A groan of pleasure escaped as she bit into the warm, gooey grilled cheese tem n minutes later. The steam wafting up from her bowl of soup made her smile. Tearing off a bite, she dipped it in the liquid, then moved it to her mouth. “Oh yeah,” she moaned.
After two sandwiches and her soup, she felt sated. Rinsing the dishes out at the sink, she shook her head at the snow that had picked up once more. Flashing lights glinted off the snow and she spied a fire truck moving through the area, not fast at all.
Cameron?
She didn’t think so, he wasn’t at the station closest to her. His brother Carter was, but not Cameron.
Hopefully, whoever needed them would be okay until they managed to make it through. She wasn’t interested in staring at another screen, so she decided to call it an early night and headed for bed.
The phone woke her later and she fumbled for it. “Hello?”
“Riya? It’s Gina. Just checking to make sure you were okay. Aww honey, did I wake you?”
“It’s fine. I just called it an early night, since I spent damn near all day staring at code and screens. I’m fine, thanks for checking on me.”
“No problem. Are you sure you’re okay? I heard your power went out.”
“Where’d you hear that?” She sat and reached out to tug the chain, a shaft of light illuminated her room.
“Cameron.” A small laugh. “Well, Carter actually but Cameron told him. Care to know what else he passed along?”
“Not particularly, thanks for the offer.”
“I can’t believe you two are back together.” Gina sounded damn near giddy.
“Hold on, Gina. We weren’t ever together to begin with and we’re not together now. That was…” she cleared her throat, “…just a mistake.”
Her friend snorted. “If you think that’s going to fly with Cameron, I’m going to say good luck and I’ll make a bet with you on how it’s going to go.”
“It’s got nothing to do with Cameron but my own decisions.”
“And the chance you could be pregnant?”
Holy Christ, did that man ever keep anything to himself? “Seriously? He told Carter that as well? They gossip worse then women.”
“He’ll do anything to get what he wants. It’s how they are. And as a heads up, he may have even told his parents.”
She cradled her head in her hands and muffled a groan. “Are you serious?”
“Just giving you a warning, I can’t guarantee it, but if they come calling at least you’ll have had prior knowledge.” Gina cleared her throat. “For what it’s worth, I can’t wait to have you as my sister. I’ll let you get back to sleep. Chat soon.”
Again, alone in the quiet of her room, Riya flopped back and dragged the blankets up over her head. Nothing she could do about this right now. But when she could, it was time for her and Cameron to have a discussion.
αβ
Cameron sat on the padded table at the doctor’s office and waited for the man to provide him with the update on his shoulder’s progress.
“I have to say, Cameron,” Dr. Ivey stated, messing with the stethoscope around his neck. “I didn’t think you would heal this fast. I thought you would be out of work for a lot longer than a few days. You Liaci boys sure do heal quick.”
“Not about to let anyone keep me off my truck, Doc. So I’m cleared to go back to work then?”
“I can see no reason why to keep you sidelined longer.”
He hopped off the table and grinned. “Wonderful.” Cameron buttoned up his shirt and tucked it in. “Thanks, Doc.” He walked out the door and winked at the receptionist as he moved by her. While her blush was familiar, he didn’t care to see anyone else blush but Riya.
It had been five days since he’d seen her. The snow had kept him at the station, he hadn’t even gone to his own home. While there was still accumulation on the ground, the streets were now clear. And he had every intention of swinging by her place on his way back from here.
The day was clear and the sun shone brightly. He had a smile on his face as he exited the large building. At his truck, he pulled out his phone and called Riya.
No answer.
He hopped in and headed for the diner. Cameron couldn’t wait to see her and the grin didn’t leave his face when he pulled open the door. It faded away seconds later when there was no sign of her inside the diner. Unless she was hidden in the back for the moment. As much as he wished that were the case, he knew it wasn’t true, given there were two waitresses in the front.
After claiming a seat in the back, he waited for the waitress to approach.
“What can I get for you?”
So far, there were two issues. She wasn’t here and this woman, who he didn’t even know, didn’t know his order. After he placed it, he rubbed his temple as she walked away. This was supposed to be a good day, he was going to tell her he was cleared for work and then they would talk about their relationship.
He ate quickly and paid his bill before he headed out. Calling her once more, he scowled when it went to voicemail. This time, he headed to her place and knocked on the door.
No answer.
“Where are you, Riya?”
After calling her yet again, and leaving a message, he went to his place, needing to do some laundry and take care of some other things. He’d started a load and padded around his place in a pair of sweats and socks, nothing else.
The doorbell chimed and he whipped around to see who was there. Drawing it open, warmth spread throughout his body at the sight of the person standing there. Riya. “Hello, beautiful.” Cameron swung the door open, inviting her inside.
“Don’t you dare ‘hello beautiful’ me,” she snarled.
It took him a second to recognize the heated sparks in her eyes and the fire flaming them toward him. “What?”
“What? That’s all you have to say? I get a call from Gina talking about how I may be pregnant and all you can say is…what? Why the hell would you ever feel the need to talk to your brother about the fact you and I had unprotected sex?”
“Maybe you’d like to come in and discuss this, so it’s not shared with the rest of the apartments?”
“Why keep it a secret now? You told your brother who in turn told Gina. Hell, she said you may have even mentioned it to your parents. Just what I need, to have the Liaci family knowing that I had sex with their youngest son. And now, I may be carrying his baby.”
Further down the hall, he saw a door close and knew that Mrs. Berk would be asking about this soon enough. Grinding his jaw, he yanked Riya inside his place and slammed the door behind them. “Hold on a second.”
I’m killing Carter for blabbing this to Gina.
“Hold on for what? To give you time to come up with some lie on why you would spread this around? I don’t want to know. We’re done from here on out, Cameron. Don’t talk to me, don’t call, don’t come by, forget I exist.”
That wasn’t going to happen.
She whirled around and headed for the door. He snagged her around the waist and snapped her back to him.
She pounded his chest and glared up at him.
“First off, I’m sorry that Carter opened his mouth to Gina.”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s what you’re sorry about? Nothing about the fact, you couldn’t keep your damn mouth shut and were gossiping like a pussy? But the fact the one you gossiped to shared it with someone else? I can’t believe it. Let go of me!” She smacked at him again.
“I’m not letting you go. I get it you’re upset.”
She stilled in his arms and looked at him. Her brown eyes held no trace of anything and he became suspicious instantly—and wary. “You’re right. Upset.” Her words were smooth and modulated.
Cameron loosened his grip on her and backed her to the couch until she sat on the dark cushion. “Look, Riya. I told my brother because I tell him everything.” He took in her black shirt and yellow pants. She was just so damn adorable and sexy.
“So you told him about every woman you’ve fucked?”
He sucked on his teeth and weighed his options of either lying or basically lying. He hadn’t told Carter about her because she was special and he hadn’t told him about some of the others because they didn’t mean a fucking thing to him. “No.”
“Then what good is your word?” He opened his mouth and she waved him off. “No, don’t answer. I heard all I need to.” Riya got up and edged by him to the door. “Goodbye Cameron.” She vanished the next second.
What the hell just happened?
Cameron stepped out and didn’t see her anywhere. Frustration welled up within him and he stomped back inside, yanked up the handset, then dialed his brother.
“Is it important, Cameron? I’m about to go meet Gina.”
“Why did you tell Gina about me and Riya?” He flexed a fist a few times.
“Didn’t know it was a secret? Why? What’s the problem?”
“Gina mentioned it to her. Why did she even know about it? I told you, not her.”
“Don’t get mad at me, Cameron. One, you didn’t say I had to keep it under my hat and two, I’m not about to lie to Gina. I’ve fucked up with her before, I’m not about to do that again.”
Cameron sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He couldn’t blame him for that, even if it was Carter who had done the stupid thing to begin with. “Sorry, she just read me the riot act about telling you about us and so I of course, told her that I told you everything and she called me on it.”
“Christ, she wanted to see if you told me about each woman you slept with?”
He sank to the sofa. “Yes.”
“And you call me the dumb one. Riya doesn’t like people all up in her business, Cameron. You should know that. She’s always been more on the private side than our family is. Hell, it took Gina years to get to know her and after the death of her mother, she closed down again.”
“Yeah, about that. That was our first time together, after she buried her mother and was out for the first time. Christ, I have the worst timing imaginable. And now, she’s even more pissed at me.”
“I am the last person who should tell you how to fix this but you have to try. It’s obvious this woman means something to you. Our parents will be thrilled to hear about this but go fix it with her. And I mean now.”
The phone went dead as his brother hung up on him.
“Because I know where she is.” He tried her cell phone but it went to voicemail. “Riya, we need to talk about this. Call me when you get the message.” A slight pause. “Please.” Then he called her house and left a similar message.
Time to track his woman down.