CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CAMERON. She’d lied. Tomorrow was eaten up with another long workday that stole her from me. We’d agreed to meet at the Christmas party, but at the last minute, I decided I wasn’t having that. I needed to see her before sharing her attentions with a group of stuffy strangers.
Eli opened the door and met me with wide-eyed surprise. “Hey, Cameron. She’s in there getting ready.” He motioned to the bedroom.
A quiet surge of satisfaction went through me as I passed into her bedroom. Fucking finally. Maya stood in front of a long mirror on the wall, in her partially zipped up cocktail dress. She stared at me in the reflection of her dresser mirror as she put her earrings in.
“What are you doing here? I thought we were meeting there?”
I tossed my coat onto the bed and came up behind her.
“Not my style. Plus, I wouldn’t want anyone to think you were just using me as your stand-in boyfriend to help increase your chances for a promotion.”
Her red lips curled into a smile. “That begs the question. What do we call you? I’ll likely have to introduce you to a few people.”
I traced my index finger down her back and over the clasp of her bra, only a little tempted to unhook it. I was early, after all.
“Let’s see. How about impressive? I like the sound of that. Of course, I was having some pretty intense thoughts about your lips when the words came through them.”
I bent to her, pressing a kiss to her neck. Her quickened pulse flickered under my lips. The floral scent of her perfume filled my lungs, a dizzying potent aroma that brought back so many memories. She shivered under my touch, the small reaction tempting me further.
I straightened, reminding myself not to get too far ahead of myself. “Want me to zip you?”
“Please.”
I obliged, regretting that we weren’t moving in the other direction. She spun to face me. Her gaze darted over me, her lips parting slightly.
“You look good too,” I murmured, having a strong sense of our mirrored appreciation of each other tonight. “Delectable actually.” I leaned into kiss her, but she evaded me.
“You’re going to get me all wound up before we even get out the door.”
“Fine by me,” I muttered, unable to keep my hands from exploring every curve of her body over the satin of her dress. She caught my roaming hands, but I only pulled her closer, eliminating any doubt as to the effect she had on my body.
“Seriously, what are we calling you?” The words wavered as she spoke them.
I traced a faint line across her cheek and down her jaw. “I think boyfriend will do for now.”
My eyes fixed on her plump pink lips and the wicked things she could do with her mouth. I traced the lower curve. At the sight of her tongue’s movement, impulsively I pushed my finger inside. Her lips closed around me, her tongue laving over the sensitive pad before giving it a hard suck.
My grip on her tightened, my arousal pressed fiercely into her hip. “Fuck me, how long is this thing?”
She hummed, her mouth curving into a grin as I retreated. “A few hours, max.”
“I’ll be counting down the minutes until you’re under me.”
“Eager, are we?”
“That’s simply not the right word.”
“Desperate?”
“Possibly.”
“And what are you desperate for?” she whispered, brushing her lips against mine.
Fucking hell. She was going to regret asking me that.
I kissed her hard, delving into her mouth, mimicking the motions I wanted to lavish upon her elsewhere.
“I’ll tell you exactly what I want. I want you dripping wet, in my mouth, coming until you think you can’t come anymore.”
“Oh,” she breathed, her chest laboring for air.
“Then you’re going to beg me to fuck you.”
She closed her eyes, biting her lip. Her hips shifted restlessly.
“Hard and repeatedly.” I growled. “I didn’t nearly get my fill of you the other night. We have catching up to do.”
She exhaled sharply. Her once steady gaze now clouded with the animal need that pulsed through me too.
“Promise?” Her lip quivered slightly as the word left her.
“I can’t promise I won’t take you right here and now unless you get us out of here and save me from myself.”
MAYA. He steered the SUV casually with one hand and kept another firmly on my thigh, tracing the sensitive skin above my knee.
I flexed my fingers, rubbing them nervously against the smooth leather seat. I tried to focus on the road ahead, the ebb and flow of evening traffic. They did little to block out the visions his dirty promises conjured. I’d been trembling I wanted him so badly, but at least he’d had the strength to get us moving.
He’d taken my breath away by merely entering the room. Dressed in a black suit, he was irresistible in a whole new way. Now I fought the little voice inside my head proposing we turn around, skip the party, and go straight to bed. Dermott would have my ass if I even considered it, and somewhere I remembered I would be letting Jia down too, after all she’d done for me.
“Are you nervous?”
“Maybe, a little,” I admitted. I’d never come to these things with any intention other than to chat with the few people I already knew. I’d never considered it a networking event with opportunities for advancement.
“Are you worried about me being there with you?”
“No, I’m glad you’re going. I wasn’t lying about needing reinforcements.” The thought of having him by my side was reassuring, even though he’d likely feel more out of place than I usually did.
“You’ll do fine.” He gave my knee a little squeeze.
We pulled up to the hotel awning, and the valet helped us out. The ballroom was already filled with hundreds of people. I hoped to spot a friendly face when I saw Vanessa speaking heatedly to someone who appeared to be part of the hotel staff.
Her countenance became friendly when we approached. “You came!” She pulled me into a small hug and gave Cameron a kiss on the cheek.
“How’s everything going?”
“Good so far, I think.”
Before I could ask her anything else, Jia slid up beside me.
“Maya.” She leaned in and air-kissed my cheek. “You look amazing.”
The relief of seeing her among the crowd dissipated when I remembered the last time Cameron had seen us together. I tensed under both their gazes. Jia glanced expectantly up to Cameron whose tall frame towered over us. Somehow he looked even more imposing and impressive in a suit, though deep down I knew it wasn’t his style at all.
I cleared my throat, trying to find my voice. “Jia, this is Cameron. Um, my boyfriend. Cameron, Jia is one of the VPs in my office.” The last bit of information was unnecessary, but I wanted the introduction to sound more formal somehow. Christ, this was awkward.
Jia held out a hand and shook his. “Cameron, it’s a pleasure.”
Cameron’s jaw twitched as he nodded wordlessly.
“Would you mind if I stole Maya from you?”
His eyebrows shot up.
She hooked her elbow into mine with a smile. “We have some mingling to do.”
Cameron looked to me, as if for the okay to release me into her custody. I gave a reassuring smile.
“I’ll be at the bar if you need me.”
I squeezed his hand slightly before Jia pulled me away, effectively breaking our contact and launching me into the activity of the party.
“Champagne?” She caught a flute from a passing tray.
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”
“You sure? You seem nervous.”
“I am a little, but I’m fine.” Tossing one back would help my nerves considerably, but I needed to stay straight tonight. My willpower was on track, and I had Jia to help me through this.
“So Cameron? You’re official now?”
I fidgeted nervously with my clutch. “Yeah, I guess so. We’re figuring things out.”
She took a slow sip from her glass and glanced back at the bar where he stood, his broad back to us. I sighed inwardly at the thought of taking that suit off of him tonight, revealing the man beneath.
“He’s a little intense.”
“He can be,” I said. I liked it, though. I craved it. When he looked at me, as if he were looking straight into my soul, nothing else mattered. No one had ever seen me the way Cameron had, known me the way he did. No one.
CAMERON. Maya moved from group to group, Jia by her side. I knew nothing about this world, but I hoped for Maya’s sake that all was going well. Her work didn’t seem to make her very happy, but perhaps that could change with the right connections. I turned back to the bar, regretting that Jia might be one of those connections. Something about the woman turned me. Her sharp brown eyes seemed to quietly assess me each time we met, like she was trying to figure me out. Wisely, Maya didn’t speak of her much, but I knew they were spending more and more time together at work.
I heard a woman’s sultry voice behind me. “Cam.”
I turned. Jia greeted me with a slanted smile.
“Jia.” I regarded her coolly. “Where’s Maya?”
“Talking to some people. I thought I’d give her a few minutes to fly solo.”
She canted her head at me. My skin crawled. Maybe I shouldn’t have disliked her as much as I did. Then again, last time I’d seen her, she’d nearly had her tongue down Maya’s throat.
“Maya looks beautiful tonight,” she purred, glancing over her shoulder.
She did, her pale skin glowing against the black satin of her dress. Jia turned back, her gaze traveling over me suggestively. I shifted my weight, wishing she’d leave. I didn’t know anyone here, but she wasn’t exactly what I would consider a friendly face.
“You clean up nice too, Cam.”
She traced a finger along the lines of my jacket. I resisted the urge to brush her hand away, reaching instead for my glass to take a deep swallow of the amber liquid. Maya didn’t need any drama tonight. I had promised to be supportive.
“Did you have fun the other night?”
I shrugged. “Can’t say I’d do it again.”
“No? You two left early. That couldn’t have been all bad.”
I avoided her eyes, unwilling to take the bait.
“We should go out sometime, the three of us. It’d be fun.”
Her lips curled into a seductive smile, her tongue wetting her lower lip. The gesture fueled the growing irritation I felt in her presence.
“What are you two doing later?”
I took a deep breath, wondering how long this line of questioning was going to last. “Going back home, I imagine.”
“I live close by. You two should come by for a drink.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “No thanks.”
She leaned in closer, and her perfume wafted over me. “You don’t need to pretend with me, Cam,” she whispered, brushing the side of her body against me gently.
From the outside, her proximity might have seemed normal, casual even, but everything about the way she moved around me seemed charged with intent.
“Whatever you’re implying, Jia, I’m not interested, and neither is Maya. I can assure you.”
She cocked her eyebrow and glanced back to Maya. “I’m not so sure about that. She might be a little more curious than you give her credit for. Could be fun.”
I tensed. I couldn’t care less how anyone’s sexual orientation fell, but I’d be damned if I was going to share Maya’s affections, or body, with anyone. Jia could paint a picture that would be anyone’s fleeting fantasy, but I’d be the only one in Maya’s bed.
She slid her hand up my arm, squeezing me slightly. “Relax. You’re overanalyzing this. You could do whatever you wanted with us. Have us both or just watch. Wouldn’t you like to watch another woman make her come?”
I would have dragged Jia out of here by her hair if the thought of being jealous of another woman making advances on the girl I loved hadn’t struck me as too odd to act on. I drew a slow breath, gathering my self-control. I wanted nothing more than to shove her off and take Maya back home, so I could show her again exactly how I’d be the only one to please her.
“I appreciate the offer, Jia, but with all due respect, that’s never going to fucking happen.”
She laughed quietly. “I’m not a threat, you know. You’re taking it too seriously.”
I straightened, facing her fully, so she’d understand that I wasn’t remotely susceptible to her feminine wiles. “You want to fuck my girlfriend. I’m taking that seriously. But Maya thinks of you as a friend, so I’m going to say this politely, once. Put the idea right out of your head or—”
“Or what?”
I breathed through my teeth, suppressing a growl. “I’m sure there are people here who’d be interested to know what you’re trying to do.”
She narrowed her eyes at me, the sultry softness of her posture stiffening slightly.
“No need to make idle threats, Cameron. I get it.” Her throat worked on a swallow as she glanced down at her champagne flute. “You’re possessive, and rightly so. She’s lovely. I can see that she’s special to you.”
“You’re right about that. She’s very special to me, but I’m not making idle threats.”
“Who’s making threats?”
Maya joined us, distracting the laser focus I’d had on making my point to Jia. Maya frowned, looking between the two of us. No one looked too pleased, but of course she was none the wiser as to why.
Jia plastered on a more genuine smile. “I was just asking Cameron if you’d like to have drinks later, but it sounds like you two have plans. Anyway, it’s just as well. I have to catch up with some people. You two enjoy yourselves. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She leaned in and kissed Maya quickly on the cheek, flashing a sly glance my way before disappearing into the crowd.
I clenched my teeth and fought the urge to take Maya into my arms, the only place where I could keep her safe and out of reach of the people who only pretended to care.
“What the hell was that all about?”
“Let’s get out of here. You made an appearance. They don’t expect you to network all night, do they?” I wanted to get out of here before I actually made a scene. The lengths I was willing to go for her sake continued to surprise me. As much as I wanted to protect her, in the same breath I was perilously close to jeopardizing any progress she was hoping to make at work. The last thing I wanted was to become a hindrance in that part of her life—of any part of her life.
“Sure, we can go. Are you going to talk to me though?” Her beautiful features strained with concern as she brushed her fingertip over the frown that marred my brow.
I took a breath, willing myself to relax. I turned into her palm, kissing it gently and keeping her hand locked in mine. “We’ll talk on the way home,” I said, moving us toward the cloakrooms.
I didn’t really want to get into the dirty details of Jia’s proposal on the drive home, but the more time went by the more pissed I became. By the time we stepped into her apartment, my words came out more harshly than I’d wanted.
“That bitch is trouble.”
Maya jolted, freezing in place while I paced the small path at the foot of her bed.
“Jia?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re upset because she invited us over for drinks?”
“She doesn’t want drinks. She wants to orchestrate some sort of fuck fest between the three of us, and I’m not interested. You need to keep your distance from her.”
“Oh?”
Her voice was quiet—too quiet. I came closer and took her hand, as if that would be some lifeline, some way for her to understand the reality of the situation without getting upset with me.
“She’s manipulative. You can’t trust her, Maya.”
“How do you know?” She slipped out of my grasp, her eyes intent on me.
I shook my head, shoving my hands through my hair, wishing she could have seen the look in Jia’s eyes when she made the offer. “I just know.”
Maya shivered and took a step back, staring at her shoes.
“What’s wrong? Are you cold?”
“You should go.”
“Why?”
“I have a long day tomorrow. We need to finish this deal before the holiday if we can.”
“The deal that Jia’s managing.”
She reached for my coat and handed it to me.
“Maya.”
“Thank you for coming with me tonight. I appreciate your support. I really do.”
I tossed the coat away and took a step closer, our bodies so close I could feel her warmth. She was flush against the wall now, trapped. Her frustration radiated, mixing with the sexual tension that was damn near palpable by now.
“You can’t tell me what to do.” The edge to her voice softened a bit.
“No?” I raised my eyebrows. When it came to Jia, I had different thoughts on the matter.
“All you’ve done since we’ve been together is tell me what to do, what not to do, and now you’re telling me who I should be spending my time around. What makes you think I need someone like that in my life?”
“You need someone like that in your life because no one’s telling you the truth. And when you do stupid shit, I’m going to call you out on it. If you want to call that me telling you what to do, fine. But I’m not going anywhere, and I think you know that.”
Her glaze flickered to mine, and for a split second, I saw all of her vulnerability. The soft scared girl lingered for a moment before an impassive expression took over.
“I think you’re forgetting who you’re talking to.”
“You’re doing it again.”
She frowned. “What?”
“Hiding,” I murmured. I traced the hard line of her jaw, the pulse of her neck, cupping my hand behind her nape. She pulled it away, a new fire in her eyes. I caught her palm, pressing it firmly against the door, then the other as she reached to push me off.
She glared at me, her nostrils flaring. I fought the urge to smile. She was so easy to rile these days. Despite the firm set of her perfectly pink mouth, her chest heaved. Her eyes shifted restlessly over me. Our lips nearly touched. My fire matched hers now, stoked with frustration and the need to fuck her, to possess her. I held her gaze, daring her to look away, to hide.
“So defiant.”
“Never what you expect.”
“No,” I admitted. “I wasn’t expecting fighting with you to turn me on, either.” I licked my lips, eager to taste her. But I held back, prolonging our stay in this tense middle ground.
“If fighting with me turns you on, then we have a serious problem.”
I smiled and released her from my hold, gliding my hands down the sides of her body and curving them over her ass. “Agreed. Then again, you could always put that spark to good use.” I pressed us closer.
“You should go,” she breathed, her eyes closing.
She could have said fuck me now for all the strength her words held.
“I made promises. I intend to keep them.” I caught her thigh, hooked it over my hip, and pressed her against the wall with a quiet thud. She gasped, her hands fisting in my shirt. I bridged the small space between us, sealing my mouth to hers. Our tongues tangled in a heated rush. I could taste her fire, the white-hot desire between us. I lifted her, wrapped her legs around my waist, and carried her to the bed.