I took a breath, and my vision went fuzzy with desire. The heat of his skin, the strength of his arms, the speed and grace with which he moved, and that delicious smell? Arousal stronger than anything I’d ever experienced in my entire life flooded through me. Heat rushed through my body, and within seconds, I was wet, willing myself not to grind my crotch against him like a dog in heat.
What the hell?
Lost in a haze of lust, I unconsciously wrapped my arms around him, pulling myself closer. Was this what Mom had felt with all those men? A sudden, undeniable surge of passion that threw every other thought out the window? It would explain the trail of men who had left her heartbroken and full of regrets. It was part of why I liked being with Rick. He was stable and kind, and… well, not much else. There was no flaming passion when I was with him, and that was what I liked.
This? Whatever it was, it terrified me.
Nate obviously noticed what was going on, which was evenmoreembarrassing. I could actually feel his own excitement as the crotch of his pants grew harder against me.
“Are you okay?” Nate asked.
My mind was most definitely not okay. I’d lost it, and all I could think of was getting away. Pushing aside the overwhelming desire to stay in his arms, I thrust my hands against his chest. Nate stumbled back in surprise, tripping over his own feet and landing hard on his ass. Taking the opening, I pulled out my keys and jammed them into the lock.
“Wait!” Nate called. “Cameron, hang on.”
“Go away,” I said, shoving my door open.
“We need to talk about that bite. Just let me?—”
I slammed the door and slid the deadbolt into place. Pressing my forehead into the door, I took a few steadying breaths. Thankfully, the arousal and desire faded quickly.
“Cameron?” Nate called through the door. “Please.”
“Go away! You’ve got three seconds before I call the cops. Do you understand?”
There was silence on the other side of the door, then a muffled curse and the faintthudof booted feet walking away, down the stairwell. Sighing in relief, I turned and leaned against the door. My relaxation was short-lived. Gael would be home any second. What if he met Nate downstairs?
Shit. Nate didn’t seem dangerous—I had a good read on people—but I didn’t want the jackass bothering my little brother.
“Shit,” I muttered and ran to the kitchen.
The window above the sink overlooked the front door of the apartment complex. Mom always left it open. There was no fire escape or other way for anyone to get in through that window, and she loved the fresh air. Leaning out, I scanned the sidewalk and parking area.
Gael was nowhere in sight, but Nate had just walked out. Rather than duck my head back in, I leaned out farther. My reporter’s curiosity got the better of me. He stood on the sidewalk for several seconds, hands on hips, turning in what appeared to be a frustrated circle.
Finally, he reached into his leather jacket, pulling out a cell phone. A moment later, he dialed and put the phone to his ear. He was nearly twenty feet down, almost too far away to hear. I cupped my hand around my ear to try and pick up what he might say.
“Ollie? We’ve got a problem. A fucking big problem.”
As if sensing my eyes on him, Nate turned to look up toward me. Jerking my head inside, I nearly backed into the kitchen table. I pressed a hand to my chest and took a steadying breath.
What the hell was going on?
5
Cameron
Rick took a sip of his mimosa. He ran a hand through his sandy-colored hair, adjusting what was most likely a two-hundred-dollar haircut.
He nodded at my plate. “How’s the eggs benedict?”
Leaning forward, he rested his elbows on the table, waiting for my response. The designer dress shirt showed off his broad shoulders and muscular arms. A faint grin sat on his thin lips, and his sharp chin and jaw showed no stubble. He looked like he’d taken an hour to get ready, and I felt a bit underdressed. In my mind, brunch was a meal you had after rolling from bed when you overslept, and you were preferably still in your pajamas. But Rick’s life was obviously very different from mine.
Since our first meeting, it had always seemed like Rick was doing more, pushing and striving to impress me. At the back of my mind, it had always sort of felt like I’d fallen in with Rick rather than falling for him. A relationship of convenience—I’d been lonely, and he’d been excited to be with me. The longer it went on, the more I wondered why I didn’t try harder withhim. He was everything a woman could want, yet here I was, questioning it as always.
I took another bite, savoring the tangy hollandaise sauce. “It’s so good. I’ve never had it with crab.”
“I told you,” Rick said, flashing those shiny white, perfectly straight teeth.
