Authors: Audrey Carlan
“And what made it okay?” I couldn’t believe my own ears. I sounded like a right knob.
“Besides the fact that I fell in love with her?” He studied his hands for a bit. “I talked to her. Had words with Tripp. We came to an understanding. What they had was physical and during a time both were very wounded. They’d used one another and, in turn, became great friends. They love each other but are not
in love
with one another. That made all the difference in the world.” I clasped my hands into a prayer pose, elbows on the desks surface, really taking in what Collier had to say. “At the end of the day, I wanted her more. The stuff with Tripp…that was the past. We decided to leave it there.”
“Has it worked for you?”
“It has.” His gaze held mine. “You like this girl?”
I nodded.
“You like her enough to want more than a quick shag?”
I nodded again unable to speak.
“Then find out what happened in the past, and, once you do, you leave it there. In the past. Then move on.”
Jesus, my brother was smart, always able to put things into perspective. Over the years, I had been with a lot of women but never more than once or twice. I hadn’t even been with Camille, and I wanted her for more than just one night. I wanted her for a lot longer than that. Maybe even forever. Physically, I needed to feel her curvy, lengthy body under mine. I wanted to worship her…for hours. She’s all I could think about. But more than that, I enjoyed being with her. I wanted to laugh with her. Learn more about who she was, what made her tick, what made her smile, laugh, cry. Everything. She was the first woman in my entire life that I wanted to put forth an effort.
“Thank you, Colly.”
Collier’s lips split into a snarky grin. “Any time. You gonna call the bird?”
“Until she answers.” And I meant that bone deep. “And if she doesn’t…well then I’m going to pay her a visit first thing Monday morning.”
“Good man! London and I are taking holiday for the weekend.” I watched him stand and adjust his suit jacket. “I’m going to head out. Go home, grab our bags and whisk my woman away for a long weekend. I’ve cleared my schedule through Tuesday. I’ll be back in the office on Wednesday. Let’s try and do dinner soon, yeah?”
“Sounds good. I’ll cook. Invite the gang?”
“Perfect. Hope you make headway with your girl. I want you to be happy, mate.”
“I think she just may be the answer.”
“Yeah?” He put a hand to the door handle.
“She’s special, Colly.”
He put a finger to his lips and then his chin. “So are you. Don’t let her get away over a prick like Ty. He’s not worth it, but I have a funny feeling she might be.”
“I think you’re right.”
“Good luck, mate!” Collier said as he walked out the door.
Luck. With a beautiful woman who has a tendency to run when things get interesting? I’m going to need a lot more than luck.
I picked up the phone and dialed.
“Spark Investigations. You’ve got Spark.”
“Hello Jonny. Need to call in that favor you owe me.”
“You got it, Walker. Name?”
“Camille Johnston.”
“What do you need? Short story or long?”
“I want it all, but, as soon as you have it, send me the essentials.”
“This personal?”
“None of your business. Be discreet. This one means something to me.”
“I’ll have you the short in a couple hours. The long in a few days.”
“Perfect.”
Two hours later I received the email I’d been waiting for.
To: Nate Walker
From: Jonny Spark (Spark Investigations)
Camille Christine Johnston
Age: 22
Birthday: July 3rd
Address: 2020 Beach St. Apt# 35, Bronx, NY 10472
Employment: Jensen Construction and Gems
Roommate: Jin Sang - Female - age 25
I read through the rest of the email showing her phone number, length of time at her apartment, the high school she graduated from and so forth. My eyes settled on her employment. I was trying to recall what ”Gems” was. I was pretty sure it was a bar, which would make sense if it was a job she had after her work at Jensen Construction. The area she lived in wasn’t bad but not the Ritz either. It was also a solid thirty to forty minute drive from work. She didn’t have a car registered to her name. That’s all the information Johnny sent for now, which was more than enough. Medical and any familial contacts would come later. I had her number and address. The rest would come. Maybe I’d read it, maybe not. I felt like a bit of right arsehole for investigating her, but she left me with no real choice.
Camille liked me. I knew that much from our phone conversations and lunch date. Not to mention the mouthwatering kisses we’d shared in the lift. Mostly, I knew it from the way she pressed her body into mine at lunch today when she seemed scared and uncomfortable. Women didn’t get that close and look to be sheltered by a man’s arms that they weren’t into. Whatever had happened between her and Ty was a long time ago, but he still had a negative effect on her. One way or another, I was going to find out why.
Chapter 7
The weekend passed in a blur. Both Jin and I were called into Gems. She was contracted for a private booking which made it necessary for me to cover her shift on the floor.
We had our teenaged neighbor, Leah, watch the boys. That girl was a Godsend, but she didn’t come cheap. To get a sixteen year old to give up her Saturday night, you had to make it worthwhile. Jin and I halved the bill, but still it came close to forty bucks a piece.
It was a long evening. The only reason Leah’s mama let her stay so late was because they lived across the breezeway, letting her mother check on her within seconds. It gave Jin and I an extra level of comfort knowing Leah had her mother so close in the event of an emergency.
Sunday was hectic. The boys bounced off the walls. Due to the busy week and evenings spent working, they hadn’t had enough one-on-one time with either of us. Basically, we had two forty-something pound children all over us like white on rice. Both grappled for an ounce of attention, and, for two mothers that hadn’t come home until three in the morning, a seven a.m. wake up call from two little boys was rough. As usual, we grinned and bared it.
I made pancakes while Jin put on the cartoons. We spent the day watching Disney movies and dozing in between playing snack courier every thirty minutes to our little ones. It was impressive how much a four and five year old boy could put away in snacks. It was as if their bellies were endless pits of nothingness.
On Monday mornings, Mr. Jensen liked to treat everyone to their first cup of coffee at the office. I stumbled off the elevator and into Jensen Construction arms loaded with Starbucks. With great effort, I eased the two containers holding four steaming Styrofoam cups onto my desk feeling a great sense of achievement that I didn’t spill a drop. All those shifts waitressing at the diner taught me a thing or two, and I never got an order wrong. The office loved that about me.
“Good morning, love.” The voice I’d heard in my dreams every night this weekend smoothed over my senses, sending my heart to a heavy pitter patter. I twirled and leaned against the desk.
There he stood, inclined against the wall. All kinds of tall, dark, handsome and British, looking spectacular in a pitch black suit with a slate blue tie that matched his eyes. Good-looking didn’t even come close to Nathaniel Walker. He exuded confidence and sex appeal. So much so that I waved my hand against my face to cool the blush I knew was coloring me crimson.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, dumbstruck and breathless. Seeing him standing there blew me away like a dandelion’s flowerets escaping in the wind on the breath of a wish.
“Isn’t it obvious?” His smirk added the tiniest dimple barely hidden by his goatee.
“Not to me, it isn’t.”
“Let me be a little less obtuse then.” He took a few steps towards me, and I took a couple backward. Those pouty lips twitched in, what I could only surmise, was humor. Instead of caging me in like I expected, he stopped at the huge bouquet of flowers he’d sent. Long fingers toyed with one of the daisies. “I want to take you out to dinner. You’re going to say yes.”
“Nate I ca-“
“Yes, you can and you will. There’s something between you and me, and I want to find out what. The only way to do so is to spend time together…alone.” He emphasized the last word in a decidedly sultry tone.
“I’m surprised you still want to go out with me. After lunch…”
“It seems you have a past with my best mate, Ty.” I winced and tried hard to swallow the bile that rose at the mere mention of that horrible man’s name. “I can see it on your face, and, though it makes me feel as though I’ve gone raving mad, I can’t deny there’s something between us. Do you not feel it?”
I could have ended things right there by agreeing that I “did not” in fact feel anything for this beautiful man. Unfortunately, I was never any good at lying. My heart screamed lies at my brain, my brain yelled at my voice, and my voice spit out the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God. Dammit!
“Of course I feel it!” I put my fingers over my lips, wishing I had more control over myself.
A huge smile split Nate’s face and at that moment I would have said anything to see him alight with such joy.
“Brilliant! I’ll pick you up Friday evening.”
“Nate, no I can’t Friday. Um…how about Sunday?”
“Sunday is hardly the time for a proper dinner and night out. I want to take you on the town, Precious.” God that sounded so good. His term of endearment soothed along my nerves putting them at rest. It didn’t change that what he wanted was utterly impossible. I worked at Gems on Fridays. Saturdays, I watched the boys so Jin could work. Sunday was the only weekend night I had available.
“I have other obligations I cannot change. If you want to go out, it will have to be Sunday.”
His eyes twinkled as he stepped close to me. I inhaled deeply when I felt the warmth of his body, enjoying the manly goodness of his cologne. He smelled divine. Unlike all of the strong and overpowering perfume soaked gentleman that frequented Gems. Sometimes I had to wipe Vicks Vapor Rub under my nose to avoid gagging as I danced. Nate’s scent was distinct and unique; a mix of sweet, citrus and man. If I could bottle it and wear it all day people would think I was a drug addict for randomly sniffing myself all day long.
Nate trailed a finger down the side of my cheek. I gasped and his thumb slid across my bottom lip, petting it sweetly. “I’ll take what I can get, but I want the entire day starting with brunch. Eleven work?”
His gaze traced every curve and feature of my face. Those blue eyes went from light to dark. He licked his lips and I had to grit my teeth not to moan. I felt like Pavlov’s dog. He got near me, rang
my
bell and I salivated, ready to eat
him
whole. I’d never desired a man like I desired Nathaniel Walker.
His nose rubbed lightly against mine. It was probably the sweetest gesture I’d ever received from a man. “So what do you say?”
There was only one thing I could say with his presence surrounding me, body warm near mine, breath against my face enticing me, seducing me without even trying. “Okay,” I whispered.
He brought his hand up so both framed my face, thumbs caressing my cheeks. His eyes searched mine. I hoped he liked what he saw because I could drown in those murky blues of his forever. “I’m going to do something highly inappropriate.”
“You are?” The words were only a murmur. He heard them and nodded. His head moved slowly toward mine, putting me in a trancelike state. Nothing but he and I existed in that moment.
Nate licked his lips and my knees shook. “I can’t avoid this. It’s too much.” I could taste his minty breath. I blinked slowly, allowing his words to sink in as he caressed the apple of my cheeks with his thumbs. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“At work?”
He nodded. “Yes, at work.”
“Okay.”
“Okay.” He smiled, closed his eyes and then his lips were on mine. So warm, just barely moist. He rubbed his lips along mine, not forcing or pushing, just pressing against them. He alternated from top lip to bottom, which he then sucked into his mouth, licked along the plump tissue and released. The kiss was over before I really had a chance to participate. It was heavenly, and I wanted more. So much more.
His hands came to my hips and pulled me flat against him. I could feel the steely ridge of an erection. The fact that I turned him on made me feel powerful, womanly, sexy. The heat from his body seared me from my chest to my pelvis as he leaned in toward my ear.
“You’re delicious. I can’t wait to taste the rest of you.” His bold statement was accentuated by his tongue swirling then nipping the edge of my ear down my neck. Gooseflesh coated my limbs and I clasped onto his shoulders moaning under my breath at those lust-soaked words. It had been a long time since a man paid me any attention. “Christ you’re responsive.”
He rubbed his prickly goatee against the tender skin of my neck, and I thought I might have an orgasm just from the anticipation of feeling that beautiful mouth and chin drag along other parts of my body. It was incredibly easy to imagine.
“Nate, please…”
“Please what, Precious?” He nipped at the skin where my neck and shoulder met. Liquid heat shot down my body and settled between my thighs.
“Please stop,” I half-moaned.
Abruptly, Nate pulled away, his eyes fierce, hands firmly holding my biceps at arm’s length. “What?”
“This is my workplace.” My voice was deep and husky. One side of his mouth twitched into a crooked smile. His face relaxed.
“Are you saying I’m turning you on?” An eyebrow rose to a perfect point. I could feel my body heat and flush along the skin of my face, neck and chest. “Christ, I love seeing you turn pink for me.” I shook my head and let my hair fall into my face. He planted two fingers under my chin and lifted until my gaze met his. “I understand.” Quicker than I could respond he cupped both sides of my cheeks once more and laid a quick kiss on my mouth.