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Cameron walked to the back of the house, disappearing into the small laundry room. I glanced down and adjusted the front of my cashmere sleep tank to make sure I wasn’t showing … anything.
His phone rang, and he spoke quietly enough that I couldn’t hear what he said.
A couple of minutes later, he returned with Neville following dutifully.
“Smart cat,” he said. “He knew exactly what to do.”
As the words hung there, Neville got a dangerous gleam in his eye and tore off toward the giant potted plant, hopping immediately into the dirt to bat at the leaves.
“Neville,” I sighed, walking over to snatch him out of the planter. “What is the plant obsession?”
“Neville?” Cameron asked, brows raised and his eyes glinting with humor.
I hugged the squirming cat to my chest and notched my chin up an inch. “Yes.”
His lips twitched as he fought a smile.
My eyes narrowed. “What’s so funny about that?”
“Nothing. I love it.”
“You do not.”
Cameron took a step closer, and my heart did a wild somersault when I caught a whiff of his scent. Then he scratched the top of Neville’s head, and maybe I was imagining heat, but the tip of his finger hardly brushed the cashmere top and it was enough to tug at the hairs on the nape of my neck.
“I like whatever you named him,” Cameron said in a low, intimate voice.
The way we stood was intimate too.
Close enough that I could lean into him if I wanted. Close enough that I could lift my chin, lock eyes and push up on the balls of my feet for a kiss.
So I kept my eyes on the base of his throat, watched it move in a slow swallow.
“I was going to ask you if you’re up for a game of chess...” When he paused, my heart skipped a beat, but then he said, “I have to go.”
My gaze snapped up to his. “Why?”
Oh, he liked that.
The look on his face sharpened to something intense and pleased.
“Wade needs something at the shop, and I have the key,” he answered. “Poppy left hers inside because we don’t normally lock up every night, but Ian didn’t know that when he finished.”
I nodded, my throat tight with what I’d just let escape.
I might as well scream it—please don’t leave, I like having you here.
Cameron took a step back, his thumb tapping on the side of his thigh.
“I’m going to say something that might really piss you off,” he said, “but I think I’m willing to risk that.”
Slowly, I arched an eyebrow. “Well, now you’ve got to say it,” I drawled.
“I think this is the real you, Ivy. Who won’t move all night to let a stray kitten sleep because it’s comfortable. I think it’s you in these moments when you let your guard down enough to ask what you want to ask and say what you want to say.” His chest expanded on a deep breath. “And I think it’s gotta be exhausting to hold up that wall. The one someone taught you was necessary. I know you wanted me to think the woman I first met wasn’t real, but I disagree. I’m not sure what you’re protecting yourself from because no one here wants to hurt you or use you. We just want to get to know you.” Not once did his eyes waver from mine, and I felt it all the way down to my toes. “I wish you’d let us.”
Of all the things I imagined him saying, this was the absolute worst.
I wanted to snap back, wanted to say something cool and clever and meant to put him in his place, but those words got stuck in my throat too. They were prickly and painful, but I swallowed them back down because I’d rather cause myself some discomfort doing that than cause him pain by letting them be said.
