The Thing About Trouble Page 11

  They watched the movie, and as it neared the end, Blue had crept into his arms, and they sank together into the soft leather. As the credits began to roll, Cam reached for the remote and turned off the television. With only one lamp in the corner, the room was dark and full of shadow.

  “When was the last time you made out with someone?” he asked, studying her carefully.

  “Made out?” She squirmed in his embrace. “You mean like…”

  But he was already trailing kisses along her neck, and he smiled against her when she gasped.

  “Yeah,” he murmured, “I mean, just like this.”

  His hands sank into hair, and he slid his mouth along her jaw, loving the way she shook ever so slightly in his embrace.

  “I don’t remember,” she said breathlessly, arching her body a bit as he moved closer to her mouth.

  “Then it’s been too long.” With one deft move, Cam had her on top, every long, delicious inch of her pressed against him. He held Blue for a few more moments, enjoying the play of shadow against delicate features that couldn’t hide her thoughts. She was aroused, he knew that, but there was a part of her that still hung back. It was that part he was after. That part that he’d need to treat with kid gloves.

  Bluebell Barnes was a woman made up of many layers. And if he wasn’t careful, some of them would rip.

  “You can say no at any time.” His voice was gruff, his chest tight, full of something he couldn’t quite put a finger on. But it was a heavy something. A strong something. And the woman in his arms played a part in that something.

  Cam held her gaze as he urged her mouth toward his. And when he claimed her lips with his own, she opened fully, kissing him back with a passion and ferocity that should have surprised him but didn’t. He knew her cool façade was just that. Fancy packaging to hide the flesh-and-blood woman underneath.

  They kissed long and hard, their mouths hungry, feeding the need each of them felt but maybe didn’t quite recognize. Hands wandered, finding new treasure beneath cotton and denim and silk. Heated palms touched scorched skin, and when they finally came up for air, Blue’s mouth was bruised, her cheeks were rosy, and Cam wanted nothing more than to sink inside her.

  But he didn’t.

  Carefully, he pulled her top back down, though he couldn’t help himself and trailed his fingers along her collarbone, and then up to that soft skin beneath her ear.

  She shivered.

  He smiled.

  “If we’re going to do whatever this is that we’re doing…” Blue looked away for a moment, a nervous tic pulsing beside her mouth. “Can we take things slow?” she whispered.

  Cam eased away from her, his body tight, hot, and hard. He reached for her and gently turned her head back so that she faced him again. Those blue eyes shimmered, heavy with fear and uncertainty.

  “We can go as slow as you need. You’re in the driver’s seat, Blue. I’m happy with you calling the shots.”

  She offered a tremulous smile, and something inside Cam shifted. In that moment, he realized that “this” wasn’t casual for him. That Blue was more than a woman to take to bed.

  “Thank you,” she said softly. “I’m not used to men being so…” She exhaled raggedly. “Nice.”

  Cam pulled her back into his arms, and they settled onto the sofa. He kissed the top of her head. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “Every woman deserves nice in their lives.”

  She leaned into him, the silence of his home and the heat of their bodies covering them in a blanket of comfort. Cam closed his eyes, liking the feel of her in his arms, the smell of her in his head, and the taste of her lingering on his tongue. Eventually, she relaxed and her breathing slowed. And when she was asleep, he picked her up and took her to his room. He covered her and made sure she was comfortable.

  And then he left her. Alone. In his bed. Tucked between his blankets.

  Cam closed the door and then checked on Tawny. The little girl was splayed on top of her covers like a Raggedy Ann doll, arms flung over her head, body totally relaxed. He tucked her back in, closed her bedroom door, and headed for the living room. He flopped onto the sofa, and now that Blue was gone, Rufus jumped up beside him.

  Cam scratched the dog behind the ears, and Rufus moaned in pleasure as he wiggled his body as close to Cam as he could.

  “Just you and me tonight, buddy.”

  This right here was a new situation for him. Cam had never brought a woman back to his place without sleeping with her.

  Huh. He closed his eyes and eventually fell asleep with a smile on his face and a yearning for tomorrow.

  14

  Blue woke up with the birds.

  Or rather, one particularly pesky feathered friend with a shrill call and a willingness to listen to itself over and over…and over. She groaned and rolled out of bed, eyes drawn to the early light just beginning to spill from underneath the blinds that covered the window. She rubbed her eyes and chased the last remnants of sleep away as she looked around.

  She was in Cam’s bedroom, which had the bare bones needed to furnish a room. There was the bed, a king with no headboard, a tall dresser pushed up against the opposite wall, and a laundry basket filled with neatly folded T-shirts in the corner. His bedding was navy blue, the blinds an off-white, and there were no pictures or décor anywhere.

  With a soft smile, she padded quietly out of the room and opened the door opposite to Cam’s. Tawny was bundled in the corner of a big bed, surrounded by stuffed animals and wrapped in a purple-and-yellow-polka-dot blanket. The walls were decorated with dragons and princesses and more than one unicorn. Her slow, even breaths told Blue that Tawny was still deep in dreamland, and she closed the door carefully so as not to wake her, and then headed to the main room of the house.

  She spied her shoes and purse on the dining room table and grabbed them before moving toward the sofa. Cam was on his back, arms flung over his head, face turned toward Blue. His hair fell over his brow and she resisted the urge to sweep it from his face. He looked younger like this, and she got a glimpse of the boy he must have been. Devilishly handsome, and always a hint of a smile on his lips. Rufus was curled into his side and perked up an ear for a few seconds before relaxing again with a soft groan.

  Blue stepped away, her eyes lingering, her mind remembering, and as she let herself outside, she was grateful for the cool morning air because her cheeks were heated through and she felt guilty somehow. Which was crazy. She hadn’t done anything wrong. She was an adult, after all, and it was perfectly okay to spend the night at a man’s home.

  It just wasn’t something she’d really done much of, contrary to what a lot of folks thought.

  She took exactly two steps when a voice stopped her cold. She winced and looked across the way. Mrs. Eddy was on her porch wearing the fluffiest pink bathrobe Blue had ever seen. Her hair was in curlers, and she was holding on to a large garbage bag.

  “Good morning, Blue.”

  “Good morning.”

  “Going to be a full moon tonight,” Mrs. Eddy said with a smile barely visible in the early morning gloom.

  “Oh, I…” Blue looked up at the charcoal-gray sky. “I didn’t know.”

  “Blue moon at the end of the month too.” She threw her bag into the large bin at the bottom of the stairs and paused. “Makes for a crazy few weeks. Lots of shenanigans and such.” She changed gears quickly. “You sneaking out on Cameron?”

  “No, I wasn’t sneaking out. I… Cam was still sleeping, and I didn’t want to wake him, and, well, my cat is probably furious at me. I fell asleep—we fell asleep watching a movie, so…” Sounded lame even to Blue’s ears, but she managed a smile. “Giselle is demanding.”

  “Giselle?”

  “My cat.”

  “Well, you better not keep Giselle waiting.” Mrs. Eddy chuckled, shook her head, and disappeared inside her house.

  Blue hurried to her car and jumped in, heart pumping like a champion. She did
feel guilty leaving like this—as if she’d done something wrong. Which she hadn’t. Not by a long shot. But still.

  She sank into the seat and groaned, and then after a few moments, grabbed her phone. Her finger hovered over Cam’s name, and before she could change her mind, she sent a simple text message.

  Thank you.

  As soon as she sent it, she made a face. Thank you? Really? That was all she had to say?

  “Geez, Blue. You’ve been out of this game for way too long.” She started the car. “That’s if you were ever really in it.”

  And there she went talking to herself again. She rammed the car into Reverse and headed out to start her day.

  But she couldn’t shake that feeling. Like she’d crossed a line somehow. A line she wasn’t so sure she’d be able to jump back over. And the feeling didn’t go away. Not even hours later as she tried her best to create a fall display at Bella & Hooch. She stood back, running a critical eye over the distressed ladder she’d leaned against the wall. Corn stalks adorned the steps, and she’d just finished spreading an intricate silky web across the top. Now for the spiders.

  “Okay, spill,” Poppy said from across the store.

  She glanced up, distracted. “Excuse me?”

  “You’ve been acting weird since you got here.” Poppy jumped down from the stool she’d been standing on and wiped dust from her top. She was at the back of the store, tweaking the “on sale” display that carried the last of her summer décor. “Is everything okay? ’Cause your aura is kind of crazy right now.”

  “My aura?”

  “Yeah. It’s all wonky. What’s wrong?”

  Blue opened her mouth, a denial hot on her tongue, but found she couldn’t speak because there was a big old lump in her throat and hot tears pricking the corners of her eyes. What the hell was wrong with her?

  “Blue?” Concern made Poppy’s voice high, and Blue shook her head and turned away.

  “I’m good. I’m fine.”

  The doorbell jingled just then, and Blue sighed with relief as she grabbed up a bunch of sparkly black-and-orange spiders. Saved by the bell and a customer. Her relief was short-lived, however, when she heard the voice she’d been trying to banish from her mind all morning. It reached around her and slid over her skin making her shiver. Goosebumps stood up on her arms.

  “Hey.” The word was husky and soft, and so damn intimate, her knees went weak.

  He was there, just behind Blue. She didn’t have to turn around to know this. She felt him on a level that was hard to describe or even acknowledge. On cue, her heart began to beat harder and faster, and she struggled to catch her breath.

  When did this happen? When did Cam Booker’s energy create magical fingers that even now she felt against her skin?

  Blue shivered and slowly turned around.

  “Hey,” she replied softly, hoping he couldn’t hear her emotion. Hoping that somehow, the beating heart and shallow breath were hidden. He was dressed simply. Faded blue jeans, big black boots, and a long-sleeve white Henley that did everything to enhance his dark good looks. He hadn’t shaved, and the shadows that covered his strong jawline were enough to make any woman weak in knees.

  God, he was beautiful.

  “You snuck out of the house early this morning.”

  “I didn’t sneak. I…I just, well, there was this bird and…” God, she sounded like an idiot. Mouth dry, she stumbled forward, trying like hell not to sound as if her brain wasn’t scrambled. Which it was, considering all she could think about was how good he smelled and that his hair was damp, like he’d just stepped out of the shower. And that thought had her mind going places that made the whole scrambled thing even worse, because when she thought of shower, she thought of naked. And wet. And…

  “The bird was loud, and it woke me up, and I didn’t…I just thought it would be best if I left before Tawny got up.”

  “Did you now.” A devilish hint of a smile ghosted his mouth and was gone just as fast as it had come.

  She could only nod.

  “Too bad,” he said slowly. “I make a damn fine breakfast.”

  “I’m sure you do.” She found her voice and pushed aside the naked-shower thoughts. Kind of.

  “Next time, you’ll stay, and I promise to make it worth your while.” He took a step closer, and as crazy as it sounded, she felt light-headed and hot and a whole bunch of stuff she wasn’t used to.

  Something sparked inside Blue, and she tossed her hair back. “You sound pretty sure of yourself.”

  “That’s because I am.” The smile left his face, and he made no effort to hide the desire that darkened his eyes to coal.

  “We started something last night, Blue.” He bent toward her, and she held her breath. “And we’re nowhere near finished.” He paused, and she felt the warmth of his breath against her cheek, but she was cold and shivered as his scent surrounded her. “I was going to reply to your text message but thought I’d come by myself.” A pause. “You’re welcome.”

  He stepped back and watched her for a few moments. There were no more words, but then there was no need. She saw what he was thinking, and her body jerked to life. She fought the urge to cross her arms over her chest, but by then, it was too late. His eyes dropped to her nipples, which were saluting him as if he were her commander in chief, and a slow, sexy as hell smile curved his lips.

  “You forgot this.” He handed Blue her sweater and then winked. “I’ll call you in a couple days, and we’ll do something Saturday.” His eyes glittered. “This is me moving slow, and just so you know, it’s going to be one hell of a long week.”

  With a quick nod and hello to Poppy, who’d been a silent observer from her perch near the back, he left the store, the jingling bells echoing long after it closed. Blue turned to Poppy, but the woman held up her hand.

  “Don’t say anything. Not yet, anyway.” She pointed to the front door. She headed for the back room where the office was located, as well as a small kitchenette, her voice muffled now that she was out of sight. “Turn the sign to Closed. This conversation calls for tea.”

  “But we’re still open for thirty minutes.”

  “Closed. Now.” Poppy’s head appeared in the doorway and then vanished again. Blue knew the woman well enough by now to know there was no point arguing. If Poppy wanted to talk to Blue about Cam, it was going to happen. The only thing Blue could control was the information she gave. She would make up something. Some credible story for how her sweater came to be in Cam’s possession. Maybe she dropped it at the festival. Or maybe Tawny borrowed it. Maybe…

  Poppy appeared with two steaming cups of tea. Blue accepted hers. “Chamomile?” she asked, sniffing the warm brew.

  Poppy ignored the question, set her teacup on the counter, and raised an eyebrow. “You and Cam. Spill now.” The lies were there in her head. Waiting to fall out of her mouth. But one look at Poppy and Blue knew she couldn’t. Mostly because she needed to talk to someone about her situation.

  “I spent the night at his place.”

  “I knew it!” Poppy squealed. She took a sip of tea and waited, an expectant look on her face. “What’s he like in bed?”

  “Gosh, you don’t waste any time.” Blue was silent for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts. “I didn’t sleep with him.”

  Poppy’s mouth dropped open. “You spent the night at Cam Booker’s house, and you didn’t sleep with him?”

  Blue nodded.

  “Are you okay? Did you hit your head or something?”

  “What? No.” Blue tried not to laugh.

  “He looked like he wanted to eat you up.” Poppy’s expression was hilarious. “He practically had a snack while he was here.”

  Blue glanced away, aware that her treacherous cheeks were hot and most likely as red as the fake apples in a bowl on the table next to her.

  “We kissed…a little.” It was a lot.“And cuddled for a bit.” More like hours.

  “He was very sweet.” More than sweet. He’d
been amazing.

  “So, let me get this straight.” Poppy finished her tea. “You went over to Cam’s house, and there was no sex. You just made out.”

  Blue nodded.

  “That is so sweet.” She set her teacup back on the counter and grabbed a blanket from the pile she’d been working from. Poppy draped another throw across the On Sale display, her forehead furrowed, her expression intent. “Well,” she said, turning back to Blue. “That’s it, then.”

  At Blue’s confused look, her friend laughed. “Cam’s officially off the market.”

  “Oh, I wouldn’t say—”

  “Oh, I would say.” Poppy stood back and admired her work. “You spent the night there and didn’t sleep with him, and he obviously wants a hell of a lot more. Sorry, but that means he’s off the market. Every single woman in Crystal Lake will be heartbroken when they find out. Hold on while I grab my phone and put this on Twitter.” She laughed at Blue’s wide eyes. “Just kidding.”

  Blue waited a moment and then asked a question. “What about you?”

  “Me?” Poppy looked up and laughed. “And Cam Booker? No. I’m not nearly strong enough to tangle with a man like him. I’ll leave that work for you.”

  “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit.” Poppy Fairbanks was beautiful and interesting and funny and charming. But sometimes she was so quiet and sad, it made Blue wonder about the reason for it. There was a story here. But it was Poppy’s to share.

  “There’s no one you have a thing for?”

  Shadows crept over her friend’s face, and Poppy turned away. She cleared her throat and shook her head. “No. There’s no one. And even if there was, I…” She shrugged, a sad look on her face. “I’m not there yet.”

  Blue knew that Poppy had secrets, but she wasn’t about to pry. She gave her friend a hug and stepped back.

  “Do you think I’m crazy? Starting up something with the sexiest bachelor in Crystal Lake?”

  “Crazy?” Poppy giggled. “Certifiable, more like.” The smile faded, but the warmth was still there. “I’m kidding. Really. He’s changed, Blue. He’s got that little girl now, and from what I can see, he’s grown up. A lot.” She smiled wryly. “He used to function at about eighty percent, ya know? He’s got the looks, charisma, and more charm in his pinky than most men have in their entire bodies. But Cam always held something back. He never committed. From what I saw just now? He’s way past eighty percent and approaching one hundred. I don’t think he just has a thing for you. I think he’s fallen over the edge, and maybe you should let yourself fall over with him.”