Cameron
I’m in a hurry to get back to my room. After signing invoices and explaining where the recycle can is on the side of the garage, I move through the house to relieve Eve of her babysitting duties. The fireworks ended and people are headed home, stopping me to say goodbye. I rush through goodbyes, worried about leaving the girls alone in my room for too long.
D’lilah showed up drunk and in tears. Knowing Eve and all her sass, who knows what kind of trouble she could be getting in with my ex-wife? I should’ve had Ryder sit back there and play ref.
I finally get halfway down the hall, preparing myself for the worst, when a sound I haven’t heard in years filters out from behind the bedroom door.
D’lilah’s laughter. And not the girlie kind of laughter, but the deep booming guttural laughter of the uncontrolled kind. My breath catches in my chest, and I freeze, taking a moment to enjoy the sound of it. Only a woman like Eve could bring out that kind of response in a woman who hasn’t smiled in over ten years. The light hum of Eve’s giggle goes straight to my chest. A warm pressure forms behind my ribs. What the fuck?
If I could, I’d toss D’lilah’s ass in a cab and pin Eve to my bed or bend her over my couch until her legs give out. I scrub my face. What the hell is this girl doing to me?
I put my hand on the doorknob when I hear Eve’s voice.
“I can’t believe you lived with Telle Sailor.”
“She swore peeing in the shower fought athlete’s foot.” D’lilah’s voice is light, lighter than I’ve heard it in years.
“Eww, really?” Eve goes silent. “Wait, does it work?”
“Totally.”
They both burst into another round of hysterical laughter. As much as I’d love to let this continue, if I don’t get my mouth on Eve, I might explode.
I push open the door, and both their smiling faces turn to me. D’lilah’s eyes brighten; Eve’s smile falls. “Ladies, seems like you two are hitting it off well.”
“You’ll never believe it, Cam. She still has my first Seventeen Magazine cover. I told her if she brings it by I’d sign it for her.”
My gaze swings to Eve, who’s trying hard not to look at me. “That’s great, ’Li.”
D’lilah takes a deep breath. “Well, I better go.”
“Ryder can give you a lift. He’s on his way out to meet some friends.”
“Eve, you’re not coming with us?” she says.
Go with her and Ryder? They really did hit it off.
Eve swings her gaze to me. “Oh, ah . . .” She shifts uncomfortably. “I’m gonna hang out here. I have friends out there waiting for me.”
She means Mason, but last I saw he was in the middle of a competitive game of pool where big money was at stake. He won’t be looking for her for a little while, just enough time for her and me to have a little talk.
“Oh, okay.” D’lilah’s eyebrows drop low, and her smile droops like the weight of reality just showed up and sat right on her good time. She stands and turns to Eve. “Thank you. I haven’t talked about the past in so long.”
Eve shrugs. “Sure thing. Anytime you want to pass on anymore supermodel secrets, I’m game.”
“Ryder’s out front. Car’s running.”
D’lilah nods and with a sad smile trudges out of the room, closing the door behind her.
I run my hand through my hair. “Sorry about—”
“I can’t believe you were married to D’lilah Monroe.” She blinks at nothing and shakes her head.
“It was a long time ago.”
Her eyes find mine. “You care about her.” She sounds disappointed.
“I owe her.”
She sighs and drops her gaze to the floor. “You owe her and you care about her.”
“I guess.”
She cringes, but nods. “She looked . . . sad.”
“She is, and she upsets easily, which upsets me.”
“Because you care about her,” she says under her breath.
“I care about you.” Shit. Why the hell did I say that?
Her eyes dart to mine, jaw slack.
“I don’t want to care about you.” Dammit, slow down and think. I could say all this better if I knew how the hell I felt. “But the thing is you keep poppin’ in my head and starring in my dirtiest dreams. What you did tonight with ’Li . . .” I shake my head. “I don’t want to stay away from you anymore.” Even as the words come out of my mouth, I feel the truth behind them.
Her hand flies to her throat, and her chest rises and falls faster.
I tilt my head and study the strong woman who I’d swear could never get brought to her knees, and now she’s on the verge of crying. “That doesn’t sit right with you, does it, Eve?”
Her head moves slowly from side to side.