Still flying high from his weekend, Adam walked into work on Monday morning with a spring in his step. He was determined to have a productive week. He had learned the week before that if he simply kept busy, he could pass the time away from Cammie almost painlessly. The problem, as far as he could imagine, was that he would now be working at a desk that when seated, gave him the perfect view of the couch they had sex on. That could pose a serious distraction.
Yet Adam powered through. The workweek passed with only one moment of note. It was the call from Jake. As focused as he was in other areas, he hadn’t even considered that he hadn’t heard back from Jake. So when he saw Jake’s number appear on his screen, he racked his brain for a moment trying to understand why he would be calling. Then it came to him. He still needed to know Cammie’s sister. Things were good, but this was hanging over their heads, potentially preventing their future. He grabbed at the phone and answered it. “Jake! Jake what’s going on?”
“Well, for starters, I have the answer to that question…the one you wanted me to answer for you…” He said, trying to be as vague as possible. Obviously he was trying to be discreet.
“Thank you. Want me to come down to talk to you?” Adam asked, suddenly feeling very nervous. He was, after all, about to discover whether or not he was the worst kind of man whore who couldn’t even remember the names of all the girls he slept with.
“Yeah, why don’t you do that. We can even grab lunch after if you have time,” Jake said.
“That sounds great. I’ve been eating alone all week.” Adam hung up the phone and all but raced to Jake’s office.
When he arrived, he knocked and leaned in, as he was accustomed to doing. This time, since Jake was expecting him, he smiled and chuckled. “Well, you made it here in record time. Hungry?” He joked.
“Yeah. That’s it. So, enough pleasantries. Who is Cammie’s sister?” He leaned forward in interest.
“I would have been able to give you an answer much faster, but since you gave me so much to go on…it took a while.” He raised an eyebrow and gave Adam an annoyed look. “This is New York City. It was a needle in a haystack, trying to find a family owned party company. Then…did you know that Cammie’s real name is Chamomile?”
Adam tilted his head. “I think she may have mentioned it. I like that. It’s different, unusual in a good way.”
“Well, then you should love that her sister’s name…is Cinnamon. And apparently the family calls her Cin.” Jake smirked. “Since you slept with her, the nickname seems even more fitting.”
Adam leaned back in the chair. He reached into his inside jacket pocket and pulled out the dreaded list. He stared at it for a moment. There was no way that he had left anyone out. That name still meant nothing to him. Frowning, he finally looked at Jake. “I don’t suppose you have a picture?” He asked weakly.
Shaking his head, Jake said, “As a matter of fact, I do.” He pulled a paper from the folder in front of him and pushed it across the desk towards Adam.
Picking it up, Adam studied it for a moment. “She looks familiar.” He looked at her picture again with his one eye closed. Then he tilted his head and squeezed his eyes until everything looked blurry. Still nothing. Of course, he hadn’t even remembered Cammie. They had undoubtedly worked all the same parties. It would only make sense.
He studied his list again. Had he ever left a party without a girl? Maybe that was the direction to go. He thought and thought. There was only one that came to mind. It was his buddy, Devon’s 21 birthday party. The guys had all vowed it would be a guy’s night, since every one of them was now over 21. They had planned to leave the party and hit a few strip clubs. It was a strictly male after party.
It was all coming back to him. They had just walked over to the limo and were starting to get in when she came over. She brought them some cupcakes or cake or something. All he remembered for certain was that they were in a hurry. Suddenly, she started to cry. They paused and asked what troubled her. She had missed her ride. Would they bring her home? The guys took pity on her. She was younger, just barely 18 and they could tell she was feeling pretty grown up. As they started driving away, she started cozying up to him. He had been nice about it, pushed her away, again and again until it was obvious to her that she wasn’t coming home with him. She refused to give him an address, so when they arrived at the strip club, he gave her money for a cab.
That was when she made her last ditch effort. The rest of the guys had already left him to deal with her. They were alone, but for the driver, when she lifted her shirt to expose her breasts. She had said something about…not having to pay for hers and he could touch them, too. Adam pulled her shirt down, covered her, and told her to go home and stay out of trouble. He had the driver see her into a cab. That was it. Only now it turns out that she had been wrong in one respect. He was paying for it. Obviously he had hurt her pride and she was hurting his chances at something real with Cammie.
“Cin,” he said. Then he looked up at Jake. “I didn’t forget her. I didn’t sleep with her.” Then he smiled and repeated what he said, happily this time. “I didn’t forget her. And I didn’t sleep with her!”
He stood up and reached out to shake Jake’s hand. “Give me a minute and then, we’ll grab lunch…wherever you want…my treat!”
Adam yanked out his phone. This could very well be the most important text of his life. He hoped that he could convince Cammie to spend the night. They really had to talk.
Call me! I have great news. I’d love to talk over dinner.
That seemed perfect. His world seemed brighter and full of hope. They could fix this. They could be together.
Cammie was just about to give her final presentation of the semester when the text came in. Adam wanted to talk over dinner. She smiled. She did have to eat. She’d call him after.
Feeling happy and relieved, she walked to the podium in the auditorium. This was her business plan. This was her future. And maybe, just maybe, Adam could be a part of it.
When Cammie made it to her cupboard, Cin was waiting in the hall, sitting on the floor outside her door. “What brings you here?” Cammie asked.
“I need to talk to you about tomorrow. I think it will be really uncomfortable. I think I shouldn’t be there. I don’t want to do anything to ruin your future opportunities.” Cin stood and was pacing around outside the door.
Cammie studied her for a moment. “Okay,” she began slowly, “let’s go inside to talk.” She opened the door wide and let her sister walk in first. She knew Cin. This could take a while. She sighed. So much for dinner. Maybe she could surprise him later. Well, she at least owed him a text.
Can’t do dinner. Talking my sister off the ledge. I’ll call later.
She smiled at that last part. Secretly, she hoped to surprise him at the loft later. She would be at the loft all day the next day working on preparations for the big party anyway. This was going to be the event of the holiday season. This one event could make her entire career. After all those discussions with Sam and Haley, even with Adam, she knew what she was doing. She just needed to do it.
He’d be lying if he didn’t admit to being disappointed when her text arrived. He wanted to see her. He had been eager to give her the good news for hours. More than that, he had been desperate to see her all week. He needed to see her, to hold her, to feel the warmth he only felt in her presence. In such a short period of time, she had become such an integral part of his life. With a frown, he called Neville. “So, old man, what are you doing for dinner? I thought I’d bring takeout.”
With that settled he left the loft, locked the door, and headed for the nearest Italian restaurant. That would make for some good leftovers. Neville had taken care of them for years. He would use this as an opportunity to reciprocate. Maybe Sam and Haley would be around for dinner, too.
Adam and Neville were still eating at the island when Sam and Haley finally arrived. “What are you doing here?” Sam questioned suspiciously.
“What? I can’t come and eat with my favorite butler/chauffer/father figure without raising suspicion?” He laughed.
“Is that all?” Sam narrowed his eyes. “Is there a problem with tomorrow? I noticed that Cammie isn’t here. Have you dumped her and ruined our engagement party?” He crossed his arms over his chest.
“Sam!” Haley admonished. “If anything, she dumped him. Look at those eyes.” She leaned against Sam’s shoulder. “See how sad he looks.” Haley walked over to him. “So what happened?”
“Her sister had some issue, so she couldn’t meet me for dinner.” He shrugged.
Haley laughed. “You have got it bad.” She shook her head. “I almost never would have seen this coming, only…having met Cammie, I completely get it.” She gave him a quick hug.
“Oh, is that all?” Sam softened. “Let’s all go relax in the study. Neville?” He invited the butler to join them.
“No thank you, sir,” Neville said as he backed out of the room.
The three went to the study to talk. As soon as they were seated and drinks were poured, Adam asked about the trial. “Think that it will be done soon?”
“Yes, actually. It looks like it will be over before the holidays. The prosecution rested the other day. Now we’re listening to the defense. And let’s face it, there isn’t much of one.” Sam frowned. “Oh, but you should see Haley. She has held up beautifully. I am so proud of her.” He hugged her close. Adam watched as Haley closed her eyes and clearly savored the closeness. All he could think was that one day…one day this could be Cammie and him.
“So, how have things been going around the office?” Sam asked.
“Great. I had lunch with Jake today.” He said with a smile.
Sam looked at him a moment. “So, you had Jake check out Cammie’s sister. Will you never learn?”
Haley laughed. “Oh, like he’s the first brother in this house to misappropriate company resources. He learned it from watching you,” she joked.
“Yeah, Sam.” Adam scowled at him. “It’s a good thing I did, too. I told you I didn’t sleep with her.”
He spent the next few minutes relaying the story of his only interaction with Cin. While he had technically seen her boobs, he hadn’t touched and he definitely hadn’t initiated any of that. “So, really. I don’t see how I can be held responsible at all. What I don’t understand is why Cin is lying to begin with.” He frowned.
“Well, I get it,” Haley said. “I think you embarrassed her.” Adam started to protest, but she stopped him. “I know you didn’t mean to. I know you thought you were being a gentleman, doing the right thing and all, but I bet you bruised her ego. Now it has gone on so long that she is too ashamed to take it back. I’d bet anything on it.”
Once again, Adam felt better. “I’m so glad to have you in this family,” he said sincerely. “We need you.”
When he walked into his loft an hour later, he found Cammie asleep on his couch. Happily, he walked to her side, knelt next to her, and kissed her forehead. He wanted to talk to her. He just knew that would make everything right. Of course he knew that she needed sleep more. Carefully, he picked her up and carried her to his room. Slowly, lovingly, he undressed her. When she was down to nothing but her panties, he pulled the blankets up around her, walked to the other side of the bed, undressed, and joined her.
Wrapping himself around her, he murmured in her ear, “I didn’t sleep with your sister. We’re going to make this right. We can be together.” Then he joined her in her slumber. The last thought that crossed his mind as he drifted to sleep was that he certainly did sleep better with her around.
When Cammie woke, she was surprised to discover she was undressed in Adam’s bed. She was pleasantly surprised to see that he was awake and staring at her.
“Morning, doll,” he said sweetly. “Let’s get this day started right. It was wonderful coming home to you last night. Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived.” Just from the look on her face, he knew that she was curious as to when he returned home and where he had been. Hell, if the shoe had been on the other foot, this morning would have started something like the Spanish Inquisition. “I went over to Sam’s and had dinner with them. They asked about you.”
He started kissing down her neck. While he kissed, he could feel her body respond. She moved her head to give him more access. Her cheeks rose in a smile. As he closed in on her breasts, she moved her hands and he began to kiss her around her nipples until she groaned in agony.
“Adam,” she moaned.
“Yes, Cammie,” he murmured with a smile.
Her eyes flew open. “Say it again. Say my name.”
“Cammie,” he said then he slowly and deliberately licked her nipple, playing with the hard peak until he captured it between his teeth and applied pressure. Her head flew back. Her back arched. Adam continued to murmur her name while he explored her body, slowly working his way down her torso until he reached her pelvis and her panties. He yanked them down with both hands before he returned to kissing and nipping his way down her body.
Soon he had her legs spread; her beautiful folds were open and inviting. He could never turn down such an opportunity. As excited as she was, her hips were writhing in anticipation. Never would he disappoint her. He kissed his way down her thigh to her parted lips. There he devoted the most attention, licking, kissing, sucking, and gently tugging with his teeth until she was whimpering.
“Cammie, shall I finish?” He whispered.
Shaking her head, her eyes flew open. “In,” she moaned. “All in, please.” Then she reached down grabbed him under his arms and yanked him up her body with his help until his erection was pressed against her. She wouldn’t even let him take his boxers off. She reached and fumbled until she had pulled his cock out of the opening, then she raised her hips to guide him in.
It was heaven. This was the first time in his life Adam had cause to believe in an after life, in a higher power, in heaven and hell. He experienced it daily now…the hell of separation, the heaven of moments like this, time spent together. The only explanation could be a higher power smiling down on him. Cammie was his angel.
They came together passionately, again and again. The excitement built until she wrapped her legs around his waist and held on as though her life depended upon it. Seconds later, he joined her, murmuring her name again and again. It was all he could do not to declare his feelings, but he knew she would never believe him if they came pouring out at a moment like this. The first time he said those words, they wouldn’t be in bed.
After, they held each other for a few minutes in silence, neither one wanting to break the mood of the moment. Then the phone rang, Sam’s ring tone. The moment he never wanted to end was lost. The time to prepare for the engagement party had arrived.
Quietly, he spoke to her, “I know we don’t have time to talk right now, but could you please make time soon. There’s something that I need to tell you.” He tried to be patient and understanding while ensuring she understood the urgency of the matter.
“Sure,” she said. She sounded relaxed, maybe too relaxed. Then with her cat-like stretch, she leapt from the bed and went to start the shower.
Adam knew that if they could just have that talk, there was a really great chance he could start every day like that. That would be some kind of perfect life. He bent his arm behind his head while he waited for his turn, then he smiled.
Finally Found
Nicole Andrews Moore's books
- Collide
- Blue Dahlia
- A Man for Amanda
- All the Possibilities
- Bed of Roses
- Best Laid Plans
- Black Rose
- Blood Brothers
- Carnal Innocence
- Dance Upon the Air
- Face the Fire
- High Noon
- Holding the Dream
- Lawless
- Sacred Sins
- The Hollow
- The Pagan Stone
- Tribute
- Vampire Games(Vampire Destiny Book 6)
- Moon Island(Vampire Destiny Book 7)
- Illusion(The Vampire Destiny Book 2)
- Fated(The Vampire Destiny Book 1)
- Upon A Midnight Clear
- Burn
- The way Home
- Son Of The Morning
- Sarah's child(Spencer-Nyle Co. series #1)
- Overload
- White lies(Rescues (Kell Sabin) series #4)
- Heartbreaker(Rescues (Kell Sabin) series #3)
- Diamond Bay(Rescues (Kell Sabin) series #2)
- Midnight rainbow(Rescues (Kell Sabin) series #1)
- A game of chance(MacKenzie Family Saga series #5)
- MacKenzie's magic(MacKenzie Family Saga series #4)
- MacKenzie's mission(MacKenzie Family Saga #2)
- Cover Of Night
- Death Angel
- Loving Evangeline(Patterson-Cannon Family series #1)
- A Billionaire's Redemption
- A Beautiful Forever
- A Bad Boy is Good to Find
- A Calculated Seduction
- A Changing Land
- A Christmas Night to Remember
- A Clandestine Corporate Affair
- A Convenient Proposal
- A Cowboy in Manhattan
- A Cowgirl's Secret
- A Daddy for Jacoby
- A Daring Liaison
- A Dark Sicilian Secret
- A Dash of Scandal
- A Different Kind of Forever
- A Facade to Shatter
- A Family of Their Own
- A Father's Name
- A Forever Christmas
- A Dishonorable Knight
- A Gentleman Never Tells
- A Greek Escape
- A Headstrong Woman
- A Hunger for the Forbidden
- A Knight in Central Park
- A Knight of Passion
- A Lady Under Siege
- A Legacy of Secrets
- A Life More Complete
- A Lily Among Thorns
- A Masquerade in the Moonlight
- At Last (The Idle Point, Maine Stories)
- A Little Bit Sinful
- A Rich Man's Whim
- A Price Worth Paying
- An Inheritance of Shame
- A Shadow of Guilt
- After Hours (InterMix)
- A Whisper of Disgrace
- A Scandal in the Headlines
- All the Right Moves
- A Summer to Remember
- A Wedding In Springtime
- Affairs of State
- A Midsummer Night's Demon
- A Passion for Pleasure
- A Touch of Notoriety
- A Profiler's Case for Seduction
- A Very Exclusive Engagement
- After the Fall
- Along Came Trouble
- And the Miss Ran Away With the Rake
- And Then She Fell
- Anything but Vanilla
- Anything for Her
- Anything You Can Do
- Assumed Identity
- Atonement
- Awakening Book One of the Trust Series
- A Moment on the Lips
- A Most Dangerous Profession
- A Mother's Homecoming