“That too.”
When that smile of his twisted his lips, hers was never far behind.What an idiot.Exactly the kind of idiot she shouldn’t be working for.Hell, wasn’t like she picked him.Allan would have no one but himself to blame if it became a shitshow.How was that for swearing?
THREE
SHE STAYED LATE.She shouldn’t have, but she did.It was Cam’s fault.Him and the guys were consummate hosts, even to the point of offering her one of the three guest bedrooms upstairs if she wanted to spend the night.They were sweet and didn’t seem to understand she was an employee, not a friend.
After her refusal, Cam called a cab and put her in it, going so far as to walk her out and open the car door.Any other guy she might suspect of acting for lustful reasons.Not Cam.Socializing with a celibate man was odd.With him, usually suspicious behavior was completely benign.Sometimes it took a second to remember his life choice.She’d get used to it.Would she get used to it?
Of course, there was always a chance he was full of shit.Maybe the celibacy thing was a line.He hadn’t made a move on her the night they met.They hadn’t even exchanged numbers, so he wasn’t playing the long game.
His buddies had backed him up too.They’d spoken about his dry spell before knowing she and Cam met already.
Anyway, it was nothing to stress about.She got off the bus, smiled at the sunlight brightening her day, and started the walk toward Cam’s.Buses didn’t go deep into his neighborhood.She crossed the street, passed a grassy area with a tree in the middle and kept on going.Once upon a time, pre-gentrification, the area would’ve been all industry.Now it was sleek apartment complexes and converted factories.Prime real estate.
Cam’s warehouse faced the water.She went down the narrow street that brought her to the long black strip of tarmac serving as a private road for the revamped buildings along the makeshift promenade.
At least she didn’t have to worry about picking the wrong house this time.She ran up the stairs and rang the bell.
She waited.And waited.
Maybe she should’ve got his number in case—
The door opened.“You are so lucky, Candy,” Cam said, slurping his coffee.
“That I’m young, free, and single all at the same time?”she asked, gliding past him.
“That I haven’t gone downstairs yet.We’ll put you in the system so you can let yourself in and out.Otherwise you’ll stand out there all day.”
“I think we should talk first,” she said, taking off her jacket and scarf to put them on the couch with her purse.
“Talk about what?”
She angled her chin.“Do you want kids?”
Surprise flashed on his face.“Not before I finish my coffee,” he said, smirking as he raised the cup to his mouth again.
“I meant in general because you’re celibate, how does that—”
“It’s not a vow of lifelong chastity,” he said and laughed.“I’ll have sex again.I look forward to it.And if me and the woman I marry choose to have children—”
“Is that what you’re waiting for?”Shock widened her eyes.“Marriage?”
She’d been there and done that.Waiting until the wedding night was no guarantee the marriage would have a happy ending.That she knew for a fact.
“Why the interest?”he asked, brow furrowing.“Do you want kids?”
“Kids?I don’t know,” she said, eye drawn to the glorious view out the long, tall front windows.“I do know I never want to get married again.”
“Again?You were married?”
The shock of his tone stole her back to the moment.Shit.Stupid mouth.
“Nice.Why is that a surprise?”she said, strolling to the kitchen, choosing to dodge the subject.“I’m impulsive and lead with my heart, not my head.Did you make enough coffee for two?”
“Just put a cup under and press the—yeah.”She figured it out.“Tell me about him.”
“Know who I’ll tell you about?”She paused for the grinding of the beans, then carried on.“Brad… he’s my next date.We met at a coffee shop.He’s taking me out for drinks tonight.”
