“No,” she said and crouched just long enough to grab her purse.“Can you take me to Cam’s?”
The slow smile that formed on Roxie’s lips couldn’t have been more proud.“Oh, yes, honey, that’s definitely something we can do.”
FOURTEEN
“YOU’RE AUTHORIZED ON the security system, right?”Roxie asked as the car came to a stop outside Cam’s.She nudged her husband.“Check Ariella’s on the system so she can get in.”
“I’m on the system.”She slid forward in her seat.“Thank you for the ride.”
“There’s no chance of pictures, Ballard’s already secured the block.No paps here.We’re coming in, we’ll be right behind you.”
The married couple needed a minute and so did she.Though her seclusion only lasted from the car to the house, it gave her a window to just be for a second.
Opening the front door to such a raft of people wasn’t typical.The place was tidy, thank God, and the three guys dotted in amongst others were an appreciated sight.
She got a salute, a smile, a nod, no doubt they weren’t sure what to say.Had the Colliers filled in Cam’s trio of guys?That would be a discussion for later.
The one person she needed wasn’t there.Not up there anyway.No cause for concern, that wasn’t unusual for the time of day.
Without asking, she went downstairs.And why shouldn’t she?She may have only been a part of Cam’s life for a few weeks, but he’d eradicated restrictions and barriers.That home was safe.Welcoming.And she’d taken it for granted.
No sign of him working out on the gym equipment back in its places as though the party never happened.Not a glimmer of the night’s festivities remained.Everyone else had done their jobs, the cleaners, the movers, the “revert everything back to normal” fairies.Not her.She’d neglected her responsibilities all day.
At this time, Cam would be up to his eyeballs with his latest project.On a normal day at least.Today?Maybe not so much.He didn’t deserve to have this landed on him.Was her choice to go to him selfish?The last thing she wanted to do was distract him from the work he loved.At the very least, this was as good a time as any to give her notice.
As quiet as possible, she crept into his office and closed the door behind her without making a sound.Cam didn’t like his concentration interrupted; it could be absolute.Most days.
Seated on a stool at his drafting table, he had a pencil in hand, but it wasn’t in contact with the paper.She knew the feeling.Staring into nothing, Cam’s focus was somewhere else.She’d done that to him, poured her BS into his head and shaken it up until it fizzed over.
A couple of feet away, he must’ve sensed her because he turned just as she peeked into his periphery.He didn’t say anything; neither did she.With him being seated, his height was just low enough for her to slide her palms onto his cheeks.For a few seconds, they gazed into each other.Words weren’t needed to reconnect their bond.Her hands went through his hair before grasping her elbows.
His embrace closing around her was such a relief.She hadn’t thought much about what she’d face with him.Cam was Cam.That was what she needed.Could he feel the same way about her?
She could have stayed there for an hour, maybe a whole day, just holding him, but she owed him more than silence.
“Roxie came to my apartment,” she murmured, arms still around him.
“I told her to leave you alone.”
To protect her or himself?Best to get their position clarified.
“Is that what you want?Me across town, out of your life?”Easing back, she met his eye.Their arms were sure of their hold and didn’t release the tension.“I can go.”
“If whatever Roxie said got you over here, I’ll build her a damn palace for free.You talked it out?Told her about you and Spencer?Do you have a plan of action?”
One of those would be a good idea.She hadn’t thought much past this.
Her neck relaxed.“No.Roxie seems like a good person.A really good person.She cares about you and your family.”
“Because she is family.You can trust her.”
“I trust you.I didn’t talk it out with her.If I’m going to talk it out with anyone, shouldn’t it be the guy I spent the night with?”
“You can tell me anything but owe me nothing.I’ll support whatever you want to do and if that means we forget any of this ever happened, we’ll forget it.”
“Did you send Roxie to me?”
“No one sends Roxie anywhere.She’s a law unto herself.”
