“Without blinking,” Zairn said.“She loves you too.”
“Yeah, yeah,” Knox said.“How many are going to Brooker?”
“Just me,” Ariella was quick to answer.“I have to talk to my boss.”
Cam’s hand slid around her waist.“I’m your boss.”
“And I talk to you plenty.This is the big boss.The scary boss.The boss who can fire me.The boss who decides if I make rent next month.”
And she wouldn’t be looking at Cam any time soon, in case he reiterated last night’s crazy request.It was made in the heat of the moment.Intimacy.The bond between them that pulsed so hard when they lay together.He hadn’t meant it.
Or he had.
She was too scared to ask.
That was a conversation she wasn’t ready for, agreed, but it wasn’t one she wanted to shut down for good.How was Cam supposed to support her when she had no idea what she wanted?
“I can come with you,” Cam said.
“Any of the rest of us can come with you, Ariella,” Knox said, glaring at his brother.“You want to be keeping your distance.”
“Why?Why should I keep my distance?”
“The point is not to invite headlines,” Honey explained.“People are whispering about Ariella, let her be a passing story.Don’t pour gasoline around her then feign surprise when she goes up in flames.”
Okay that was somewhat defensive and a little more vivid than she might have expected from the supposedly impartial writer.
“Thank you.”Knox appreciated the support.“You can’t go, Cam.”
“But you can?”Cam asked.“How are you different?You’re a Collier too.A better-known one with a hot wife and your A-List-saturated wedding.”
“Exactly.I’m married.”
“And married men never shtup women who aren’t their wife?”
“This one doesn’t,” Knox said.“And you’re not having sex with her either.I’m not telling you to stay away because of sex, you’re her boss, in a position of authority.This is about optics.”
Cam’s teeth clamped together as an ironic half laugh, half growl rumbled from his throat.“Never takes long to get there, does it?”
“Take your pick,” Knox said, unperturbed.“Dig your heels in about the job and walk away, like you always do, or stick around to help Ariella.”
“I can help her just fine.”
“If playing this right is going to dredge up the same old fights, I’ll take her to LA or New York.”
“Which will be a thousand times worse.”
“Where she’ll be a thousand times safer.”Knox looked around, maybe for Rox because his gaze lingered on the patio.He shrugged that off and chose Tripp for his focus.“Call Mieux.”
“Don’t call Mieux,” Cam said.“No one needs to call Mieux.This wonderous creature you all worship but I’m not allowed to meet.”
“You can probably meet her now,” Tripp said.“Ariella’s your pick, right?No more assistant hopping?Though if there’s anyone out there who can beat her…”
Okay, another thing she didn’t want to think about.Best to get out of there while she still had some sanity.
She peeked over her shoulder at Cam.“There’s a car outside.”
He nodded once.“Yep.”
