Stefanie smiled. “Good. Maybe later, we can get in another dance or whatever you’d like to do.”
“Sounds good,” he said wistfully, taking her hand as they headed out of the ballroom.
* * *
THAT NIGHT, THEYwent back to Stefanie’s house and wasted little time before ending up in her bedroom. Campbell took one look around at the attractive MCM furniture, then zeroed in on the bamboo-platform queen-size bed with an aquamarine comforter. Picturing Stefanie beneath it, naked and ready, got him aroused.
“So, what’s next?” he teased her after pulling her close to him.
“Um…” Her lashes batted flirtatiously. “Any suggestions…?”
“Yeah, I have one.” Campbell cupped her cheeks and kissed her lips. He loved the softness of them.
“Just one?” she uttered into his mouth.
He grinned desirously. “For starters.”
They kissed again. Minutes later, hot and bothered, they were in bed and deep into foreplay. After Campbell slipped on protection, mutual stimulation slowlybut surely turned into lovemaking, where each gave as much—if not more—than they received, stretching well into the night.
Running his hands through Stefanie’s long hair while they made love was a turn-on for Campbell all on its own. As well as hearing her cry out when an orgasm caused her body to respond spasmodically. His climax came shortly after and was equally intense, his breathing heightened during the peak moment of satisfaction.
Stefanie giggled from atop him. “You’re insatiable. Or maybe I’m the guilty party here.”
Campbell laughed, enjoying the weight of her against his body. “I think we’re both into each other enough to make a full confession,” he said jokingly.
“I agree.” She leaned over and gave him a long kiss, before rolling off him.
While they lay there catching their breath and allowing their heart rates to get back to normal, all Campbell could think of was that this was something he never wanted to see end. But it went beyond that. He was starting to feel something akin to love, even if it still needed a bit more time being spent together. But his gut instinct told him that Stefanie was a special woman who was roping him in like one of his dad’s quarter horses. And he didn’t mind her being at the reins one bit.
* * *
ONSUNDAY MORNING, Stefanie sat with Campbell at the Notton Street Café. They were waiting for Jasmine, who Stefanie had managed to talk into slipping away from the Braison Family ranch and speaking with Campbell about her suspicions surrounding Mia’s death.
Maybe nothing will come out of it, Stefanie told herselfas she drank her coffee. But at least Campbell was open to an informal chat with Jasmine—the one person from the cult who seemed willing to speak her mind about its inner workings and how this may have played a pivotal role in Mia’s lethal overdose—considering that Jasmine was panicked at the thought of meeting with Campbell for an official interview.
Stefanie thought,Can I really blame her?After Mia’s death and the hold Kenneth Braison seemed to have over his followers, challenging his authority was a risky venture at best. And could prove to be a fatal move at worst.
Fortunately, Campbell took this into consideration as he welcomed an insider’s perspective on what she knew and didn’t know about the Braison Family. And Kenneth, in particular.
For her part, Stefanie felt an obligation to bring the two together, since Jasmine had reached out to her for help. At least it felt that way when reading between the lines, irregular as they may have been.
Stefanie sipped more coffee as she gazed at Campbell and thought about their latest night of passion and what it meant in moving ahead in their relationship. She was all in with him in seeing where this went. He had made her believe that he felt the same way and wanted this to work out, well beyond the red-hot sex between them. This gave her confidence that their journey had only just begun, with lots of blue skies and symmetry ahead for them.
Campbell met her eyes and grinned. “You’re gorgeous,” he stated once again, as though he couldn’t help himself.
Stefanie blushed. “I never tire of hearing that,” she had to admit.
“Good, because I intend to keep reminding you of one of the many great elements that has me hooked.”
“Umm…” She gave a soft smile, allowing that to sink in graciously.
Clutching his coffee mug, Campbell said, thoughtful, “So, do you think Jasmine is coming? Or was she prevented from doing so by the Braison Family?”
Stefanie suspected that the second question was more rhetorical in nature, even if a legitimate concern. “I know she wants to talk to you, even if she’s afraid to do so. I can call her, if you want…”
Before he could respond, Campbell’s own cell phone rang. He removed it from the side pocket of his blazer, glanced at it and said, “I better get this—”
Stefanie nodded and looked on as he listened to and spoke with someone from the police department. He exchanged a few more words as a distressed expression spread across this face, then told the person he was on his way and disconnected.
