I stareat the scene in front of me, my jaw clenched as I take in how disheveled they both look. She’s just put her shoes back on, so why were they off? Christ, Ace even has straw in his hair. What the hell have they been doing up there together?
A sudden surge of possessiveness and jealousy washes over me, almost pulling me under with its ferocity.
I was going to give Camile the bag I have in my hand and tell her to take a shower in her room in the dorm building where she stayed last night, but when I open my mouth to speak, I find myself telling her to follow me.
“I've got you some things,” I say tersely. “Come with me and I'll show you where you can take a shower.”
I turn on my heel and smile with grim satisfaction as I hear her trotting to keep up with me. The smile dies on my face when I realize Ace is also jogging alongside me.
“Where are we going, Prez?” he asks, his face puzzled. “There’s a shower in her room.”
Christ, he really is like an overgrown puppy. I turn tohim and give a look I hope will kill. I'm judging from the way his eyes widen instantly that it's hit the mark.
“Don't you have plenty to be getting on with this morning?” I say from between gritted teeth.
“I suppose so, yeah, sure.” Ace falters. “I mean, yes, of course, Prez. I'll get right to it.”
The cheeky bastard dares to throw Camile a wink before he turns and casually saunters away, back toward the barn. He's meant to be fixing up one of the bikes in there for a new member, and so far, he's been pretty damn slow about it. Something has clearly been distracting him, and I glance back down at the young woman beside me. Her dark hair is so shiny, it catches the sunlight, and I have to physically hold myself back from lowering my face to her crown and inhaling the scent of her.
I reach the small house I've commandeered as mine and open the front door. I gesture for Camile to walk inside. She tosses me a quick side glance but does so without any argument.
The place is sparse, but it's clean. And that's all that really matters. There's a decent-sized kitchen, a big den of a living space where I can kick back and watch some football and get a break from the stress of running the club, plus two bedrooms upstairs and a decent sized bathroom.
I herd her into the hallway and up the stairs, then turn to the right, opening the bathroom door for her.
“This is nice,” she says with a cautious smile.
I'm not sure how much she means that. I imagine her parents’ home is very opulent. We don't tend to do things that way in the club, though. We have plenty of money,but none of us are into flashy houses. We spend our cash on bikes, cars, traveling, and good times.
“You can take a shower in here.” I thrust the bag at her, and she takes it with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Did I do something wrong?”
“Be careful of Ace. He's a real charmer, and he'll be in your panties before you know it.”
Her mouth presses into a tight line and she regards me with cool brown eyes. “I can assure you that he was nowhere near my panties.”
With an almost haughty flick of her hair, she turns around and starts to rummage around inside the bag. I can't help the smile that spreads across my face. I shouldn't be as relieved as I am about the fact that nothing happened between them, but it’s like someone released the clamp from around my heart. It can finally beat again.
I know she can't ever be mine; I'm her best friend's father. And I'm not a good bet foranykind of relationship. It doesn’t even feel like it’s been that long since I lost Vani’s mother, and I was all kinds of fucked up from the way she died and the revelations that came afterward. Yet I still can't seem to stop myself being jealous of any other man who looks Camile’s way or touches her.
She takes out the shampoo and conditioner I managed to scrounge from one of the ol’ ladies, plus the shower gel, toothbrush and paste, and moisturizer, alongside some items of clothing. She sets them all down.
“Thanks, this is all great,” she says. Then she frowns down at the bandages still around her arms. “Could you help me with these? They can probably come off now, and I don’t want to get them wet.”
I draw in a breath through my nose at the thought of being so close to her in such a confined space but move in closer. She holds out both arms, and I take the right one in my hands. Gently, I pick at the white tape holding the bandage in place, and then slowly unwind it from her skin. She winces a little, her cute nose wrinkling.
“You okay? I can stop.”
“No, it’s fine.”
I do the same with the other arm until her skin is free from the material. There are a few dark blood spots on the gauze underneath, but the wounds look clean and they’re not bleeding.
She gives a brave smile. “See, they looked worse than they were. Just some grazes, really.”
I stand there, holding her arms in my big hands, her skin warming my palms, and it takes every ounce of strength not to pull her closer and wrap myself around her body. Instead, I drop my hold and step back, clearing my throat.
“Thanks,” she says. “I’ll feel a lot better after a bath.”
