by Aurora Rey
“I mean, I need to prove I’m not some upper crust poser.”
“Yes, I need hard evidence.” Lauren didn’t think for a second Cam was that at all, but she wasn’t about to turn down an invitation to her house. Whether or not it led to anything, it felt like a step closer to being, well, close. As much as she might want to get into Cam’s pants, being her friend was the more important part. And spending time in Cam’s place felt a whole lot friendlier than a meeting at the pub or the distillery.
“Monday, perhaps? In the afternoon? The tasting room will be closed, so I can finish with work by three or so.”
Lauren smiled. “Sounds perfect.”
“Good.”
Cam nodded as though they’d just settled some important piece of business. Not exactly the flirtatious or suggestive vibe Lauren might have hoped for, but she’d take what she could get. At least for now.
Chapter Fourteen
Lauren spent the morning in her office, emerging only after her stomach reminded her at one she’d skipped breakfast. She sneaked into the kitchen to make a cheese sandwich and decided to take it out to the bar so she’d have some company. The pub had four whole patrons, only two of which were eating. Tilly trotted over to say hello, and Lauren bent down to scratch her ears. She gave Tilly a bite of her sandwich before pulling up a stool across from Charlotte.
“How’s it going?” Lauren asked.
Charlotte smiled. “All right. You?”
“Lamenting the cost of new furniture.” Lauren shrugged and took a bite.
She winced. “I’m sure. What are you going to do?”
Lauren wiped the crumbs from her fingers. “Suck it up. We’re only going to get one chance to make a new first impression.”
“Right, right. You’ve got a point there.”
“It’s going to look great, though, and that’s what matters.” At least that’s what she kept telling herself.
“Cheers to that. What are you up to this afternoon? More work?” Charlotte asked.
Lauren smiled. “I have a meeting with Mr. Crawley about a few projects, and then Cam is walking me through the new drink menu, complete with samples.”
Charlotte nodded appreciatively. “You’re in for a real treat, I’m sure.”
“She’s really that good, huh?” Lauren thought back to her afternoon at the distillery. Cam had only served her drinks made with gin, but they’d been off the charts delicious.
“She is. It’s like she knows things, senses what will work, in ways us mere mortals can only appreciate after the fact.”
Lauren laughed because she sensed Charlotte wasn’t joking. “I’m looking forward to it. Seeing her place, too. It feels like even more of a peek behind the curtain than being in her blending room.”
Charlotte stopped polishing the highball glass in her hand, glass and towel suspended in midair. “She invited you to her house?”
Lauren frowned. “Is that bad?”
“No.” Charlotte looked, if anything, confused.
“What, then?”
She resumed the methodical wiping, removing any trace of a water spot from the glass. “It’s just that Cam doesn’t invite a lot of people to her place. She’s not antisocial or anything. Private, I’d say. An introvert. Has a pretty close circle.”
Lauren’s brain raced ahead, reading all sorts of meaning into Cam’s invitation. Maybe they were finally friends. Or maybe Cam was attracted to her after all.
“I swear it’s not a bad thing. I think it’s quite good, honestly,” Charlotte said.
Lauren laughed. She and Charlotte hadn’t been friends for all that long, but they’d gotten pretty close. Lauren trusted her, and her take on Cam. “I’m just trying to figure out if it’s a thing at all.”
“Oh.” Charlotte let the word drag out, leaving Lauren embarrassed by where her thoughts had gone.
“I shouldn’t even be going there, should I?”
“I think you should one hundred percent go there.”
Lauren closed her eyes for a second and let her imagination run with what going there might look like. Cam’s gorgeous, strong hands on her. Cam’s breath hot against her skin. Cam’s mouth on her.
“Lauren?”
“Sorry.” Lauren blushed.
Charlotte snickered. “I didn’t mean to go there right now.”
Lauren’s face warmed further. “I know.”
Charlotte laughed. “Oh, my God. You were having a sex fantasy about Cam.”
She didn’t normally have any shame around having sex fantasies. This was Cam, though, who’d only just come around to tolerating her. And Charlotte, who was not only Cam’s best friend, but who also had her own romantic past with Cam. “Um.”
Charlotte smacked her arm in a way that was clearly friendly, but still managed to pack a punch. “Girl, don’t hold back on me. I think it’s awesome. And the two of you have been zinging off each other since the day you arrived.”
“Zinging?”
“Sparks flying. Chemistry. You two have it in spades. I think everyone will feel better if the two of you just slept together already.”
Heat rose in Lauren’s cheeks. Even if she enjoyed where this conversation was going, the idea that people beyond Charlotte were speculating about her and Cam was horrifying. Especially if Cam didn’t reciprocate the feelings. “Everyone?”
“I exaggerate.”
She couldn’t tell if Charlotte meant that or if she was attempting damage control. Lauren didn’t get the chance to ask. The pub door swung open, and a man walked in with a clipboard and a tape measure. Even without the accessories, the resemblance told her he was Cam’s father.
He tipped the flat cap he wore. “Good morning to you, ladies.”
“Good morning, Mr. Crawley,” Charlotte said.
Lauren crossed the room to shake his hand. “Yes, good morning. I’m Lauren. Thank you so much for agreeing to meet with me.”
“Of course. I’m happy to see how I can help you spruce the place up. Poor Albert didn’t have much energy for her these last few years.”
The way he referred to the inn as a her made Lauren smile. “Fortunately, I’ve not found too many major issues. There are some minor repairs, though, and some electric upgrades I’d like to do. Cam said if it was just installing new sockets, you might be able to handle it.”
He nodded. “We’ll have to sort out your panel first. That’s above my skill level, but if you have the capacity, it should be all right.”
The family resemblance truly was striking, and Lauren thought she might be seeing a hint of what Cam would look like in thirty years. His demeanor was easier, though. It made her wonder if Cam’s coolness came from her mother, or perhaps more likely, was unique to their dynamic. She shook off the question, focusing her attention on Mr. Crawley. “Should we start in the cellar, then, instead of upstairs?”
“Let’s do that. No point in making a list of things if I can’t do them without an electrician coming in first.”
Mention of an electrician made Lauren steel herself. She tried not to worry about what that might entail. Just like she couldn’t worry about what her evening at Cam’s might turn into. It would be what it would be and she’d sort it out when the time came.
* * *
Even though she was expecting it, the knock at the door gave Cam a jolt. She shook her head before opening it. Relax.
“Hello.” Lauren stood on the other side in a flowy skirt and a snug tee with a deeply scooped neck that Cam instantly wanted to trace with her finger, and maybe her tongue.
She cleared her throat and hoped her face didn’t give away where her mind had gone. Maybe inviting Lauren over was a terrible idea after all. “Hi.”
Lauren beamed. “I’m so excited for this.”
Cam tried for a casual smile. Terrible idea or no, here they were. “Come on in.”
Lauren stepped over the threshold and handed Cam a brown paper bag. “Mrs. Lucas has been experimenting with recipes. I thought I’d bring so
me samples to try with the cocktails.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea. Better than the crackers and cheese I had planned to soak up some of the alcohol.” Even if sharing a meal made this whole thing feel like more of a date.
“The curry pies are literally the best thing I’ve ever put in my mouth. I’ve already eaten two today, which maybe I shouldn’t have told you since I plan to eat at least one or two more.”
Cam chuckled. This was fine. Friendly. Just because Lauren had this flirty energy and a come-hither smile didn’t mean anything needed to happen. “Your secret is safe with me.”
Cam led the way to her kitchen, where she’d turned her tiny island into a makeshift bar. She set the bag on an open stretch of counter. Lauren took in the space, nodding slowly. “Your place is really cute.”
“Uh, thanks.” Why was this feeling more like a date with every passing second? “Do you want to eat now or start with drinks?”
“How about we start with a drink and work our way into food?”
“Sounds good.” Grateful to have something to do with her hands, Cam pulled the rum punch she’d made earlier from the fridge and poured two small glasses. “Let’s start with this and then I’ll talk you through everything.”
Lauren took the glass Cam offered and lifted it. “Cheers.”
Lauren said a bunch of nice things and Cam listed out the ingredients. The punch was the token sweet and fruity thing on the menu. She didn’t have much use for it personally, but in her experience, every bar needed to have one. Especially if that bar planned to cater to tourists. Before moving on to the next, she handed Lauren the notebook where she’d jotted down the ten cocktails she’d come up with. “I haven’t named them. That seems like your forte. But the descriptions are meant to convey the essence of each without reciting a whole recipe.”
Lauren skimmed the list, making hums and other noises of approval. At least Cam hoped they were noises of approval. When she looked up, she was smiling. “Wow.”
The genuineness in her voice sent a wave of relief through Cam. Since she’d not owned being nervous, it was a bit of an odd sensation. “You don’t have to put them all on, of course, but I think I gave you a good balance of classic and new, and covered all the major spirits.”
“I want to try them all.”
Her enthusiasm was infectious. “That can certainly be arranged.”
Lauren clapped her hands and rubbed them together. “I might end up smashed before we’re through, but I don’t even care. I put myself in your hands.”
Cam pulled out a stool for her and got to work. She made her way through the menu, shaking up her take on an American old-fashioned, a serrano chili margarita, and a pink peppercorn infused martini. They broke into the food, a crayfish salad and a curried chicken pasty. The food was good, interesting while keeping with the spirit of traditional pub fair.
She thought back to their first conversation about the menu, how much she’d pushed back and how quickly Lauren had deferred to her opinion. She’d been unfairly harsh and still felt like a bit of a prat about it. But since bringing it up would only draw attention to the fact that she’d been a git, she moved on to the next round of drinks.
Lauren laughed and told stories about bars she’d been to in New York. She seemed so completely at ease, Cam couldn’t help but relax. Even if she found herself staring at Lauren’s lips. Or wondering if the skin below her ear was as soft as it looked.
Cam had what she considered a healthy tolerance for alcohol, but by the sixth or seventh, she started to feel a bit fuzzy. Not that she was making full drinks every time, but they were adding up. Lauren was holding her own, but her cheeks had gone pink and her laugh had gotten just a bit louder and freer.
By the time she served up the grand finale—a gin drink featuring Carriage House—Cam had a solid buzz going. Lauren appeared to be in the same boat. And Cam was having a hard time not thinking about what it might be like to kiss her.
“Oh, I like this one a lot.” Lauren licked her lips, then took another sip. “What’s in it again?”
Cam fought to clear the image of Lauren’s tongue from her mind. “Lavender and honey.”
“Mmm-hmm. This is definitely my favorite. Which isn’t to say they aren’t all amazing.” Lauren punctuated the last statement by putting her hand on Cam’s arm.
Cam looked at Lauren’s hand and swallowed. “You don’t have to shower me with compliments, you know. My ego is pretty healthy, at least when it comes to mixing drinks.”
“Only then?” Lauren blinked and Cam would have sworn she was giving some very intentional bedroom eyes.
“Not only, but especially then.”
“Ah.” Lauren didn’t break eye contact. “You strike me as someone quite confident in all things.”
“Not all.”
Lauren bit her bottom lip, then smiled. “But most.”
Was Lauren teasing her or calling her an arrogant ass? “Sure. Most.”
“Women?” Lauren’s tone was definitely teasing.
“Excuse me?” Why was it so bloody hard to concentrate when Lauren looked at her like that?
“I asked if you were confident when it came to women.”
This had to be a test. There was no possible answer that wouldn’t get her into trouble. “Uh.”
“I’m thinking you are. You have to like them, though. I’ve been certain up until now that you didn’t like me very much.”
If her brain had contained actual warning bells and red flags, they’d be going full steam. As it was, the word danger flashed over and over in her mind. “I don’t dislike you.”
“Grudgingly, I’d say.” Before Cam could respond, she lifted a hand. “It’s okay. I get it. I breezed in, representing everything you think is wrong with the world.”
Shit. Had she really given such a bad impression? “I’m sorry I was so gruff.”
“It’s fine, really.” Lauren laughed. It shouldn’t have been such a sensuous sound, especially given the current conversation, but damn it all to hell if it didn’t make Cam want to grab her and kiss her and drag her to bed.
“I feel like a proper ass right about now.” Even at her most contrary, she’d not meant to be an ass. A pang of guilt lodged in her stomach.
“Please don’t.” Lauren’s expression grew serious.
“Be an ass?”
She shook her head. “Apologize. Or feel like an ass. Especially if…”
Lauren trailed off, and for the life of her, Cam couldn’t fathom where she was going. “If what?”
Lauren’s eyes narrowed, and she studied Cam long enough to make her fidget. Cam wanted to look away, needed to, but she was transfixed. She remained that way as Lauren set down her glass, as she took Cam’s and did the same. Cam stood frozen, equal parts dread and desire coursing through her, as she realized what Lauren intended.
Lauren leaned in, paused. Cam could have said something, could have pulled back. Even a few inches would have sent a message, likely stopped Lauren in her tracks. But Cam didn’t speak, didn’t move. She held Lauren’s gaze, and in doing so, invited her in.
Lauren’s lips were warm, soft but not yielding. She tasted like gin and lavender and honey, like summer and promise and warm nights under clear skies. And in that moment, brief as it was, Cam saw stars.
It ended far too quickly. The absence of Lauren’s lips was jarring and left her feeling exposed, like having the blankets yanked off on a cold morning. She opened her eyes and found Lauren regarding her with questioning eyes. She looked so vulnerable, like she had no idea if her advances were welcome and wasn’t sure she wanted the answer.
The juxtaposition of Lauren’s usual confidence with the hesitation undid her. Cam buried her hands in Lauren’s hair and gave in to the wanting that had haunted her for weeks, pulling their mouths together once more. She wanted to honor and reassure, protect and devour, all at once. Lauren leaned in, and it was all Cam could do not to take everything she wanted.
Realizing just
how close she was to doing just that, she released Lauren and took a step back. “I’m sorry.”
Lauren was breathing hard and the skin of her chest was flushed. “Sorry you kissed me or sorry you stopped?”
Fuck. “I’m not sure.”
“Can we go with the latter? Because I’m really sorry you stopped.”
Not the time to be speechless. Even if she had no idea how to respond or where to go from here. “You are?”
Lauren smiled and there was nothing hesitant or vulnerable about it. “If you recall, I’m the one who started it.”
Right. “So, you want this.” Cam couldn’t decide if it was a statement or a question. “It’s not just the alcohol talking?”
“Cam?”
“Yeah?”
“Did you enjoy kissing me?”
Cam merely nodded.
“Did you want to stop?”
She shook her head.
“Do you want to take me to bed?”
Cam swallowed. She couldn’t bring herself to lie. “I do.”
Lauren extended her hand. “Lead the way, then. Please.”
Chapter Fifteen
Cam took her hand, but they remained standing in the kitchen. She appeared, not nervous, but hesitant. “Are we really doing this?”
“Are you having second thoughts?” Lauren closed her eyes for a second. Please don’t let her be having second thoughts.
“No. It still seems a bit bonkers is all. I—”
Lauren didn’t let her finish. “Cam, I’ve wanted to get in your pants from the moment I saw you sitting at the bar the day I arrived. If it weren’t for this business of disagreeing about pretty much everything, I think we’d have tumbled into bed long before now.”
Cam’s shoulders dropped. “Exactly. We disagree about everything.”
Lauren closed the distance between them. When was the last time she’d wanted to sleep with someone she spent so much time arguing with? She trailed a finger down the front of Cam’s shirt, stopping right above her belt. “Not everything.”
“I’m being serious.”
