He smiled when he was approached by Jocelyn Mason Steele. She was the woman he had chosen to run his construction company based in Charlotte. Already nearly one hundred people were on payroll, with several lucrative projects lined up to keep them busy.
He leaned over and gave her a peck on the cheek. “You look beautiful as usual. Where’s that husband of yours?”
She grinned. “Bas is around here somewhere. I think he’s trying to dodge his old girlfriend,” she said teasingly.
Cameron glanced around. The party was being held on the main floor of the Steele Building and decorative streamers and red, white and blue balloons were everywhere. “Cassandra Tisdale is here?” he asked.
“Yes, Cassandra and the entire Tisdale family. Time will tell if she’s here to throw her support to Morgan or to be nosey. But then, we really don’t care. Since throwing his hat into the ring, Morgan has received numerous financial backers even if the Tisdales decide to support Roger Chadwick.”
Cameron nodded. He knew the story. The Tisdales had wanted Morgan to marry a member of their family by the name of Jamie Hollis, a senator’s daughter. When Morgan had refused and told them in no uncertain terms that he would be marrying the woman he loved, namely Lena Spears, that hadn’t sat too well with them…until Morgan had taken matters into his own hands and made sure Cassandra and her cousin Jamie knew that he meant business. He’d warned if they continued spreading gossip about him and Lena, he would start spreading some of his own about them.
“The buffet table is set up on the other side of the room and there’s plenty to eat,” Jocelyn told him.
“Thanks, but I’m going to let Morgan and Lena know I’m here before I start mingling.”
A few minutes later he found them, talking to Vanessa and another man. He frowned. Was the man her date? His stomach clenched at the possibility. There was only one way to find out. Without wasting any time he approached the two couples.
Lena was the first to see him and turned and smiled radiantly. Not for the first time he thought Morgan had struck a gold mine with this woman. A Queen Latifah look-alike, she looked gorgeous in her mint-green pantsuit. Whoever thought Lena Spears would not complement Morgan was sadly mistaken.
“Cameron, I’m glad you could make it,” Lena said, reaching out and giving him a hug. “I understand you’ve been out of town a lot.”
“Yes, I have.” He then shook hands with Morgan. “Seems like a nice turnout.”
“It is,” Morgan said. He turned to Vanessa. “Cam, you already know Vanessa.”
“Yes. How are you tonight, Vanessa?”
He picked up on the unevenness of her breathing when she responded in a soft voice, “I’m fine, Cameron. And you?”
“I’m fine, as well.” He glanced over at the man standing by her side. Too close, as far as he was concerned.
“And this,” Morgan was saying, “is Reverend David Carrington. He recently moved to town to become the new pastor of the Redeem Baptist Church.”
The man might be a minister, but there was no wedding band on his finger, Cameron noted, so anything was possible. But not with his woman. “Nice meeting you, Reverend. I’m going to have to visit your church one of these Sundays.”
Reverend Carrington smiled. “Please do. In fact, I plan on having a blazing sermon this coming Sunday.”
Cameron nodded. His mind was not on the good man’s Sunday sermon. Instead he was trying to come up with a way to get Vanessa alone without breaking their agreement, even if only for a few minutes.
“Oops, I left my speech upstairs on my desk,” Morgan said, looking apologetic.
“I can go get it for you,” Lena quickly volunteered.
“No,” Morgan said just as quickly while settling his arms around her waist. “I need you to stay down here with me and greet our guests. Vanessa can catch the elevator and get it for me.”
Vanessa looked surprised. “I can?”
“Yes, you don’t mind, do you?”
Vanessa sighed. What could she say? Of course she didn’t mind. Besides, it would give her a chance to escape Cameron’s presence. She had seen him the moment he had walked into the room. It was as if she had radar and it had homed right in on him. He was impeccably dressed in a dark suit and looked as though he had just stepped off the cover of GQ. Her equilibrium hadn’t been the same since he’d arrived. Weeks of nonstop dreaming about the man was taking its toll. Standing so close to him, breathing in his manly scent, was definitely too much.
“Of course I don’t mind. I’ll be back in a second,” she said, turning to walk off.
“Thanks. And take Cameron with you.”
She swirled back around. “What? Why do I need to take Cameron with me?”
“Because Derek Peterson is here. Surprised the hell out of us.”
At the swift elbow he received in his side from Lena, Morgan glanced over at the Reverend and said apologetically, “Sorry about that. What I meant to say is that he surprised the heck out of us, since he dislikes the Steeles so much.”
“Who’s Derek Peterson?” Cameron asked curiously.
Morgan wanted to paint the true picture of the man, but out of respect for Reverend Carrington again, he merely said, “Let’s just say he’s a not-so-nice person who has it in for Vanessa.”
She frowned. “He doesn’t have it in for me, Morgan.”
Morgan chuckled. “Yes, he does. You almost crippled the man.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “That was almost six years ago.”
Morgan smiled. “Doesn’t matter. There are some things a man doesn’t forget and almost losing his balls—”
He cleared his throat and glanced over at the Reverend again. “I mean, almost losing his jewels is one of them.”
Reverend Carrington tried to hide his grin. “Please point this gentleman out to me. I definitely need to invite him to church on Sunday.”
“If you think it will help,” Morgan said, more than happy to oblige.
“The Word always helps,” was the minister’s response.
“Then I say go for it,” Morgan replied. “And you can kill—or save—two birds with one stone since he’s standing over there by the punch bowl talking to Cassandra Tisdale. I think she’s a person who will need to hear your sermon on Sunday, as well.”
Reverend Carrington nodded. “My sermon will be for everyone, so I’m looking forward to seeing your face in the congregation on Sunday, too, Mr. Steele.” He then walked off to where Derek and Cassandra were standing with their heads together.
“I’m going upstairs now,” Vanessa said, turning to walk off.
“Now that I’ve heard about this Derek guy, I think I’ll go with you after all.” Cameron followed in step beside her. He owed Morgan for this. Chances were Morgan hadn’t left his speech on his desk upstairs. Cameron had a feeling it was right in his friend’s pocket.
He and Vanessa didn’t say anything as they walked toward the bank of elevators. They slowed their steps when they heard loud, angry voices coming from behind a closed door, Vanessa chuckled.
Cameron glanced over at her. “What’s so funny?”
“From the sound of things, Sienna has finally gotten fed up and is giving her mother-in-law hell. It’s about time.”
They rounded a corner to the elevators. Luckily, one opened right away. The moment they stepped in and it closed behind them, Cameron could feel the heat. He moved to the far side of one wall and she moved to the other.
“I’m sorry that Morgan put you on the spot like that, Cameron. I really didn’t need an escort.”
He glanced over at her. “I don’t mind.”
He averted his eyes from her so he wouldn’t be tempted to close the distance between them, take her into his arms and kiss her. She looked so good in her red dress that showed just what a gorgeous pair of legs she had. And it didn’t take much to remember how those legs could wrap around him, holding him tight inside her and—
“How’s that problem going with your busines
s in Texas?” she asked, looking everywhere but at him.
He released a deep sigh, glad for her interruption into his thoughts. “I’m hoping it’s been resolved. Time will tell.”
She nodded and turned to stare at the wall again. Moments later he couldn’t fight it any longer and looked at her. Gosh, he loved her. And he wanted her. Here. Now. Right this second. As if she read his thoughts, she slowly turned toward him.
The moment their gazes connected, sexual tension seemed to crackle in the air between them. He saw the deep look of desire in her eyes and took a step toward her at the exact moment the elevator came to a jolting stop.
That seemed to snap her to her senses and she took a step back. “We need to get off now.”
He’d had enough. He refused to torture himself any longer. “I personally think what we need to do is go somewhere and make love.”
He watched her eyes darken even more, confirming she was thinking the same thing but was still fighting it.
“What about our agreement?” she asked softly when the elevator door opened and she backed up slowly, stepping off.
A smile touched his lips as he followed her. “I won’t tell anyone that we broke it if you don’t.”
She stopped walking. He waited for her to say something, to respond. It seemed like forever before she asked quietly, “You promise?”
His mind was muddled and at the moment he didn’t understand the question. “I promise what?”
“Not to tell anyone that we broke our agreement?” she whispered.
His smile deepened and took a step toward her. “I’ll promise you anything.”
She inhaled deeply and glanced down at her watch. “Morgan is expecting us to return with his speech.”
At that moment, Cameron’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered. “Yes?”
After a brief pause, he said, “No, we hadn’t made it to your office yet. No problem, I’ll tell her.”
He clicked off the line and put the phone back in his jacket pocket. “That was Morgan. He didn’t leave the speech on his desk after all. It was in his pocket.”
Vanessa frowned. “Umm, now, isn’t that amazing. Seems like perfect timing.”
Cameron nodded. “Yes, it does, doesn’t it?”
“We were set up,” she said.
“Looks that way.”
“And you’re not upset about it?”
His low chuckle sent soft shivers all through her body. “Not in the least. Are you?”
“I should be.”
He nodded. “But are you?”
“No.” She glanced around. “While we’re up here I might as well show you my office. You’ve never seen it before.”
“No, I haven’t.”
“All right, it’s this way, right down the hall from Morgan’s.”
They walked side by side and all Vanessa could think about was that he was here, and they were alone, hot and horny. Thanks to him she knew what horniness felt like; she’d been suffering from it for weeks.
When they got to her office door she pulled a key out of her small purse, but her hands were shaking so hard she couldn’t fit the key in the lock.
“Let me help,” he said, sliding a hand around her to the door. When he opened it, she quickly stepped inside and he followed, closing the door behind them. And relocking it.
He didn’t even glance around. Instead he snaked out his hand and captured her wrist and pulled her to him. The moment he did so, it seemed something between them broke loose, and he went for her mouth at the same moment she went for his.
Spontaneity.
He’d missed it. He wanted it. Now.
He picked her up and swirled around, placing her back against the closed door while their mouths were still locked. Hungry, they devoured each other like starved, crazed addicts. He broke the connection just long enough to flip her dress up and push her silk panties down. With one hand he unzipped his pants, pulled out his shaft, and before either could take another breath, he thrust into her.
“Cameron!”
She screamed his name and just that quickly, an explosion went off inside her, sending shivers of pleasure all through her body. But he kept going, demanding that she come again. She did and with her legs wrapped tightly around him, and the way her fingers were digging into his shoulders, he could tell that this orgasm was just as powerful as the first.
“Don’t stop, Cameron. Please, don’t stop,” she whispered frantically, kissing his face all over.
Little did she know he couldn’t stop now even if he wanted to. Not even if the building were to catch on fire. They were burning to a crisp right now anyway. He kept thrusting into her, nonstop, fast, hard, needing her, needing the connection with the woman he loved.
When he felt it, the sensation started in his toes and slowly worked its way up to his shaft. Vibrations, shock waves. It was an orgasm so powerful, it tore into him. He threw his head back to the point that his veins nearly burst in his neck. But he didn’t feel any pain. He felt only ecstasy. Pleasure. Vanessa.
Breathing once again, he buried his head on her chest, between her breasts. He could die at this moment and he’d go happy, satisfied, feeling total completeness.
When the shivers stopped, he pulled back, but he did not pull out of her. He kept her pinned against the door while he was still inside her. He met her gaze and said softly, “Please don’t say this shouldn’t have happened.”
She licked her lips before asking, barely with enough breath to speak, “Can I think it?”
He shook his head. “No.”
She nodded. “You did say, anytime, anyplace and…any position.”
A smile touched his lips. “Yes, I did.”
“And I see that you meant it.”
“Every word.”
Vanessa felt him growing hard inside her again and tightened her legs around his waist to keep him locked to her. “Some people might be wondering where we’ve disappeared to.”
“Let them wonder. I’m sure Morgan will tell them something believable.”
She nodded again. “I hope so because I haven’t gotten enough of you yet.”
“And I haven’t gotten enough of you, either.”
And then he leaned forward and captured her lips at the exact moment he thrust deeper inside her. Once, twice. Again and again.
The heat was on again and he planned to take it to the limit.
Chapter 17
“Woman, you’re killing me,” Cameron said through clenched teeth. They were at his house, in his bedroom, and Vanessa was on top of him, riding him like crazy. He clutched the bedspread and balled it in his fist. The woman was amazing, simply amazing. He had thought that same thing in Jamaica but now, on American soil, he was doubly sure of it.
After leaving her office they had finally gone back downstairs to join the party, barely hearing the last of Morgan’s speech. Then they had quickly said their goodbyes, not caring that after having been missing from the party for over an hour, they were making a grand escape.
She had followed him home and they had barely made it inside the door before they were at it again. This time she was in control. First they had made love on the floor in his living room until their strength was depleted. And then he had carried her upstairs to his bedroom, where he had undressed her properly before making love to her again.
They had fallen asleep, but she had awakened him—less than ten minutes ago—saying she needed to ride him, and he had flipped on his back, happy to oblige. Now he was looking death in the face. The woman was going to kill him.
“I won’t kill you if you stop holding back. I made it clear what I want.”
Yes, she had. For some reason she enjoyed the feel of him exploding inside her, shooting his semen all the way to her womb. The moment he did so, she would clench her inner muscles and pull everything out of him, as if his release was something she had to have.
“Damn, you’re really asking for it this time,” he warned, barely abl
e to get the words out.
“Good, now let go and give me what I want, Cameron. Now!”
“You better hope those pills you’re on do their job tonight. If not, this is a baby in the making,” he muttered just seconds before his body bucked and he exploded, giving her just what she wanted.
As if his orgasm had lit her sensuous torch, she climaxed, as well, clenching him more deeply while calling out his name. Knowing she needed this from him, he gently flipped her on her back without breaking contact, taking control and riding her. This was crazy. This was madness. This was making up for weeks of going without her in his bed—something he never wanted to do again.
After they came again, simultaneously, he lay against her, breathing hard but thinking how great life was. He was a man in love and he had the woman he wanted in his bed. Now if he could only convince her to become a forever part of his life, as well.
“Sneaking out on me, Vanessa?”
Vanessa swirled around, holding her shoes to her chest. “I thought you were asleep, Cameron. It’s time for me to leave.”
He glanced to the window. It was daybreak. In essence she had spent the night. He moved to get out of bed. “Let me slip on something and walk you to your car.”
“No. Please don’t. I’m fine.”
He stayed put, seeing the look of uncertainty in her eyes. Did she regret what had happened last night? There was only one way to find out. “When will I see you again?”
He watched her nervously lick her lips, and his stomach clenched when he recalled just what she had done to him with those same lips and tongue last night. He also noticed she was backing up slowly toward the door. “I’ll call you.”
“When?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. I hadn’t counted on this.”
He figured now was not a good time to tell her that he had. A part of him had wanted to believe she still desired him and the attraction between them was just as strong and hot as it had been in Jamaica. What had happened last night had proven him right.
He knew he couldn’t be completely honest with her anymore. He stood. “Can I give you something to think about?”
“Yes, what?”
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