Hot Commodity

by Linda Kage

  Disgusted with her own weakness, she glanced at Cameron's parents. They seemed nice, like the type of parents she'd always dreamed of having. She wondered if her temporary husband knew what a priceless gift he had in these two people. They loved him unconditionally. And yet he pushed them away.

  She'd stayed in Pasadena for twenty-four years, dreaming for a mere glimpse of such devotion from her mother.

  "So, where are you from, Olivia?" Chuck asked, looking determined to change the subject.

  "Pasadena," she answered.

  "California?"

  She nodded, and Chuck whistled. "Long way from home."

  She shrugged. "I don't live there anymore. I-I'll never go back." An uncomfortable moment of silence followed her adamant proclamation. Olivia's face colored. She could tell they wanted to know the reason behind her strong announcement, but they were too polite to ask.

  Chuck cleared his throat and smiled. "Where're you headed next?"

  "I…" She glanced at Cameron's parents and went blank. "I have no idea," she confessed, struck with a moment of panic. Where was she going to go next? "Cameron said he'd help me, but…"

  "You have no clue, hmm?" Instead of looking appalled, Chuck looked excited. Rubbing his hands together, he said, "Well, you're in luck, little lady. It just so happens that my business is to help other people with their business. Now, what kind of skills do you have?"

  The only thing Olivia could think of was that she pleased Cameron in bed. Of course, that kind of skill only led to one type of job. She didn't particularly want to announce such an accomplishment to the man's mother and father either.

  Turning a bright red, she shook her head. "I, uh, I don't...I don't really have any talents."

  Chuck's eyebrows lifted, but he didn't look disgusted. "So, you're going to give me a challenge. Good." He grinned before scratching his chin and visually dissecting her. "Well then. What kind of things did you do to pass the days back in Pasadena?"

  Olivia swallowed. She'd shopped, sun-tanned, gotten facials and manicures, and had her hair styled.

  Glancing away a little guiltily, she said, "I, uh, well, since my father passed, I've usually been the hostess whenever my mother had clients and other guests over to the house. A few of her widowed friends would sometimes have me plan parties for them, too."

  "A social coordinator?" Chuck mused.

  Next to him, Allison brightened. "Oh, do you think you could help me?" Reaching both hands for Olivia, she said, "I'm supposed to prepare a party for a gathering of twelve. Chuck's having some clients from Texas up, and I'm completely lost."

  "My own social coordinator retired recently," her husband put in. "Allison's stepped in for him, but she doesn't like the job much."

  Olivia relaxed. If there was one thing she knew, it was how to plan a party. "Of course I could help, though I don't know any of the caterers or musicians in this area. I'll have to study the nearby—"

  "Don't worry about looking for a caterer," Chuck cut in. "We always use Southern Delights." Then he winked at her. "I'm sleeping with the main chef so I've got connections."

  Olivia paused. She couldn't believe Cameron's father would announce something like that so openly. Her parents had never been faithful to each other, but they'd never come right out and aired it quite like this.

  Before she could think up a proper response, she noticed how brilliant rosy red Allison Banks was turning.

  "Chuck," she whispered, scandalized, and ducked her head.

  Finally, it struck Olivia. Allison was the master chef at Southern Delights.

  Cameron's father chuckled and threw an arm around his wife's waist. Pulling her close, he grinned at Olivia. "One of these days she'd going to realize I only say that kind of thing in order to see her beautiful blush, and she's just going to haul off and hit me."

  "Please excuse my husband," Allison murmured, unable to meet Olivia's eyes. "He's…"

  "Just like his son," Olivia finished dryly.

  "Oh, dear," Allison said. "I can only imagine what kind of wicked things Cameron's said and done."

  "Yep," Chuck said, looking satisfied. "That's my boy."

  ~ * ~

  As Cameron's parents bid their farewell an hour later, his father paused to take Olivia's hands, looking deep into her eyes as if asking for her help.

  "You make sure that son of mine takes care of you," he said, but what she suspected he meant was, Take care of my son. Please.

  Then he smiled at her proudly, just as she'd always wanted her own father to look at her, and hugged her goodbye.

  The house seemed quiet after their absence, and Olivia felt alone. Going to the window, she watched their car turn from the drive and disappear down the street.

  "Are they gone?" Cameron's voice came from behind her.

  She spun around. "You're drunk!" she gasped, unable to believe her eyes. He'd untucked his dress shirt and limply held a bottle down at his side.

  He cocked an amused brow. "You're surprised?"

  "But…" Frowning, she set her hands on her hips. "You just watched your mother cry because of this," she spat out, pointing at the liquor he held. "So you decided to run off and drink? How much more do you want to break her heart?"

  He flinched but it was quickly covered by a glower. "Maybe you shouldn't get involved in something that's none of your business, Blondie."

  Resting his back against the doorframe, he boldly—almost challengingly—lifted the bottle to his lips. Olivia watched him guzzle, her gaze caught by the way the amber liquid glinted against the light as it swished inside its glass container.

  "I like your parents," she said quietly.

  He swallowed and let out a refreshed sigh. Closing his eyes, he answered, "What's not to like?"

  "They're incredibly nice."

  "The best," he agreed.

  She frowned. "So, why are you so intent on hurting them?"

  Face darkening, Cameron sent her a dirty look. "I don't want to hurt them," he snapped. Then on a tired sigh, he whispered, "I just do. I hurt everything that gets too close."

  Her anger dissolved. "Cameron," she croaked and took a step toward him. "You did not hurt Sienna. She—"

  He lifted one finger of the hand that clutched his liquor. "Don't say her name to me."

  Olivia froze mid-step, too hurt to move, to even breathe. That his wife still had such a grip on him told her exactly where she ranked. As the pretty little mistake he planned to rid himself of as soon as possible.

  Gritting her teeth when he cursed under his breath and started to take another drink, she decided to get mad instead of sad. Marching forward, she ripped the bottle from his hand, spilling a couple of drops on him in the process.

  "Hey," he said.

  "That's it," she growled. "No more."

  Bottle in hand, she strode from the room and went straight to the kitchen. As she proceeded to pour the contents down the drain, she heard him enter the room behind her.

  "You take away my liquor, you better have something else in mind to occupy my time," he commented in a lazy drawl, not sounding upset at all by what she was doing.

  He no doubt had more stashed somewhere in the house.

  "I'm not sleeping with you to take your mind off drinking," she said stiffly. She needed to stop sleeping with him period. They were trying to get an annulment here. An active sexual relationship wasn't usually part of the annulment process.

  But the hand that cupped her butt and squeezed gently as he came up behind her seemed to disagree.

  "You sure about that?" he murmured in her ear. Then he licked the side of her neck.

  Olivia willed herself not to react. "Has your lawyer cousin gotten started on those papers yet?"

  Cameron stilled. "I told you, he's swamped with work right now. But he'll get to it."

  He wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her snug against his erection. "Now come, my pretty little mistake. Let me appreciate you while I still can."

  She turned in his arm
s. He looked so handsome and sad, her heart broke. Suddenly, she wanted to save this man. She wanted to mend the rift forming between him and his family and she wanted him to love her.

  But there was only pain in getting involved with a guy loaded down by this much baggage.

  "Not tonight," she said softly and brushed past him, hurrying to escape before he did something sweet to coax her back in.

  He grasped her elbow. "Livy."

  His voice sounded rusty, as if he hadn't used it for days. She looked up and immediately wished she hadn't. His green eyes held all the sorrow in the world.

  "Thank you for taking the bottle away," he said, letting go of her arm.

  Before she could reach for him, he took a step in reverse. Then, cutting their eye contact, he turned on his heel and strode from the room.

  ~ * ~

  Olivia hummed to herself as she picked up a pair of scissors to crop the picture of Cameron graduating from high school.

  She'd convinced herself she wasn't going to think about last night and how she'd slept in her own bed for the first time since coming to live with Cameron. She wasn't going to think about the pain in his parents' eyes as they stared at their son with worry. She wasn't going to think about how he'd been so resolute when he'd announced their marriage was a ruse and would be quickly terminated.

  She paused in her cutting and stared down at the scrapbook page she was creating. It centered on Cameron. Lately, her entire life revolved around him. Frowning, she set the scissors down. If they were going to get an annulment, she shouldn't rely on him for everything. She needed to stop sleeping with him and find herself a job. And she really ought to quit making him a scrapbook.

  The phone rang; Olivia answered it without thinking.

  "Olivia," a woman's voice said. "I'm so glad I caught you."

  She frowned, surprised someone was actually calling her. No one even knew she was here. "I'm sorry, who is this?"

  "Oh, whoops. This is Allison. Allison Banks, Cameron's mother."

  Olivia paused. What in the world was his mom doing, calling her?

  "Hello, Mrs. Banks," she said cautiously. "What can I do for you?"

  "Please. Call me, Allison. "

  "O-Okay. Is, uh, is there something I can do for you? Cameron's not home right now, but I could call him at—"

  "Actually, I want to talk to you," Allison answered. "If you're not too busy sometime, I'd love to get together with you and toss around a few ideas about how to plan this party for Chuck's company."

  "Oh!" Olivia said in surprise. "Well, of course. I'd be delighted to help."

  "Really? You would?" Cameron's mother sounded so pleasantly surprised Olivia had to grin. How could such a sweet, passive woman raise such an ornery, outgoing son?

  "Sure. I've been hosting get-togethers for my mother since I was fifteen. It'd be nice to do something familiar again."

  "That's great," Allison said. "When would be a good time for you?"

  Olivia nearly laughed. As if her schedule were so crowded. "Any time, really."

  "I hope I'm not being too forward then. But are you busy now?"

  "No, of course not." Right. Like what would make her busy?

  "Do you think you could come over here?" Allison asked next. "I have napkin samples and magazines full of ides spread out everywhere. I could probably pack them up and bring them over there if that's more convenient for you—"

  "I don't mind coming over," Olivia cut in.

  Cameron's mother was definitely a people pleaser. She sounded so apologetic, worried that she was honestly bothering Olivia that Olivia had this strange urge just to give the woman a soothing hug.

  "Oh, good. Let me give you the address," Allison answered.

  ~ * ~

  "It's official," Boston announced as he strolled into Cameron's office.

  "What's that?" Cameron asked, glancing up from the computer screen where he'd been browsing developmental sites for sale. Since he'd had Boston drop the Shaney bid the week before, their workflow had been pretty dead. They'd yet to find another business venture to pursue. "Helbrock won the Shaney bid this morning," Boston said, settling into the chair across from Cameron. "Your mother-in-law is now the owner of a three-point-two million dollar shoe factory that's going out of business."

  Cameron felt a spark of satisfaction. It served the bitch right for tormenting Olivia. "I wonder if she's even aware Shaney's so bad off," he murmured to himself.

  "I doubt it," Boston said, yawning as he stretched. "She barely did any research before she started throwing around her offer. Probably doesn't even know we planned on closing the place and shipping its equipment to McFarland and Sons."

  "Hmm," Cameron said thoughtfully. "Well, she'll get what's coming to her then. The woman should've treated her daughter better."

  Boston lifted an eyebrow and stacked his hand behind his head as he fixed Cameron with a knowing look. "How is the wife?" he asked, smiling slightly.

  Cameron frowned, not amused by the teasing glint in his friend's eyes. "She keeps asking about you," he lied, "wondering when you're going to come back around and look at her naked again."

  Boston flushed bright red. He flipped Cameron the bird and called him a dirty name. Cameron only laughed and then let out a long sigh. "She's fine. Asked me about those annulment papers last night, though."

  Boston shrugged and glanced around as if looking for something better to do. "Well, I can get started on them. Anytime you want."

  But Cameron went cold inside. Not yet, something in him screamed.

  Looking nonchalant for his cousin's benefit, however, he gave his own shrug. "She can wait." Then he grinned. "It's kind of fun putting it off. I think it's starting to get under her skin."

  "Keeps her in your bed a while longer too, doesn't it?" Boston guessed.

  Cameron frowned slightly. He hadn't gotten her into his bed last night. Instead she'd gone to her own room. He'd been forced to wait until nearly midnight before stealing into her bed and settling himself next to her. He'd tried to sleep alone in his room, but it hadn't worked. He missed listening to her breathing next to him, occasionally hearing a little sigh as she slipped further into sweet dreams. In the morning, he'd wakened early and escaped before she noticed the added company. Before she realized he was getting a little too dependent on her.

  Pushing those thoughts from his brain, he got to his feet and stretched, letting out a loud yawn.

  "Let's go shoot some pool down at the bar," he suggested, hoping that might ease some of the restlessness swirling inside him.

  Boston cocked an amused look his way. "Again?"

  Cameron frowned. "Why not? You got anything else to do around here today?"

  His friend let out an indulging sigh. "I guess not." He unfolded himself from his seat. "All right, Banks. Let's go play pool."

  Fifteen

  Excited as she pulled Cameron's Miata out of Allison and Chuck's driveway, Olivia couldn't contain her grin. She felt revved after spending three hours with his mother, going over place settings and decorations. She'd made similar plans for Vivian and her mother's stuffy friends before, but she'd always kept it low-key and formal.

  Allison had been open to new ideas, and she'd listened to every suggestion Olivia gave as if Olivia were some kind of professional. It made her heart sing. Olivia sighed, so proud of herself she wondered if she might burst open.

  Chuck Banks liked big, splashy affairs, so Olivia had gone to town, designing the brightest and most extravagant party she'd ever thought up. What was even better, Cameron's mother loved her ideas.

  Still giddy about the headway they'd made, Olivia didn't drive straight home, but detoured toward Cameron's office. He'd explained to her where he worked, but she had yet to visit him.

  Today seemed like a good day to drop by. She wanted to share her happiness with someone and tell him her good news. If Chuck liked how smoothly this party went, he said he'd think about hiring her full time as the new social coordinator of Banks
Corporation. Olivia liked the title. She was starting to think that by the time the annulment went through, she'd be ready and able to make it on her own.

  She knew Cameron was busy with his work, but she didn't plan on bugging him for long. She wasn't even sure why she was so excited about seeing him. But she'd had this spur-of-the-moment urge and now she couldn't wait to share her day.

  But when she stepped inside the cool interior of EarnNet and stopped to speak with the receptionist, she was startled to learn Cam wasn't even around.