“Boy, did I!” she said excitedly. Bending over, she began to pick up her packages and smiled when Cam helped. Together they brought everything over to the sofa, where they sat and she told him all about her day. “There were so many places to see, Cam! It just seemed endless!”
Cam looked at the seemingly endless pile of packages and then back at Lily. “Seriously? What could you possibly have needed that required this many bags?”
Lily smiled at him wickedly. “Silly, silly man. Never underestimate the shopping powers of a woman.” She started going through each bag one by one and showing him what she had purchased while telling him about the store. Thirty minutes later, Cam stopped her. “What? Too much?” she asked.
“No, no… This is…riveting, really. But if we don’t stop, we’ll be late for dinner. As it is we only have”—he looked at his watch—“about twenty minutes to get ready.”
“Well, damn,” she sighed and then looked at all of the stuff around them. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to lose track of time. Again.”
“No worries, Lil,” he said, standing and holding out a hand to her. “But we really should get ready.”
Lily took his hand and stood. “Unless…”
“Unless what?”
“We don’t go to the dinner and play tourist instead,” she said quickly, clearly excited at the prospect of having time to explore with him. The look on his face told her they weren’t on the same page.
“I promise we’ll go out tomorrow night,” he said solemnly. “Tonight, I need to talk with some people about an upcoming project. I’m sorry.” Cam saw the disappointment on her face and hated being the one to put it there.
Doing her best to shake it off, Lily pulled her hand from his. “No biggie. Let me go freshen up and change. I promise to be quick.” She flounced away, and although her tone was light, Cam knew she was putting on an act for his benefit. When he heard her go into the bathroom, he went to the bedroom to retrieve his things and use the half bath to get ready. A shower would have gone a long way to revitalize him after such an exhausting day, but he’d just have to make do with what he had.
Fifteen minutes later, Lily joined him in the living room, wearing a more conservative dress than before but still with a killer pair of stilettos—black this time to match her dress. Cam stood back and admired her while she gathered up her purchases and took them into the bedroom. The dress came to just above her knees but was still formfitting like the red dress from the night before. The simple black sheath was sleeveless and delicately adorned with black sequins along the hem, and had a sheer back. Her accessories were minimal, and when she came back into the room, he noticed a simple black wrap.
“It helps so much that we don’t have to leave the hotel to go to dinner,” she said as she draped the wrap around herself. “I get to wear pretty dresses without having to worry about freezing to death.” Walking toward Cam, she admired his dark suit and then smiled at his light-blue silk tie. “Nicely done, Cam,” she complimented him. “Not quite so somber.”
“I’m learning,” he teased and then held out his arm to escort her to the elevator.
They rode down to the main floor and joined a group of Cam’s colleagues as they walked toward the banquet hall. Outside the entrance, they had all stopped and were chatting when Lily spotted the mistletoe from the night before. Turning toward one of the other women in the group, she said, “I love the holidays. Everything looks so festive and bright. Plus”—she pointed upward and winked—“it gives us an excuse for a little PDA, right?” The other woman nodded, and before Lily knew what was happening, Cam turned her in his arms and kissed her.
Oh, and how he was kissing her.
It took Lily less than a second to happily wrap her arms around him. When Cam’s tongue gently grazed her lower lip, Lily more than willingly opened for him and let him deepen the kiss. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Cam could kiss like this. He was all heat and passion, and she let out a small whimper of need before she could stop herself.
Someone cleared their throat behind them, and Cam reluctantly ended the kiss. Pulling back, he looked at Lily’s flushed face and hated that they were here in this crowd. All day he had dreamed about kissing her again under the mistletoe. This time he wanted to be the one to initiate the kiss, to see if it would be any better than his fantasies.
And it was.
Without a word, Cam took Lily’s hand in his and joined the group heading into the banquet hall for dinner.
It was going to be a long night.
* * *
Cam couldn’t say why he was doing it, but he was being a jackass. There was no other way to put it. By ten o’clock he had had enough of social chitchat and talk about projects and research and work in general. He was done. Every time he heard Lily laugh at something somebody said, he felt rage building inside him. When she turned to talk to anybody else, he wanted to demand that she talk to him. He was out of control and mad as hell, and he didn’t know why.
Actually, he was lying to himself. He knew exactly why.
The kiss.
Looking around the room, Cam decided he was done for the night because he wanted Lily all to himself. They had danced, they had mingled and socialized, but now it was time for them to be alone.
And to hell with the consequences.
He stood suddenly and made their excuses and then held his hand out to Lily. She looked at him questioningly but didn’t object. After she said her good nights to everyone, she and Cam walked out of the room. They silently rode the elevator up to their floor, neither saying a word until they were safely back in their suite.
“Are you okay?” Lily finally asked. The room was bathed in only the soft light of one small lamp set in the corner. It felt oddly intimate and she had to wonder why neither of them seemed willing to move from the confines of the entryway.
“No,” he said, his voice a low rumble. “I’m not.” He didn’t elaborate, didn’t think he’d be able to find the words, so he did the only thing that he could. He stepped in close and kissed her again. Without the crowd, without the noise and the flurry of activity around them they’d had earlier, he was completely focused on the scent of her perfume and the feel of her body pressed against his as he backed her up against the wall. It was madness, and Cam made sure that he never let himself succumb to madness.
But it couldn’t be helped.
He had wanted Lily for so long, and all of the pretending in the world wasn’t going to be enough—not after he’d touched her and tasted her. That only made the longing worse. His mouth left hers only long enough to trail kisses along the slender column of her neck, and then he needed to feel her lips under his again. He said a silent prayer of thanks when she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him even closer, her hands seeming as frantic as his to explore and touch.
“Cam?” she whispered when he broke away to stroke his tongue along the delicate shell of her ear. He reached up and placed one strong finger over her kiss-swollen lips. Her own tongue reached out and licked a path along his finger, and she smiled when he groaned with pleasure. “Is this wrong?” she asked. “We never… We’ve always been…”
His mouth silenced hers. Cam didn’t want to think about before or what they’d never dared to do. If he allowed his mind to go in that direction, his overly practical side would take control and he’d never get the chance to experience this incredible sensation of intimacy with Lily again.
Just tonight.
For just this one night, he’d allow himself the pleasure of stepping out of himself and loving her the way he had always wanted to. “Tonight, Lily,” he murmured against her lips. “Please. Just give me tonight.” His words were tinged with a hint of desperation that was foreign to Cam. He almost didn’t recognize himself. His own voice sounded like it was coming from somebody else. When Lily didn’t immediately respond, he forced himself to pull
back, hating how cold and alone he suddenly felt without her body pressed against his.
Lily’s breathing was ragged, and her eyes were glazed and intense as she studied him. “Yes.”
The relief he felt at that one little word was so great that Cam nearly sank to his knees. Both of his hands snaked up into her hair and ruined its beautiful, upswept style, but he didn’t care. He kissed her with a ferocity that scared him. For once in his life, he was going to give in and be impulsive and allow himself to simply feel. He heard Lily’s purse drop to the floor and then felt her wrap shimmy down her arms. “I want to make love to you, Lily Cavanaugh,” he said huskily as he leaned his forehead against hers and did his best to regain his breath.
She smiled shyly. “I’d like that very much.”
And then, hand in hand, they walked into the bedroom where Cam closed the double doors and turned to the woman who was his every dream come true.
Chapter 5
The sun was just beginning to rise when Lily opened her eyes and instantly smiled. They had made love. Repeatedly. She felt a little giddy when she thought about it, because she’d always known that Cam was thorough in everything he did, but that thoroughness had a whole new meaning now.
He was pressed against her back, completely wrapped around her, and Lily loved the way he felt. She wanted to bask in the afterglow of it all, but a little voice of doubt crept into her thoughts. One night. That was what he had asked for—just the one night. After such a night, could she really be okay with it never happening again?
Cam’s lips on her shoulder told her he was awake. Turning her head slightly, she looked at him and smiled. “Good morning.”
Rather than speaking, he continued to trail kisses along her shoulder and then down her spine, all the while, his hands conducting their own exploration.
Interesting, Lily thought. Clearly, the super-genius mind of Cameron Greene did not recall his one-night rule. That was more than fine with her. If she had her way, there would be no rules, no limits. Forever actually worked quite well for her.
Arching her back, she purred with delight as he worked his way back up and rolled her beneath him before diving in for a kiss so hot, so deep, and so wet that she simply forgot how to breathe. Just when she was about to completely wrap herself around him in silent invitation, Cam pulled back and smiled at her.
“Good morning to you too.” His hair was mussed and he had stubble on his chin, but he looked good enough to eat. Cam always was the portrait of neatness, never a hair out of place, but she liked this look a heck of a lot more. She smiled as she ran her hand along his cheek and then down to his chest. “See anything you like?” he asked lightly.
Her green eyes met his, and her expression turned serious. “Everything.” And then she pulled him down for another searing kiss, forgot all about rules and nights, and gave him a morning he was sure to remember.
* * *
For the first time since…well, ever, Cam was late for a meeting. He’d felt a moment of pure panic when he first looked at the clock after he and Lily had nearly destroyed one another with their enthusiasm, but then he couldn’t find the strength to care. Time had no meaning right now because he had a beautiful woman wrapped around him. Now that had meaning.
He just wasn’t sure what it was.
Everything was different and yet it wasn’t. Cam had expected that they’d make love and be done. Maybe there would be a little awkwardness, but then they’d move on. He’d never expected her to respond to him the way she had or that he’d be so insatiable for her. And she for him! He certainly hadn’t expected them to still be so needy for one another this morning, and if he wasn’t careful, he’d never want to leave this room today.
Reluctantly, he slowly got up and smiled at her sleepy protest. He kissed her forehead. “Believe me, I’d much rather stay here, but I’m already late.”
Lily instantly sat up and looked at the clock. “Oh my gosh! I’m sorry! I’m really sorry, Cam! I didn’t mean… I mean, I didn’t even think that—”
He silenced her with a kiss. “Stop worrying,” he said. “I’m going to grab a quick shower and then I’m leaving, but after this afternoon’s session, I’ll let you show me all around Times Square.”
“Because I’m such a pro after my day yesterday?” she teased.
“Something like that,” he said as he walked toward the bathroom and shut the door.
Lily sighed and smiled at the same time. Okay, so Cam had completely forgotten about his rules and about time. That had never happened. Ever. But what did it mean for them? For all Lily knew, this morning was just a small detour or an extension of the night, and now Cam was done. She pouted slightly. Well, she wasn’t ready to be done. No, she was about as far from done as a person could get. Pretending wasn’t an option for her anymore, and she only had six weeks to convince him that their reality could be so much more than either of them had imagined.
* * *
Cam had never been a clock watcher, but today he was. Every meeting seemed endless, and all of his conversations were forced. All he wanted was to be done and to get back upstairs to Lily. The thought of going out on the town with her filled him with anticipation. Images of her from the night before kept flashing through his mind—and when he thought about the things they had done this morning? Well, several times during his meetings, he found himself shifting uncomfortably in his seat.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. While Lily didn’t seem outraged or even shocked by them becoming intimate, Cam wasn’t sure it had been smart. Lily was a woman who led with her heart; she put everything she had into everything she did. Cam was a lot more closed off. He was studious and serious, and while their friendship had always worked for them, there wasn’t a doubt in his mind that if he pursued a serious romantic relationship with Lily, he’d end up killing some of the essence that made her who she was.
What made him love her.
Shaking his head at his own negative thoughts, he almost wept with gratitude when the afternoon session finally came to a close and he was free to leave. Doing his best to stay under the radar, he quickly made his exit and hit the bank of elevators before anyone noticed his departure. Tapping his foot and waiting for the doors to open, Cam looked at his watch and saw it was only two minutes after five.
A new record.
At the sound of the elevator’s arrival, he was glad there was still no one around as he quickly stepped on and pushed the button to close the doors. By the time he arrived at the suite, he had only used up another two minutes. His fingers fumbled with the key card, and when he finally got through the door, he was treated to the sight of Lily walking across the room in nothing but a towel.
“Cam!” she cried and then looked for the nearest clock. “You’re early. Is everything okay?”
He tried to tell himself he had planned on coming back to the room and taking Lily sightseeing, and making love to her wasn’t on the agenda. He wasn’t going to allow himself to do that again. But one look at her, and all of his good intentions flew right out the window.
He knew the second she caught his train of thought because her smile went from sweet to sexy in the blink of an eye. She walked toward him slowly, and Cam began to wonder how she had become as anxious to be with him as he was to be with her. For years he had pined after her, and she had never given even a hint that she was interested in pursuing a more intimate relationship. But now? Now they were clearly on the same page, and he loved it.
“So?” she said sweetly as she stood nearly toe-to-toe with him. “Are you okay?”
Cam’s hand crept slowly up to where her towel was knotted between her breasts and lingered there. His eyes met hers, and the heat he saw there mirrored his own. With a gentle tug, the towel dropped to the floor. “I am now.”
* * *
Snow had begun to fall again as Lily and Cam walked along Seventh Avenue. “Isn’t thi
s amazing?” Lily asked excitedly. It had been well after seven when they finally left the hotel, and an hour later, they were strolling hand in hand and trying to decide where to eat. Every few minutes, she would stop Cam so they could either take selfies in front of something she considered fun or ask random strangers to take their picture. She was having a blast. “All of the lights and the activity are invigorating.”
Cam wasn’t sure he fully agreed. What they’d done earlier in the room had been invigorating. Walking along Seventh Avenue and now Broadway in the cold and the snow was something he could easily live without. He was starving, and as much as he hated to admit it, he’d go along with anything Lily wanted for dinner at this point, even if it came from a street vendor.
“Ooo, we have to go in here,” she said as she dragged Cam into the Disney Store.
“Why? Why do we need to stop in here?” The sheer magnitude of the colors, music, and lighting assaulted him as they walked in. “Seriously, Lil. Why?”
“I haven’t been to Disney since I was a little girl. I came in here yesterday, and it just made me wish I could hop on a plane to Florida right now.”
“It would be a lot warmer, I can tell you that,” he grumbled.
“Oh, stop being such a baby. We’re having fun.”
“If you have to remind me, then no, I’m not.”
Lily stopped and made a face at him. “Remember the trip we took to Disney World when we were eight? Remember how much fun we had?”
“Remember how I got sick on the rides?” he replied sarcastically, then hated himself when her expression fell. “Okay, okay… Yes, it was a fun trip. If you don’t count the throwing up. So, we’re here in this…monstrosity of a store. What are you looking for?”
Mistletoe Between Friends / The Snowflake Inn Page 5
