by Aliyah Burke
A groan of pleasure escaped as she bit into the warm, gooey grilled cheese tem n minutes later. The steam wafting up from her bowl of soup made her smile. Tearing off a bite, she dipped it in the liquid, then moved it to her mouth. “Oh yeah,” she moaned.
After two sandwiches and her soup, she felt sated. Rinsing the dishes out at the sink, she shook her head at the snow that had picked up once more. Flashing lights glinted off the snow and she spied a fire truck moving through the area, not fast at all.
Cameron?
She didn’t think so, he wasn’t at the station closest to her. His brother Carter was, but not Cameron.
Hopefully, whoever needed them would be okay until they managed to make it through. She wasn’t interested in staring at another screen, so she decided to call it an early night and headed for bed.
The phone woke her later and she fumbled for it. “Hello?”
“Riya? It’s Gina. Just checking to make sure you were okay. Aww honey, did I wake you?”
“It’s fine. I just called it an early night, since I spent damn near all day staring at code and screens. I’m fine, thanks for checking on me.”
“No problem. Are you sure you’re okay? I heard your power went out.”
“Where’d you hear that?” She sat and reached out to tug the chain, a shaft of light illuminated her room.
“Cameron.” A small laugh. “Well, Carter actually but Cameron told him. Care to know what else he passed along?”
“Not particularly, thanks for the offer.”
“I can’t believe you two are back together.” Gina sounded damn near giddy.
“Hold on, Gina. We weren’t ever together to begin with and we’re not together now. That was…” she cleared her throat, “…just a mistake.”
Her friend snorted. “If you think that’s going to fly with Cameron, I’m going to say good luck and I’ll make a bet with you on how it’s going to go.”
“It’s got nothing to do with Cameron but my own decisions.”
“And the chance you could be pregnant?”
Holy Christ, did that man ever keep anything to himself? “Seriously? He told Carter that as well? They gossip worse then women.”
“He’ll do anything to get what he wants. It’s how they are. And as a heads up, he may have even told his parents.”
She cradled her head in her hands and muffled a groan. “Are you serious?”
“Just giving you a warning, I can’t guarantee it, but if they come calling at least you’ll have had prior knowledge.” Gina cleared her throat. “For what it’s worth, I can’t wait to have you as my sister. I’ll let you get back to sleep. Chat soon.”
Again, alone in the quiet of her room, Riya flopped back and dragged the blankets up over her head. Nothing she could do about this right now. But when she could, it was time for her and Cameron to have a discussion.
αβ
Cameron sat on the padded table at the doctor’s office and waited for the man to provide him with the update on his shoulder’s progress.
“I have to say, Cameron,” Dr. Ivey stated, messing with the stethoscope around his neck. “I didn’t think you would heal this fast. I thought you would be out of work for a lot longer than a few days. You Liaci boys sure do heal quick.”
“Not about to let anyone keep me off my truck, Doc. So I’m cleared to go back to work then?”
“I can see no reason why to keep you sidelined longer.”
He hopped off the table and grinned. “Wonderful.” Cameron buttoned up his shirt and tucked it in. “Thanks, Doc.” He walked out the door and winked at the receptionist as he moved by her. While her blush was familiar, he didn’t care to see anyone else blush but Riya.
It had been five days since he’d seen her. The snow had kept him at the station, he hadn’t even gone to his own home. While there was still accumulation on the ground, the streets were now clear. And he had every intention of swinging by her place on his way back from here.
The day was clear and the sun shone brightly. He had a smile on his face as he exited the large building. At his truck, he pulled out his phone and called Riya.
No answer.
He hopped in and headed for the diner. Cameron couldn’t wait to see her and the grin didn’t leave his face when he pulled open the door. It faded away seconds later when there was no sign of her inside the diner. Unless she was hidden in the back for the moment. As much as he wished that were the case, he knew it wasn’t true, given there were two waitresses in the front.
After claiming a seat in the back, he waited for the waitress to approach.
“What can I get for you?”
So far, there were two issues. She wasn’t here and this woman, who he didn’t even know, didn’t know his order. After he placed it, he rubbed his temple as she walked away. This was supposed to be a good day, he was going to tell her he was cleared for work and then they would talk about their relationship.
He ate quickly and paid his bill before he headed out. Calling her once more, he scowled when it went to voicemail. This time, he headed to her place and knocked on the door.
No answer.
“Where are you, Riya?”
After calling her yet again, and leaving a message, he went to his place, needing to do some laundry and take care of some other things. He’d started a load and padded around his place in a pair of sweats and socks, nothing else.
The doorbell chimed and he whipped around to see who was there. Drawing it open, warmth spread throughout his body at the sight of the person standing there. Riya. “Hello, beautiful.” Cameron swung the door open, inviting her inside.
“Don’t you dare ‘hello beautiful’ me,” she snarled.
It took him a second to recognize the heated sparks in her eyes and the fire flaming them toward him. “What?”
“What? That’s all you have to say? I get a call from Gina talking about how I may be pregnant and all you can say is…what? Why the hell would you ever feel the need to talk to your brother about the fact you and I had unprotected sex?”
“Maybe you’d like to come in and discuss this, so it’s not shared with the rest of the apartments?”
“Why keep it a secret now? You told your brother who in turn told Gina. Hell, she said you may have even mentioned it to your parents. Just what I need, to have the Liaci family knowing that I had sex with their youngest son. And now, I may be carrying his baby.”
Further down the hall, he saw a door close and knew that Mrs. Berk would be asking about this soon enough. Grinding his jaw, he yanked Riya inside his place and slammed the door behind them. “Hold on a second.”
I’m killing Carter for blabbing this to Gina.
“Hold on for what? To give you time to come up with some lie on why you would spread this around? I don’t want to know. We’re done from here on out, Cameron. Don’t talk to me, don’t call, don’t come by, forget I exist.”
That wasn’t going to happen.
She whirled around and headed for the door. He snagged her around the waist and snapped her back to him.
She pounded his chest and glared up at him.
“First off, I’m sorry that Carter opened his mouth to Gina.”
She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? That’s what you’re sorry about? Nothing about the fact, you couldn’t keep your damn mouth shut and were gossiping like a pussy? But the fact the one you gossiped to shared it with someone else? I can’t believe it. Let go of me!” She smacked at him again.
“I’m not letting you go. I get it you’re upset.”
She stilled in his arms and looked at him. Her brown eyes held no trace of anything and he became suspicious instantly—and wary. “You’re right. Upset.” Her words were smooth and modulated.
Cameron loosened his grip on her and backed her to the couch until she sat on the dark cushion. “Look, Riya. I told my brother because I tell him everything.” He took in her black shirt and yellow pants. She was just so damn adorable and sexy.
�
��So you told him about every woman you’ve fucked?”
He sucked on his teeth and weighed his options of either lying or basically lying. He hadn’t told Carter about her because she was special and he hadn’t told him about some of the others because they didn’t mean a fucking thing to him. “No.”
“Then what good is your word?” He opened his mouth and she waved him off. “No, don’t answer. I heard all I need to.” Riya got up and edged by him to the door. “Goodbye Cameron.” She vanished the next second.
What the hell just happened?
Cameron stepped out and didn’t see her anywhere. Frustration welled up within him and he stomped back inside, yanked up the handset, then dialed his brother.
“Is it important, Cameron? I’m about to go meet Gina.”
“Why did you tell Gina about me and Riya?” He flexed a fist a few times.
“Didn’t know it was a secret? Why? What’s the problem?”
“Gina mentioned it to her. Why did she even know about it? I told you, not her.”
“Don’t get mad at me, Cameron. One, you didn’t say I had to keep it under my hat and two, I’m not about to lie to Gina. I’ve fucked up with her before, I’m not about to do that again.”
Cameron sighed and raked a hand through his hair. He couldn’t blame him for that, even if it was Carter who had done the stupid thing to begin with. “Sorry, she just read me the riot act about telling you about us and so I of course, told her that I told you everything and she called me on it.”
“Christ, she wanted to see if you told me about each woman you slept with?”
He sank to the sofa. “Yes.”
“And you call me the dumb one. Riya doesn’t like people all up in her business, Cameron. You should know that. She’s always been more on the private side than our family is. Hell, it took Gina years to get to know her and after the death of her mother, she closed down again.”
“Yeah, about that. That was our first time together, after she buried her mother and was out for the first time. Christ, I have the worst timing imaginable. And now, she’s even more pissed at me.”
“I am the last person who should tell you how to fix this but you have to try. It’s obvious this woman means something to you. Our parents will be thrilled to hear about this but go fix it with her. And I mean now.”
The phone went dead as his brother hung up on him.
“Because I know where she is.” He tried her cell phone but it went to voicemail. “Riya, we need to talk about this. Call me when you get the message.” A slight pause. “Please.” Then he called her house and left a similar message.
Time to track his woman down.
Chapter Six
Riya fought a yawn as she stepped from her car. It had been a long two days and she wanted nothing more than a hot shower and her bed. Food would be nice but it wasn’t much of a blip on her radar. She’d pushed it hard to make it back here.
I can’t believe I didn’t take another day to recoup from that trip.
She opened the trunk and withdrew her bag. As she lifted it free, a grunt slipped free. “Christ, this is pathetic if even my bag feels horribly heavy.”
Slamming the lid, she yawned again and trudged up her walk, keys in hand.
“Where have you been?”
She screeched and jumped bringing up the mace on her keychain and spraying it in the direction of the voice that scared the shit out of her.
“Damn it, Riya, it’s me Cameron! What the fuck did you, oh hell that shit stings.”
“Cameron? Oh, shit. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry but what the hell did you think was going to happen when you jumped out at me?” She fumbled with the lock and pushed the door open before ushering him inside.
He had his hands over his face and the curses wouldn’t stop coming. “I didn’t jump out at you.”
She dropped her bag, kicked the door closed and guided him back to the bathroom. “Stop touching your face, that’s just going to make it worse.”
He dropped his hands and she grimaced over the red already on his face. He blinked repeatedly and squinted at her.
She turned on the water and filled her sink. “You need to submerge your face in the water. Make sure to open your eyes a few times once in the water.”
He didn’t argue with her, just allowed her to help him.
After a good twenty minutes of flushing out his face she handed him a towel to dry off with. “Well?” she questioned.
“Still burns but it’s better. I can tolerate it much more. Now can you tell me why you just pepper sprayed me?”
She slanted her gaze at him. “Because you frightened the shit out of me and I’m a woman who lives alone and isn’t expecting a man to freak me out, outside my own place.”
“I’d apologize but I think I got the shitty end of the deal here.”
“Shouldn’t’ have frightened me.”
“Where were you?”
Riya sighed and took the damp towel from him, replacing it with a dry clean one. “I was at a job interview.”
“What?” He took the towel and put it against his face. “What job interview?”
“I’m not going to school for shits and giggles, Cameron. I am doing this to get a job.”
“Where are you looking? Here in the city?”
“No. Other side of the state.”
He gripped her wrists and drew her between his legs.
She did her best to ignore the dampness around his collar and how wonderfully he filled out his shirt.
“Where?”
“Mastonville.” She held his gaze. There wasn’t anything for her to feel bad about. She was moving on with her life.
“That’s completely on the other side of the state.” He cupped her chin. “Hell, it’s damn near in the state over.”
“It is in both states, so what?”
“I don’t want you to go.”
“I’m not working at the diner for the rest of my life, Cameron. I’ve been working for this for a long time. I have a job offer and I’m taking it. They don’t care I’m not done with school yet, they know I’m in and are looking forward to me being part of their company.”
“You were just going to leave,” he accused.
“I just got home. If I were just going to leave, I wouldn’t have come back. Don’t take that tone with me.”
He kissed her.
She shut her eyes and responded. Leaning into him, she enjoyed the moment. At least until she realized what was happening. Once again, Cameron was making her forget any and all common sense.
He pulled away. “What about us?”
“There’s not an us, Cameron. Didn’t we go over this already?” She moved away from him to try and keep her head on straight.
“Why are you moving away from me?” He pushed to his feet in a flawless motion and prowled toward her.
Every step she took back, he mimicked her using a forward motion. Until she was in her bedroom and unable to go anywhere else, thanks to her bed. She nibbled on her lower lip and watched him.
Even with his face that still suffering the effects of her pepper spray, this man did so much to her. On so many levels. With the bed, he’d been in with her at her knees and unable to move back, she held his watery gaze.
Cameron took another step closer to her.
She locked her knees.
“I don’t want you to go, Riya.”
“I’ve already agreed to the job.”
“So you’re running and not giving us a chance at all.”
Damn him for trying to put this all on her. With one deep breath, she shook her head. “No, I’m taking control of my life, making decisions for me, to better my life. Not anyone else’s. I loved my mother, still do, but everything was on hold because of her. And since she’s been gone these past two years I’ve been playing catch up and my ship has finally come in. I’m going. I’m sorry it’s not what you want to hear but it’s what’s going to happen.”
“And if you’re pregnant?”
>
“Not anything I can do about that now, so I’m not worrying about it. If I am, I am. Don’t worry I’ll let you know.”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and went to touch his eyes.
She smacked his hands away.
“What?”
“Don’t touch your face. Your hands still aren’t clean.”
“Sorry.” He put them into his pockets. “Can we talk about this?”
“Nothing more to say, Cameron. I leave within the week,” the words felt dragged out of her and broke her heart but it was the truth and she couldn’t, no she wouldn’t, put her life on hold for the slight possibility of having him declare his undying love for her.
“What would keep you here?”
She shook her head. “Nothing. I’m going.”
“So that’s it, then?”
“In regards to my leaving, yes.”
He muttered something that sounded a lot like, “We’ll see about that.”
αβ
Cameron wanted to shake her until she came to her senses. How was it he saw it clear as day what should be between them but she didn’t? Or wouldn’t? There was so much to discuss with her but right now, with his frustration so high and his face still flaming, he just wanted to yell.
That would get him nowhere.
Tugging off his shirt, he tossed it to the chair in the corner and hopped on her bed, crossing his ankles.
“What are you doing?”
He grinned, despite the pain he experienced. Riya was so adorable when angry, but right now, he didn’t want an angry Riya, he wanted the woman he had in bed the night the power had gone out. The one full of passion and who couldn’t get enough of him. “Staying until the pain is gone, so we can talk.” He patted the bed beside him. “Come to bed. You look exhausted.”
“I’m going to take a shower and I want you gone when I come back out.” She vanished into her bathroom.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said lacing his fingers behind his head.
When he woke up later, she was curled up against him, the room completely dark. It didn’t matter, she was where he wanted her to be. In his arms.
Cameron glanced at his watch and found it was around two in the morning. Riya didn’t stir as he untangled from her warm body. He moved to the doorway and withdrew his phone. Placing a call, he waited for the phone to be answered.
