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There was another yawning silence.
I do?
Are you nuts? You said the words ‘I do’ to the man who views weddings like people view the plague!
Something shifted in Cam’s expression—a blink of his eyes, a flicker of a muscle in his lean cheek, a stretching of his mouth into a smile that didn’t involve his eyes. ‘We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.’
If we come to it? There was no if about it. That bridge was going to blow up in their faces like a Stage Five firecracker on Guy Fawkes Night. Violet knew her family too well. They were constantly on the lookout for any signs of her dating. MI5 could learn a thing or two from her mother and sisters. How was she going to explain a night out with Cam McKinnon? ‘Are you sure we should be doing this?’
There was a slight easing of the tension around his mouth. ‘We’re not robbing a bank, Violet.’
‘I know, but—’
‘If you’d rather not, then I can always find someone—’
‘No,’ Violet said, not even wanting to think about the ‘someone’ he would take. ‘I’ll go. It’ll be fun—I haven’t been out to dinner for ages.’
He smiled a lopsided smile that made the back of Violet’s knees feel like someone was tickling them with a feather. ‘There’s one other thing...’
You want it to be a real date? You want us to see each other as in ‘see each other’? You’ve secretly been in love with me for years and years and years? Violet kept her face blank while the thoughts pushed against the door of her reasoning like people trying to get into a closing down sale.
‘We’ll have to act like a normal dating couple,’ he said. ‘Hold hands and...stuff.’
And stuff?
What other stuff?
Violet nodded like her head was supported by an elastic band instead of neck muscles. ‘Fine. Of course. Good idea. Fab. Brilliant idea. We have to look authentic. Wouldn’t want anyone to get the wrong idea... I mean, well, you know what I mean.’
Cam leaned down and brushed her cheek with his lips, the slight graze of his rougher skin making something in her stomach turn over. ‘I’ll pick you up at seven.’
Violet took a step backwards to enter the building but stumbled over the first step and would have fallen if it wasn’t for Cam’s hand shooting out to steady her. ‘You okay?’ he asked with a concerned frown.
Violet looked at his stubble-surrounded mouth that just moments ago had been against the smooth skin of her cheek. Had he felt that same sensation ricochet through his body? Had he wondered in that infinitesimal moment what it would feel like to press his lips to hers? Not in a brotherly kiss, but a proper man-wants-woman kiss? She sent the point of her tongue over the surface of her lips, her breath hitching when he tracked every millimetre of the movement. Keep it light. ‘For a moment there I thought you were going to kiss me,’ Violet said with a little laugh.
The navy-blue of his gaze turned three shades darker before glancing at her mouth and back again. But then his hand dropped from her arm as if her skin had scorched him. ‘Let’s not go there.’
But I want to go there. I want to. I want to. I want to. Violet kept her smile in place even though it felt like it was stitched to her mouth. ‘Yes, that would be taking things too far. I mean, not that I don’t find you attractive or anything, but us kissing? Not such a great idea.’
There was the sound of heels click-clacking behind her and Violet turned to see Lorna coming back. ‘Silly me. I forgot my phone,’ Lorna said and with a sly smile at Cam added, ‘Aren’t you going to kiss her and let her get back to work?’
Violet sneaked a glance at Cam but instead of looking annoyed at Lorna’s comment he smiled an easy smile and reached for Violet’s hand and drew her against his side. ‘I was just getting to that,’ he said.
Violet assumed he would wait till Lorna had gone back into the building before releasing her but Lorna didn’t go back into the building. She stood three steps up from them with that annoying smirk on her mouth as if daring Cam to follow through. Cam turned his back to Lorna and slipped a hand under Violet’s hair, cupping the nape of her neck, making every nerve beneath her skin pirouette.
‘You don’t have to do this...’ Violet whispered.
Cam brought his mouth down to within a whisker of hers. ‘Yes, I do.’
And then he did.
CHAPTER TWO (#ulink_c5b266e4-964a-5dd7-8904-de0501487230)
CAM PRESSED HIS lips to Violet’s mouth and a bomb went off in his head, scattering his common sense like flying shrapnel. What are you doing? But he didn’t want to listen to his conscience. He had wanted to kiss her from the moment he’d walked into that cafе earlier and now her annoying workmate had given him the perfect excuse to do so. Violet’s mouth tasted like a combination of milk and honey, her lips soft and pliable beneath his. He drew her ballerina-like body even closer, his body responding with a fierce rush of blood to his groin. Her small breasts were pressed against his chest, her slim hips against his, her hands gripping the front of his jacket as if she couldn’t stand upright without his support. Hell, he was having trouble keeping upright himself, apart from one part of his anatomy.
It’s time to stop. You should stop. You need to stop. The chanting of his brain was attempting to drown out the frantic panting of his body. Yes. Yes. Yes. Clearly it had been too long between drinks. His self-control was usually spot on. But he didn’t want the kiss to end. He felt as though he might die if it did. Lust pounded through his body, rampaging, roaring lust that made every cell in his system shudder with need. Intense need. Need that made him think of sweating, straining bodies and tangled sheets and blissful, euphoric release.
She gave a little mewling sound when he shifted position, her mouth flowering open to the hungry glide of his tongue. He explored her sweet interior, his pulse rate going off the scale when her tongue came into play with his. Her tongue was hesitant at first, but then she made another whimpering sound and grew more and more confident, flirting with his tongue, darting away and coming back for the sensual heat of his strokes. He put his hands on her hips, holding her to the throbbing ache of his body.
She felt so damn good, like she was made for his exact proportions. Had he ever felt so aroused so quickly? It was like he was a hormone-driven teenager all over again. He seriously had to get his work/life balance sorted out. How long had it been since he’d slept with a woman? Too long if his trigger was being tripped by just a kiss.
A car tooting on its way past was the only thing that got through to him. Cam put Violet from him, holding her by the hands so as to help her keep her balanced. He did a quick glance over his shoulder but Violet’s workmate had disappeared. Not surprising given he’d lost track of time during that kiss.
Violet blinked as if trying to reorient herself. Her small pink tongue did a quick circuit of her lips and his groin groaned and growled with need. He could almost imagine how it would feel to have that shy little tongue move over his body. He couldn’t remember a kiss being so...consuming. He had forgotten where they were. He had darned near forgotten who he was. He might be seriously hot for Violet but he wasn’t going to act on it. She was his best mate’s kid sister, the baby of the family he adored.
It was a boundary he was determined not to cross. Or at least not to cross any further than he just had.
Cam released her hands and gave a relaxed smile he hoped disguised the bedlam of base needs in his body baying for more. ‘That was quite a kiss.’
Violet gave him a distracted little smile that seemed to set off a rippling tide of worry in her toffee-brown eyes. ‘Y-you caught me by surprise...’
Right back at you, sweetheart. ‘Yes, well, I figured your workmate wasn’t going to go away until we got it over with. Is she usually that persistent?’
‘You caught her on a good day.’
Cam wondered how much bullying went on in that office. Violet was a gentle soul who would find it hard to stand up for herself in a dog-eat-dog environment. Even within the loving and loud bosom of her family, she had the tendency to shrink away to a quiet corner rather than engage in the lively banter. Before he could stop himself, he brushed a fingertip down the pinked slope of her cheek. ‘You’re completely safe with me, Violet. You do know that, don’t you? Kissing is all we’ll do if the need should arise.’ I hope fate isn’t listening, otherwise you are toast.
Her small white teeth sank into the pillow of her lower lip and she lowered her gaze to a point at the base of his neck. ‘Of course.’ Her voice was not much more than a scratchy whisper.
He stepped back from her. ‘I’d better let you get back to work.’
She turned without another word and climbed the steps, not even glancing back before disappearing into the building when she got to the top.
Cam let out a long breath and walked on. It was all well and good to kiss her but that was as far as it could go. He wasn’t what Violet was looking for. He wasn’t the settling down type. Maybe one day he would think about setting up a home with someone, but right now he had too much going on in his career. That was his focus, his priority. Not relationships.
Marriage might work for some people, but it didn’t work for others—his parents and their collection of exes being a case in point. Too many people got hurt when relationships broke down. It was like a boulder dropped into a pond; the ripples of hurt went on for years. He was still sidestepping the pain his parents’ divorce had caused. It wasn’t that he’d wanted them to stay together. Far from it. They hadn’t been happy from the get-go because his mother had been in love and his father hadn’t and then his father had dumped his mother for someone younger and more attractive and had been outrageously difficult about the divorce. His mother had responded by being equally difficult and, inevitably, Cam had got caught up in the middle until eventually he’d been dumped at boarding school and left to fend for himself. In the years since, his parents had changed partners so often Cam had trouble keeping track of names and addresses and birthdays. He’d had to set up a database on his phone to keep on top of them all.
But he needed to get Sophia Nicolaides off his case and taking Violet was the way to do it. Sophia was too crafty to spot a fake. He couldn’t bring someone he’d only just met to the dinner. It had to be someone he already felt comfortable with and her with him. Violet was shy around him, but then, she was shy around most people. It was part of her charm, the fact that she didn’t flaunt her assets or draw attention to herself. He’d been upfront about the fact it wasn’t a date and he was sure she too wouldn’t want to compromise the friendship that had built up over the years.
At least they’d got the first kiss out of the way.
And what a kiss. Who knew that sweet little mouth could wreak such havoc on his self-control? He would have to watch himself. Violet wasn’t street smart like the women he normally dated. She wasn’t the sleep-around type. He wondered if she was still a virgin. Not likely since she was close to thirty, but who knew for sure? It wasn’t exactly a question he’d feel comfortable asking her. It was none of his business.
Cam ran his tongue over his lips and tasted her. Even if he never kissed her again, it was going to take a long time to forget that kiss.
If he ever did.
* * *
Violet tried on seven different outfits until she finally settled on a navy-blue velvet dress that fell just above the knee. It reminded her of the colour of Cam’s unusual eyes. Maybe that was why you bought it? No. Of course not. She’d bought it because she liked it. It suited her. She loved the feel of the fabric against her skin. She slipped her feet into heels and turned to view her reflection in the cheval mirror.
Her flatmate, Amy, popped her head around the door. ‘Gosh, you look scrumptious. I love that colour on you. Are you going out?’
Violet smoothed the front of her dress over her stomach and thighs, turning this way and that to check if she had visible panty line. No. All good. ‘You don’t think it’s too...plain?’
‘It’s simple but elegant,’ Amy said, perching on the end of Violet’s bed. ‘So who’s the guy? Have I met him? No, of course I haven’t because you’ve never brought anyone here, that I know of.’
Violet slipped on some pearl drop earrings her parents had given her for her twenty-first birthday. ‘He’s a friend of my brother’s. I’ve known him for ages.’ And he kisses like a sex god and my body is still humming with desire hours later.
Amy’s eyes danced. ‘Ooh! A friends-to-lovers thing. How exciting.’
Violet sent her a quelling look. ‘Don’t get your hopes up. I’m not his type.’ Cam couldn’t have been more succinct. ‘Kissing is all we’ll do.’ She hadn’t turned him on... Well, she had, but clearly not enough that he wanted to take things further.
The doorbell sounded and Amy jumped off the bed. ‘I’ll get it. I want to check out your date to see if he passes muster. Flat twenty-three B has certain standards, you know.’
Violet came out a few seconds later to see Amy giving an impression of a star-struck teen in front of a Hollywood idol. Violet had to admit Cam looked heart-stoppingly fabulous in a suit. He wasn’t the designer-wear type, but the sharp tailoring of his charcoal-grey suit fitted his tall frame to perfection and the white dress shirt and blue and grey striped tie highlighted the tanned and healthy tone of his skin and the intense blue of his eyes.
Cam’s gaze met Violet’s and a tiny invisible fist punched her in the stomach.
‘You look stunning.’ The deep huskiness of his voice was like a caressing stroke down the entire length of her spine. The way his eyes dipped to her lipgloss-coated mouth made her relive every pulse-racing second of that kiss. Was he remembering it too? How it had felt to have their tongues intimately entwined? How it had felt to taste each other, to feel each other’s response? How it had felt to end it without the satiation both their bodies craved?
Violet brushed an imaginary strand of hair off her face. ‘This is one of my flatmates, Amy Kennedy. Amy, this is Cameron McKinnon, a friend from way back.’
When Cam took Amy’s hand, Violet thought her flatmate was going to fall into a swoon. ‘Pleased to meet you,’ he said.
Amy’s cheeks were bright pink and her mouth seemed to be having trouble closing. ‘Same.’
Violet picked up her coat and Cam stood behind her and helped her into it. His body was so close she could feel its warmth and smell that intriguing blend of his aftershave. He briefly rested his hands on the tops of her shoulders before stepping away. While he was facing the other way, Amy gave her the thumbs-up sign, eyes bright with excitement. Violet picked up her purse and followed Cam to the door.
‘Have a good time!’ Amy’s voice had a sing-song quality to it that made Violet feel like a teen going out on her first date.
Cam led her to his car, parked a few metres down the rain-slicked street. ‘How many flatmates do you have?’
‘Two. Amy and Stefanie.’
Violet slipped into the plush leather seat of his showroom-perfect convertible. There was no way she could ever imagine a couple of kids’ seats in the back. His car was like his lifestyle—free and fast. Not that he was a hardened playboy or anything. But he was hardly a monk. He was a healthy man of thirty-four, in the prime of his life. Why wouldn’t he make the most of his freedom? How many women had experienced that divine mouth? That gorgeous body and all the sensual delights it promised?
Probably more than she wanted to think about.
‘I’m sorry about Amy back there,’ Violet said after they were on the move. ‘She can be a bit over the top.’
Cam glanced her way. ‘Did I pass the test?’
Violet could feel an annoying blush creeping over her cheeks. ‘The girls have a checklist for potential dates. No smokers, no heavy drinkers, no drugs, no tattoos. Must be gainfully employed, must respect women, must wear a condom... I mean during...you know...not at the time of meeting... That would be ridiculous.’
Cam’s deep laugh made the base of her spine quiver. ‘Good to know I tick all the boxes.’
Violet swivelled in her seat to look at him. ‘So what’s on your checklist?’
He appeared to think about it for a moment or maybe it was because he was concentrating on the traffic snarl ahead. ‘Nothing specific. Intelligence is always good, a sense of humour.’
‘Looks?’
He gave a lip shrug. ‘Not as important as other qualities.’
‘But you’ve only ever dated incredibly beautiful women. I’ve seen photos of them. Fraser showed me.’
‘Mere coincidence.’
Violet snorted. ‘Well-to-do men are selective when choosing a lover. Women, in general, are much more accepting over looks. It’s a well-known fact.’
‘What are you looking for in a partner?’
Violet looked at her hands where they were clutching her purse. ‘I guess I want what my parents have—a partner who loves me despite my faults and is there for me no matter what.’
‘Your parents are a tough act to follow.’
She let out a long sigh. ‘Tell me about it.’
* * *
The dinner was at a restaurant in Soho. Cam’s client had booked a private room and he and his wife were already seated at the table when they arrived. The man rose and greeted Cam warmly. ‘So good you could join us. Sophia has been excited about it all day, haven’t you, agapi mou?’
Sophia was excited all right. Violet could see the sultry gleam in those dark eyes as they roved Cam’s body like she was mentally undressing him.
Cam’s arm was around Violet’s waist. ‘Nick and Sophia Nicolaides, this is my partner Violet. Darling, this is Nick and Sophia.’
Partner? What was wrong with girlfriend? Partner sounded a little more...permanent. But then he wanted to make sure Sophia got the message loud and clear. ‘Darling’ was a nice touch, however. Violet quite liked that. No one had ever called her that before. She got ‘poppet’ and ‘wee one’ from her parents and her grandad called her Vivi like her siblings did. ‘I’m very pleased to meet you both,’ she said. ‘Cam’s told me all about you. Are you in London long?’
‘Until New Year,’ Nick said. ‘Sophia’s never had an English Christmas before.’
Sophia looked like all her Christmases and New Year’s Eves had come at once when she slid her hand through Cam’s arm. ‘You’re a dark horse, aren’t you?’ she said. ‘You never told us you had a partner. Are you engaged?’
Cam’s smile looked a little tight around the edges as he disentangled himself from Sophia’s tentacle-like arm. ‘Not yet.’
Not yet? Didn’t that imply he was actually considering it? Violet had trouble keeping her expression composed. Even though she knew he was only saying it for the sake of appearances, her heart still gave an excited little leap. Not that she was in love with him or anything. She was just imagining what it would be like if she was. How it would feel to have him look at her with that tender look he was sending her way and actually mean it. For real.
Sophia smiled but it didn’t crease her eyes at the corners, although that could have been because of Botox. Meow. Violet wasn’t normally the critical type but something about the predatory nature of Nick Nicolaides’ wife irritated her beyond measure. Sophia looked like the type of woman for whom the word ‘no’ was a challenge rather than an obstacle. What Sophia wanted, Sophia got. No matter what. And Sophia wanted Cam. It was a wonder Nick couldn’t see it. Or was Nick so enamoured with his young, stunningly beautiful wife he couldn’t see what was right before his eyes?
Violet decided it was time to draw the line, not in sand but in concrete. She gazed up at Cam with what she hoped passed for besotted devotion. ‘I didn’t know you were thinking along those lines this early in our relationship.’
He leaned down and dropped a kiss to her upturned mouth. ‘It’s never too early to say I love you.’
Violet smiled a blissfully happy smile. Who said she couldn’t act? Or maybe she wasn’t acting. Hearing him say those words, even though deep down she knew he didn’t mean them, had a potent effect on her. No one, apart from her family, had told her they loved her. ‘I love you, too, baby.’ She turned her smile up a notch.
Nick slapped Cam on the shoulder. ‘Let’s have a drink to celebrate in advance of the announcement.’
Champagne was ordered and served and the glasses held up in a toast to an engagement that wasn’t going to happen. It felt weird to be part of such a deception but Violet had no choice but to run with it. Sophia kept looking at her, sizing her up as if wondering what on earth Cam saw in her. Violet didn’t let it intimidate her, which was surprising as, under normal circumstances, she would have retreated to the trenches by now.
