been so upfront about everything. There would be no anxious moments wondering about a kiss good night that neither wanted. Or the dreaded “I’ll call you” that wasn’t sincere.
Jeremy put his arm around her to keep her warm from the biting cold. Cami turned up her collar, wishing she had brought her woolen neck scarf. They were walking at a brisk pace, no more than half a block from her apartment, when she nearly ran into Bradan.
“Oh, God. Bradan.” Cami didn’t know how to react. Politeness kicked in to save her. “Ah, this is Jeremy.” She nodded toward her date, but took the liberty of ogling the gorgeous man in front of her. He’d worn a suede jacket with faded jeans and looked delectable.
Bradan nodded. He scrutinized Cami and then her date. “Hello, nice to meet you.” But she could tell he didn’t mean it at all. There was a strange look in his eyes—verging on anger, unless she misjudged.
“What are you doing here?” Cami had a feeling she knew, but wasn’t sure.
“Just came to see you. But you weren’t home,” he said derisively. And if Cami didn’t know better, she’d swear he was jealous. Though she couldn’t imagine why. It was his idea to avoid seeing her exclusively. Now he had to live with it.
Despite herself, Cami gave a little smile. Seeing Bradan uncomfortable was retribution enough. Then she admonished herself for being vindictive. “No, I wasn’t home.” There was no way she was going to let him off easy by saying they were just friends, knowing he wouldn’t believe her anyway.
“Well then.” Bradan nodded and, with a cursory glance at Jeremy, dodged around them and went on his way. He said nothing about what he had wanted, or if he’d call. It infuriated Cami.
“Oooh,” she said. “He makes me so mad.”
Jeremy still had his arm around her, and they started walking again. “He’s the complication?”
“Yes, he definitely is.”
Cami invited Jeremy in, and they sipped some wine for a while and discussed menus. She showed him her well-equipped though small kitchen. And was tickled that he was interested in various rare ingredients she’d found at specialty stores in the city.
He was an easy man to be with, but not one likely to steal her heart. Nor did she have any interest, especially now that she knew Brittany was on his radar. As she walked him to the door at the end of a relaxed evening, Cami said, “So, is it okay if I talk to Brittany?”
“You probably should. Otherwise I don’t think I’ll have the nerve to ask her out. She’s really cute, and I’d hate to be shut down.”
“You won’t be. Trust me.” Cami hugged him and sent him on his way. She felt good except for the nagging mystery of Bradan.
He’d clearly come by to see her, but could have called first. Then she realized she’d left her phone at home, turned off. Retrieving it, she discovered there were three messages from Bradan. It looked like he’d tried to reach her, and with no success, had just come over.
It made her feel good that he wanted to see her, but uneasy at the same time. Cami dared not think he wanted something more, knowing her hopes would be dashed. He wasn’t that kind of guy. He liked the sex, and he wanted more of it. That was all.
Yet it wasn’t all for her. Cami felt more. Her heart was involved, and sex, no matter how hot, wouldn’t be enough. That much was clear. If there had ever been a time when she could jump into Bradan’s bed for the physical pleasure only, that time had passed. He’d ruined it when he made love to her like he really cared, dammit.
Chapter 12
The next morning while Cami was getting dressed for Pilates, her phone rang. It was Bradan.
“So, who was your date last night?”
He was infuriating. “Why is it your business? You don’t check with me before you go out.”
There was no quick reply, and Cami thought she’d won that round.
“I kept trying to call you. Don’t you answer your phone?” He sounded really
Jeremy put his arm around her to keep her warm from the biting cold. Cami turned up her collar, wishing she had brought her woolen neck scarf. They were walking at a brisk pace, no more than half a block from her apartment, when she nearly ran into Bradan.
“Oh, God. Bradan.” Cami didn’t know how to react. Politeness kicked in to save her. “Ah, this is Jeremy.” She nodded toward her date, but took the liberty of ogling the gorgeous man in front of her. He’d worn a suede jacket with faded jeans and looked delectable.
Bradan nodded. He scrutinized Cami and then her date. “Hello, nice to meet you.” But she could tell he didn’t mean it at all. There was a strange look in his eyes—verging on anger, unless she misjudged.
“What are you doing here?” Cami had a feeling she knew, but wasn’t sure.
“Just came to see you. But you weren’t home,” he said derisively. And if Cami didn’t know better, she’d swear he was jealous. Though she couldn’t imagine why. It was his idea to avoid seeing her exclusively. Now he had to live with it.
Despite herself, Cami gave a little smile. Seeing Bradan uncomfortable was retribution enough. Then she admonished herself for being vindictive. “No, I wasn’t home.” There was no way she was going to let him off easy by saying they were just friends, knowing he wouldn’t believe her anyway.
“Well then.” Bradan nodded and, with a cursory glance at Jeremy, dodged around them and went on his way. He said nothing about what he had wanted, or if he’d call. It infuriated Cami.
“Oooh,” she said. “He makes me so mad.”
Jeremy still had his arm around her, and they started walking again. “He’s the complication?”
“Yes, he definitely is.”
Cami invited Jeremy in, and they sipped some wine for a while and discussed menus. She showed him her well-equipped though small kitchen. And was tickled that he was interested in various rare ingredients she’d found at specialty stores in the city.
He was an easy man to be with, but not one likely to steal her heart. Nor did she have any interest, especially now that she knew Brittany was on his radar. As she walked him to the door at the end of a relaxed evening, Cami said, “So, is it okay if I talk to Brittany?”
“You probably should. Otherwise I don’t think I’ll have the nerve to ask her out. She’s really cute, and I’d hate to be shut down.”
“You won’t be. Trust me.” Cami hugged him and sent him on his way. She felt good except for the nagging mystery of Bradan.
He’d clearly come by to see her, but could have called first. Then she realized she’d left her phone at home, turned off. Retrieving it, she discovered there were three messages from Bradan. It looked like he’d tried to reach her, and with no success, had just come over.
It made her feel good that he wanted to see her, but uneasy at the same time. Cami dared not think he wanted something more, knowing her hopes would be dashed. He wasn’t that kind of guy. He liked the sex, and he wanted more of it. That was all.
Yet it wasn’t all for her. Cami felt more. Her heart was involved, and sex, no matter how hot, wouldn’t be enough. That much was clear. If there had ever been a time when she could jump into Bradan’s bed for the physical pleasure only, that time had passed. He’d ruined it when he made love to her like he really cared, dammit.
Chapter 12
The next morning while Cami was getting dressed for Pilates, her phone rang. It was Bradan.
“So, who was your date last night?”
He was infuriating. “Why is it your business? You don’t check with me before you go out.”
There was no quick reply, and Cami thought she’d won that round.
“I kept trying to call you. Don’t you answer your phone?” He sounded really
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