Chapter 15 #2
“Natalie, part of my job as an attorney is to build trust with clients so I can do my job and I can do it well. My goal is always to make my clients feel comfortable sharing things with me. But I want you to know that I never intended to gain your trust for a purpose like this. I’d hate for anyone to think that I’d use the relationship I’ve built with a client for any kind of personal gain. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
I lifted a brow, pressing my lips together to try to keep a straight face. “I think you’re saying that everyone you work with trusts you, and I’m not special.”
Cameron’s eyes closed briefly as he shook his head.
“Jesus Christ. That’s absolutely not what I’m saying.
You’re very fucking special, Sunshine. Because you know it goes beyond trust. There’s chemistry, too.
And I didn’t do anything to make that happen.
It just did, despite all my attempts to stop it, ignore it. Okay?”
I flashed him a soft smile to make sure he knew that I did, that I hadn’t really been serious before. “Okay,” I said. “There’s also the fact that I felt like I could trust you from the moment I met you, when I was just a girl talking to a hot guy in a bar.”
Cameron’s lips curved, a gentle smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Are you sure that wasn’t just the alcohol?”
“I’m sure,” I answered, giving back the confidence he always showed me. “I wouldn’t have stayed long enough to even have the second drink if I didn’t. I wasn’t planning to, you know.”
The shine returned to his eyes. “Alright. Then what I need from you—and your trust in me—is to believe that no matter what, I’ve got this case handled.
I can take care of things in more ways than one, in more places than one, all at the same time.
If we do this, it just means you will be my entire focus, Natalie.
” His words were soft but hard, reassuring but assertive.
The perfect combination I’d learned to expect from him. “And I don’t mind that at all.”
“I don’t want to monopolize your time.”
It was a protest, but a very weak one.
His lips twitched like he thought that was funny. “Trust me. You already do.”
“Cam—”
“Natalie, you can decide. The ball will always be in your court,” he said, voice firm.
Like this was the last he was going to say on it.
“Like I said, I’d never take advantage of your trust, and I couldn’t imagine ever bringing this up if you hadn’t said something first, even though it was killing me not to.
It’s entirely up to you, but I can’t help but at least—”
He paused, rubbing his jawline, stewing on words that I knew were going to destroy me. And sure enough, a second later, his voice dropped to a dangerous degree.
“If you’re going to pick someone to teach you what you like in the bedroom, let it be me.” The hue of his eyes darkened, turning almost black. “Please.”
His words bounced between us, all around the room, echoing. After a long stretch of weighty silence, I breathed the only truth I knew.
“You’re the only one I want it to be.”
Cameron’s shoulders shifted, almost like a weight had been lifted off them.
I wasn’t done, though. There were other things I had to say, other considerations. I knew I needed to voice some of my fears, the things that went beyond simply the logistics of our professional relationship.
“But what if we risk this and then it’s not even worth it?” I whispered. “What if we aren’t compatible? What if we end up not liking the same things?”
“We’re compatible, Natalie.” Cameron stared at me like he wasn’t sure if I was being serious or not. “It’ll be worth it.”
I knew, from the shaking of my body and the flush of my skin, that he was right. But the rational side of me felt that it was worth discussing. I wanted him to really think this through before committing. Because this wasn’t something we could simply take back.
When Cameron still saw the wariness in my gaze, he inched closer, and his proximity swirled around me.
There was the smell of sandalwood, the warmth of his body, the husky quality of his voice when he breathed my name again, a slight admonishment to it like he couldn’t believe this was even a topic of conversation, that this would be the thing I was questioning.
He reached out, his hand curving behind my elbow, tugging me a little closer.
His fingers dragged down my arm, stopping at my wrist. A thumb pressed inside of it, like he was taking my pulse, and I knew he’d find it racing.
He tapped on it, a sign that he’d clocked me, my body, what he did to me, and then he trailed his hand back up my arm, a gradual torment of touch.
My lips parted as I wondered where else he would go, what else he’d do.
“I’m barely touching you, and you’re panting.” His voice was a sensual caress as he lifted a brow at me. “You know that, right?”
I rolled my eyes, attempting not to simply melt at his feet. “I’m a medical professional, Cameron. I’m well aware that my body is either deeply aroused or I’m having a medical emergency.”
“Mm,” he hummed. His lips twisted while his eyes sparked at my admission. “Then just think of what I could do if you finally gave me permission, Sunshine.”
He took a step back again, letting me think on that as he walked around to the other side of his desk.
When I managed to unstick my feet from the ground where he’d rooted me, I tentatively strode forward, keeping my voice low.
Because I wasn’t quite ready to drop this.
I didn’t like the idea that we might be risking something when it might not even work out.
Even if, yeah, okay, it really felt like it would work out.
“What if you like things that I don’t?” I pressed.
“It’s not going to be about what I like,” Cameron said with a shake of his head, also keeping his volume soft. He was looking at his desk, now shuffling things around. “It’s going to be about what you like.”
“I mean, I still want you to enjoy yourself.”
Cameron looked up at me, lifting his brows. “You’re joking, right?”
My cheeks flamed, but before I could say anything, he cut back in.
“There is not a single situation I can imagine where you and I are involved and I’m not enjoying myself.
Immensely.” He leaned forward on the desk, palms flat.
I tried not to stare too much at the way it stretched the fabric of his suit jacket and shirt over his arms and chest. “We can talk about it, though. If you decide you want this, then we’ll talk. I promise. Just not here.”
His eyes skirted to the door, and I remembered for the first time since we walked in that we weren’t alone.
That there were people outside that door, walking around.
No one would have seen anything, though, right?
There was only one window in this room. Just a tiny sliver that lined the door, opposite where we were standing.
Someone would have had to look at just the right angle, and even then, they probably just saw my back.
Still, nerves traveled up and down my spine, my pulse racing for an entirely new reason.
Seeming to be sharing my thoughts, Cameron added, “If we’re going to do this, we’ll—I’ll—have to be a little more careful.”
I nodded. “You’re right. I’m so sor—”
“Do not apologize for behavior that I initiated.”
My lips pressed together at the sound of his lawyer voice, which vanished a second later.
“Today was a big day,” he acknowledged. His lips curved, a reminder that beyond whatever just happened between us, beyond whatever would happen, there were really good things that came out of today.
“It came with a lot of emotions, and I don’t want you to feel any sort of pressure after what you went through this morning.
So just think about it. It’s a standing offer. I’m not going anywhere.”
A standing offer.
I couldn’t believe that he was really, truly offering me this.
I couldn’t believe I wasn’t more embarrassed about it.
But it was so hard to be when Cameron made me feel so secure in knowing that he wanted this, too. He wanted to help me, and he wanted me.
When would I ever get this lucky again? Knowing my track record, probably never.
“What should I do after I’ve thought about it?” I asked after a beat of silence.
“Call me,” he said simply.
“Okay,” I agreed and then forced myself to walk away, knowing full well that I’d be calling him later.
Because he was right: we weren’t going to survive this case any other way.