5. Cam
Unbelievable!
I don’t know what Ruthanne thinks she’s going to accomplish with this meddlesome maneuver. What I do know is that she is going to pay. At the very least, I’m going to adjust her browser settings so she starts getting ads for all the things that drive her crazy, like weight loss pills and loud men yelling about how to be successful like them.
Thankfully, Tabs comes to my rescue. “Why don’t we mix things up this month and not do a reading?”
The ladies don’t take the suggestion well.
“This is why we don’t invite men to book club,” Sylvie complains. “We had a plan—until he showed up.”
Mille nods. “I agree with Sylvie. If the sex scene makes Cam uncomfortable, he can leave. I’m too old to keep bending over to please men.”
The room erupts in laughter and jabs at her choice of words.
“Unless it’s in the bedroom,” Ruthanne calls out.
Millie nods. “Damn straight.”
I glance at the doorway wishfully. Maybe I should leave. I’ve known these women all my life, and I do not need to hear about their sex lives. Millie was my mom’s first grade teacher, but she retired while I was still in diapers. And Ruthanne has been friends with my mom since before I was born—so, as a kid, she was like the cool aunt who let me do all the things my parents said I couldn’t do or tried to stop me from doing.
Like secretly writing romance novels.
She’s the only one who knows that secret, and I have no idea why she’s so hellbent on having me here tonight. Why would she blindside me with the fact that we’re discussing my book?
The room falls silent, and I realize everyone is staring at me.
“Well, Cam.” Sylvie rolls her eyes. “Seems that the man gets the veto vote even though he has no right to. So, will we be reading—like we always do—or not?”
I hope my expression passes for a smile despite how hard my teeth clench. “Please don’t change anything on my account.”
Sylvie continues to glower at me. I have no idea what I’ve done to make her so bristly.
“You may have read the book, but don’t think you can show up and start mansplaining it to us.”
Since I wrote the series, if anyone was going to explain it, it would be me. But it’s not like I can tell her that. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
Tabs bumps my knee under the table. Her eyes twinkle beneath her glasses and she pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, the way she always does when she’s trying not to smile or laugh.
And just like that, my irritation at being here melts away. I can’t help but wonder if she’d make that same face with my beard tickling her inner thighs. I shake my head to erase the image.
Tabs taps the table twice. “Let’s vote on a scene.”
“Since Cam is our guest,” Ruthanne enthuses, “he should read out the choices.”
I make eye contact with Tabs and she smirks, an expression that always makes my blood boil. I look away, like I always do.
She hands me the paperback and I look over the three Post-its. “Gabriella and the Duke kiss, Gabriella and the Duke argue, and Gabriella and the Duke heart. Heart?” I look at the page and recognize the scene. “The hero and heroine make love,” I clarify.
“What are you talking about?” Tabs sounds almost offended. “The Duke and Gabriella engage in some hot foreplay, but they never make love.”
My blood pressure spikes. I stand, leaning with my fists on the table. “What are you talking about? They one hundred percent make love. The vulnerability it takes for the Duke to take that chance and tell Gabriella how he’s loved her for years? Her trust in him to believe he truly loves her, despite their history? If what follows isn’t making love, I don’t know what is.”
I’m too amped to sit, so I walk to the back of the room and stare out a window to calm myself.
“Ooh, I vote we read and discuss that scene,” Millie chimes in.
“That scene certainly is one to get passionate about,” Ruthanne adds. “Interesting how all the scenes you’ve chosen are the almost sex scenes, Tabitha.”
My palms are sweaty. Blood pounds in my ears. And for the first time in my life, I wish I wrote murder mysteries instead of romance. Then at least I’d know how to kill Ruthanne and get away with it.
Tabs snorts. “Maybe I chose those scenes because I think the author is taking way too long to get the couple together, and I want to know if you agree.”
I flinch and cross my arms over my chest.
“Now how about a vote?” she asks. “Kiss?”
No one raises their hand.
“Argue?”
Sylvie, Tabs and I raise our hands.
“Heart?”
“Make love,” I correct, walking back to my chair.
Millie and Ruthanne and everyone else’s hands shoot into the air, making it the clear winner.
Ruthanne smirks at me. “I guess we’ll be reading the scene in which the Duke finally grows some balls and makes a proper move on our lovelorn heroine.”
Tabs snorts and glances at her notes. “Now, let me see who’s reading tonight.”
“I was reading for the Duke.” Sylvie crosses her arms in front of her and glares at me. “But I’d like to postpone reading the lead until next month.”
“In that case, I think,” Ruthanne winks at me, “we should let this young man read the Duke’s part.”
I lean away from the book on the table in front of me so quickly I almost push myself off my chair. Suddenly, I feel like being Ruthanne’s full-time tech support would be better than having to read aloud from my own book.
Yes, I know authors do live readings… but I never have. And this is different. Reading this scene in front of Tabs would feel like making love for the first time with an audience.
“You know,” I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans, “since I didn’t make an effort to dress the part, I think I should just be a fly on the wall. Don’t you agree, Sylvie?”
“Actually, no. Flies are annoying, and I don’t have my swatter.”
Millie mutters something under her breath, and I catch the word “spank” a split second before everyone in the room starts talking all at once.
“Ladies,” Tabs snaps, sounding every inch the librarian. I’m surprised she doesn’t shush the group, and am really glad I’m not the recipient of the chastising look she’s sharing with each woman in turn. “What is the number one rule of book club?” She takes off her cat-eye glasses and puts a hand on her hip.
Several heads drop. Apparently the wood grain of the table has become quite interesting, so Tabs continues.
“That we welcome everyone and respect each other’s opinions and boundaries. If Cam isn’t comfortable reading, we won’t force him simply because he has quite a lovely deep voice and, I’m sure as the hero of a Regency novel, would melt the corset off any young lady.”
I know she’s only kidding, but a blush creeps up my cheeks. Now I have that delicious image in my mind… along with the sudden desire to read every steamy scene from my books to her in private. Including a few I haven’t published yet.
“Oh, look,” Ruthanne drawls, “he’s already acting the role of our feckless hero, stroking the back of his neck just the way the Duke does when he’s uncomfortable.”
My hand drops so quickly it hits the table with a loud thud. Shit. “Since it’s my first time?—”
“You mean the Duke’s first time!” Ruthanne interjects.
And like the idiot I am, I argue, “It’s not the Duke’s first time. Obviously, he has experience in the bedroom. Just because…” I stop mid-sentence.
At the rate I’m going, everyone’s going to figure out I wrote The Duke’s Treasure. And if they do, Tabs will never speak to me again. She hates secrets, and I’ve kept my career from her for nearly a decade. There’s no coming back from that.
Not to mention I’ll be in violation of my contract with the publisher and risk a horrifying lawsuit. It’ll probably make the news, too, and the last thing I want is my face all over the news as the real Abigail Cameron.
If the truth comes out, I’ll be forced to move to some remote town and live the rest of my life alone.