Chapter 5
CAMERON
Cameron was pushing weights in the small office he also used as a gym when he heard a knock at the back door of the cottage.
It was dark in the garden and he’d half expected Izzi not to turn up.
He knew she’d done a full day in his grandma’s café and despite her desire to use his kitchen, he hadn’t really expected her to come.
He quickly ran a towel over his face and pulled on a chunky sweatshirt, heading to the door which Cupcake was already guarding, tense and on high alert, ready to protect him from whatever was outside. Squirrels probably.
‘Friend!’ he commanded as he unlocked and opened the door to find Izzi standing in the dark clutching three enormous shopping bags. ‘Did you walk?’ he asked, feeling unexpectedly concerned.
She gave him a cheerful smile and nodded.
‘The bags aren’t as hefty as they look. Your grandmother offered to drive me, but I fancied some fresh air,’ she said brightly.
He grabbed all three bags, shaking his head when she tried to hold onto the largest. They were heavy and as she followed and stepped into the cosy light, he could see signs of tiredness around her eyes and wanted to curse.
‘If you’re going to insist on shopping after work, then you’re going to need to accept help when it’s offered,’ he muttered, feeling embarrassed when her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed, no doubt surprised by his tone.
‘Do you want a glass of wine?’ he asked more gently as he padded along the downy rug in the hallway, making his way into the kitchen.
He placed the bags on the breakfast counter, pushing aside a pile of multicoloured pumpkins to make room.
He’d been collecting them for his grandma and had added more to the mound this afternoon.
‘I think if I drink alcohol now, I’m going to fall asleep where I’m standing.
’ Izzi yawned, and when Cameron turned, he saw she’d taken off her coat and shoes and had left them in the hallway.
It showed she’d paid attention to his habits, and he appreciated her thoughtfulness even as he tried to find fault with it.
He didn’t want to appreciate this woman, he had to keep his distance or he’d fall into the same trap as he had with his business partner – a woman he’d begun to fall for – and find himself on the wrong end of a con.
‘How about a cup of lemon and ginger tea?’ he asked, going to the cupboard and pulling out some mugs and teabags. He fancied wine, but begrudgingly accepted that he needed to keep his wits about him. Izzi was far too appealing for him to let his guard down.
There was all that wavy auburn hair for a start.
It seemed to sit in exactly the right position on her shoulders, despite the fact that he knew she’d kept it in a hair net all day in the café.
It made him wonder what she’d look like if she were sitting astride his hips staring down, her warm body melting into his.
Would her hair create a curtain, a cosy hideaway for just the two of them?
He swallowed as his mind conjured the image.
Conjured her golden amber eyes darkening as her mouth puckered, drawing attention to the curve of her lips and the pale pink colour that reminded him of marshmallows melting in milk chocolate.
His whole body hardened and his heart thumped hard and he tore his eyes away, wondering what the hell had got into him.
Where had that image come from? He hardly knew her – not to mention that he was her landlord and as far as he knew, she was here to rip him off.
‘Lemon and ginger tea is great,’ Izzi sighed thankfully oblivious, pulling out one of the velvet bar stools at the breakfast bar and sinking her curvy body into it. Oh yes, he’d noticed that too.
‘Long day?’ he rasped, putting on the kettle.
He went to switch on the lamps around the kitchen in an attempt to distract himself, and basked in the cosy glow for a moment before turning to see her stroking a hand through her silky hair.
Cupcake wandered into the kitchen and came to stand beside him, staring at Izzi as if he couldn’t quite figure out why there was a strange woman in there.
Well, it had been a while.
‘Oh, I got—’ She reached into one of the shopping bags and pulled out a small packet as Cameron finished the drinks and put a steaming mug on the counter in front of her.
‘Dog treats. The pet shop was open when I passed, and I thought Cupcake might enjoy them.’ Her cheeks flushed as she offered them to Cameron.
‘In the interests of transparency, I’ll admit they’re a bribe so he won’t eat me.
Also—’ She pulled a face and his heart thumped as he braced himself for whatever she was going to admit.
It was strange, he was sure Izzi was hiding something from him – call it his Spidey senses – but a part of him was hoping he’d got it wrong.
Suspecting everyone was becoming tiresome.
He used to be a fan of humans in general – aside from his mother – but his ex-business partner, Sophie Chalmer, had ruined that.
‘I bought some ingredients so I could bake some dog biscuits too – more bribery,’ Izzi said lightly, regarding his dog with trepidation. ‘He doesn’t look like he’s smiling and those teeth are really huge.’
‘All the better to eat you with,’ Cameron said and this time he smiled too because he wasn’t looking to frighten her.
‘But he won’t unless he thinks I’m being threatened.
He’s a pussy cat underneath all that excellent hair.
Unless you happen to be a cat or a squirrel.
He’s not very partial to either of those. ’
Izzi’s lips pinched and something in his body stirred.
‘I’ll take your word for that.’ She studied the German Shepherd as Cameron fed him one of the treats and he gobbled it down eagerly before staring at her again.
‘I don’t want to criticise, but I really think he needs another name.
Cupcake is just—’ She frowned, and if he hadn’t just seen it with his own eyes, he might have thought he’d imagined the slow downward motion of her lips.
He tore his eyes away. ‘If you can convince him of that, I’d be eternally grateful. Calling for him can be embarrassing, especially when we’re out in public. But as I said, I’ve tried and he won’t answer to anything else.’
‘Challenge accepted.’ She grinned, making something in his chest stir again. It was like she was mesmerising him by degrees and he didn’t like it. Didn’t like the way she was already inching her way under his skin.
‘Jaws, roll over!’ Izzi directed her comment to his dog as she reached for a treat and threw it. Cupcake caught it mid-air and swallowed before staring at her blankly and licking his lips. ‘Definitely not Jaws,’ she said, sounding disappointed.
Cameron watched as she slid back onto her feet, tugged some fluffy pink socks from her pocket and put them on before taking a quick sip of the lemon and ginger tea. ‘I’d better get started. I was thinking a quick pasta meal tonight since I’m going to be baking. How do you feel about carbonara?’
‘If I don’t have to cook it, then I feel really good. Especially since I think it’s got bacon in it.’ He pulled out a chair and sank into the comfortable softness, preparing to watch.
He wanted to keep an eye on her. Izzi was a stranger – one he didn’t trust. He was hardly going to leave her alone in his kitchen.
So, what if he liked the way she looked, or the way she pinched her bottom lip between her teeth when she was concentrating?
So, what if he was starting to get used to the way she was always smiling?
He shook his head. No wonder Sophie had been able to take advantage of him so easily – he was a prime candidate for being deceived.
He watched as Izzi turned away and leaned down so she could open the doors at the front of the cooker. She paused for a moment, staring as if she still couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Then she began tugging out the shelves and unwrapping them from the cardboard and bubble wrap.
‘Do you need help?’ he asked because watching her was making him feel guilty.
It wasn’t laziness that had made him leave the packaging on – it was more of a silent protest. A desire not to use the things Sophie had chosen.
But when he thought about it, didn’t that just make him an idiot?
What would his grandma say? That he was a fool who’d cut off his own nose to spite his face. She was probably right about that.
He frowned as the pile of packaging grew, wondering what he’d been thinking. As soon as Izzi had finished, she stood and began to look around.
‘There are bins in the utility room, why don’t I take care of this while you get started on whatever you’re planning to make first?’ He waved at the shopping bags on the table.
She stared at him, her lips pinched. ‘Are you sure?’ she asked. ‘You’re not planning on keeping it and putting it all back in there when I’m gone, are you?’ She sighed. ‘Because a La Cornue is a work of art. It needs to be used, not ignored.’
He held up a palm in a gesture reminiscent of a boy scout.
‘I promise I’ll dispose of the packaging.
I won’t say I’ll use the oven all that much.
’ His eyes scoured the pristine hob. Even he could admit that it was beautiful.
‘But while you’re here, I’ll give you free rein.
Assuming the carbonara and cake measure up. ’
‘Measure up?’ The look she gave him could have burned him from the inside out.
It was the first time he’d seen a glimpse of Izzi irritated and Cameron realised he liked it.
Wondered how it might feel to get her all riled up.
His body warmed at the idea. ‘You’ll see,’ she said stiffly, before she turned her nose up and began to unpack the bags.