Chapter Ten
Sue
The waiter chose that moment to come to the table. “Good evening. I’m Emilio, your server. Can I interest you in a drink before dinner? Tonight’s cocktail feature is our bartender’s signature Old Fashioned.”
Old Fashioned. Fabulous. My entire aura in a glass.
“I’ll have that. Always a safe bet.” Cam gave me a smile so charming it should come with a warning label.
“Sounds great,” I lied. “I’ll try that, too.”
The waiter nodded and left.
I picked up my menu and gulped. No prices. Either the food was so good it transcended cost, or they didn’t want to scare you out the door before you ordered.
I glanced over the leather-bound folder trying to look unfazed. “Any recommendations? Since you’re clearly the seasoned veteran here.”
Cam leaned back in his chair. “If you like seafood, there’s a special they do on Saturdays. The Land and Sea dinner for two—it’s a bit of a ritual. It’s six courses, they change it up every week, and the portions are generous.”
I raised one eyebrow. “You had me at generous. For a second I thought you might suggest something boring and sensible.”
“Not on a date with you,” he said easily.
Date. He’d called this a date. I had to resist the overwhelming urge to kick off my shoes and perform a spontaneous table dance by the hurricane lamp.
Somehow I kept my voice steady. “Well then, let’s go all in with the lavish feast.”
“A woman after my own heart.”
“I think you mean lower in your anatomy.” Ange told me to flirt. This was flirting, right? Then I heard what I’d said and amended quickly, “I mean your stomach.”
Cam’s grin was unabashed. “I suppose they are connected. I do love a woman who appreciates the finer things in life, like food.”
“I love food—when I’m not wearing it.”
He chuckled. “I do prefer this outfit to the mac-and-cheese-enhanced smock. And the flannel shirt.”
“Don’t forget my chenille robe and wine mask.”
“Don’t pick on the robe, I liked it. It made me wonder if you had anything under it.”
Now that was flirting.
I gulped. “Don't forget the bunny slippers.”
“Those were the hottest touch.”
“I can’t imagine anything less sex goddess and more... ingénue Catholic school girl.”
He lowered his voice. “That’s the sexiest part about an innocent woman. Makes a man wonder how quickly and how badly he can corrupt her.”
Mamma mia... I felt that low, vibrating growl in his tone all the way to my panties. My lower body seemed to liquefy.
I cleared my throat, pushing away the need to fan myself. “I decided to show you I can look glamorous too if I have a week’s notice.”
“I think you’re adorable in anything, but you do look spectacular tonight. Blue suits you.”
“Thank you. It’s my favorite color.”
“Mine, too.” He gestured lightly at his dark blue suit. “Another thing we have in common.” He leaned back in his chair, studying me.
Self-consciously, I reached a hand to my faux sapphire pendant. “Is it crooked?”
Cam’s gaze lowered to my chest, caressing the top of my cleavage.
“It’s perfect.” His voice was so husky he had to clear his throat as he lifted his eyes back to mine. “So, the other day you mentioned you had a date for lunch. Was it your boyfriend?”
“If I had a boyfriend I wouldn’t be here with you.”
“It’s hard to believe a woman like you is single.” His eyes were direct and honest. “You mentioned breaking up with your brother’s friend before coming to New York. Surely there’s been someone special since then?”
“It was a messy breakup,” I admitted. “It was nearly ten years ago. Neil and I were engaged, but a couple of months before the big day, I caught him with Sally, my best friend. They were not playing cards.”
Cam shook his head, looking genuinely puzzled. “What an idiot. Why would any guy cheat on you?”
“I suppose monogamy isn’t in most men’s DNA. Besides, Neil has the biggest business in that area, and I guess it went to his head. He wanted more of everything, including women.”
“What does he do?”
“His family specializes in rare crops, like truffles, saffron, that kind of thing.” I bit my lip. “My friends call him The Truffle Prince.”
Cam burst out laughing. His chest rumbled with it, and guests at other tables threw us curious glances. He couldn’t care less.
“That’s worse than Mr. Cameroon. I wonder what nickname your friends would give me.”
Sir RAM Me Hard? Mister Byte Me? The Man with the Golden Dongle? Somewhere between Debug Daddy and Certified Hunk ware, I cleared my throat.
“Time will tell. But Neil deserves his. He loves to flaunt his money.” I shrugged.
“I was never impressed by that stuff. Money’s never really mattered to me.
There are so many other things that should come first in a relationship.
I’m grateful to Sally now, because I realized Neil wasn’t the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with.
After I canceled the wedding I decided to move to New York, go to university, and follow my dream of being a teacher. I was a late bloomer.”
“Did you always want to be a teacher?”
“Pretty much, yes.”
He smiled, looking impressed. “That’s the rarest personality trait, you know. People who have a genuine calling and love for teaching others. The educator.”
I smiled back, warmed by his genuine appreciation.
“I knew that, although I don’t consider myself special for it.
When I moved to New York I was so damn lonely, but I’ve come to love it here.
I’ve made some wonderful friends, embraced my independence, and I love my job—food fight, bitchy boss, and all.
As for other men in my life, I’ve dated some, but…
Let’s just say I didn’t find my soulmate yet.
” I crossed my legs under the table. “What’s your story?
How come you’re still single and now living in New York? Assuming that you are single.”
“I am single. I wouldn’t be here either if I weren’t. I hate betrayal more than anything.”
“That’s a strong statement.”
“It is, and I mean it. As to why I’m single… I was told I have commitment issues.”
“Many men do, but few admit it.” I cocked my head, studying him. “Hates betrayal, has commitment issues… Did someone cheat on you too?”
The waiter arrived with our cocktails.
Cam thanked him, took a sip of his cocktail, and returned to my question.
“Not exactly—or not that I know of. I was engaged, too, a few years ago back in Denver. Our relationship was good for a while, but as it turned out, Brittany wasn’t the love of my life. She left me for someone else. Now, I’m grateful that she did, but at the time I felt pretty awful.”
“I’m sorry,” I said truthfully. “Getting dumped hurts, no matter how it happens or who does the dumping.”
I thought any woman who dumped him had to be out of her ever-loving mind, but it was too soon to say that out loud.
Cam shook his head, his shoulders shaking slightly with amusement. “Look at us. Sharing stories of failed relationships isn’t your usual first date conversation, is it?”
I giggled. “Maybe not, but you started it.”
Yep, he’d said it again. This was a date.
Woo-hoo! Lying to my family didn’t seem like lying almost at all.
And my heart beat just a little faster because he was the hottest guy I had been on a date with in my entire life.
Maybe except for Sam, but while he’d been nice to look at, three minutes in his company had put me off forever.
Cam hadn’t done a single weird thing tonight—I considered his little quirks endearing instead of weird.
Was it sad that this was my new standard?
He ran a hand through his hair, looking abashed. “So much for my dialogue skills. Since I started dating again, talking wasn’t my main focus. I’m only human.”
I cleared my throat at his brutal honesty. Okay, so other women got sex, I got conversation—for now. I supposed it wasn’t a terrible start.
I took a sip of my cocktail. It was surprisingly good—smooth bourbon with a kiss of citrus and just enough bitters to make it interesting.
“My friend Lily says I listen better than I talk,” I said. “If I ever quit teaching I might become a psychologist like her.”
“I’ll lie on your couch anytime, as long as you don’t put any of that pink gunk on my face.”
Giggling, I lifted my glass in a toast and saluted him. “We’ll see. So, tell me a bit more about Brittany. I knew a Brittany once, and she was the most obnoxious creature on earth. Was yours like that?”
He laughed. “Not at first, but after a while… The thing is, Brittany likes money, and my wallet wasn’t exactly brimming at the time we started seeing each other.
I was in love though, or maybe in lust, and was blinded enough to want to make her my wife.
What’s that Michael Bolton song say? When a man loves a woman, she can do no wrong. ”
“Is that true?” I asked.
“Oh yeah.” He took a thoughtful sip of his cocktail.
“I refused to see her for what she was. A few weeks before our wedding, my best man won the big jackpot in Powerball. Charles was shy and awkward around women. We’d met Brittany together, and he was in awe of her.
She decided he really was the best man and dumped me.
I thought she was in love with me, when all she’d wanted all along was someone to provide her with a good living.
Besides, she used to complain that my quirks drove her nuts.
It was a hard blow, but in time I realized it was for the best. Now I’m glad I’m here with you. ”
I lowered my eyes to the V of his throat, heat rising into my cheeks. “I’m glad of that too. I find your quirks adorable.”
Cam reached out and took my hand. His touch was warm and soft, but to me it felt electric, raising the hairs on my body. He traced circles over my palm, using his thumb, in slow, seductive motions.