Chapter Twenty-Three #2
A trace of amusement brightened his features, and I took a relieved breath. Arguing didn’t do any good. We were supposed to be a team, two people against the whole world that kept butting its head into our business.
Cam walked to the couch and sat next to me. “Let’s give her a call.”
“Who? Brittany? What for? It’s not like she’d ever admit to this.”
“Maybe not, but I know her well. If she’s involved in this, I may be able to tell.”
He took his phone out of his pocket, but stopped, snapping his fingers as though remembering something. “The ad was taken down from that dating website. My legal team was very convincing.”
My eyes widened, and I felt a weight being lifted off my chest. I was in his arms before I realized what I was doing, hugging him tightly.
“My God, thank you so much, Cam. You’ve no idea what stress you’ve taken off my shoulders.”
He squeezed me back, his hands around my waist as he smiled into my eyes. “I’m happy I could help.”
We stared at each other for a few long moments.
The ticking of my loud hallway clock was the only sound in the room.
Cam’s gaze moved over my features, his eyes lingering on my mouth.
God, he was mouthwatering! I opened my lips to moisten them and saw his gaze following the tip of my tongue.
His hands were still resting on my hips, and I sensed a struggle of indecision from him.
I didn’t want indecision. I wanted passionate, rip-your-clothes-off love, or at least lust. I didn’t want a man who carried a torch for another woman, no matter how faint. Besides, any man who would love that crazy bitch after all she had put him through had some screws loose.
I drew back, lowering my face to look at the phone on the table. “What are you going to ask her?”
Cam swallowed, straightening on the couch. “I’ll play it by ear.”
He reached for the phone and scrolled through his contacts. I peeked as inconspicuously as possible to see how he’d noted Brittany in his phone. I was curious if he had a pet name for her. Hot Bombshell? Crazy Bitch from Hell Who Ripped my Heart out? Professional Man Eater? Heart Crusher?
She was just Brittany Howard. I wasn’t sure why, but that formal title brought me some satisfaction.
He initiated the call and, to my surprise, set the phone on speaker. As it rang, he pressed a finger to my lips. I assumed he wanted me to be quiet, without knowing the touch of his fingertip made my lips tingle—all four pairs.
After two rings, Brittany’s voice filled the room. “Well, well. Mohammed has come to the mountain at last.” She sounded lazy and smug, like a cat that ate the canary.
Cam looked unimpressed. “Hello, Brittany. How are you doing?”
“I’m fabulous now, Cammy. What about you? You finally came to your senses?”
My God, the woman rattled! It took my best poker face not to roll my eyes and make barfing sounds.
“My senses are fully intact, thanks. Listen, Susanne’s been on the receiving end of some pretty nasty pranks the last couple of days. Any idea who might be behind them?”
Brittany laughed. “Nasty? Surely it’s just harmless fun. No offense, darling, but that boring woman could use a little excitement in her sad, pathetic little life.”
My eyes snapped wide, then narrowed, and I felt the tips of my ears go red. That bitch wasn’t even denying it! The nerve on her! I did not have a sad pathetic little life. In fact, sad pathetic was a lousy pleonasm. Okay, maybe noticing that was a little sad.
I huffed and folded my arms. Cam’s hand landed gently on my thigh, anchoring me with a silent not yet.
“So you’re admitting it?” he asked.
“I admit nothing,” she purred. “I’m just saying, whoever it is, sounds like they’re doing her a favor.”
“No one asked you for one.”
“I’m a kind soul,” she said philosophically. “I help when I can.”
Cam gave a cold, humorless laugh. “You’re many things, Britt. Kind isn’t one of them. And let me be clear—if you pull anything else, send anything to her house, post, call, so much as breathe in her direction, you and I are going to have a problem.”
“Oooh,” she cooed. “That sounds serious.”
“It’s going to be war.”
“Will there be any crossing swords?” she hissed playfully.
“I didn’t know that’s your thing now, but don’t count on me.”
There was a hostile silence. Then Brittany seemed to regroup. “If I have you, I don’t need any other… sword. You were always a one-man army in bed.”
Cam’s gaze met mine briefly, then we both looked away, twin shades of pink creeping up our faces.
“I’m only interested in my fiancée,” Cam said so convincingly I almost believed him.
“Fiancée?” Brittany laughed. “Oh, come off it, Cam. Are you really going to call my bluff and turn that article in the newspaper into some sort of twisted reality?”
“It’s not twisted, but it is a reality. I asked Susanne to marry me, and she said yes. I’m surprised you didn’t see our photos on social media. Her ring is almost as stunning as she is.”
I heard a thud, as though Britt had dropped her phone. Cam gave me a grin that radiated pure satisfaction. A few seconds went by, as though Britt was scrolling through social media, searching for proof of our supposed engagement.
I knew exactly when she saw the ring—her gasp crackled through the speaker louder than a horror movie sound effect.
“You didn’t,” she whispered. “This is fake!”
“I sure as hell hope not. Tiffany’s don’t sell those things cheap.”
“You bought her a sapphire ring from Tiffany’s?” She sounded a lot more hurt about the ring than about losing the man.
“Yes, I did.” Cam’s tone was laced with pride. “We are engaged, officially. Everyone knows it. We’re getting ready to meet the parents and all that. Which is why I called. Leave Sue alone, or else. And trust me, Brittany, I’m not kidding around. You don’t want to face my or else.”
He ended the call before she could say another word.
We looked at each other. My mind still lingered on the one-army man in bed comment, but under Cam’s gaze I snapped to attention.
“You were right to suspect her,” he said. “I didn’t expect her to admit it, but I can see what she’s doing. She was trying to provoke me. I think she had a nasty surprise.”
“I can’t believe she didn’t know about the engagement. You said she might have eyes everywhere, that’s why we always hold hands and kiss and stuff…”
Cam jumped to his feet, ending my ruminations. “Have you had anything to eat yet? I’m starving.”
I stood, stretching a little. “I’m starving, too. Do you want to order something?”
He grinned. “I have a better idea. How about we go out?”