Читать книгу The Dare Collection July 2019 - Nicola Marsh, Katee Robert, Katee Robert - Страница 19

CAMERON WOULD HAVE spent the entirety of their trip to London without leaving the suite, but the next day dawned with a full schedule. He went over it with Trish while they ate breakfast. “Nikki Lancaster makes me look like I should be winning Miss Congeniality contests.”

“You mentioned that. Twice.” Trish studied him over the rim of her coffee. “Why are you so nervous?”

“I’m not nervous.” Nervous was a strange, prickly sensation, and Cameron had stinging bees swarming in his stomach.

“You’re the very definition of nervous. If you think I’m not capable—”

“It’s not that.” He couldn’t just leave it at that, no matter how little he wanted to deal with this entire thing. Damn you, Aaron. “Nikki and I...had a short fling a couple years ago. It went sideways pretty fast, and while it shouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things, I can’t guarantee that it won’t affect how she treats this meeting.”

Trish sighed. “That would have been good information to have before we started this whole process. I suppose you said something that pissed her off and she dumped you?”

He couldn’t even bristle because it was exactly what had happened, but the exasperation in Trish’s tone said she wasn’t surprised in the least by this turn of events. “We never got far enough for someone to be dumped. There was a first date and the next morning, one minute we were having a conversation that skirted into work, and the next she was kicking me out in only my underwear.”

“Mmm-hmm.” She was all false sympathy and smiles. “You didn’t happen to tell her that her company’s cybersecurity is inferior or something along those lines?”

That was exactly what he’d told her. Cameron poked at his food. “She asked a question and I gave an answer.”

“Oh, you poor thing.” Trish’s laughter pealed through the room. “You wouldn’t know tact if it clobbered you over the head in a dark alley. How long ago was this?”

“A couple years. Three...no, four? I think four.” Shit, he couldn’t remember. It had been just another failed dating experience and he’d moved on with his life, assuming that Nikki would do the same. He still wasn’t sure that she hadn’t moved on with her life.

Trish gave him wide eyes. “You don’t even know. God, what was Aaron thinking, sending you over here? I’m assuming he knows.”

“He knows.” They hadn’t hashed out details, but considering the power Concord Inc. wielded, it wasn’t something he could keep to himself.

“That’s something at least.” She shook her head. “Let me deal with Nikki. You keep your mighty opinions to yourself for the duration of this, unless there’s a need for you to offer specific technical information.”

Though Cameron wasn’t much a fan of being handled, he could admit that he liked the way Trish assumed power without thought. It wasn’t until she ordered him about that he realized she’d been...muted. No, not muted, exactly, but she held herself back normally. Toned herself down. He’d recognized that the sunny disposition was a mask, but he hadn’t realized the depth of the deception she offered the world.

Did she even know herself?

Not my problem.

You made it your problem the second you laid eyes on her.

“I can have a conversation without pissing off everyone in the room.”

“Prove it,” she fired back. “This account is important, and it would reflect badly on both of us if we botch it. You know as well as I do that the second Aaron heard the bad news, he’d be on a flight over here to rectify the situation, and that would upset both him and Becka. We can handle it—we just need to handle it. That starts with you learning when to keep your opinion to yourself.”

“You’re handling me.”

“Damn right I am.” Trish pushed to her feet. She wore a simple black pencil skirt with a deep blue blouse that made her eyes almost glow. It was toned down for her, but he could barely look at her without wanting to slip his hand under her skirt and give her a distraction they both needed.

She pointed at him. “Cease and desist this second.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He stood as well and rounded the table to capture her hips. The height of her heels put her mouth kissably close to his and he found he liked being able to look into her eyes without making the muscles in his neck twinge. Cameron skated his hands over her hips to cup her ass and bring her hips flush against his. “You look devastatingly beautiful today, Trish.”

“I... What?” Her perfectly painted pink lips parted. “You can’t just go and say something like that! I’m in work mode, and you’re flustering me with your pheromones.”

“We haven’t left the suite yet.” He pressed a slow kiss to the pulse fluttering in the hollow of her throat. “Ten minutes won’t make much difference.”

“Oh no you don’t.” She smacked his hands and ducked out of his grip. “Focus, Cameron. This is important and you wouldn’t be making eyes at me if you were thinking with the right head. Focus.”

He huffed out a breath and tried to think past the blood rushing to his cock. She was right. He was better than this. The sex might be outstanding, but it was just sex. It had to be. If he couldn’t compartmentalize, he had no business climbing into her bed to begin with.

“Sorry.” He gave himself a shake. “Give me a minute.”

“Take it. I have to get my purse.” She ducked into her bedroom, leaving him wrestling for control of his reaction to her.

Cameron never lost control. He sure as fuck never lost sight of a work goal to pursue his own pleasure or interests. This morning, he’d done both. Hell, last night he’d done both, too. He’d crossed lines, and there was no way to take those actions back.

He was a selfish bastard because he didn’t want to take it back.

Last night had been the first time in as long as he could remember where his brain had shut off entirely and he’d been functioning on feel alone. It felt good to be with Trish. The sex, yes, but he’d had almost as good a time teasing her about her apparent love for horror movies as he had coaxing her orgasms.

She was a joy.

And he couldn’t have her. Not in any permanent sense.

If he was smart, he’d cut this thing off before it went further. It would hurt her feelings and he’d be walking around pissy as hell about it for a while, but better a little hurt now than to have the situation blow up in both their faces later on. She might not be happy with him—that reaction was all but guaranteed—but she’d understand.

He stood there and made himself imagine how that conversation would go. The hurt flaring over her face, pooling in her deep blue eyes, the way her bottom lip would quiver for the breath of a second before she got control of herself. The sunny smile she’d give him to cover up...

No.

Fuck no.

He might not have her for keeping, but he had her for the time being. And she had him. Cameron wasn’t going to give up a single second with Trish until he had to. If it meant she dealt a blow unlike he’d ever felt when she left...

So be it.

* * *

After Cameron’s cryptic words about Nikki Lancaster, Trish hadn’t known what to expect. A fire-breathing dragon, maybe. The woman that approached them as they walked through the doors of Concord Inc. didn’t fit any of her preconceived notions.

Nikki looked like a warrior goddess. She had her black hair pulled back into a businesslike coif thing and her pantsuit showed off curves for days. It was the glint in her dark eyes that gave Trish the most pause. A fighter scoping out an adversary.

She turned an identical look at Cameron, before she gave him a tight smile. “O’Clery.”

“Nikki.” He touched the small of Trish’s back, urging her a step closer. “This is Trish Livingston, our newest addition.”

Nikki took her in with those witchy dark eyes and Trish couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d already had judgment passed on her. Whether it was good or bad was anyone’s guess at this point. The woman extended her hand. “Aaron said he’d be sending a keeper for you, O’Clery, but he didn’t mention the fact that it would be his little sister.” No mistaking the emphasis on little.

Cameron’s hand at the small of her back flexed, but Trish was already moving to defuse the situation. Whatever the situation was. She couldn’t get a true read on Nikki. This could all be posturing for the sake of posturing, or it could be exactly what Cameron had feared. Trish smiled sweetly. “I think you’ll find I’m more than qualified to get the job done.” She glanced at her watch. “Shall we take this to wherever the meeting is being held? I would hate to be late.”

Without another word, Nikki turned on her designer heels and led the way to a bank of elevators that took them to the executive floor.

Trish didn’t dare exhale the breath she’d been holding on to. They’d managed to get through the first interaction without someone calling the whole thing off or yelling, but they still had the deal to hammer out. Even with Aaron taking care of the preliminary stuff, this whole thing was hardly guaranteed. She very carefully didn’t look at Cameron as the elevators opened and they stepped out into a long hallway lined with doors.

Everything about the building was designed to create a modern minimalist look. Though Trish could appreciate the cool gray walls, white tiles marbled with black and stainless steel everything, the whole thing left her cold and edgy. As they headed into a small boardroom where three other people were assembled, she found herself longing for the cozy front office she’d created back in New York.

That’s not your place any more than this one is.

Forgetting that would be a mistake.

Nikki introduced the CEO of the company and their respective assistants. Once everyone had coffee, they got down to work outlining what they needed from Tandem Security. Cameron answered the questions directed at him, but there was a wariness she’d never seen in him before. Trish couldn’t tell if it was brought on by dealing with his ex or dealing with people in general, and it wasn’t like she could ask.

Not at the moment, anyway.

Through it all, she couldn’t help watching the other woman. This was Cameron’s type? She couldn’t be more different from Trish. She was confident and bold and seemed perfectly at home in her skin. Not to mention that Nikki had almost single-handedly made Concord Inc. what it was today. She’d come in as COO, looked around and seen the potential of the company. And then she made it happen.

To say it was impressive and more than a little intimidating was a vast understatement.

They broke for a quick lunch and Trish found herself alone in the room with Nikki. She moved to make a quick exit, but the other woman stalled her. “Sit, sit. You’re exhausting me with all your nervous energy.”

Trish hesitantly sank back into the chair she’d just tried to abandon. “Something I can help you with?”

Nikki raised a perfect black brow. “How long have you been sleeping with O’Clery?”

Her jaw dropped. “I don’t... What... I’m not—”

“You are, and I’d wager that Aaron doesn’t know. He loves O’Clery like a brother, but he’s not blind to the man’s faults.” She laughed. “Get that look off your face, honey. I’m not going to go for your throat over some guy I hooked up with half a million years ago.”

It sounded totally reasonable, but Trish couldn’t make herself relax. She stilled her hands in her lap, doing her best not to give herself away with any nervous movement. “You have a reason for bringing it up.”

“I do.” Nikki sat back. “I’ve known O’Clery and Livingston for nearly a decade in one capacity or another, and I’ve never seen him like this before. He’s a grumpy asshole, but he’s got a shitty poker face. Every time he looks at you, he goes all soft and gooey.”

Yeah, right. This had to be some sort of weird mind game, though she couldn’t figure out what the point was. “If you’ll forgive me for being blunt, I don’t see what my theoretical relationship with Cameron has to do with this deal.”

“Nothing at all.” Nikki’s red lips curved, just a little. “It’s a purely selfish curiosity to get a better look at the kind of woman who could manage to have him tripping all over his feet like an eager puppy. I’ll admit that I don’t see it. You’re beautiful, of course, but the peppy cheerleader thing doesn’t seem like it’s a solid match for O’Clery.” She lifted a single shoulder. “Then again, what do I know? Good for him. And good for you, too. He’s got a heart of gold if you can get past the dumb-ass shit he says and the pissy attitude.”

She still couldn’t get a read on Nikki, couldn’t tell if this conversation was exactly what it presented to be on the surface or if the woman was trying to undermine something. She couldn’t help comparing herself to the other woman. They weren’t even on the same planet, and she couldn’t be more opposite if Cameron had intentionally picked her for that reason. Rationally, she knew it didn’t matter. He and Nikki were ancient history—and a brief one at that—but Trish looked at her and saw everything Trish would never be.

Someone completely at ease in their skin and confident enough to handle any and every situation life threw at them without breaking her powerful stride. Someone who’d perfectly executed their plan for life, despite any hurdles thrown in their way.

No, Trish was just Trish. She let her smile drop. “Frankly, I don’t see how that’s any of your business.”

“So you do have some backbone. Good.”

The door opened and the men filed back in. She couldn’t shake the suspicion that they’d been hiding out in the hallway while this conversation went down and, as happy as she was that Cameron had managed to keep his temper through the first half of the day, she still wanted to kick him under the table for abandoning her with Nikki.

It shouldn’t have mattered anyway. Nikki had never been a girlfriend, and Trish certainly wasn’t. They were both flavors of the week... Maybe we should get T-shirts or something. Her joke fell flat, even in her own head, and she tried to set the whole uncomfortable feeling aside. It shouldn’t matter what Cameron and Nikki’s past was, because the woman obviously had no intention of letting said past get in the way of this business deal.

Would he expect the same from Trish when this was all over?

The rest of the meeting passed without incident. Concord Inc. signed the contract, which extended the trip to London since Cameron had to be on-site to set up the security requirements.

And Trish would go home.

Guess things are ending quicker than I could have anticipated.