Page 59 of All the Drama from New York

After slipping off her sandals, Camille left them by the front door and headed out. She was sucking in large gulps of air as she crossed the narrow dirt path out front of the house and made her way onto the sandy beach.

Her gaze tracked left and right. A long golden beach ran in both directions. The sun’s rays glittered on the deep blue of theocean. The view soon had Camille smiling, and her heart rate calming down.

This place reminded her a little of the French Riviera. Though the beach here was far less crowded, and hotels and multistory apartment blocks did not crowd the shore. Nor were there dozens of large tourist coaches parked along the street.

Her brows furrowed, and she muttered, “Scratch that. This is nothing like the French Riviera.”

Saltaire wasn’t swarming with tourists. This part of Fire Island was an unspoiled piece of paradise. A place where she should look to unwind and relax. To let her thoughts run free. It was not the place to go making poor life decisions.

The crunch of footsteps on the golden sand had her turning to see Ryan following in her wake. His hands were in his pockets and his shoulders were slumped. He looked as uncomfortable as she felt. And he hadn’t changed his clothes.

He stopped a few feet away, but wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I’m sorry, Camille. I shouldn’t have done that. It’s not fair to put my attraction to you ahead of the job you’ve hired me to do. You are my boss. I promise it won’t happen again,” he said.

He’s the one feeling guilty. Oh no.

She should be relieved that he wasn’t going to try and kiss her again. Instead a lump of sadness welled up inside Camille. That kiss had been lovely. Gentle. More a moment of worship than just a kiss.

And when he’d deepened it, and gone to claim her, she had been with him every step of the way.

This moment was make or break time for them. Whatever was growing between them had to be dealt with, and now. They either agreed to back off and keep things professional or they went all in.

She watched as Ryan nervously dug his bare feet into the sand. Her heart pleaded for her to go to him.

I want him. I don’t know how I can move past this if he wants to let it go.

Could they somehow manage to work together and be something more? She’d spent so much of her private time in America being on her own. Had never dated. Never even kissed a guy. And now she had this thing with Ryan.

Four years ago he’d captured her attention. She’d been absolutely crushed when he’d had his heart broken on that stupid show. The pain she had felt for Ryan had been real.

That night watching him standing on the beach, all Camille had wanted to do was somehow magically dive into the tv, appear at Ryan’s side and offer him her comfort. To let him know that there was someone out there for him, someone who would value his warmth and open nature.

She now understood the truth. Like a princess in a fairytale, she’d been waiting all this time for him.

Camille took a step forward. And then another. When she stood right in front of Ryan, she looked up at him and asked, “Are you sorry, or are you just saying that because you think it’s what I want to hear?”

“I’m sorry if it could jeopardize our working relationship. Am I sorry that I kissed you? No. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the day we met. When you were lying on top of me in the middle of the street all I could think of was kissing you.” A laugh escaped his lips, and he started to back away. “I should go, let you have some space.”

This was dangerous ground, but she couldn’t let him go. She hurried after him and took a hold of his arm. “Don’t go. Please. Ryan, I don’t want you to be sorry about anything we did, because I’m not.”

There I said it. And if they burn me for wanting him, I still won’t regret any of it.

He stopped. Her breathing growing more ragged as his gaze traced over her face. “I need this job, Camille, but I want you. Want you in my arms. Want you naked beneath me in bed. I want nothing more than to hear you cry out my name as you come.”

His searing honesty tore away the last vestiges of her self-restraint. If he wanted her, she was his, and together they would deal with the consequences.

“I want you too Ryan, more than I can say, but if we are going to do this— thing.” She waved her hand in the air. “We have to set ground rules.”

“Agreed.” Thank heavens for a rational male. One who wasn’t letting his cock do all the thinking.

“Getting the fashion collection finished and the runway show ready has to be our highest priority. If we are working on something we can’t just stop and spend the afternoon in bed.”

I can’t believe we are having this conversation, but I want him.

She was ready to make a deal with the devil, so long as it meant Ryan was hers.

Ryan nodded in agreement. “And every time we’re about to do something stupid, we’ll take a minute to think of Julia Spence and her ilk. Because people like her would love nothing more than to see you fail.”

He might not come from her world, but it was clear Ryan wasn’t blind to the jealousy and deep envy which others held for people like her. She in turn was well aware of the demeaning way assistants were treated by some people in the fashion industry.

---