She hurried away toward the elevator.
On the one hand, I wanted to reassure Helete that her life wasn’t in danger. On the other, I didn’t want to give her false hope.
“Cam,” Shay called to me.
I spun around.
He grinned. “Sucks to be her.”
“Not funny.”
“It’s hilarious.” He ushered me into the penthouse.
I left Shay and Henry talking in the kitchen and went in search of Mia. She was still in bed, snuggled under the covers. I wasn’t sure if she was asleep.
Quietly, and very gently, I sat beside her on the edge of the bed and ran my fingers through her long, golden locks. I wanted her to know I loved her so much, I was willing to give her what she’d asked of me and let her go.
IHEADED INTO THE KITCHENjust in time to catch Cameron pulling off his T-shirt and giving me an eyeful of his rock hard abs. He looked surprised to see me too, and froze near the central island. From the perspiration covering his chest, I could tell he’d gone for his morning run.
He threw his damp shirt over a barstool. I was tempted to scoop it up and bury my nose in it, breathe in the scent of him like I used to do.
Then I remembered last night…I’d felt his fingers trailing through my hair while I’d drifted off to sleep and it had felt like he was saying goodbye.
Cameron’s gaze wondered over my Armani two-piece pantsuit, the one that would give me the courage to return to work. Maybe my colleagues would assume I’d already moved upstairs. Maybe that transition had bought me time.
Staring at the most beautiful man alive who was still smiling back at me, I tried to pretend I was actually doing well. I had managed to get out of bed and walk fifteen steps into the kitchen.
“Why are you dressed like that?” He shifted uncomfortably.
“For work?”
“You’re going in?”
I strolled over to the coffeemaker and inhaled the java’s delicious aroma.
Hairs prickled on the back of my neck. Cameron was right behind me.
“You don’t think it’s a good idea,” he hesitated, and then added, “to take a few days off?”
“Why?” I spun around and looked up at him.
“Decompress from all you’ve been through?”
“Are you going in?”
“I have a billion dollar business to run.”
“And I have a small cubicle in which to run my own empire.” Which sounded kind of silly but I held my head up anyway.
He looked so damn gorgeous with his hair spiked and his chest glistening from his recent exertion. If he came any closer I’d be forced to place my hands on his chest and push him away.
Or dig my nails into his chest and pull him closer.
I turned my back on him and grabbed two Cole mugs, pouring us both some coffee. “I’ll make my own way in.”
Being trapped in the back of a car with him would be the end to my resistance.
We were over, and this was us pretending to be civilized because we were still living under the same roof. Until he moved out. Or I did…which would probably be better. Then I wouldn’t be surrounded by memories ofhim.