Page 66 of My One and Only

“I hope so, too, Cam.” She reached over and touched his arm, and he wanted to put his hand over hers. Keep her there. But she only lingered for a moment while the light was red. As soon as she began driving again, she eased her hand away from him.

As she drove toward his office, Jo’s head moved constantly. From one side of the truck to the other. Into the rearview mirror. Scanning all the traffic coming toward them. The cars and trucks behind them.

By the time they reached his office building, he was exhausted from the stress. Jo, on the other hand, didn’t seem at all affected by the possibility of someone targeting this truck.

Him? He was nervous. Edgy. Would be until this nightmare was over. Good thing he wouldn’t be driving, because he’d be watching everything each time they got into the car. Always looking for a threat. Thank God Jo was here to take some of that stress away from him.

As they pulled into the parking lot of his building, he said, “I’m sorry we didn’t get lunch. We can heat up some mac and cheese or have a PBJ before we leave to get Fiona.”

“That’s fine,” Jo said. “I’m not picky. And if you don’t finish the work you mentioned earlier, we can always bring Fiona back to your office after your meeting,” she said. “I could help her with her homework while you got more work done.”

Cam pressed his lips together. He saw her fingers whiten as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel. Realized she thought he was pissed off at the idea of her helping Fiona with her homework again.

Was he really unhappy with the idea that Jo would help Fiona with her homework? Was he that petty?”

He hoped not. Someone needed to pull his head out of his ass. And he needed to apologize to Jo.

“Thank you for helping her with her homework yesterday,” he said. “Not only was it a huge help, but Fiona clearly enjoyed having your help. So, yeah, if I don’t get all my work done, we’ll go back to the office after my meeting. As long as you’re sure you don’t mind helping her.”

Jo frowned. “Of course I don’t mind helping her,” she said. Her shoulders relaxed and a smile lingered on her mouth. “I enjoyed it. Fiona’s a smart kid. She’s very sweet.”

“My mom usually gets her started on her homework, and Fiona and I finish it together.” He took a deep breath. Having Jo here, being a part of his family life, was temporary. It was just until they caught whoever was behind the damage and the bribes. “But she seemed to enjoy having you help her.”

“The novelty of someone new,” Jo said easily. “Kids, I think, are very susceptible to that.” She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “This is a moment in time, Cam. I’ll be gone in a week or two. Maybe a little longer. But this isn’t permanent. She’ll be all yours again soon.”

Cam sighed. “I’m not trying to protect Fiona from you,” he muttered.

She slanted a gaze at him, then looked out the windshield again. “You sure about that?”

Washe sure about that? Everything he’d said to Jo would make her think that was the case, he realized.

“Jo, everything about this is new to me,” he said, swallowing. “Someone targeted me. Deliberately hit my truck. I still haven’t completely recovered from that concussion.” He shook his head. “I’m a builder. I design houses. Build them. What most people would consider really boring work. I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that someone deliberately tried to hurt me.”

As she pulled into a parking spot outside his building, he reached for her hand. Held it tightly. “And now you’re my bodyguard. The one who got away. The woman I’ve always regretted losing. I’m kind of discombobulated right now. Stuck between the past and the present. So forgive me if I sound confused. Disoriented. Sooner or later, I’ll figure things out.”

Jo shifted in her seat to face him. “There’s not a lot to figure out,” she said. “Me -- bodyguard,” she said, slapping her chest. “You -- protectee.” She trailed her fingers down his chest but drew her hand away before he could grab it. “I call the shots.” Her mouth curled into a smile. “Which means I get to boss you around and tell you what to do. And you have to do what Itellyou to do.”

“Goes against my code, Jo,” he said, shaking his head. “In my world, the man protects the woman.”

“That’s not how it is when you have a bodyguard,” she said immediately. Then she leaned closer. “But if you like, maybe I’ll let you boss me around in bed,” she said, a sly smile curling her mouth. “Would that make you feel better?”

“Oh, God, Jo,” he groaned. “How do you expect me to concentrate on work when you talk like that? Concentrate on my meeting with Fiona’s teacher.”

“You were good at multi-tasking back in high school,” she said. “Brush the rust off those skills and use them again.”

He slanted a look at her. “You’re an evil, evil woman, Jo Hatch.” But his mouth curled up into a delighted smile. “What am I going to do with you?”

She held his gaze for a beat too long. “I’m looking forward to finding out, Cam.”

Cam closed his eyes. How was he supposed to walk into that building? He hadn’t had this much trouble controlling his cock since high school. But a few sexy words from Jo had him hard as a rock. And impatient as hell.

It was going to be a very long afternoon and evening before Fiona fell asleep. And he was pretty sure Jo would keep dropping innuendos into their conversations for the rest of the day.

He wasn’t sure he’d survive it.

Not sure he wanted to.

Chapter 21

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