Page 68 of My One and Only

“Absolutely not!” She stared at him, appalled. “But you could have figured out something else. Maybe had your mother pick Fiona up.” She glanced at her phone. “Too late now. If we’re going to get there in time, we have to leave now.”

Jo grabbed her coat, irritated enough with Cam that she shoved her hands into the sleeves too hard and ripped the lining at her right shoulder. Then she saved her work, closed her computer, shoved it into her bag and followed him out of his office.

An uncomfortable silence filled the truck as she drove toward the school. Finally, when they had to stop for a red light, Cam reached over and skimmed a finger down the back of her hand.

“Sorry, Jo,” he sighed. “I wasn’t thinking when I made this appointment. You’re right -- I should have asked my mom to pick Fiona up, then you could have stayed with me at the school.”

Jo blew out a breath. It was hard to stay angry with someone who was genuinely sorry for a mistake they’d made. “Then Fiona would be left unprotected,” she said quietly. “There’s no good solution for this. And you’re right about the school,” she admitted. “They do have good security. So me staying on the playground with Fiona is the best solution.” She drew a deep breath. “But you should have talked to me about it first.”

“Yeah, I should have talked to you about Fiona first. I’ll remember to do that if there’s a next time,” he said. “Maybe we can kiss and make up later.”

She shot him a hard look. “Don’t press your luck, buddy.”

“Too soon, huh?”he said, giving her a side glance.

Jo sighed and banged her head against the headrest on the back of the seat. “I never could stay mad at you, Cam Pierce. You always managed to sweet-talk me out of my pissiness.”

She turned into the school and pulled into a spot in the visitor’s parking lot. They got out and walked toward the front door. He brushed his fingers over hers and said softly, “I promise not to do it again, Jo. Okay? We good?”

She stared at his hand touching hers and wanted to twine their fingers together. Instead, she swallowed and said, “I’m gonna trust you, Cam. But if it happens again? I’ll get someone else here to guard you. Someone who’s a lot meaner than I am.”

“Yeah? And who would that be?”

Jo smiled. “We have an agent based in Chicago. Bree Gordon. She used to be a Marine Corp sniper. She’s as badass as they come. She wouldn’t cut you any slack.” She leaned close and murmured, “She’d put you on your ass without thinking twice.”

Cam leaned closer. “That’s hot,” he murmured. “But is she as hot as you?”

“Hotter,” Jo answered immediately. “But she’s very happily married. No action there, buddy. Sorry.” She smirked at him, good humor restored.

His gaze touched her mouth. Her breasts. Her legs. It felt as if his hands swept over her, finding every sensitive spot on her body. “I don’t want anyone but you, Jo,” he said, his voice a soft breath against her neck.

She swallowed hard once. Again. “Don’t piss me off, then, Cam. Don’t take your safety so lightly.”

She held his gaze until he nodded. “I won’t do it again. I promise.”

She nodded once. “Then we’re good.”

They’d reached the front door to the school. Jo leaned against the wall and said, “I’ll wait here for Fiona to come out. Then she can show me where the playground is.” She leaned closer. “And remember, if anything happens in there, I’ll kill you myself.”

His eyes darkened, and his breath feathered across her cheek. “I’ll be fine, Jo. See you and Fiona soon.”

Without waiting for her to answer, he pressed the intercom button on the door. When the security guard showed up, he glanced at Cam and opened the door.

“Thanks, Howie,” Cam said. “I’m Cam Pierce. I have an appointment with my daughter’s teacher. Ms.Christopher.”

“Yeah, I knew you had a meeting,” the guard said, holding the door open. “Her room is down this hall. Room 23.”

“Thanks, man.” He looked back at Jo. “See you and Fiona in a bit.”

“We’ll be on the playground,” she said, forcing herself to speak normally. As if the sexual tension between them hadn’t been thick and heavy just moments ago.

Cam disappeared down the hall, and Jo moved off to the side when she saw the wave of kids heading for the door. The first boy smashed into the crash bar, and kids poured out of the school.

A lot had changed in fifteen years. When she’d lived in Ogden, the town had been lily-white. Now Black and Brown kids were part of the crowd, everyone talking and laughing.

Fiona was one of the last kids to emerge, walking with another girl and chattering away. When she looked around for her father’s truck, Jo stepped closer to her. “Hey, Fiona.”

Fiona looked at her and smiled widely. “Jo! Where’s my dad?”

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