Page 82 of Hot Commodity (Banks/Kincaid Family 1)

But that's exactly what he'd done. For ten years.

"God, I'm so sorry."

Allison leaned down to hug him and in doing so, finally drew Boston and Olivia's attention. Gasping, they let go of each other and stumbled forward. Boston came all the way to his side, but Olivia hung back at the last moment, her face wrinkling into a scared, uncertain mask.

"Still got some life left in you, huh?" Boston asked in a steady enough voice, though his pale face and red-ringed eyes told the true story.

"Yeah, so you can quit trying to comfort the weeping widow," Cameron groused and managed a half-hearted glare. "I'm not dead yet."

Boston grinned, but the relief in his eyes nearly made Cam tear up again. What in the world had he done to his best friend?

As he opened his mouth to make some snide, probably sarcastically dry comment, Boston's face suddenly filled with color. He sucked in a breath, blinking rapidly. "Jesus," he said, pressed a fisted hand to the center of his chest, and stared at Cameron as if he couldn't believe his friend had actually survived. "You scared the shit out of me tonight, man."

Cameron's chest constricted, making him cringe. Regret filled him to the brink. He licked his dry lips and said, "I hear I owe you thanks. You saved my life."

He lifted his hands; a look of extreme liberation washed over Boston as he stepped forward and gripped Cam's fingers.

"Yeah, well, you can pay me back by buying me a new pair of shoes. You puked all over my favorites."

"You mean that ratty old brown pair you've had for ten years?" Cameron grinned. "Thank God. It w

as beyond time to retire them."

Boston shook his head, the skin around his eyes wrinkling with humor.

Cameron shifted his gaze past Boston and settled on Olivia. She must not have gone far whenever she'd left him. The family had still been able to contact her and let her know he was in the hospital.

Her tousled hair rose in a scattered mountainous mess. Still, she was the most beautiful sight he'd ever seen.

She loved him. Whether he liked it or not, Olivia loved him. It was an unconditional devotion, like what his parents felt for each other. Whether he pushed her away or not, she'd still love him. The insight was humbling and overwhelming, but he liked it.

And that was his decision-maker right there. Never truly having loved a woman before, never having felt the pressing need to keep her safe, Cameron knew he'd do anything for Olivia. He'd even fix himself to protect her.

"Livy," he whispered.

She jerked guiltily; her face drained of color. As his parents and Boston stepped aside and slowly started backing toward the separating curtain to give him privacy, Olivia cautiously shuffled forward as if she thought he was going to beat her now.

An unexpected surge of pleasure moved through him. She cared. She loved him so much, he altered the whole view he'd been taking on the entire situation. He no longer wanted to distance himself from her. He just wanted to be with her forever. And if he had to make himself right to do that, then by God, he would.

"Where'd you go?" he heard himself ask, not really caring but curious about the answer. He realized it was the wrong thing to say as soon as the panic entered her face. Shit, he hadn't meant to make her think this was her fault. He lifted his hand, but she jerked back.

"I-I...Oh, God, Cameron. I'm so sorry. I'll never leave again. I'm sorry."

He closed his eyes as his own words to Sienna repeated themselves through his head, the first time he'd gone away for the weekend to go camping with friends. Forgive me, Sienna. I never meant to hurt you. I'll never leave again.

Cameron shook his head. "No, Livy. I didn't mean it that way. I…" Hell. He what? He was blowing this. "I'm just glad you're here." He saw new hope staring at him through the big blue eyes of his cupcake as he held out his hand again.

Their fingers gripped and held. Cameron had to assume the tight bond meant something. He sent her a smile.

"I went a little overboard tonight, huh?"

She sucked in a shuddering breath and wiped a trail of tears off her cheek with her free hand. His heart clenched. He could only do one thing to stop this. Well, two maybe. He could finish the annulment and get as far away from her as possible. But that no longer seemed possible. The other option, however…

"God, I'm sorry, Livy." He clutched her fingers for dear life. "I'll change. I'll get better. I-I'll go into rehab again. Whatever it takes. I didn't mean to scare you. I love you too much to keep putting you through this."

"You love me?" she said, her blue eyes blinking.

He smiled. "I do. And I want to change. I want to get over this. So, if I can do this, if I make it successfully through rehab, will you stay?"

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