Chapter 27

C ameron laughed when we got to the bar and I parked the car streetside in front of it. I could already hear the music blasting from it once I turned off the car, and Cameron smiled at me with a twinkle in her eye.

"This why you told me to dress down?"

"Bit of a faux pas to show up at the karaoke bar in your opera dress. Ever done karaoke?"

"When I was in Tokyo, once. I was told it was mandatory."

I unbuckled my seatbelt, turning on her. "When were you in Tokyo? Just dropping that like it's nothing…"

She laughed. "I have an outlet store in Shibuya, you know. It's a small thing, but I was there for the opening."

"Jesus, sometimes I forget who you are."

"I like that." She reached across the center console and, with that impossibly fond look in her eyes I couldn't believe was directed at me, trailed her fingertips over my arm. "More fun this way."

As good as she'd looked in that dress last night, I did not mind her in a fitted tank and shorts, either. I felt like I could get used to seeing her casual look. "Well… karaoke is the perfect way to forget serious things and just be a loud mess for a while. Plus, Wednesday is ladies' night, so we're just in time to catch a free drink."

"Expert in the scene?" she laughed, and I shook my head.

"Ruth is. You can thank her for this."

"Tell her I said thank you, then," she said, stepping out of the car. I followed her out, and I was walking on air when she was the one to slip her hand into mine this time.

Miami was a small world—we were in there for half an hour, the crowds squeezed in together belting out to the music, before I bumped into an old friend of Gabriela's I'd known a bit, transplant from Wisconsin named Grace who'd just wanted to live somewhere with sun, and I fumbled when introducing Cameron. I said friend, but I'd put a loaded pause into the word without even trying to, and Grace picked up on it but, tactfully, didn't say anything.

We were two drinks deep and an hour and a half in when the high of the moment and the buzz of the drinks melted together and I just couldn't stop looking at Cameron, thinking there could never exist a more beautiful person in the world, and she grinned at me when the current song ended, and she took my hand, tugging me towards the stage.

"C'mon, babe. I'm getting you to sing before the night's out."

"Oh—uh—I can't sing," I said, but I let her lead me. She laughed.

"You think I can? You think anyone up on that stage can sing? I said come with me."

And one thing was right—I couldn't sing. Neither could she. And that was the fun of it all, because the whole crowd full of people who couldn't sing sang along with us too as the music filled the space and the buzz of the alcohol and the high I got from Cameron filled my head, and when she locked eyes with me towards the end of the song, I couldn't look away. We'd barely finished the song, microphones still in our hands, before she stepped forward and kissed me, right there on the stage, and I didn't give a damn about the world or anything other than me and her right now. I wrapped my arms around her and kissed her back, quick but passionate, and I only heard the cheering from the crowd as a distant hum.

I landed at Cameron's place that night, where I was finding I knew the layout of the place as if it were my own home. Cameron served up some food from her fridge, simple stuff just to make sure we weren't waking up hungover the next morning, and we sat at her bar counter by the window with the view of the Miami Beach skyline glittering at night, laughing over silly little nothings, as we ate.

"Thanks for tonight," she said, standing up and taking my hand, pulling me up out of my stool with her. "I had a lot of fun."

The lights were all off except the small one over the stove, and the faint glow of the city lights through the window cast us in gentle shadows where it felt like we were hidden away, a world just for the two of us. A little secret. As if there was anything secret about this anymore. I stopped in front of her, my hand on her hip, just… looking at her. The faint bit of green in her eyes. I thought I'd never get bored of it, and I wanted to put that to the test. "Glad it wasn't too lowbrow for you."

"Fancy dresses start to get uncomfortable after a while. Even with good tailoring. And people at the opera frown upon jumping on the stage and kissing your girlfriend."

I stopped, my heart jumping a beat at the world. I think Cameron only realized she'd said it when I paused, and she looked away, frustration lacing her features.

"Ah… slip of the tongue."

"I mean, I've put it out there what I want."

"So you have." She looked at me with a brilliant smile, eyes gleaming in the light through the window. "Just for my sake? Just because I laid into you in my office that time?"

I looked out the window. "Mostly it was that you were right…"

"Comparing you to Kevin was uncalled for, though. I wasn't in the best place, and I'd been making so many excuses for him…" She settled against me, lowering her head and resting her forehead against my lips. "I was just scared to admit you were right, too."

I laughed lightly, trailing a hand up and down her back. "I admit it stung. But you were right about that, too. And I guess I just want to… try living openly. See where it gets me."

She twirled one finger in my hair, lacing through my loose curls. "Sure you wouldn't rather be in Vegas?"

I didn't hesitate. "There's nowhere I'd rather be than this."

Even with her head ducked low, I saw a smile dance over her lips. "Even with the rain?"

"It can pour down. Some things are worth the rain."

"Stop it," she laughed, her voice thick, cupping her hand on my jaw. The soft, delicate intimacy of the moment made my heart pound, but that unspoken weight in her voice tugged at me. "It's not really fair to make me feel this way."

"I've never been one for playing fair…"

She laughed, pressing a gentle kiss on my shoulder. She sank deeper against me, and I held her close, breathing in the sweet, subtle scent of that perfume that had become my whole world. "Have to feed the cat, and all that."

"Mm. Something like that."

She sighed. "What am I supposed to do with you, London?"

I shrugged. "Go on dates with me to seaside restaurants, the opera, karaoke dive bars, and wherever else our hearts decide on?"

"Would if it were that simple. You know the problem."

I squeezed her. "Then let's face it together. If there's anything I can do, I want to do it. If we can't be together right now, then I can wait for you."

"London…" Her voice was thicker now. I gave her a playful squeeze.

"You've ruined me, you know. Keep making me feel things I didn't know I could feel. Even if I dated anyone else, I'd only ever be thinking of you… that'd hardly be fair to the other girl."

"Oh, stop it," she laughed, tears hot in her voice. I massaged her back, gentle, soothing.

"I won't. I know you like when I'm difficult."

"You've ruined me, too, you know. Just a month ago I would have been able to go back to a mediocre life as his wife… now I'd just be thinking of you. Really quite inconsiderate of you."

I kissed the top of her head. "I'm not going to pretend I'm not proud of myself. Having an effect like that on you of all people…"

"I'm nothing special. Just the girl who hoarded sweets in her bedroom because she wasn't supposed to."

"So we're both difficult. Really the only ones for each other."

She pulled back and looked up at me, her eyes shining. "You're just terrible."

"I know."

She kissed me, and it didn't take much to tell it meant a lot more than all the others. The way she held me, her lips against mine, not moving, just long and slow, tender and sweet and perfect—the kind of kiss where you were falling in love and you didn't really want to stop it.

So I kissed her back. And everything felt right.

We fell into her bed before long, and she took me slowly, gently—adoringly. We made love well into the night, and when we finished, she collapsed on top of me, resting her head on my chest, my arms wrapped around her, our breath coming in sync.

And as I listened to her breathe, I thought no one had ever been as lucky as I was right now.

We fell asleep there in one another's arms, and I woke up to Cameron sleeping softly in the bed next to me, one hand tucked under her cheek, lips parted to show her front teeth as she murmured something soft and quiet in her sleep, and I took a quiet minute watching how radiant she looked in the soft pale-gold morning light before I slipped out of bed and pulled on one of Cameron's looser sweaters and headed for the kitchen. I was in the middle of cooking still when the door squeaked open and Cameron came through, looking incredible in a pair of panties and a slim tank, and she stopped, giving me an incredulous smile.

"London. You're cooking?"

"Been picking it up a bit." And I'd been practicing making pancakes specifically because I really wanted to wake up Cameron to pancakes, cliché and all. I flipped one, feeling a little too good about myself seeing the perfect browning. "Pancakes?"

"You've been picking it up because you want to spoil me."

"Ah." I looked away. "That's a bold accusation."

"And I'm not hearing you deny it."

"Hm."

She laughed, coming over to my side and pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I'm just running to the bathroom and then I will eat whatever you want to give me."

I fumbled the spatula. "That's—a hell of an offer."

She smiled. "I know," she said, before she turned away, and I watched her hips sway as she crossed the room.

Damn, but she had a great ass. And I almost let a pancake burn while I was looking at it.

Parting was sweet sorrow later, after sharing breakfast by the light of sunrise glistening off the marble countertop, once we were both finally showered and dressed and I stood at the door, pulling my shoes on. Cameron brushed a thumb over my cheek, smiling playfully at me, and she said, "Unfortunately too busy to go out tonight, but… I'll see if I can get a minute to call you. And I will see you for our tour tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow, gorgeous. Stay out of trouble."

"That, coming from you? Hard to buy." She pressed a swift kiss against my lips, and I floated on the feeling the whole way through getting back to my apartment, gathering my things, and dressing for work, the whole way through another workday where I was sent to harass a big property developer and torment his pain points until he agreed to meet my boss for some talks about a collection of flipper sites we needed to unload. I couldn't help but think he was a lovely person and that we could have just settled in with him to help better understand his business plan and get something healthier than dumping a bunch of lemons in his lap and running, but I wasn't the boss.

Guess I could have been, if I were an independent agent. But I knew the Miami market was vicious—picked you clean faster than a swarm of piranhas. And I wasn't exactly shelling out for legal fees to get my own independent business set up, either, not when I was still wondering if I had a place to live.

But that wasn't important right now. Just keeping my eyes straight ahead, focusing on what needed to be done.

And on the fact that maybe—just maybe—I had a chance with Cameron after all.

Maybe it was time to close. Show Kevin she didn't answer to him anyway.

Or maybe I was getting ahead of myself because I was really, really into this woman, but—I'd question myself later.