‘It’s difficult to feel anything but hard when you’re touching me, baby,’ Cam answered gruffly.

I chuckled despite myself. ‘Insatiable, are we?’

‘Apparently around you.’

‘More sweet talk. Am I required to repay you in some way for it?’

‘Now why would you assume you had to pay for it?’

I grinned teasingly. ‘Well, you’re not known for being sweet to me, Cam.’

His chest rose under my cheek as he gave a little huff of annoyance. ‘How long am I going to pay for being a bastard to you?’

‘Oh, I don’t know. I think it might prove useful as leverage in the future.’

His playful growl filled the room as he rolled me on to my back. At the sudden move, I giggled up into his now alert eyes, letting him pin me to the mattress. He nudged my legs apart. His face was still relaxed from sleep, the sexy curl of his upper lip soft and begging for attention. ‘Do you want to know why I was such a bastard?’

‘You’ve already told me why – ah.’ I ended on a gasp, feeling him hard and nudging insistently between my legs. My legs widened instinctively as he moved slowly against me, teasing me.

‘Truth?’ He lowered his head, kissing softly along my jaw until he found my ear. I shuddered at the tiny nip he gave the lobe, at the lick of his tongue against the bite. My chest heaved and my breasts brushed tantalizingly against his chest. My chest rose and fell in fast, shallow movements.

At the press of our bodies, Cam froze for a second, a guttural moan falling from his lips to land on a breath against my neck.

I brought my knees up, inviting him to take what we both so desperately wanted him to. He reached for the chest of drawers and rummaged around, then pulled out a condom.

As Cam put on the protection his usually cobalt eyes were almost black. ‘Truth?’

‘Truth,’ I whispered on a nod.

‘I wanted you and I couldn’t have you.’

My lips parted in amazement at the confession. ‘That’s why you were a bastard to me?’

‘I didn’t want to want you so badly, so when it appeared that you were someone I could never respect or want, I held on to that and ran with it. But you kept blowing all my preconceptions to smithereens, and I just kept wanting you more.’

As Cameron gazed deep into my eyes I felt a weight bear down on us, like a cocoon wrapping around us, protecting the connection that was developing so deep and fast between us. ‘I guess that means your bastard days are behind you,’ I replied, my words barely audible under the gravity of emotion.

His brows drew together. ‘Meaning?’

‘You can stop wanting me now that you have me.’

Light twinkled mischievously in his eyes as he grinned at me. ‘I don’t think that’s possible. To stop wanting you, I mean.’

Without warning, before I could even reply to that, he pushed into me and I cried out, my hands digging into the muscles in his back as my body grew reacquainted with his thickness. His breath whispered over my lips just before he kissed me, his tongue teasing mine as he pulled out of me a few inches before sliding back in.

His kisses were hot and sweet as he slowly made love to me, pushing us towards another shattering release.

We had just got out of his shower – where I’d finally found my chance to study the ink on his arms with my tongue – and we were in the kitchen making tea and toast when my phone rang. I found it in the pocket of my faux fur jacket, still lying in the hall from last night when Cam stripped me out of it.

A picture of Joss giving someone behind me a sly grin popped up on my phone screen as it rang. I’d taken it at the bar months ago, not realizing Craig was doing some absurd ‘sexy’ dance behind me as I snapped Joss’s picture. I smiled. ‘Hullo?’

‘Hey, you,’ she answered casually. ‘How are you?’

‘I’m fine.’ More than fine! I just had life-changing sex with Tattoo Guy! I grinned, trying to contain my giddiness as I wandered back into the kitchen, where Cam stood by the kettle, shirtless and all mine. ‘You?’

‘Good. You sound weird.’

‘Weird?’

‘Yeah. Weird.’

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ Cam glanced up at me and smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling sexily. I grinned again. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about at all.’

‘Hmm.’ Clearly Joss was unconvinced. ‘Are you and Cole coming to lunch today?’

I hesitated. I had a lot to do today. I had to tell Cole about me and Cam, and it was time to put the clothes Malcolm had bought me on eBay. Just the thought of it made my stomach lurch with guilt about how things had ended between us.

‘Butter or jam on your toast?’ Cam asked loudly.

I sucked in my breath.

‘Was that Cam?’ Joss asked quietly, more than idle curiosity in her tone.

‘Yes.’

‘At nine thirty in the morning? Asking about toast?’

‘Mm-hmm.’

‘Oh, my God, you fucked him.’

I rolled my eyes. ‘Well, just say it like it is, Joss.’

‘I take it you dumped Malcolm first before you got it on with Tattoo Guy. Poor Malcolm. Oh, well.’

An unexpected warmth flooded my chest at Joss’s summation of the situation. She hadn’t asked me if I’d cheated on Malcolm. She’d just assumed I’d been good enough to be straight with him. It was nice to know she thought so well of me. ‘We broke up last night.’ I was suddenly very aware of Cam’s inquisitive eyes on me. ‘Look, we’ll talk about it later.’

‘Bring Cam to lunch.’

Okay, what? ‘What?’ I tried to squelch the hint of hysteria in that question.

‘If you’re seeing him now you should bring him to lunch. Elodie won’t mind.’

‘You never asked Malcolm to lunch.’

Cam shot me another questioning look.

‘Well, if I’d thought the lunch would be as interesting as this one is definitely going to be, I might have.’

‘We’re not coming to lunch just to entertain you.’

Suddenly the phone was whipped from my ear and I watched wide-eyed as Cameron held it up to his own. ‘Joss, hey, it’s Cam. We’ll be there. Time?’ He nodded at whatever she said. ‘Cool. See you then.’

I took the phone from him and gestured between us. ‘I don’t know what just happened here, but we’ll talk.’ I lifted it to my ear. ‘Joss.’

‘Nice phone voice, huh?’ She chuckled.

‘Funny. Apparently we’ll see you at lunch.’

‘See you then. Oh, and Jo?’

‘Yeah?’

‘Was he good?’

Laughter fell from my lips before I could stop it, remembering how I’d pestered Joss about Braden after I found out they had slept together. Payback was a bitch. ‘What was it you said to me? You can have him when I’m done.’

Her groan caused my smile to widen. ‘I’m such a bitch. Never tell Braden I said that. Please?’

‘I promise.’

‘Good. If you break that promise, I’ll find a way to lock you in a room with Ellie and her romantic drama collection.’

‘You know some of us don’t find that an excruciating prospect.’

‘Fine. I’ll take up smoking just to drive your cravings nuts.’

‘You have a severely sadistic side. Anyway, I don’t have any cravings.’

‘Even when you smell cigarette smoke?’ she asked smugly.

Damn. It was true. Anytime I got a whiff of cigarette smoke, my eyes closed in torture and I had to hunt down the nearest stick of gum to quell the need for nicotine intake. ‘Your point is moot considering I’m not going to tell him.’

‘Moot? Nice word choice. The brain is certainly working well for a Sunday morning conversation. He must have really started those engines, huh?’

‘Goodbye, Joss. Oh, and you tell anyone about me and Cam before I get a chance to and I will tell Braden.’ I hung up with a satisfied smirk.

Cam was staring at me as he held out my mug of coffee. ‘What was that about?’

‘I have some information she’d like me to keep quiet. She threatened to torture me with cigarette smoke if I ever give her up.’

He frowned, pushing a plate of toast towards me. There were slices spread with butter and others with jam. I took some sugary goodness. ‘You used to smoke?’