his. She wanted...
Camille wanted him.
She wanted Remington Krane.
She wanted to experience the things she wrote in her books. She wanted to be seduced and touched and treated like the sensual woman she knew she could be. She no longer wanted to feel like a fraud to her fans because she was a virgin. She was a woman who was raised in this town and its values had been ingrained in her. Despite her career, she still believed in saving herself for the one man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with.
If her fans knew, they’d boycott her books and demand refunds. That was probably an exaggeration, but she didn’t want anyone to find out that each and every book was written about a fantasy she’d had about the very man who was now requesting her presence for dinner.
* * *
By now, his gift to Camille would have arrived and hopefully she’d have seen it. He knew it would be a hit regardless of whether they were at odds with one another or not. It was her favorite snack and would always be if he had anything to do with it. And he did have something to do with it since he’d found out where she lived after a conversation with Charleston and had personally sent the snacks to the nearest grocery store. He’d even contacted the owner personally to see if Camille frequented the store and when he found out that a woman matching her description had been coming in, he’d paid the man to carry the snack and point it out to her the next time she came in. She had no idea that Remi had done that and he’d do it again if she ever moved to a new place.
His behavior bordered on stalker since he knew where she lived and where she bought her groceries thanks to a little investigating.
He was allowing his thoughts to stray, taking his mind off of the land deal he should’ve been thinking about. His grandfather had called every day wanting to hear some information but Remi had dodged the man as usual. The land deal was under way but he wanted to handle it without his grandfather’s interference. He loved his grandfather, but in his old age he’d started to stray from some of the core values of the company. He’d been touched by the demons of power, ambition and success, and he’d begun to believe they made him better than others—better than good people like Reese Ryan and his lovely daughter.
Making sure the land acquisition went smoothly should’ve been the only thing on Remi’s mind but it wasn’t. A pair of shapely bronzed legs, attached to a petite little frame that he could see himself buried deep inside of, was all his mind kept going back to. The way her womanly body—more alluring now than before—had appeared to him the other night should’ve been a sin. The doe-eyed look on her face when she had opened that door was one that he wouldn’t mind seeing while she writhed underneath him.
Had she had sexual experiences over the years? Of course she had. She was a beautiful woman and had the smarts to back up the looks, so she’d have no trouble attracting men.
It tormented Remi to think about another man with his hands on what he’d always considered his. No matter the time and the distance, he’d always thought of Camille Ryan as his girl, though she’d left him.
Remington was startled from his thoughts when his phone rang. He answered it since his secretary didn’t come in on Saturday. Neither did he on most Saturdays, but he was trying to take his mind off Camille and the fact that she could be leaving soon.
“Remington Krane,” he said when he didn’t recognize the number that showed up on the caller ID. He had a feeling that it might be Camille and if she was calling, then he hoped it wasn’t to turn him down. He switched on the speaker so he’d have his hands free.
“Oh...hi, Remi. I got your gift and I thought I should call you and thank you.” She paused and he could tell she was nervous. “They are still my favorite snack... I—I want to say that, while I wish I could join you for dinner, I can’t. I have an engagement in the city and won’t be back in time.” She rushed through the words and it gave Remi the slightest bit of satisfaction that she was uncomfortable turning him down.
Maybe the kiss hadn’t been a total mistake.
“No problem at all,” Remi said stopping her from continuing to let him down. “May I ask what type of engagement? I thought your trip to town was unexpected.”
He knew he was fishing and that she had every right to tell him to mind his own business, but he wasn’t ready to get off the phone and he did have a genuine interest in where Camille would be. He expected her to avoid the subject but instead she said, “I have a friend flying to the West Coast and she has a layover in the city. I told her I’d meet her for an early dinner.”
Camille hated lying. He knew that about her and she was definitely lying.
“Oh, really. Where do you plan to take her? Maybe I could make some suggestions.” He tried not to sound disappointed over being lied to.
She hesitated for a moment and then told him that she was open to suggestions. She listened intently, but something inside him told him she wasn’t taking any of it in. She thanked him again and promised to call and reschedule, but as he hung up he knew he wouldn’t hold his breath.
* * *
Camille wasn’t sure why she felt so bad about having to let down Remi, but she did. She’d felt so bad about lying to him that she’d wanted to tell him exactly what she was going into the city to do. If anyone would be proud of her, Remi would. He’d probably go out and buy all her books just to see if she based any of the characters on him. Then he’d find something in every one and insist he deserved some sort of royalty payment for being her inspiration. Jokingly, of course, but he’d definitely say it.
Camille blushed at the mere idea of Remi reading words she conjured from her thoughts. It was one thing for a stranger to read her books but it was another for someone close to read them. It would be like them seeing a different side of her—a side that may suggest she wasn’t as innocent as people imagined her to be.
Wasn’t that her dilemma? She was doing this thing that she was so proud of and she could only be proud of it in secret. She was afraid to reveal the truth because she didn’t want to hurt her family. She certainly didn’t want to bring any unwanted attention to her small hometown. Using this alias had protected everyone, although she could honestly say she sometimes wished she didn’t have to hide her identity. She wished she could tell everyone, especially Remi. She wished she could tell everyone that she’d only left to protect Krane Foods and Remi’s future, because ultimately, she could’ve dealt with the scrutiny if had been just her she had to think about.
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