thought of him with some other woman while she sat in his apartment working her fingers to the bone poured acid on her empty stomach, but she remembered, ‘Did you forget I may need to work through evenings?’
He shook his head. ‘Not every evening, Didi. You’ll need some down-time. I’m the last person who’d want to compromise your creativity. And I’ll ensure it’s not something you wouldn’t feel comfortable attending before I accept.’
She couldn’t look at him while she made her decision so she studied the pile of clothes in her hand. She’d have to be very, very careful not to let herself fall for him. Because she would not go through that kind of pain again.
She had to remember to keep her heart out of the mix. Keep it temporary. Casual sex. Except she’d never done casual sex.
But she knew this inexplicable attraction was mutual and she wanted to explore that attraction while she was here. And, damn it, why shouldn’t she? They were both single, unattached and available and this was twenty-first-century Australia.
Finally, she met his gaze. ‘I’ll be wearing my own clothes if we go out, thanks. And believe it when I tell you no one can manage my hair but me.’
Cam let out a deep slow breath as he watched Didi run her hands through the unruly tufts. He hadn’t realised he’d been holding his breath and mentally shook his head at the sheer madness of whatever-the-hell-it-was that had gripped him until he saw the agreement in her eyes.
Sex was the motivation, right? Yet this crazy feeling was like nothing he’d ever felt before. Before he could stop himself he crossed the room to take that beautiful bewitching face between his hands and watch last night’s afterglow in her eyes sparkle.
She smelled of sleep and sex and his mouth fell onto hers as if he’d relinquished control of his movements to some unseen force. Unthinkable to resist. Impossible to pretend he wasn’t instantly aroused by her warm womanly shape beneath the terry-towelling robe, by the feel of her hands sliding around his naked back as she fashioned herself against him.
Exclusively his for the next two and a half weeks.
The sound of someone passing by the door pulled him out of the moment. Reluctant, he drew back, soothing her lips with his before he said, ‘I’d better make myself presentable while you go see if our guest wants some breakfast.’ And I need to put some priorities in order, starting now.
‘Hmm.’ Her fingers found their way beneath his waistband and she looked up at him. ‘I kind of like you unpresentable.’
Drawing her hands away, he clasped them together. ‘Go. Now. Before I forget I’m supposed to be the host.’ And that today’s another business day with a couple of site inspections and three meetings scheduled.
Twenty minutes later he helped himself to a mug of coffee. Veronica was sipping from her own mug on the sofa by the living-room window while Didi took eggs from the refrigerator. The apartment’s open-plan living arrangement allowed him to view both women simultaneously.
Two sisters couldn’t be more different. It wasn’t lost on him that at a purely superficial level Veronica was more like the usual type of woman who shared the occasional breakfast here before they went their separate ways to work.
Charlie greeted Cam as he carried his steaming mug towards the sofa. Why was it that cats invariably chose to smooch people who ignored them? But he bent down to fondle the silky ears as he nodded at their guest. ‘Veronica. I apologise for not being up earlier. I trust you slept well?’
‘I did. Thank you.’ Sipping delicately, she eyed him with a hint of the distrust she’d shown last night. ‘You have a lovely apartment.’
‘We like it.’ He smiled at Didi, who was whipping up eggs with one eye and watching them with another.
Veronica arched a brow. ‘How long have you been here, Didi?’
The whisk faltered but only for a second. ‘Um … not long …’
‘Didi’s a relative newcomer but I’ve been here a few years.’ Cam covered the hitch smoothly.
‘Ah …’ Veronica eyed him with an I-know-your-game glint and when she spoke her voice was silk. ‘You’re the gallery owner who leases it to my sister for a low rent. How … convenient. But you’re not interstate—Didi told me you were.’
He glanced at Didi, back to Veronica. ‘And so I was … yesterday.’
Glancing at the Sheila Dodd and Didi’s work against the wall, she observed, ‘You’re also an art collector.’
‘Actually, the Before the Temptation one is mine,’ Didi said, setting two frying pans on the stove with satisfied clangs. ‘Scrambled eggs okay?’
‘Yes. Fine.’ Veronica paused, sculptured brows rising. ‘Yours?’
‘Yep. As in I made it.’
‘Beautifully crafted, isn’t it?’ Cam said, smiling, watching Veronica’s bemused expression. ‘It should fetch a tidy price at the gallery.’
‘It’s not for sale,’ Didi said over the counter top.
‘Ah … yes. Very nice.’ Veronica set her mug down with a delicate clink. No well-deserved praise, Cam noted.
‘Mum and Dad send their love.’ Casually spoken but Cam felt the immediate undercurrent between the two sisters.
Wouldn’t they have had this conversation yesterday? This was purely for his benefit.
Didi only glanced up as she stirred eggs into one pan, set bacon sizzling in the other. ‘I’ve been very busy.’
‘Too busy to call?’
Silence except for the crackle of bacon. ‘I’ll do things my way, Veronica,’ Didi said finally. ‘When I’m ready.’ She sliced avocado onto plates.
Cam watched the interaction. Clearly Didi had further issues with her parents that she’d yet to share with him.
‘So where did you two meet?’
Didi caught Cam’s eye, then said, ‘At a cocktail party.’
He grinned back at Didi over his coffee. ‘I turned around and there she was. It was literally sparks at three paces.’
‘Really? So, Cameron, this gallery you own …’Her pursed lips were quite deliberate. ‘That makes you Didi’s boss?’
‘Not exactly. Didi’s working on a commission at present,’ Cam said carefully. ‘Her work’s going to be demanding a small fortune soon.’ No lies there. ‘You’ll have to put in an order before word gets out.’
‘It’s not really my thing,’ Veronica said with a lazy disinterest that annoyed Cam. ‘Fabric and threads collect dust. Daniel’s allergies wouldn’t allow it.’
How could she be so dismissive of her sister’s talent? ‘Unfortunate,’ was all Cam allowed himself to say but he felt his hackles rise on Didi’s account. He suppressed the urge to slice into Veronica.
