Read Online Beneath Beautiful by Allison Rushby - Free Book Online

face approached hers, his breath warm on her face. “And it's fine, isn't it? It's good. Nothing bad is going to happen. No one's unhappy. I'm not unhappy. Are you unhappy? Do you feel taken advantage of? Is there something you'd like to do to me in return? If there is, you should, you know. It's all entirely up to you.”
    “Ah . . . I . . .” Cassie stammered, wondering for all the world if she was going to have to call her sister tonight and confess to having done something unexpected in a cave with Cameron Callahan. Because she wanted to. God, but she wanted to.
    “Well, good then.” Cameron stepped backwards, putting a stop to Cassie's straying thoughts. “Everything's right with the world.”
     
     
    C assie was silent and confused as they exited the cave, mulling over what had just happened. What she didn't understand was whether she was in control, or Cameron was? She couldn't tell. However, outside on the beach once more, Cameron's phone rang, interrupting any further conversation they might have had.
    “Right, right. Okay. Yes, I know it's all about the timing. It always is, isn't it? No, not now. I'm busy. Get Marianne to call me in an hour, and we'll arrange things.” And, with this, he ended the call. When he'd done so, his eyes lost no time in finding Cassie's. “I've got to go back. To New York,” he offered. “I don't suppose you'd consider coming with me?”

 
     
    “I t's going to be fine. I think. I hope . . .” Cassie paused in diving through boxes to turn her head to look at Jo who was standing in the doorway of the spare room.
    “I'll pray for you,” Jo replied, only half-joking.
    “I don't know what to say.” Cassie stood up properly now, seeing her sister's concern. “Only that it will be all right.”
    She knew that Jo thought this was all too sudden. And it was too sudden. It felt like only five minutes ago that she and Cameron had driven down to Cornwall. They'd spent two nights before coming back again, making the return journey after breakfast this morning. Was that much time really long enough to “get to know each other”? Cassie didn't know. She didn't know anything anymore, except, maybe, that she needed to do this—to sit for Cameron.
    “And how do you know that? That it will be all right? I mean, you'll be in New York. It's harder for me to come to your rescue in New York if I have to. . .” Jo trailed off.
    “I've got Alys,” Cassie said, reminding Jo of her friend from school who was now living in New York, interning at The Met for a year (Cassie still wasn't entirely sure how much to tell her about what she was doing in the city considering a) Alys wasn't known for her fantastic secret-keeping skills, and b) she worked at an art museum). “I'm going to stay with her. Anyway, it all seems quite . . . simple. I'm going to sit for him. And that's it. Fully clothed.”
    “I don't think that's how Cameron Callahan operates.” Jo leaned against the doorframe and inspected her nails. “And you know what the real problem is. If the British press find out . . .”
    “They'll say I'm sitting for Cameron Callahan. So what's the problem?”
    “Hmmm . . .” Jo opened her mouth as if to say something else but then the doorbell rang, forcing her to race off.
    Cassie continued to fill her larger suitcase, which she'd finally dug out from underneath the bed.
    “It was for you—a courier.” Jo re-entered the room and came over to give Cassie a small plastic satchel, which Cassie immediately took and ripped open. “What is it?”
    “An itinerary.” Cassie slowly cast her eye over documentation. “Oh . . .”
    “What is it?” Jo quickly moved behind her sister, then whistled when she saw what Cassie was “oh-ing” about. “So, the chauffer will pick you up in,” she checked her watch, “an hour and a half, and take you to Heathrow. Very nice!”
    “Don't tell me you've changed your mind now—just because I'm flying first class.”
    Jo laughed. “Okay, maybe