other side of the pool had watched me swim. One of them frowned as I covered up. I shook my head and smiled, not really able to avoid flirting with them. It was part of my nature. You didn’t just turn that off after one day of being with someone incredible. For Camille, I think I could give it a try.
“Your mind was somewhere else? You half-wit, that was a two hundred thousand dollar commission we could have lost had I not stepped in. Our client was clearly wronged and you almost gave it away. You’ve always been able to set aside your shite. So what has your trousers in a twist? And where were you at lunch? We were supposed to go over our notes before court.”
I stood up and paced a bit trying to unleash the nervous energy. “I was on a date.”
Collier’s voice was tight. “You blew off our lunch meeting for a piece of arse?”
In two steps I was in front of my brother, the lapels of his suit coat clutched in a death grip. “Camille’s not like that. Don’t you ever talk about her that way. Got it!” I growled through my teeth then shoved him. He caught himself on the lounger then stood. Pacing in a circle I came back, realizing how much of a daft bastard I was. When I turned around to apologize, Collier had the biggest shite eating grin on his face.
“What?”
“You’re smitten with a bird.”
“Am not!” I defended, but my heart wasn’t in it. Camille’s sweet face and innocent smile ran through my vision.
“You are. You’re arse over tit for a girl. Bloody hell.” Collier smacked his knee, tipped his head back and laughed. “I never thought I would see the day where the great ladies’ man would fall for a woman. We must celebrate. Where is this lovely bird?”
“Her name is Camille, and it’s not what you think.”
“Isn’t it?” Collier retorted.
“No, it’s not,” I knew my face fell into a scowl.
“And why not?” His gaze narrowed.
“Because I’ve just found her, okay. She’s Hank’s secretary.” His eyebrows rose at that information. “I took her out today, but she frightens easily. She’s sweet this one. I’m not sure how to handle sweet. The women I’m used to know what they are getting in to.” Miserable, I sat and put my head in my hands to rub my temples.
“Do you plan to treat her like your usual fare?”
“Bollocks no! I said she’s different.” Collier nodded and waited. “There’s just an innocence about her though. I’m drawn to her. Today, when I kissed her…bloody hell it was amazing.”
“You’ve already kissed her? She couldn’t be that innocent.” He grinned.
“I couldn’t help myself. When I’m near this woman, Colly…shite. I just need to touch her. Be closer to her. Smell her, taste her. Christ.” I pulled on my wet hair until the roots tingled with pain.
Collier smiled then clapped me on the back. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“I have to get her to go out with me again. I’m thinking flowers to start. What do you think?”
After a chuckle, he responded, “I think that could be a good start. I’ve met Cami. She seems shy and timid but smart as a whip. My suggestion would be to go easy on her. Don’t go in with your normal egomaniac charm, because it won’t work.”
“Yeah, you’re right. How the hell did you get so wise in the ways of women?”
“London owns my arse, and I have no complaints.” He looked down at his hands. “I think I’m going to marry her if she’ll have me.”
“Yeah? You think she’d say no?” Instantly, I felt worry and dread prickle at the back of my neck. His nervous energy proved he was unsettled about something. Collier’s ex did a number on him a few years ago, cheating and running off with some hotel entrepreneur. London was the first woman he’d given his heart to since. They seemed good together, but love was fickle. Something I had never experienced myself.
“I don’t think she would. I’m just not sure she cares about marriage after what she went
“Your mind was somewhere else? You half-wit, that was a two hundred thousand dollar commission we could have lost had I not stepped in. Our client was clearly wronged and you almost gave it away. You’ve always been able to set aside your shite. So what has your trousers in a twist? And where were you at lunch? We were supposed to go over our notes before court.”
I stood up and paced a bit trying to unleash the nervous energy. “I was on a date.”
Collier’s voice was tight. “You blew off our lunch meeting for a piece of arse?”
In two steps I was in front of my brother, the lapels of his suit coat clutched in a death grip. “Camille’s not like that. Don’t you ever talk about her that way. Got it!” I growled through my teeth then shoved him. He caught himself on the lounger then stood. Pacing in a circle I came back, realizing how much of a daft bastard I was. When I turned around to apologize, Collier had the biggest shite eating grin on his face.
“What?”
“You’re smitten with a bird.”
“Am not!” I defended, but my heart wasn’t in it. Camille’s sweet face and innocent smile ran through my vision.
“You are. You’re arse over tit for a girl. Bloody hell.” Collier smacked his knee, tipped his head back and laughed. “I never thought I would see the day where the great ladies’ man would fall for a woman. We must celebrate. Where is this lovely bird?”
“Her name is Camille, and it’s not what you think.”
“Isn’t it?” Collier retorted.
“No, it’s not,” I knew my face fell into a scowl.
“And why not?” His gaze narrowed.
“Because I’ve just found her, okay. She’s Hank’s secretary.” His eyebrows rose at that information. “I took her out today, but she frightens easily. She’s sweet this one. I’m not sure how to handle sweet. The women I’m used to know what they are getting in to.” Miserable, I sat and put my head in my hands to rub my temples.
“Do you plan to treat her like your usual fare?”
“Bollocks no! I said she’s different.” Collier nodded and waited. “There’s just an innocence about her though. I’m drawn to her. Today, when I kissed her…bloody hell it was amazing.”
“You’ve already kissed her? She couldn’t be that innocent.” He grinned.
“I couldn’t help myself. When I’m near this woman, Colly…shite. I just need to touch her. Be closer to her. Smell her, taste her. Christ.” I pulled on my wet hair until the roots tingled with pain.
Collier smiled then clapped me on the back. “So what are you going to do about it?”
“I have to get her to go out with me again. I’m thinking flowers to start. What do you think?”
After a chuckle, he responded, “I think that could be a good start. I’ve met Cami. She seems shy and timid but smart as a whip. My suggestion would be to go easy on her. Don’t go in with your normal egomaniac charm, because it won’t work.”
“Yeah, you’re right. How the hell did you get so wise in the ways of women?”
“London owns my arse, and I have no complaints.” He looked down at his hands. “I think I’m going to marry her if she’ll have me.”
“Yeah? You think she’d say no?” Instantly, I felt worry and dread prickle at the back of my neck. His nervous energy proved he was unsettled about something. Collier’s ex did a number on him a few years ago, cheating and running off with some hotel entrepreneur. London was the first woman he’d given his heart to since. They seemed good together, but love was fickle. Something I had never experienced myself.
“I don’t think she would. I’m just not sure she cares about marriage after what she went
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