Risky Pleasures - Brenda Jackson [40]
Vanessa nodded. She was thankful for someone like Mrs. Turner in Cameron’s life, as well. “And what type of work did you do for those two years?”
“I worked at Myers Feed Store for a while, driving his truck, making deliveries, and then I went to work for Handover Construction Company. With the money I made I was able to keep food on the table for me and Gramps and buy his medication each month.”
Vanessa knew from what he’d told her last week that his grandfather had died right before Cameron had entered college. That must have been a lonely time for him. “Thanks for sharing that with me, Cameron.”
Instead of saying anything, he pulled her into his arms and just held her close.
“I can’t believe you’re taking time to call me,” Sienna teased. “I thought Cameron was occupying most of your time these days. Don’t tell me you’ve had enough of each other already.”
Vanessa dropped down on her bed and glanced out the window. Down below she could see Cameron driving off, going to town to pick up the items they needed for dinner. Tonight they would get into the kitchen together. “No, we haven’t had enough.”
She thought about what she’d said then decided she couldn’t really speak for Cameron and modified her reply. “At least I haven’t had enough.”
Sienna was the only person to whom Vanessa had admitted that she and Cameron were having an affair. To Cheyenne, who called periodically, she hadn’t said anything, deciding to let her sister keep guessing, although Vanessa was pretty sure Cheyenne knew the score.
“How many more days?” Sienna asked her.
“Seven.”
“Then what happens?”
“Then Cameron returns to Charlotte. I’ll be leaving a day or two afterward when Cheyenne returns.”
“What’s after that?”
Vanessa rolled her eyes. “Sienna, why are you asking me that? I told you that nothing happens after that. Cameron will go his way and I’ll go mine. This was an island fling and nothing more.”
“And what if you fall in love with him?”
Vanessa shook her head stubbornly. “Won’t happen. You of all people know that I’ve learned—the hard way, I might add—how to keep my emotions in check.”
“But why would you want to if the right person came along? You know that I wasn’t ready for Dane when we first met. Talk about night and day. He was the rich kid and I was the one whose parents had more issues than The New York Times had newspapers. I tried to fight his interest, tried convincing him of all the reasons we were wrong for each other. Then I finally talked him into letting me be his bedmate for a night, thinking that would definitely get us out of each other’s systems. You of all people know that didn’t work.”
“Yes, but you and Dane were meant to be together, I’ve always told you that. I never knew why you were fighting it and fighting him.”
“The same way I don’t understand why you’re fighting Cameron. Okay, he can be a control freak at times, he likes being in charge, the master of his game. But even you said he’s been letting you call the shots, allowing you to take control, so that means at least he’s flexible. And can you honestly say that after spending a week with him, he’s still the monster you always thought him to be?”
Vanessa remained quiet for a moment as she pondered Sienna’s question. She thought about the time she and Cameron had spent together, all the fun they’d had. Then she said, “No, I don’t think he’s a monster.”
Sienna must have heard the tiny catch in her voice because her friend didn’t say anything for a while, until she asked, “Are you okay, Vanessa?”
“No, I’m not okay,” she confirmed with a bit of gloom in her tone. “But I will be. It’s just that…”
“What?”
“Nothing. I knew what I was getting into.”
“Are you sure about that?”
Despite all the misgivings she was suddenly feeling, Vanessa refused to give in to the racing of her heart and summoned every ounce of her common sense. No, she told herself, what she was feeling was nothing other than good old-fashioned lust. “Yes, Sienna, I’m sure.