"I have nothing to wear, but I think this dress needs to be ironed. Do you have one?" "A dress? No." "That's too bad, you'd look great in one," I said. "Come on, genius. Do you have it? An iron." "Yeah, right beside my nail polish." I liked him. I liked him a lot. "I can't seem to stop smiling." "Good." He was smiling too. "I need more time with you. Will I see you tonight?" I thought about my dad needing help at the gym. "I can't." He scowled. "Why not?" He sounded like a boy who didn't get his favorite toy for Christmas. "Because you don't have classes today, but I do. I'm also on call tonight but if work didn't call me, I want to help my dad paint the local gymnasium." "He's painting the local gym?" "His friend asked him, and he'll get paid for it too." "Doesn't your dad work at your shop?" "Yeah, but he and I pick up extra work here and there when we can." He was quiet for a moment. "Is it that hard?" Now it was my turn to frown. I felt my defenses rise, an old, familiar reaction when asked about my family's financial situation. When I was a kid, I often heard my uncles and aunts grilling my dad, bashing him behind his back, about our lack of money and his ability to support his two kids after his wife had ran away with another man. Before I could say anything, Cameron interrupted me. "I'm asking because I don't like seeing you exhausted. I'd like to help." I relented. "Sorry. Knee-jerk reaction. We're good. We're managing. It won't be long now. I know as soon as I buy off the rest of the shares at the shop, we'll be better. I know it." "I'm here if you need me." I smiled at him. "I'm glad." "When can I see you again?" The smile that was already on my face widened. I picked up the other toast on the plate, busied myself eating it so I could hide my reaction from him. It was too hard to show a poker face when I was so happy. He made me feel like he couldn't get enough of me. It was a heady feeling to have Cameron want me this way. "I'll pick you up for school tomorrow morning," I said, throwing the last piece of toast in my mouth. And before he could argue, I added, "And no. Don't offer to pick me up. I'll do the picking up this time. No arguments." "I like my woman in this mood. It's hot. Want more toast?" My woman. Was I Cameron's woman now? It filled me with thrill. "I'm full. Thanks for breakfast." I took a sip of coffee to wash everything down. I ended up eating two toasts after all. "You have work at the site today anyway. You'll be busy." "I can call in sick. If you stay here with me, I promise you'll have a good time." I rolled my eyes. "Okay, Bigfoot, dial it down." "Why don't you come here and dial it down for me?" I narrowed my eyes at him. "You dial it down." "No. You dial it down." "I'll dial it down if you dial it down." I shot back. I went to the other side of the kitchen island, so I was out of his reach. Just in case. And then, "Why don't you dial it down now?" I taunted. He threw me a look over his shoulder, then shook his head at me. "Hand me the plate. I need to wash the dishes." "You really think that'll work on me? I'm smarter than that. Not handing you anything. Nope. I'm good right here." But he appeared to have no interest, washing the dishes in the sink. When he finished with those, he turned around and reached for the plate on the kitchen island. It was too late before I saw the gleam in his blue eyes. His hand shot out so fast. I squealed loudly and jumped back, but I had forgotten how long his arm was. His long fingers wrapped around my wrist and I howled and laughed and squealed some more, pulling away. He grinned like a wolf, holding my wrist prisoner as he made his way to my side. "I got you," he murmured in my ear, wrapping me in his arms and kissing me. We didn't stop until my alarm clock went off. * He dropped me off at The Yard before anyone arrived. We whispered and tiptoed and laughed as quietly as we could just in case. I must admit that there was a thrill in being secret lovers—we had something to protect. There was a we now. Despite my objections, he followed me in his truck during my drive home. I could feel he didn't want to be apart either, taking every opportunity we had to be together. After I parked my car in our shop's lot, I gave him a quick kiss before shooing him away. I heard the gravel crunching behind me. There was a longing in my chest as I watched him drive away. I missed him already. I grabbed my house keys in my purse, placed the key in the lock. Last night felt like a fantasy. The dilapidated mansion, the maze, the confession. Cameron. I still had so many questions, still so many things I wanted to know about him. I knew I had barely scratched the surface. He looked so happy, but I could see a darkness in his eyes that he tried to hide from me this morning. I paused and took a deep breath. I can't wait to see him again tomorrow. But for now, it was back to reality. I turned the key in the lock.