you looked like you wanted to be here,” she said sarcastically.
His brow furrowed. “What makes you think I don’t want to be here?” He asked.
“Well, for starters, you keep staring at the door,” she pointed out.
He laughed. “Oh, that’s just because I’m watching out for a friend who hasn’t been here in a while. I haven’t seen him in years. No big deal.” He walked closer to her. “I wouldn’t miss this event for anything. I get to celebrate my brother’s engagement and I get to spend time with you.”
“I’m glad you are enjoying the party.” She said seriously.
She was all business at the moment and Adam was completely uncomfortable. It made no sense. They had only been getting closer and closer. There was no reason for this sudden distance. This might be the right time to bring up at least one idea he had been considering all week. Maybe that would cut the tension, alter her mood.
“So, I was thinking about something,” he began slowly.
She didn’t even turn to look at him. She was too busy preparing a tray of hot hors d’oeuvres for one of the servers. “Here you are,” she said as she passed it to the young man waiting. “Yes, Adam,” she said.
“Well, I thought that maybe you might like to move in with me. I mean, you need a kitchen and I have a kitchen. I need you and you’d be here.” He shrugged like he had just said the most logical thought that had come to mind and there would be no further need of convincing.
“What?” She spat. “I’d have to be crazy to live with you. You don’t date. How the hell could you possibly be in a relationship with just one woman?”
Frowning, he grabbed her to keep her from flitting about the kitchen ignoring this conversation that he had initiated. “What do you think I’ve been doing the last few weeks? I’ve been in a relationship with you!”
Shaking her head she responded. “That wasn’t a relationship. That was a business arrangement!” She sighed loudly.
He was floored. “Really? All those nights in my bed…that was all business for you? All those events we went to…”
“Adam,” she began as though speaking to a child, “I was catering them! See, business! It’s not like it was a date.”
He walked closer to her, growing upset. How could she think, let alone say these things. He was desperate to get through to her. “Maybe part of it was business. I’ll give you that, but you mean to tell me that there were no feelings involved? Not for one minute will I believe that. We kissed. We touched. We had sex. You stayed…all night. I don’t do that. I’ve never done it before.” He watched as she turned away and started toward the sink. It was the biggest pitch he had ever made and he had yet to find the magic words that would sway her. Without thinking, the words simply grew wings and flew out of his mouth. “Dammit, Cammie, I think love you!” He spoke those words far more loudly than he had intended, but she had really pushed him.
Cammie paused, “You think you love me? That’s encouraging. That’s something to build a future on. Look at us. We fight all the time.”
Adam shrugged. “Of course we do. Feelings are messy. That’s the only reason we fight...that and you are argumentative and disagreeable. But you know what? I even like that. You challenge me. I need to be challenged. I need someone I can play with, someone who is driven and balances me out. I need you, doll. That, I know.”
“And that’s another thing!” She exclaimed. “I swear you only call me ‘doll’ so you don’t have to take the time to remember my name, since so many have passed through your bed before me.” Turning angrily, she tried to walk away.
He moved to block her. “You think I don’t know your name? Then why do I call it out so often when we’re making love in my bed? You want to know why I call you ‘doll?’ I’ll tell you.” Adam moved so that she was forced to look at him. He swallowed hard. “You look like a perfect china doll. My mother used to collect them. They were her girls, the daughters she never had. Her favorite was Amelia. She had this gorgeous porcelain skin just like yours, and rich blue eyes that remind me of yours. That doll had blond hair, nothing like