30 Days (Morgan Family Series Book 1) (13 page)

He let’s go of my hand and starts walking down the aisle. I follow a few feet behind, looking at the items, but not picking anything up.

“See anything you like?” he asks, holding up an alligator hand puppet. I smile back at him.

“You don’t have to get me anything.”

“I know. How about this? It’ll remind you of the fornicating leopards.”

I shush him and blush at the same time. I glance around, but no one seems to have heard him. He holds up a leopard beanie and a small leopard stuffed animal.

The hat is leopard print with leopard ears.

“It’s not cold outside.” I protest.

“It will be soon.” he says.

Cameron approaches and pulls the beanie down on my head. He adjusts it and then grins down at me.

“Now if only you were just wearing this.” he whispers against my lips.

I hold my hot dog and pretzel in one hand, drink in the other, while we look for our seats. Memphis opted for a slice of pizza and popcorn. We watch the Staten Island Yankees warm up and start munching.

“What position does Weston play?”

“Catcher. He hopes to get called up to the majors. I don’t know how much longer he’ll keep playing the minors if he doesn’t get called up soon.” I explain.

“Maybe it’ll work out for him then. Is he the one that was with you at Ecstacy?” she asks and my jaw clenches.

“Yes.” I answer, tightly.

“I should probably tell you that I didn’t dance for him then.”

“What?”

“I let someone else do his private dance. I didn’t feel right about it.” she confesses.

I stop and face her and she nearly runs into my hot dog. She laughs and asks what I’m doing.

“You know, I’m probably going to fuck this up.”

Her twinkling eyes get serious at my confession. “Yeah. I know.”

I turn around and walk a few more steps to our seats. I sit down and gaze out to the field.
I’m going to fuck this up.

“There he is!” she says, excitedly.

I smile at how much excitement she has when the game hasn’t even started yet. I don’t remember smiling as much as I have today in a long time. I know it’s because of Memphis.
I’m definitely going to fuck this up.

She cheers when the Yankees do well and yells when she thinks the ump makes a bad call. She’s fucking adorable hollering like a madman, her fists in the air. Cheeks flushed.
I better not fuck this up.

“Did you see that? There’s no way he was safe! Weston had him!” she yells as she drops back into her seat.

“So you’re an expert now?” I tease.

“Hell yes!” she laughs, eyes twinkling.

I watch the batter come up and belt out, “Hey batter, batter, swing batter!”

Memphis laughs and joins in. We burst out laughing when he strikes out. He mouths off at Weston and he jumps up, slinging his catcher’s mask off. The two of them go nose-to-nose while the ump tries to break them up.

“Are they gonna fight?” Memphis asks.

“Nah. The ump will cool them off.” I answer and she seems disappointed. “If you want to see fights I’ll take you to a hockey game some time.”

We finish watching the game and she’s still talking about it as we get into my

car.

“I didn’t think to ask you if you played sports.” she says. She has one foot

tucked under her leg and her body is angled slightly towards me. She’s wearing the Staten Island Yankees baseball cap I bought her.

“I played baseball and football in high school.” I answer.

“So you were a jock. I bet all the girls loved you.”

“They did.” I grin.

“Why in the hell did you become a lawyer then?” she teases.

“That wasn’t always my plan. Honestly, I thought it’s what my mom would’ve wanted. It’s what she always had planned for me. Her and my dad both.”

“Well, what do you really want to do?”

“I like being a lawyer.” I confess. “Just not always the high profile cases that I do. Maybe one day I’ll do pro-bono work.” I smile over at her and her face breaks into a slow smile.

When we get to her apartment, I grab the bag from the zoo out of the back seat and we walk up to her door. She puts her keys in the lock, but then turns around to face me.

“My sister told me not to shave.” she blurts out. I raise my eyebrows. “She said I shouldn’t shave my legs or my…anyway and I should’ve worn granny panties so that I wouldn’t be tempted to have sex with you.”

I laugh out loud at this and lean in closer to her. “Did you take her advice?”

“Actually, no. I shaved and I didn’t wear granny panties.” she says against my

lips. “But I’m not letting you come inside.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because we’ve done everything backwards. We should take things slow.”

“I’ll go slow.” I promise her.

“Goodnight, Cameron.” she brushes her lips against mine.

Then closes the door in my face.

“Look at this bitch…all smiles and shit!” Leah teases. “Maybe I need to get a job at a law firm.”

“I don’t think it’s the law firm. I think it’s the new dick.” Stacy grins.

I roll my eyes and pop a chicken bite into my mouth. I’m glad the restaurant is crowded and loud so that no one around us even cares about what’s being said at our table.

“It’s not like that.” I assure them both.
And it wasn’t.
Cameron and I have been seeing each other for two weeks and haven’t had sex yet. It wasn’t for the lack of him trying.
I’m resisting.
I have more willpower than I knew was humanly possible.

I get home after being with him, or after he leaves, and my body is so wound up with sexual tension I can barely walk without my pants sending tingles through my core. I imagine Cameron slamming into me, fisting his hands in my hair, spreading me wide and I pant his name as my fingers bring me to orgasm.

“Looks like it is.” Leah giggles and I realize I was daydreaming.
About Cameron. About having sex with Cameron.

“No, really. We’ve just went out a few times. It’s nothing serious.” I explain.

We just talk on the phone everyday. Go to lunch a few times a week. Dinner a few times a week. He watches movies with me nearly every night. I go to his apartment and we make dinner together sometimes. Nothing serious. Not at all.

“Well, when do we meet him?” Stacy asks. “I know, how about today. We’ll walk you back in the building and you can take us by his office.”

“You’ve already met him.” I smile and eat another piece of chicken. “Sort of.”

“I fucking knew it. It’s the burger guy, isn’t it?” she says, slamming her hand

down on the table. The forks rattle on the plates.

“From Big Ben’s?” Leah chimes in.

“Yes.” I answer.

“And why are you not screwing him?” Leah asks, incredulously. “You should’ve done that on date number one. I mean, those eyes. Damn!”

“Don’t wanna rush things.” I half-lie.

“Well, when you do start rushing things,” she grins, “fuck his brains out. That way, he’ll never wonder what else is out there. He’ll be so fixated on you and how good you are.”

“Great advice.” I deadpan. “Changing the subject. Any news on Mindy?”

“Yeah. She has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Thursday. She’ll know

then if her case will go to trial.” Stacy answers.

“Maybe it won’t. I’m sure the realtor will want to do anything he can to keep it from going that far.” I assure them.

“I don’t know. He’s pushing to get the club shut down. Stating she drugged him and this could be happening to other innocent men. He’s trying to save his marriage. Fucking loser. He should’ve kept his damn mouth shut instead of singing like a fucking canary.”

“Surely no one believes he was drugged.”

“Doesn’t matter what anyone believes. It’s his word against hers.” Leah says.

“Keep me posted. I gotta go.” I throw some cash on the table and head out.

I walk back into Morgan, Quinley, and Sloan just as Anthony Port is walking out. He grabs me by the arm and gives me a friendly smile, asking where I’ve been lately.

“I’ve been working. Just busy.” I explain. “How’ve you been?”

“You’ve been hard to reach lately. We should do lunch again
sometime.

Maybe dinner?” he says.

“Oh, Anthony I’m sorry. I’m seeing someone so I can’t do dinner. Maybe lunch sometime though. Just as friends.” I explain. I see his jaw clench and his brow furrow. He gives a slight nod.

“Sounds good. See you around.”
I get the feeling that won’t be happening.

“I want the place shut down! She drugged me!” Phil Andrews raises his voice and I can see the vein on his right temple bulging.

“Your tox screen was clear. There were no drugs in your system.” I inform him, calmly.

“It was something untraceable then. There is a such thing!” he exclaims.

I glance at my father and he seems to find the conversation as ridiculous as I do. Knowing him, he’ll take the case though.

“I understand there are such drugs, Mr. Andrews. In this case, it will be very difficult to prove that this woman slipped a drug of that type to you. There’s video evidence of you entering the private dance area with her. You do not have a drink in hand when you enter nor leave the area. There’s also footage of you and her together in the private dance room and you do not consume a drink while in the private dance room. At no point in the video footage does she ever serve you a drink or beverage of any kind. The two of you are shown getting into a vehicle together outside of the club Ecstasy. At which point, you still do not have a beverage. Do you see where I’m going here, Mr. Andrews?” I explain.

“The cameras must’ve missed it. I consumed alcohol while at the club and she slipped me something.”

“You do consume alcohol at the club, but none of which was served by the woman you were arrested with. In fact, each time you were served the alcohol she was on the footage at a different location in the club. Your accusations will be very difficult to explain in court.”

“She did this! I love my family!” he cries.

“We’ll review the footage again, Mr. Andrews. Go to my assistant at the desk out front and schedule another meeting for Wednesday. We’ll decide how to handle your preliminary hearing at that time.” my father states.

Once Phil Andrews walks out, I turn towards my father. “There’s no case here. He’s just trying to put the blame on the woman.”

“Review the footage again. Maybe we can insinuate that someone else at the club drugged him.”

“The tox screen was clear!”

“Your point?”

“This is a woman’s life we’re talking about. He screwed up. The most he’ll get is a fine or community service. If even that, but there’s no need to go after this woman or that club.”

“Look at the footage again.” he says, firmly, standing from his seat. “We only need reasonable doubt.”

“Look at it yourself.”

“Are you sure about that son? I might just see a pretty little green eyed woman on there if I look. Maybe she’s the one who drugged Mr. Andrews.”

I fly out of the seat and grab my father by the front of his shirt. “You stay away from her.” I grit out.

“Look at the footage again.”

I check the time on my phone again and give Blake a sad smile. I look at the food I prepared. Lasagna, salad, and breadsticks are spread out on Cameron’s dining table. Blake and Langston sit across from me. Cameron still hasn’t showed up.
Where the hell is he?

“Maybe he’s just running late.” I explain.
Half an hour late.

“Bullshit. He didn’t have any meetings this afternoon except for one with dad. He’s being a dick.” Blake says, bluntly. “This dinner was his idea and he doesn’t even show up.”

“It’s fine, baby. Maybe something came up.” Langston says. “We can go ahead and eat.” I tell them.

“Fine. He can eat it cold.” Blake agrees. “Just like he is.”

We fix our plates and try to make the best of it. I feel a little strange eating a meal in Cameron’s apartment without him. I wonder why he hasn’t come home yet. Even when we’ve finished eating, he still hasn’t arrived. Blake and I start clearing the table while Langston watches TV.

“Everything was good, Memphis. I’m sorry my brother can be an ass sometimes.”

“I followed a recipe. Didn’t have a clue what I was doing.” I answer, ignoring the comment about Cameron.

I’m bothered that he didn’t show up, but trying not to let it show. I don’t want to expect anything from him. I don’t want to hold him to high standards and be crushed when he doesn’t meet them.
I don’t want to fall for him.

“You can go watch TV, I’ll load the dishwasher.” I tell her. “I’m gonna try to call him.”

I nod and open the dishwasher. As I’m putting the dishes in, I hear the elevator. I don’t have to look in that direction to know it’s Cameron. Blake’s already grilling him on where he’s been. She’s fussing at him for having me cook a meal that he didn’t bother to show up for. I don’t hear him responding to her. A few minutes later I hear the elevator ping and I know her and Langston have left.

I notice my hands shaking as I put another dish in the dishwasher. I reach for another and Cameron’s hand comes over mine. He pulls me against him and folds his arms around me.
Warmth. Hardness. Cameron. Home.

“I’m sorry.” I stiffen at his apology, smelling the alcohol on his breath.

“It’s fine. Everything okay?” He doesn’t answer. “Cameron?”

“I…no. And I can’t talk about it.”

“Okay. Let me finish this.” I lean back and reach for the plate again. He stops me. He puts his hands on my waist and lifts me until I’m sitting on the counter.

“I’ll finish it. Did you save me any?”

“Why would I do that?” I tease. “It’s in the microwave.”

“Good woman.”

I watch him finish loading the dishwasher and then he retrieves his plate from the microwave. He hops onto the counter, sitting beside me, and takes a bite.