The Mighty Quinns: Cameron (5 page)

“She’s not going back to police work,” Tony said. “She should have never been doing that in the first place. She’s got this crazy need to compete with us. She takes too many risks and doesn’t think about the consequences.”

Cameron frowned. “Sofie can make her own decisions.”

“Right,” Tony said. “I know you’re probably just passing through and you’ve got a whole other life somewhere else, but just make sure you don’t leave a mess here when you go. You know what I mean?”

Cameron shook his head. “Not exactly.”

“Sofie. She’s been hurt before, by a guy who was a lot like you. A guy she trusted. A guy who thought she could make her own decisions. He was wrong. And you are, too.”

Cameron nodded. “Okay,” he said.

Tony pushed to his feet. “If you’re going to work with her, make damn sure you watch her back. We almost lost her once. It would kill my mother if anything happened to her again.”

“I’ll do that.” Cameron nodded. “You don’t have to worry.”

Tony pointed an accusing finger at him. “You fuck up and I’ll personally feed you to the coyotes.” With that, he walked out of the trailer.

Cameron wandered to the door and stared out at the night. A wash of light from the back porch illuminated the house. He drew a deep breath and let it out slowly, listening for the sounds of utter desolation. In the distance, a coyote howled, the sound sending a shiver down his spine.

Sure, her brother would be protective. But Sofie was a grown woman. She could make her own decisions. He slipped on his boat shoes and walked out behind the trailer, staring up into the night sky. He’d never seen so many stars.

There was something about this land, something he found so raw and elemental, something that seemed to strip away his old life and leave him with nothing but the man he truly was. Had his grandfather known when he sent him here that this would be the perfect place? Here, he could clear his head and reevaluate his choices. This place gave him nothing but time and space to think—and to feel.

The truth was he’d never delved very deeply into his own emotional life. It had always been easier to push that away and to approach everything in a logical, dispassionate manner. Unfortunately, he’d spent his adult life not really feeling anything at all.

In this severe and empty place, he felt as if the veneer he’d so successfully hidden behind would crumble away, revealing the real man underneath. Cameron drew a deep breath and let it out slowly. Who would he be when this was all over? Would he be ready to go back to his former life, or would he begin all over again?

“What are you doing out here?”

Cameron slowly turned to see Sofie’s silhouette in the darkness. She wore a pale cotton nightdress that blew in the breeze, fluttering around her bare legs. Her hair was free of its braid and tumbled across her shoulders. “Thinking,” he said.

“About?”

“Lots of different things.” He shrugged. “I’m beginning to see the appeal of this place. There’s nothing here to cloud the mind or muddle the senses. It’s all very…real.”

She slowly approached. Her features came into focus and he could see her smiling. “We used to come out here on weekends. My brothers would ride out into the desert on dirt bikes and I’d tag along. I just assumed I was one of the boys.”

“What happened?”

“I started growing up. Boys started noticing me. And my brothers told me I couldn’t hang out with them anymore. That only made me more determined to do everything they did, only better.”

“And what do you want now?”

“I just want to go back to my old life,” she murmured. “I want things to be the way they were.” She stood beside him. “I used to be able to take a guy like you down in a matter of seconds.” Though it should have sounded like a threat, her words seemed more like foreplay to him.

“I’d like to see that,” he murmured. The scent from her hair wafted on the breeze, and he took another breath, fighting the urge to bury his face in those silken strands.

“I just want my old life back again,” she repeated softly.

“Your brother doesn’t agree,” Cameron said.

She looked over at him, her brow furrowed in confusion. “Tony? Has he been out here already? What did he tell you?”

“He told me I should leave you alone. And that if I hurt you, he’ll take me out into the desert and—”

She pressed a finger to his lips. “Don’t listen to him,” Sofie said. “He has no idea what I need right now.”

“He told me you had a guy. And that he broke your heart.” Cameron reached down and smoothed his hand over her cheek, tipping her face up to his.

“No. He didn’t break my heart. After the accident, I just couldn’t give him what he needed. He was a detective in Major Crimes. Sam. We’d been dating for about a year. After the accident he just…hovered. He didn’t know how to handle things. I think it shook him up. I was angry and sad and stubborn, up and down every day, just an emotional mess. And when I told him I wanted back on the force, he said that he couldn’t support that. He didn’t want to marry someone who’d always be in danger.” She shrugged. “Nobody cares what I want.”

“What do you want right now, Sofie? Tell me and I’ll give it to you.”

She pushed up on her toes and touched her lips to his. Cameron sucked in a sharp breath then gathered her in his arms, pulling her against his body. A powerful desire coursed through him, pulsing with every beat of her heart. And as the kiss deepened, he smoothed his hands down to her backside.

This was crazy. He’d met her just that morning, and yet he was certain there wasn’t any other woman in the world he wanted more. She was soft and sexy, and the way she responded to him was an invitation to take more.

But was he ready to do this, to take advantage of her vulnerability just to satisfy his needs? It was clear that she wanted him as much as he wanted her, but he couldn’t help but wonder if they ought to wait.

As she wrapped her legs around his waist, her nightgown hiked up on her thighs. Cameron ran his palms along the smooth length of her legs then let his touch slide beneath her gown. To his shock, he realized she was naked beneath the soft cotton fabric.

He groaned inwardly, unable to stop himself from exploring further. Wild visions burst in his head as he imagined tugging the dress over her head to reveal her body. Had she planned this all along?

When he moved his hand up to her hip, she reached down and stopped him, pushing against his touch. Cameron didn’t care about the scars or whatever she called imperfections. They were as much a part of Sofie as her silken hair and soft skin. He wanted to know every inch of her body intimately.

Cameron carried her toward the trailer, his mouth still fixed on hers. The temptation was almost too much to resist, but he knew that they couldn’t deny the inevitable. When they finally fell into bed together, it would be because they’d both thought through all the consequences and determined it was the only course of action left to them.

When they reached the door of the trailer, he
gently unlocked her legs from around his waist and set her on her feet. His hands skimmed up her torso, brushing against the soft flesh of her breasts beneath the thin cotton. And when he reached her face, Cameron slowly drew back.

His heart was slamming in his chest, and his shaft, now hard and ready, pressed against the fabric of his faded jeans. “We have a long day tomorrow,” he murmured.

Her fingers trailed over his naked chest, the sensation setting his nerves on fire. “Then we better get started,” she said. As her hands drifted lower, to the waistband of his jeans, he caught her fingers, tangling them in his.

“Go to bed, Sofie. We both need a good night’s sleep. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She opened her mouth to speak, but a soft gasp was all he heard. “But I thought we—”

“There’s plenty of time for that,” he assured her.

She stared up at him, her features washing with the harsh light filtering out of the trailer door. Her eyes closed and he kissed her again. “Good night, Sofie. I’ll see you in the morning.”

She nodded, then turned and walked toward the house, her hips swaying provocatively beneath the breeze-blown nightgown. Cameron swallowed hard, trying to convince himself that he’d done the right thing. Would there be a next time? Or would Sofie find a reason to push aside her desires and focus on the business at hand?

He opened the door of the trailer and stepped inside. It was a gamble he’d have to take. But the rewards would be worth the wait. When she finally crawled into his bed beside him, she’d be there for all the right reasons.

* * *

S
OFIE
STOOD
OVER
Cameron, her gaze taking in the details of his half-naked body. His right arm was thrown over his head, and one long leg hung off the edge of the small bed. She hadn’t had much chance to study him without his awareness, but she took the opportunity now.

He was perhaps the most beautiful man she’d ever met. Though his body was finely muscled, he was lean and lithe, not enhanced by too many hours pumping iron in some gym. She liked that about him, that his body wasn’t altered to fit some strange notion of masculine beauty. He was just a regular guy—but not that regular.

His dark hair was mussed, and long lashes rested on his suntanned cheeks. Her gaze drifted down to his mouth, and her mind spun back to the kisses they had shared the night before. Sofie had been attracted to him from the moment they met, but never in her life had she taken such liberties with a man after only knowing him for a day.

What had gotten into her? Why was it suddenly so simple to imagine sex with a complete stranger like Cameron when she’d avoided it for such a long time with other men who’d passed though her life?

Sofie knew what had happened with Sam had cut deep. The scars from the accident had destroyed her confidence with men. But sooner or later, she’d have to take a chance and allow herself a bit of romance in her life.

Even now, as she recalled the way Cameron had touched her and kissed her, she felt so alive, so hopeful. She hadn’t experienced that kind of optimism in months. But she also knew the realities of this situation. Cameron didn’t belong here and wouldn’t be staying more than a month or two. Falling in love with him would be a ridiculous waste of time.

Sofie slowly sat down on the edge of the bed, setting the thermos of coffee on the floor beside her feet, taking care not to disturb him. She why couldn’t she do like most men did—avoid the trap of mixing up sex and love?

She reached out to brush a strand of hair from his eyes, then stopped herself. Her hand trembled as she placed it on his bare chest. His skin was warm and smooth, and she could feel his heartbeat beneath her palm. Sofie shook him gently, but he didn’t stir at first. Then, leaning close, she gently pressed her lips to his. When she drew back, his eyes were open and he was watching her.

“Morning,” she murmured.

He smiled drowsily. “Morning? Is it morning?”

“Almost,” she said. Sofie reached down for the thermos. “I brought you coffee.”

He pushed up on his elbow. “I don’t have to go to the Bunny Shack until lunch.”

“I’m meeting a contact over at Millie’s. He has to get to work so that’s why we have to leave early. I brought you something.”

“Coffee,” he said with a smile.

“Something else.” Sofie reached into her pocket and pulled out the fossil. It was one she’d found last month on one of her hikes into the desert. “Here. I thought you’d like this. I think it’s part of a leg bone. Probably some kind of sauropod.” She reached into her other pocket and pulled out a small field guide to fossils. “Here’s a book.”

“This is really a dinosaur bone?”

“Not a complete bone. Those are pretty rare. It’s just a piece of one. But it will show you what to look for.”

“We’re going to dig for bones?”

“Not today. Walter usually spends the weekends in Albuquerque with his wife. My uncle takes over the case when he’s there. But if you’d like, we can go this weekend, assuming Walter keeps to his usual routine. For now, it’s time to get up.” She stood and pulled the sheet off his body. Her gaze fell on the tented fabric of his boxers, and her breath caught in her throat. He was fully erect. The sheet slipped out of her hand. “Sorry.”

He chuckled softly, glancing down at his lap. “Don’t be. It happens. All the time.”

Sofie cleared her throat. “Well, once you take care of that, get dressed. I’ll be waiting for you outside.”

Cameron sat up and swung his legs off the edge of the bed, ignoring the subject of their conversation. “Hand me that coffee,” he said.

She opened the thermos and poured him a cup, the hot liquid steaming in the cool interior of the trailer. Suddenly, all she could think about was sex. An arousal like that really shouldn’t go to waste. If she just reached out and touched him there, just a simple caress, the whole morning would change direction. It would be so simple.

He took a sip from the plastic cup and sighed softly. “Good,” he said with a lazy smile. “So, who is this person we’re going to meet?”

She blinked, her thoughts shifting again. “Jimmy Chaca. He’s a bouncer at a roadhouse on the highway east of Holman. He also has a construction business and occasionally does work on Walter’s ranch.”

“Is he a snitch?”

“You need to stop watching
Law & Order,
” she said. “He’s a guy I know. He gets me information and I give him a little money. A snitch is a criminal who talks about other criminals. Jimmy is more like a confidential informant.”

Cameron stretched his arms over his head and stood up, now unconcerned with the state of his arousal. Sofie couldn’t help but steal another look. Why even bother to pretend that they weren’t on the fast track to total surrender? It was just a matter of time. And courage.

He grabbed his jeans from the opposite sofa and stepped into them, leaving them unzipped for the moment while he brushed his teeth at the kitchen sink. When he found his T-shirt, Cameron pulled it over his head, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Shoes,” she said, pointing to his bare feet.

He searched for a pair of socks and, after pulling them on, stepped into his new boots. Cameron stood in front of her, raking his hands through his hair. “All right, I’m ready.”