Too Wilde to Tame

behind his head. He'd be shirtless, his chest bare, with a pair of soft cotton shorts riding low on his lean hips. And under those shorts, he'd be wearing nothing at all…

'I was thinking,' he said, cutting into her enjoyable fantasy. 'How would you like to get out for a few hours tomorrow afternoon?'

'Sure.' Not only was she going absolutely stir-crazy, she was also dying to see him again. 'What did you have in mind?'

'It's my older sister's birthday, and there's a small get-together for dinner at my parents',' he said, his tone casual. 'Why don't you come with me?'

Her heart picked up its beat at his personal invitation and what meeting his family might imply. Then she realized he was just being nice and responding to her need to get out of the apartment.

Still, the situation made her feel uneasy. 'I appreciate you asking, but I don't think that would be such a great idea.'

'Why not?'

Did he honestly not see how awkward the situation could turn out to be? 'It might be a little uncomfortable having me there.'

'For whom?'

Frustrated by his persistence, she blew out an upward breath. 'Uncomfortable for me. You. Your family. I mean, it's not like we're dating, and I don't want your family getting the wrong idea about the two of us.'

'Mia,' he said softly, and with way more calm than she was feeling at the moment. 'My family doesn't speculate about my relationships, and there's nothing wrong with me bringing a woman friend to a family party.'

'Why? Do you do it often?' Her tone was light and teasing, but oh Lord, was that a pang of jealousy clenching her stomach? She feared it was, and she'd never, ever been the jealous type. That it was Cameron who sparked such a telltale emotion wasn't a good sign.

'No, I don't bring women to family gatherings that often at all,' he said, and Mia could swear she heard amusement in his voice. 'And certainly not lately.'

She bit her bottom lip, refusing to read anything deep or meaningful into his words. She felt incredibly torn- wanting to be with Cameron, yet unsure how his family would feel about her. Even as just his friend. It surprised her that their opinion mattered, when she normally didn't give a damn what people thought of her.

'I'd really like for you to go with me, for a number of reasons,' he said, as if sensing she was on the fence about accepting his invitation. 'It'll be good for you to get out for a while and have a good time, with no pressure involved. As for my family, they'll love meeting you. Especially because you're Steve's cousin. And if you say no, I might just have to kidnap you and take you by force.'

She laughed at the playful threat, though she wouldn't put it past Cameron to do exactly that-and enjoy every minute of being in control of her and the situation. 'All right, all right, I'll go.'

'Good.' His smug satisfaction was unmistakable, the arrogant man. 'I'll pick you up at four, and wear something casual and comfortable.'

She smiled. 'I'll be ready.'

'I'll see you then.' His voice dropped to a low, husky pitch. 'Good night, sweetheart.'

She closed her eyes as his endearment drifted over her like a warm, sensual caress. 'Good night, Cameron.'

MIA double-checked her appearance in the tall, six-foot-long mirror hanging on the back of her closet door and scrutinized her final choice of attire-because Cameron was due to pick her up in just a few minutes and she had no time to change yet again. After spending the past two hours trying on an assortment of skirts, pants, and dresses in her quest to find the perfect, meet-the-parents kind of outfit, she'd finally settled on a pair of white jeans with a pink sleeveless turtle-neck top. Accessorized with a pair of pink suede heels and a matching Kate Spade purse, the look was simple yet sophisticated-the exact image she'd been striving for.

There was nothing overtly sexy or flashy about her outfit, and there wasn't any cleavage to be seen. She managed to be comfortable yet look feminine and pretty as well, and she was pleased with the end result.

Due to the negative photos she'd been sent and the revealing conversation she'd had with Cameron the night they'd sat in his truck together, Mia had spent a lot of time thinking about her overall appearance and personality. She didn't like the self-image she'd seen in those derogatory pictures, and it had become a startling eye-opener for her. Not to mention making her more aware of how she chose to dress and the more outlandish ways she sometimes behaved.

She'd come to the conclusion that maybe it was time to make some changes, to shed a bit of the wild, bad-girl persona and redefine who she was on the outside. That didn't mean she was going to start dressing like a nun. She still enjoyed her sexy clothes, the way they looked and made her feel, and she wasn't ready to give up everything in her wardrobe.

But a part of her felt as though it was time to make some necessary adjustments; let go of the reckless, attention-grabbing girl she'd become after her mother's death so long ago; and embrace a classier, stylish image instead. And tonight would mark the beginning of her new transformation to a subtler, more refined appearance.

The ringing of the doorbell, followed by a brisk knock, jump-started the nerves she'd managed to keep at bay throughout the afternoon. Quickly, she slid a pair of diamond stud earrings into her lobes and put her favorite silver bangle bracelets on her arm. She swiped pink shimmering gloss across her lips and fluffed her hair with her fingers one last time before heading for the foyer just as he knocked again.

Inhaling a deep, calming bream, she opened the door, her delight at seeing Cameron after so many days apart affecting every one of her senses in a heady, overwhelming rush of awareness. That disarming grin curving up the corner of his sensual lips. Those striking green eyes that made her melt inside. Then there was the arousing scent of his cologne that wrapped around her like a seductive spell.

The man was just too gorgeous for his own good. He was wearing casual khaki pants and a collared shirt, and his dark blond hair was slightly mussed, as if he'd combed the strands with his fingers right before he'd knocked on her door. Either that, or he'd driven over to her place with the car windows down to enjoy the balmy afternoon breeze.

'Hi.' It was all she could do to keep from throwing herself at him and kissing him liked she'd dreamt about the past four days.

'Hi, yourself,' he drawled in a low, intimate tone as his gaze slowly traveled down the length of her, then back up again. 'You're dressed very… nicely,' he said, a stunned expression on his face.

She laughed at his careful choice of description. No doubt he'd expected her to wear one of her normal racy, skin-baring outfits. 'Nice and conservative?'

'You could say that.' He leaned against the doorjamb but was close enough to reach out and run a finger along the high collar of her turtleneck, making her shiver from his touch. 'Don't get me wrong. You look great no matter what, and for as much as I love how sexy you normally dress, you'll fit right into my family wearing a sensible, attractive outfit like this.'

The thought of fitting into his family, or rather, not fitting in, made her stomach knot with anxiety. She so wanted to make a good impression with his parents and siblings. She wanted them to like her and accept her, and she hated that she was so worried they'd judge her and find her lacking. It was a stupid insecurity, but it was there nonetheless.

And it was too late to back out now, despite her concerns. 'Let me grab my purse, and I'll be ready to go.'

Once she returned with her handbag, she walked with Cameron out to his car. He'd driven his Porsche today, and she slid into the passenger seat and fastened her belt while Cameron rounded the front of the low-slung vehicle and settled himself behind the wheel. The sports car started on a smooth purr of sound, and with a shift into first gear, they were on their way.

Mia's mind was still on the conversation they'd just had at her apartment door. 'So your family is more on the conservative side?' she asked, wanting to know what to expect when they arrived at his parents.

'Pretty much. That's probably why I'm so stuffy, boring, and uptight,' he teased and flashed her a quick