side. 'Many have tried; none have succeeded. You could be the first.'
Cameron turned his head, and since his gaze was eye-level with her navel, he swept his glance upward, taking in everything between her belly and her face in a slow, lazy perusal. 'What, have you run out of willing victims?'
'Not at all.' She tipped her head, and her slightly wavy hair brushed along her jaw. 'I just like a good challenge.'
'Find yourself another plaything, Mia.' His tone was dismissive, but there was no mistaking that his body was tense and she was the reason he was so on edge. 'I'm not interested.'
'What's the matter, sugar, afraid I'll bite?' She bared her straight white teeth for effect.
'Barracuda usually do,' he replied dryly, though his gaze blazed with green fire and barely restrained control. 'And I like my manhood intact, thank you very much.'
'That shouldn't be a problem,' she said huskily. 'I like your manhood intact, too.'
'Oh, boy,' Steve murmured, so low that only Liz could hear over the music and din of conversation around them. But that simple statement was enough to let her know that the sexual attraction between Mia and Cameron was an ongoing battle that neither was willing to let the other win. But it sure was fun watching the two interact, Liz decided.
Cameron shook his head adamantly. 'Thanks, but no thanks, sweetheart. That's not a chance I'm willing to take with such an important part of my anatomy.'
She caressed her palm along Cameron's cheek. 'I'd treat it with care. I promise.'
Across the table, Eric choked on the drink of beer he was swallowing. 'Jesus, Mia, can you be any more blatant?'
Her delicate shoulder lifted in a casual shrug. 'Men usually find a woman who's up front about her intentions refreshing.'
'That's where you're mistaken about me,' Cameron said roughly. 'I'm not like every other man you've wrapped around that little finger of yours.'
'No, you're not. Maybe that's why I find you so fascinating.' Her voice was soft and undeniably intrigued. 'If you change your mind, you know how to find me.' Before Cameron could issue a response, she waggled her fingers across the table at Liz and said, 'It was nice meeting you.'
Liz smiled. 'Same here.'
With that, the other woman moved on and blended into the crowd of guests, leaving Cameron staring after her.
Cameron jerked his gaze back to the witnesses at the table and scrubbed a hand along his jaw. 'I swear, I've never met a woman so goddamn aggravating.'
The corner of Steve's mouth quirked with amusement. 'Funny, she's only like that with you.'
'Because I'm not chasing after her like she's a dog in heat, like every other guy does?' Cameron downed the last of his beer and looked like he could use another one-or two.
'I'm sure that's part of your appeal to Mia, but don't let that vixen act of hers fool you,' Steve said. 'She's only twenty-five, but there's a whole lot of interesting layers beneath that tough facade of hers.'
Cameron shifted in his seat, a bundle of pent-up restlessness. 'I don't want any part of her act.'
But it was obvious that he did, and he was fighting her, and himself, for whatever reasons.
'One of these days, she's gonna make you snap like a dry twig,' Eric said, expressing his own observations of Cam and Mia's love-hate relationship. 'And then look out, for both of you, because the two of you together are going to be combustible.'
Cameron snorted incredulously. 'Not likely. Mia's a handful I don't want or need. I like my women soft and sweet, not infuriating me at every turn. She's like a rose with a shit-load of thorns attached, and I have no desire to be pricked over and over again.'
'Maybe she just needs to be pruned,' Eric suggested.
The two other men at the table groaned, and Jill smacked Eric on the arm. 'Gawd, that was an awful analogy.'
Cameron stood up and grabbed his empty beer bottle. 'If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to trade up to something much stronger.' He stalked off toward the open bar, his agitation tangible.
Eric looked at Steve. 'So, how long do you think it'll take before those two finally realize that they're perfect for each other?'
Steve laughed. 'If you go by Cameron, it's not gonna happen in this lifetime.'
'Hmmm, that's too bad,' Eric said thoughtfully. 'Because Cameron is exactly what Mia needs to ground her.'
Jill arched a dubious brow at the man sitting next to her. 'And when did you become such an expert on relationships?'
'Since you, of course.' He gave her a quick kiss on her lips and abruptly stood, pulling Jill up with him. 'Come on, they just cut the birthday cake. Let's go check out what's on the dessert table.'
'Notice how quick he is to change the subject when it comes to discussing our relationship?' Jill's eyes sparkled with laughter, but she followed Eric, her affection and love for him open for anyone to see.
As soon as the other couple was out of earshot, Steve said, 'That's because my baby brother is nervous as all hell.'
'Nervous?' Steve's observation peaked Liz's curiosity. 'He seemed perfectly fine to me. How can you tell?'
Steve reached out and smoothed wisps of hair off her cheek, his touch infinitely tender. 'Because I know Eric and his moods, and I also know he's got every reason to be nervous tonight.'
'Oh? Care to share those reasons?'
'Nope. I'm not at liberty to say, but you'll see what I mean in a little bit.' He softened his refusal with a sexy grin that made her forget everything but him. 'How about a refill on your lemonade?'
'Sure.' Hand in hand, they headed toward the table holding the soft drinks. 'So, what was that all about with Mia and Cam?' she asked, finding that whole scenario equally interesting.
'Cameron has been a friend of mine for years, and he's known Mia since she was a teenager. Mia has three older brothers, and she's always been a handful. She seems to like the thrill of the chase when it comes to men, and it drives her nuts that Cam is immune to her. But he's not, as you saw earlier.'
'Which only makes her more determined to get his attention.' That much was easy to figure out.
'Exactly.' His tone was succinct as he filled a cup with ice and poured lemonade from a big barrel. 'Honestly, she needs someone like Cameron, who isn't threatened by her aggressive, forward nature, but Cam is resisting big- time.'
'Aggressive and forward, huh?' She grinned up at him as she took the cup from his fingers. 'Sounds like a normal Wilde trait to me.'
He cocked his head toward her. 'Are you complaining?'
The man was entirely too confident, and she hid her smile around the rim of her cup as she took a quick drink. 'No, just so long as you know where your real place is.'
'In your bed?' he guessed wickedly.
He leaned close, slid an arm around her waist to pull her close to his side, and nuzzled near her ear, which sent a series of shivers skittering down her spine. 'I do believe the pleasure is mutual.'
And temporary, she reminded herself. As were her presence at this party, Steve's affection, and her place in his life. It could be no other way.
Steve's mother, Angela, appeared beside them and helped herself to a refill on her soda. She looked slightly frazzled but happy with the party's progress so far. 'I've been so busy with all the other guests, I haven't had much time to talk to the two of you.'
'We understand,' Steve said, completely at ease with his arm around Liz, with his mother and fifty other people looking on.
Angela smiled at Liz, her eyes just as blue as her son's, and her sable hair cut into a trendy style. 'Are you enjoying yourself?'
