Audrey inhaled a shaky breath and looked like she was about to say more when they both heard a snort from behind them. Piper was curled up on the swing, fast asleep with the cat curled into a tight ball at her feet.
“I’ll carry her to bed,” Cameron said.
Twenty
Cameron knew Audrey was mad at him, and he didn’t blame her.
You’ve scared her off.
Of that, he was reasonably sure. But why was she spooked? Okay, he got that she had trust issues. He of all people understood trust issues. But he figured after he’d opened up that whole can of worms that was Drew Spalding, she’d see it as an act of faith and realize that he was trying, trying more than he had with any other woman.
After she’d snuck back into the guesthouse, he’d left Piper on the couch for a little while before carrying her to her bed. He’d tucked her in, expecting Audrey to show herself and put Piper in her pajamas. But her bedroom door had been closed with no sound, so he’d assumed she’d gone to bed, even though it had been just shy of nine o’clock.
An hour later, he was still pacing around the living room, trying to figure out how to make things right with her. He knew they were off. Audrey was vivacious and opinionated. She rarely hid from him, and the fact that she’d slipped away so suddenly didn’t sit well with him.
His indecisiveness freaked her out. Hell, it freaked him out. He’d been so sure of what he’d wanted. Of where he was going. Now he didn’t know up from down. And what scared him more than anything was for the first time, a woman was worth giving up what he thought he’d always wanted. Damn, he was no good at this, and being left to his own thoughts probably wasn’t the best thing. He was going to think himself into insanity.
He tossed a look at his bedroom, thinking he ought to just go to bed and sort things out with Audrey in the morning. But he knew if he lay down right now, he wouldn’t sleep. He’d spend the entire night replaying their conversation over and over again, wondering where he’d gone wrong, what he could have done differently.
Not let her out of his sight.
That had been a mistake. He should have forced her to come clean before giving her a chance to escape.
Cameron took one more turn around the room, then shoved a hand through his hair.
Screw it.
He’d just have to go over there and demand they talk this out.
He let himself out the back door and tromped across the damp grass. The night was chilly and overcast, and Cameron wished he’d left his sweatshirt on. Without knocking, because he knew she wouldn’t answer, he let himself through the front door. Luckily the screen door was already open, because the thing tended to squeak, and he didn’t want to give Audrey any warnings.
The inside was dark and quiet. It smelled good, like cinnamon and Audrey. Plus she’d done an amazing job of keeping the place clean and making it homey. There were a couple of pictures Piper had colored stuck to the fridge with magnets. A blanket was tossed over the back of the couch, and a vase of flowers sat on the kitchen counter. Cameron had never taken the time to do much with the place, because no one ever stayed here. But he knew he’d never be able to step foot inside without thinking of her.
Cameron glanced around one more time and was about to leave when he did a double take down the hallway. A slant of light spilled out from underneath the bathroom door.
Gotcha.
The corner of his mouth curled. She thought she could hide from him.
With silent footsteps, he crossed the small living space and came to a stop at the bathroom. He pressed his ear to the door, trying to listen for any sound. The shower. Crying. Humming.
Nothing.
Then, a splash of water.
Was she in the tub? Cameron tried to chase the image away, but his mind was tricky. The image formed faster than he could stop it. Suds clinging to her damp skin. One leg propped up on the edge, perfect for him to slip in between…
Okay, this isn’t why you’re here.
Quietly he knocked.
He braced himself for silence, which was what he got.
He knocked again. “Audrey,” he said quietly so as not to wake Piper.
“You can come in,” she told him.
Wait, she wanted him to come in? What if she was all naked and stuff? And soapy? How was he supposed to stand there with her naked in the bathtub?
Maybe she was just running water in the sink and that was the splashing he’d heard. But Cameron knew he couldn’t possibly be that lucky, and the second the turned the knob he knew he was right.
Yep. Naked in the bathtub.
“Uh…I can come back.”
The only saving grace was the giant mound of bubbles that covered everything but her head, which was leaned back. Her eyes were closed, and her hair was piled in a loose knot on top of her head.
“No need,” she said without looking at him.
But Cameron just stood there, imagining things that he shouldn’t be, like what was underneath the bubbles and how she’d managed to wash her back. Because, you know, he could, like, wash it for her. Or something.
He cleared his throat.
Say something intelligent, dumbass.
“No, really. I think I should come back.” Okay, that’s not intelligent.
She lifted her head and pinned him with her brown eyes. “What’s the matter? Never seen a woman in a bathtub before? Because I would find that hard to believe.”
Was she for real? “Is that a trick question?”
She tilted her head as though in thought. “Actually, no.” She ran her palm over the top of the bubbles. “What’re you doing here, Cameron? Besides destroying my relaxation.”
“You’re the one who told me to come in,” he pointed
