Followed almost immediately by the second time. And the third time after that.
It was a miracle we survived that trip, considering the sheer amount of raw unchecked sex that took place indoors and out. It was perhaps the one time we didn’t think about Southhold at all. The one time we could actually focus on each other, and not worry about anything else in the whole wide world.
But now…
“Ah, good you’re here!”
Ryan looked up from the front desk, where he stood beside a pretty young brunette with her hair pinned back in a ponytail. A year ago that brunette had been little more than a girl named Sarah, the manager we’d hired to oversee the eventual opening and operations of the place. Now she was a little bit more than that, because Ryan and Sarah had been dating for at least ten or eleven months now.
And things between them were only getting more serious.
“Roderick said to keep you here,” Ryan told me. “He wants to go over some last minute things before the dinner party starts.”
“It’s his speech, isn’t it?” I smirked.
“Maybe,” Ryan shrugged.
“Definitely,” Sarah chuckled, adding a little bit of an elbow. “Don’t lie to her!”
“Fine,” Ryan resigned. “He wants you to hear his speech again.”
“For the four-hundred and thirteenth time,” Bryce said flatly.
“Yeah. He says he changed a few things.”
“Whatever.”
“I told him not to even make a speech,” said Ryan, “but you know Roderick.”
“Oh we know Roderick,” Bryce rolled his eyes. “If there’s a podium — any kind of podium — he’s jumping right on it.”
“Yeah, well this is more of a captive audience,” I quipped. “Still though, this could be good for us. The more information he gives on the manor, the better it is for everyone.”
Sarah nodded and her ponytail bobbed with her. “The more publicity the better.”
I wandered away, despite their warning to stick around. I wanted to be alone with my thoughts for a moment. To really savor the accomplishments of the last two or more years, and to bask in the glory of a job well done.
Among other things to bask in.
I found one of the more comfortable couches at the far end of the lobby and sank down in it. I did it so swiftly, the others didn’t even realize I’d gone.
“Hey, gorgeous.”
I glanced up in the middle of my daydream. My mouth curled into a warm smile.
“This seat taken?”
I shifted a bit to my left. “It is now.”
Camden sat down beside me, draping one big arm over my shoulder. His shirt was undone at the top, and his tie was askew. Still, he’d been working the crowds all day. Helping get the guests settled and the cars parked and the exterior of the whole venue buttoned up for the coming storm.
“Whaddya think?” he asked, settling back with a satisfied sigh.
“About what?”
“About everything,” he laughed.
“Well I’m pretty sure the guests love the fuck out of this place,” I said immediately. “From everything I’m overhearing, no one can even believe we pulled this off.”
Camden laughed, and his hard body shook gently against mine. “I find it hard to believe myself, actually.”
“Yeah, well we did it,” I told him. “We worked our collective asses off for this.”
We lay there together for a minute, just leaning against each other and taking in the lobby. Camden’s thoughts were far away, like mine. I imagined they were probably in the same place.
“Madison may have found the manor and saved it,” he said blankly, “and we’ll always love her for that.” He paused before turning into me. “But you know what?”
“What?” I asked, snuggling into him.
Camden’s blue eyes bored into mine. As always, they made me melt a little.
“You were the best thing that ever happened to this place.”
A warmth swept over me, followed by a wave of intense satisfaction. A dozen return quips came to mind, and all of them involved praising myself. The great majority of them were sarcastic as well.
Instead of saying anything though, I just sighed.
“Roderick’s going to make his speech soon,” Camden said. “And Bryce is going to attend the dinner. Ryan and Sarah are going home in a few. Probably to Ryan’s place, which is going to be Sarah’s place soon enough actually.”
I raised an eyebrow. “They’re moving in together?”
“He told me yesterday.”
My smile widened. “Good for them.”
“Yeah, very good,” agreed Camden. He paused and stretched before continuing. “That leaves just you and me.”
“Oh?”
“Unless you’re heading to the dinner,” he said, holding his hands out. “I wasn’t sure. I mean, if you are—”
“To be honest, I’m not really hungry,” I said.
His eyes flashed for a moment, and now he was smiling too. Yeah. Our thoughts were definitely in the same place.
“So… you wanna do some plowing with me?” he asked, pulling on his gloves.
I laughed. “Is that a pickup line?”
“Possibly.”
“Gotta admit, I’ve never heard that one.”
“Ever driven a plow before?”
“No,” I said. “Can’t say that I have.”
“It’s a little complicated,” said Camden. “One wrong turn and we could end up in a snowbank.”
“I see.”
“We could get stuck on the other side of the property, half in a ditch,” he continued. “Sitting in that big empty cab together, with the heat blasting over our faces.”
I curled into him, letting my hands fold themselves comfortingly over his massive upper arm. He flexed a little, probably for my benefit. I loved every second of it.
“So we’ll be stuck in the cab, huh?” I asked.
“It could happen, yeah.”
I mock-gasped. “Whatever will we do?”
Camden shrugged. By now his smile was so big it melted my heart.
“We’d have to survive,” he said. “Do something drastic to keep warm.”
“We couldn’t just call for help?” I teased.
He shook his head. “Phones might not work. Service might be spotty from the other end of the courtyard.”
I sighed dramatically. “It is a big courtyard,” I agreed. “Why, we could be stuck out there for a whole fifteen minutes!”
Camden turned into me, leaning in so close our lips were brushing.
“I can do a lot in fifteen minutes.”
“I’ll bet.”
My heart started
