Jimmie stands from the table. “Right, now that I’m a complete emotional wreck, I’m going to get my children home.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Cam leans out the window of his car and speaks into the intercom built into the wall by the entrance to the property we are about to view. He gives his name and the ornate wrought-iron gates swing open.
We sit silently and stare at the long sweeping drive in front of us. The house can’t be seen from the road and the twenty-two acres the property sits on are surrounded by a twelve-foot high brick wall.
This is the fourth house we’ve looked at in two days and nothing we’ve seen yet has grabbed us.
“Well, at least this one looks pretty secure and isn’t sitting beside a motorway.” He reaches out, takes my hand and kisses up the inside of my wrist, causing me to shudder. I turn and look at him. He’s sitting behind the wheel of his sleek black sports car, wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and a black leather jacket. He hasn’t shaved all week and his hair is probably in need of a cut. It’s pushed back off his face and I love it, more to grab. He’s grinning his sexy-arsed grin because he knows full well my body has just reacted to his actions.
“Have I made you wet, Kitten?” he asks. I bite down on the insides of my cheeks as I suck them in, trying not to smile at him.
“You know full well you have.”
He licks his lips as he continues smiling. “Tell me.”
I raise my eyebrows slightly. “Why don’t you just have a feel for yourself?”
His smile vanishes. “Fuck, Kitten, you’ve made me hard.” He attempts to adjust himself behind the steering wheel, without much success.
“You started it, Tiger.”
“Yeah and when I get you home, I intend finishing it.”
He puts the car into gear and churns up the gravel on the drive as we roar off, while I sit back and smile.
We’ve spent the last few days locked away in Cam’s apartment. We’ve kept our phones on silent and hidden ourselves away from the world. A statement was released to the press a couple of days ago confirming our relationship and asking for privacy, and surprisingly, the paps have left us alone. Cam told Marian not to come back into work until Monday, so we basically spent every day in bed, only getting up to eat and shower or bath. We’d talked and talked and I feel we are in a good place. I explained about Jimmie and Ashley’s offers to carry a baby for us and Cam wants to move on with those plans straight away, but I’ve managed to convince him to wait until we’ve found a house and to get Christmas out of the way.
We pull up in front of a Lutyens inspired English country manor. It’s stunning and I get a little flutter in my belly as I look out of the car window.
“First thoughts?” Cam asks from beside me. He still has a hold of my hand and kisses the back of it this time. I turn to look at him.
“Loving what I see so far. The location’s perfect and I like how secure it is.” He chews on the inside of his lip.
“I think the inside needed some updating with this one, but that’s not a problem.”
I shake my head, but I’m actually agreeing with him. My head’s spinning slightly. We might actually be about to buy a house together. This shit just got real and I’m suddenly feeling all over the place; hot, cold, happy, and tearful.
The large, arched, oak front door opens and my mouth drops open as Vera White steps out to greet us. Well this couldn’t be anymore awkward. What the fuck is she going to think of me being with Cam so soon?
Cam’s hand is at my jaw as he turns my face to his.
“Stop. I know what you’re thinking and stop. This is no fucker’s business but ours, you got that?” I nod as best I can while he’s holding onto my jaw. “Good girl.” He leans in and kisses me full on the mouth.
“Let’s go and buy a house, Tiger.”
* * *
I’m out of the car before Cam can get around to my side and open the door for me. He’s old fashioned like that. Always holds doors open, pulls my chair out for me and likes to open the car door for me to get in and out, and as much as I like to think that I’m all for being a modern, independent woman, I actually love it when he does all of those things for me. Cam makes me feel safe, loved unconditionally and protected, and what he’s done these last few days is, for the first time in a very long time, he’s made me feel normal. I sort of felt normal in Australia, but I knew, deep down, it was all a lie, pretence. I had run away and was pretending to be someone I wasn’t. This week, I’ve been home, around people who know and love me and I have just been me. I’ll never be the woman I was before Sean’s death, before the accident, but with Cam’s love and encouragement, I am hopeful of becoming a pretty good version of my former self.
I reach the front of the car at the same moment as Cam.
“Why didn’t you wait?” he asks. I smile up at him as I wrap my arms around his neck.
“I’m sorry, Tiger. I didn’t do it to piss you off. I was just lost in my own little bubble there for a while and got out on autopilot. I’ll get back in and we can start again if it’ll make you happy?” He bends his knees slightly so he can look me in the eye.
“Now you’re just taking the piss out of me, Kitten.”
I smile and kiss him gently on the mouth. “No, I’m not, Tiger. I’m just trying to make you happy.”
He looks all over my face for a few seconds, gives his little head shake and says, “Let’s go look at this house.”
He takes my hand and we walk the few steps to the front door where Vera is waiting. She puts her hand out to shake Cam’s.
“Cameron, so good to see you. Hope you’re well?”
Cam shakes her hand and says, “Vera, good to see you. I’m well, very well, thanks.” I lift my sunglasses from my face, push them up into my hair and put my hand out to Vera, I hear her breath catch slightly and watch her eyes widen as she recognises me.
“Georgia, oh, my darling girl. How on earth are you?” Her eyes fill with tears and her hand moves to cover her mouth.
“I’m doing okay, Vera, you know? One day at a time.” I put my hand out to her, but she pulls me in for a cuddle.
“I’m so sorry. This is so unprofessional of me.”
“It’s okay,” I reply, feeling a little choked up myself. Vera had sent me a beautiful card with some heartfelt, handwritten words inside after Sean’s death. I had only read it a few months back and felt that too much time had passed for me to send a reply. “Thank you so much for your card. Your message meant a lot.” She stepped back and looked me up and down.
“Well, I meant every one of them.” She wipes tears from under each of her eyes and takes a step back. Cam pulls me into his side as she does. I don’t think it’s a possessive move because he knows we’re discussing my husband’s death. It’s more of a reassurance. He’s just letting me know that he’s there.
“Ya know, there’s not many of my clients that I actually like on a personal level,” Vera says, “but you two, and Sean, are three of the nicest people I’ve ever dealt with professionally and I, I’m so glad, after everything the two of you have been through…” She fans her face as her eyes start to fill up again. “Jesus, it takes a lot to make this ol’ bird cry, let me tell ya.” She lets out a long breath. “Anyway, look, I’m not trying to be nosy or anything, but if you two are together and are planning on making a go of things, then I wish you all the love and every success.” I look up at Cam and smile.
“We’re together. Cam’s helping to rebuild my heart, to rebuild me.” I shrug.
Vera shakes her head. “Jesus, Georgia, you’re gonna have me in bloody tears again.” She pauses and looks at us both again. “Well, if anyone can rebuild that heart of yours, I’ve every faith that Cameron here is the man for the job. Now, let’s show you this house, which, I’ve got to say, I think you’re gonna love.”
And we do. The house has a beautiful hallway with a galleried landing, a feature I have always loved about my parents’ home and as soon as we step inside and I see the same feature in this property, my heart begins to race. The house consists of seven bedrooms, all with full en suites, along with a further two bathrooms. It has all of the usual living, dining and kitchen areas, plus there’s also a games room, cinema and a library. Outside there’s a large pool and a built in Jacuzzi. There’s a pool house with a kitchen and bbq area, as well as a toilet and shower. In the grounds are stables for six horses, a fully stocked lake and a tennis court.