By then it was nearly eight p.m., a good hour later than when he'd promised Mia he'd be at The Electric Blue. He'd called her earlier to let her know he'd be running late, but he didn't like the thought of Mia being alone at the bar, where someone was possibly watching her and waiting for an opportunity to do something more nefarious than just taking a photograph of her. And he definitely didn't like the thought of other guys hitting on her, dancing with her, or touching her in any way whatsoever.
He stepped on the gas and increased the speed of the Excursion, wishing he was in his power-charged Porsche instead. God, he was getting so sucked in by Mia, and even though she'd managed to manipulate him into helping her, he had to admit he'd agreed for purely selfish reasons, too. Having sex with her again was certainly an incentive, but the woman intrigued him on too many levels to count, and the two mixed together proved to be a dangerous combination not only to his unruly libido, but emotionally as well.
Beyond the scorching heat and attraction the two of them generated, he was drawn to her and all the different facets of her personality: the good qualities, her vulnerable side, and even her way of goading and annoying him. He'd always enjoyed unraveling mysteries, and Mia was one big giant puzzle he was determined to solve. It was all a matter of peeling away the different facades she hid behind and discovering the real woman beneath. Having her and all that fire, energy, and passion in his bed was merely a bonus he had every intention of enjoying to the fullest.
And hopefully, once he figured out her allure, he could get her out of his head and system and move on. Just another case closed.
The ringing of his cell phone pulled him from his thoughts of Mia. He glanced at the hands-free unit display, saw that the call was from his mother, and hit the connect button.
"Hi, Mom."
"Hi, Cameron," she said, her soft, cultured tone filling the cab of the vehicle. "How have you been?"
He winced, knowing his mother's question held a deeper meaning, but she was too polite to outright say he'd been remiss in calling or stopping by lately. "I've been good, Mom." And then he wondered if maybe something was wrong. "Are you and Dad okay?"
"We're fine, honey, though your father has mentioned he sure has missed having a golf outing with his son the past few months."
Another sting of guilt he couldn't avoid. "Yeah, I know. Work's been crazy. I'll have to set aside a Sunday morning for a game."
"Your father would absolutely love spending the time with you," she said, and he could hear the satisfied smile in her voice. "But I didn't call you for that. Your sister, Claudia, is turning forty next week, and I'm having her birthday dinner at the house next Sunday for her and the family. I want to be sure you keep the evening free."
Claudia was the oldest of his three sisters, and as each kid had left home and started lives of their own, his mother had made it a ritual to have birthday dinners for each one of them to be sure there were at least a few family gatherings that brought them together throughout the year. Over the years, their birthday dinners had grown in size, because each one of his sisters was married with children of her own.
"I wouldn't miss it, Mom," he promised and made a mental note to add the date to his PDA so there was no way he could forget, since his schedule had been so hectic the past few weeks.
"I also wanted to let you know, you're welcome to bring a friend."
His mother's subtle comment made Cameron smirk. "So I can bring Rick, then?" He knew damn well that's not what she meant, but he hadn't been able to resist contradicting her just to see how she'd respond.
"Well, I was hoping you'd bring a friend of the female gender. You know, someone you might be dating?"
Cam turned into The Electric Blue's parking lot as images of Mia immediately filled his mind, with her innate sensuality, wild ways, and smart mouth. She was so different from any woman he'd ever brought home to meet his family, and it had been a long time since he'd even done that. He could only imagine what Mia would say or do to shock his refined mother and equally straitlaced sisters and found himself smiling at the thought.
Finding an open space a few slots away from Mia's flashy red Celica, he parked the truck and turned off the engine. "Sorry, Mom, but I'm not dating anyone right now."
Her disappointed sigh drifted through the intercom. "And that's such a shame, too."
Cameron rolled his eyes, having heard the "you need to settle down like your sisters have" lecture many times before. He would, when the right woman finally came along.
"I hate to cut you short, Mom, but I need to go," he said before she could launch into her speech. "I promise to be there next Sunday for Claude's dinner."
After a quick good-bye he ended the call, clipped the cell phone onto the waistband of his jeans, and got out of the truck. A minute later he was entering The Electric Blue, and it was just as loud and jam-packed as it had been the previous Friday night. At the moment, the waiters and waitresses were dancing up on the bar and tabletops, which had the riled-up crowd whistling and cheering them on. He half expected to find Mia up there doing a few shimmies and shakes of her own, but much to his relief, she wasn't part of the evening's entertainment.
His gaze scanned the establishment, and just when he caught sight of Mia standing at the bar with a group of men, he felt a large hand clamp down firmly on his shoulder. He turned around with his fists clenched tight, instinctively in defense mode, until he came face to face with Mia's brother Joel, who was flanked by two of his business partners and Marine buddies, Kevin and Ben. As security specialists, all three were big, muscular, intimidating-looking guys-the kind women looked twice at and men didn't mess with.
Cameron had never considered the possibility of running into anyone from Mia's family here. Her three cousins were married, along with her brothers Scott and Alex, and they were no longer into the bar scene. But Joel was a consummate playboy who enjoyed having a good time, especially when there were single women involved, and The Electric Blue certainly provided that.
He swore beneath his breath. This was a scenario he hadn't anticipated, and now he had to tread carefully because not only had Cameron promised Mia he wouldn't apprise her brothers about her situation, but there was no way in hell he wanted anyone in her family to find out about their relationship. He didn't need the grief, the headache, or any of the Wilde brood beating the crap out of him for having a hot and heavy, no-strings-attached fling with Mia.
It seemed like an hour had passed between them, when in fact it had only been a handful of seconds. "Joel!" he said, unable to keep his genuine shock and surprise from his tone.
"Hey, Cam!" Joel replied in an enthusiastic voice loud enough to be heard above the music and noise. "You hang out here?"
"I've been here a few times," he said evasively and gestured toward the waitresses dancing up on the bar for the customers, and for better tips. "The place is quite lively and entertaining."
"So we heard." Joel grinned up at one of the women who blew him a kiss while gyrating her hips to the seductive beat of the music. "We thought we'd check it out for ourselves, and it appears we aren't going to be disappointed. Want to grab a beer with us?"
Despite having other plans, which had included finding an inconspicuous place to sit alone and keep an eye on Mia, Cameron knew he couldn't turn down Joel's invitation without him wondering why… and eventually pinpointing the reason as Mia once Joel discovered his sister was there. Besides, sitting with the trio didn't mean Cam had to reveal his true reasons for being there, and he could still keep an inconspicuous eye on Mia.