"So what did Amy tell you?" he asked.
"You know those erotic pieces I left with her during my meeting with her on Tuesday? Well, she had such a phenomenal response to the stained-glass art, and so many of her clients were interested in purchasing the pieces, that she decided to put them up for auction!"
Her excitement was infectious, and a huge grin spread across his face. "Mia, that's incredible!"
"I know! I'm just stunned. And that's not all," she went on breathlessly. "Amy wants to schedule a gallery show, just for me and my stained-glass artwork. Can you believe that?"
He laughed, resisting the urge to remind her he was the reason her art was on display at the Brennan gallery-because he'd seen the potential in her art, and her mass appeal. "Of course I can believe it."
She grew quiet and then said, "I guess at some point I'm going to have to tell my family about all this, huh?"
He followed Trish into the city, keeping his distance as she started traveling on surface streets. "I think they'd be hurt if you didn't."
"I know." Her soft sigh drifted through the phone. "It's just that they don't know about the erotic pieces, and I have no idea how they'll react to them. I mean, I've done many things over the years to shock my family, but this is just so… public. And personal."
Hearing the barest hint of insecurity in her voice, he sought to reassure her. "How can they not be anything but proud of what you've accomplished? A showing is not something every artist gets, so this is a huge testament to just how amazing your work is. And just for the record, I'm very happy for you."
"Thanks," she said, and this time he detected a smile in her tone. "Care to celebrate with me tonight?"
God, it had been too long since they'd seen each other. It had been nearly a week since they'd spent the day at his parents, and even longer than that since they'd been together intimately. And he honestly and truly missed being with her, in every way.
Unfortunately, he wasn't going to see her this evening, either.
"I'd love to celebrate with you, but I can't tonight," he said regretfully. "Right now I'm tailing Irish to some unknown destination, and after this surveillance I have to head back to the office to go over some open cases with Wes. Then, I'm meeting with a new client this evening, and I have no idea when I'll be done."
"I understand," she said, but he knew she was disappointed. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow at Steve's."
See, but not touch because their affair was a secret, he thought in frustration. "Just insult me a few times, and everyone will think things are normal between us."
She laughed huskily. "Oh, I plan to do more than just insult you tomorrow, sugar."
That tempting, teasing note to Mia's voice aroused more than Cameron's curiosity. He had no idea what she had in mind, but he wouldn't put anything past her and had no doubt it was something that would include tormenting him in some way.
They said their good-byes and Cameron disconnected the call, though his thoughts remained on Mia and their affair. After spending the past few weeks with Mia and discovering the deep, emotional layers hidden beneath her wild ways and outrageous personality, he already knew he was in over his head with her. Way deeper than he'd ever intended to fall for the sexy, raven-haired vixen. And he was beginning to hate the fact that he couldn't openly date Mia and let everyone know they were a couple and see if they had any chance at a future together.
That thought made his palms sweat and his heart race. He'd never thought of himself and Mia in terms of the future. But somewhere along the way, he'd come to realize that the decision to have a hot affair with her to get her out of his system had given way to something far more intimate. For him, it wasn't just about sex anymore. It was about wanting this woman, despite how opposite they were. It was about viewing her as someone he could possibly have a strong and lasting relationship with because she excited him and made him feel things no other woman ever had.
Unfortunately, he knew Mia wasn't ready to take their relationship to an emotional level, and maybe she never would be. He was well aware of her past with men and her inability to sustain anything long term. And for as much as she'd shared with him, and he'd learned about her, there were still a few barriers left for him to scale. He planned to do his damndest to tear every one of those walls down before they were through.
But for now he'd let her believe she was safe with him, that he posed no threat to her heart and emotions. He'd go to the party tomorrow and pretend as though they'd never slept together, that he didn't know how funny she could be, or that she created erotic stained-glass art her family didn't even know about. But once they found out who was stalking her, they were going to have to face what was happening between them-even if it meant forcing her to do so.
He continued to drive a few car lengths behind Trish until she turned her vehicle into the circular drive of the St. Claire Hotel to valet park her car-leading him to believe she had a late-afternoon date with her lover. But who was the million-dollar question he'd yet to find the answer for.
Cameron opted for the regular parking lot so he'd be able to see Trish when she left the hotel-hopefully with whomever she was meeting there. He was lucky enough to find an empty space in the first row and took it, though he didn't have enough time to take any pictures of Trish entering the hotel since he needed to stay close behind her. As soon as she disappeared into the lobby, Cameron made his way inside as well, just in time to see her step into one of the elevators with a few other people, effectively putting an end to him following her.
Hands on his hips, he watched in frustration as the elevator stopped on four different floors, making it impossible to figure out what level she'd gotten off on. He swore beneath his breath, seeing yet another dead end to the investigation unless she ended up leaving the hotel with her lover and finally gave him some substantial evidence to report back to her husband.
"Hey, stranger."
The soft, husky female voice was a familiar one, and Cameron turned around to find Ashley St. Claire, now Wilde-heiress to the St. Claire Hotel and Scott Wilde's wife-standing behind him. Even though she'd married Scott, she still worked for the family's chain of hotels managing the boutiques. She looked beautiful as always, sophisticated and chic and everything you'd expect from someone of her social stature-but very down to earth despite her wealth and family name.
"Ashley," he said with a smile and then dropped his gaze to the small bump showing beneath her skirt. It had been a while since he'd seen her, and he was surprised to find she was expecting, though that explained her glowing complexion, which he'd seen many times on his own sisters' faces when they'd been pregnant. "Looks like you and Scott have been busy."
Laughing, she placed a hand on her protruding belly. "A honeymoon baby. I'm about five months along. For months I had a nice, flat belly, then about two weeks ago I woke up and nothing in my closet fit because my waist had expanded a few inches. Literally overnight," she said wryly.
"Well you look great. And happy," he said, knowing she and Scott had gone through a lot to be together. But everything had worked out for the two of them in the end, despite their issues. "I'll have to congratulate Scott when I see him at Steve's tomorrow."
"Ah, yes, Cody and Tara's birthday party," she said lightly. "It should be quite a gathering, considering how many family and friends are going to be there."
"Cody and Tara?" Cameron was aware of Steve's son's one-year celebration, but hadn't known the party included Eric's daughter as well.
She nodded. "Steve and Eric decided to go ahead and have the kids' parties together this year, because they were born on the same day and the family will all be there. It's like having twins I suppose, even though Cody and Tara are cousins. They'll be sharing the same birthday for a lifetime, and I'm sure as they get older they'll want individual parties."