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“Because,” Ruthanne says with authority, “that’s the color of Gabriella’s dress when she kisses Ian.”
Cam glowers at Ruthanne. "No, because blue is Tabs’s favorite color.”
"He knows your favorite color," Mille says. "He's a keeper."
A few of the ladies ooh and ahh.
"He's my friend," I tell the twittering ladies. “And he always notices little details, right, Cam?”
He shrugs.
Ruthanne wiggles her eyebrows. "I think he should stay and read aloud. Especially the part on the cliff?—”
“Ruthanne!” Cam throws an “If looks could kill” glare at the woman.
“Fine. Leave if you want.” Ruthanne’s smile widens. “But be aware that I tried to install the new Microsoft family today, and now nothing is working. I expect you’ll need at least two hours to fix what I broke, trying to get all the bickering sibling softwares to play nice with each other.”
I wonder if she actually managed to botch up the software installation, or if she’s making the whole thing up, but Cam—who’s probably seen it all before, since he works in IT—seems convinced.
"Fine,” he growls. “But if you’re doing a reading, I suggest we go with the conversation at the trestle table. There are enough of us here to do the dialogue.”
A few of the ladies gasp.
I gape at Cam like I'm seeing my best friend for the first time. "You read the book?"
Cam’s cheeks redden as he heads back toward the chair Ruthanne is loudly patting. "I have."
She looks like she’s won the lottery.
But Cam picks up the chair she’s saved for him and carries it over to squeeze in right by me. His leg grazes mine under the table, and I feel the heat from his arm on mine. I glance over at him and his eyes twinkle. His smile really is stunning, and his perfectly sculpted jaw looks even more handsome with the three-day beard.
He’s a man who women have no problem staring at, which I take enormous pleasure in pointing out to him since it makes him blush. But I rarely sit this close to him. He smells good. Like, really good, not like Old Spice or Axe, more earthy. Like a man should smell.
I lean a little closer and inhale to try to identify the scent.
I lower my voice and lean even closer so only he can hear me. “If you get uncomfortable, say the word and I’ll distract Ruthanne so you can sneak out.”
Cam grunts. "So how does this work?"
"Great question. I chose some scenes to read and discuss…” I trail off, because they’re all focused on the sexual tension between the main characters, which doesn't really seem like a good idea with Cam here.
Unfortunately, Ruthanne jumps in. "First, we read a steamy scene between Gabriella and the Duke, and then we’ll talk about their incredible chemistry that threatens to burn the library down."
CAM
Unbelievable!
I don’t know what Ruthanne thinks she’s going to accomplish with this meddlesome maneuver. What I do know is that she is going to pay. At the very least, I’m going to adjust her browser settings so she starts getting ads for all the things that drive her crazy, like weight loss pills and loud men yelling about how to be successful like them.
Thankfully, Tabs comes to my rescue. “Why don’t we mix things up this month and not do a reading?”
The ladies don’t take the suggestion well.
“This is why we don’t invite men to book club,” Sylvie complains. “We had a plan—until he showed up.”
Mille nods. “I agree with Sylvie. If the sex scene makes Cam uncomfortable, he can leave. I’m too old to keep bending over to please men.”
The room erupts in laughter and jabs at her choice of words.
