Unspoken Words (Unspoken #1) (16 page)

“She may not be my concern . . . right now, but I’d like to explore the opportunity.”

“That won’t be happening.” This douche can’t take a hint. Camryn is mine.

“Really? You seem quite sure of yourself,” Chad says with a raised brow.

“Yeah, you could say that,” I say firmly, as the images of Camryn on her knees in front of me not even twenty minutes ago flash through my mind.

Christian shifts his eyes from me to Chad, then clears his throat.

“Why don’t we get started? We have a lot to get to today.”

Chad walks into the sound room and places his headphones on.

I turn to Christian, “I can’t stand that motherfucker. The quicker we can get his shit done, the quicker he can get the hell out of New York.”

The door opens and I turn to see Camryn walk in. Her hips sway as she makes her way over to me. She sits on my lap placing her arms around my shoulders. She leans down, her lips meeting mine. “I’m gonna head out. I wanted to say goodbye.”

“Hey, sis, what brings you here today?”

“I had a few things to
handle
with Jamie.”

“Really what?” Christian asks curiously

“Nothing you need to be concerned about.”

Christian looks between us and shakes his head. “I don’t even want to know.”

Camryn laughs. “Don’t ask questions, if you don’t want to know the answers.”

I rub my hand up and down her thigh. “You’re awful, you know that, right?”

She leans in and whispers in my ear “I’ll be waiting on your return favor . . . or maybe I’ll
handle
my own needs while I wait for you to get done.” She stands from my lap, a sexy as hell smile on her face. I adjust myself because I am getting hard again thinking about her bringing herself to orgasm and knowing I most definitely want to watch her. What can I say, my girl has that effect on me. She turns to leave and I smack her on the ass. “You can stop by the office
anytime.
Call me when you get to Morgan’s. Have fun with the girls tonight.”

When the door closes behind Camryn, I turn back and see Chad glaring at me. Yeah, take that fucker, I told you she was mine. I raise my brows at him.

We spend the next six hours finalizing another song that they couldn’t get right last week. So once that is squared away, I am hoping I never see this prick again.

“Are we finished here? I’m gonna head over to Parker’s place to get a few hours of practice in for next week’s gig.”

“Yeah, I got this covered. I just need to make a few adjustments on this piece and I’m done for the day. Go ahead. I’ll wrap things up here and catch you later.”

I grab my bag to head out the door, but the hairs on the back of my neck are standing up. Something doesn’t feel right. When I look over my shoulder in the direction of the band, I notice Chad is standing there glaring at me. I simply nod my head, and walk out the door.

Running late sucks. I overslept this morning after hitting my snooze about five times. I slept like shit last night, the last time I looked at the clock it read three-thirty. No wonder my ass is dragging today. After shooting Christian a text letting him know I would be a few minutes late, his reply suggested I grab us Starbucks on the way in.

There are at least fifteen people in front of me, so I am praying that the line moves quickly. I hear a laugh that warms me from the inside out. I would know that laugh anywhere. I look around the coffee shop and that is when I spot her. Camryn is sitting by the window with her earbuds in and her laptop open. I know she stayed with Morgan last night, so I knew she was in the City. I just didn’t expect to see her up and about so early.

My skin crawls when I see that fucking douchebag, Chad, sitting across from her.
What the fuck is he doing here?

I pull my phone out of my pocket and send Camryn a quick text.

Me: Good morning, beautiful! Whatcha doing?

I see her phone light up on the table. When she grabs her phone, a smile immediately appears on her face.

Cami: I’m at Starbucks. Trying to get this piece done to send to Shelby. Lincoln was at Morgan’s, so I headed out early. Whatcha doing?

Me: I’m grabbing coffee on my way to the studio. I’m running late.

Cami: Really. If I would have known you were heading to the studio this early, we could have met for breakfast, or even just coffee. I miss you

Me: Don’t worry, baby, you’ll see me soon enough.

Cami: I wish it would be sooner. I’m stuck here at a table with Chad from Troubled Pasts. I tried to blow him off. He didn’t take the hint. I’m annoyed. Actually, I am pissed. I have work to do. Ugh . . .

Camryn puts her phone back on the table. She gives Chad a fake smile, then picks up her coffee to take a sip. I place my order and wait patiently for it, never taking my eyes off of Camryn. She hasn’t noticed me yet. There is no doubt, by the look on her face, she’s annoyed. I didn’t need her to confirm it in her text, I know my girl. When I read the text that Chad just helped himself to the empty seat, that pisses me off. This guy doesn’t give up. He can’t take a hint. Once I have my coffees, I head over to Cami’s table.

She doesn’t see me approach the table, but Chad does. I can see his demeanor immediately changes. His lips thin in anger, his nostrils flare with fury. He gives me a hostile glare when I lean over, placing a kiss on Camryn’s cheek. “Good morning, baby,” I say with a smug smile.
Eat that, shit head.

I don’t bother to speak to Chad, I simply nod my head acknowledging him. Camryn jumps up from her seat, and throws her arms around my neck. She whispers in my ear, “You creep. You’ve been here the entire time. Rather than come save me, you were texting me?”

Laughing, I pull her tighter against my chest. My lips nibble on her right earlobe. “I was enjoying texting you. Don’t ever worry. I will always be your knight in shining armor. I got your back.”

Camryn pulls back to look at my face, I raise my eyebrows at her. Her lips slowly descend to meet mine. When she kisses me, all I can taste is the caramel on her lips. I kiss her lips softly, before placing another on her nose.

Nodding toward the table, my voice is low and smooth, “Get your stuff together, come to the studio with me.”

Camryn gathers her notes from the table, closes up her laptop and grabs her bag. Chad is still sitting at the table looking at the two of us. Anger lit in his eyes. He looks at Camryn with a sardonic expression that makes my temper soar.

“It was nice seeing you again,” Camryn says to Chad. “I’m going to head to the studio with Jamie.” He doesn’t respond at first. His anger becomes a scalding fury. He swallows hard. I can see he is trying to reign in his temper. My ass just cock blocked him. He needs to realize that Camryn is not on the market. She is taken. She is mine.

“It was nice seeing you again, Camryn. Maybe next time you can stay a little longer. Possibly finish your coffee before you have to run,” Chad says.

She doesn’t reply to his last statement. She gives him a small smile.

This dude doesn’t get it. Camryn is not giving off the vibe that she is the least bit interested in him. He needs to give it up. Just because he happened to stumble upon her in a coffee shop doesn’t mean she’s interested in him. She is simply being kind. Camryn isn’t a mean person, she would never intentionally go out of her way to be malevolent toward someone. In this case, she needs to be forward and set the record straight. Chad needs to know that she is not interested in him.

When Camryn finishes gathering her belongings, I place my hand on her lower back guiding her out of the coffee shop.

I turn to look back at Chad. He stands there, tall and angry. I shrug my shoulders at him while sending him a chilling smile that says the unspoken words he needs to hear loud and fucking clear.
That’s right, asshole. She’s mine.

I hold the door for Camryn as she exits the coffee shop. Once we are on the sidewalk, I reach for her bag, balancing the carrier containing the coffees in my other hand. She leans into my side, so I place my arm around her shoulder as we walk the few blocks to the studio. She looks at me and says, “Can I tell you something?”

I turn my head to look down at her, “You know better than to ask me that. Of course you can tell me anything. What’s on your mind, beautiful?”

Camryn looks up at me, then bites her lip. Now I know she is nervous about what she is going to tell me. “I don’t want you to go all caveman on me, but Chad made me feel uncomfortable today.”

Trying to play it cool, I ask, “What do you mean he made you feel uncomfortable?”

I tighten my hold on her, encouraging her to continue. “I was working with my earbuds in when he came up behind me. I didn’t even know he was there until he started rubbing my shoulders. I jumped up not knowing who was touching me. He held his hands up as if surrendering, then apologized for startling me. He claims he didn’t notice my earbuds. You think he would have realized that I didn’t hear him talking to me when I didn’t respond to him. I don’t know him enough for him to think he can touch me like that. I met him a handful of times. We are not friends. We are acquaintances. Nothing more, nothing less. After he apologized, he just pulled out the chair and made himself at home.”

We walk into the studio, placing the carrier on the floor I lean against the wall, pulling her into me. I place my arms around her waist securing her to me. “You are not overreacting, Tink. I knew there was something about him that rubbed me the wrong way. I have never liked him since I laid eyes on him. He has no right touching you. When I see him again, I will make that crystal fucking clear.”

Camryn stands on her tiptoes and claims my lips with a slow, drugging kiss making me forget my reasons for even being here today.

I spent Monday and Tuesday night practicing with Side Effects, so I can spend tonight with Camryn. When I left the studio today, I ran to the grocery store to grab what I need to make her favorite for dinner, crab legs and shrimp scampi. She is working at the New York City office today with her editor, so when she is finished there, she is coming to my apartment.

Around six o’clock there’s a knock at my door. She’s had a key to my place for years. I specifically told Camryn to walk in when she gets here. When I open the door, the most beautiful set of hazel eyes warms my heart. I see her duffle bag on her shoulder and know that she packed to stay the night with me.

“I told you to just come in. Why did you knock?” Gesturing for her to come in, I open the door wider. From the gasp that escapes her throat, I know she was surprised by what sits before her. I have a fresh bouquet of lilies in a vase and a bottle of her favorite wine on the table.

Cami turns to look at me, then back at the display I have set up. “What do we have here, Mr. Banks? You did this all for me?” she questions. “I didn’t want to barge in. I know I have a key, but I felt funny,” she answers my question, then shrugs her shoulders.

I’ve never cooked for a woman before, this is a first for me. A first of many that I want to experience with Camryn. I walk up behind her, and pull her close to me. Her back is against my chest, and I breathe in her scent. I love how she always smells of lavender and vanilla. I kiss her head softly, “This, my dear, is dinner for two. You and me.”

I motion her to the table and hold out her chair for her to sit. I bring the dishes that I have prepared in from the kitchen and place them on the table. Cami’s eyes grow wide when she sees that I have king crab legs with extra drawn butter on the side and a bowl of shrimp scampi. I place the cheddar garlic biscuits on the table as well. I walk over behind her and tie a bib around her neck, which reads ‘Kiss the Cook’. When she looks down and sees the bib, she busts out laughing. “You went all out tonight, didn’t you?”

I lean back, taking a sip of my wine “I wanted this to be memorable. We have eaten together a thousand times, this is different. We have never eaten as a couple.”

She leans her elbows on the table, rests her chin in her hands. “I don’t know what to say. This is beyond amazing. Thank you.”