I wanted him.

  His palm caressed my cheek, then travelled down my neck, setting every inch of skin he touched alight. “Is this okay?” he whispered into the dark.

  I couldn’t see a thing, but it only heightened what I was feeling. The thrilling rush of the encounter, Cameron pulling me into a closet because he simply had to touch me.

  “I…yes, it’s okay,” I managed. It was more than okay.

  “I know we agreed to move on from what happened at the Christmas party, but I can’t stop thinking about you,” he whispered huskily as his hands moved down over my hips. He squeezed my bottom, and I let out a startled yelp. He laughed deeply and pressed his mouth to my neck. “Have you been thinking about me, too?”

  “Y-yes,” I mumbled as I closed my eyes and let my head fall back against the wall.

  Cameron licked and sucked at my neck before he brought his mouth to mine. I sighed into his kiss, my skin and bones all melty at the feel of his tongue slipping in. He was an excellent kisser.

  Breaking away, he took my chin in his hand, his dark eyes meeting mine. I could just about make them out from the dim light shining through the cracks in the door.

  “Can I taste you?” he asked darkly.

  I nodded, not quite sure what he was asking until he lowered himself to his knees. My mouth fell open, my heart racing as I realised his intent. I couldn’t for the life of me make a single move. All I could do was stare in fascination at Cameron Grant preparing himself to go down on me in the darkened stationery closet.

  With deft, careful hands, he unzipped my pencil skirt and pushed it down my legs. He helped me step out of it then made quick work of my tights and knickers. He made a low, masculine sound of satisfaction when he hitched one of my legs over his shoulder then pressed his mouth to my sex. I whimpered. My entire body shook with pleasure at the feel of his soft lips against me.

  I was a little self-conscious, seeing as all this had come completely out of nowhere. He hadn’t gone down on me when we had sex, and every part of me was on sensation overload. I bit my lip to keep from moaning loudly when his tongue circled my clit. His hand splayed out across my hip, gripping tighter every time I made a sound, a silent warning to be quiet. I stared down at his head between my legs, the moment surreal since just a few minutes ago we’d been sitting at our desks, doing our jobs.

  Now we weren’t doing our jobs at all, and it felt both illicit and thrilling.

  There was something mesmerising about Cameron. He was different from the night we slept together—sober, and completely in control of the situation. Then, almost to counteract my thoughts, I heard someone enter the photocopy room. I stilled, but Cameron didn’t. He continued to lave at me with his tongue, slower now, and it took every ounce of willpower I had not to make a sound. I wondered if he was struggling a little too when he gripped my thigh, fingertips digging in harshly.

  I heard the shuffle of paper, then the recognisable noise of the photocopying machine whirring to life. Cameron’s tongue sped up, flicking across my clit in a way that had my eyes rolling back in my skull. I grabbed his shoulders, gripping tight as erotic tension coiled in my belly. I was going to come, and I couldn’t make a single sound.

  When my orgasm hit, it was swift and intense. I shuddered silently against Cameron’s mouth and was vaguely aware of the person in the photocopy room leaving as I floated down from my high.

  Cameron’s touch was soft and careful now as he helped me dress. There was a quiet intensity about him that made me feel aroused all over again, and I’d literally just come. His hands moved over me as he helped me back into my clothes. When he bent to press a gentle kiss on my lips, I tasted myself, and it did strange, erotic things to me.

  Cameron opened the door slowly first, peeking out to make sure the room was empty. I took the opportunity to slide what I’d come to think of as the “lovely” card in his back pocket. It might’ve only been a small gift, but I was determined for him to keep it.

  When he confirmed the room was empty, he gestured for me to step out. His hand rested at the base of my neck, then travelled down my back before withdrawing. I wanted him to keep touching me, but I knew this wasn’t the place for it.

  “We’ll talk later,” he said, breath whispering across my ear before he left, heading in the direction of the gents’.

  I thought that was a good idea, so I went to the ladies’ to clean myself up. When I exited the stall, I stood by the mirror and stared at my flushed complexion, my dilated pupils and mussed hair. Trying to centre myself, I got to work fixing my appearance and letting what just happened soak in. I let out a giddy, exhilarated chuckle, trying to decide if that had really just happened or if I dreamt it.

  ***

  Lilah was busy with a client at lunch, so I decided to take a walk around town, get some air and take in the last-minute Christmas shoppers. Considering the bizarre (in a good way) morning I’d had, I definitely needed to get out of the office for a while.

  Being the organised person that I was, I’d purchased all of my gifts well ahead of time, but it still felt exciting to see people dashing about buying presents for loved ones. This year Mum and Dad were coming to my house for Christmas dinner, and I was eager to get home later and start working on the food. They’d arrive in the morning, we’d stuff ourselves sick, then veg out in front of the TV to watch something suitably festive.

  I couldn’t wait.

  I filled my head with thoughts of food preparation in order to keep my mind off Cameron and our “closet encounter.” I grabbed a sandwich from the deli and walked while I ate, the cold December air chilly on my ears. I found myself passing by Trinkets & Treasures, and wondering absently if Christina was connected to the missing rings like we suspected. Or were we thinking too much into it? Perhaps they had just been sold privately like Harrington said.

  Still, the fact that I might never know the full story niggled at me. I looked in the window and saw the store assistant, Jamie, chatting with a customer. I strained to see him better, because it appeared he was sporting a black eye. He’d clearly made some sort of effort to cover it up with makeup, but he hadn’t done a very good job.

  That was weird. Had he gotten into a fight?

  The window display twinkled under the fluorescent lights, the array of rings, necklaces, and bracelets arranged to snag the attention of passers-by. It had certainly snagged mine, but not because I was particularly interested in making a purchase.

  There, in the very centre of the display were two pink-sapphire rings. I stared at them, mouth open. No, it couldn’t be. I didn’t know how long I was standing there when the door opened. My gaze lifted at the flick of a lighter. Jamie emerged from the store and took a puff out of a cigarette. He exhaled a billow of smoke before he noticed me, eyes squinting.

  “I remember you. You and your fiancé never came back to buy that ring.”

  “We called off our engagement, unfortunately,” I lied.

  Jamie scratched the back of his head, looking uncomfortable. “Ah, I see. Sorry about that.”

  A moment of quiet passed before I asked him, “Are you on your break?”

  “Yep. Just taking five minutes before I head back in.”

  I studied him in concern. “I hope you don’t mind me asking, but did somebody hit you?”

  He blinked then winced. “Guess my girlfriend’s makeup job isn’t fooling anyone.”

  I gave him an apologetic look.

  “It was just a stupid fight I had with a, uh, a mate. It’s all sorted now.”

  Something in my gut told me he was lying, but I didn’t question him on it. Instead, I turned back to the display. “I see you replaced those two pink sapphires that were sold. They’re very beautiful.”

  Jamie’s gaze wandered to the rings. “Right, yeah.”

  Again, something about his tone sounded off, too stiff. I let out a breath and hitched my bag up on my shoulder. “Right, well, I better get going.”

  “See you,” Jamie replied, and I walked away.

  All the way back to the office, my mind worked overtime. If my hunch that Jamie was lying was correct, then that meant those rings hadn’t been replaced but returned. Perhaps they’d never left. None of it made sense.

  The office was a riot of activity when I got back. Terry was handing out glasses of mulled wine, and everyone was gathering in the common area to exchange Secret Santa gifts. Even Georgia was there, wearing a designer shift dress that I could only ever dream of owning. One day I needed to become my own boss, then maybe I could have an expensive wardrobe to rival hers.

  Beyond her, I spotted Cameron in his office, working away like usual. Obviously, he wasn’t interested in mulled wine or exchanging gifts. Feeling an urgent need to tell him about the rings, I hurried across the office and knocked on his door.

  He stood from his desk and gestured for me to come in, eyeing me as I rubbed my sweaty palms on my skirt. I was rosy-cheeked and breathless after my walk out in the cold.

  “If you’ve come to convince me to drink that swill Terry’s passing around, I’ll advise you not to bother,” he said loudly before I closed the door behind me. As soon as we were away from prying ears, his voice softened. “Hey.”

  “Hi,” I replied quietly, getting a little lost in his eyes for a second.

  “Did you need anything?” he went on gently, gaze searching. Did he feel just as off-kilter about what happened earlier as I did?

  Memories from the stationery closet filled my head. It was difficult to think straight.

  It took me a moment to recall why I’d come in here. The rings! Right, I needed to tell him about the pink sapphires. “Actually, I made a discovery during lunch. I took a walk about town and ended up passing by Trinkets & Treasures.”

  “Oh?”

  “You remember the store assistant, Jamie?”

  Cameron nodded.

  “Well, he’s got a black eye. He came outside for a cigarette, and I asked him how he got it. He said he had a fight with a friend.”

  “Maybe he did. Have you been out in this town on a Saturday night?” Cameron said. “The place is a warzone.”

  He wasn’t wrong there. Torquay boasted a picturesque coastline, but it was also a prime location for drunken nights out, especially for those celebrating hen and stag parties. I rubbed at my arm. “You’re right. It could be true, but you know when someone is lying to you and you can just tell?”

  “I do. You think he was lying?”

  “I could be wrong, of course, but get this, the pink sapphires are back.”

  Cameron started to frown. “What do you mean they’re back?”

  “I mean, they’re right there in the window display, shining like, well, sapphires. Jamie said they’re new stock to replace the ones that were sold, but again, something just didn’t ring true.”

  “It’s very possible that they’re completely new rings.”

  “I know that.”

  “But you think they’re the same ones that were supposedly sold?”

  His sceptical expression made me lose some of my confidence. I looked away, feeling self-conscious after coming in here with my ridiculous suspicion. God, he probably thought I was making it all up just to have a reason to talk to him.

  “I don’t know. Probably not. I have a bit of an overactive imagination sometimes. I shouldn’t have bothered you.” I turned to leave when Cameron spoke.

  “You lack confidence in your theories. We’ll have to remedy that when you start your investigator training.”

  I turned back around. “I still haven’t decided to take the promotion, you know.”

  “Well, for what it’s worth, I think you should. Maybe there’s something dodgy going on at Trinkets & Treasures. Maybe not. But the fact that you think that way, that you see a missing piece in a puzzle and want to solve it, shows you have the right mindset for the job.”

  I rubbed my sternum, feeling weirdly emotional. The fact he thought I had what it took meant a lot to me. And he was right about lacking confidence. When people told me I was wrong, I tended to agree with them instead of standing firm and arguing my point.

  Cameron ran a hand over the light dusting of stubble on his jaw, a sincere expression on his face. I remembered how that same stubble had scraped against my thigh earlier and suppressed a shudder. We stared at one another for a moment before there was a knock on the door.

  Miles peered in at us, then entered without waiting for an invite.

  “Come on, you two! We’re exchanging gifts,” he said, gesticulating impatiently before hurrying back out.

  I looked at Cameron. “Are you sure you don’t want to join us? Georgia brought a bottle of fancy whiskey for those of us who don’t like mulled wine.”

  At this, he appeared a little more interested. “What kind of whiskey?”

  I shrugged. “I’m not sure. Something with a Mac in the name.”

  “Macallan?”

  “Yes, that’s the one.”

  Cameron looked torn before finally surrendering. “I guess I could spare a few minutes.”

  I smiled wide, turned around and let him follow me out.

  ***

  I was on my second glass of mulled wine, and we were almost done exchanging gifts. Cameron stood on one side of me, a glass of Macallan in hand, and Lilah on the other. Since he didn’t take part in the gift exchange, Cameron was currently presentless. Lilah had received a bottle of Merlot from Jenny, and I was still waiting to see who my Secret Santa was. But then, Kieran was the last person to produce a gift, and he handed a box wrapped in silver to Georgia.

  I frowned then flushed with embarrassment. No one had gotten me a gift. I sucked it up and told myself it was fine. Whoever got my name probably just forgot what with all the stress of the upcoming holiday. I knew it could be a busy period for people with families and young children. Besides, I didn’t need a bottle of cheap perfume or a crappy teddy bear. Taking part was the main thing.

  No big deal.

  “Wait, didn’t you get a gift?” Lilah asked.

  I shot her a meaningful look that said, don’t make a fuss, then replied quietly, “It’s fine. They probably forgot.”

  “But that’s not fair!”

  Oh man, Lilah, just shut up. A feeling of discomfort swarmed my gut.

  “What’s not fair?” Jenny asked, having overheard our exchange.

  “Maisie never got a gift,” said Lilah.

  “She didn’t? That can’t be right,” Jenny replied, turning to look around the room.

  I wished for the floor to open up and swallow me whole. Cameron stood quietly at my side, observing.

  “Nadia,” Jenny called. “Do you have the Secret Santa list? Maisie never got her gift.”

  This was becoming downright childish now. I felt like turning around and leaving, but my feet wouldn’t move.

  “Yes, I have it right here,” said Nadia, producing the list and scanning down the names. “Oh, there you are. Rory got you this year. Rory, where’s Maisie’s gift?”

  Rory, who stood on the other side of the room chatting with Kieran glanced up. “What?”

  “You got Maisie’s name this year. Where’s her gift?” Nadia repeated. She sounded annoyed, probably because she’d painstakingly arranged the whole thing and trusted everybody to play their part.

  I glanced at the clock, willing the hands to move faster toward five so that I could go home and escape this incredibly awkward situation.

  Rory had the gall to roll his eyes. “I don’t have anything for her. Maisie refused to help me out the other day when I was drowning in work. I’m not going out of my way to buy a gift for someone like that.”

  A minute ago, I just wanted to ignore the fact that I’d been left out, but now…now I was bothered. Really bloody bothered. I was breaking my own personal rule when it came to avoiding fights with co-workers, but dammit, his dismissive tone really got to me. It struck a particular chord since I’d just been thinking about how I always backed down in fights, avoided standing my ground because I hated arguing.

  I placed my glass down on a table, then levelled my gaze on Rory. “I refused to help you one time. How does that take away from the hundreds of other times I helped you?”

  “I didn’t like your attitude.”

  Now I laughed. “My attitude? Okay, well, now I’m glad I refused to help you. You’re showing your true colours, and I certainly won’t be helping you any time in the future.”

  I felt a warm hand press against my back and looked up to find Cameron gazing down at me. Somehow, his touch gave me calm, his supportive expression bringing me back to myself. Even though he didn’t say a word, his presence felt supportive and it was exactly what I needed right then.

  “What’s going on?” Georgia asked, noticing the tension.

  I shook myself out of it and smiled at her. “Nothing. Just a misunderstanding. Your dress is very pretty, Georgia,” I said and picked my glass back up, wanting to leave the confrontation with Rory behind me now. I stood my ground at least. Anything more than that simply wasn’t worth it.

  “Why thank you, Maisie,” she replied. “By the way, have you thought any more on that matter we discussed?”

  Everyone close by was listening in, though the only ones who knew what we were talking about were Cameron and Lilah. Suddenly feeling emboldened, I replied, “Yes, I have, and I’d like to take the promotion.”

  “What promotion?” Jenny asked. “I didn’t hear about any promotion.”

  Georgia smiled at me, then turned to Jenny. “I’ve offered Maisie a position as an investigator, and she’s decided to take it. This calls for another drink.”

  When I glanced at Cameron, he appeared pleased, whether it was because he looked forward to training me or because he enjoyed the expressions of jealousy on Jenny, Miles, and Rory’s faces, I couldn’t tell. This was definitely a case of instant karma for Rory. I no longer cared that he’d been petty and purposely decided not to buy me a gift.

  Lots of people gathered around to congratulate me, and a little while later, I found my way back to Cameron. His lips twitched in an almost smile as I approached.