Cammy
“Oh God, you’re right,” I say, suddenly feeling flustered knowing someone has been staring at me. Cassy looks at me with wide eyes, then looks down. “Okay, don’t freak out, but he’s walking over here,” she says, calling the bartender over for another drink. My heart sat in my throat and I start kicking myself for feeling so stupid. Since when do men intimidate me? I’m a damn CEO with my own business which I built up from the ground with my own blood sweat and-
“Evening ladies, mind if I join you?” he says with a voice as smooth as silk. I turn around to face him and notice that he has put his face mask on again, but his baby blues were twinkling. “Being safe, thank you for that. How can we help you?” I say with a smile as I sip my wine. He removes his mask again and smiles showing sexy dimples and leaving me a bit blown away at how attractive he is.
“I try, trust me but how will I get a chance to talk to such a beautiful woman with this obstructing my mouth?” He says, holding up the designer mask, clearly used to getting a woman’s heart beating at the right tempo. He seems a bit familiar, but then again I have met a slew of businessmen in my life and he fit the role of a CEO to a T, I can tell from his confidence. I feel Cassy nudge me, but at the moment, I could only stare at the newcomer who only seemed to have eyes for me.
“Aren’t you a smooth talker?” I say, turning my body towards his and looking straight into his gorgeous blue eyes. He shrugs, looking at my now empty glass and ordering me another while getting himself the drink of CEOs. Whiskey.
“I wouldn’t call myself a smooth talker, no. I just appreciate beauty when I see it, and you are by far the most beautiful woman here tonight. I simply had to come over and speak to you.” He says, pinning me with a stare that had me momentarily speechless and giving me a crooked smile that went straight to my core.
“Cammy…” Cassy whispers next to me, but I shrug her off. She eventually gets frustrated and walks away from me in a huff.
I smile and lean forward. “Well, with those words I can only come to the conclusion that you usually get what you want.” Wow, this wine is thoroughly loosening my tongue; I would never have flirted like this before. It probably had something to do with the fact that a handsome man is chatting me up and calling me beautiful; I am truly not used to it.
The stranger closes the distance between us and lifts up a hand to caress my cheek. “Yes, I generally do get what I want and I must admit that I am spoiled that way.” He says and I can’t help but giggle at this.
“Pardon me, sir, I am not up for grabs, I’m afraid. Perhaps one of these other fine ladies can keep you occupied for the evening.” I say and look away when I hear him chuckle, but then he gently grasps my chin and turns my head...
“Quite the little minx, aren’t you? Ah, but what if I can pursue you to change your mind, would you then consider keeping me company?” He says, bringing his face closer to mine, but as soon as I feel his breath on my lips, I pull back. Clearing my throat, I move away from him and turn my body facing towards the bar again.
What the heck has come over me?! I don’t usually do this, and especially not in the middle of a pandemic!
“Sorry, I can’t; I don’t even know you,” I say before taking a sip of my wine again when I hear him scoff. He shakes his head and leans against the bar counter while an amused look crosses his face. “Ah, I thought it would be easier picking up a woman like you, but it seems as if everyone has standards nowadays.” He says, downing his glass of whiskey and I turn my head with a raised eyebrow.
“Excuse me?!” I say, feeling anger bubbling up and replacing the attraction I felt for this man. What exactly is that supposed to mean?
He reaches out and strokes my cheek again while giving me that crooked smile I found sexy earlier, but now found revolting. I see him for what he is now and nearly fall into his trap. “Well, most of the women here are model material and surrounded by other men, while you’re over here counting your blessings. You should be lucky I even bothered to come over to you-”
Before he can even finish his sentence, I pick up my wine glass and throw the contents in his face. “Thank you for the wine, sir, I know you’ll like the taste and the way my arse looks as I walk away from you, praying I never have to see your face again. Goodnight.” I say before grabbing my handbag and walking out of there feeling incredibly humiliated but trying not to show it.
Just who did that man think he was? Did I really come across as that easy? I may be a stone or two heavier than most women, but that didn’t mean that I was bloody easy! Ugh, I never want to see that man for as long as I love and hopefully, I never would.
“Cammy!” I hear Cassy call behind me and I wave her off with my wrist. “Not now, Cas, I am way too peeved off to speak even to you right now,” I warn while walking towards my car. She could have stayed beside me and stopped the madness unfolding while the stranger tried to flirt with me, but instead, she ran off! She knows me better than anyone, when do I willingly flirt in a bar?! “But, Cam-!”
“Tomorrow. We’ll speak tomorrow.” I interject and get into my car, luckily not feeling inebriated. I screech out of the parking lot and make my way towards my penthouse which is luckily not too far from the cocktail bar.
Cassidy keeps on trying to call me on the way, but I decide to just turn my cell phone off until after my meeting tomorrow. Hopefully, she gets the picture now.
When I get home, I decide to hop into a shower with the intention of washing the man’s touch from my skin, but I can still feel it on me and hear his voice ringing in my head. The arsehole basically called me fat and willing! I let out a sigh, frustrated at myself for allowing an attractive stranger to get under my skin like this. He was obviously on the prowl for easy prey and thought that since I am a big girl, I would willingly spread my legs for him.
Well, he has a lot to learn about women like me.
I get out of the shower and head towards my walk-in closet, feeling thankful at the knowledge that I would never have to see that bastard's face ever again.
Elijah
I watch as the little firecracker walks away from me and let out a surprised chuckle. Wow, I truly thought she would fall under my charms, but clearly, I was mistaken; the little curvy blonde was immune to me. The bartender hands me a few serviettes to clean myself up with and I see Leo rushing over to me.“What in the world happened?” He asks with wide eyes. I shrug and offer him a smile. “I found someone intriguing and she responded to me by throwing wine in my face,” I reply, shaking my head and picturing her face in my head. She truly was the most beautiful woman here tonight; why did I have to go and insult her like that? Surely, my pride didn’t take that much of a knock when she rejected me?
I look at the glass on the counter and wonder how many I have had so far this evening. When I got off the barstool, I had my answer. “Woah, okay I think you might need to drive me home tonight,” I say, noticing the slur in my tone. Leo lets out a sigh and nods before paying my tab with my card. “You get yourself into the worst type of scenarios, do you know that? I need a raise for looking after you like this.” He says, huffing as he helps me walk towards my Porche and open the passenger side door. “I agree, and I will give you a raise for putting up with me,” I say. Leo only scoffs as he closes the door and runs over to the driver's side.
Tonight turned out to be more exciting than I thought it would be. I met a firecracker of a woman who is immune to my usual charms and she had the audacity to throw an expensive glass of wine in my face. Ha, I need to know who this Goddess is before I go insane and I am only kicking myself for not getting her name. Didn’t the friend call her Cammy, though? I am almost certain I heard it, but I could be mistaken because I have had a bit to drink.
Her luscious red lips and flowery scent would surely haunt my dreams tonight and I hope that I get to meet her soon. There is no way I am letting her slip through my fingers without at least giving me a name.
Cammy I look up at the Somersett Incorporated building and let out a low whistle. Mirrored glass finishings with silver balustrades made for a gorgeous exterior. The interior matched the beauty of the outside, showing just how much Elijah Somersett has put into his building. The receptionist is a pretty young thing and greets me with a black mask emblazoned with the Somersett Inc name in the lower corner. “Cameron Westwood, I am here for a 7 am appointment with Mr Somersett,” I relay to her, and she nods when she sees my ID before gesturing to the lift. “You’re to go to the boardroom, which is on the 31st floor. The receptionist there will lead you to the correct room,” she says with a smile which I return. I have everything expertly rehearsed and all the questions revised. Somersett Inc. can make or break me today, and they are quite aware of the hold they have. After the lockdown, Elijah has the rights to all the most significant city proje
Elijah Shaking my head as the minx walks out of the door, and I sit back down with an amused smile on my face. So Cameron Westwood is a female CEO with her own company, not a male who squandered his own business to the ground. I must admit that I was being a tad bit harsh with her, but I treated her as I would any business owner. Last night’s wine in my face didn’t bruise my ego, and I am sure she would assume this is the reason for my comments. But as I went over her resume and proposal, I saw something terribly amiss with her company. She should have had enough money to survive the pandemic, even with the billions worth of products bought. Her Asian contracts were willing to put things on hold until after 2021 then continue at a slow pace, but they cancelled for some reason. I need to find out the cause.The ugly truth is that someone is skimming from her reserve, and she is none the wiser. I let out a sigh and lean back in my chair; if
Cammy“Wait, WHAT?!”The same line has been repeating in my head since Elijah left my office four hours ago. Why is he interested in my company, and why did he need to invite me out to dinner to discuss it? I suppose that I should have asked him this when he was here, but at that moment, I was too dumbfounded to think clearly. Cassy looks at me as if I have lost my mind, and clearly, I have. “I know, I don’t understand it, either,” I say, picking at my fingernail. “Bloody hell, I suppose this is good, then? If Elijah thinks our company is worth saving, then he must have a plan in place already, don’t you think?” She asks, leaning forward and lacing her fingers together. I shake my head. “I still don’t understand why he would be interested, seeing how we ended things last night.”“Maybe he doesn’t care about last night and truly only cares about investing with us?
ElijahElena and Sebastian showing up here at the exact moment as me must be a coincidence. There is no way they could have known that I would be here with Cameron. Then again, knowing Elena’s penchant for putting her nose where it didn’t belong made me wonder if she asked Leo what I would be doing this evening. Whatever the case may be, I hope they don’t think of this as anything other than a business meeting. God knows that’s all it is to me right now.Sighing, I resolve to put it out of my mind and focus on the gorgeous woman sitting opposite me. Cameron truly dominates every shade of the colour red from her lips to her dress, which accentuates her every dip and curve.I ordered us wine and tried to gather my thoughts and the reason I brought her here. My proposal will raise her eyebrows, but it is the most effective way to get her business associates talking. My name holds a lot more influence than hers, and I have be
CammyWhat is he thinking, drawing up an agreement like this?!The cocksure grin on his face has my blood boiling even more. “Is this all a game to you? Is my life some sort of sick joke you can get off on?” I ask, shaking my head as I throw the papers down. He shakes his head. “No, not at all. I am deadly serious about this arrangement.”“Call it what it is, Elijah, a bloody contract marriage!” I exclaim, knowing the other guests in the restaurant can hear me but not giving a damn right now. Who did this bloke take me for?“Cameron, when I drew up that contract, I took everything into consideration, including your pride. This will purely be a business arrangement between the two of us and nothing more. Yes, I can buy your company from you, and solve all your problems, but how will that make you feel in the end? That this company isn’t yours anymore. Am I correct?”I wouldn't sa
ElijahIn the next few minutes, Ms Westwood will be walking through my office door with an answer for me. Truth be told, this idea seemed preposterous to me in the first place, but I couldn’t resist putting it out on the table. Cameron might hate me, but her love for her company overpowers that hate.And I am hoping she plays into my hands.When I told Leo about my idea, he thought that I had gone mad. Why would I want to be married again and this time to a woman who despised me? Well, as I have said before, I love the chase. I will get my little minx to bend to my will, be it through wooing her or helping save her company. She is in no way a perfect fit for my lifestyle anyway - she’s too harsh, not ladylike at all, and to be frank, she reminds me of myself too much.Not to mention that I do not see her as a mother figure to be around my son. Yes, this will be a temporary arrangement between companies, but I am more intereste
CammyDressed to kill in a black pantsuit and mile-high heels, I am ready to conquer.It’s my first day at Somersett Inc as Elijah’s so-called wife, and when I walk into the building, everyone greets me with respect. Were they informed of the agreement between Elijah and me? No, it can’t be since the actual deal would only be known between the two of us. Elijah must have informed them I would arrive; this is the only thing that makes sense.I am told to head up to the 50th floor where Elijah’s offices are and to ask for a Mr Leo Smythe, as he would lead me to my new office. When I arrive on said floor, a youngish guy walks over to me with a kind smile on his face.“Shall I call you Ms Westwood or Mrs Somersett?” He asks with a grin, and I feel the smile slip from my face. “Uhm.. I…” I stammer, watching the amused smile grow wider. “I jest, Ms Westwood, you don’t need to go
ElijahIt has been almost two weeks of watching Cameron in her work element, and I must say that her mind far precedes her beauty. I have met a few businesswomen in my life who knew how to work around men, but my contract wife dominates every meeting.My conference with the man she deems her idol was entirely coincidental, but it was a fine one at that. Her eyes come alive when she speaks of her passion, and she genuinely looks happy. I wonder if she shows this face to those close to her.Ah, I need not think of such frivolities. Cameron is a means to an end, not something to ponder about. With that in mind, I turn back to my paperwork on my desk and get ready to focus.“Oh, good! You’re still here!” Leo says as he barges into my office without so much as a knock. I look at him with a raised eyebrow and tap my pen on the desk. “Yes, obviously I am. You should know the mountain of paperwork I am currently buried und
Here I stand, my figure silhouetted in the doorway of Ethan’s room, watching the rise and fall of his chest as he finally sinks into sleep. His face still carries the residual traces of the day’s sorrow. I swallow hard, my heart lodged somewhere between my throat and my gut. The burden he’s carrying—the absence of a mother—isn’t something he should bear, especially not alone. My own emotions encircle me, threatening to pull me under. I’ve never felt this helpless.With a sigh, I turn away and reach for my phone, my fingers automatically dialing Sebastian’s number. Sebastian has always been my confidant, my sounding board, for as long as I can remember. I need his counsel now more than ever, to steer me through this emotional tempest.The phone rings, then Sebastian’s voice flows through the line. It’s warm, concerned. “This is becoming a habit, Somersett,” he says with amusement in his tone, but when I sigh, I can literally see his smile fade. “You alright, mate?”My voice is so lade
ElijahHere I am, lounging in the comfort of my office chair, a half-smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. I’m lost in thoughts of Cammy, and the warmth that fills me is almost tangible. Our relationship has come so far, and when I’m with her, everything seems just a bit better, a little more bearable.But even as I drift in this comforting mental space, an uninvited thought nags at me. It’s a question, really, and it’s got Ethan’s name all over it. Cammy and I haven’t talked about the future—about what it would mean for Ethan. I’ll have to bring it up tonight; I can’t avoid it any longer.Just then, my phone shatters the tranquillity, its ringtone yanking me back to reality. I glance at the caller ID and my heart sinks. It’s Ethan’s school. An instinctual dread floods me; it’s a parent’s sixth sense, the feeling that something is deeply, horribly wrong. With a shaky hand, I pick up the call.“Elijah Somersett,” my voice comes out more strained than I’d like.“Good day, Mr. Somers
CammyIt’s been about two weeks and Elijah acts the same when we’re at work. I don’t know why, but I sort of expected him to be different, but then again I didn’t exactly behave differently either, did I? To be honest, I don’t quite know how I’m supposed to act now that we’re officially together.Unofficially official? That sounds about right.After working hours it’s a different story altogether; he picks me up at home, takes me out for dinner and afterward we go back to my place. The evenings either end in us making love or falling asleep after just talking.I always find it odd that we never go back to his place, but every time I want to bring it up, it always slips my mind. We have a lunch date together today, so perhaps I should bring it up then.But it’s only been two weeks, though! Should I make a big deal about it if we’re still in the early stages? It feels wrong.My desk phone starts ringing, snapping me out of my thoughts. Just what I need right now; a distraction from ever
CammyLast night Elijah wasn’t satisfied with only one round. Yes, we nearly went right through the night! I made him stop after a while because we had work in the morning, that and I was close to falling asleep.“I’m the boss; I can afford to be late,” he grumbled, but I simply gave him a pointed look, and he shut up. As much as I wanted to play tardy with him, this is also my job, even if my boss is my… what exactly?I’ve woken up before him yet again, and now I’ve found myself gazing at him like a lovesick puppy.Gosh, he is gorgeous, though. His beard is incredibly stubbled as if he hadn’t shaved in a few days, but it sets off well against his hard jawline. His body showed the obvious results of working out; rippling muscles, hard-as-rock abs, and those disgustingly sexy v-lines that head straight into a yummy prize.The way he worshipped my body as we made love made my head swim with need, and I realised that I do not want anyone else to do this to me ever again. I can only see E
CammyOh, my soul. I told him; I really told him how I felt, and now he’s coming over later. What am I going to do? Should I have been that honest with him after all? Elijah is hazardous to my health as it is!Blimey, I need a drink.I walk towards my kitchen and watch as my cat, Midnight, eyes me with judgment while I pour myself a large glass of wine. “What? I deserve this,” I say as I lift the glass to my lips.I followed Leana’s advice and had a big talk with myself and how I felt before deciding to be honest about my feelings for a certain CEO playboy. Now I don’t know if I regret it or not.It’s been almost six hours since I called him, and my stomach is still tied in knots. After that one glass of wine, I couldn’t stomach more and proceeded to pace the floor like a worried cat.It’s only when my doorbell rings that my heart stills; it has to be Elijah.Swallowing deep, I wipe my sweaty palms on the fabric of my dress and walk towards the front door. One glance into the peephol
Elijah“Ethan, stop pulling Jane’s hair right this instant!” I exclaimed, watching the kids as they got into yet another fight over one bloody toy.It’s Sunday afternoon in the Caymans, and the weather is just perfect; not too hot and a gentle breeze in the air. Sebastian and Elena joined us, along with Isaac, whose husband, unfortunately, couldn’t make it as he was on call at his hospital.This weekend has been refreshing, and it stopped my mind from overthinking as well, especially with these bloody kids around.“But it’s mine!” Ethan shouts in an overly dramatic voice, and I raise my eyebrow at him.“Aye, but there are three others that look exactly the bloody same,” I say, then turn my back on them and walk towards the tempered glass balustrade with a glass of orange juice in my hand. “Play nice, all of you.”I’ve always loved The Caymans - the
ElijahI lean my head against the door of Cameron’s office and breathe out a sigh. How did I manage to turn down her request when I would love nothing more than to spend time with her alone?Shaking my head, I make my way to my office in an attempt to forget about this morning’s events.I woke up before Cameron did this morning and spent the time watching her sleep before she eventually woke up. She looked absolutely breathtaking and serene; as if she didn’t just go through a traumatic experience.I felt her stir, then pretended to be still sleeping so she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable, but the anxiety radiating from her was too much to bear. That’s why I decided to tease her a bit by playing my cocky self.At least it worked.I still can't believe that I admitted my feelings for her, right when she didn’t need the added pressure. However, I must admit that I feel better now that my fe
CammyI open my eyes to Elijah Somersett’s sleeping face the following day, and I feel myself screaming internally.He had the good grace to at least lay on top of the comforter as he held me by the looks of things, but it still didn’t stop me from feeling any less mortified.Elijah admitted that he’s in love with me, and I don’t know what to do with myself.I don’t know what possessed me to call him after Brendon assaulted me and fled, but my mind went immediately to him for some reason. I think subconsciously… I wanted him to be the one to comfort me and tell me it was going to be okay.I wanted him to make everything okay.And yet, as I look at his sleeping figure, my heart does a little squeeze. He is incredibly handsome even as he sleeps, the slicked-back hair has all but lost its ‘sleek’, and the corners of his mouth is downturned into a cute pout.Ugh. I’m
ElijahStaring at this glass of bourbon in my hand won’t do me any good, nor will this bird on my arm begging for my attention. I look her way and glare before making a ‘shoo’ gesture with my hand.Nothing's going my way at all. I thought making Cameron jealous with a model might get her to confess her feelings to me, but it just pushed her further away. Actually, who am I kidding? That plan would never have worked anyway!Bollocks. I truly am a nob, aren't I?I order another tumbler of bourbon and continue to stew in my self-hatred. Perhaps I should confess to her? What would she think of me then? Would she reciprocate my feelings?Ah, stuff it. Nothing good will come out of wondering and hoping like this. I should call it a night and wallow at home.As I fumble and pull out my phone to call Leo, it starts ringing in my hand, and I see Cameron’s number on the caller ID.Strange; she hardly eve