Oceans Apart (Ocean Dreams Book 1) (23 page)

Moving his hand from her waist and taking her free hand, Cam said, “C’mon, Nashville. Let’s go.” He smiled at her and she returned it. How could she not? She had his love and support, and knew he would not let anything derail their night together.

A dozen wide stone steps welcomed them to the venue with a cherry red carpet running all the way inside. Television and news media were on either side of the carpet but not so close the guests would feel claustrophobic. Cameras were busily capturing all the arrivals and reporters were asking questions when they found people of interest to interview.

Cam and Annie made their way up the steps hand in hand. Photographers were asking them to slow down and stop for pictures, and Cam obliged. He had been well schooled in how to deal with the press. Give them what they want when in public; and they will leave you alone, most of the time, when in private.

“Who’s your date tonight, CJ?” called out one of the reporters.

“This is Annie Scott.” Cam looked at her as his naughty grin found its way to his lips. “My girlfriend.”

If the paparazzi weren’t already excitable, they certainly were now with that statement. Annie couldn’t understand a word being yelled at her so she kept a sweet smile plastered to her face as the photographers shot her and Cam from all angles. They finally reached the top of the stairs where a small television set was to one side and a rake thin, dark haired woman was interviewing guests before they entered the hall. Dressed in a sparkly floor-length red dress, which was strapless and left little to the imagination with its low cut back, the woman appeared to have all the confidence in the world and for a moment, Annie thought she seemed strangely familiar. The reporter had just finished with the previous guests and moved to the side to freshen up her make-up. Cam and Annie were ushered over and positioned on the small stage by the show’s producer, ready to be interviewed.

Standing up straight, the reporter shimmied as she yanked the front of her strapless dress up so she wouldn’t spill her ample bosom out. She turned and looked at the next couple she was to interview. The fake smile adorning her face fell quickly when she saw who was standing before her.

“Cam!”

“Lana? What are you doing here?” Cam asked her, the color draining from his face at a rapid rate. He was surprised to see her here.
Had she mentioned she’d be here tonight? She had been trying to call.
Random thoughts about why Lana was here were running wildly in his mind.

“I told you I was leaving the tour. I was headhunted for this job as an entertainment reporter on TV and tonight I get to talk to you. Isn’t that wonderful?” Lana was gushing at Cam and he cringed when she touched his arm and rubbed it.

“You mean us, don’t you?” He quickly pointed out to Lana he hadn’t arrived alone.

Lana finally stopped making goo-goo eyes at Cam and looked at Annie. It took a while for it to register where she had seen Annie before, but when it did, Lana’s smile turned into more of a sneer.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you there.” Lana narrowed her stare at Annie. “Aren’t you the girl who was dog sitting for Cam a few weeks back? You’ve certainly moved up in the world.”

Cam’s brow furrowed. “Lana. There’s no need to be a bitch. This is Annie Scott…my girlfriend.” He made sure to emphasize the last word.

Annie smiled and held her hand out for Lana to shake. “It’s very nice to meet you. We weren’t properly introduced last time.”

Lana looked at Annie’s hand like it was covered in cow manure and, for a moment, it didn’t look like she was going to shake it. Lana seemed to remember where they were and knew there was a chance people would see her. She took Annie’s hand without saying a word to her and promptly dropped it as if it had burnt her skin.

Annie turned to Cam and he rolled his eyes at her. “Let’s get this done then,” he said.

Lana looked behind her at the camera operator. “Yup. Ready to roll, Lana.”

“I have with me now former World Surfing Champion, CJ Hart and his girlfriend, Annie. How are you both tonight?” Cam could see right through Lana’s two-faced sickly sweet manner. She was pissed off and he knew she wasn’t going to take being second to Annie lying down.

“We’re great. Happy to be here tonight to help raise much needed cash for the kids in rural Australia.”

“Wonderful. Annie, I suppose you’re here to spend up big on the silent auctions?” Annie opened her mouth to reply to the question, but Lana continued. “Just don’t go spending all of CJ’s money at once…although I see you did that already with your wardrobe tonight.” A high-pitched laugh, which was just as false as the implants in her chest, sounded from her mouth.

“She looks beautiful, doesn’t she?” Cam lifted Annie’s arm out to show her off to the world. He had wanted to interrupt Lana’s sly comments and fire a question back at her. There was no way he was going to stand there and listen to her pick on Annie and knew Annie was above the bitching Lana was trying to start. He truly wanted to show the world he was the luckiest guy on earth.

Annie let out a quiet giggle like a shy schoolgirl. “Cam.” The smile wasn’t leaving her face and Cam beamed back at her.

“Well thanks for talking to us here. Have a fabulous night you two lovebirds.” Lana cut the interview short and ran her finger across her neck for the cameraman to see. She wanted this over and done.

“Nice to see you again, Lana,” Cam said politely as he motioned for Annie to move ahead of him.

“Nice to see you. I’m sure I’ll see you both inside. Maybe you’ll even save a dance for me…for old time’s sake.” Lana disguised her smirk with a smile at the happy couple before she turned to get back to work.

Moving into the foyer of the Great Hall, Cam pulled Annie aside. “Don’t worry about her. She is the past and Nashville, you’re my future. You will forever be the keeper of my heart and don’t you forget it.” Sealing his statement with a kiss that was so gentle and tender, Anne placed her hands on his chest to make sure he was real.

Breaking their lips apart just enough, Annie let out a sigh. “Wow.”

“That’s exactly what I think of you, babe. Now, it’s time to go mingle with the masses.”

Annie smiled at Cam as he escorted her into the event, but she couldn’t help but wonder if he had been in touch with Lana recently. What she was certain of was the fact that they hadn’t seen the last of Lana for the evening.

The rhythmic foot-tapping music of the big band playing had everyone in a cheerful mood. The enormous Victorian era hall needed little decoration with its stained glass windows running down the length of the room, all depicting various colorful Australian flora. The 60-foot ceiling had a chandelier suspended in the center with thousands of hanging crystals sparkling while the rows of fairy twinkle lights suspended across the room looked like fluttering fireflies. The evening’s guests were all dressed to the nines. The ladies were wearing elegant gowns in every color of the rainbow while the men looked dapper in their suits and ties. All around the room, people were having a marvelous time while knowing that with every ticket they bought in a raffle or every prize they bid on in the live auction, they were helping children who had a lot less than they did.

Cam kept Annie by his side all night, always wanting to touch her. He loved the ‘zing’ that shot through his body when their bare skin touched. He introduced Annie to all the important people in the room. From Australian sports stars and politicians to Hollywood A-listers. None of these people could hold a candle to his Nashville beauty. She shone brighter than any of the stars in the room did.

Never one for dancing, but having been blessed with natural rhythm, Cam found himself wanting to be as close to Annie as he could. He had noticed other men staring at his girl all night and felt his protectiveness of her consume him. There was no way on earth anyone else was going to have his girl in their arms tonight…dancing or otherwise. She was his and his alone. Thoughts of forever hadn’t crossed Cam’s mind in such a long time. Annie had stirred his soul and brought it back to life. There was nothing about her he didn’t love in some way, shape, or form and when the time was right, he would make sure she would be part of his life forever.

Annie had her head rested on Cam’s chest while they slow danced to the band’s beautiful rendition of Glenn Miller’s “Moonlight Serenade.” Old-fashioned jazz certainly wasn’t a first choice of music to listen to for Cam, but hell, if it meant Annie would always be this close to him, it would now be top of his playlist. He inhaled deeply the subtle flowery fragrance Annie wore. Cam’s senses sprung to life a little more and he wondered how much longer he had to hang around. Even though his girl looked stunning, he got hard at the thought of peeling her slowly out of the green gown. The silvery heels were going to stay on though.

“What are you thinking about?” Annie hadn’t moved her head from his chest but she seemed to know the wheels of thought were turning in his head.

“Nothing.” The cheeky smile on his face widened, knowing she wouldn’t believe that.

“Cam.”

“Can’t get anything by you, can I?” he said with a chuckle as she looked up at him and narrowed her eyes at him in the sassy way that would make any man blurt out his deepest secrets to her. “I was just wondering how much longer we have to stay before I can whisk you home and get you out of this dress.”

Annie smiled and rolled her eyes. “A girl gets all dressed up…ugh! It takes her hours to make something look this good and all you want to do is take it all off.”

“C’mon now. I don’t want to take it all off.” Annie raised her eyebrows at him. “The heels can stay.” He knew what was coming and laughed as she playfully hit him on his chest.

“Cheeky shit.”

“Well, you asked.” He laughed. She really did make his heart soar to heights he never knew existed.

“Then what would you do with me?” Annie said as he twirled her around and then brought her back into the safety of his arms.

The shit-eating grin that made her knees wobble with excitement, found its way to Cam’s lips as he quietly said, “I’d love to have you splayed across the hood of my car for me to feast on. Working my way gradually up your delectable body, I would indulge on the sweet, wet folds between your legs until I heard you scream my name in ecstasy.”

She rested her head against Cam. Annie’s heart and mind were racing as she imagined Cam taking her on the hood of his million-dollar Ferrari. Her bottom lip was getting a work out from her teeth as she dragged them back and forth over her lip.

Cam continued, “I would savor you. Every. Little. Part. Of. You.” He whispered each word like it was a password. Carefully and with intent.

Annie pulled back and looked at him with wide eyes. “Holy fuck, Cam.” He threw his head back and laughed at her response before grabbing her tight and pulling her in. He claimed her lips with his in a long, lingering kiss, which had people staring at them. Neither Cam nor Annie cared one iota. They were happy and in love, and the world was going to see how much joy they brought to each other’s lives.

Unlocking his lips from Annie’s, Cam talked softly into her ear, “Let’s get out of here. I don’t think me or my dick can handle much more of this. I need you, my Nashville Angel…and I need you ASAP.” Those soft, feathery, barely-there kisses were now being gently placed on her neck and behind her ear. She hated to pull away, but if they were going, she needed to as well.

“Okay, sweet talker. Give me a few minutes to freshen up in the ladies room and then we can go home.” She smiled and kissed him on his cheek. Moving away from him, he caught her hand, and she stopped and looked back.

“I love you, Annie.”

Smiling back at him, she squeezed his hand and said, “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll meet you out in the foyer,” he said as she nodded her reply to him.

Cam smiled to himself as he walked past the big band. Listening to the up-tempo rhythm, he found there was a little more bounce in his step and it was all due to sweet and sexy blonde from Nashville. He was happy…truly happy. His life before that fateful day had been empty. Not that he had really noticed. He had his family and friends and a great career doing something he was passionate about. He could even have a warm body in bed next to him if he so needed; but really, he was merely existing and going through the motions. Now, he could see what he had been missing. What he had closed himself off from since Zoe died all those years ago.

He waited for Annie to return from the ladies’ room, smiled, and nodded politely as people passed him. He could hear the bandleader announce their next song, a Louis Armstrong song. Cam stuck his hands in his pockets and listened to the music, which filtered through from the Main Hall. His feet shuffled from side to side as he hummed the tune of “They Can’t Take That Away From Me.” “
No one is going to take Annie from me. Ever
,” he said to himself.

Hearing the unmistakable sound of heels on marble, Cam looked over to its direction expecting to see his beloved Angel. What he saw was the devil. The devil in a red dress.