A Twist of Fate (6 page)

I tried to explain it to myself, replaying those same words
over and over again.  "Eddie doesn't want kids now.  He made that very
clear.  That means
we
are never going to work out.  What more do you
want from me?"

Aliah wasn’t having it.  "Whatever."

Maddie stayed silent, until I urged her to give me her
advice.  "Sorry, Abby.  But you're going to have to figure this one out on
your own."

"What am I supposed to do?  I love Cam, more than anything."

"Do you?" Aliah asked, pointedly.

I narrowed my eyes at her, until they were but irritated
slits cut from my face.  She was being so mean.  "I love him a lot.  He
loves me.  He makes me happy and his daughter’s a total sweetheart.  He can
give me the babies I've always wanted."

"You seem so sure," Aliah announced, knowing I
wasn’t.

"Well, we haven't exactly talked about it yet," I
admitted.  "I was just hoping that he'd agree to what I wanted."

"Yeah, I see how that worked out for you last time."
 Aliah's words were as sharp as her wit and as harsh as the colourful streaks
in her dark brown hair.

"Ugh!  I can't take it anymore!" I hollered.

"Leave the poor girl alone," Maddie urged.  "She's
been through enough this weekend."

"She’s delusional," Aliah blurted.

I slammed my hand onto the seat beside me and leaned forward,
until my face dipped into the front seat.  "That's it!  Stop the car."

"I promise I'll stop in one minute," Maddie swore. 
"But I don’t want to get stuck in a snow bank.”

Jessica looked up from her cell phone.  “Edwin says Cam will
stop at a place they saw up ahead.  It’s less than a kilometre from here."

I bit my tongue, silently fuming to myself, planning my escape
from the car the second it rolled to a stop.  Ignoring the others, I watched as
Maddie pulled the car into the parking lot, then I jumped the second she had
her foot on the brake, dove out my door and headed straight for the building.

Cam came running in after me, seeing that something was
wrong.  "Hey, what's up?" He looked so concerned.

I sighed and stared at the floor.  I couldn't very well tell
him what we were arguing about.  It would crush him.  "Aliah's being a
total bitch.  I can't stand her right now."

"I see," he said, with a smirk.

It was so heartfelt that I nearly burst into laughter.

"So, I've been thinking.  I know maybe now's not the
best time," he said, "but I've learned that waiting isn't necessarily
the right way to go either."

"Spit it out, Cameron."  I let a smile slip from
my mouth, as I yanked on his jacket collar and pulled him closer to me.

"I know I only asked you to stay at my place for the
holidays, but I have to admit that I was hoping you wouldn't want to leave."

My smile grew wider.  "What are you saying?"  I
wanted to hear the words come from his lips and see the satisfaction when he
heard my answer.

"Will you move in with me?"

I flung my arms over his shoulders, while a joyous smile erupted
from my lips.  "I’d love that."

Cam kissed me, exhilaration spilling from him as he lifted
me into his arms.  I was so happy to see his smile and feel his body pressed
against mine.

Hunter approached us, having waited for us to finish.  I
could tell from the look on his face that he had overheard our conversation.  "Do
you mind if Aliah rides with us the rest of the way?" he asked Cam.

Cam gazed at me in question and I nodded.  "Sure."

“Cool.”  Hunter instantly turned away and disappeared out of
the building.

I kissed Cam again and squeezed him a little closer.  I was glad
Hunter had asked, because I couldn’t stand another minute with Aliah.  Cam
smirked, reading my thoughts, then bound our hands together and led me outside
into the blustery weather.  When I walked toward the car, Cam didn’t want to
let go.  He extended his arm out, clutching onto my hand as long as possible until
our fingers pulled apart.

I smiled back at him.  “I’ll see you at home?”

“Home,” he repeated.  “I like the sound of that.”  Cameron
turned away and got into his car.

As I gripped the cold, passenger handle on Maddie’s car door,
Edwin startled me.

"Hey," he said.

I pulled on the door and Edwin held it open.  I didn’t want
to allow him to be all chivalrous toward me but, when he leaned closer, I had
no other option but to drop down onto the seat.

Edwin stuck his head inside the car.  "Do you mind if I
ride with you guys?"

Maddie glanced over her shoulder.  "That's up to
Abby."

I brought my left hand to my chin, as though I was thinking
about it, my only intention to flash him my ring.  It didn’t seem to scare him
off.  "I don’t care," I said.  Then I slid my butt to the far end of
the bench seat, while my heart screamed: Nooooo!

I flashed my eyes out the windshield, worried to see Cameron's
reaction.  His eyes were locked on Edwin as he got into the seat next to me.  I
rested my left hand on the arm rest and spread my fingers to display my ring,
as Edwin snapped on his seatbelt.

"Abby?" Edwin asked.

I brought my hand back to my chin, so he couldn't look at me
without seeing it and turned toward him.  “Yes?”

Edwin winced at the sight, and it took him a minute to right
himself after having been electrocuted, but it gave me the peace of mind I was
so desperately clinging to.  "I guess it can wait," he said, then
glanced out his window as we sped away.

The ride wasn't nearly as uncomfortable for me as I expected
it would be.  My ring seemed to barricade the gap between us, until Edwin
started to fidget.

"Abs, you really need to rethink what your priorities
are in life," he blurted.

I looked at him, with anger swelling in my eyes, wondering
where the hell that had come from.  I quickly realized that he wasn't looking
for a response.  I wanted to scream at him, but instead I took a deep breath
and cleared my head. 
My priorities are in order.

Edwin was staring out the window again, but that wasn’t going
to stop me from standing my ground.

"I’m sorry my priorities aren't what you want, Eddie. 
But that isn't my problem, is it?"

His eyes scanned over me then dropped to the floor. 
"Nope, I suppose that would make it my problem."

Great.
  Sitting with Aliah was bad enough.  Now, I
was sure to self-combust if I had to spend another hour next to Edwin.  I
clenched my fists and closed my eyes, hoping I could garner enough control to
last the entire ride.  Not a half hour later, I could feel Edwin's eyes reaching
me again.

I didn't want to start another argument, but I couldn't take
it anymore.  "What?"

"I can't look at you?"

"No, Edwin.  You can't.  Not like that."  My heart
began to race.

"You're too good for me now that you're dropping anchor
with Cam; is that it?"

"It's not like they're getting married," Jessica said,
then slapped her hand over her big mouth.

"I knew it."

I shook my head.  He didn’t know.  "Don't even.  You
don't get it."

"No, I think I do," he retorted, evidently
convinced of his own smug delusions.

I nearly lost it.  "Maddie.  Pull over please.”  I
narrowed blame-filled eyes at Edwin.  “I need some air."

"What are you doing?" Edwin asked.

“You deaf?  I need some air."  I didn’t want him to see
me cry.

Maddie brought the car to slow stop and I stormed out into
the snow, slamming the door shut on Edwin as he tried to follow me, nearly
taking off his leg.  I tromped down the desolate, snow-covered road and the silence
swallowed me whole.

I stopped and zipped my jacket up to my chin to shake the chill
that instantly overcame me; then I stuffed my trembling hands into my coat
pockets to hide them from the frigid air.  I took a deep breath and it misted
before me on an exhale.

The crisp air helped to clear my head, to the point where I
started to feel guilty for being so inconsiderate to Edwin.  He was entitled to
his opinion.  I tugged my hood over my head and buried my tear-stained cheeks
into the neck of my coat.

Edwin fled the car and followed the trail of small, boot
prints, demolishing them with his own.  I heard the snow crunching behind me. 
I
would recognize that casual, masculine approach anywhere.

My cheeks were already frozen, and the north wind wasn’t
letting up.  For that reason alone, I hoped Edwin would be short with me.

"I take it you got the nastiness off your chest.  You
didn't run away from me," Edwin harassed, stopping just behind my cold
shoulder.

I peeked over at him, but kept my feet planted firmly in the
snow bank. 
Damn.
 
Why did he have to look so attractive?
  I stole
my eyes back and stared down at the sparkling snow, his body language charming
the boots off of me.  "I'm sorry for being so mean," I said, with a
whisper.  “It’s not entirely your fault.”

The brisk wind whistled and I wondered if he had even heard
me.  That was until I realized that he was now standing at my heels.

"Not entirely?" he said.  "Can't you
just…"

"The answer is no," I snapped, afraid to hear what
he had to say.

"You don’t mean that," he said, resting his large,
warm hand on my shoulder.

I spun around, knocking his hand off of me.  My lashes
fluttered and my eyes were met with his warm, flowing gaze.  "All you have
to say is: I accept your apology."

"Oh, is that it?” Edwin said.  He smirked, loving the
way I wriggled beneath his gaze.  “That easy, huh?  You don’t want to hear how I
set up this whole master plan to ruin your relationship with Cam, so I could
swoop in and steal you up for myself?"

My jaw dropped and my eyes filled with panic.  It couldn’t
be true.

"Yep.  I helped that blonde girl with her boyfriend
troubles and she was going to help me with mine.  I guess I didn't work my
angle hard enough."

I became disoriented from the rate of speed the conversation
had turned on me.  "The blonde girl was in on it? 
You
did that?”

"It doesn’t matter now.  You're wearing his ring." 
His words were woeful, as he stared at the rock plastered to my forehead.

I shook my head, trying to put the pieces together.  "You
tricked me."

"Oh, come on; it was just some harmless fun."  When
he smiled and ran his tongue over his full, bottom lip, I knew he was recalling
our long, drawn out kiss.  "You didn't seem to mind it at the time." 
His pale lips curved into a deviously sexy smirk.

"Harmless fun?  Where do you draw the line?  This is my
life you're toying with, Eddie."

His smile didn't budge.  "How was I supposed to know
you were going to plant one on me?  The plan was ingenious and that part
actually couldn't have worked out any better."

My lips parted, frustration feeding my anger.  "I
cannot believe you made a game of this, planting all these ridiculous feelings
in my heart and ideas in my head.  You've had it out for Cam since day one.  And
for what?"  I looked to Edwin, demanding an explanation.

He just stood there, smiling.

Is he even listening to me? 
"You're just
letting me harp, aren’t you?"

"Yeah, you really need to get it out of your system. 
That's not healthy at all."

"Ugh!" I screamed.

"You can be frustrated with me all you want, but I can
see there's more to it than that."

I felt like my world was being stomped on and I needed a
distraction before I fell to pieces.  I squeezed my eyes shut, but I couldn’t
close out the world.  My head was on fire, though the rest of my body was numb
from the cold.  I wished I could numb the warm feelings I had for Edwin.

Out of nowhere, Edwin spoke; and it was as if he had plucked
the thought straight from my brain.  "You liked it."

"I don't know what you're talking about," I stammered.

"The kiss.  You enjoyed it as much as I did."

I glared at him, vowing never to admit it.

He smirked, his confidence annoying me.  "I knew it."

Maddie blasted on her horn, as her car slowly crept up next
to us.  I yanked the door open and slipped inside.

“Get over yourself,” I snapped, as I squished as close to my
door as humanly possible.

The rest of the ride passed rather quickly without any more
arguments.  Maddie dropped me off at Cam's house first and Edwin didn’t ask any
questions.  He'd figure it out when I didn't come home tonight.

I pulled my bags to the front door and stood outside of it
anxiously. 
Do I knock?
  It just didn’t feel right letting myself in. 
Embarrassed that my friends got to witness my indecision, I knocked three times,
turned the knob and pushed inside.

Cam rushed to the door, his bags already cleared from the
entrance.  "I didn't hear you pull up."  He reached his arms out for
a hug.  "Everything okay?" he asked, noticing how I held on to him
extra long.

I smiled and kissed him.  "It is now."

THE FIRST DAY BACK to work came and
went without any natural disasters, but it was only a matter of time.  I could
sense it.  Most of the staff had already gone home, when I finished talking to
Maddie.

"Don't worry about Edwin.  He's resilient.  He'll
bounce back," she told me.  "He always does."

It surprisingly relieved some of my worry.  "Thanks,
Maddie.  Have a good night."

"I will, once this little stinker stops kicking the
crap out of me.”  She rubbed her round, baby belly and walked away smiling. 
“Night, Abby.”

The rest of the office was dark, except for the light
beaming from Cameron's office.  I crept over to his room and peered around the
corner to see if he was still busy.  I watched him for a minute or so, admiring
his unconditional effort and handsome features as he concentrated on whatever
it was he was doing.

He had already done away with his constricting suit jacket
and had rolled up his crisp white sleeves.  I loved the way they bunched just
above his elbows, slightly exposing his incredible arms.  He continued to
squint at the page, his forehead wrinkled in thought, his thumb pressed against
those full lips.  I debated stealing him from his work, because I had other
less productive things in mind.

Then his chair squeaked.  "Abby?  Is that you?"

I froze in place, hoping that he hadn't actually seen me, but
he swiftly dashed to his door and caught me in the act of spying.

"Hey.  I was hoping it was you.  Do you have a
minute?"

"Sure," I muttered, worried that he was ready for
that talk I’d been avoiding.

I pulled the door partly closed and followed him inside.  He
stood behind one of the arm chairs and held the back of it, hinting for me to
sit.  After I did, he returned behind his desk and leaned back in his chair.  Despite
seeing him sitting behind his thick, wooden desk, in a position of power, I
suddenly felt like the one in control. 
Why was I so turned on by that?

He knew exactly what I was thinking and I held his restless
stare as I stood up and rounded his desk.  He didn’t even flinch when I eased
myself on top of him and straddled his lap, full mount.  His baby blues electrified
me, as he devoured my body with his devious gaze and erotic grin.  I settled
against his lap and could feel him launching beneath me.

He wove his fingers into my hair, goose bumps spreading
across his arms, as I provocatively leaned into him.  I drew my parted lips across
his neck, my tongue wetting his heated skin until my teeth found his ear lobe
and he let out a growl of masculine arousal.

My eyes flashed to the door, still held a crack open.  I
clutched on top of the hand that he had gripping his chair and lifted myself to
my feet.  “I’ll be right back,” I said, with a breath of seduction.

I swaggered toward the door to close it and gave it a little
kick with my heeled shoe for visual effect.  When the door slammed shut, I let
out a devious giggle and then spun around to face him.  I locked the door
behind me, all the while flashing him a devilish smirk.

When I approached him, my heels clicked across his hard
floor, until I was standing right in front of him.  He watched with fascinated
interest, as I wiggled out of my panties and kicked them aside.  His gaze never
left mine.  I then gave him
the look
, his invitation to touch, but he
didn't move.  I spread my legs farther apart, as far as my skirt would allow, and
I knew then that Cameron wouldn’t be able to resist me for long.

When he raised his eyebrows, an electrifying shock surged
through my body.  Then he stood up from behind his desk and tossed his phone on
top of it.  I couldn't contain the sensations swirling around me.  Before he
could straighten himself, I was already pouncing on him like a wild animal.

I crashed against him, my mouth hot and heavy on his.  The
heat raging from his body was outrageous, so I ripped open his shirt to free
the flames and yanked it over his shoulders and down his arms, pinning them to
his sides.

He groaned, as I smoothed my hands up and down his chest and
licked my tongue across it.  While I devoured his rock-hard body, Cam managed
to slip free of his shirt and lifted mine up and off me.  I deftly unbuttoned his
black slacks, ripped the zipper open and dropped them to his ankles together with
his boxers.

I looked up at him with a ravenous need, as great as the
sight right before my eyes.  He answered to my urgency by hiking my long pencil
skirt high on my thighs, lifting me into his strong arms and dropping me on top
of him.  My feminine gasp encouraged him, as he forced his pelvis forward,
slamming into me.  When I wrapped my legs around his waist, he sank deeper yet
and growled as he moved inside of me.

Cameron’s muscles were held taut and glimmered with
perspiration, him being the only thing keeping us grounded in the middle of the
room.  With every flex of his hips, a jolt of pleasure streamed through me,
until he had me bouncing on top of him with his hands on my hips, driving
himself into me with a monstrous force.

Unable to stave off the mounting wave, Cam plowed on until
he was stifling my squeals with an open mouth covering mine.  Far from
finished, still planted deep within me, he carried me to his firm, leather
couch, as my insides continued to clench around his hardness.  Cameron gently
dropped me onto the smooth, leather seat and hovered mere inches over me,
assessing my desire.

Still clutched to his shoulders, my eyes pleaded with him to
come back, but I wasn’t expecting him to rush deep inside of me the second he
had covered himself with a condom.  He drove so hard and deep that it jump
started my senses and sent me into a flurry of awakened arousal.  I couldn't
restrain my pleasure, as rainbows meandered around us and fireworks splashed
across my eyelids.

The louder I moaned, the harder he worked to please me, more
and again.  My next orgasm launched me into full-on dreamland and my eyes
rolled into the back of my head as he found his release and exploded inside of
me.  His mouth found mine, his sweat-streaked chest pressed against me as he
took what was his.

Watching him exhale so deeply, exhausted from our brisk lovemaking,
only made me love him more.  He made me feel so special.  Wanted.  Needed.

Cameron chuckled, breaking me out of my fantasy.  "So
much for that talk."

He dropped a wet, consuming kiss on my lips, then stood up
from me.  A cold breeze tingled across my moist, exposed skin.  Not wasting any
time, I pulled my skirt down, refastened my bra and slipped on my blouse.  As I
did up the top button, Cam pulled me back into his arms.

"We work well together."

"You call this work?" I teased, though he looked
like he had just finished a very intense workout.

His hair was all sweaty and sexy.  "I mean us, Abby. 
We
work.  I thought I had been in love before, but it felt nothing like
this."

All I could do was sit there smiling and I couldn't knock
the feeling of how fortunate I was to have this amazing man professing his love
to me.  I felt tears welling up in my eyes, as Cam lifted my hand and
straightened my ring.  In that moment, when my heart twitched with guilt, I
knew that there were unresolved feelings for another man that I would have to
unravel before we could spend the rest of our lives together.

Cam glanced at his watch, instantly breaking the intimacy of
the moment.  He dashed to his jacket, yanked it off the hanger and shrugged it
on.  Cam looked at his watch again.  "Shit!"

“What’s wrong?”

"My 6:00 is probably waiting in the lobby.  I didn’t
realize the time.”  Cam straightened his tie and delivered a chaste peck to my
lips.  "We'll have to finish this later."

As I slipped out of his office discreetly, my legs trembled. 
The trembling would only get worse.  I knew what the night had in store for
me.  I had to tell Edwin I was moving out.

Cameron stopped me before I made it to the lobby.  “Hey,” he
called, from the boardroom door.  “You’ll need a key.”  He dangled one out to
me.  “I had it made this morning.”

I smiled, softly.  "I was just going to head over to my
place to get some things and maybe grab a bite to eat."

"I can come with you," he said.  "I shouldn’t
be too much longer here.”

I peered over his shoulder, where the clients were waiting
patiently for him to resume their meeting.  "Take your time," I
said.  "I'll be fine.  I can handle Edwin."

"I'd really like to come with you."  He wasn't
asking.

"Cam, we've discussed this before.  Nothing’s going to
happen between me and Edwin.  You have to trust me on this one."

Hesitant, he sighed.  "I do trust you.  It's him I
don't trust."  After a second of reluctance, he nodded at me.  “Okay, but
I'm only a phone call away if you need me."

I smirked as he struggled with his internal battle to order
me to wait.  "Thank you."  After a chaste kiss, I rushed outside into
the blizzard.

My emotions hooked me, just like the wind, and an unexpected
gasp escaped my mouth as the first tear dripped from my eye. 
What is wrong
with me?
  As I backed out of my parking spot, my tears streamed harder and
I couldn't control the outrageous sobbing.  Cam had let me go.  So why was I
such a blubbering mess? 
He trusts me.

But could I trust myself?

The icy road had a fresh coat of wet snow on top of it and I
had to clasp both hands on the wheel just to keep it on the road.  As I pulled
down my street, I thought I was in the clear, but when I pressed on my brake to
slow down for my driveway, the tires skidded against the slick road and my car
slid out of control.

I slammed the brakes and jerked the wheel to avoid the
oncoming hydro pole.  After missing it by mere inches, the car stalled and
skidded to a stop on the edge of road a few houses past mine.  Unable to
contain the agony bearing down on me, just thinking about asking for Edwin’s approval
of my new sleeping situation, I broke down.  I hugged the steering wheel and
rested my head against it.  The cool leather felt nice against the boiling heat
radiating from my forehead.

The tears came and I tried to wipe them away, but more took
their place.  I was in no shape to face Edwin right now.  I flipped open my
mirror and glared at my reflection.  With red cheeks and black rimmed eyes, I scowled
into the mirror, then slapped it shut and slammed the visor up.  When I tossed
down my tissue in the seat next to me, something out the window caught my eye. 
I froze in place when I spotted a black figure standing outside my passenger
door.

Immobilized with fear, my eyes darted to the side.  I
watched the large man as he tried to peer through the tinted glass, with big
hands cupped around his eyes like binoculars.  I prayed that if I sat still
enough the person might just leave.  Then I questioned whether my doors were
even locked.  I was too scared to move, let alone hit the lock button.  My
breaths were short and raspy, as my mind ran through all the possible outcomes
from this situation.

The man pressed his forehead to the window.  "You gonna
let me in or do I have to freeze out here some more?" the man yelped.

I turned my head and squinted through blurry eyes, then let
out a foggy breath.  “Eddie?”  I hurriedly unlocked the door and he hopped in,
the interior lights quickly fading out.

"I thought I saw you in here."

The car was dark, with only one street lamp nearby, but I
couldn’t hide my condition from Edwin.  He knew me better than that.  A state
of unease was thick in the air.  Edwin squinted at me and rested his hand on my
arm.

"Are you okay?"

He always knew when something was wrong and, if I wasn't
careful, he'd have me spilling my guts in no time.  Instead of digging myself
into a deeper hole, I opted for keeping my mouth shut.

He didn't take the hint.  "You weren't answering your
phone at work and you didn't leave a note at home.  I was afraid you were
hurt."  His cold hand cupped my warm, wet cheek.  "Are you?"

I shook my head no, with my lips pressed together to hold in
a sob.

He studied my face, scrutinizing my every breath, then tucked
a stray hair behind my ear.  "I saw your car spinning out and I only
thought the worst.  You were sitting so still."

"I'm fine; just a little shaken."

"Glad to hear it," he said, sarcastically. 
"Too bad now I'm a fucking mess."

My heart flooded with relief as Edwin laid it on thick, with
the what ifs and don't you dares, all while keeping his hands to himself.  Instead
of answering his ridiculous accusations, l just attacked him with a great big,
bear hug.  He was only wearing a long sleeve shirt and a toque, so I expected
him to be absolutely freezing, but instead his arms were warm and affectionate.

As Edwin began to rub my back, I became more and more aware
of how awkward it was becoming.  I instantly released him from the death lock
and he wasted no time getting out of the car.  I watched him round the hood in
mere seconds and open my driver side door.

"Move over.  I'm driving."

I didn't have the energy to fight with him, as he scooped me
out of the chair and placed me in the passenger seat.  He quickly spun my car
around and pulled it into our driveway.

“Why are you so upset?” he asked, as if it weren’t eating
away at him.

"I told you, Eddie.  I’m fine.”

He cast an assessing gaze over my muddled appearance. 
"You don't look fine."

How was I supposed to convince him, when I was actually so
far from fine right now?  In fact I was about as far away from fine as it got.

We walked to the house and he unlocked the door, letting me
enter first.  He followed me to the closet where we hung our coats in silence. 
He was being so reserved that it made me very nervous.