Hot Commodity (Banks / Kincaid Family #1)(56)

Gritting her teeth when he cursed under his breath and started to take another drink, she decided to get mad instead of sad. Marching forward, she ripped the bottle from his hand, spilling a couple of drops on him in the process.

"Hey," he said.

"That’s it," she growled. "No more."

Bottle in hand, she strode from the room and went straight to the kitchen. As she proceeded to pour the contents down the drain, she heard him enter the room behind her.

"You take away my liquor, you better have something else in mind to occupy my time," he commented in a lazy drawl, not sounding upset at all by what she was doing.

He no doubt had more stashed somewhere in the house.

"I’m not sleeping with you to take your mind off drinking," she said stiffly. She needed to stop sleeping with him period. They were trying to get an annulment here. An active sexual relationship wasn’t usually part of the

annulment process.

But the hand that cupped her butt and squeezed gently as he came up behind her seemed to disagree.

"You sure about that?" he murmured in her ear. Then he licked the side of her neck.

Olivia willed herself not to react. "Has your lawyer cousin gotten started on those papers yet?"

Cameron stilled. "I told you, he’s swamped with work right now. But he’ll get to it."

He wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her snug against his erection. "Now come, my pretty little mistake. Let me appreciate you while I still can."

She turned in his arms. He looked so handsome and sad, her heart broke. Suddenly, she wanted to save this man. She wanted to mend the rift forming between him and his family and she wanted him to love her.

But there was only pain in getting involved with a guy loaded down by this much baggage.

"Not tonight," she said softly and brushed past him, hurrying to escape before he did something sweet to coax her back in.

He grasped her elbow. "Livy."

His voice sounded rusty, as if he hadn’t used it for days. She looked up and immediately wished she hadn’t. His green eyes held all the sorrow in the world.

"Thank you for taking the bottle away," he said, letting go of her arm.

Before she could reach for him, he took a step in reverse. Then, cutting their eye contact, he turned on his heel and strode from the room.

*

Olivia hummed to herself as she picked up a pair of scissors to crop the picture of Cameron graduating from high school.

She’d convinced herself she wasn’t going to think about last night and how she’d slept in her own bed for the first time since coming to live with Cameron. She wasn’t going to think about the pain in his parents’ eyes as they stared at their son with worry. She wasn’t going to think about how he’d been so resolute when he’d announced their marriage was a ruse and would be quickly terminated.

She paused in her cutting and stared down at the scrapbook page she was creating. It centered on Cameron. Lately, her entire life revolved around him. Frowning, she set the scissors down. If they were going to get an annulment, she shouldn’t rely on him for everything. She needed to stop sleeping with him and find herself a job. And she really ought to quit making him a scrapbook.

The phone rang; Olivia answered it without thinking.

"Olivia," a woman’s voice said. "I’m so glad I caught you."

She frowned, surprised someone was actually calling her. No one even knew she was here. "I’m sorry, who is this?"

"Oh, whoops. This is Allison. Allison Banks, Cameron’s mother."

Olivia paused. What in the world was his mom doing, calling her?

"Hello, Mrs. Banks," she said cautiously. "What can I do for you?"

"Please. Call me, Allison. "

"O-Okay. Is, uh, is there something I can do for you? Cameron’s not home right now, but I could call him at—"

"Actually, I want to talk to you," Allison answered. "If you’re not too busy sometime, I’d love to get together with you and toss around a few ideas about how to plan this party for Chuck’s company."

"Oh!" Olivia said in surprise. "Well, of course. I’d be delighted to help."

"Really? You would?" Cameron’s mother sounded so pleasantly surprised Olivia had to grin. How could such a sweet, passive woman raise such an ornery, outgoing son?

"Sure. I’ve been hosting get-togethers for my mother since I was fifteen. It’d be nice to do something familiar again."

"That’s great," Allison said. "When would be a good time for you?"

Olivia nearly laughed. As if her schedule were so crowded. "Any time, really."

"I hope I’m not being too forward then. But are you busy now?"

"No, of course not." Right. Like what would make her busy?

"Do you think you could come over here?" Allison asked next. "I have napkin samples and magazines full of ides spread out everywhere. I could probably pack them up and bring them over there if that’s more convenient for you—"

"I don’t mind coming over," Olivia cut in.

Cameron’s mother was definitely a people pleaser. She sounded so apologetic, worried that she was honestly bothering Olivia that Olivia had this strange urge just to give the woman a soothing hug.