The Dare Collection July 2019. Nicola Marsh
I think you’ll like it.” He made a face. “Though it has nothing to do with untimely death, so maybe we should just go back to the hotel.”
“Cameron O’Clery, was that an actual joke?” She playfully smacked his forearm. “I don’t just like untimely death, you know. I like flowers and bright colors and telling other people what to do. I’m a well-rounded woman.”
“I’m aware.” His gaze dropped to her breasts where they pressed against her T-shirt.
She gave a mock gasp. “You’re terrible.”
“You like it.”
She’d had so many different emotions with him—frustration and irritation and lust and enjoyment. Playing fun only made her like him more. She was up to her neck and sinking fast, and she couldn’t bring herself to care. “I do. Now, let’s go so you can show me your surprise.”
CAMERON ALMOST CHANGED his mind half a dozen times on the drive. His idea had felt like the right call when he’d first come up with it, but the closer they got to the waterfront, the more he felt like he’d made the wrong call.
Right up until the point Trish leaned against the door of the taxi and gasped. “The London Eye?”
“It’s rather touristy but—”
“No, I love it.” She barely waited for the taxi to pull to a stop before she opened the door and climbed out. Cameron paid the fare and followed her onto the street. Her captivated expression made her look even younger, and much less world-weary than she’d been since he’d met her. She spun to grab his arm and tugged him toward the giant Ferris wheel. “How did you know? I’ve wanted to ride this since I was a kid. It seemed like the most magical thing in the world to be able to see a nighttime London from so far up.”
“Aaron may have mentioned that you enjoy Ferris wheels.” He allowed himself to be towed along like some well-loved toy. It was only after the words escaped that he realized she might find them creepy.
“It gives you a different perspective of the world, and if that isn’t magic, I don’t know what qualifies.” She shot him a look. “I’d say I’m surprised you remembered what had to have been a passing comment, but I’m not.”
With her setting the pace, they reached their destination in short order. Cameron gave his information and they were directed to the priority boarding. As they stepped into their capsule, Trish gasped. “Cameron.” She took in the champagne and chocolates and turned to him, her eyes wide. “When you pull out all the stops, you pull out all the stops.”
He started to tell her that it was a normal package offered and nothing fancy, but he managed to filter himself at the last moment. This was important to her, and he had done what he could to make it special. “I’m glad you like it.”
“Like doesn’t even begin to cover it.” She explored the capsule, taking in the seats and the clear walls that would give a full 360-degree view of London once they got moving again. The package was for thirty minutes of uninterrupted time, but Cameron wished he’d booked more, considering Trish’s enthusiasm.
“This is amazing.” She gripped the railing and leaned out as far as the domed glass would allow. “I can’t wait to see it from the top.”
He made himself join her close to the edge, wrapped his arms around her and pressed himself against her back, letting the floral scent of her shampoo center him. Even though he’d braced for the movement, his stomach still took a dizzying dip when the wheel started up again. By the time they hit the top point of the Ferris wheel on the first rotation, his palms were sweating and he had to close his eyes in an effort to maintain control.
She turned in his arms. “You’re afraid of heights.”
“Not afraid. I just don’t like them.”
“Right. Not afraid at all.” She nudged him away from the railing and walked them to the chairs with the champagne. “I don’t think the bubbles will do well with your stomach, but maybe it’s worth a shot?”
“Sure.” With a little distance between him and the sheer drop to inevitable death, he managed to pull in half a breath. “Don’t let me ruin the experience.”
“You aren’t.” She poured them both a glass and passed his over. Trish gave him a surprisingly sweet smile. “You booked yourself a ride on one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the world for me—even though you’re not a fan of heights.”
“I didn’t want you to miss this opportunity.” Though he’d bring her back to London sometime in the future when they didn’t have work taking up so much time. She had such a unique view on so many things, and Cameron wanted to explore the city and see it through her perspective.
Preferably on the ground level.
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his mouth. “Thank you.”
He almost reached for her then and there, to hell with any potential audience, but Cameron didn’t want her to miss a second of this ride. He nudged her back toward the railing. “You’re going to miss the magic.”
“There’s absolutely no chance of that.” She kissed him again, longer this time, but finally rose and went to lean against the railing.
He watched her watch the city, and something irreversible shifted in his chest. This woman was nothing like he’d pictured for himself in the rare times when he imagined a future where work wasn’t his one true love. She was fanciful and stubborn and sunny despite her shadows.
Trish was magic.
Fuck me, I love her.
His world rose and fell with that realization, turning to ash at his feet and rearranging itself into something entirely new. Oblivious to the turmoil going on inside Cameron, Trish took a sip of her champagne and hummed in what could only be described as pure happiness.
He wanted her to look at him the way she looked at London. To feel about him the way she felt about fucking Ferris wheels. He wanted to be her magic.
Cameron couldn’t tell her.
Every time they talked about the future, she got a little wild around the eyes. It couldn’t be clearer, despite her saying she was willing to give them a shot, that she had no intention of landing with him permanently.
He didn’t know how to fix that. People weren’t computers. Problems didn’t have a guaranteed solution if he just looked hard enough. Trish felt that every plan of hers ended badly. It stood to reason that, no matter how much she enjoyed him, how much she liked him, she would view being with him as settling because he had never been part of her plan.
There was a solution here. There had to be. Cameron wasn’t romantic enough to believe in soul mates or destiny, but he and Trish fit. That sort of thing didn’t happen often enough in life to throw it away just because it wasn’t part of the plan.
He just needed her to see that, too.
The lights of the city played across her body as the Ferris wheel went round, a slow slide that he ached to re-create with his mouth. If he couldn’t tell her how he felt, he’d damn well show her. There was plenty they did right. He just needed her to admit that it was right and wasn’t yet another of what she considered her life’s failures.
Cameron had never had to be convincing before. He usually just powered through any obstacles that life threw in his path.
But for Trish, he’d do whatever it took.
* * *
Trish could barely keep from bouncing as they made their way through the hotel lobby and up to their room. “That was amazing, Cameron. Seriously. Beyond amazing.”
“It