Page 11 of Bad for Business (Pembroke Hills #2)

ELEVEN

RYKER

“And where do you think you’re going?” Camille calls from the kitchen, her voice void of any humor.

I freeze in the doorway. I was so close to sneaking out of the house without her noticing. She must have supersonic hearing because my attempt to leave has me at the side door of the house, something she shouldn’t be able to hear or see from her room.

“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, pressing my forehead against the door. It’s been a little over a week since we got to the Hamptons, and I’m bored out of my mind.

The familiar sound of heels clicking against hardwood floors tells me Camille is heading in my direction.

“Hi,” she says, her voice coming from behind me.

“Hi,” I mutter, pressing my face against the door because I can’t take another day stuck in this house with her.

I’ve done enough planning to last a lifetime.

I’ve also done enough arguing to last me forever.

I’m not typically one who argues with others.

I’m a pretty agreeable guy. But fuck, there’s something about Camille that just makes me want to argue with her every step of the way.

“Going somewhere?” she asks. I don’t even have to look back at her to know the position she’s likely standing in, with her arms crossed against her chest—something she’s always doing when it comes to me—and wearing that scowl that seems to be saved just for me as well.

I turn around, pressing my back against the door as I find her in the exact position I expected. “I’m bored. I need out of this house.”

She frowns, two creases forming on her forehead that are annoyingly adorable. Maybe I’m only thinking that because I’ve been stuck with her for a week. “We got out of the house yesterday. The dinner, remember?”

I roll my eyes. “And that was boring, Camille. I even saw you yawn a few times. All we did was listen to a bunch of rich dudes talk about all the money they had.”

“Well, we’re trying to impress those rich dudes right now. The dinner was necessary.”

I nod. As much as I hated going to the dinner last night, I understand why I had to be there.

Now that summer is in full swing, everyone is here in the Hamptons.

The hallways that were empty at Pembroke last week are now full.

We attended a dinner party last night at the club to celebrate the start of the season.

And while I completely understand why the dinner was necessary, it doesn’t mean I wasn’t bored out of my mind.

“I did what you told me to last night. I talked business with some board members, and I was on my best behavior.” I let out a little groan and push myself off the door. I take a few steps until I come to a stop right in front of her. “Let me have fun today.”

“Your fun is what gets you in trouble.” She shifts on her feet. The movement of her body catches my eye. I pull my gaze from hers and take a quick look at what she’s wearing. I swallow, not expecting to be attracted to what I see.

She wears black from head to toe. Her shirt clings to her skin, and I have to close my eyes for a moment as I try to push from my mind the mental picture of what exactly she’s hiding underneath the fabric.

I need out of this damn house. I need to see other people who aren’t Camille Vaughn. Maybe then I won’t be thinking about what she looks like underneath her clothes.

“You know it’s summer and you’re in the Hamptons. Is all the black necessary?”

“I’m sorry. I don’t exactly remember asking for your opinion on my outfit.”

My lips twitch with the hint of a blooming smirk. “I bet you always want my opinion.”

Her entire face pinches together as she lets out the loudest scoff. “You’re the last person on Earth who I want an opinion from.”

My grin gets even wider. I know it isn’t nice to like to push her buttons, but I can’t help it when it comes to her.

Her being my publicist and forced to babysit me all summer, paired with her insisting that what happened between us was nothing to remember, has upset me.

Pushing her buttons is a fairly innocent way to get back at her.

Plus, maybe if I annoy her enough, she’ll just leave me alone for the summer.

I cock my head to the side as an idea forms in my mind. If I want to get rid of her and impress the board without her help, maybe I can. I’ll be on my best behavior in public but annoy the shit out of her in private until she goes running back to Manhattan.

“Why are you smiling like that? Shouldn’t you be offended?” Camille asks, her dark eyebrows pulling in.

“It doesn’t matter,” I say, reaching my arms above my head and stretching for a moment. I try to keep my tone as casual as possible, not wanting her to know that I’m thinking of all the ways I can annoy her to finally get her to leave me alone.

I don’t miss how her eyes dart to my biceps for a moment. Her gaze trails along my body until she checks out my other arm as well.

I can’t help but smirk, loving that despite her obvious dislike for me, the spark of attraction we both felt on New Year’s Eve wasn’t all in my head.

“I’m leaving,” I announce, breaking the silence. “My friends are all showing up, and I want to see them. I’m going to Pembroke, and you’re not stopping me.”

“How does this help our plan?” she asks, her heels clacking against the floor as she gets closer to me and the door.

My clubs and a change of clothes are already at the club, so I don’t have to grab anything other than my favorite hat I left here a few days ago after Camille let me out for a round of golf with one of the board members.

I was so focused on sneaking out, I almost forgot it.

“This helps our plan because…” I pause, opening the door and stepping outside. I keep my hand on the door just long enough for her to follow me before letting it close.

“Because why?” she annoyingly asks from behind me.

“Because I need to get out, Camille. Believe it or not, being locked in a house alone with you is driving me fucking nuts. All we do is talking about plans, executing plans…it’s always fucking plans.”

The sound of her heels clicking against the driveway stops.

I sigh, knowing I should keep walking and use this as a chance to ditch her. I don’t. Instead, I turn around to find her standing in front of the house with a pinched expression aimed in my direction.

“Plans are good. I love plans.”

I laugh. “Oh, I’m well aware. Tell me, do you plan every single second of your day? Or do you just get off on planning mine?”

“I don’t get off on anything that has to do with you, thank you very much.”

I smirk as I cock my head to the side. “Really? I remember you loving the thing I did with my tongue.”

Camille’s eyes go wide, and her cheeks turn a shade of pink I’ve never seen before.

Fuck.

This is going to be fun.

“Ryker,” she scolds, her voice a little breathy. “You’re breaking rule number two.”

“What else did you expect?” I ask, turning around and heading to my car for the summer. I don’t need to stare at her another second. The shade her cheeks are turning is a little too perfect and a little too distracting for me to look at her any longer.

“I expect you to tell me what your plan is for today. Are you golfing with a board member? I could talk with Ian at the golf pro shop. He loves me and would tell me if any of your members have a tee time today.”

I try not to frown at her comment about Ian.

Now that she mentions it, Ian was very interested in her the two times we’ve been in there together in the last week.

“No, Camille, I don’t want you to talk to Ian .

” I don’t miss the way I practically spit his name.

“I want to see my friends today. Men who aren’t on my board but I respect the hell out of. ”

Camille follows behind me as I open the door to my SUV and slide into the driver’s seat. She steps inside the door, blocking me from being able to shut it. “What are your friends going to do for you?”

I laugh, placing my hands on the steering wheel as I shake my head at her in disbelief.

“I don’t know, be my friends? You know, people you enjoy spending time with that you care about and make you better.

Those are called friends. Ever heard of them, or with that perfect sparkly personality of yours, have you never had one? ”

Her plump lips press into a thin line. “Of course I have friends,” she hisses. The words are said hastily and defensively, making me wonder how true her words are. Surely she has friends, right?

I make a shooing motion with my hand. “Perfect. Go call them and catch up and leave me alone.”

I reach around her body and grab the handle of the door, but when I pull on it, she doesn’t budge.

An annoying growl comes from deep inside my chest. “Move.”

Camille shakes her head, making my pulse spike. God, this woman is defiant and stubborn as hell. “If you’re going to the club, then I’m coming with you.”

I throw my head back in frustration. It bounces against the headrest as I let out a loud groan. “You don’t have to spend every second with me. I promise to be on my best behavior. You don’t have to come.”

“I’m coming,” she announces, leaving no room for discussion. “Now, I’ve got to run inside and get my bag. If you leave without me, just know I’m going to make your life hell today at the club.”

I watch her as she takes a step away from the door. Part of me wonders what would happen if I gunned it out of here while she ran inside. Unfortunately, I don’t know if the consequences will be worth it.

“Go,” I get out, not bothering to hide my annoyance with her. “You have one minute. If you’re not back by then, I’m leaving.”

She impresses me by not arguing. Or maybe I’m impressed by how fast she’s running in a pair of heels as she heads inside.

I have to rip my gaze from the curve of her ass and the way her black skirt hugs it perfectly.

Instead, I keep my eyes pinned on the time on the dash of the SUV.

I meant what I said. She only has one minute.

Right as the clock goes up by a minute, I’m turning on the car.

At that exact time, the sound of the side door slamming has me looking up and finding Camille running in my direction.

She rips open the passenger door and slides into the seat.

Carefully, she places her purse in her lap and looks over at me.

“You can go now.” Her tone makes it seem as if I’ve been the holdup, not her, which isn’t the case at all.

I roll my eyes. Instead of responding with a snide remark, I keep my mouth shut…at least for a little bit.

We’re a minute into the car ride when I can’t keep my lips pressed together for another second. I toss a look in her direction before focusing back on the road. “Just for the record, you’re already making my life hell.”

I pull my gaze from the road just long enough to see the sickeningly sweet smile she gives me. It doesn’t reach her eyes at all.

“The feeling is very mutual.”