Page 6 of Pomegranate Kiss (Charmed in Charleston #2)

Chapter Six

T he letter weighed heavy in her hands.

This wasn’t another piece of junk mail, or even some passing bit of news. This meant a decision needed to be made, one that would alter so, so much. Except she didn’t have the time to dwell on something this immense, because Danny would be over any minute now. Cam pulled out the butter, sugar, and flour for the three different types of cupcakes she’d be baking and then frosting.

The letter sat on her kitchen island, the fine print mocking her.

Cam tugged out the powdered sugar. When she undid the top, she dodged the cloud of sugar that erupted. Every day at the Horntrees’ had been getting worse, the passion leeching from her bones with each successive shift. She slogged through, the texts from Lex one of the only things that sent a shiver coursing through her. Not like she’d seen Lex since last weekend when the woman pressed her against a dressing room wall and slipped her fingers between her folds. The heat returned to her cheeks, and she let the sigh flow through her.

Her doorbell rang, reeling her into the present.

She wiped her hands on her black yoga pants, which would get covered in flour by the end of the night, and she headed for the door. Her throat dried with the idea of Lex being on the other side. As improbable as it was, the woman had sprung an unforgettable kiss on her last week well after reasonable hours. She combed her fingers through her hair before opening the door.

Danny stood outside, her green eyes sparkling with her grin and her arms full of grocery bags. “I’ve got the rest of the supplies for the cupcakes, so we can get cracking.”

Cam beckoned her in and grinned, ignoring the tug of disappointment in her chest. Not like she could be getting attached—Lex wasn’t part of her plan, nor was the complicated mess of feelings that emerged around her.

“Okay, so we’re trying a basil-strawberry, lavender, and rose, right?” Cam asked, ticking off the three flavors as she went.

“You don’t have to do this,” Danny said. “You’re already doing so much in my wedding. Making the cupcakes for the reception is overkill.”

“Or the best wedding present ever,” Cam responded. “Besides, I’ve been jonesing for something creative to sink my teeth into.”

She began sorting through the supplies Danny brought: dried lavender, rosewater, fresh basil, and strawberries. Her fingers itched to get to work, and the colors of the frosting swirled in her mind, tiny, delicate decorations needing an artistic eye to be brought to life.

Could this be enough? She sucked in a sharp breath as she snagged her measuring cups.

Danny grabbed herself a glass of water and then sidled next to her. “Set me to work, boss.”

Cam nodded. “Here are three mixing bowls,” she said, placing them in front of Danny. “Get the butter and sugar creamed for each. The recipe’s on my phone.”

“Hey, has everything been okay at work?” Danny asked as she busied herself with pouring out the cups of sugar. “Not trying to pry, but you’re like Moody Tuesday over there, and even now you’ve got this raincloud around you that’s got me worried.”

Yeah, your future sister-in-law’s seducing me, and I’m getting less and less convinced I’m straight. Like that would go over well. Cam glanced to Danny, the earnest look in her eyes melting her defenses.

“So, there’s a letter on the countertop over there,” Cam said, not stopping the chop of strawberries as she worked. “And it’s got my head in a tangle.” The click, click, click of her knife hitting the cutting board formed a rhythm she lost herself in as she tackled the basil next. She might not be able to divulge everything in her head right now, but she could start here.

Danny’s brow furrowed as she scanned over the paper. “This says you’ve been accepted into Savannah College of Arts and Design starting the next semester. Wait, you’re going back to school?”

Cam let out a shaky breath. Great, confession time. Her life had become minefields all around. “I was going there before I ever became a chef, but I ended up dropping out. I don’t know…I’ve just been feeling so aimless and work has been dicing me up finer than these strawberries, so I took the stupid chance and reapplied. With the way I left, I kind of wanted to see if SCAD would take me back.”

The blenders whirred as Danny creamed the sugar and butter, a frown in her eyes even as she pursed her lips. Cam’s skin prickled. She was so cautious to let people in, but she always managed to mess things up.

The second the sound stopped, Danny looked up at her. “Well, what do you want to do?”

Cam shrugged, feeling a little helpless. “I honestly couldn’t tell you.”

“I’ll be real with you, I hate the idea of you moving away and leaving me with the Horntrees by myself,” Danny admitted, her lips twisting in a wry grin. “However, this isn’t about me. It’s about what you want, because this is your life.”

What did Camilla Muhuri want? That was a question for the ages and one she’d never been asked before. Her parents had supported her dropping out and heading into a culinary career, but they really wanted to see her married more than anything. She also hadn’t been leaving a prestigious degree behind. However, a thousand practical outlets existed to pursue art beyond the normal dream of getting into a gallery, and this might be the opportunity to chase that dream.

Her mouth dried. If she were being honest, she wanted Lex more than made sense. She’d been straight her entire life, dating guys all through high school and into college, though none of the relationships lasted. Going back to school would mean leaving Lex, and she’d be lying if the thought didn’t twist her up inside. However, they had an expiration date before this ever began. Cam’s plan was to find a good man and settle down with a family. Lex would send those plans sailing down a creek in a Viking funeral.

“I think I need to accept it,” she murmured, stirring the bowl of vanilla frosting in front of her. “I’ve had no luck on the dating front, and I feel like my career has dead-ended. There’s nowhere I can move, nowhere to go.”

Danny nodded, biting her lip. “Are you going to move away from Charleston?”

Cam knew how loaded the question was. Danny spent her entire life on the run and this friendship of hers was one of the longest she had in her adult life.

She shook her head. “I’ll keep my place and come home on the weekends. I can stay at my parents’ during the week.” Living there would be filled with her mother’s attempts to find her a suitable man, but she’d been evading them from the moment she graduated high school. She glanced up to Danny. “Do you mind keeping this between you and me? I’m not ready to go announcing this out to the world yet—I’m a little too vulnerable still.”

Especially with all the questions that would resurrect about why she dropped out the first time. But he wasn’t employed there anymore—she made sure before she’d even considered the application.

Danny nodded and dipped her finger into the vanilla frosting. “Of course. I’m a pro at keeping secrets. All those years in WitSec, right? Though I’ll absolutely miss you at the Horntrees’.” Danny licked the tip of her finger and let out a moan. “Oh, that’s so good. You’re hired.”

Cam snorted. “Come on now, I haven’t even gotten into the cake and garnish part. Speaking of, let’s slip the tin of lavender cupcakes into the oven.”

A knock sounded on her door.

Cam almost dropped her spatula. She hadn’t invited anyone else over. The only other person who made random visits would spell chaos and complications right now.

“That’s probably Lex or Nellie,” Danny said. “I hope you don’t mind, but I asked if they could help us and give opinions, since Adrian’s tied up at the hospital tonight.”

Cam stretched a fake smile on her face as her heart thundered. Danny had no idea what she’d invited over. “No problem. Let me tuck away my personal news—with the way gossip spreads around the Dukas household, I don’t think I’d be able to keep much secret.” She folded up the letter and slipped it inside her purse before she wrapped an arm around Danny’s shoulders and leaned in. “Thanks for the pep talk. It helped clear my mind.”

“Always,” Danny responded, aiming finger guns at her as Cam headed to get the door.

This time, she smoothed her hair down and scrubbed the flour off her cheek as she approached. Her heart already started marching in double time. She cracked the door open.

Lex stood in the entryway. Each time, the sight of this woman caused her heart to kickstart. Lex wore a fitted olive tee without a bra and dark brown cargos that hung off her hips. She hooked her thumbs through her belt loops and rocked back and forth in front of her.

“Danny in there?” Lex asked. “She extended the invite.”

Cam nodded, unable to respond. The darkness highlighted the sharp strands of her pixie cut, the quixotic intensity in those hazel eyes, and lips she’d been fantasizing over for an embarrassing amount of time.

“Come help me with the rest of the supplies,” Lex said, tilting her head to the side.

Cam leaned inside. “Be right back, Danny,” she called inside. “Got to help Lex grab something from her car.”

Once the door clicked shut, Lex’s hand wrapped around her wrist, and she found her back thudding against the wall. Lex swept into the space between them like she belonged there. The scent of cloves overrode any sense of reason. Cam sank into Lex’s firm grip and how she pinned her hands while she closed in like a leopard on the prowl. With Lex’s body against hers, Cam found it hard to think of any reasons why she shouldn’t be falling headfirst for this woman.

A thousand different types of dangerous.

Lex’s lips whispered against her throat, gliding over her pulse, her jaw, her earlobe, each delicate touch leaving her burning up. Cam let out a low moan. Ever since their interlude in the dressing room, she’d been masturbating three times a day to try to rid herself of this ache between her legs. Nothing worked.

Nothing except this addictive, whiplash woman who dropped into her life with the speed and force of a twister.

Lex’s mouth closed over hers, and Cam’s entire body sang with relief. She sank into the kiss, the burn of whiskey on Lex’s lips. Her shoulders scraped against the brick wall behind her, and her warning bells clanged with how public this was. Danny stood right inside her apartment. However, her legs widened, thighs encircling around Lex as she deepened the kiss. Lex gripped her by the back of the neck, the gliding strokes of her tongue making Cam shiver with promise.

Lex pulled away to lick the line of her jaw. “Hey there, gorgeous.”

Masha’Allah, that husky voice would be her undoing.

Cam pursed her lips, trying to collect her composure off the walkway. “Let’s get whatever you need from your car before Danny starts poking around out here for us.” Her lips were swollen from the way they’d clashed together, and her body sparked to life like she’d been plugged into a generator.

Lex snorted and gestured to the ground where two duffel bags sat. “Darlin’, I already brought them up. That was what the kids these days call ‘a ruse.’”

Cam lifted her eyebrow. “Okay, Grandpa Lex. You can sit out here and shout at the neighborhood kids to get off your lawn.” Of course the woman thought ahead. She’d simply been trying to lure her out for a stolen kiss.

Lex pursed her lips and reached for the door. “As tempting as that might be, I was promised cupcakes.”

The door flew open before they could enter, Danny standing in the frame. “Cam, do I pull out the cupcakes now?”

“Let me come check them.” Cam’s heart thudded. A minute or two earlier, and she would’ve caught them in the middle of making out against the brick siding of her place. How the hell she would have explained away that, she didn’t have the slightest.

Lex grabbed one of the duffels, and Cam snagged the other as they followed Danny inside. At least with her best friend here with them: Lex wouldn’t dare do anything public—just bend the rules every chance she got.

The scent of lavender filled the room when Cam pulled the cupcakes out of the oven.

“Time to put the rose ones in,” she directed as she brought the lavender over to the racks she’d set out on her countertop. Danny snagged the tray they’d lined and filled, bringing it over to the oven.

“Oh damn, those smell delicious,” Lex said, leaning in close enough their arms brushed. Cam tried to ignore the way her heart leapt and how her whole body lit up every time they touched. “Can I have one now?”

Cam smacked her hand away. “No. They need to be frosted and decorated first, so Danny can evaluate them.”

“But I just want to evaluate them with my mouth,” Lex teased, heat creeping into her voice.

“We’ll be done soon, Lex,” Danny called over, whipping together the lemon frosting for the lavender cupcakes. “I’m sure Cam could put you to work in the meanwhile.”

“I’ve got plenty of tasks,” Cam said, directing her over to the strawberry and basil cupcakes. She swirled the puree through the batter and then passed it over to Lex with a stack of cupcake liners. “Set this tray up, and we’ll have more to try in no time.”

To her surprise, Lex set to work at once, moving with a surprising expediency. Cam started pouring in the butter and powdered sugar for the final batch of frosting, but her gaze kept slipping to Lex.

“I worked at Gin Mill, remember? I’m not new to line work,” Lex said, a grin clinging to her.

“Taking orders though?” Danny responded. “From what Mitch has told me, those weren’t your top priority.”

“Mitch has a big mouth and needs to be nicer to his tattoo artist,” Lex commented.

“Especially after you landed him that hottie the other night at Notes,” Danny said with a smirk. “Did you dart off with one of the other girls? Adrian and I had a bet going.”

Cam’s stomach twisted. They weren’t exclusive. She didn’t have any right to feel like she tripped and was falling, falling, falling. Besides, she’d known this from the beginning. Lex didn’t commit.

And liking girls wasn’t part of Cam’s plan.

Cam swallowed hard and looked away.

“I went home with food poisoning,” Lex said, her voice careful and light. “Puked in the toilet the rest of the night, so I wasn’t going to be doing any seducing.” Cam dared to look up and met Lex’s hazel gaze. The look there burned with an intent that both soothed and terrified her. Cam stirred harder at the frosting, creaming the ingredients together until they smoothed out.

“Food poisoning, that’s lame,” Danny commented. “We’ll have to do another club night soon.”

Lex slid the tray of cupcakes into the oven, and Cam set the timer. The air buzzed between them, but she didn’t chance another glance. Lex had been with her that night, kissing her until she forgot every reason why this whole thing was a bad idea.

“What did you bring in the duffel bags?” Danny asked, pointing a teaspoon in their direction.

“Your and Adrian’s wedding gifts—at least if you want them,” Lex said, her voice taking on the gruff tone she sometimes slipped into when vulnerability peeked out. Lex’s cocky and commanding attitude was beyond hot, but what tipped Cam over the edge every time were the hints beneath the surface. She craved the looks that extended too long, and the brush of openness from a woman who always kept her doors closed shut.

Danny crouched in front of the duffel bag and unzipped it. Inside lay sketchbooks, as well as photo books of different tattoos.

“I brought some of my personal stuff and the shop stuff, but if you both want to get inked for your wedding gift, I’d love to be the one who does it. Whatever you want,” Lex said, striding over beside her. She tugged out a few more sketchbooks from the duffel and offered one in Cam’s direction.

“You show me yours,” Cam murmured as she accepted the sketchbook, her fingers itching to flip open the pages. She couldn’t forget their first night at the Waterfront Park if she tried.

Danny threw her arms around Lex. “I wouldn’t want anyone else doing my tattoos, and you can bet I’ll be taking you up on it. As for Adrian, who the hell knows. Though, I could get behind the idea of my fiancé with a couple of gorgeous tats.”

Cam flipped open the book, and the breath hitched in her throat. Where Cam’s style leaned more toward impressionism, Lex’s fell staunchly in surrealism. The landscapes, figures, and shapes whorled together on the pages in ink, in watercolor, and in acrylic. The strong lines were a thing of beauty, bold in a way only Lex could be.

The splash of color on the pages, the twisted Dali-esque clocks, the spindly trees transforming into a staircase to the clouds, and the fantastical shadows she’d mutated into monsters on the page, all of it held a creativity and depth that made her heart ache. This woman might keep her emotions out of her words, but on paper, she bled.

“What do you think, art expert?” Lex asked, her voice low as she glanced her way. Cam didn’t miss the flicker-flash of vulnerability there or how she looked away at once.

“Beautiful doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Cam murmured. Her fingertips traced along the lines and patterns of the acrylic piece before her of a stark cemetery, the trees bending like they wept. “These are unforgettable.”

That was Lex, from beginning to end. Cam’s heart wrenched tight. This whole thing had started out light and sexy, but all too fast she waded into deeper waters, ones threatening to drag her under.