Hers to Keep (Irresistibly Bound 3)

And being here, playing Camilla’s girlfriend for all the world to see, was making it all the more apparent that Lindsey wanted everything between them to be real. She didn’t know what to do with all these feelings. She’d never felt like this about anyone before.

Did Camilla feel it too? She’d brought Lindsey here tonight as her date. But what if this was just Camilla showing Lindsey off to her friends? Didn’t most men do this with their sugar babies? Dress the

m up like dolls and show them off as status symbols?

Camilla placed a hand on Lindsey’s arm. “I need to speak with April. I’ll be right back.”

“Okay.” Lindsey’s voice came out as a nervous squeak, but Camilla didn’t seem to notice.

As Camilla disappeared into the crowd, Lindsey took another sip of her wine. Her eyes were drawn to Vanessa and Mel, who were standing to the side, arms around each other, smiling. Over the course of the night, she’d heard snippets of the story of Mel and Vanessa’s relationship. It was the kind of romance that Lindsey used to fantasize about. Being swept off her feet by some mysterious lover. In Lindsey’s fantasies, that lover had always been a man. Of course, that had all changed.

Lindsey finished off the last of her wine and went over to the bar. She refilled her glass and drank some more. How was she supposed to continue everything with Camilla as they had before, knowing what she now felt? How was she supposed to go on?

Her thoughts were interrupted when someone sidled up beside her. It was Vicki. The blonde woman poured two glasses of wine, then turned to Lindsey, a knowing look in her eyes.

“So.” Vicki picked up one of the glasses and took a long sip, studying Lindsey carefully. “You’re this mysterious guest of Camilla’s.”

Lindsey nodded. “Yep.” She wasn’t in the mood to elaborate. And she was tired of lying.

“How long have the two of you been together?”

“A couple of months, I guess,” Lindsey mumbled.

Vicki put down her glass and held up her hands apologetically. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. Sticking my nose in people’s business is a bad habit of mine.”

“It’s okay. It’s not you, it’s me.”

An uncomfortable silence hung in the air.

“Is something the matter between the two of you?” Vicki asked.

Lindsey hesitated. Vicki seemed to think that Camilla and Lindsey’s relationship was real. She was one of Camilla’s close friends. Didn’t she know the truth?

“What has Camilla told you about me?” Lindsey asked.

“She hasn’t said much. Just that you’ve been living with her. I didn’t even realize you were a couple until tonight.” Vicki grimaced. “There I go again, running my mouth. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just that Camilla doesn’t talk about relationships much.”

“No, once again, it isn’t you.” Lindsey didn’t know why she was saying this. “We’re not really a couple.”

“You’re not?”

“I’m her sugar baby.”

“Oh.”

An awkward silence followed.

“And that bothers you?” Vicki asked.

“Yes,” Lindsey replied.

“Because you have feelings for her?”

Lindsey nodded.

“Then you should tell her.”

“I can’t. I have no idea if she feels the same way.”