Protect Me Not

Chapter 14

Arriving at Mary's suite couldn't come soon enough for Camden. Already a few drinks into the night, he started to feel some serious attraction to Mary. Knowing she was married was about the only thing that stopped him from making his signature pick up move. Not only was she married, she was married to his friend Victor, who happened to be paying him handsomely to make sure Mary stayed safe. Victor made it abundantly clear to Camden that under no circumstances was Mary to engage in any activities that could put her into harm's way. Camden accepted the responsibility knowing full heartedly that he was not the same man Victor once knew. The death of his wife and unborn baby boy changed him in ways that other people just didn't and couldn't understand. The sympathy poured in from all over the map but nothing seemed to help heal the gushing hurt he felt from deep inside. The overflowing emotions he kept buried inside had nowhere to escape, up until he met Mary.

Mary handed Camden a drink which seems to snap him out of deep thought.

"Where were you just then?" she asked.

"In a far off land where everything is perfect," he retorted.

Mary placed her glass on the coffee table and excused herself in order to get into something more comfortable. From the bedroom, she asked Camden if he wanted a bath robe to lounge around in so they could hang out comfortably on the couch. Camden politely refused her offer mainly because he was not completely sure he would be able to control his growing emotions around her much longer.

"I better not Mary," he confessed. "It's getting a little late and I shouldn't keep you up much longer."

"Don't be silly," she replied exiting the bedroom in lounge pants and a t-shirt holding a crisp white bathrobe clearly provided by the hotel.

"I really shouldn't Mary, but thank you for asking," he countered.

While standing up to go retrieve Mary's unopened gift, Camden caught a breathtaking whiff of her freshly applied perfume. Unable to control himself, he took Mary's hand and thanked her again for allowing him to open up to her. Still holding hands, Mary candidly admitted that it was somewhat therapeutic to her as well. She rubbed the letter H carved into his forefinger wishing his pain away.

"There are many things I wish I could tell someone about the happenings that have occurred in my life too so I can tell you with certainty that it was my great honour to have you open up to me with such intimate and personal emotion," Mary revealed.

Acting puzzled by her statement but secretly knowing her truths, Camden decided to take this moment and move into a full embrace. He could feel her tender body pressed up to his and it felt very good.

"Sometimes a warm squeeze is the organic medicine our souls need to keep us from becoming completely toxic," he stated.

Still holding onto Mary's body, Camden reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. Feeling the movement and shift in body position, Mary attempted to pull out of the hug.

"Please just one moment longer," Camden requested.

Mary was happy to oblige to his request at this point. His warm mannerism and touching story of how he lost the only people in his life deserved more than just a minute hug for comfort. Hoping he felt comfort in the innocent embrace, Mary squeezed a little tighter while closing her eyes and wearing a slight smile. Enjoying her embrace, Camden took advantage of the warm moment between them. It was the perfect opportunity to capture their embrace for he wasn't sure when he would get another chance. Without her knowledge, he secretly snapped a picture of them in a full embrace, but when Mary's cell phone started to ring, it quickly ended their personal moment.