Content and strangely fulfilled with his arms around her, Mia fell into a deep, dreamless sleep. When she woke in the morning, he was gone, and she realized that at some point during the night he'd slid from her bed, tucked her beneath the covers, and left her apartment After her emotional night, he was giving her space, and while she appreciated his thoughtfulness, she hated more that she'd awakened in a cold, lonely bed without him in it.

Oh, that so wasn't good, she thought with a groan, and buried her face in her pillow, wishing the action could make her forget the fact that she'd given Cameron so much of herself last night, a telling glimpse into her painful past. The tears that had showed him just how vulnerable she was beneath her normal I-don't-give-a-damn facade. And the trust she'd never given to any other man she'd dated.

But worse than that, she feared she'd given him something she'd never be able to reclaim as her own-a huge piece of her heart. That notion scared her more than anything she had ever faced, because it set her up for heartache, for loss and failure, and for the kind of pain she'd spent a lifetime making certain she'd never experience again.

Chapter Fourteen

MIA headed down the pathway to her apartment after work Tuesday evening, her mind already on the stained-glass design she planned to work on tonight. She realized she'd become somewhat of a homebody, and though she felt her place was too quiet and lonely sometimes, she had to admit she didn't miss going out to bars and nightclubs and the other places she used to frequent in the evenings after work.

Now she had a distinct reason for staying home, and that was to work on her stained-glass art. Amy had scheduled Mia's first showing with the gallery for the end of the month, and Mia wanted to be able to present as many new pieces of the erotic art as possible. Especially because the current silent auction Amy had begun on the pieces she'd left at the gallery had generated not only an amazing amount of bids, but also a flurry of interest in her work. That auction would end the night of the show, and Amy was confident the final bid was going to exceed both of their expectations.

It was an exhilarating feeling, a high that gave her an incredible boost of energy and excitement that transferred over to her designs and actual artwork. And while a part of her couldn't wait for the gallery show, she had to admit there was one issue she still hadn't yet resolved-how to tell her family about her "unveiling." She knew she'd invite her family, but she didn't think she had the nerve to tell them what to expect beforehand. Scott and her father had rejected her attempt at making something of her normal stained-glass designs, so a huge part of her was nervous and cautious about her family's reaction when they realized that some of her art wasn't as innocent as it seemed.

Working on her designs and artwork every spare minute she found available also kept Mia's mind off of that huge revelation she'd come to about her feelings for Cameron a few mornings ago. She'd at least managed to convince herself that she'd been in a very vulnerable state after telling him about her past, and that had led to her overwhelming and too emotional thoughts.

But now, with a few days between them and that night, she was able to be more objective about the situation-and her affair with Cameron, which didn't allow room for emotional sentiments that would only complicate matters. They made great lovers, and Lord knew she'd grown to care for him beyond anything she could have imagined, but she knew deep in her heart that she wasn't the kind of woman Cameron needed or wanted in his life on a long-term basis. She was also smart enough to recognize her inability to sustain a lasting relationship with any man-her past history had taught her that-and she wasn't about to hurt Cameron in the long run.

With a sigh, she turned the corner toward her apartment and buried those thoughts in the deepest recesses of her heart. Instead, she refocused on the stained-glass design awaiting her tonight. This one was a collage of bright, vibrant butterflies, with an image of an erotically entwined couple silhouetted where the multi-colored wings overlapped. It was an intricate piece and very challenging, but those were the pieces that excited her the most.

She arrived at her place, and just as she lifted her keys to unlock the door, she heard the scuff of footsteps. She glanced over her shoulder and sucked in a quick breath when she found Ray standing directly behind her. His unexpected presence startled her so badly her keys slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground.

Her guard immediately went up, and she spun around so she didn't have her back to him. She'd been foolish for not paying better attention to her surroundings considering someone was currently stalking her-possibly even this man who'd seemingly snuck up on her when she'd least expected it.

Her stomach clenched in apprehension, and she thought about the keys on the ground, which was her only way to get into the safety of her apartment-but she refused to bend down to pick them up and give him any kind of advantage over her. Instead, she tried to recall every defense tactic her brothers had ever taught her, just in case she needed to use them on Ray. He wasn't a big man, but he was solid and obviously knew how to hurt and dominate women.

"If you're looking for Gina, she's still at work," she said with as much calm and directness as she could manage. "She doesn't get off until seven tonight."

"I'm not here to see Gina. I'm here to see you." He stepped closer, invading her personal space and leaving her no where to retreat. "It seems you've been putting ideas in her head that I don't appreciate."

A chill slithered down her spine, and she recognized the sensation as fear. Refusing to let any kind of weakness show or allow him to intimidate her in any way, she boldly met his gaze. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

The corners of his mouth curved into a smile that was more sinister than pleasant "She's got it in her head that she needs to leave me, and I'm thinking you put those thoughts there."

Finally, Gina was standing up for herself! Mia felt a rush of relief that Gina was at least trying to get away from Ray. Judging by her boyfriend's ominous expression, though, he wasn't happy about her attempts, and he wasn't about to make it easy on Gina, either.

"Gina's a big girl who can make up her own mind about you and your relationship," she said with a shrug. "And if she wants to break up with you, there's probably a reason for it."

His gaze narrowed on her, and her heart raced in her chest as he clenched his fists at his sides. "Well, I suggest you stay out of it, unless a slut like you would rather take her place. You're putting out for that guy you picked up at The Electric Blue, and I certainly don't mind sharing."

Slut. The familiar word reverberated in her head, a slur that had been scrawled across those pictures someone had sent her. Her mind spun, and she had struggled to keep her thoughts focused on her response to Ray.

"I'm sure Gina would mind sharing." You deranged freak.

His eyes slid down to the V of her blouse and then back up again, his gaze heating with a depraved kind of lust. "Gina wouldn't have to know."

Her stomach churned. "You're sick," she spat, though she was trembling deep inside.

Finished with the conversation, she tried to move around him but instead found herself trapped between the door and Ray. He braced his hands next to her shoulders, and though he wasn't physically touching her in any way, her skin still crawled. She mentally prepared herself to fight back if that's what it came down to-ready to drive her knee as hard as she could against his balls and slam the heel of her palm against the base of his nose.

"I suggest you back off right now," she said, hating the slight quiver in her voice. "Or I'm calling the police."

"And tell them what?" he sneered, looking ugly and mean. "Nobody has seen me here, I didn't touch you, and as far as I'm concerned, I was never here."

Her heart beat so frantically she feared it would burst from her chest. "Back off," she said angrily, her final warning before she hit him where it hurt the most and crippled him.

As if sensing she meant business, he shoved away from her and then pointed a finger at her. "Keep your nose out of Gina's business," he said and turned and walked away.

Quickly, Mia scooped up her keys, but her fingers were trembling so badly it took her a few tries to get the door unlocked. Once she managed the feat, she bolted into the apartment, secured herself inside, and slumped against the nearest wall.

She forced herself to breathe deeply, to try and calm the racing of her heart and the adrenaline that was making her entire body shake. As soon as she could walk steadily, she went to the phone in the living room and immediately called Cameron's cell number.

As soon as he answered the phone, she didn't waste any time in telling him what had happened. "Ray was just here," she said, her voice raw and raspy.

"With Gina?" he asked, and she heard the confusion in his tone.

She lowered herself to the sofa and swallowed to ease the dryness in her throat. "No. He was alone, and he caught me right outside the apartment by myself. He confronted me about telling Gina to leave him and threatened me to stay out of it." She left the more crude parts of their conversation to herself.

"I'm going to fucking kill the bastard," Cameron growled into the phone, his fury nearly tangible.

As much as she'd enjoy seeing Cameron beat the crap out of Ray, she knew they had to be more level-headed about the situation. "Look, I'm okay physically," she reassured him. "He never touched me, and he didn't hurt me in any way. And if you go after him, chances are he'll take it out on Gina, and I just don't want to take that chance, okay?"