READY OR NOT (CAMREN)

NINETEEN

Lauren believes she'd done nothing wrong and was not sacrificing her favorite black trench with the soft pockets in the midst of a rainstorm because her entire perception of her young life had been shattered with one flick of a light switch at the wrong moment. Correction, the right moment, because that flick had illuminated more than just the room.

"Henry, my coat, if you don't mind."

"Of course, Ms. Jauregui." And then quieter, "Is everything all right? You look a little pale."

She shrugged, swallowing the truth and feeling heavier for it. "I'm fine, Henry, but thank you." But she didn't feel fine. Her face felt hot, her mind raced, and she wondered absently about what else in her life was a sham. The world felt wildly unsteady, and she placed a hand against the wall.

"Laur, are you okay?" Camila asked, moving toward her. She nodded and presented her game-face smile, the one she used for killer client presentations. She could present remarkable calm when called upon.

"Just waiting on my coat and we'll be on our way."

"Ninja skills failed?"

"Something like that," she said with a serenity she did not feel.

"Hey, I think we're about to face some rain," Camila said, glancing out the picture window on the back wall. Angry raindrops pelted the glass, and an ominous clap of thunder shook the room, causing guests to murmur. It was so ridiculously appropriate to the way she felt right now that Lauren almost laughed.

But she was contending with another sound, the ticking clock in the back of her head, as it was only a matter of time before her father resurfaced and either A, played debonair party host and pretended none of it ever happened or B, wanted to talk to her about what she'd just witnessed. Oh, and wouldn't you know it, there he was. Her coat hadn't been fast enough. Seriously, where was Henry? Her gaze moved to her father as he closed the door to the study, a bright smile on his face as he shook hands with the first guest he came to. Option A it was! How exciting! She felt a little sick.

"Here you are, Miss Jauregui," Henry said from behind her. If she ripped the coat from his hands and tossed a "thank you, Henry" over her shoulder as she pulled Camila toward the elevator, it was only because urgency trumped manners in that particular moment. She would try and make it up to him later. He really was a good-hearted guy, if not the fastest with coat turn-around.

"You were anxious to get out of there," Camila said on the elevator as she studied her curiously.

Lauren nodded, not really ready with words to explain away her actions, as the image of her father and his mistress played back in her head like some god-awful movie stuck on repeat. Camila seemed to accept this confirmation, and they rode the rest of the way in silence.

But the brunette stayed close to her, passing her little check-in glances that made her feel safe, looked after, on a night when she felt things falling from her control. She filed that fact away for examination later. But they were nice, the check-ins. "You still up for that burger?" Lauren asked as they exited the elevator. She needed a distraction in a big way.

"If you're coming with me, I'm up for anything."

Lauren blinked against the words. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

Camila smiled at what probably seemed like a weird question, but Lauren really needed to know. What did Camila see when she looked at Lauren ? What was the draw? They had a physical attraction, sure. And maybe that was enough for Camila, but it would be nice to know.

"Because I happen to like you."

"I like you too."

When they reached the exit of the building, they were greeted with not just rain, but big wet drops that bounced into predominant puddles along the sidewalk. This was major rain, and for whatever reason, her parents' doorman was MIA. Camila turned to her. "Stay here and be likable, and I'll get us a cab."

"Camz! Wait!"

"What is it?" Camila asked, turning back, just before stepping out into it all.

"You cannot stand out there on the sidewalk in your beautiful dress. We can wait it out. See if it lets up."

"You don't know who you're dealing with here. Who said anything about standing? I'll have a cab in 2.3 seconds. It's kind of a gift." And without another word, she was out the door before Lauren could protest further. And Camila did hail a cab rather quickly, but it took only a few seconds before the storm soaked her through and through.

Lauren, with heels in hand, then made the mad dash to the open door of the waiting cab and found herself laughing by the time she got inside. How was that possible? After what had transpired that evening? But she knew the answer. Something about Camila whisked her away from the world. Perhaps, it was how different she was from most of her friends and family. Whatever the case, she was a valuable escape on a night like this one, and that was so what she needed right now. To forget what she'd just seen and to push the real world far, far away before it crushed her. Lauren was known for her strength, but she was feeling anything but strong.

She turned her face against the backseat of the cab and studied Camila. Concentrate on her, she told herself. Don't think about the rest. Camila pulled her hair out of the knot at the base of her neck, and Lauren watched the release as it fell freely around her shoulders, wet from the storm. Sensual, that was the word for it. The skin across Camila's chest glistened with droplets, and the black dress clung to her in a whole new way.

"So what happened to 2.3 seconds?" Lauren asked, gesturing with her head to Camila's condition.

"Flag on the play. We had storm interference."

"I don't think you can flag a conversation," Lauren said, and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, you can," Camila said in confidence. "Just did, in fact."

"You're kinda cheeky."

"Cheeky? You sound like Mary Poppins. A very attractive Mary Poppins though, so bonus."

"No one has ever made that comparison before," she mused.

"Well, have you ever called them cheeky? Try it. See what you get." The smile dimmed on Camila's face. "So are you going to tell me what happened back there? I already know something did, so don't try to downplay it."

Discussion was not part of the plan. "If it's okay with you, I'd rather not. Let's talk about something else."

"Like?"

"How your failure at cab hailing has yielded...other rewards." She let her gaze travel from Camila's eyes to her lips, down the line of her slender neck, to the dip in her dress. Lauren's body tightened uncomfortably as a consequence, and she adjusted in her seat out of necessity. Then and there, Lauren made an executive decision and met Camila's eyes.

"I can do without the cheeseburger if you can." Yep, this was exactly the kind of distraction she needed. She watched as understanding crossed Camila's face and her lips parted subtly. It was all Lauren needed. She leaned forward to the cab driver and changed their course.

Her place, it was.

She was in control of her own destiny and it felt good.

AN: Okay my bad