I’d been having dreams about that bed for the better part of a year.
“Gonna let me in?” I asked, taking a step forward.
“Nope.”
“Wasn’t really a question, Sweetbea.”
“Don’t call me that.”
I ignored her scowl and kept moving forward until she had no choice but to step out of my way or be pressed up against my chest.
“Is this really necessary?” she asked, shutting the door as I walked farther into her living room.
“Yeah.”
“I don’t want you here.”
“That’s pretty clear,” I replied, walking down her hallway. I knew she had an extra bedroom that she kept for when her brother spent the night, and I found it easily. I remembered which door held her bedroom—it wasn’t something I’d ever forget, but I figured I’d get a lot less fight out of her if I didn’t put my shit in her room.
“If there’s an issue, why aren’t we on lockdown?” she asked, trailing behind me. “I mean, that I could understand. I don’t know why you have to—oomph.” She rocked back as I tossed my bag on the bed and turned into her. My hands came up to grasp her hips to keep her steady, but within seconds, she was taking a huge step back.
“Jumpy?” I asked, a small smile pulling at my lips.
“No.”
“Alright.” I nodded and stepped around her. “What’s for dinner?”
She sputtered and stomped after me as I made my way to the fridge. Even though I’d barely ever been to her house, when I opened the door, I found a six pack of my favorite beer in her fridge. Interesting.
“These old?” I asked, lifting one up before setting the neck against the edge of her countertop.
“Don’t!” she yelled, startling me. “Those counters are new, you idiot.”
I watched her silently as she searched for a bottle opener, finally finding it in the bottom of one of her kitchen drawers. She obviously hadn’t used it in a long time.
“No, they’re not old,” she mumbled, reaching to grab the beer out of my hand and opening it with a flick of her wrist before handing it back. I took a long pull as she tossed the top into the garbage.
“You get ’em for me?” I persisted as she pulled a package of raw pork out of the fridge.
“Obviously.”
“Thank you.”
“Don’t mention it.”
I took a seat at her kitchen table as she moved around the kitchen, cutting vegetables and stir-frying them with pork in a big wok while she grumbled.
“You live with Rose, so you’ll have to cut me some slack,” she told me over her shoulder. “Her food is insane.”
“Christ, I can’t eat there much or I’d be as fat as I was in high school.”
“You weren’t fat!” she argued, spinning around to glare at me.
“Oh, yeah, I was.” I chuckled. I’d been so glad when I’d been able to burn off the extra weight once I got a little older.
“No, you were the perfect size.”
“Perfect, huh?”
“Shut up. You know what I mean.”
She spun back around just in time to keep the food from burning and put another pot on the stove so she could steam some rice.
We were quiet as she brought me a second beer and finished cooking, and a little while later, she was setting a plate full of steaming food in front of me.
“So, how’s this going to work?” she asked as she poured herself a glass of water and sat down across from me. “You’re staying here? For how long?”
“Holy shit, that’s hot!” I moaned, covering my mouth so I could open it to cool off the pork burning my tongue.
“No shit, Sherlock. I just took it off the stove,” she replied, rolling her eyes.
I scowled back, finally swallowing the food in my mouth. Damn, even hot enough to burn, it was some good shit. “You’re not going to fight me?” I asked, scooping some more food onto my fork.
“I know how this works,” she said ruefully. “I stay with my parents or you stay here. You’re the lesser of two evils.”
“Those the options your pop gave you?”
“Yep.”
I nodded. Good man. “What’s your schedule like?”
“I have classes Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Tuesdays I visit my mom, Thursdays I usually try to study most of the day. Weekends are free.”
“You workin’? Got a boyfriend?”
“Not working at the moment. I’ll start waitressing again for the catering company once summer break starts. The boyfriend status is none of your business.” She stood from the table and grabbed both our plates, taking them to the sink.
“My business if I need to invest in some earplugs,” I said, following her to the sink and stepping in behind her.
“What?” she asked, spinning to face me. “Why would you—” Her understanding dawned and her jaw dropped.
“Not gonna listen to you fuckin’ someone else.”
“You’re disgusting!”
“Just sayin’.”
“I wouldn’t have sex with someone if you were here.”
“Well, you’re not stayin’ anywhere else while we’ve got this shit goin’ on.”
“I don’t even have a fucking boyfriend!”
A smile spread across my face as I watched her get more and more riled up. “Good,” I said softly, reaching up to touch her cheek, then letting my hand fall as she dodged under my arm and walked toward the living room.
“This how it’s gonna be the whole time I’m here?” I asked reasonably as I dropped down on the couch with her a couple minutes later. “You jumpin’ around like a rabbit every time I try to touch you?”
“Stop trying to touch me,” she said flatly, turning some home improvement show on the TV.
“You know that ain’t gonna happen.”
“What is your deal tonight?”
“No deal.”
“Just because you’re staying at my apartment doesn’t mean you get some sort of perks,” she huffed, refusing to look at me. “If anyone gets benefits, it should be me. I’m the one paying the fucking rent for you to live here.”
I waited for her to realize what she’d just said, but she didn’t.
“Take all the perks you want, Sweetbea,” I told her with a slow smile.
She stood abruptly and glared at me, tossing the remote at my head with a small squeak of frustration before stomping off to her room.
I couldn’t help but laugh as I heard her bedroom door slam.
As if a flimsy door would stop me.
Chapter 2
Trix
“Wake up, Sweetbea,” Cam called softly, making me groan. “I’ll take ya to your parents.”
“You go,” I mumbled, pushing my face into my pillow. “I’ll drive in later.”
God, it was early. Why the hell was he awake already? It had been almost a week since Cam moved in, and living together had been surprisingly painless until he decided to wake me up at the butt crack of dawn.
He wasn’t messy. When I was studying or reading, he pulled out his laptop and plugged in his earbuds, checking the news and watching TV shows without bothering me. He even showered at night, so I had the bathroom to myself in the morning.
If it wasn’t for the fact that he insisted on touching me constantly, little brushes of his hands and body, he’d be the perfect roommate.
“Come on,” he said softly as I felt him sit down next to my hip, his hand brushing down my bare arm. “Want you on the back of my bike.”
“Sleep time, no bike.”
“You got twenty minutes to get ready, or I’m takin’ ya the way you are.”
“Can’t. No pants.” I pulled my arm away from him and flung it over my face.
He inhaled sharply, and before I could stop him, he ripped my comforter down to my knees.
“Cold!” I gasped, pulling my knees to my chest. “Give the blankets back, ass!”
“Jesus,” he mumbled, his gravelly voice jolting me co
mpletely awake.
I turned my head to look at him just as he pulled his t-shirt over his head.
“What are you doing?” I asked in alarm as he dropped his jeans to the floor. “Get the fuck out of here.”
“Warmin’ you up,” he replied, crawling in behind me as he pulled the comforter up around us.
He wrapped a muscular arm around my waist and jerked me into the curve of his body as his lips met my neck. “Nice and cozy.”
“You’re out of your damn mind,” I said, completely motionless. “What the hell?”
“Been waitin’ on you to come to me—that ain’t happenin.’ Looks like I gotta go to you.”
His hand that had been wrapped securely around my waist pulled up slowly, running up my belly and then back down over my bare thigh until he’d reached my knee, jerking it up so he could press one of his legs forward into the gap.
“This is a bad idea,” I warned, my body softening.
“Best idea I’ve ever had.”
“No, really. My pop will kill you.”
“Already talked to your dad, Sweetbea. He won’t say shit.”
“What? You what?”
“You wax your legs? So fuckin’ soft, damn.”
“Cameron!” I hissed, slamming my elbow into his gut. “You talked to my pop?”
“Jesus, watch the elbows. Yeah, I talked to him. Laid it all out. It’s all good,” he replied against my shoulder, before opening his mouth wide and running it up my neck.
Shit, that felt good.
“Laid what out?” I asked stubbornly, ignoring the way my heart raced.
“Us.”
“There is no us.”
“Oh, really?” He gripped my hip and rocked against me softly. “You sure?”
“Just because you crawled into my bed uninvited doesn’t mean there’s—” My words cut off as his hand slid forward, pressing beneath my belly button as he rocked harder against me.
“Tell me no,” he whispered into my ear as he slid the arm he’d been braced on under my head. His hand moved slowly, tracing my collarbone before sliding down to cup one of my breasts. “You want me to stop?”
I made some weird noise in the back of my throat, but words seemed to be beyond me. How many years had I fantasized about Cam’s hands on me? I couldn’t even remember. I’d wanted him for so long that it seemed to be soldered into my personality. Sarcastic, smart, a little weird, outgoing, fun, wants Cameron.
My mind went blank and I closed my eyes. I didn’t think about what the aftermath would entail, or that I hadn’t even brushed my teeth. Shit, I didn’t even think about the fact that I didn’t keep condoms in my room.
All I could think about was Cam’s large body behind mine and his massive hands on my torso.
“No,” I gasped as his hand slid off my breast.
“No?”
“Keep going.” I grabbed his hand and pressed it back against my breast as he chuckled against my neck.
“I can do that,” he whispered into my ear. “I’ll make it even better.”
I was nodding my head before he’d even finished speaking. Damn, I knew I was going to regret it, but I was far more worried that I’d never have the chance again than any regrets I’d have afterward.
We were adults. I’d deal.
“You wet?” he asked, sliding his fingers into the front of my underwear as I shook my head. “I better do somethin’ about that.”
My entire body jolted as his fingertips met my pussy, barely skimming over the skin as I tried to widen my legs.
“Stay still,” he warned, tightening the hand on my breast. “I’ll do the work this time, yeah? You just—goddamn, you’re sexy—you just lay right here.”
“This is stupid,” I argued hoarsely, reaching behind me so I could grip his hip. “I won’t come like—”
“You won’t come at all unless you stop movin’,” he warned, pinching my nipple before moving his hand to my other breast. “I know what I’m doin’,” he whispered into my ear as his fingers between my legs pressed harder against me.
“I love this,” he said, running his fingers over the short hair. “Trimmed short, so when I go down on you, it’ll be out of my way.”
“You’re welcome,” I panted, trying really hard not to work my hips against him.
He laughed. “I can’t wait to see what you look like. Bet you’re dark—” His fingers spread my outer lips apart, then slid down between them. “Yeah, you’re dark here, to go along with all that gorgeous tan skin.”
My back arched, and his fingers clamped down against my nipple.
“Look how wet you are now,” he teased, kissing my neck. “Soakin.’ I bet if I pressed—”
“Shit!” My entire body jolted as the heel of his hand pressed down on my clit and two fingers slid inside me.
His palm ran in small circles as he slowly pumped his fingers in and out, and I was so close to the edge, I could have cried.
I took care of business myself on a pretty regular basis, but this impending orgasm was way bigger than anything I could have accomplished on my own. Holy shit.
I turned my face toward his, my dazed eyes meeting his warm ones as he smiled. “I bet your little clit turns bright red when I suck on it,” he said seriously.
That was it.
My orgasm hit hard, and my entire body locked as Cam murmured praise to me, his hand still moving against me as I rode it out.
By the time my body had calmed again, I was turned and pulled halfway on top of Cam’s wide chest.
“Let’s go back to sleep,” I said, sighing.
“Glad you’re all worn out,” he replied dryly, kissing the top of my head. “But we need to hit the road.”
“You want a blow job?”
“Are you offering me head so you don’t have to get out of bed?”
“You’re a poet, and… yes.”
“Yeah, I’m sure that would be fun. Much as I’d like your lips wrapped around me, you’d probably fall asleep on my dick.”
“Would not, and if I did, that’d probably say more about you than me, anyway.”
“Come on, babe,” he said with a laugh, slapping my ass. “Up.”
He pulled me from the bed and slapped my ass again to get me moving.
“You owe me!” he called as I stumbled into the bathroom.
“Yeah, a hand job—maybe,” I called back, swinging the door shut behind me.
I focused on showering and brushing my teeth, refusing to think about the can of worms I’d allowed to be opened. I’d think about it later.
* * *
“You woke me up early to go to my parents’?” I asked incredulously, climbing off the back of Cam’s bike.
“Gotta work, I’ll pick ya up when I’m done,” he replied, making no move to follow me.
“Are you kidding? I’ll be stranded here all day without my car.”
“You’ll be fine. No use drivin’ when I can drop you off.”
“Maybe I had shit to do today!”
“Ya said Tuesday was your day with your ma, right?”
“Not all day!” I argued, getting annoyed. A part of me had hoped that we were just going for a ride, that he’d been planning to spend the day with me. I was irritatingly disappointed that he was just dropping me off.
“I’ll come get you for lunch, then,” he said calmly.
“I don’t want to have lunch with you,” I snapped back as I finally ripped my helmet off my head.
“Yeah, ya do.”
“I really don’t.”
“Bullshit.”
“Ugh! Go away.” I spun to walk away when his words stopped me.
“Come kiss me goodbye.”
“Not happening,” I said flatly, moving toward the front of my parents’ little house.
He was off his bike and stalking toward me before I’d reached the front porch.
“Quit,” I ordered, pointing at his face. “I’m not kissing you.”
“Come here,” he replie
d calmly, moving closer.
“No! Knock it off.” I threw my hands out in front of me as I backed toward the house, starting to laugh nervously. “Go to work.”
His mouth curved up into a small grin as he watched me scrambling away, then his hand shot out and grabbed one of my wrists, jerking me toward him.
“Kiss me goodbye,” he demanded again, his smile never wavering as he wrapped the other arm tight around my back.
“I’m not kissing you!” I stated stubbornly. At that point, I actually did want to kiss the asshole… but it was the principle of the thing. I wasn’t backing down, dammit.
“I need to warm you up first?” he asked, his hand sliding down to grip my ass.
Oh, shit.
“Stop it!” I hissed, glancing over my shoulder toward my house. “My pop’s still home.”
“And?”
“Quit it,” I ground out between my teeth.
“Kiss me goodbye,” he repeated with a squeeze of my ass.
“Fine!” I went up on my toes, but I wasn’t anywhere near his lips until he bent down to meet me halfway. “You’re so annoying,” I mumbled against his lips.
“You love me.”
I jerked back at his words, the sentiment hitting too close to the past I’d put behind me, but he didn’t allow me to go far before his mouth was covering my lips and forcing me to open.
He pulled my arm over his shoulder as he sucked at my bottom lip, then gripped my ass hard as he jerked me up his chest so I could wrap my legs around him.
It was the first time we’d kissed in years, and it was more than I’d remembered. Kissing Cam was like falling into cool water on a hot day. Shocking at first, then it felt so good I didn’t want to come up for air.
One of my arms was wrapped around his neck and the other was cupping the side of his head when I heard my mom laughing behind me.