He turned the engine off and faced me, a slight small on his face. “You ready?”
I wanted to scream no and then take off, running straight for the nearby woods, but that seemed like a bit of an overreaction. So I nodded and opened the door, stepping out into temps that were at least ten degrees cooler than what we’d been in. I reached for my bag, but Cam tugged it out along with his much smaller one.
“I can carry it.”
Cam grinned as glanced at the bag he’d slung over his shoulder. “I’ll carry it. Besides I think the pink and blue flower print looks amazing on me.”
In spite of my nerves, I laughed. “It’s very flattering on you.”
“Thought so.” He waited for me to join him on the other side and then we started up a slate pathway that led up to a covered patio at the back of the house. He stopped just outside the glass door, beside a wicker chaise lounge. “You look like you’re about to have a heart attack.”
I winced. “That bad?”
“Close.” He stepped closer to me and his hand moved so fast. Tucking my hair back behind my ear, he lowered his head slightly. A look crossed his face, deepening the hue of his eyes until they were the darkest shade of blue. My stomach fluttered in response. “You have no reason to be nervous, okay? I promise.”
My cheek tingled where his fingers grazed and as close as we were I thought about our kiss that wasn’t a kiss. He hadn’t done anything like that since the night of our first date, but right now, I think he wanted to. “Okay,” I whispered.
He stared at me a moment longer and then shook his head. Dropping his hand, he turned to the door and opened it. A wave of warm air that smell of apple and spice spilled out, an alluring, welcoming scent. I followed him inside, eyes wide as I took the room on the lower floor in.
It was a game room of sorts. A large pool table in the middle, a stocked bar to the right and in the back, near the stairs, was a large TV with several comfy looking chairs in front of it. My parents had something like this, but the pool table had never been used, Mom only drank from the bar when she thought no one was paying attention, and the TV in our basement had never been turned on.
But everything looked… lived in down here.
The balls weren’t racked up in the middle, but spread across the table like someone had stopped in the middle of a game. A bottle of scotch sat on the bar top, beside a glass and the chairs were worn, obviously older furniture that had been moved from downstairs. Unlike my parents who had to have new stuff in every room in the house.
“This is the man cave,” Cam said as he headed for the stairs. “Dad spends a lot of time down here. There’s the poker table he kicked my ass on.”
I looked over to the left and there was just an average card table sitting there. A small smile pulled at my lips. “I like it down here.”
“So do I,” he replied. “Mom and Dad are probably upstairs…”
Nodding, I pulled myself away from the center of the room and trailed behind him. We ended up in a living room, that like the basement, had a well lived in feel. A huge sectional couch took up most of the room, placed directly in front of another large TV. Magazines were scattered across the coffee table and potted plants instead of weird statues and paintings filled almost every corner.
“Living room,” Cam commented, going through an archway. “And this is the second living room or some room that no one sits in. Maybe it’s a sitting room? Who knows? And this is the formal dining room that we never use but have—”
“We do to use the dining room!” came a woman’s voice. “Maybe once or twice a year, when we have company.”
“And break the ‘good dishes’ out,” Cam commented dryly.
My legs stopped working at the sound of Cam’s mother’s voice. I hovered at the end of the table, heart in my throat as his mother came through the door.
Cam’s mom was as tall and striking as he was, with raven-colored hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. Her eyes were brown and free of make up. Tiny crows feet appeared at the corners as a wide smile broke out across her face as she spotted her son. She wore a pair of jeans and a baggy sweater.
She rushed across the room, enveloping him in a hug. “I don’t even know where the ‘good dishes’ are, Cameron.”
He laughed. “Wherever they are, they’re probably hiding from the paper plates.”
Laughing softly, she pulled back. “Good to have you home. Your father is starting to get on my nerves with all his going hunting talk.” Her gaze fell over his shoulders and she smiled welcomingly. “And this must be Avery?”
“Oh, God, no,” Cam said. “This is Candy, Mom.”
His mother’s eyes widened and a bit of color infused her cheeks. “Uh, I’m…”
“I’m Avery,” I said, shooting Cam a look. “You had it right.”
She spun around, smacking Cam across the arm. Hard, too. “Cameron! Oh my God, I thought…” She smacked him again and he laughed. “You’re terrible.” Shaking her head, she turned back to me. “You must be a patient young lady to have survived a trip here with this idiot.”
Thinking I hadn’t heard her right, I blinked and then a laugh burst from me as Cam scowled. “It wasn’t that bad.”
“Oh.” His mom glanced over her shoulder at Cam. “And she’s well mannered. It’s okay. I know my son is a… handful. By the way, you can call me Dani. Everyone does.”
Then she hugged me.
And it was a real hug—a warm, affectionate hug. I couldn’t even remember the last time my mom hugged me. Emotion crawled up my throat and I squelched it before I made a fool out of my myself.
“Thank you for letting me come up,” I said, happy that my voice didn’t crack.
“It’s no problem. We love having the company. Come on, let’s go meet the guy who thinks he’s my better half.” His mom dropped an arm around my shoulders and squeezed. “And dear God, I apologize ahead of time if he starts talking to you about how many eight point bucks he’s planning to hunt this weekend.”
As she led me toward the foyer, I glanced over to where Cam waited. Our gazes locked and that flipping motion occurred in my chest. A smile spread across his face, revealing the dimple in his left cheek.
Cam winked.
And my smile widened.
Chapter 18
Cam got those blue eyes from his father, his sense of humor… and ability to string together the most confusing rationale on this Earth, which was what probably made Richard Hamilton such a successful lawyer. Within a few short hours, he nearly had me agreeing to try deer jerky for the first time.
Almost.
If it weren’t for Cam continuously whispering “Bambi” in my ear every couple of minutes, I would’ve caved. But I couldn’t eat Bambi, no matter how succulent Mr. Hamilton made it sound.
We stayed in the spacious kitchen, at the scuffed oak table that was just the right size to seat four or five people, drinking the coffee Cam’s mother had made. My sides were actually aching from laughing so hard at Cam and his father. The two of them were identical. Wavy, uncontrollable hair, bright blue eyes that sparkled with pure mischief and the rare talent for turning every word around.
“Look, Dad, seriously, you’re embarrassing yourself here.”
His father glanced at me, brows raised in a fashion that was so like Cam. “Do I look embarrassed, Avery?”
Pressing my lips together, I shook my head.
Cam shot me a look that said I wasn’t helping. “You’re sitting here trying to convince me, mom, Avery, and baby Jesus, that Big Foot must exist because apes exist?”
“Yes!” the older Hamilton shouted. “It’s called evolution, son. Are they teaching you anything at college?”
Cam rolled his eyes. “No, Dad, they aren’t teaching me about Big Foot at college.”
“Actually,” I said, clearing my throat. “There is the whole missing link theory when it comes to primates.”
“I like this girl.” Mr. Hamilton winked at me.
“You?
??re not helping,” Cam grumbled.
“All I’m saying is once you’ve been out in the woods and heard the things I’ve heard,” his father continued. “You’d believe in Big Foot and the chupacabra.”
“Chupacabra?” Cam’s jaw hit the table. “Aw, come on, Dad.”
Mrs. Hamilton shook her head fondly. “These are my boys. I’m so proud.”
I grinned as I took a sip of the rich coffee. “They really are quite something else together.”
“Something else?” She huffed as she pushed from the table, grabbing her husband’s empty coffee cup. “That’s the nice way of saying their bat shit crazy.”
“Hey!” Mr. Hamilton’s head whipped around, eyes dancing. “You listen here, woman.”
“You can listen to my foot up your ass if you call me woman again.” Mrs. Hamilton refilled the cup and reached for the sugar. “And you can take that to court.”
Cam sighed and lowered his head.
I smothered my giggle with my hand.
His family was… wonderful. They were friendly and warm. Nothing like my own. I doubted my mom knew how to use the coffee maker or would lower herself to serving someone, even my dad.
Mrs. Hamilton put the cup down in front of her husband. “Aren’t you two going to the drive-in tonight?”
“Yep,” Cam said, standing. He picked up our bags. “We need to get going so we get a good spot.”
“Make sure you grab some thick blankets,” she said, sitting back down at the table. “It’s been getting really cold at night.”
I was kind of reluctant to leave his family, even if the conversation was pretty bizarre. I stood, thanking his mother for the coffee.
“No problem, honey.” Mrs. Hamilton turned to her son. “I have the yellow room ready for her, Cameron. Be a gentleman and show her where it is.”
A strange look crossed Cam’s face, but it was gone by the time we stepped out into the foyer. I followed Cam up the stairs. “I like your parents. They’re very nice.”
“They’re pretty cool.” He trailed his hand along the wooden banister. “Is your dad convinced that Big Foot exists?”
I laughed. “No.”
“How about the chupacabra?”
Laughing again, I shook my head. “Definitely no.”
He headed down the hall on the second floor. “My parents have a room upstairs and my sister has one at the start of the hall.” He stopped outside of a door and nudged it open with his hip. “This is the yellow room, because it’s yellow.”
The room was yellow, but a pretty buttercup shade and not school bus. Cam put my bag on the bed as I made my way over to the window overlooking a side garden below. I turned, catching a fresh scent of vanilla. “It’s really pretty. I hope your mom didn’t go through any trouble.”
“She didn’t.” He stretched his arms above his head, cracking his back. “You think you’ll be ready in about thirty minutes?”
I sat on the edge of the bed. “Yep.”
Cam backed toward the door, arms still raised. He tapped the top of the door’s frame. “Guess what?”
“What?”
A slight grin appeared. “My bedroom is right across the hall.”
My tummy tumbled. “Okay.”
The grin spread, turning wicked. “Just thought you’d be happy to hear that.”
“Thrilled,” I murmured.
He chuckled as he left the room, closing the door behind him. I sat there for a second and then threw myself onto my back. Cam was right across the hall, which was no different than at the apartment building, right? Wrong. Tonight and tomorrow night he’d be closer than he ever had before.
#
About an hour and half later, I stood beside his truck as he put two long pillows up against the back of the truck’s bed. He’d backed the car into the spot so we could sit out and have a lot more space. We weren’t the only ones daring the cold temps at night. Several big trucks were park alongside us, doing the same with pillows and blankets. One even had an air mattress.
Cam came over to the tailgate and offered his hands. “Ready?”
I placed my hands in his and he lifted me up. The sudden shift in weight caused him to stumble back a step and his hands dropped to my hips to steady himself. An immediate rush of heat pooled into my stomach as I looked up.
Cam’s thick lashes hid his eyes as his hands seemed to flex. His lips parted, and my body tensed with anticipation. Under the starry night, it seemed like the perfect atmosphere for a kiss. I could practically feel his lips against mine.
He dropped his hands and turned to the two bags near the stack of blankets and pillows. Disappointment rose as he knelt down. Why hadn’t he kissed me?
Hell, why hadn’t he kissed me since our date?
“Here,” he said, rising. “Brought you something to help keep you warm.”
He held one of his skull caps and as he raised his hands, I caught the scent of his shampoo. I stood still as he pulled it down over my head, taking the time to tuck my hair back behind my ears before he was done.
“Thank you,” I told him.
Cam smiled as he grabbed the other bag and moved back against the pillows. I carefully made my way over to him and sat beside him. He pulled out the bucket of fried chicken and drinks we’d picked up on the way.
The movie started to play—an old one that seemed to be some kind of yearly custom, because there were several shouts and cheers as the first scene rolled across the massive screen.
“Home Alone?” I asked, looking at Cam.
He snickered. “It’s like a Thanksgiving tradition around these parts.”
I grinned. “I haven’t seen this movie in forever.”
As Kevin McCallister appeared on screen, pouting and glaring at his family, we dug into the chicken, leaving behind a path of crumbled napkins in our wake. By the time Kevin’s mom yelled his name on the plane, my tummy was full and I was sure that Cam had eaten an entire chicken.
The blanket around my shoulders kept the bulk of the cold air away, but every so often, I shivered, especially when the wind picked up.
“Why don’t you come over here?” Cam said, and I turned to him, brows raised. “You look cold.”
I shifted closer, but that apparently wasn’t close enough. He tugged the blanket off me and then leaned back. Lifting me up, he placed me between his widespread legs.
My eyes practically popped out of my head.
Cam spread the blanket over me, tucking the edges around my neck. I sat with my spine straight for several moments, staring at the screen, but not really seeing it. Then his arms snaked under the blanket and around my waist. He tugged me back so I was fitted against his front.
Muscles tense, I forced myself to take several slow, deep breaths. Just as I had my breathing somewhat normal, his hands slid to my stomach.
“Is this warmer?” he asked, his breath stirring the hair around my ear.
Throat closed off, I nodded.
One hand moved up, settling under my breasts and the other shifted to rest under my belly button, over the band on my jeans. It felt like his hand was on fire. Immediately, my skin warmed in those areas.
“Good,” he murmured. “I promised you that I’d keep you warm.”
He was definitely keeping me warm. “You did.”
Under my breasts, his thumb began to move, tracing small, idle circles. Then, a few seconds later, the hand below started to move up and down, a slow continuous movement that caused my breath to start coming faster.
Each time his fingers moved over the flap covering the zipper, it tugged gently on my jeans, causing the seam of my pants to push against me. I had no idea if he knew that was happening. Knowing Cam, I’d have to go with a yes. In a matter of minutes, I was throbbing down there.
I let my head fall back against his chest and my eyes drifted shut. The acute sensation he was creating was mind blowing.
“Avery?”
“Hmm?”
There was a pause. “Are you paying a
ttention?”
“Uh-huh.” I shifted restlessly.
Cam chuckled, and I knew without a doubt that he was fully aware of what he was up to. “Good. I wouldn’t want you to miss any of this.”
I wasn’t missing a single second of this.
#
Another fitful night of sleep beckoned me. I tossed and turned for hours after we got back from the drive-in, my body going through the same thing it had the night after our date. It was close to two in the morning when I gave in, slipping my hand under the band of my bottoms. It kind of felt dirty to be doing this in someone else’s home, in their bed, with Cam just a door away. It didn’t take long for me to find release, and I wasn’t sure what that said about me.
I slept for a couple of hours before waking a little bit before six. There was no way I was going back to sleep, so I showered and changed before I worked up the nerve to leave my bedroom. I stood in front of Cam’s door, like a total creeper. I wondered what he’d do if I woke him? Climb into bed—
I stopped myself before I finished that train wreck of a thought. If I tried to actually do that, I’d probably end up hurting myself in the process of trying to be seductive or flirty.
Pushing away from his door, I headed downstairs, hoping I didn’t wake anyone. It seemed like every step creaked obnoxiously. As soon as I reached the foyer, I caught the scent of coffee and knew someone had to be up.
I hovered at the bottom of the stairs, hands twisting together as I debated between going back upstairs or making my presence known. I thought about all those times I’d woken in the middle of the night, usually from a nightmare, and would go downstairs, catching my mom sneaking drinks.
She had so not been a happy camper when that occurred.
I honestly shouldn’t be roaming around someone’s house. Seemed like that was breaking some guest rule. I started to turn to go back upstairs when Mrs. Hamilton stuck her head out of the kitchen.
Oh shit.
A warm smile appeared on her face. “I didn’t wake you, did I? I’m an early riser, even more so on Thanksgiving.” She waved a dishtowel. “Making stuffing.”
“You didn’t wake me.” I inched closer, sort of fascinated by the fact she was up this early making stuffing. “Do you need help?”