Chapter 3
THREE
Lymric
Okay, so the hot guy who rescued me is crazy.
Good to know.
The guy is crazy, but what’s crazier, is that I could feel a spark between us when I first saw him.
It’s not true love! It’s just infatuation, I remind myself.
I mean, the guy is gorgeous. Super hot. So hot that I have no idea why he seems obsessed with me. I’m a plus-size woman who probably looks like a mess right now. I’m sweating, my hair is a mess, and I’m wearing my oldest leggings and t-shirt.
Meanwhile, Camden looks like he just stepped off the cover of a magazine. He’s all rugged and strong and perfect.
“Coming on a little strong,” I point out to him, and he shrugs.
Most guys would be trying to play it cool, but not Camden. There’s something kind of hot in the way that he’s just going after what he wants. In this case, me.
Maybe this isn’t so bad. Maybe this could even be a good idea, I think. I mean, I’m attracted to him and he’s clearly into me. This could be a vacation fling.
Deep down, I wish that I had what Lilou and Milo have. I may not find it with this guy, but if I want it, then I need to start looking for it. Camden could be good practice for that.
Or he could be the guy who murders me! My subconscious screams at me. We’re not hooking up with a random guy that we met hiking who claims that I’m meant to be his. No matter how hot he is.
We walk down to the base of the trail in comfortable silence, with Gunner running circles around us.
“Thanks,” I say once we reach the trail that I came up on.
Lilou had dropped off her car for me to use early this morning. I had tried to tell her that I would be fine without one, but she didn’t want to leave me stranded.
I start to make my way towards the car when Camden tugs me back.
“Where are you going?” He asks gruffly and I frown, hooking my thumb over my shoulder to the car.
“I need to get back to Milo’s place.”
“Who the fuck is Milo?” He growls, and I bite back a laugh.
He’s so jealous. He actually looks pissed that another man’s name ever left my lips.
“Wouldn’t you like to know,” I sass him and I can see him grinding his teeth at my answer.
Gunner runs up to us and I jerk my hand free of Camden’s and bend down to pet him.
“It was nice to meet you,” I coo at him, and he licks my cheek.
“Gunner,” Camden says in warning when the dog tries to jump up and lick my face again.
He bends over to grab Gunner’s collar, and I hurry over to Lilou’s car and climb behind the wheel.
Or I try to anyway.
I make it halfway into the car before an arm wraps around my waist and hauls me back. Camden takes a seat in the car and places me in his lap.
“Why do you drive such a little car?” He complains, and I choke back a giggle as I watch him try to maneuver his big body behind the wheel.
He has to push the seat all of the way back and he’s still smooshed.
“It’s not my car.”
“Whose is it?” He asks.
“A friend’s.”
“ Milo’s?” He sneers, and I roll my eyes.
“You could get out and go to your own car,” I point out, and he shakes his head.
“No. Who is Milo?” He asks, and I close my mouth.
There’s no way that I’m telling him that Milo is my best friend’s fiancé. I’m having too much fun watching him get all jealous and worked up.
He curses under his breath as his hand reaches up and cups my cheek. He turns my head to face him and studies my face.
“Where are you from?” He asks. “I would have seen you around town before now if you were from here.”
“Maybe you just weren’t paying attention,” I retort.
“Baby, I would have noticed you.”
My mouth opens, but I don’t have a response to that.
“Where are you from?” He asks again.
“I’ve been all over,” I answer vaguely.
“Where are you staying?”
I chew on my bottom lip, debating if I should tell him or not.
“I’ll tell you. If you get out of my car.”
“Fine,” he agrees, and I raise an eyebrow at him.
“Tell me first,” he says, and I shake my head.
“No way. Get out. Then I’ll tell you.”
He glares at me for a moment before he exhales and unfolds himself from the car. I slide back behind the wheel and close the door, then reach down and move the seat back closer to the steering wheel.
He knocks on the window, and I start the car and roll it down a crack.
“Address, baby.”
“I’m staying,” I start as I shift into drive. “At Milo’s house.”
Then I smile at him and peel out of the parking lot.