Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
cameron
IDRUMMED MY FINGERS on the steering wheel, watching as Natalie crossed the hospital parking lot.
I hadn’t seen her since she was in the office for her deposition, and I hadn’t talked to her since our phone call later that night—the one where she’d touched herself for me, and then I cut her off just before I got to hear the muffled cries of her climax.
Admittedly, part of me wished I hadn’t done that. I was so incredibly greedy for those sounds, but I knew the wait would be worth it for both of us, would make it that much sweeter. And the way she fucking listened to me? A woman like Natalie London? God.
A bubble of euphoria sat in my chest, pressing against my sternum, threatening to burst.
I knew I should have some level of doubt or anxiety, maybe second-guess that I was doing the right thing here, but I couldn’t get myself to think about anything but Natalie.
About how lucky I was that a woman as amazing as her was willing to trust me with this, was letting me in when I probably didn’t deserve it.
I didn’t deserve to touch her, but at this point, I had no idea how to say no when she was saying yes.
Any kind of doubt was so far in the back of my mind—mostly because Natalie London was right in front of me. And how could I think of anything else when she was there, giving me the sunniest smile as she walked toward me.
Only she could exude so much brightness after a twelve-hour shift. She must be tired; I could see it in the slight slump of her shoulders and the bit of puffiness beneath her eyes. But she was still so undeniably beautiful, and only eagerness shone in her expression, mimicking exactly how I felt.
I still wore my work clothes after spending all night at the office, but I was so fucking excited to see her. To take care of her, in every way that mattered. She might even let me hold her tonight.
“You didn’t have to pick me up,” she said as soon as she got into the car, unsurprisingly.
“The alternatives were either you getting behind the wheel after a long shift or walking around in the middle of the night.” I watched her buckle her seat belt before throwing the car in reverse. “I didn’t love either option.”
I tried to focus my attention on the road and not on how close I was to Natalie after not being able to think about anything but her for the last three days.
My hands itched to reach across the center console and close the distance, but I had plans for tonight that involved going slow.
It was what Natalie needed and deserved, which meant my job was at least to get us home before I touched her.
Monday was evidence of our chemistry and how quickly it could spiral out of control.
“It’s hardly the middle of the night,” Natalie argued, and I shot her a look.
Our eyes connected. Only for the briefest moment, but it was effective enough, sending an inferno hurtling through me.
Awareness glittered in her green gaze—of us, of what this was, of what we’d said to each other a few nights ago.
She tugged her bottom lip into her mouth, chewing on it as she observed me back, and I swallowed a moan as I focused on the road again.
“Your place or mine?” I asked. “Where would you be more comfortable?”
“I wouldn’t mind seeing your place,” she answered, almost shyly. I bit down on a smile as I took off in the direction of home.
It didn’t take long; SCMC hospital wasn’t far from Natalie’s house, and I only lived a little bit further. When Natalie realized just how little of a bit, she burst out a laugh.
“Oh, we do live close,” she muttered as I pulled into the parking garage of my apartment building.
“We do,” I agreed, glancing over at her. “Convenient, isn’t it?”
“I suppose it will be,” she said, looking back at me, her tone softer, more sensual. Seductive.
My cock was already swelling in my pants.
I willed myself to keep it together. To at least get up to my apartment before losing it.
We stepped out of the car after parking, and I held my hand out to her. “Can I help with your bags?”
“I got it,” Natalie insisted, and I let it go. But when the strap of her bulging work tote slipped from her shoulder for the fifth time on our way up to the eighth floor, I swooped it off and carried it the rest of the way.
“Thanks.” Her voice came out breathless, and her cheeks flushed red, but it was hard to tell exactly why. She didn’t appear nervous, but maybe a little jittery, like she didn’t quite know what to do with her body.
I’d fix that for her soon.
Tell her exactly what to fucking do.
“Can’t have you wearing yourself out too soon,” I muttered as I led her down my hallway.
A brilliant blush spread over Natalie’s entire face. “I might be a lost cause in that department, unfortunately. It was a long shift.”
I stopped at my door, swiping my key over the lock and pushing it open. “We’ll have to see what we can do to remedy that.”
Natalie followed me into my apartment, and I noted the way her eyes swept over the interior, from my perfectly stacked shoes to the vintage stadium posters framed on the wall.
“See, I knew you liked things tidy,” she said with a click of her tongue.
“Sue me for wanting to clean up in case I brought home a hot single mom tonight,” I said with a grin, wanting to make her feel at ease.
I liked my apartment, but it was mostly utilitarian. I had a few touches that made it my own, but Natalie’s house felt like a home, and she should be proud of what she had done with it since separating from her ex and moving out on her own with Chloe.
“Stop.” Natalie stared down at her feet as she kicked her shoes off, meaning I couldn’t see the flick of her eyes as she rolled them. But I didn’t need to; I knew her well enough by now to read her tone.
“Stop what?” I pressed, stepping close enough to her that when she looked up from her shoes, she had to crane her neck to meet my gaze. Natalie rocked back, her shoulders meeting the wall in my entryway as I crowded her against it.
She didn’t seem to mind, though; her gaze slithered over me with longing in it, as though she’d been waiting for this closeness, to once again experience how fucking hot just the simple proximity between us could be.
“Stop wanting to impress you? Or stop reminding you how unbelievably attracted I am to you?”
So unbelievably attracted that it was taking everything in me not to immediately haul her off to the bedroom.
I watched the slow shake of her head, unable to take my eyes off her.
“You don’t have to do anything to impress me, Cameron.
And you don’t have to compliment me, either.
” Her voice had lowered, and every word she spoke sent me into a spiral of want.
How the hell she did that, I had no idea.
“I’m already here, and I’m not going anywhere. ”
Thank God for that.
“Oh, I know.” I pressed a hand to the wall behind her, leaning in.
Fuck, she smelled good. She always smelled so fucking good.
But I could tell she had just showered, that crisp, clean scent warping with her vanilla perfume.
It surrounded me, disarmed me. “I’m not the least bit worried that you’re going anywhere tonight, and if you think that’s why I compliment you or want to impress you, then you’re sorely mistaken. ”
She blinked up at me, like she didn’t understand.
“Is it so hard to believe that I just want to make you happy, Natalie?” I bent my head, letting the tip of my nose drag through her damp hair until I found her ear and my lips grazed the curve of it. “I’m going to make you so happy tonight.”
I heard the hitch of her breath and couldn’t keep my lips from curving in satisfaction.
“I’m already happy,” she whispered, and I could feel the bubble in my chest expanding, building pressure inside me. “I’m happy to be between you and a wall again. It’s quickly becoming one of my favorite things.”
“How coincidental,” I murmured, using my teeth to tug on her earlobe and then enjoying the way Natalie sucked in with delight. “You’re quickly becoming one of my favorite things.”
I dropped my mouth to her neck, sucking on that spot, the one I’d been dreaming about, the sensitive hollow above her collarbone that I’d visited before.
She tasted just as goddamn good as I remembered.
Better, actually. This time, she tasted a hell of a lot more like mine.
Even if it was just for five nights, even if she wasn’t ready for anything more than that, I was going to make sure she knew she was mine each and every time we were together.
Natalie tipped her head back with a groan, letting me take what I wanted, becoming mine as she wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me closer.
Happily taking that hint, I stepped in, crowding my body against hers. Natalie gasped at the collision and then fisted the fabric at the base of my neck, like she needed to hold on to something as I tasted her.
And God, did I taste her. My tongue flicked at her skin as I inhaled her scent, so incredibly intoxicated by it.
My teeth scraped, nipping ever so slightly, and the part of me that knew I was giving too much attention in one spot, that I might leave a mark, didn’t care.
Actually, the thought made my head spin and my cock stiffen in a way I simply wasn’t used to.
I’d never been possessive of anyone before, not in the way I knew I was becoming of Natalie.
And I hadn’t even kissed her yet.
I needed to. Oh my God, I needed to.