Scrambled Eggs
SCRAMBLED EGGS
RACHEL
Since Scottsdale’s summer traffic wasn’t too bad, we made it to El Chorro a few minutes early. Once Cam got out of the Jeep, the cougars filtering into the party didn’t waste time craning their necks to get a look at Hot Baker.
“Guess we should start holding hands now,” Cam said.
“Probably a good idea.”
He locked the car and then wove his fingers into mine. That was the interesting thing about being close to Cam, sometimes his touches sent an electrical current through my body that left me giddy and almost faint. Then, there were other moments where I felt such a powerful sense of comfort and calm. If I had been attending this party alone, I would have been working on my exit strategy the moment I walked in. With Cam by my side, I had been happy to stay.
Tito’s and tonics in hand we chatted with Beverly and her husband before eventually finding a table with two empty seats. The other couples who had already taken their seats smiled at us.
Cam leaned over and kissed me on the lips after we sat down. My heart should have felt light and happy at how easily we fell into being a couple. He made it seem like it was no big deal to say all the right couple things, but deep down, I knew that had to be an act too. He didn’t want this—a proper relationship and all the trappings that came with it.
“You two are so cute,” the woman to my left mentioned. “Are there wedding bells in your future?”
Double sigh.
When you’re single, it’s: “When are you going to meet someone?”
When you’re in a relationship it’s: “When are you getting married?”
When you’re married it’s: “When are you going to have kids?”
Why can’t we let people be? Why do we always have to look ahead to the next milestone?
“We just started dating,” I said, leaning my head on Cam’s shoulder.
“Oh, really?” the woman said. “You two seem like you’ve been together forever.”
Cam smiled. “It does feel like that sometimes.”
The party wound down, and we said our goodbyes, walking back to the car with our hands still clasped together, even though no one was watching.
When he belted himself in and started the Jeep, I asked Cam where he stood on going to Roman’s wedding.
He paused. “I think … I’m going to go. Only if … you’ll be my plus one.”
I reached out and rubbed his arm. “Of course. I’d be happy to. What made you decide to go?”
“My mother, the chance to show my father that we’re still here and we’re happy. And …” his breath hitched, “… you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, what you said the other night convinced me, but mostly I want to help you successfully launch Operation Midnight Falcon.”
“ Soaring Midnight Falcon.”
“Oh, excuse me,” he said, bringing his hand to his chest.
“Keep it straight, sheesh.”
We chatted about happier things on the ride home and my heart sank the closer we got to my house. I filled the rest of the ride home with the story of Laura’s, Emily’s, and my trip to Cancun a couple of years ago. After partying on the beach all day, I had passed out early. Emily and Laura continued the party in the resort bar, and when they returned to the room at 2 a.m., they were shocked to find an intruder in our room.
The biggest cockroach they had ever seen.
Lots of screaming, jumping on the bed, and trying to club it with their shoes ensued while I slept through the entire thing. I was blissfully unaware of the horror show that played out in the same room.
Cam was laughing hard when he pulled into my driveway as I finished telling him of our night, which ended in my friends finally killing the insect and then sleeping with the lights on.
“You’re a solid sleeper, that’s for sure,” Cam said, leaning over the armrest. “But, wow.”
“I’ve always been that way.”
“You have the cutest little snore.”
I jabbed him playfully in the shoulder. “I do not!”
“It’s my new favorite thing about you. I recorded it and now it’s my ringtone.”
“Jerk!” I said, laughing. I leaned over the armrest, taking in his citrus and sandalwood scent. “Thank you for a wonderful night. As usual, I had a great time.”
“Me too,” he said through his smile.
“We made a great couple,” I said.
He nodded slowly. “I agree.”
Cam was most handsome when he was smiling, something he did more and more when we were together. Maybe it was the champagne mixed with wine I had with dinner, or maybe it was the invisible lasso that shot off his body roping me to him every time I was near.
I couldn’t help it.
I had to kiss him goodnight.
“So, don’t freak out, but I want to kiss you goodnight,” I said.
He arched his eyebrows. “Oh? Taking a mulligan.”
I stretched further across the armrest, purposefully angling my body in such a way that my cleavage would become the main attraction. His eyes, glinting with fire, took a walk up and down my body, and he licked his lips.
Operation success!
“Whatever you want to call it,” I said, closing the electrically charged gap between us. “But stealing a goodnight kiss is not uncommon for a couple, and since you’re still technically my plus one, I’m afraid this is unavoidable.”
His eyes darted from my lips to my eyes as he cupped my face in his hands. “I guess that’s true.”
My heart slammed against my chest as Cam neared, his breath warm against my lips. He kissed me softly at first, but desire deepened our kiss, and it was as if we were prehistoric beings that had just discovered fire. If I didn’t pull away now, there was nothing to stop me from crawling in his lap and ravaging him until sunup.
“How do you do that?” I said, releasing his lips from mine.
“Do what?” he asked, breathless.
“Kiss me and make me forget my own name.”
He chuckled and ran his finger down my cheek.
I sighed heavily. “I’d ask you to come in, but I have a feeling we’d start breaking so many rules that we’d have nothing left.”
My gut twisted when he cleared his throat and sat back in his seat, increasing the distance between us in the most painful way.
“I have a feeling you may be right.”
But his pupils had already dilated, and I could taste him on my lips. I had to get out of there before I crawled onto his lap.
“I’m sorry.” I cringed and threw my head back into the headrest. “I can’t keep doing this.”
Cam’s brow furrowed. “What?”
I glanced at him one more time before gathering my purse and hopping out of the Jeep. I hustled to my front door with Cam nipping at my heels.
“Kicklighter? What’s wrong?”
“Nothing. It’s fine. I?—”
“Hey, wait,” Cam said, jumping in front of me before I could open the door. “What? What happened?”
I couldn’t look at him. I couldn’t look at his beautiful face. The fact that this man would never fully be mine surged into my mind like a breaking wave. What made this even more painful was that I wanted him to be mine more than ever.
“Scrambled eggs,” I muttered.
Cam’s eyes widened. “Scrambled … what?”
I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Scrambled eggs. That’s what you do to my mind. You turn my brain into a big pile of scrambled eggs. I’m really trying hard to stick to the rules, but you make it impossible with your handsomeness, charmingness, and the general nesses that make you irresistible. Not to mention that you’re becoming one of my best friends who I want to eat Thai with and watch movies with and show all my pajamas to. All I have to do is look at you, and I want to put my mouth all over your body, but I know you don’t want to date, you don’t want to have anything that’s?—”
My rant abruptly ended when Cam wrapped me up in his strong arms and took my mouth in his. The next moments were a blur of hot touches and kisses and gasps and moans. I managed to unlock the door to get us out of the night’s swelter, and once inside, his hands found their way under my dress, the tremors from his touch rocking my body.
He lifted me up, my throbbing thighs wrapping around his waist as he carried me to my kitchen counter. I kicked off my shoes, dropped my purse, and then cupped his face, loving the way his soft stubble grated across my chin. Our only operation at the moment was to morph our bodies into one. When he finally released me, we touched foreheads and panted, frantic to get some air.
“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it,” Cam said when he’d recovered. “Rachel …”
I pulled away, but still kept my hands tangled in his hair and my face only inches from his. He always called me Kicklighter, and the way he said my first name … it was as if he were a dragon breathing fire and I was only too willing to get singed by the flames. I just stared at him. Inhaling his scent and drinking in the lovesick look on his face.
“I don’t think I can do this anymore,” I said, increasing the space between us, my hands falling to his sculpted chest.
“Rachel—”
“Because I’m falling in love with you.”
Oh God.
Oh no.
The words hovered over us like a cloud that threatened a shock of lightning when Cam’s mouth fell open. My mind started a death spiral. He didn’t say anything, he only gaped at me. Well, I wasn’t going to sit there with an “I love you” dangling out in front of me with no hint of an “I love you” in return. I pushed him back and hopped down from the counter.
“You know what? Forget I said that. Just forget it.” I rushed to the door to open it. “I’m tired. Thank you for coming to the party.”
He raked his hands through his hair and followed me. “Kicklighter, will you please …”
And now I’m back to a last-name basis.
Great.
“Please what, Cam?”
“Will you give me a minute to think?”
“You shouldn’t need a minute. I’m sorry, when someone says they are falling in love with you, you say it back if you feel that too. And you clearly don’t.”
He put his hands up and blew out a frustrated breath. “It’s not … it’s not that I don’t … I don’t know what I want …”
“Well, until you figure that out …” My voice trailed off and I slammed my eyes shut. Once again, I knew I couldn’t be mad at him. It wasn’t his fault. I was the one who threw myself at him. This man had told me who he is. He’s told me he’d rather be single and that he never wants to get married or start a family, but I still wanted to chase that carrot. I was so sure I could catch it. I opened my eyes. “I said I’d go to the wedding that shall not be named with you. I’ll support you through that, but that will be my last event as your plus one.”
He stepped back, his expression went blank, and he clutched his stomach. “Can’t we talk about this?”
“No,” I said with a slight shake of my head. “No. You’ve already said it all by saying nothing. Text me the details of the wedding, and I’ll see you there.”
He backed out of my house, and I closed the door on him. My chest tightened and I slid down the door to the floor. Pulling my legs in so I could hug my knees, I bit my lip and blew a gasket.