Chapter 31 #2
“She needs something from you? In the middle of the school day?” The way Brian asks—almost like he’s giving me an opening to explain rather than out of any actual curiosity—makes me almost sure that Olivia told him at least something.
For reasons passing understanding right now, the idea of him knowing doesn’t fill me with dread.
Instead, it’s almost…settling maybe? Like he’s someone who can help me figure out the minefield of being a team medical professional in a relationship with a player.
I’ve always known he would support me, but it’s a terrible, unfair position to put him in.
After the last couple of months, though, anything except for being with Cam is unacceptable to me, and it’s almost the end of December, which means the season is almost over.
It’s time to start figuring out how to make this work.
But not right now.
Right now, I have a thirteen-year-old girl to save.
I shrug. “It’s girl stuff, Uncle Bry. Need know basis, and I’m sorry to say that right now, you don’t need to know.”
He tosses me a knowing smile, standing and giving me a side hug before heading to the door. “Say no more. The guys are in the weight room right now if you want to give Cam a heads up that you’re about to bust his daughter out of school.”
I laugh, standing up too. “Thanks for that. Later, Bry.”
When he leaves, I grab my bag and toss my phone inside, heading out to find my guy and then go rescue his girl.
“Maddy-cakes!” Tyler calls from a padded bench in the corner of the weight room where the entire team is working out. Music blasts, weights clang, men grunt, and the testosterone is so thick I practically have to shove it out of the way to get through the door. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”
I roll my eyes. “Literally any nickname would be better than that one. Any nickname, Little Ty Ty,” I say, emphasizing the little.
He just grins at me, standing and taking a swig from his water bottle. “The little doesn’t bother me so much when I just bench pressed, like, twice your weight.”
Tyler flexes his biceps, giving them an approving glance that has me bursting out laughing. “Never change, Ty. Is Cam around?”
“Cam is right here.” The deep voice sends a shiver down my spine I work really hard to suppress.
When I turn, it’s practically an endurance test to keep my tongue from rolling right out of my mouth because dear lord.
The backwards hat. The athletic shorts. The sweaty white T-shirt sticking to abs I want to run my fingers over.
The bead of sweat rolling down his neck that I want to lick.
I need to take a fucking beat.
Except then I notice Cam biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, like he can tell exactly what’s going on in my head and is amused by it, and that is just not going to work for me at all. I narrow my eyes at him, an entire conversation passing between us.
You better not be fucking laughing at me.
Then you probably shouldn’t look at me like you want to eat me alive.
I did. Now I no longer do.
Liar.
Fuck. Fine. I would very much like to lick your abs right now. And…other parts of you.
Cam grins victoriously and takes his hat off, running a hand through his sweaty hair and then putting the hat back on his head. His eyes stay on me the entire time, and I am no longer of this earth because I just burst into flames.
“Is Cam in trouble?”
I shake off my lust haze at Tyler’s question.
When I glance over at him, he’s smirking like Cam just got called to the principal’s office, entirely oblivious to the sparks flying around this damn weight room.
I toss Cam a smirk, talking to Tyler but looking at him.
“He missed his last mental health check in,” I lie.
“So, I need to see him in my office. I’m devising an… appropriate punishment.”
The curse Cam mutters and the way he shifts his weight, flexes his jaw, delights me, as does Tyler’s low whistle and his, “Careful, man. She can be vicious.”
Biting back a laugh, I point at Cam. “My office. Now.” Then I turn and head back in that direction, knowing he’s going to follow.
He does.
He catches up to me in three strides, heat and lust practically singeing my back as we walk in silence to my office.
I enter first, and once he’s inside, he closes the door and grabs my arm, spinning me and pressing my back against the wood in one motion, one hand on my hip and the other gripping my jaw as he crashes his mouth to mine.
The kiss is hot and demanding, all pants and moans and pure unadulterated need.
His scent surrounds me, clean sweat and a hint of spicy cologne and man, and I want to sink into him for hours.
But unfortunately, I don’t have that kind of time.
Putting a hand on his chest, I reluctantly break the kiss, pushing him back a step.
“Fuck, Wildcat,” Cam says with a laugh, shaking his head like he’s trying to clear it and covering my hand with his. “That’s the first time I’ve ever gotten hard in the weight room in front of the guys.”
I laugh, reaching my free hand up to rub over the scruff on his jaw. “Happy to be of service, but I really do need to talk to you. Riley called me.”
All traces of needy Cam disappear in an instant, replaced by worried parent Cam. “She’s fine,” I say quickly. “But she got her period and needs help. She asked me to come and get her.”
“She called you,” he says slowly, looking at me with a hint of sorrow in his gaze. A shadow of raw grief for what he and his kids lost. For the mom who isn’t here to walk Riley through this milestone.
Reaching out with my free hand, I lace my fingers through his and squeeze. “I don’t know why she called me instead of your mom or Liv or someone, but if it’s okay with you, I’d like to help her.”
Cam exhales roughly, pulling me into a tight hug, one of his hands wrapped around my waist and the other tangled in my hair, palming the back of my head in a gentle hold.
“She called you because she needs you. She trusts you. That’s…
” He pauses, kissing the top of my head.
“It’s everything. Of course you can help her. I want you to help her.”
Easing back, I put a hand on his cheek, running a thumb over his jaw. “Thank you. I assume you need to call the school or something so I can pick her up, right?”
He nods. “I’ll take care of it.”
“Okay. I should go. I don’t want her to have to wait too long.”
Turning his head, he kisses my palm, covering my hand with his and closing his eyes. “Thank you. Just…thank you.”
With both of my hands cupping his cheeks, I press up on my toes to kiss him, sending up a quick prayer of thanks for my windowless office. “I would do anything for your kids,” I say quietly. “And for you.”
Cam takes a shaky breath and lets it out slowly, opening his eyes and running the back of his hand down my cheek.
“We are the luckiest.” The emotion behind the words hits me right in the chest, and when he says, “Take care of her,” like he’s trusting me with one of his most precious things, all I can do is nod, afraid if I open my mouth, all my deepest thoughts and feelings will come pouring out, but now isn’t the right time for that.
“I promise.”
With one last kiss and a quick squeeze of his hand, I leave Cam standing in my office to go take care of his girl.