9. Talia
nine
Talia
Nico slides open the heavy glass door just as Cameron closes his and slips into his room, leaving me, my galloping heart, and his name on my tongue behind. I can’t tell if my heart is racing over almost getting caught or if it’s the way my body came to life under his fingertips.
“Hey, Lia. What are you doing out here?” My brother approaches the hot tub, eyes narrowed.
I stay still, refusing to sink under his scrutinizing gaze.
Can he tell Cam was in here with me? No. No way. Cam was quick to leave, making it appear as though he had never been here.
“I was relaxing. I think the lady used too much pressure during my massage. Made me sore.” It’s only a half-lie that slips out. Rubbing my trapezius, I roll my head from side to side, attempting to ease the tension in my neck. Guilt and jitters have replaced my earlier calmness.
“Alone?”
I bristle at his question.
Gee, what is he, my keeper?
“Yes.”
Nico quickly looks over my shoulder, towards Cam’s room.
“You didn’t tell me… How was your meeting with the shoe company?” I ask, distracting him .
When he looks back my way, he seems less tense and the wrinkles on his forehead have softened. Nico smiles, clearly happy with his dinner. “It was good. I think they are going to reach out with a contract.”
“That’s amazing. I’m so proud of you.” My chest puffs with pride as he gives me the rundown of what happened and why he thinks it’s a done deal.
Nico deserves this. Not only does he work incredibly hard, but he has done so much for our family that he’s earned this piece of happiness all for himself.
“It’s still early. Want to watch a movie or something?” he asks, shocking me.
I didn’t think he’d have much time to hang out. With his daily practices and sponsorship meetings, I kind of assumed I would only see him in passing.
“Really? You want to hang out with me?”
Nico chuckles, tugging my ponytail like he did when we were kids. “Don’t act so surprised, Lia. Of course I want to hang out with you.”
“Then, yeah. I’d love to watch a movie. Our favorite, right?”
“Sure. But just to be clear, it’s your favorite,” Nico lies.
He can deny it all he wants, but A League of Their Own is totally his favorite movie too. He’s a sucker for anything with Tom Hanks.
I climb out of the hot tub and dry myself off with the towel I left on the little table, before wrapping it around my chest. “Can we have popcorn and ice cream too?”
“You can have ice cream.” He lifts his shirt, showing off his stomach. “None for me. The ladies like the abs too much.”
As hard as I can, I whack his stomach with my wet hand.
He doubles over with a groan. “Fuck, Lia. That hurt.”
“Then knock it off, Nic. You sound like a jackass when you say stuff like that.”
Nico laughs, walking ahead of me to open the door. “You’re probably right, but it’s still the truth. ”
Nico and I walk into the kitchen, laughing until we run into the other occupant of the house.
Hold me up, Gladys, because I’m about to pass out.
Cam is standing in front of the refrigerator with a water bottle in hand, wearing nothing but a pair of blue low-slung athletic shorts. My knees wobble, and my mouth pools with saliva at the sight of him. His hair is wet, and he smells freshly showered. Bergamot, oranges, and something musky and entirely Cameron hit me like a bolt of lightning, scorching my blood.
My core clenches, and memories of clutching his strong shoulders as he kissed me flash before my eyes.
Face blank, Cam stares at me, ignoring Nico completely, as I stare back at him. He twists the cap off the bottle, his arm muscles rippling, then lifts the bottle to his shiny pink lips and takes a sip, eyes trained on me the entire time.
When did watching a guy drink water get so … erotic? The way Cam’s throat bobs as he drinks makes my core throb.
Is it hot in here?
“Miller,” my brother growls, snapping me out of my lust-filled haze and the trance Cam has on me.
“Romero.” Cam briefly glances at my brother, acknowledging him, before turning back to me. “Little Romero.” His lip twitches, fighting a smile.
What the heck is he doing? He’s being so obvious.
I glare at him, begging him to stop.
“What are you doing here?” Nico’s jaw clenches.
“Getting water. What are you doing?”
The tension in the room is so thick you could cut it with a knife. Who in the world thought putting these two on the same team was a good idea? It’s clear as day they have some sort of weird animosity towards each other.
After talking to Cam and doing some internet research—okay, stalking—of my own, my gut says this grudge started with Nico. Something niggles my brain, begging me to figure it all out. It’s my nature to fix things, especially for my brother, but this time it’s for entirely different reasons.
Selfish reasons.
Pushing down that train of thought, I politely answer for Nico. “We were looking for ice cream. We’re going to watch a movie. Want to watch with us?”
“Lia, what the fuck?” Nico points a finger at Cam. “I told you to stay away from my sister.”
“Nico,” I scold, sounding way too much like my mom right now. He needs to chill the hell out. I can take care of myself. Besides, I know Cam. He won’t stay.
Cam chuckles. “Relax, Romero. I’m going to hit the hay early. I have extra practice in the morning.” Cam turns to look me in the eye and says, “I have a container of chocolate you can have, hidden behind the vegan breakfast sausage. Have fun with your brother, little Romero.”
“Thanks,” I murmur, in awe at the restraint and patience he employs in the face of adversity also known as Nico Romero. I can see why people believe their hatred is good-natured team rivalry.
“No problem.” With that, Cam walks out of the kitchen and pads—no, swaggers—down the hall to his room. There’s no way to tell with his back to me, but if I’d venture to guess, I’d say he’s got a cocky grin plastered across his handsome face.
Forcing my smile away, I turn on my brother, pointing at him like he’s a naughty child. “What is wrong with you? You’re supposed to be getting along. Why can’t you be nice?”
He lifts a hand to his chest. “What’s wrong with me? Are you kidding me?”
“No, I’m not kidding you.”
“Come the fuck on, Lia. That guy?” He gestures down the hall. “First, I catch you kissing him, and now you’re just blatantly flirting with him in front of me.”
“Asking him to watch a movie with us is flirting with him? Gee, you’re acting like a jealous boyfriend, not my older brother. I can take care of myself, you know. ”
“Gross. I’m not jealous.” He contorts his face in disgust and retches.
I don’t dare laugh at his ridiculousness or he’ll never stop. The last thing I want to do is fight with Nico tonight.
“Just stay away from him.”
“Can you just stop and focus?” I want so badly to yell at him, to tell him off for trying to tell me what to do, but it will only make things worse. I’m hoping that if I ignore him and his insinuations, he’ll let it go. He’s already sending me out on these crazy outings to keep me out of the house. I don’t want him to keep me out at night as well. “We were going to have a nice brother-sister night. Watch a movie. Eat some junk food. Talk. But if you’re going to act like this, I’m going to bed.”
“No, don’t. I’m sorry. He just…” Nico tugs on his hair. “He drives me fucking crazy.”
Probably because he never reacts to your crazy, angry ass. I know my brother; he is dying to get a reaction from Cam.
The whys just keep coming, and the fewer answers I have, the more curious I become.
“You need to ignore it. Be the bigger person, Nic. Now, go start the movie and make some popcorn. I’ll change and be right back.”
“Fine. But hurry, or I’ll start it without you.”
“Don’t you dare,” I holler over my shoulder.
I can hear Nico’s gruff laugh as I leave to change. That jerkoff is definitely going to start the movie without me. Tonight, I can live with it, as long as he cools off on the Cam stuff.
I don’t know what I’m going to do if this keeps happening with those two.
Maybe I should just stop whatever this attraction to Cam is now, before things get out of hand, and I end up falling for him and getting crushed.
“Open wide for me, Talia. Show me how wet you are.” Cam’s voice slides over me like warm, smooth Tennessee whiskey.
His hands slowly slide up my legs, stopping above my knee, his thumbs kneading the flesh of my inner thighs. My knees fall open at his gruff command as my core throbs in time to my beating heart.
“That’s my good girl.”
At his praise, my pussy gets impossibly wetter.
“I can’t wait to lick up every drop of your cum.” His warm tongue laps at my sensitive flesh.
My hips lift of their own volition. “More,” I chant.
Cam’s deep chuckle vibrates across my skin as his mouth explores my body. My fingers twist in the fabric of the cool sheets, my body reaching a fever pitch like a volcano about to erupt.
“Please,” I beg, needing him to touch me.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
“Does my girl need to come?” Cam croons his mouth, hovering over my center.
“Yes,” I moan. I need him to put his mouth on me more than I need my next breath.
My blood rushes south as his tongue pokes out and swipes across my swollen clit. The man between my legs groans, his tongue swirling my sensitive bud before he sucks. His fingers slide into my wet center, driving in deep.
My legs shake as my body coils tight, ready to snap.
I’m so close.
“More,” I whine, running my fingers through his thick curls.
His sparkling hazel eyes find mine, and my body shoots off like a rocket.
Buzz, buzz, buzz.
My eyes fly open at the sound of my phone alarm going off on the side table and the realization that it was all a dream.
Well, that’s new.
I roll over, turn off the alarm, and flop back against the soft sheets with a sigh.
There is no way I can go back to sleep now. I’m wide awake and covered in a sheen of sweat. My skin prickles with the hum of electricity running below the surface.
Every ounce of energy zipping through me is pooling at the apex of my thighs.
That dream was so real, so vivid. The green gleam of Cam’s irises as he looked up at me from between my legs still lingers in my mind.
My fingers follow the same tingling path Fantasy Cam made from my knees to my inner thighs. Massaging my mound with my palm, I apply pressure to my clit. It pulses under the pad of my middle finger.
Ugh, I wish I had my vibrator because I need more. That dream has me and my lady bits on fire. Touching myself with my fingers won’t be enough to quell the pent-up sexual frustration I’m holding on to, but it’s better than nothing.
It’s been way too long since I had sex, and even then, it wasn’t spectacular.
I slide my hands down my stomach and under my panties. My center is slick and ready when I dip my fingers inside. Imagining it’s Cam sliding in and out of me, I tease my entrance, gathering my arousal on my fingertips. Bringing the tips to my clit, I slide them side to side, increasing the friction and adding pressure as I rub hard, tight circles around the swollen bud.
My breaths are choppy as I pick up the pace. My fingers do all the work as I picture Cam’s perfect, enormous cock sliding in and out, hitting that spot deep inside me. Waves of white-hot heat curl my toes, and I shatter, coming around my fingers, with Cam’s name on my lips.
Pleasure courses through my bloodstream, calming the storm building inside me.
For the second time in a matter of minutes, my eyes snap open. Guilt nips at the edges of my consciousness, but I’m too satisfied to let it take over. Besides, fantasies aren’t real. There’s no harm in a little self-pleasure.
I can think of Cam; I just can’t touch him.
Rolling onto my stomach, I bury my face in the soft fabric of my pillow and groan .
Here I am, masturbating to thoughts of Cam. It’s a slippery slope to letting him tear my bathing suit off, bend me over in the hot tub, and fuck me.
What the heck am I doing?
Nothing can happen between us. My brother hates him. Besides, Cameron is so dang hot he can have anyone he wants.
Why would he want to be with a simple, boring girl like me? I’m a nurse who likes to stay home, lounge around in baggy sweatpants, and watch Top Chef with my cousin while she tries out new recipes in our kitchen. Bonus, I still live at home.
Okay. No more pity party. Time to shower, get dressed, tackle the next activity Nico booked for me, and forget all about Cameron.
With a nod, I jump out of bed, but a small sheet of white paper by the door catches my eye. Picking it up off the floor, I can’t help but giggle at the handwritten note.
I hope you enjoyed eating my ice cream as much as I did dreaming about eating it off of you. X, Cam
The flirt .
Holding the note to my chest, I do a little shimmy. He dreamed about eating ice cream.
Off. Of. Me.
I float all the way to the bathroom, like a giddy school girl, all while getting dressed and all while exploring the “best tastes of Phoenix”.
Tonight can’t come fast enough.