12. Cameron
twelve
Cameron
Talia threads her fingers through mine under the water, comforting me in a way no one has ever done before. Her touch sends electricity through my veins, every cell in my body vibrating with unbridled energy.
It’s both soothing and exciting in ways it shouldn’t be.
I shouldn’t have these feelings for her. Being with her can cause a shit-storm of trouble for us, in so many ways. The last thing I want is for Talia to get caught in the middle and get hurt.
But staying away from her? I don’t know if I can do that.
Something about her has me captivated. Every time she’s near me, something in my gut keeps me from walking away.
When she’s around, I get the sense that everything is right. The way it’s supposed to be.
“Are you scared because you don’t know what happens next or because you know what you want and aren’t sure it’s possible?” Talia whispers, her question hitting the root of my problem.
How does she do that? See through me, to the heart of my truth?
“I know what I want, but I don’t know if it’s possible,” I admit.
She squeezes my hand, and I roll my head to the side, meeting her steely, gray eyes.
With a soft smile, she asks, “What do you want to do? ”
With her by my side, holding my hand, I’m confident enough to say what I’ve held back for so long. “I want to work with my brother.”
“What does your brother do?”
Her question makes me smile. I like that she’s oblivious of me and who I am in the public eye. This is something she could have easily figured out with all her internet sleuthing, and yet she kept her focus on me and her brother.
“He’s an entertainment lawyer and agent. He and his best friend own and operate a talent agency. They manage some pretty well-known musicians and actors.”
Her eyes bug out of her head. “Wow. That’s kind of cool.”
My hand rises to push back the small hairs that have slipped from another one of her intricate braids and stick to her wet forehead. Her eyes close at my gentle touch, and her body stills as her long black eyelashes flutter like butterflies in the summer breeze.
My eyes continue to roam her face, memorizing her soft features. She has a small freckle in the arch of her brow, and while her top lip is slightly thinner than her bottom, the cupid’s bow is sharp and defined, making her lips enticing.
Fuck, she’s gorgeous.
I drop my hand back into the water, ignoring the temptation to pull her close and kiss her like I did that night in the restaurant.
Her eyes slide open. Something akin to disappointment flashes in them before she smiles softly at me.
I like touching you too, baby.
Talia watches me, intently listening as I answer her question.
“It is. I want to work with him, but on the sports side. I studied sports management at college. But—”
“There’s that but,” she murmurs, smirking at me, using my teasing words against me.
My eyes dip to her lush pink lips for a fraction of a second. I want to kiss her so badly.
Fighting the urge to cover her mouth with mine, I lick my lips and carry on with our conversation. “I’m afraid my brother—maybe even my whole family—doesn’t see me as a serious enough person to take on the responsibility of that role.” I’ve never admitted that to anyone before her.
Not even my dad, and we talk about everything—especially baseball. It’s the glue in our bond, one I wouldn’t trade for anything. I love my dad and the relationship we have cultivated over the years, but I’m still scared to talk to him—to my family—about what comes next.
“I see it.” Her thumb glides over my knuckles. Her words are a balm, soothing the sting of my worries. “I’m sure they do too.”
It allows me to continue spilling my secrets to her. “Doubt it.”
“What do you mean?”
The weight of her leg presses into my side, and the need for more contact has me draping her legs over my thighs, avoiding my growing erection. I don’t want her to think I only want her body. There is so much more about this woman that I want.
What, specifically? I don’t know yet, but the growing, unfamiliar flicker of something I can’t name tells me everything .
I clear the thickness from my throat. “Sometimes, I don’t think they take me seriously. They mostly see me as a wild child. Youngest of the bunch. The carefree one you can always count on for comic relief.”
I leave out “playboy” because the last thing I want is for Talia to think that’s who I am. Maybe once upon a time I was, but not anymore. I haven’t had a serious relationship since … never. There hasn’t been a woman to pique my interest enough to keep her around for longer than a couple of weeks.
“That part, you can’t help. You are funny.” She playfully pushes at my shoulder, releasing this cute chuckle-sigh noise that has me fantasizing about what other noises I can make leave her mouth. “My family thinks I’m Miss Perfect. A total goodie two-shoes. I mean, they aren’t wrong. ”
“Why do you think that?” I give her hand a reassuring squeeze, sending her the strength to share.
Talia shrugs, letting go of my hand for a second, only to replace it with the other one as she props her head on the arm that now dangles along the edge of the hot tub. My chest twinges at the easy way she stays holding onto me as she stares at my face.
“I don’t think. I know. My entire life, I’ve kept my head down and stayed out of the spotlight. I’m also the youngest, but I felt like it wasn’t my place to be wild and carefree. My mom had the restaurant. Nico had baseball. After our father left, I just… I guess I thought Nico needed our mom more than I did. So, I made school my thing. That way, I wasn’t adding to my mom’s already full plate.”
“When did your dad leave?”
“When he found out she was pregnant with me.”
My thoughts flash to my brother, Jace. He would have moved heaven and earth to be with his son if he’d known about him sooner.
“Damn,” I blurt out before I can stop myself. But the way she admitted that—with complete acceptance and resignation—breaks my heart, and anger burns my veins. Who just walks out on their wife and kids like that?
“Damn is right. One night, years ago, I overheard my mom pouring her heart out to Zia Rose. She said she missed him and didn’t understand why he couldn’t stay. Since then, I’ve always wondered how her life would be if I weren’t born. Would he still be here? Would she be happier?”
Anger burns like wildfire in my gut, begging to be unleashed on her sperm donor—because that’s all that man is—for the unfounded guilt he's made her carry. For making her walk around with an unwarranted burden. For making her think she has to be perfect all the time.
This strong, beautifully smart woman deserves to be happy.
She turns away from me, hiding her unshed tears .
The need to protect her and hide her away from the world so she never gets hurt has me palming the side of her face, praying my touch eases her pain. “Look at me.”
She does as I ask, facing me head-on. Her sad eyes cut me to the quick, but when she melts into my touch, I’m done.
This woman has me tied around her tiny finger, and she doesn’t even know it.
My thumb brushes the apple of her cheek, and her eyelids flutter. “It’s not your fault, Talia. He’s the piece of shit who left. Your mom loves you more than anything.”
“How do you know?” Her voice cracks as her eyes sparkle with unshed tears.
“Because you’re here. She had you. Chose you. Loved you before she even knew you.” I hope my words fill the fractures in her heart. I’d give anything to take away her hurt. “I’m glad she did. Because, now, I get to have you here. With me.”
Her eyes bounce between mine, searching for any hint of bullshit.
She won’t find any. I wholeheartedly mean it. I like being with her, way more than I should.
She finds what she’s looking for and licks her lips, her pink tongue darting out, taunting me. “Me too, big guy.”
Her confession has the weight on my chest falling away, and the nickname on her lips has my blood roaring, traveling south and setting up camp between my legs. As much as I want to devour her mouth, spread her legs and feast on her pussy, and impale her on my cock, I keep my distance. I need her to come to me. I won’t jeopardize her relationship with her family if she isn’t sure.
“You can’t call me that, itty bitty.” My voice is gritty as I hold back.
Her mouth quirks up. “Why?”
She knows why, the little minx.
I go with a simple, “Because. ”
“You call me itty bitty,” she counters, making my already hardening dick spring to life.
She’s not even trying, and she’s getting a rise out of me. Pun not intended, but if the cock fits…
Fuck, I sound like a complete asshole.
“That’s because you are. All cute and tiny.” I ignore my lust-filled thoughts as I release her hand from mine and wrap it around her dainty ankle perched beside me. I picture her ankles on my shoulders as I drive into her hot, wet heat. “You’re so tiny my middle finger and thumb touch.”
I make the mistake of lifting her leg out of the water for her to see. She falls back with a surprised yelp. I almost drown her as her head dips back into the water.
My heart explodes with fear and, with two hands, I grab her under her armpits, lifting her up. “Shit. I’m sorry. Are you okay?”
Talia stares at me with wide eyes before she throws her head back and laughs. Realization hits me as her body shakes with laughter and her ass grazes my cock. In my haste to save her from going under, I set her on my lap in a straddle position—a position that has my dick turning rock hard.
She brushes the big guy downstairs and jumps to her knees, lifting her sweet ass off my cock, who weeps with disappointment. My hands clench at her sides, keeping her from moving off me.
Three breaths pass before a devious smile spreads across her face. “I didn’t realize big guy was such a befitting nickname.”
It’s my turn for my eyes to pop out of my head. “Did you really just make a dick joke right now?”
She bites her lip, fighting a laugh, as she rolls her eyes at me. If I thought I was hard before, it’s nothing compared to now. She has no idea how her sass turns me on.
“Don’t,” I growl. I grind my teeth, fighting my hips’ urge to lift and fuck up into her.
“Don’t what?” Her hands land on my shoulders, her fingers digging into my flesh .
I’m on the verge of snapping like a rubber band stretched too tight. “Don’t roll your eyes at me.”
“Why? What are you going to do about it?” she retorts, pushing me closer to the edge.
Does she know what she’s doing to me?
“You don’t want to know.”
Her blown pupils overtake the steel, leading me to believe she knows exactly what she’s doing. “Maybe I do,” she whispers, confirming my thoughts.
“Tals,” I warn.
“Cam.” She attempts to say my name in the same chiding tone, but it comes out breathy. Sultry.
My hands slide lower, gripping her waist. Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t move off my lap, challenging me. I should fucking spank her for being a temptress, calling me to follow her down to the depths of depravity.
“You’re asking for it, itty bitty.”
She shrugs, spreading her legs and lowering herself down but not quite touching me. “Do your worst, big guy.”
Vixen.
I might want to fuck her seven ways to Sunday, but not yet.
Without warning, my fingers dig into the soft flesh of her waist, and I tickle. She tries to escape my grip, but I dig in. She lets out a scream of laughter, and the sound is like music to my ears. Water splashes around us as we slip off the seat and she wiggles out of my clutches.
I land on my knees, bringing us to eye level. She’s quick, turning around and hopping on my back. But she’s too small to overpower me, so I take advantage of our size difference and carefully pull her legs to the side. She falls into the water with a squeak.
Shit, she is going to be pissed.
Talia stands, surprising me as she giggles, sputtering water. Without thinking, I carefully push her hair back and use my thumbs to wipe the water from her face. My hands hold her steady as our eyes lock.
The metallic scent of electricity from a lightning strike swirls in the air, supercharging the connection between us. Seconds pass as we move closer to one another, bringing our bodies flush. Her lips are millimeters away from mine, calling me home.
“Tell me to stop.” My fingers flex, threading through her wet tendrils.
She shakes her head. “No,” she whispers. “Kiss me, Cam. Please.”
I crack and do as I’m told.
Sparks snap between us as I press my mouth to hers in a soft, wet kiss. Her lips part on a moan that I swallow, gliding my tongue against hers. She wraps her arms around my shoulders and digs her fingers into the hair at my neck, pulling me closer.
I grab her braid with one hand, twisting it around my fist. Moans vibrate in her throat as I tug on her wet strands and tilt her head to the side. Deepening the kiss, I plunge my tongue into her mouth, savagely tasting every inch of it.
She tastes salty from the water and something all her own. It’s sweet and addicting.
My only drug of choice.
Her tits press against my chest, and her hips find mine. My blood boils, rushing south to my cock. Her hair in one hand, I use the other to grip her hip, letting my fingertips dig into the soft, fleshy part at the top of her peach-shaped ass.
Talia gets bolder, wrapping a leg around my hip, grinding herself on my hardened shaft. Without breaking our kiss, I lead her forward until I’m sitting on the bench and she’s on my lap. Like the other night, her hands roam over my shoulders, only this time, my skin burns from the contact.
“Cameron,” Talia mewls my name as my lips nip and lick at the soft flesh of her neck.
The sound of music and a car door slamming have us freezing like two deer in headlights. Our panting breaths and the whir of the jets fill the air as we stare at each other. Wrapped around each other, we wait to see where the sound came from.
A laugh rings out from the other side of the house, alerting us to our neighbor’s arrival. Thank fuck, it’s just the rookies Thompson rented his place out to. The last thing I want is to deal with Romero catching me with his hands on his sister’s ass and my tongue down her throat.
“That was close,” she whispers, remaining on my lap.
My painfully hard dick tries to punch through my board shorts as her fingers mindlessly twirl my hair. She has no idea she’s turning me the fuck on. Biting back a groan so she doesn’t move, I revel in the feel of Talia in my arms for a minute longer.
She squirms, wiggling her hips. If she does that again, I might blow my load like a horny teen with no self-control.
Don’t get me wrong—I want to fuck the hell out of Talia, but I don’t want it to be some quickie in the hot tub. We’ll save that for later. After hours of worshipping her and body the way she deserves.
I press another kiss to her lips. “Baby, if you keep wiggling that sexy ass of yours all over my cock, I won’t be able to stop myself from bending you over and fucking you until you can’t walk tomorrow.”
Her breath hitches, and the vein in her neck throbs against her skin. “No one has ever spoken to me like that before.”
What men has she been dating? The douche, Kyle, pops into my head unsolicited, waking the green monster in me.
Don’t think about Talia and other men.
I dig my fingers into her hips, grounding me to this moment. To her. “Did you like it?” Please say yes, itty bitty.
Her teeth dig into her bottom lip as she thinks about her answer. It’s hot as fuck watching her think. I’ve been missing out by dating women with below-caliber intelligence. Not only is Talia stunningly beautiful, but she’s also kind and smart as hell. The total package in a bombshell body.
Releasing her lip, she admits, “I-I think I do. ”
This woman couldn’t be more perfect for me.
“Good.” Sliding an arm under her knees, I lift Talia, placing her on her butt next to me, keeping her legs draped over my lap. I place my hand on her thigh and squeeze. “There’s no way I’d be able to stop myself from telling you how much I want you. I told you I was honest.”
“I want you to be honest. I want…” She hesitates.
Whatever it is she wants, I’ll give it to her. I’d probably get her the moon if she asked for it.
“Tell me.” I keep still, giving her the time she needs to say what she wants. The way she hesitates leads me to believe that she might not be as experienced as I am.
“My life has been all about school. I haven’t been with many guys or had a serious relationship,” she confirms my suspicions. “Not that I’m expecting that from you. Because, well, you’re you … and I’m me. Oh god, I sound like an idiot.”
She covers her hands with her face, hiding the blush on her cheek that blooms with her scattered thoughts.
“Talia,” I growl her name, pulling her hands away from her face.
If she for one second thinks she’s not gorgeous and worthy of my or any man’s attention, she’s out of her damned mind.
“Don’t do that. Don’t put me on some pedestal I don’t deserve to be on. I’m just a guy who’s into a woman who is smart and sweet, and really fucking sexy.”
A slow smile spreads across her face. “Yeah?”
“Fuck yeah.” I rub my thumb across her bottom lip before leaning in for a quick kiss. “As for relationships, I’m not going to bullshit you. I’ve dated a lot. Probably too much. But the women I dated weren’t with me for the right reasons. They didn’t get to know me. I didn’t talk to them like I talk to you. You’re…” Now, it’s my turn to hesitate.
Her eyes search my face, intently waiting for me to continue.
Ah, fuck it. I’m just going to be honest. “You’re different. I don’t know what’s going to happen. The season is going to start. You have work, but no matter what, I want to keep seeing you. Can we take this day by day?”
“Yes. I’d like that.”
“Good, because I didn’t want to have to turn into a stalker to find you.”
“You’re crazy.”
For you, I am.
I keep that to myself. But I am a little crazy about her. I’m already jeopardizing my game and my team to sneak around and see her. I don’t see that stopping soon.
“A little. But I think it’s growing on you.” I wink at her, and she purposefully rolls her eyes. My cock twitches at her sass. I lean into her ear and whisper, “I also think you like my dirty mouth too much to walk away. You want to hear how desperately I want to spread your legs wide, bury my face in your sweet cunt, and suck on your clit until you come screaming my name.”
Talia’s breathing becomes choppy, and her throat vibrates with a soft moan that sounds like a kitten purring. Yeah, my girl definitely likes it when I talk dirty to her.
My girl? Fuck, I like how that sounds.
More voices carry through the air from the other side of the hedge, shattering the mood. I’m going to have to remind the guys to keep it down from now on.
Talia drops her head on the rim of the hot tub as my hand trails up and down her spine.
“I guess it’s time to get out, isn’t it?” she asks. She’s breathless, and I imagine all the other ways I can make her breathless.
Neither of us moves, soaking in the other’s presence for another minute.
“You first,” I tell her. I need another minute to will my eager dick down before I can climb out.
With a nod, she wades through the water and gets out. I stare at her perfect, plump ass as she bends over and picks the towel up off the floor, and proceeds to indecently wipe the water droplets off her silky legs, her soft, flat stomach, and her delicate arms. When she wraps the towel around her waist, I might as well be drooling with my tongue hanging out like one of those old 80s’ cartoon characters.
“Enjoy the show?” Her question cuts through the lust-filled spell she seems to have put me under.
Eyes locked on hers, I shift in my seat and give the head of my cock a tight squeeze, letting her see the effect she has on me. “I’d enjoy it more if you were naked.”
She giggles and shakes her head at me before she pads to the edge of the hot tub. She digs a hand into my thick hair, grasping the strands and tugging my head back. “Another time.”
Then she lays one on me. It’s wet and decadent, and over way too quickly for my liking.
She’s halfway to the sliding door that leads to the kitchen before my brain turns back on.
Fuck, she keeps doing that to me.
“Itty bitty,” I call out to her.
She looks over her shoulder, a sexy smirk on her face.
“You better check that score by the time I see you tomorrow. I want to hear the results.”
She turns her body around and raises a hand to her chest, rubbing the spot over her heart. An action I doubt she knows she’s doing. I let the thought go when she agrees with a nod and whispers, “Okay.”
“Good girl.” It slips from my mouth, grittier than it should when she’s about to go to bed, alone.
Talia’s entire body shivers, and her lips part at my praise.
Fuck, I’m in trouble. Not only does she like dirty talk, but she also likes praise. She has no idea what she’s in for.
I’m about to make my good girl really bad and dirty. It’s going to be nothing but trouble.
And totally worth it.