13. Talia
thirteen
Talia
Nico watches me as he cuts the engine to his ridiculous car. I stare at the cute white and black ranch-style house that has become my home away from home these last couple of days. This place has really grown on me.
Cam has grown on me.
Disappointment washed over me when we pulled up and I caught sight of the empty driveway. At this time of night, Cam is usually home. Where is he? Who is he with?
Unwanted emotions make my gut churn with endless answers to those questions. I have no right to be jealous. He asked me to take us day by day, but I’m falling for him. I have been since meeting him at the restaurant.
But is he falling for me?
So many questions.
I turn to my brother and force a smile, hoping he doesn’t catch on to my sour mood. “Thank you for dinner, Nic.”
“Anytime, baby sis.”
We climb out of the car and make our way up to the house. Nico unlocks the front door with the passcode, ushering me inside the dark, empty living room. Cam’s scent lingers in the air, and my stomach flips in a whole different way. I can’t get enough of his fresh, masculine fragrance .
“I’m happy you’re here.” Nico surprises me by enveloping me in a bear hug. His expensive, leathery cologne clings to my nose and clothes.
I’m the worst sister ever because all I want is to change my shirt, so I don’t smell like him.
“Me too.” I mean it, only not for the reasons he thinks.
Yup, I’m a horrible sister. Crushing on my brother’s nemesis.
Nico flicks on the lights, illuminating the living room and kitchen. For the first time since we got here, the house looks different to me. I don’t know what it is, but I’m missing something.
“Want something to drink?” My brother opens the refrigerator, looking around.
“Just some water, please.”
Nico hands me a water bottle and grabs one for himself. “Do you want to watch a movie or something?”
“Don’t you have practice in the morning?”
He looks tired. There are dark circles under his eyes, and his cheeks look sunken. His eyes are more charcoal than their usual flinty gray. I don’t like it, but it’s not my place to intervene. It’s obvious he’s pushing too hard and staying out way too late. Probably because the idea of staying in the same place as Cameron is driving him crazy.
He shrugs, running a hand through his hair. “Yeah, but you only have a couple more days here before you head back.”
Guilt weighs heavily on my heart at his comment. The last two nights, I made up plans to avoid spending time with him so I could spend it with Cam instead. If Nico knew I blew him off for Cam, he would flip. Which is why I said yes to dinner when he came home from practice, excited to take me out.
“I’m pretty tired, but I’m glad we went out tonight. You were right; those burgers were delicious.”
Nico grins. “Told you. Next time you have to try the chili dog.”
I make a face, and Nico busts out laughing. He knows I hate hot dogs. Something about the way they smell disgusts me .
“Kidding, Lia. I would never force you to eat a hot dog.”
“Punk.” I punch his arm, and he howls in faux pain.
Nico has sixty pounds and eight inches on me. I couldn’t hurt him if I wanted to, at least not physically.
I take a pained breath and force another smile, shoving away the guilt building inside. “Shut up. You’re the worst.”
“Ha. I’m the best, and you know it.”
He’s right. I have the best brother in the world. If he would show everyone what a teddy bear he is, he’d have fewer problems. It’s a shame he guards himself so completely.
For another couple of minutes, we joke around. We had a great night out, eating, chatting about the activities he gifted me—all of which have been surprisingly fun to go on—and my upcoming role at the hospital, before saying good night.
I walk away emotionally drained and relieved he didn’t bring up my boards tonight. Mamma most definitely told him to take it easy on me. It’s nice that he’s listening. Nico has a real problem with butting into my business and pushing too hard. I know he just worries about me, like it’s his duty to be my surrogate father, not my brother.
It’s a lot of pressure to stand under.
Closing the door to the guest room I’m staying in, I grab the note I found by the door this morning and reread it for the hundredth time.
Good morning, itty bitty. I hope you have fun on whatever adventure you have planned today. Don’t be afraid to check your score. I know you passed with flying colors. I look forward to congratulating you properly tonight. Text me if you get bored and need some action. X, Cam
Those pesky butterflies in my stomach flutter to life as I read his phone number written in a masculine scrawl that compliments his personality.
Bold and steady, just like him .
A smile pulls at my lips as I think about the way he demanded me to face my fears and look. His confidence was contagious, and I woke up with a sense of ease and self-assurance. I needed to pull out my laptop.
Cam was right. I had nothing to worry about.
Finding his note confirmed that I wanted him to be the first person to hear the good news. I almost texted him, like he suggested, but changed my mind in the end. This is something he should hear in person. He’s the reason I’m not currently questioning what happens next.
Maybe it’s okay not to know for now.
Day by day. That’s going to be my focus. If I think too far ahead, then I’ll have to admit that my time with Cam is about to expire. I’m not ready for that to happen.
Chucking off my shirt and jeans, I jump in the shower for a quick rinse. I ignore the way my pussy throbs. Since last nights hot make-out session with Cam, my lady bits can’t stop tingling, begging for his touch. I took care of myself last night and this morning, but it hasn’t helped one bit.
I can still feel his hard length beneath me as I straddled his lap and kissed him.
After my shower, I throw my hair in a fishtail braid and pull on a tank top with a built-in bra, a pair of flannel pants, Nico’s old Kodiaks hoodie, and a pair of socks. Bundling up at night for bed is essential since someone set the thermostat too low.
I gave up looking for the climate control after the first night. I’m not surprised the house is an igloo. Growing up with Nico prepared me. He likes to keep the house extra chilly too, claiming he runs hot.
Laying against the headboard, I slip under the soft sheets and fluffy comforter. I wasn’t kidding when I told Cam this bed was amazing. I’m not looking forward to returning to my lumpy mattress at home.
Grabbing my phone off the bed, I pull up Cam’s contact information. I stifle a giggle at seeing Big Man instead of his name. The nickname slid off my tongue with ease after he kept calling me itty bitty. It fits him.
Cam is big. He’s a foot taller than I am, and his hands almost wrap around my waist. They are so huge. He’s also big below the belt, if you know what I mean. Thin layers of clothing may have separated us, but I felt every rigid inch of his cock under my ass.
Tap, tap, tap.
What the heck was that?
I pause, phone in hand, and wait. The silence is deafening as I concentrate.
Tap, tap, tap.
My eyes shoot to the window, where I’m pretty sure the soft pecking is coming from. The hair on the back of my neck stands on end, and my heart beats loud and hard—like a drum—in my chest and ears.
This is the start of every scary movie in existence.
Rising from the bed, I get up and tiptoe to the window as soundlessly as I can. Peeling back the curtain an inch, I peek around the heavy fabric.
Thankfully for me, there’s not a creepy man wearing a black vinyl mask and gloves ready to murder me. Only a sexy, hulking man wearing a black shirt, dark jeans, a backwards hat, and a smile. My fear recedes and gets replaced with sheer excitement that buzzes in my belly like a swarm of bees.
Cam brings a finger to his lips and points at the lock on the window. I turn the lock and quietly slide open the glass pane separating me and the man on the deck.
“Hey,” I whisper.
Cam looks to my right, looking for movement in the room next door—Nico’s room. Only the blue light of the television flickers. He looks back at me and grins. “Hey, baby. Want to go on a drive with me?”
“Baby, huh?” I tease, biting my lip.
“Yup.” His voice is low and gruff, and it makes the space between my legs quiver with desire. He holds out his hand. “Are you in? ”
I nod before I answer. “I’m in.”
“That’s my good girl,” Cam croons.
My core floods with arousal at his praise. He speaks in a tone laced with innuendo, and although he calls me good, his tone suggests I’m the opposite. All the years of striving to be a good girl have really done a number on me because, right now, all I want to be is Cam’s bad, dirty girl who sneaks out of houses to be good for him.
I reach out for his hand and pause. “Wait. I’m wearing pajamas, and I don’t have shoes.”
Cam’s hazel gaze takes in my attire. His eyes widen at the sweatshirt before he clenches his jaw. He looks pained but doesn’t ask about it. “You’ll be fine for where we’re going. Do you trust me?”
He doesn’t need to ask. Of course I trust him.
“Yes.”
Cam reaches inside, grips me around my ribs, and lifts me through the window. Instead of putting me on my feet, he holds me tight to his hard body and shifts his hands under my butt. “Ready?”
I wrap my legs around his trim waist and hold on. “Yeah.”
With one hand, Cam slides the window closed. Like a thief in the night, he carries me from the deck around the side of the house and to his car three blocks away. He places me in the front seat of his G Wagon and kisses my forehead before closing the door.
I’m breathless, and I haven’t done a thing. It’s all Cam.
I watch as he walks around the car and climbs inside. His spicy citrus scent hits me hard, and my mouth waters. He smells even better than I remember.
Something flickers in his eyes as he looks over at me, putting me at ease and making my earlier worries disappear without a trace. “Seatbelt on.”
His gruff command has me reaching for the buckle and snapping it across my chest and lap. “Where are we going? ”
“You’ll see.” He pushes the start button, and his car comes to life, vibrating beneath us. Twining his fingers with mine, he drives us out of the quiet neighborhood full of sleeping people.
The pit of my stomach dips and soars as he glides his thumb across my knuckles while he drives. I soak up his affection like a needy little sponge. I wish I knew why my body reacted to Cam the way it does. He has this inexplicable pull on me, a draw I just can’t shake.
Instead of distancing myself, like a dutiful sister would, I lean into him at every open opportunity.
My eyes veer towards the tempting man beside me. His black shirt works overtime, stretching tightly across his thick chest, hiding his ripped torso and the eye-popping hot washboard abs I know live under that thin fabric. My gaze travels up his neck to his scruff-covered jaw. My chin is still a little raw from his drugging kiss.
Chills race up my arm at the memory of his scruff chafing my chin as we made out in the hot tub, of his powerful hands groping my butt, squeezing as I rocked over his lap. I squirm in my seat as my hussy of a pussy throbs with need.
Cam’s lips quirk up in a barely restrained smile like he knows exactly what I’m thinking and is taking great joy in the effect he has on me.
Heat rises to my cheeks. Oh god. I’m such a loser, acting like an embarrassingly shy schoolgirl.
Cam reads my shifting thoughts and lifts my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss on the back. With one touch, he banishes my discomfort. I grip his hand tighter, thanking him for his quiet support.
We continue to sit in silence, comfortable with each other’s mere presence, as he drives down darkened roads.
Fifteen minutes pass before he slows and turns the car down a hidden dirt road. The darkened desert surrounds us like an endless abyss until a soft brightness shines ahead. Through the windshield, I see a river in the distance, glowing as the moonlight dances off the surface.
I lose sight of the water when Cam turns the car around and backs into the parking lot.
He kills the engine and looks at me. He seems nervous as he lifts his hat and runs a hand through his thick curls. “Think you can stay put for a second?”
“Can you say please?”
At my snark, he gives me a smoldering smirk that would light my panties on fire if I had any on.
“Please.” He pulls on my braid. “You little smart-ass.”
“Okay.”
Cam shakes his head with a chuckle and gets out of the car. When he pops open the trunk, my curiosity gets the better of me. I turn in my seat, trying to see what he’s doing, but the high back of the rear seat blocks my view. The trunk slams shut, and I don’t hear any movement until Cam is standing at my door, opening it for me.
Without a word, he slides an arm under my knees and around my lower back. On instinct, I wrap my arms around his neck and hold on as he carries me bridal style to a bundle of blankets spread out on the hard desert floor. With the grace of a panther, he squats down with me in his arms and takes a seat in the center of the makeshift bed.
Sliding off his lap, I move to his side. Large hands grip my calves, trapping me in place as Cam drapes my legs across his thick, muscular thighs.
“I could have walked.”
“I know, but I was the one who made you leave without shoes. Let me be a gentleman.” He wiggles his brows.
Biting back a smile, I roll my eyes at him.
Cam barks a laugh, smiling brightly like he has done every time I give him some cheek. He’s quite the dichotomy. The real Cam is so different from the one I’ve heard about for all these years. He’s nothing like I thought he would be.
Is he confident? Yes. Egotistical? Definitely not. He’s sincerely humble, especially for a baseball player who has broken several records and is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest pitchers the Evaders have ever seen.
The man I’m getting to know is genuinely sweet, funny, loves his family, and is way too charismatic for his own good. He has this aura about him. It draws you in like the warm waves of the ocean that you want to dive into and never leave.
I hate to say it, but I can see why my brother might be jealous of him.
“Fine, but we both know you are no gentleman.”
“You wound me, itty bitty.” Cam places a hand over his chest.
I shove at his shoulder. “Shut up.”
“Make me.” His attempt to tease me falls flat. His deep voice is too gruff and laced with something far more than jest.
My insides burn hot and thick like molten lava down the volcanic hillside. The air between us sizzles.
I’m not a brazen person, never have been. Making the first move is out of my wheelhouse. My non-existent dating is proof. Most of the guys I’ve dated have been quiet, nerdy types.
Kyle was the exception. When he asked me out, I was at a weak point. Mom and Zia Rose had just finished lecturing me about being young, and how I needed to go out and have fun. Nico was weary, but seeing as Kyle worked with his best friend, my brother thought it would be good for me. Little does he know Kyle ended up being a creep.
Now here I am, with the one person Nico would absolutely hate me seeing. I’m putting Cameron in danger, and I can’t find the strength to stop.
I want him. He’s different from the guys I’ve dated. To be honest, I’ve never felt for them an ounce of the attraction I have for Cam. That swoop and fall in the pit of your stomach, like when you’re on a roller coaster, the racing heart, and the electrifying buzz I get when he holds my hand.
It’s all new .
Cam is the only person in my life who doesn’t want to overshadow, protect, or control me. He expects me to be myself. The confidence that oozes from every molecule of his body is infectious, and I can’t stop myself from soaking up his energy. Feeding off of it. Wielding it as my own.
So, I do.
“Okay.” Lifting onto one knee, I throw the other over his lap and straddle his hips as my hands clamp down his shoulders for balance.
His hands grip my waist and squeeze, holding me tight like I might fly away if he doesn’t hold on. I might if he let go. He has me high, addicted to his intoxicating soul.
“Talia?” His breath fans across my lips, making my mouth water with need.
“Yes?”
His hazel eyes bore into my gray ones. I don’t dare move an inch, suddenly unsure of what he’s about to say.
Was I reading this all wrong? My palms sweat as a wave of panic hits me.
“I missed you today.” Cam’s voice drops like he didn’t expect that to slip and reveal a sliver of vulnerability.
My body relaxes, melting into his hold, and my fingers dig into his thick brown curls, twisting the ends. “I missed you too,” I admit.
A slow, devilish grin that could rival Lucifer’s slides across his sexy face. “Really?”
I roll my eyes at him, and he growls, nipping at my bottom lip with his teeth.
“Before you knocked on my window, I was going to text you.”
“Really?” he asks again, stunned by my answer.
“Yeah, really.” How could I not? Cam is everything. Good. Kind. Sexy. He’s a baseball god with a heart of gold .
He takes a deep breath and presses his forehead to mine. My eyes fall closed as we sit in silence. His powerful arms wrapped around my body, pulling me close.
If there was one thing I could wish for right now, it would be to stay here in Cam’s arms forever. Here, in the safety of his embrace, I’m whole.
I’m his.