Chapter 9
Kane
As we wait for the storm to blow over, I silently curse whoever decided it was a good idea to tether her camera to the ceiling right at her face level. It was probably the jackass producer, the idiot. In storm chasing, we have to slam on brakes, skid around curves, and make hasty get-aways. There can’t be a fucking camera there to smash the camerawoman’s face in.
The injury is minor, and I have no doubt that she will be fine, but with each second that passes, my blood runs hotter in my veins. As soon as the storm passes, I’ll take her to the nearest hospital, just to be on the safe side—and to make sure she has a strong case when she files her worker’s comp claim.
God dammit. She could have been seriously injured!
“Kane?” she says hesitantly. “You’re shaking.”
I take a deep breath and try to calm down, but my body continues to tremble with rage. I've only known her for a few days, but I feel a fierce, primal need to protect her with every fiber of my being. As soon as I saw the blood on her face, it was like a switch flipped. From now until the day I die, I’ll spend my life taking care of her and making her happy—if she’ll let me.
If she won’t let me, well, I have enough money in the bank to take care of her from a distance. Anonymously. Like Lil and I do with the storm shelters.
Jesus, please don’t let it come to that. Let her be mine, fully, forever.
I inhale sharply. “Cami…”
She strokes my face with her palm, and in an instant, my body reacts to her. My blood still runs hot—but with need, not with anger.
I haven’t felt anything this strong, well, ever. Miranda was the only other woman I’ve ever loved, and now I know that I didn’t really love her. Not truly. Not on a molecular level like it is with Cami.
Love. It seems absurd. But what I'm feeling is so strong… it couldn't possibly be anything else.
I suppress the urge to laugh, knowing that Cami will think I’m nuts if I dissolve into a fit of laughter. Hell, I’d think I was nuts, too, if Colby hadn’t told me how he and his wife fell instantly in love during a storm. Anyone with eyes can see how madly in love they are with each other. Their love is real—and so is mine. Though I can hardly believe it myself.
Maybe it’s something about the energy of a storm. I’ve never been a mystical man, but it suddenly doesn’t seem so farfetched to believe that the heat and intensity of a storm could heighten human emotions.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to tell Cami I love her, but I bite back the words, not wanting to scare her. You have to keep it together, man. Don’t say the L word before she’s ready. There’s no reason to rush.
“Are you okay?” she whispers. Her voice is a soothing balm, instantly calming the torrent of emotions raging in my brain. Outside, the rain transitions to a steady drizzle, as if even the storm is reacting to Cami’s voice.
“Never better,” I whisper back, stroking her hair. “Does your face hurt much?”
She shakes her head. “It’s mostly just tender. I think I was scared more than I was injured, you know?”
I gaze into her eyes, running a fingertip along her jaw. “I’m glad, but we’re still going to the hospital tonight, okay?”
She nods, glancing away. “After that, I guess I’ll go home. I’m sure the studio can easily find a replacement.”
She’s planning to leave? Why? This has been a frightening experience, but she’s faced hippos! My blood runs cold, a feat I wouldn’t have thought possible since it was boiling just minutes ago. “You want to leave?”
She licks her lips. “Don’t you want me to?”
“Of course, not! We obviously have to make it safer for you. No more giant cameras that can injure you while we’re driving. But I don’t want you to leave.”
She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’re not angry with me?”
I blink in surprise. “It’s not your fault this happened.”
“Not this,” she says, shaking her head. “You were angry with me for filming you without permission.”
“I was." It seems so long ago now, even though it's only been an hour or so. “But I had no right to be. You were right. I signed up for a reality TV show. It was foolish to think none of the focus would be directly on me.” I place a finger beneath her chin and gently raise her face so that our eyes meet. “Please, don’t leave.” Ever.
She nods. “Okay.”
“Cami…?”
“Yeah?”
“May I kiss you?”
Her blue eyes widen, and her mouth falls open into an adorable little O.
Leaning forward, I nuzzle her nose, careful not to touch her wounded cheek. I attempt to kiss her lightly, gently, but her eager little tongue licks the seam of my lips open, and our tongues slide over each other.
“Ohh,” I moan, deepening the kiss. I shift, pulling her onto my lap. She straddles me, kissing me like I’ve never been kissed before. It’s sexy and explosive, yet loving and sweet. It’s perfection .
I stop kissing her long enough to yank the giant sweatshirt over her head. Beneath it, her heavy tits spill out of a lacy, black bra. In the peek-a-boo fabric, I see her nipples, hard with need. I can't believe she was hiding these delicious curves beneath the baggy clothes. I take in the view for several seconds before realizing that her breasts are mine to caress. Mine to tease. Mine to kiss. At least for tonight.
She throws her head back as I work her nipples with my fingers and tongue. “Take the bra off,” she begs.
I make quick work of the hooks, releasing her gorgeous breasts. Then I go right back to playing with them. As I slowly swirl my tongue around one nipple, I tease the other with my fingers. Cami grinds against my erection, and her breathing grows shallow.
Oh, God. She’s going to come. I haven’t shown any love to her most sensitive place, yet—haven’t even taken off her pants—and she’s already on the precipice. “You’re perfect,” I murmur, returning my mouth to hers. I kiss her deeply as I tease both nipples with my fingers.
She gasps against my lips before releasing a guttural cry. Holy. No sound has ever sounded that good. My cock, already hard with desire, throbs painfully against my jeans. I unbutton and unzip quickly, letting it spring free. Then I work on getting her out of her pants and underwear.
I’m too desperate with need to take the slow approach this time. “God, I want you,” I moan, pulling her back into my lap.
“I’m yours for the taking,” she says, gripping my cock. I groan at the contact. The way I react to just her hand. Fuuuuuck. It’s the most amazing thing I’ve ever felt. Better than being inside any woman I’ve ever fucked before. And if I didn’t already know it with every fiber of my being, there’s no doubt now. We belong together.
Then she places the head of my cock at her entrance and sinks onto me, and I’m lost to the world. She rides me, taking control of her own orgasm while making me the happiest man to ever walk the earth. When she makes that beautiful little sound again, I let my own climax explode, so intense that I feel like my very soul has shattered into a million pieces.
But my sweet Cami is there, kissing me softly, and putting the pieces back in place, one by one.