15. Cameron
15
CAMERON
My blood pressure is steadily rising the longer I have to witness the nonsense that is Brian taking Lizzie out on a date.
I almost lost my shit when I watched that stupid fucking douchebag not get the door for her and leave her behind as he walked to the restaurant on his own. There’s not a chance in hell that I wouldn’t have my hands on her every possible second if I were her date tonight.
I would take every opportunity she gave me, even if it was just brushing shoulders with her while walking inside. I’d make it clear to everyone that she was here with me.
As she walked in, I saw Lizzie’s outfit and had to grind my teeth to nubs to hide my reaction. Her boobs look incredible in that top, showing off that creamy skin, and her curvy ass is accentuated by her skirt. Her brown hair is flowing down her back. The perfect combination of modest and sexy.
The only problem is that she covered up her freckles with makeup. I can still see the dusting across her chest and shoulders, but it isn’t enough. She is gorgeous every day, but she’s not Lizzie Montgomery without her freckles. They’ve become one of my favorite things about her.
“Yeah, she’s really gonna believe that this is a coincidence with you looking like you want to undress her and punch Brian’s throat at the same time,” Reid chimes in. “Was this really the best plan you could come up with?”
Reid is right. Why did I think it was a good idea to ambush their date? Oh, I know, because I’m not going to let Brian claim what’s mine.
“Funny meeting you two here,” I blurt out as they walk in. Fuck me. Seriously? “What a coincidence.”
“Yeah, what a coincidence,” Reid says, and I’m going to kill him for that later. “Lizzie, how are you? You look amazing.”
I’m trying to think of a way to pivot the evening into my favor when Lizzie loops her arm through Brian’s and wishes Reid and me a good night. I didn’t really have a game plan coming into tonight, only that I would save Lizzie from an evening with Brian and convince her to spend it with me instead.
“So…what are we doing? Are you buying me dinner or something? I feel like I deserve it,” Reid jokes.
“Fuck. I don’t know. Just give me a second.” I’m frustrated by all of this, and I’m about to throw her over my shoulder and carry her out like the caveman Reid is accusing me of being.
“Either go after her or leave her alone. All you’re doing is torturing the both of you and this isn’t fair to her.”
“Sometimes I wonder why we’re friends.”
He’s right, though.
We walk in behind them, and I overhear the hostess talking about how busy tonight is but that their table should be ready soon. When they turn around to move to the waiting area, Lizzie is staring at the ground and refuses to make eye contact with me.
The hostess tells us the same thing she told them, so we follow once again. The long leather bench is currently seating a group of three on one side and Lizzie and Brian on the other, leaving a gap in the middle. Before I get a chance to do anything about it, I see Brian jump up with his phone in his hand, letting Lizzie know that he has to take the call.
Reid gives me a look. It’s now or never. “I’m gonna grab a drink at the bar while we wait.”
With a much emptier bench now, there is plenty of room to sit, but, since I’m going to take every opportunity I can get to be close to Lizzie, I sit to her right, trapping her between the wall and me. I can hear her intake of breath, but she still won’t look my way.
“You look beautiful tonight, Lizzie,” I say in a hushed whisper.
“Why are you here, Cameron?” she whispers back.
“I’m here to rescue you from your date.”
She lifts her eyes now, and if looks could kill, I’d definitely be dead. “How brotherly of you. But I don’t need rescuing.”
Before I can explain just how unbrotherly I want to be with her, Brian rushes back in and zeroes in on Lizzie.
“I’m sorry I have to do this, Lizzie, but there’s an emergency call at the station. They’re short-staffed tonight, so I need to go. Can you find a way home?” Brian asks.
Relief and disappointment wash over Lizzie’s face, but she composes herself quickly with a smile. “No problem, Brian. I’ll be fine, don’t worry. Be safe.”
Lizzie barely gets her last word out before Brian is already racing out the door. No goodbye hug or errant farewell called over his shoulder. She swallows and then gets up in a rush to let the hostess know that their table is no longer needed.
“I’ll see you around,” she mutters to me and walks toward the door.
What the hell does she think she’s doing?
“Lizzie, wait up. I’ll take you home.”
“I’m good, Cameron. I’ll call an Uber or my parents. Your saving is not required.”
Shit. Did I completely fuck this up?
I run to the bar and find Reid talking to the bartender. “I gotta go but dinner’s on me,” I say quickly while handing him some cash.
“Go get your girl.”
I clap him on the shoulder and run outside only to see Lizzie walking across the street toward a bench under a tree. Brantley Falls is relatively safe with a low crime rate, and the downtown streets aren’t deserted this early, but I’m not taking any chances with her safety, so I run after her to ensure she isn’t by herself any longer than necessary.
“Lizzie, let me take you home. Don’t be stubborn.”
“I’m not being stubborn, Cameron. And I’m a big girl. I can take care of myself. I’m not your responsibility. Besides, I’m not your date tonight.” I love this feisty side of her, so I crack a smile. “Why are you smiling? Are you laughing at me? Is this whole situation just so comical to you?”
“No, Lizzie. I’m not laughing at you.”
“Right. As if getting ditched by a guy that I didn’t even want to go out with in the first place wasn’t bad enough, my super-hot neighbor, who I’ve had a crush on for forever, got to witness the whole thing.” She is waving her hands around frantically, and I can tell she’s just getting started on her rant. “Oh wait, that’s the same guy who says he’s like a big brother to me. I mean, being friend-zoned is just what every girl out here is longing for. Isn’t that just freaking awesome?”
She finishes talking and then lets out a big breath like she was running out of air. But the only part of her speech I can focus on is where she admitted she still has a crush on me and how angry she is at thinking I’ve friend-zoned her.
She has no idea.
I need to get Lizzie in the car ASAP to address everything she just said.
“Please let me drive you home, Lizzie?” I ask calmly.
“Why? So you can rescue me since that’s what you came out for? To take pity on little Lizzie and save her from her bad date?”
She crosses her arms over her chest, making it clear that she’s beyond annoyed with this situation. And since I only have so much self-control when it comes to her, I can’t help but stare at the way her gesture pushes her breasts up.
“Are you staring at my boobs, Cameron?” she asks with complete surprise and shock.
“I can’t help it, Lizzie. They’re pretty fucking fantastic. Everything about you is.”
She doesn’t have a reply to that, so we just stay there in silence until she bites her lip and takes a deep breath before finally speaking. “I would really appreciate a ride home, Cameron. I don’t want to call my parents or wait for an Uber that will take forty minutes to be here.”
“I would like nothing more.”
“Right,” she says unconvincingly.
I grab her hand and lace our fingers together as we walk to my truck. I open the door for her and make sure she’s buckled in before I walk around the back.
I jump in and notice Lizzie is wringing her hands together, clearly nervous. I take this opportunity to really look at her and then frown when I don’t see what I like.
“Can you do me a favor, Lizzie?” I ask.
She looks over at me and nods. “Sure.”
“Never cover up your freckles around me again,” I say while grazing my fingers over her cheek where I know her freckles are hiding.
“Why?” she asks with a heavy breath.
“Because they’re one of my favorite things about you.”
I move in close and brush my lips over hers. Not quite a kiss because I don’t want to share our first kiss in a parking lot after she’s been on a date with another man, but I need something to hold me over during the ride home.
“Believe it or not, Lizzie, I really fucking like you. I keep trying to talk myself out of making a move because we’re at very different points in our lives. You’re ten years younger than me. I’m newly divorced with two kids and not looking for anything serious.”
She looks up at me, our mouths almost touching. “The age gap doesn’t bother me, Cameron, and I never said anything about being serious,” she says, and I can’t help myself when I lean in again for one more peck. It’s chaste and short, and I instantly want more.
“How about we talk more about this on the way home, yeah?” I ask against her lips.
“How about we do it right now?” Her voice is just a whisper and the vibration on my lips goes straight to my cock.
When I lean back and see how blown her pupils are and how her breath is coming out in little pants, I know that this woman has the power to ruin me.
I just need to decide if I want it to happen or not.