Chapter 39 Dusty
Chapter 39
Dusty
When I got home later that night, I sat in my car for a second after I cut the engine. I did this every night when I got home—took a second to be still.
I loved nighttime. I think I loved mornings more—probably because I had to learn to love them because of my job, but still, I loved the night. I think I loved them both because those were the times when the world was quiet. I liked the quiet. I liked the stillness. I liked the weird sense of calm and stability they evoked in me. No matter where you were in the world, there were always going to be mornings, and there were always going to be nights.
So I sat in my truck with my eyes closed in the dark. I thought about this morning at the soccer game—about how much I loved being there with Cam, and how she didn’t shy away when confronted with telling people about us.
Something slammed on the hood of my car, and I startled. I think I yelped. When I looked up, Teddy Andersen was grinning outside my driver’s-side window. So much for quiet.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” I said loudly, so she could hear me through the glass. She tossed her head back in laughter before yanking the door open.
“Scoot over,” she said. “It’s cold as shit out here.”
I moved across the bench seat, and Teddy climbed in the cab.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“Riley has a team sleepover tonight, but she forgot her blanket. We came here to get it, so we could drop it off to her.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re sitting in my car,” I said.
Teddy shrugged. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“About?”
“Everything,” she said. “We haven’t really had a chance to debrief lately.”
“What are we debriefing?”
“Well, you and Cam is the obvious topic of conversation,” she said. “But after this morning, I wanted to talk to you about Riley. You showed up for her today.”
“She asked me to come.” I shrugged.
“And you nearly blew everyone’s eardrums with how loud you were cheering for her.”
“I think that was your fiancé,” I said.
“It was both of you,” Teddy said. “Anyway, I wanted to see how you were feeling about it all. If you’re with Cam, you’ve gotta love them both,” she said.
“I do,” I said without thinking.
I thought about Riley a lot. Just like her mom, she was so easy for me to love.
She was funny and smart and tenacious. I found myself wondering about her more often these days—curious about what she was learning in school or how her day was or if she felt off-kilter in her saddle that wasn’t quite sized right.
I thought about the life that Cam had built for Riley—not the life that she’d built with the help of Gus and his family, but the parts of Riley’s life that Cam had built on her own. When Riley was at Gus’s, she had a seemingly never-ending group of people who wanted to see her and jumped at the chance to take care of her. When she was with Cam, it was just the two of them. Both of those dynamics were special, but I wondered if Cam ever felt pressure to be…more. I would, if it was me.
Even though it was impossible for Cam to be more than she already was.
“Good,” Teddy said. “Because it’s a special thing—to be part of this little unit Cam and Gus have created. Riley has no shortage of people who love her, but it’s different being the other half of one of her parents. It can be a lot, but it’s worth it.”
“Of course it is,” I said and then paused for a second. “Do you ever…worry about it? About how you fit into Riley’s life? I want to be there for her—I want to be part of it all, but I don’t want to overstep or anything.”
“All the time,” Teddy said. “But we have the easy way out. We get to take our cues from Cam and Gus. It’s their partnership that makes Riley’s life so special.”
I nodded. “Any advice?”
Teddy thought about that for a second. “Don’t put pressure on yourself to ‘fit’ into their lives. The Ryders—and I’m including Cam in that family tree—are experts at making room for people exactly as they are.”
“You’re very wise, Theodora,” I said after I let her words sink in.
“I know, Terrance.” She grinned.
I rubbed my hand down my face. “I can’t believe my mom blew my secret.”
“That’s why she’s my favorite Tucker,” Teddy said. A car horn honked, and she opened my driver’s-side door. “That’s my cue. I’ll see you later.”
“Thank you, Teddy. You’re a good friend.”
“I know,” she said, and then she was gone. I sat in my truck a little longer, thinking about Cam and Riley and families and futures and love—all of it.
I’d never fallen out of love with Cam—not in all the time we were apart. Cam taught me what it was like to love and be loved. I took that with me around the world. I built upon it and every type of love I’d felt was compared to it, and nothing had ever come close—it was always her. It was always going to be her.
When I got out of my truck, I saw the soft, warm glow that was coming from Cam’s kitchen.
I started walking toward it—like a moth to a flame. I paused when I saw Cam through her kitchen window. She had papers spread all over the kitchen counter and the cap of a highlighter in her mouth. Her laptop and iPad were set up near her, too. Working. Always working. Always worrying.
I walked a few more steps to her back door and tapped on it with my knuckles. She had music playing, so I couldn’t hear it when she got up from the table, but a few seconds later, her back door cracked open.
“Hey,” she said. “Everything okay?”
I nodded. “It is now. Can I come in?”
Her eyes widened for a second. “Um,” she said. “Yeah, but I feel like I should warn you that I’m not wearing any pants.”
I barked out a laugh. “Wasn’t Gus just in here?”
“Whipped them off as soon as he left,” she said.
“I think I can handle it,” I said.
She pointed a pink highlighter at me. “No funny business.”
“Me?” I said with faux shock. “Never.”
Cam opened the door a little wider, making room for me to step in, and sure enough, her bare legs were on display from her feet all the way up to her thighs until they disappeared under an oversize Blink-182 T-shirt.
“How was the rest of your day?” she asked as she shut the door and made her way back to her seat and all of her papers. I sat in the seat next to her and draped my arm over the back of her chair.
“It was good,” I said. “Ran into Teddy outside. She pulled the full name out on me.”
Cam’s eyes gleamed. “Well, Terrance,” she said. Her tone was amused. “I think it’s safe to say you’ll never live that down now.”
I reached over and flicked her nose. “Little shit,” I said. “You wouldn’t be happy if Teddy Andersen had her hands on ammunition about you, either.”
“Fair,” Cam said. “But I don’t think your name is that much ammunition if I’m being honest.”
“Should I start going by Terrance then?”
Cam laughed. “I don’t think so—Dusty is definitely hotter.” I raised an eyebrow at her and watched a blush color her cheeks. Fuck, I loved it when she blushed.
“How do you feel after Riley’s soccer game this morning? And everyone knowing…about us?”
Cam bit her bottom lip and nodded. “I’m glad.”
Pride rushed through me. “Really?” I asked. “There are no take-backs in this town.”
“I know,” Cam said. “I’m not worried about it. Are you?”
I shook my head. “Not even a little bit. This feels—we feel…”
“Permanent?” Cam said with a smile.
“Permanent,” I agreed.
Cam leaned over to me and pressed her lips against mine. “I’m happy you’re here,” she said. “That we’re here, together.” I felt her words like the sun on my face.
“Me too,” I said and then kissed her again. Longer. Slower, this time. I pulled Cam closer to me until she moved off of her chair and into my lap with her arms around my neck—all without taking her mouth off mine.
When she pulled away, I sighed, and she laughed a little. “You’re a good kisser,” she said. “I like kissing you.”
“Then why are we stopping?” I asked and tried to bring her mouth to mine again, but she smiled and pushed at my chest, so I stopped.
“I just need to say this one thing, before I start kissing you again and the world stops and the likelihood that clothes end up on the floor gets higher.” I gave her an amused smirk. “I don’t want us to waste any more time. We’ve already spent years apart, growing up and becoming our own people. I think the fact that we still fit together is kind of a miracle, and I don’t want to miss another moment.”
“No more missing,” I said with a grin. “You got it.”
This time, when she brought her mouth back down on mine, neither of us pulled away. Her hands roamed up and down my torso. They held my face and grabbed at my shirt—like no matter where they were, it wasn’t enough.
Cam kissed her way down the column of my throat until she found my tattoo, then she bit down hard and sucked. My head fell back on a groan. “Trying to leave a mark, angel?”
“Yeah,” she said against my skin. “That was the whole point of this tattoo, remember? A mark that doesn’t fade?” She sucked at it again.
“Fuck,” I breathed. “I love you being territorial.”
Cam’s lips moved up the column of my neck again before she lifted her head and said, “Show me.”
I gripped her waist hard as I stood up, and I set her down for half a second only so I could pick her up again in a way that would allow her to wrap her legs around me. My hold on her was firm as I walked us toward the couch.
“I like this,” she said against my mouth. “I don’t get picked up very often—tall girl problems.”
“That’s the last time you’re ever going to say that,” I said. “I’ll pick you up all you want—toss you around a bit, too.”
When we got to the front of the couch, I held Cam close as I lay down, so she would end up on top of me. “Smooth,” she said against my mouth. “That was very smooth.” I smiled.
I let my hands roam all over her body—very aware now that she wasn’t wearing any pants and that I was getting uncomfortably hard in mine. God, her skin was so fucking soft. And she smelled so good. It was like everything about her was specifically designed to lure me in and make me want her.
And I wanted her so fucking bad.
Cam sat up, and I went with her, helping her pull her T-shirt over her head. She wasn’t wearing a bra underneath it. “Fuck,” I groaned. “You’ve just been bare under there the whole time?”
I kissed my way down her chest and drew one of her nipples into my mouth.
She inhaled sharply. “It’s not my fault you didn’t notice I wasn’t wearing a bra.” Her voice was shaky. I loved it.
“I was focused on you,” I said. “Like a goddamn gentleman.” I switched to her other nipple and felt my cock jerk when she tugged on my hair.
“Is this you being a gentleman?” she asked.
“Not anymore,” I said as I pushed her back and covered her body with mine. “I want to do distinctly ungentlemanly things to you.”
“Like what?” Cam breathed.
I kissed her hard and pushed my tongue into her mouth, wanting to taste every corner of her. When I pulled back, I slipped one of my fingers into her mouth and let her suck on it before I dragged it down her neck, chest, and abdomen until I got to her black panties. I brushed my knuckle over the top of them. “In a little while, I’m going to bend you over this couch and fuck you from behind, but right now”—I moved her underwear to one side, and slid a finger inside of her—“I want to feel how fucking soaked you are for me.”
Cam’s back arched, and her eyes rolled back as I pushed my finger in and out of her. Fuck, the noises. “Needy girl,” I said softly, and Cam nodded desperately.
“More, please,” she gasped.
“More what, angel? Another finger? Or do you want my tongue?”
“Either. Both,” she said. “I want it all.”
I kissed her again and pulled her panties down her legs, but I didn’t throw them across the room. I sat back on my knees and brought the finger that was inside of Cam up to my mouth. Just a little taste. “You’re in charge here. Show me what you want me to do,” I said as I licked her off my finger. “Show me how you touch yourself when you’re thinking of me.”
Cam looked up at me with hooded lids, but she did what I said. My mouth watered as I watched her drag her fingers down her abdomen before they slipped inside of her. I moaned at the sight of it. I unbuttoned my jeans and pushed them and my briefs down enough that I could pull my dick out. While I watched her, I wrapped her underwear around my dick and gave myself a few hard strokes.
Both of us were breathing heavily, and I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. “Oh my god,” Cam said. As she watched me use her panties to stroke my length, her fingers sped up on her clit and her hips jerked.
Before she could get much further, I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away. She let out a frustrated moan. “Dusty,” she moaned, but she didn’t look at me—her eyes were still on my dick, and they were heated as hell.
“You don’t get to come unless it’s on me,” I said.
“Then get inside of me,” she said. “I’m ready. I want you.”
I stopped what I was doing and crawled my way up her body, and leaned down like I was going to kiss her. When she closed her eyes to meet me halfway, I slid her panties into her mouth instead. Her eyes opened immediately. “Remember what I said about rushing me?”
Cam’s eyelids went heavy as she nodded, and I slid my finger back inside of her, and she moaned around her panties. “Then don’t rush me. I like taking my time with you, angel. I like watching your eyes get heavy and your chest heave. I like watching goosebumps rise on your skin.” I brought my thumb to her clit and pressed down. Cam jerked underneath me.
I started working her with my hand—fast, like she was doing to herself, and putting pressure on her clit. Her hips bucked, and muffled cries came from her mouth. “God, you’re so needy,” I said. “You’re going to come already, aren’t you? I can feel your pussy tightening around my fingers.” I brought my other hand to the bottom of her abdomen and pushed down. Cam’s entire body snapped, and her eyes went wide. I felt her pussy constrict. “Atta girl,” I said. “Come all over my fingers.” Her body jerked over and over again as she rode the wave of her orgasm, and I took in the view.
God, she was stunning.
When her body went boneless, I reached up and took her panties out of her mouth and tossed them across the room before I brought my mouth down hard on hers. She immediately opened for me, and our tongues tangled together.
“You did so good, baby,” I said.
“God,” Cam moaned. “I can’t handle it when you talk to me like that.”
“Like what?” I asked. I was grinning against her mouth.
“You know,” she said. “You know exactly what you’re doing.” I got up onto my knees and brought Cam with me.
“Remember what I said about bending you over the couch?” I asked, and Cam nodded. “I want to do that now, if that’s okay with you.”
She laughed, and the sound was like fresh air in my lungs. “I’d like that,” she said, and then she grabbed one of my hands and kissed my palm. “I like these—the tattoos.” The hand she was holding had a rose on the back of it.
“You know where they look best?” I asked, and Cam tilted her head and nodded. I brought my hand up to her neck. “Right here.” I felt her swallow under my touch. I squeezed and hauled her mouth to mine. “I’m about to jump over the back of this couch,” I said. “And it’s not going to be smooth or sexy.”
“We’ll see,” Cam said with a grin. I kissed her one more time before I put a hand on the back of the couch and pushed myself over—the same way I would hop a fence. “Hmmmm, I’d give it a seven out of ten,” she said.
“Brat,” I said as I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her over the back of the couch to join me. She wobbled when her feet hit the ground. “Feeling a little unsteady, angel?”
She gave me a playful slap on the arm. “Maybe if you didn’t feel the need to show off all the time, I’d be able to stand.”
“Don’t worry,” I said. “I’ve got you.” I kissed her then, and she brought one of her hands to my aching cock. I gasped when she wrapped her hand around it and stroked me hard. “Fuck,” I gritted out. I clutched her face in my hands and licked the side of her mouth as she did it a few more times.
“I want this inside of me,” she said. “I want to feel you stretch me and fuck me from behind.” Cam bit my bottom lip. “Please.”
I brought my hands down to her waist and flipped her around. The front of her body fell over the couch as she gasped. I dropped to my knees behind her and licked up her center. “I just need a taste of your perfect cunt first,” I said.
Cam moaned as my tongue went between her legs. “I think you like being on your knees for me,” she said breathily.
“You’re wrong, angel, I fucking love being on my knees for you,” I said as I stood. I sunk my teeth into one of her ass cheeks on the way. I felt her shocked gasp rocket through her body. “Are you ready for me?”
“Yes, god, Dusty, please.”
I gripped one side of her ass and started to ease my cock into her. “I’ll go slow,” I whispered in her ear. “It’s going to feel deep like this, so I need you to tell me if it gets too intense, okay?”
Her body went rigid as I got farther inside of her. “Relax, angel. I’ve got you,” I crooned and kissed her neck. “I’ve got you. You can take it, can’t you?”
“Yes,” Cam moaned.
“That’s my girl,” I said. “My perfect fucking girl.” I looked down at where our bodies joined and cursed under my breath. I was the luckiest man alive—by a long shot.
My breath went ragged as I seated myself fully inside her. “Fuck, you feel so good.” I started to move my hips, and I couldn’t help the moan that came out of me.
“Louder,” Cam said.
“You want to hear what you do to me, angel?” I said as my strokes got a little harder.
“Yes,” Cam moaned. “I like it when you’re loud.”
“Fuck, baby,” I moaned.
Cam backed her ass into me in time with my thrusts, and the strangled noise that came out of my throat was barely human. “That’s right—fuck me back, I know you can.”
After that, we devolved into moans and movements and sounds. Both of our gasps got quicker and higher as we raced toward the edge, ready to fall over at any moment.
I had enough consciousness to reach around to Cam’s clit and put some pressure there—didn’t want to leave my girl hanging.
“Yes, yes, yes,” Cam chanted, and I felt the base of my spine tense. Cam tightened around my dick, and my vision started to go black at the sides.
“Fuck, angel, I’m going to come,” I ground out. Her body went rigid under my hands. She gripped me so fucking tight, and I almost didn’t remember to pull out, but I came to at the last minute and liquid spilled all over her back.
“Shit,” I breathed. “Holy shit.”
Cam’s body heaved. “How does it get better every single time?” she asked.
“Because it’s us,” I said. I leaned down and kissed her shoulder.
After we got cleaned up, I pulled Cam down on the couch with me and held her closer. “Dusty…” She trailed off.
“Talk to me, angel,” I whispered with my lips in her hair.
“Will you stay over tonight?” she asked. “I want to wake up with you. I don’t want to say goodbye.”
“Me neither,” I said.