Chapter 28
twenty-eight
Cameron
By some miracle, all the stars aligned, and Rosalie was able to get Paige into Pony Tales starting this Wednesday night.
I’m simultaneously excited and stressed the fuck out.
I’ve been completely distracted at work since she let me know this morning, and every little thing seems to be getting to me.
I’m thankful Tom’s not here because I know I’d be getting the third degree for the number of times I’ve paced our office, shifted restlessly in my seat, or let out an exasperated sigh. Hell, I’m even annoying myself.
I’ve dated over the past several years, but nothing serious, nothing where I wanted to make a lasting impression on a woman.
I sure as shit have never had weeks’ worth of torturous flirty foreplay before a first date.
I’m wound tight and am going to have to seriously hold myself back from ravaging Rosalie the first moment we’re alone.
I should at least feed her first, right?
Against my better judgment, I dial Beck. I know he’s going to give me so much shit, but I need someone to metaphorically slap me across the face and tell me to get it together.
He answers on the third ring. “Hey, Cam, what’s up?”
“Hey, man, I need some advice.”
“Oh damn, this should be good!” he says with a deep, hearty laugh.
“Would you just shut the hell up and listen,” I say with more bite than I mean to, but I’m seriously on edge and need his help, not his sarcasm.
“Whoa, okay, man, what’s going on?”
“I’m taking Rosalie out on a date Wednesday night, and I don’t know what to do,” I blurt out.
“Oooh, playing around on a school night. I like it.”
“Beck,” I growl with frustration.
“What? I’m just wondering how you managed to score a date on a weeknight? Where’s Addison going to be?”
“She has Pony Tales on Wednesday nights at the Equine Center, and I talked Rosalie into enrolling her daughter, too.”
“Damn, dude,” Beck says with some pride infused in his tone. “Nice move.”
“It’s not a fucking move, man. I really like her, and it’s the only way I could think of for both of us to be kid-free.”
“Okay, okay. So, what’s your plan?”
“That’s the problem. I have no fucking clue. The camp is only two hours long so it’s not like I have all night with her.”
Beck’s quiet for a beat, but then he says, “You’ve obviously been to her house, right?”
“Yeah, you were there.”
“All right, man, no need to be a dick. I’ve switched gears and now you can, too.”
I sigh. He’s right, and I say as much. “You’re right, man. I’m sorry. I just don’t know where you’re going with this.”
“Well, if you’d hang on and let me finish, you’ll know in just a few minutes.”
I’m quiet, and he continues. “If you’ve already been to her house, why don’t you just invite her over to yours?”
“You don’t think that’s too presumptuous?” I ask.
“I guess it could come off that way, but you’ve only spent time together in public places and with your kids.
If you want a chance to hang out with just Rosalie, you don’t want to take her out to dinner, and the time constraints don’t really allow for you to do something else, like take her to a movie or anything. ”
“I guess you’re right,” I concede.
“Plus,” Beck continues, “it’s Paige’s first time at Pony Tales, and you live close enough to the Equine Center that Rosalie could get there quickly, if needed. That fact alone should help with your plans to take her back to your place.”
“The phrase ‘take her back to my place’ sounds more salacious than I want to come off on a first date, but I get your point and I like the idea.”
“Are you telling me you don’t want to do indecent things to her once you have her alone in your home?”
“Now you sound like I’m trying to kidnap her.”
Beck laughs hard. “Okay, fine then. Are you telling me you don’t want to tap that? Take her to bed? Sleep with her? Fuck her? Make love…”
“Enough with that shit,” I cut him off, not loving how he’s talking about my relationship, if you can even call it that at this point, with Rosalie in that manner.
“Admit it, though, having her at your house would make it a bit easier for things to progress beyond just a simple meal, and you’re not opposed to that.”
He’s right, I’m not opposed to moving beyond just dinner, but I’ll be damned if I agree with him after the way he just went on about it.
“Great, so I’ll just ask her if she wants to grab pizza or something and head back here,” I say, keeping my reaction neutral and refusing to acknowledge anything beyond dinner plans.
“There you go, man! And don’t forget to call me when your date is over. I need to hear your words of gratitude after you eat more than the pizza.”
“You’re such a womanizing dick,” I say, infusing a hint of affection into my admonishment.
Beck isn’t an actual womanizer, and the shit he says is more for shock value than anything else, but I have worried about his lifestyle over the past year when it comes to women. He doesn’t stick with one for long, and he’s fairly cavalier about his interactions with them.
“I believe the words you’re looking for are ‘Thank you, Beck, you’re the best brother-in-law ever.’”
“So my phone says.” I chuckle. “I do appreciate you, and I love you even more. I’ll talk to you later and let you know how it goes.”
“Of course! Good luck!” he says before disconnecting the call.
I take a deep breath and shoot a text to Rosalie.
Hey, what do you think about pizza at my place while the girls are at camp? I’m close to the Equine Center in case Paige needs you and it will be quiet so we can hang, just the two of us?
I must have reread my text at least ten times, rewording it over and over before finally hitting send. I sit there staring at my phone for a bit, hoping she texts me back right away, but then I realize it’s the middle of the workday and she’s likely busy.
I set my phone down and try to focus on my own work, which feels nearly impossible, but I manage, and before I know it, it’s five o’clock and time to go home and see my daughter.
Addison’s home with our babysitter Leyton this summer, now that she’s turned sixteen. Up until now, I would drive her to my parents’ before work and pick her up afterward, but it meant really early mornings and a ton of driving.
This summer, I just decided to bite the bullet and hire a babysitter, and it’s been a game changer. Leyton can drive Addie anywhere she wants to go during the day, and I only have to drive the short distance home after work, and Addison’s already there.
Hopping in my Jeep, I glance down one more time to check my phone for a text.
Still nothing.
I’m starting to worry pizza at my place was a horrible idea, and Rosalie’s currently trying to find a nice way to let me down.
Pulling up to my house and putting the Jeep in park, I begin formulating a plan to give her an out or reschedule to another date when my phone dings with a notification.
ROSALIE
Hey! So sorry, I’ve been out on a call. We had a horse at a nearby farm with a large abscess that needed to be treated and then I had to run and get Paige. I just got a chance to look at my phone. Pizza at your place sounds great!
I breathe out a sigh of relief and murmur a “Thank you, Beck” before getting out of the car.
***
The couple of days leading up to my date with Rosalie crawl by, but Wednesday evening is finally here.
Rosalie and I have been texting frequently over the past couple of days, and decided that once we drop off the girls she can just follow me over to my house. This is the first time we’ll be together without the buffer of Addison and Paige, and I’m feeling the nerves.
Pulling up to the Equine Center, I instantly spot Rosalie’s truck in the lot and pull in beside it. As soon as we walk inside, Addison quickly finds Paige and runs over to greet her.
With the appearance of Addie at her side, Rosalie looks up immediately, searching for me, and my heart begins to pound with nerves.
When her eyes meet mine, her face lights up, and she gives an excited wave, effectively dousing all the doubts I had about tonight.
I stride over to her, weaving around the groups of kids waiting for Pony Tales to start, and pull her into my side for a hug, letting my hand linger for a bit on the curve of her waist.
“Hey,” I say, giving her a bit of a squeeze before letting her go.
“Hi, I’m almost done here and then we can head out.”
“Sounds good.” I try for nonchalance, but I’m unsuccessful when my voice drops a few octaves, giving off the impression I’m a man starved.
Rosalie doesn’t even try to hide her smirk as she finishes signing the last form, then saunters by, giving Paige a hug goodbye before moving toward the exit. I follow her lead and say bye to Addison, dropping a kiss on the top of her head, and trail Rosalie outside.
Not wanting to stir the small-town gossip mill quite yet by leaving together, Rosalie follows me to my house.
I’m impressed I don’t wreck on the short drive from the almost continuous way I keep glancing in my rearview mirror to make sure she hasn’t bailed.
When we’re both parked, I take a deep breath before opening the car door. Why the fuck am I so nervous?
That question is answered when I finally notice what Rosalie is wearing.
She’s got on a short jean skirt frayed around the bottom with an old vintage-looking T-shirt hanging off one shoulder, and her hair is down in wild waves around her face.
She’s wearing cowboy boots that are clearly not just for fashion, as they look scuffed and well-worn, and I love it.
She’s fucking sexy as hell, and I let her know it as my eyes devour her from head to toe and back up again, not wanting to miss even the most minute detail of her.
When I meet her eyes, she’s full-on smiling at me, and it lights up her gorgeous face.
“Like what you see?”
“I absolutely fucking do. You look stunning.”
“Well, thank you. You don’t look half bad yourself,” she says with an appreciative gleam in her eye.
I’m not in anything spectacular. Since I ran home from work and immediately grabbed Addison to take her to camp, I only had time to throw on a pair of jeans and a dark gray T-shirt.
But apparently, it’s working for Rosalie because she takes a step closer and places her hand on my chest, moving up on her tiptoes to place a light kiss on my lips before lowering back down.
I’m completely caught off guard. I thought for sure I was going to be the one to make the first move, so it takes me a moment to catch up.
She has a cheeky smile on her face and is staring at me like she’s just waiting for me to make my move.
Her smile turns into a shriek followed by the sweetest laughter as I haul her up over my shoulder and walk toward my house.
Once we’re inside, I promptly drop her between my body and the closed door and crash my mouth to hers.
Her hands wind around the nape of my neck, drawing me closer, and our kiss deepens as her mouth opens for me.
The taste of mint hits my tongue as it glides over hers and the kiss feels like heaven.
A small whimper escapes her as I press my hips forward, effectively pinning her to the door and I know she can feel my erection through my jeans.
My hands skate up the underside of her shirt, my need to feel her soft skin is desperate.
We’re so engrossed in each other that we jump apart when the doorbell sounds. We’re both breathing heavily as we stare at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“It’s the damn pizza. I literally just got cockblocked by the damn pizza.”
Rosalie laughs harder as she smooths down her clothing and runs a hand through her hair.
She points down to my dick. “Why don’t you let me get the door because there’s no hiding that thing.” She’s teasing me, but her gaze lingers and her cheeks flush, letting me know she likes what she sees.
The doorbell rings again, breaking our heated stare down and reminding us someone is standing on the other side of the door with our dinner.
Rosalie shoos me behind the door as she opens it and greets our pizza deliveryman with a calm demeanor, revealing nothing of our heated exchange.
Reaching down to grab her purse that fell to the floor when we came in, I admire the curve of her ass for just a second before she stands back up to give the delivery driver a tip before closing the door.
Turning to face me, she holds our pizza in one hand with a casual grin on her face. “So, this is your place, huh?”