Chapter 15
IZZI
Cameron knew how to kiss. Holy crap he knew how to kiss and Izzi wasn’t sure if it was because of an innate skill, or years of practice.
Wasn’t sure if she wanted to know. Friends with benefits weren’t owed histories and they definitely didn’t have the right to feel a sharp spike of jealousy for everyone who might have come before.
His arm tugged her closer until she was flush against him, her body pressing into that glorious bare chest, her stomach caressing the hard bulge of his groin.
She was tempted to tug the towel away, but his kisses were so good, so intense, she wanted to enjoy them first. Wanted to appreciate the way it felt to have someone so fully focused on her mouth.
As if it were the only thing in the world and he needed to trace every millimetre, to worship the shape and texture, to map each curve and commit it to memory.
Izzi felt like she was melting; heat seared her core and even her legs were trembling, making her wonder if she was going to be able to stay upright for much longer.
Cameron’s lips were soft, but somehow still demanding.
He swirled his tongue around her mouth, deepening the kiss, tangling with hers in a dance that gave her an insight into what he wanted.
He was stripping her bare, making her feel things she wasn’t ready for, but she leaned into it because she wanted him – and wanted to feel like she was being possessed, owned, recognised.
Because for the first time in her life, it felt like she was coming home and that was tantalising.
He was trembling and she could feel the tremor as his hand lowered. He pressed her closer, tugging the edge of the dressing gown up and moving his leg into the gap in between hers until they were skin to skin.
Izzi remembered this from her dream, remembered Cameron exploring the curves and arcs of her body and went up onto her tiptoes, brushing against him, trying to guide him into the exact right spot.
To the place she needed him. But like in the dream, he wouldn’t cooperate.
This was on his terms, and it was clear he wasn’t going to rush things. He was going to take his time.
Her breath was coming in short pants, and she might have been groaning too, but Cameron took no notice. Instead, he guided her backwards until she was pressed against the breakfast bar, caged in. She liked the feeling. For some reason Cameron made her feel safe, and it was intoxicating.
‘We might need to move soon,’ he gasped, breaking off the kiss for long enough to speak, before his mouth dragged over hers again, hot, wet and intense.
‘Where? Your bedroom?’ she asked. Instead of answering, he undid the belt on her dressing gown and tugged it off before spreading the material wide, giving himself access to her hips, legs, stomach and the place that was already damp and begging for release.
She reciprocated by ripping off his towel and letting it drop to the ground.
Then she slid her hand into his boxers, letting her fingers slide all over him, exploring the smooth skin and feeling him flex against her as he groaned.
‘No,’ he breathed, his voice urgent. ‘Sitting room, through the hallway. First door. There’s a sofa, a rug, I don’t know, goddammit – I just need a flat surface.
I want you horizontal.’ He was breathless now.
Drawing her with him until she was stumbling backwards and he was still touching her skin, stroking the insides of her thighs and stomach as he guided her through the kitchen.
Izzi let herself go with it. Cameron started kissing her again and his legs brushed her thighs as they moved. His hair dragged against her skin making it even more sensitive, like every cell in her body was suddenly standing to attention. Driving her crazy.
She shut her eyes, giving into it. She had two hours until she had to leave for work and intended to enjoy every second of them. Who cared that she’d barely slept, sleep was overrated anyway. This wasn’t, though. People wrote, sang, even begged for the kind of sensations she was having now.
She felt her back hit a door and looked down to see Cameron fumbling with a brass handle.
Guessed they’d made it to the sitting room.
The door opened and Cameron backed her up further and she sank into a plush carpet as they entered.
It was dark, but unexpectedly toasty. ‘There’s a rug in front of the wood burner,’ he breathed, helping her avoid a coffee table even as he bumped into it with his shin and cursed.
She felt the silky strands of a sheepskin between her toes as he stopped and pulled back so he could stare into her eyes.
‘I’m going to feed the fire to make sure it stays warm.
You can sit and watch but—’ His eyes strayed downwards and there was enough light coming from the hallway for her to see his expression.
She watched his eyes widen and his mouth curve before he licked his lips appreciatively.
‘Don’t you dare cover yourself,’ he ordered, his eyes meeting hers again. ‘Don’t change anything.’
He lifted a hand and brushed a strand of hair out of her face so gently, so carefully that heat pooled in Izzi’s stomach. It was such a simple thing but such a caring gesture that she had to look away because she could feel tears pricking the corners of her eyes.
‘You’re frowning, Izzi,’ Cameron said huskily, guiding her down to the rug with him until she was sitting, her legs curved underneath. ‘Are you having second thoughts?’
‘Hell no.’ She almost laughed. ‘This is just.’ She swallowed, overcome, but determined to be honest, because she knew that was what Cameron wanted. ‘A lot.’
His eyes warmed. ‘It is. But sometimes a lot is what we deserve.’ He smiled, then knelt closer to the fire so he could start to place kindling and logs in the grate.
It was a large wood burner and Izzi could see tiles underneath, although the light was dim so she couldn’t make out the colour. She saw Cameron had placed another pile of pumpkins on the hearth and wondered if he’d been collecting those for Maud too. Assuaging his guilt.
She continued to watch him, admiring the muscles in his arms, the intensity of his focus as he built the fire.
Cameron Buchanan was a man who took his time over things, did them properly.
Her insides knotted as she imagined him taking his time with her.
The anticipation was almost driving her mad, so by the time the fire was roaring, her whole body was tingling and she was practically writhing on the rug.
He crouched and came to kneel in front of her before drinking her in. She could hear the snap and crackle of the flames and felt a corresponding sizzle in her chest as Cameron stared at her silently.
Then he moved closer and Izzi went up onto her knees too because she wanted to meet him head on, wanted to look into his face. He must have liked that because the smile returned, and it was like the sun had come out again.
Her heart thumped and he leaned in to kiss her, only this was gentle, barely a touch.
Then he pressed his lips to the edge of her mouth, then cheek, dropped to her chin and neck before moving to her collarbone as he pushed the robe from her shoulders and let it drop.
She felt it puddle around her and knew she was fully naked.
So she began to work on Cameron’s boxers too, impatiently shoving them down, releasing him, watching as he sprang up.
She took a moment to drink him in and wet her lips.
She wanted to taste him and she looked into his eyes, saw heat – but he must have read her mind because he shook his head.
‘Not yet. It’s your turn first. I told you I want you horizontal.’ He gazed at her and when she didn’t move, arched an eyebrow. ‘Any time you’re ready.’ There was humour in his voice and the lightness of it made her feel less self-conscious.
‘So bossy,’ she muttered, easing down to the rug, skimming a hand over the cozy material before she lay on her back and stared up at him as light from the fire flickered over them.
‘You make such a pretty picture,’ he said gruffly and he sounded surprised, like he hadn’t been expecting her to. ‘I don’t think I’m going to be able to look at that rug in the same way ever again after this.’
‘I guess it’ll make hoovering more interesting,’ she joked and he barked out a laugh.
‘You’re funny, Izzi,’ his voice had deepened and he almost sounded like he admired that. She took another hit to her heart because she’d always been a sucker for appreciation. She’d had so little of it up until now.
She swallowed, embarrassed. ‘Are you just going to stare at me all night?’ she asked, patting the rug as his eyes scraped over her hungrily while shadows danced on his face, accentuating the sharp curves of his cheekbones and jaw. Damn he was gorgeous.
‘I’m in no hurry,’ he said, coming to lay beside her, leaning on his side and resting his head on one arm so he could gaze at her.
He kissed her suddenly, linking a hand with hers as he eased her onto her back and straddled her hips, making sure he took most of the weight so he didn’t squash her.
He felt good and she wriggled into him, relishing the feel of his hot flesh on either side of her hips.
He eased up and she took another moment to really look at him.
She had no idea when she’d get another chance and this man was quite something.
He began to run his fingertips over her collarbones, dropping to explore her breasts before circling her belly button.
The pads of his fingers were rough and they made her skin sensitive, made her twist and writhe in eagerness for him to dip lower.
He grinned and leaned down to trace his mouth over her, following the path of his fingers.
His kisses grew hotter and more urgent as he shifted downwards and – just like in her dream – he pushed her legs wide.
‘I’ve been wondering what you taste like,’ he murmured and she wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or himself.
She wanted to tell him to find out – she’d waited for too long already, but he must have read her mind because suddenly he was tracing his tongue carefully over her, teasing her before he sucked and licked, while her hips rocked and she moaned.
He put a finger inside her, and she gasped as sensation rocketed through her.
She was so close now, was almost going to c—
Cameron pulled away and kissed the top of her thigh, layering butterfly kisses on her skin, teasing her.
He put his mouth back to her centre and filled her with two fingers and she immediately bucked and groaned. A couple of seconds later she was riding waves of pleasure, rocking, pulsing and screaming her release.
When she finally returned to earth and opened her eyes, her body languid and dreamy, Cameron was staring down at her, his expression satisfied. She hadn’t been expecting this from him, for him to open up to her so thoroughly, to let his guard down like this.
She smiled up at him, before taking his hand and guiding him on top of her. ‘Is it your turn, for me to taste you too?’ she whispered, staring into his eyes, but he shook his head.
‘Not tonight – how about we try this instead?’ He eased back and sat on the rug, then reached for her and guided her so she was sitting in his lap, straddling his hips, staring into his face.
‘I want to look at you,’ he murmured, stroking a hand down the edge of her cheek, making her insides clench, as fire began to build at her centre again.
Damn this man was hot. She was so turned on.
By rights, she should be lying on the rug in a puddle of contentment and exhaustion, but she wanted Cameron inside her, wasn’t ready for this to end.
At least he’d just implied this wasn’t just a one-night thing.
She hoped it wasn’t – had a feeling her appetite for him wouldn’t be satiated that easily.
He continued to stroke the edge of her face, leaving a trail of tingles as he rocked his hips back and forth.
She could feel the hard length of him pressing under her core and let herself slide back and forth, watching the way his eyes flickered in the firelight.
Feeling the way his body began to tense, his muscles contracting, emphasising the dips and peaks of his pecs.
He gently bit her bottom lip before layering softer kisses over it.
The gesture was so gentle Izzi felt emotion build in her throat.
She hadn’t expected gentleness from him either.
It was a lot. More than she’d felt before. This wasn’t just chemistry – there was connection, kindness, genuine thoughtfulness – things she hadn’t been anticipating from Cameron because he’d been so closed off, so suspicious when they’d met.
She wasn’t sure she was ready for all this emotion.
She swallowed as fear tightened in her stomach and blew out a long breath because she wasn’t going to walk away either.
She had to remember, she was here for the pleasure of the moment.
Friends with benefits, that’s what he’d offered and that’s what this was.
She couldn’t read more into it. She just had to enjoy it while it lasted.
So she rose up, used her hand to position him before allowing herself to press down, taking him inside, filling herself with his length.
A moan escaped from his lips, and she smiled and reciprocated with a moan of her own.
Then she leaned forward so she could press her mouth to his, taking control, swirling and dragging her tongue, trying to mirror what was happening at her core.
They rocked together, perfectly in tune, before their movements grew more frenzied and wilder as they got caught up in a wave of pleasure.
Izzi went first, joining the wave, climbing as her insides pulsed and vibrated, as she tried to reach the place she couldn’t seem to get to.
Then she arrived and went crashing over — her body pulsating and trembling until she finally shattered, screaming her release into the darkness.
She heard Cupcake bark in the other room as Cameron groaned too and she felt him tense and pulse before his muscles flexed and released.
They fell onto each other, breathing heavily, and Izzi pressed her nose into his neck, relishing the feel of him as their heartbeats slowed.
It was everything she’d wished for and so much more – but she had to remember she couldn’t take this seriously, couldn’t fall for him either.
Because whatever happened between her and Cameron, it had to end…