Cam lifted me, wringing a startled gasp from me that was quickly lost in him. Instinct took over and I wrapped my legs around his waist. In one powerful lunge, he moved forward and my back was against the wall and his chest was flush against mine. My body softened, dampened between my thighs as I felt him there, evidence of how badly he wanted me. Every inch of my body tightened as heat poured into me.
For the first time, there wasn’t a smidgen of panic. Nothing but wonderful sensations that made me feel alive, and for once, I was completely in control. There was a freedom in that I never experienced before and I threw myself into that kiss. He made that terribly sexy sound that rumbled through his chest and then mine.
It seemed like forever before he lifted his mouth. “I need to go.”
I let out a shaky breath. “You’re leaving now?”
“I’m not a saint, sweetheart,” he all but growled. “So if I don’t leave now, I won’t be leaving for some time.”
A pulse went from the tips of my breasts to my core. “What if I don’t want you to leave?”
“Fuck,” he said, sliding his hands down to my thighs. “You’re making this very hard to be the good guy you said I was last night.”
“I’m not drunk.”
He pressed his forehead to mine, chuckling softly. “Yeah, I can see that and while the idea of taking you right now, against the wall, is enough to make me lose control, I want you to know that I’m serious. You’re not a hook up. You’re not a friend with benefits. You’re more than that to me.”
I closed my eyes, breathing heavily. “Well, that was… really sort of perfect.”
“I’m really sort of perfect,” he replied, gently untangling my legs. He sat me on the floor and I would’ve fallen right over if he hadn’t held on. “Everyone else knows that. You’re just a little slow on the uptake.”
I laughed. “What are you going to do?”
“Take a cold shower.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep.”
I laughed again. “You coming back over?”
“Always,” he said, kissing me quickly.
“Okay.” I opened my eyes, smiling. “I’ll wait for you.”
Chapter 26
My life changed in very little ways in such a short period of time that it all added up to this monumental deal, at least to me. Cam had spent all day Sunday with me and I’d woken up this morning to a good morning text from him.
Before I even had a chance to break the news to Brit and Jacob about the status change between Cam and I, they saw it firsthand while we waited outside for Brit to finish her cigarette before heading into Whitehall on Monday.
Cam came out of nowhere, slipping up behind me and wrapping his arms around my waist. I stiffened for a fraction of a second before forcing myself to relax. He pressed his lips to my cheek, and the shiver had nothing to do with the cold air. “Hey there.”
The cigarette fell out of Brit’s mouth.
Jacob blinked once, then twice, and then again. “What the…?”
I gripped Cam’s forearms as he trailed his lips to my ear, blazing a path across my skin. “I think Brittany’s going to catch her shoe on fire.”
My gaze dropped and I broke free from his hold. “Oh, my God, Brit, your shoe!”
She glanced down and gave a little shriek. Kicking the lit cigarette off her shoe, she jumped back. “I almost burned to death. And it would’ve been your fault!”
“My fault?”
“Yes. Because you didn’t tell me about this.” She gestured wildly at a grinning Cam. “That!”
“Are you two, you know?” Jacob pointed at us. “ Together? Together?”
I didn’t get a chance to answer. Cam spun me around and kissed me, right there between the two buildings. It was no friendly peck on the lips. When our tongues touched, my bag slipped off my arm and hit the frosted ground.
“Holy crap,” Jacob muttered. “I think they’re going to make babies.”
Cheeks flaming, I pulled back. Cam looked absolutely shameless as he pressed a kiss to my forehead. Over his shoulder, I saw Steph and her friend, gaping at us. Guess she didn’t get the memo either.
“I got to catch up with the professor before class begins, so I’ve got to run,” he said, backing up. “See you after class?”
“Yes.” My lips tingled, along with various other parts of my body. “See you then.”
When I turned back to my friends, both of them stared at me like I just flashed them my goods. Bending down, I picked up my bag. “Okay, before both of you start yelling at me, it just happened, like yesterday and I hadn’t had the time to say anything.”
Brit folded her arms. “You haven’t had a second to call, or I don’t know, send a text message?”
“We sort of hung out all day yesterday, went to dinner and then—”
“Did you guys have sex?” Jacob grasped my shoulders, giving me a little shake. “Oh my God, girl, details—I needed details. What is the size of his—?”
“We didn’t have sex.” I smacked his hands away. “Geez, we just got together yesterday. Give me some time for that.”
“I would’ve been screwing him since August,” Jacob advised.
I shot him a bland look.
They drilled me on what happened as we headed in to Whitehall and through the beginning of class. By the time I left them to wait for Cam outside, I was sure I’d smoothed over my friend fail.
I stood just outside of the awning, leaning against one of the pillars. I probably looked weird, because of the beaming smile plastered across my face, but I hadn’t really stopped smiling since yesterday morning.
My smile slipped an inch when I saw Cam coming out of the doors, Steph attached to his side. The only thing that kept me from acting like a tiger and pouncing on her was the fact that Cam didn’t look too thrilled.
Steph tossed her glossy mane of hair over one shoulder as they approached me. “Hi,” she said with I thought was a whole butt load of false cheer.
“Hey,” I replied, holding her gaze.
Cam slipped up to my side, threading his fingers through mine. “Your class let out early?”
I nodded. “Just a few minutes ago.”
Steph was glaring daggers through our joined hands. “Are you going to be at Jase’s party next Saturday, Cam?”
There was a party? As stupid as it was, I so did not like the idea of Cam going to a party where Steph would be. Wrong. Wrong. But an ugly feeling snaked through me whenever I thought of those two hooking up in the past.
“I don’t know yet.” Cam squeezed my hand. “Depends on if Avery wants to go.”
Her perfect mouth dropped open, and I think I loved Cam. “If Avery wants to…? Whatever.” She stalked off, joining the girl I’d seen her with at the Halloween party.
I looked up at Cam. “Well, she didn’t seem too happy about that.”
He shrugged.
We started up the hill, toward Knutti. “So you guys weren’t more than just friends with benefits?”
Cam sent me a sidelong glance. “We hooked up every once in a while, but like I told you this weekend, I haven’t been with anyone since I met you.”
“I know. It just seems like she wanted more.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
“Geez, we really need to work on your confidence.”
Cam chuckled as he pulled me to his side. We huddled against the wind whipping down the hill. “I can think of a few other things we can work on.”
“Perv,” I mumbled even though my mind was right there with him.
He pressed his lips to my temple. “Guilty as charged, sweetheart.”
#
Cam didn’t go to the party at Jase’s Saturday night. He hadn’t even brought it up and I wasn’t sure if I should have. I felt a little guilty about him not going, because I didn’t want to interfere with his friends, but he didn’t seemed bothered by the fact that he was missing out on an epic game of beer pong.
We went out to dinner in a nearby town and then came back to my place. If I had any doubts about the seriousness of our relationship, there were vanquished that evening.