They’d stocked the refrigerator shortly after arriving three days ago, so there was bacon and eggs. Cam would probably like a little protein. She gathered the items from the fridge, musing on what a difference a day could make. Yesterday morning, she’d barely been able to function, grunts and growls and shouts of ecstasy that weren’t hers echoing in her head. Today, they were all hers. She poured her coffee and sipped it black, then grinned like a fool at nothing in particular.
A moment later, Alyssa’s messy blonde head popped from her bedroom door—Meri’s checking on her must have woke her up. “Is he still here?” she mouthed.
Meredith nodded, still grinning.
Alyssa gestured at her own body top to bottom. “Naked?” she asked soundlessly, then let her mouth fall open when Meredith nodded. She went back in her room and Meredith put her coffee down and followed her. Quietly, Alyssa shut the door behind them, then both of them did a pajama-clad happy dance.
“I hope we didn’t disturb you,” Meredith whispered after they stopped, winded and giggling like schoolgirls.
“Nah, I didn’t know a thing, except that your door was closed and that was weird. You did it, girl! I’m so damn proud of you. Here, let me touch you.” She pushed the tip of her finger into Meredith’s shoulder. “S-s-s-s. Still hot.”
“Oh, please. And you know, I’m…rather proud of me too, actually.”
“And you’re cooking. This is serious.”
“Hey! I can cook.”
Alyssa scoffed. “Whatever. So…verdict. I won’t ask for any more details, but one thing. Are we happy?”
Meri drew a big breath and gave her friend a giddy smile. “We’re happy.”
“Awesome. Love you, girl. You’re glowing.” Alyssa gave her a quick hug. “Now get out, so I can get ready and not scare him off on first sight.”
“Oh, fat chance. Love you too. Thank you.”
As she left Alyssa’s room and returned to her own, Meri was almost afraid to wake him. What if he had regrets in the light of day? She didn’t want to keep torturing herself, but she couldn’t help it.
God, he made the most gorgeous sight she’d ever beheld, sprawled across her bed, black hair and sun-tanned skin and black tattoos against her pristine white sheets. He made her want to crawl on top of him and get dirty again. She went around to the other side of the bed and slipped under the covers, snuggling up next to him. Without even waking, he groped for her and drew her closer before sighing contentedly and settling back down. It made her jealous that he could sleep so heavily.
Awww. She hated to wake him, to ruin this. But she’d rather have him talking to her, reassuring her. So she leaned over and brushed kisses across his soft lips until his eyes fluttered open.
“Good morning,” she whispered.
His arms squeezed her tight, and her heart sang. “Good morning,” he murmured, and his sleepy voice was almost sexier than his sex voice. Almost. His hand slid up and down her back. “Aw, you’re dressed,” he said in mock childish disappointment.
Meredith giggled. “Oh, I’m so sorry. But at least you’re not. Wait…let me make sure.” He laughed as her fingers trailed down and closed around his half-hard cock. “Nope, not dressed.”
“Keep that up and you won’t be for long.”
“I can live with that,” she said, “but Alyssa’s here.”
“Hey, you said she was privy to this entire operation, so…”
She gasped as he pulled her up over him so that she straddled him. “Cam, we can’t.”
“I can be quiet,” he whispered. “But can you?”
Her mouth went dry. Other parts of her went wet. Holy Christ, she wasn’t sure if she could or not. “I guess we can find out.”
She would never think he could get her so weak after everything they’d done last night. But as he worked her pajama pants off, she trembled all over. Her shaking hands fumbled with the condom wrapper when he silently indicated for her to get it off the nightstand, and he had to help her open it and sheathe him with it. He lifted her hips, settled her gently over his thick head, and let her ease down over him.
She was sore and aching, but receptive. Biting her lips, closing her eyes, she took him deeper and deeper, the only sound their quickening breath. He pulled the blankets around them so that she wouldn’t be cold, then his fingers clenched on her hips. She opened her eyes to see him staring up at her, his own eyelids heavy with desire.
God, yes, now she could see. See her fingers digging into his pecs, her digits paler than his skin. See the pleasure cross his face with every one of her movements, no matter how small. She’d only thought the sight of him sleeping had been the most gorgeous thing she’d ever beheld. This, this was true beauty. All of his focus on her and what she did to his body.
He whispered her name. She whispered his in return. Silently, she raised and lowered her body, biting down on the moan that threatened to escape, holding it to a whimper.
He smiled at her, that killer grin higher on one corner of his mouth than the other, a wicked sardonic twist that made her heart skip a beat. “Shhh,” he said softly.
Oh, God, she would never make it. He’d taught her body how to come on his cock last night and now it was fucking gung-ho. “Oh, no,” she muttered, distressed.
“No?”
“Oh, God.” She collapsed over him as liquid, aching need pooled in her lower belly, where he impaled her with what felt like steel. Sinking her teeth into the muscle of his shoulder, she let him take over, gently thrusting under her. Need turned to desperation. Desperation to wildness.
“Yes, baby,” he whispered in her ear. “So wet, so tight, so soft, Christ, you got me so hard it hurts.”
She tried to meet him, give back to him, prolong it, but she was lost, and then the first contraction of climax hit her and she was an arrhythmic mess on top of him. He caught her, holding her to his steady thrusts, taking her where he wanted her to go. Drawing it out for her, making it last where she hadn’t been able to. Saying sweet, dirty things in her ear she wouldn’t remember later. And, somehow, she managed not to scream. Or at least she hoped she managed it.
Then it was his turn, and she didn’t miss a moment of it, watching the muscles stand out in his neck as his head sank further into his pillow and he gritted his teeth with the effort not to make a sound. He succeeded except for one tiny grunt, emptying into the condom between them. She loved to feel him come. Now she knew she loved to see it, too.
They showered together again, this time only kissing under the hot spray. She made him breakfast, which was edible, but he acted like it was a culinary masterpiece. Then he kissed her at the front door of her condo, gave her one last devastating grin over his shoulder, and the best date of her entire life was over.
Somehow, Cam managed to completely dodge his friends back at his own unit. Thank God. The last thing he needed was for those two to see him amble back in this morning wearing the same damn clothes he’d worn out last night with Meredith. He could’ve come up with something, he supposed, but at this point, he didn’t want to lie. Nor did he want to admit to anything quite yet. So the welcome silence that greeted him was a godsend.
He changed and went for a run on the beach; it was later than he liked and he’d eaten a little too much, so he took it easier than usual. He’d gotten enough of a workout last night and this morning, anyway.
There wasn’t anything that could chisel the smile off his face today. This had definitely been the best vacation ever.
Marla and Dane were back when he arrived back at the condo after his run. Amazingly, they asked not one damn question about Meredith. That’s how unassuming her brother was where Cam was concerned, and it made him feel like a creep again when those feelings had been somewhat dissipating. Dammit.
“Lunch!” Marla announced close to noon, when he was still full from breakfast this morning. “I think we should all go. We came here together and we’ve all been spending more time apart than together.”
Well, so
me of us haven’t, Cam thought, hiding a grin behind his water bottle before guzzling it.
“I’ll call the girls and see what they’re up to,” Dane said, grabbing his phone from the coffee table.
This should be interesting, facing her under the watchful eyes of others, but he was sure they could pull it off. It would be fun, even. He jumped in the shower yet again and changed, looking forward to sharing secret little smiles and maybe playing footsie under the table with Meredith.
Chapter Nine
Meredith wanted to faint when Marla chose the exact same beachside seafood place where she and Cam had eaten the night before. She chose lighter fare this time: a lunch portion of coconut shrimp, but just remembering seeing him across from her all lit up in the sunset glow was turning her on. He was across from her now, but shaded by the roof from the noontime sun, his gaze frequently catching hers as the wind tossed his black hair. She wanted to sing with excitement.
“What are you grinning at?” Dane asked her at last. It probably had been a mistake sitting across from her brother. Until now, they’d all been caught up in jovial conversation. Now all eyes were on her. Cameron especially seemed to go still.
“Nothing,” she said, spearing a shrimp and dipping it in sauce.
“I’m glad you seem to be feeling better,” Dane said. “You were in a funk yesterday, I could tell.”
“Maybe I needed a day to myself. God, I can’t be a social butterfly all the time.”
“You? Yes, you can. Sorry you got stuck hanging around with him, though.” He jerked a thumb at Cameron. Cameron returned a gesture, but not with his thumb.
“We had a good time,” Meri said simply.
“In fact, you’re exceptionally happy. Heyyy, now. What happened?” Dane cocked an eyebrow at her and Cameron in turn. Holy shit, he was onto something and didn’t know it. He was joking about it, and it was absolutely true.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Meri said with a laugh. “Can’t I just be exceptionally happy?”
“No.”
“Maybe she met someone,” Alyssa said innocently. Meri wanted to smack her, but managed to restrain herself and rolled her eyes instead.
“She wouldn’t be the only one.” Marla, who sat next to Cam with Dane on her other side, nudged Cam with her elbow. His head snapped up and he looked at her with something akin to horror.
Meredith’s heart leaped into her throat.
“Oh yeah.” Dane gestured toward Cam with his drink. “You guys should have seen the hot little number storming out on him yesterday morning.”
Dane and Marla seemed oblivious to the three people bristling around them. Cam looked ready to leap across the table and smash Dane’s face into his plate. Alyssa looked at Meredith with a helpless Oh, shit expression. Meri, of course, knew all about the girl, so this wasn’t the shocker Cam thought it was for her, only Cam didn’t know that. She didn’t want Cam to know that. So how the hell should she play this?
“That was…” He trailed off, looking hopelessly at Meri.
“That was what?” Dane said merrily. “That was a walk of shame if I ever saw one.”
The memory alone was enough to hurt. Cam would see that on her face. But she didn’t want him to beat himself up about it, not anymore. Still, they couldn’t get into this here. She cast her own gaze down at her plate, her appetite dying a bloody death.
“Fuck, Dane.” Cam got up and left the table, shoving his chair in with a clatter.
Dane watched his retreating figure with his mouth half hanging open. “What the hell did I do?” he asked his girlfriend.
“That was weird,” Marla said.
Meredith couldn’t sit and pretend. She was so done with that. She jumped up and followed Cam outside, saying silent apologies to poor Alyssa, who would have to try to feign ignorance as to why everyone was running away. It couldn’t be helped.
Cameron was stalking around the parking lot like a caged animal when she found him. Meredith intercepted him, something inside her overjoyed that at least he cared this much. “I’m so sorry,” he said in a rush when she touched his arm. “I met some girl at the bar I was at a couple of nights ago, and brought her back with me. It meant nothing. I don’t even remember her name. I swear to God, I know how that sounds, but I didn’t have one fucking clue about how you felt or I never would have done it. Ever. I promise you that. Dane and Marla saw her leaving—I didn’t even want them to know about it. It was just…so fucking stupid.”
She could tell him it was okay, he was forgiven. They could walk back in the restaurant and carry on. It would even be a good opportunity to come clean to her brother. She didn’t have to share her dirty little secret; she could keep it forever. But Cam…he’d had a spotlight shined on his in front of everyone. It was only fair she did too. She couldn’t leave him out there alone, and she couldn’t stand the devastation on his face, in his eyes, as if he thought she would turn away from him now.
“I know,” she told him.
His expression fell… or rather, it plummeted, cracked and shattered as awful realization dawned there. She knew right away that he had had his suspicions of her knowing about his tryst.
“I heard you,” she went on, so he wouldn’t have to ask.
“Meredith,” he breathed. “Jesus Christ. So that’s what all of this has been about.”
“What? No. I mean… I heard it, and it upset me. It made me realize a few things. No, not even that, I already realized how I felt about you, but it…spurred me to act, I guess? Afraid I might lose you to someone else.” She pressed the heel of her hand to her forehead in frustration. “Now who’s fucking up? I’m so sorry.”
“How much did you hear?”
She looked at him, tempted, so tempted to lie. Oh, a couple of minutes. I immediately went back inside. Because that’s what a normal person would do. “The whole thing.”
He turned away before she could grab him. “What the fuck, Meredith?”
“I didn’t know it was you until the end! I’d had a few beers and I couldn’t sleep and…oh, hell, Cameron. Is it really so unbelievable? I listened. I felt bad but I did it anyway. So there. You feel bad, I feel bad… We’re even on that score at least, aren’t we?”
But given the way he looked right now…she wondered if they were going to get out of this vacation with any shred of their relationship left alive. “I don’t know what to say. It kills me that you heard that. I can’t even…”
“It killed me to hear it,” she admitted. “But Cam…if it’s what brings us together in the end, I can’t help but be glad I did. This way I won’t have to go on keeping how I feel about you under wraps. That’s a good thing. It was wearing on me. It was so hard.”
“You did a damn good job of hiding it,” he told her. “Until yesterday I sometimes wondered if you’d spit on me if I was on fire.”
“Funny. I’m usually the one wearing my heart on my sleeve.” She tried a smile, failed miserably. “And I’d spit on you if you were on fire. I’d try anything. If it didn’t work, I guess I’d jump in the fire with you. The same way I know you would do for me.”
He fared a little better at a smile than she had. “You’re something else, you know that?”
“I guess you haven’t figured out what yet?” She laughed.
“I do have a request.”
Meri drew a breath. “Okay. Shoot.”
“Can we never mention this again? I know it’s probably too much to ask for you to forget it completely, but if I could, like, scrub it from your brain, I would.”
“Hmm. I did have another confession to make to you about that incident.”
“Oh, God. Do I want to hear it?”
“I don’t know. It might change the way you think of me. If you’re really attached to your Meri-the-sweet-kid image of me, anyway, I guess I should take it to the grave.”
“I’m attached to any image of you. Don’t you know that?”
She moved toward him, slipping her arms around his
waist and standing on her tip-toes to put her lips near his ear. “It got me so hot.”
He groaned and leaned into her, pulling her close. “Yeah?”
“I touched myself right there on the balcony. I felt so dirty. But I liked it. After I knew it was you, I couldn’t stop thinking about the way you sounded. Your voice. How I wanted that for myself. How I wanted you to sound that way for me.”
“Fuck, do you know what you’re doing to me right now, kid?”
She laughed. Yeah, she could feel exactly what she was doing to him. “I have an idea. And I thought we had gotten past the ‘kid.’”
“I like teasing you.”
“I think boys only tease girls when they have a crush on them.”
“Then expect me to keep doing it for a long, long time. Kid.”
They walked back into the restaurant holding hands. A solid unit. Time to face the music, whatever that music might sound like. Sharing one final glance at each other, they approached the table where Dane, Marla and Alyssa sat.
Meredith drew a fortifying breath as her brother glanced up and saw them. He didn’t only see them, though; his gaze dropped immediately to their joined hands, then back up to their faces.
Unlike her, Dane had always been unreadable. She searched his expression desperately for a reaction, knowing full well she wouldn’t get it until he was ready to give it.
Please, big brother, she silently pleaded. Be okay with this.
Marla saw them too; her mouth dropped open. Alyssa followed their gazes, turned and grinned bigger than Meri had ever seen.
Dane sat back, his arm resting casually around the back of Marla’s chair. He looked as if he might sit there and ponder his own thoughts for another hour.
“Surprise?” Meri said uncertainly. Cam smiled down at her, lifted her hand, and kissed the back of it.
Just when she thought Dane might torture them forever, he sat up and turned his attention back to his food. But not before muttering, “It’s about damn time.” He took a big bite of his burger, swallowed and added, “What the hell did you think I brought him for?”