by L A Cotton
“You don’t actually want to go?”
“Hails, come on.” She groaned, rolling her eyes theatrically. “This has never happened to us before. And it’s on my list.”
“I think your list is fast becoming a way to talk me into selling my soul to the dark side.”
“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. It’s just a party. And who knows, maybe you’ll actually have some fun.” She leaned in closer. “Besides, Cameron will be there.” Her eyes danced with insinuation.
“Don’t even…” I warned. I didn’t want to think about Cameron, not here, not now.
Not ever.
But my eyes had a mind of their own, skimming over to where he and the rest of the team sat. His head lifted, his gray-blue eyes fixing right on me, but I darted away quickly, feeling my cheeks heat.
Oblivious, Flick said, “What?” She gave me innocent puppy dog eyes.
“It doesn’t matter.”
Inclining her head, she studied me. “It’s okay to like him, you know?”
“I don’t…” I inhaled sharply. I didn’t like him. I didn’t. “Whatever. Can we talk about something else?”
A slow smile tugged at her mouth. “Does that mean you’ll come?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No,” her smile turned into a full grin. “No, you don’t.”
I was either a total doormat or the best friend a girl could have. The jury was still out on which as I downed the remainder of my drink, crushing the cup and throwing it in one of the trash cans Asher had strategically placed around his yard, which was as big, if not bigger, than everyone said it was. The place was freaking huge.
“I think I’m drunk,” I declared.
“Shall we get another?” Flick didn’t sound too sober herself as we meandered through the crowds of people all gathered to celebrate the team’s win against the Levinson Lion’s last night. According to everyone who was anyone it had been an easy game for the Raiders, taking them one step closer to the play-offs.
I hadn’t even put up a fight when Flick turned up on my doorstep earlier with a bag full of clothes and a smile not even the most stone-hearted of people could have refused. But so far, it wasn’t turning out to be all that bad. We’d managed to avoid my step-brother and his friends, or maybe they were avoiding us. Either way, we drank and danced and even joined in a game of beer pong or two.
It was strange at first, having people cheer my name.
My name.
Hailee. Hailee. Hailee.
But I couldn’t deny, even in my slightly intoxicated state, it was thrilling. I was thrilled by people shouting my name. Oh God, I was turning into Jason. The idea made me shudder.
“What did you say?” Flick’s head whipped around to mine.
“I didn’t say anything.”
“Yeah, you did. You said, you’re turning into Jason.”
“Did not.” I poked my tongue at her, and she frowned.
“I need to pee. Crap, I need to pee so bad.” Flick shoved me into a lawn chair, dancing on the spot like she had ants in her pants. “Stay right here, okay? I’ll be back.”
I waved her off as the world spun. Hoisting my legs over the arm of the chair, I dangled my head off the other one until I could see nothing but twinkling stars against a vast inky backdrop. It was so peaceful and calm, worlds away from the party I could vaguely hear going on around me.
“Comfortable?” a voice said from the shadows, and a face so breathtaking I sucked in a harsh breath, filled my vision. All intense eyes, straight-nose, and strong-jawed; even upside-down Cameron was beautiful.
I smiled up at him, giving a little sigh that pre-empted a hiccup. “Oops.” I clapped a hand over my mouth smothering my dreamy smile. He chuckled, dropping into another chair close by. “I wondered where you’d disappeared to.”
“You did?” I twisted my body to see him better but didn’t sit up. I liked the feeling of being upside down. Weightless.
“Yeah, I was hoping I might get a dance with you.”
“A dance, yeah, right.”
He didn’t laugh. Why isn’t he laughing?
“You’re not serious?” I almost choked on the words.
His shoulders lifted. “Sure I am.” He sounded nonchalant. “I like dancing.”
“Are you drunk?”
“Not as drunk as you.”
I poked my tongue out at him and his eyes flashed like lightning in a storm. “So, it’s Homecoming soon.”
Homecoming.
Just the very word made me nauseous.
“I’d rather stick hot pokers in my eyes.”
“So, you’re not going?” he asked.
“No, I’m not going to Homecoming.” Was I?
“Sure, you are, Sunshine. It’s a senior rite of passage, you’ve got to be there.”
“Flick wants to go.” I folded my hands together, dropping them in my lap.
“Flick talks a lot of sense.”
Peeking over at him, I asked, “Are you going to Homecoming?”
His expression darkened. “Kind of comes with the territory.”
“Ahh, Homecoming Court, gotcha.”
His face wrinkled with displeasure. “It’s not really my scene, but Coach likes us to give back and everyone—”
“Hey.” I threw up my hands. “Say no more Mr. Homecoming King.”
“No, that’ll be your brother.”
“Step-brother,” I groaned, and Cameron laughed. The soft sound drifting over me, wrapping me up like a warm blanket. “You have a nice laugh,” I said, my eyes fluttering closed.
“And you’re drunker than I realized. How are you getting home tonight?”
“I think I’m going to sleep riiiight here.” I stretched my arms above my head, nestling further into the chair but then my world tilted as strong hands yanked me up.
“Oh no you don’t,” Cameron said. “You can stay here. Asher won’t mind.”
“Flick... I need to tell Flick.” The words came out jumbled as he kept his arm around me and guided me back toward the house.
People called his name, called mine too, as he wound us through the sea of bodies still drinking and laughing. But it was strange. I didn’t feel like they were laughing at me. Not this time. But then, maybe all the vodka in my bloodstream was giving me a false sense of confidence. Maybe I’d already fallen asleep and this was all a dream.
Either way, wrapped in Cameron’s arms, it wasn’t the worst place to be.
Even if I did hate him.
“Almost there,” he said as we hit the top stair.
“Asher has a nice house,” I mumbled as he paused at a door. I watched through glassy eyes as Cameron dug out a key from his wallet and unlocked the door. “That isn’t creepy at all.”
“You think I let just anyone stay in my room?” His eyes darkened, pinning me to the spot, stealing the snarky reply right off the tip of my tongue.
His room?
He had a room at the Bennet’s house? But why?
Before I could ask the question, the air whooshed from my lungs as Cameron scooped me up like a baby and carried me into the room. “What the—”
“Relax, Sunshine, you’re almost dead on your feet.”
I was?
Now that he mentioned it, I did feel pretty tired and drunk.
Definitely drunk.
My fingers curled into Cameron’s polo shirt and I breathed him in. “Hmm.” My stomach coiled tight. He smelled good, too good. Like soap with a hint of something bitter, maybe whisky or tequila. So good that when he began to lie me down on the bed, I didn’t let go of him and Cameron tumbled down on top of me. We landed with a soft thud, our bodies tangled, our faces almost touching.
“Shit, Hailee, I’m sorry…” He pressed his hands into the mattress either side of my head to take some of his weight off me. “I didn’t mean—”
“It’s okay.” Reaching for him, I traced his jaw. He was so gorgeous it should have been illegal. The air shifted around us as I leane
d up, brushing my lips over his, once… twice… until my mouth was slanted over his and I was kissing him.
I was kissing Cameron Chase.
And it felt good.
So damn good.
Heat exploded in my stomach, rushing out to my nerve endings, making my skin tingle and my body hum. I could kiss him forever. His lips were so soft and warm, and he tasted like everything I craved and never knew I wanted.
“Hailee—” his voice was raw.
“No,” I whispered, peppering tiny kisses over his lips, sucking and nibbling. “No thinking.” It didn’t matter that we hated each other. Nothing mattered in this moment, except his mouth on mine.
Looping my arm around his neck, I pulled Cameron closer, nudging my nose against his. “Fuck,” he breathed, adjusting himself over me so that we were two pieces of a puzzle slotted together. One of his hands slid to my thigh, and I hooked my leg around his hip, rubbing myself against him. Desperate to ease the ache growing deep inside me.
Cameron’s eyes shuttered, his Adam’s apple bobbing against his throat. But then he dipped his head, pressing a kiss to the hollow of my neck, sucking the sensitive skin between his teeth. I cried out, running my hands down his chest to the hem of his t-shirt. I needed to feel him. To touch him. I wanted to paint my fingers over every inch of his smooth skin.
He rocked into me, making us both groan. “Cameron, more…” I gasped. “I need more—” Something was building inside me, a firestorm sweeping through my belly and rushing to my core. My mouth sought his again, kissing him fervently.
But I quickly realized Cameron wasn’t kissing me back. He was as still as a statue, the harshness of his breaths the only sound filling the silence. I pressed my mouth to his again just to be sure he wasn’t kissing me back.
“Cameron.” I eased back to look at him. “What’s wrong?”
“We can’t.” His voice sounded funny, but he wanted this. I knew he did. It was right there in his eyes as they watched me. His hardness pressed into me, teasing me. Tempting me with all the things I wanted and shouldn’t.
I leaned back in kissing him once more, needing him to kiss me back. “Hailee.” He broke away, staring down at me, his expression cold now. “Stop—”
Stop.
I blinked up at him, certain I’d misheard him. Because he couldn’t possibly want to stop, not when it felt so good.
“We have to stop,” he repeated the words, sending my stomach into a freefall.
That wasn’t right. He was supposed to want more. To crave me the way I craved him.
Yet he’d said the word and now it hung between us like a glacier, cold and unforgiving.
I jerked away, flattening myself against the mattress, turning my head to the side to avoid his apologetic gaze. He let out a heavy sigh. “You should get some sleep. I’ll find Flick and let her know you’re up here.”
Eyes screwed shut, tears burning my throat, I waited for him to leave.
I’d kissed Cameron. I’d practically offered myself up to him and he hadn’t wanted me back. Rejection burned through me like acid until I felt nauseous.
About to tell him to go, to leave me alone, I felt the bed dip and he leaned over me, pressing a kiss to my head. “Goodnight, Hailee,” he whispered, and then he was gone.
I grabbed a pillow and buried my face into it, letting myself drown in my mortification until I finally drifted off to sleep.
Sometime later, on the periphery of my dreams, I felt the bed dip beside me. “Cameron?” I mumbled barely awake.
“No, it’s me.”
“Flick?” My eyes searched the darkness, ignoring the giant pit in my stomach.
“Go back to sleep, Hails; it’s late.”
“Are you okay?” She sounded kind of funny.
“I’m fine,” she sniffled, sliding underneath the covers. “Go to sleep.”
“Night, Flick.”
“Night, Hails.”
But as the tug of sleep pulled me under, I was almost certain I heard my best friend crying.
Chapter Twenty
Cameron
After a restless night sleeping on Asher’s couch, I finally dragged myself up and went into the kitchen, where I found him cleaning up the mess.
“Did something happen between you and Felicity?” I came right out with it.
“Happen?” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “Like what?”
“Did you sleep with her?”
“No, I didn’t sleep with her. Why, did she say something?” He continued bagging up all the empty cups and bottles. Sometimes I wondered which he loved more; the party or the morning after, because I’d never seen a guy clean the way Ash did.
“No, but I saw her, and she looked upset.” She hadn’t wanted to talk about it, and I knew Asher had developed a weird interest in her. But from the deep frown etched across his face, maybe I’d jumped the gun.
“And you naturally think I had something to do with that?” His eyes widened with disbelief. “Cheers for the vote of confidence.”
I helped myself to a glass of water and leaned back against the counter. “I just thought... forget it.”
“Those girls have you all twisted up in knots. I saw you carrying Hailee up to your room, and I wasn’t the only one.” He gave me a pointed look. “I hope you know what you’re doing?”
“She was drunk, and they had no way of getting home. What was I supposed to do? Leave her to sleep outside?”
“Before all this shit with Thatcher, that’s exactly what you would have done. Hell, you probably would’ve have done a lot worse too.” Rubbing a hand over my head and down the back of my neck, I released a heavy sigh. But Asher wasn’t done. “You like her, don’t you?”
“I—”
“Advil.” Jase stalked into the room and I swallowed my words. “I need Advil.”
“Yeah sure, man. You know where they are.” Asher shot me a look that told me this conversation wasn’t over.
“Who’d you end up with last night?” he asked Jase, who knocked back two pills and chugged a glass of water before sinking into one of the stools.
“Kayla, or Kylie, or fuck if I can remember.”
“No way, I thought she had her eye on Cam?” Asher smirked at me and I flipped him off behind our friend’s back.
Jase shrugged, none the wiser. “She wasn’t complaining when I had my dick in her mouth.”
“So, hmm,” I cleared my throat. “You should probably know, Hailee and Felicity are asleep upstairs.”
“What the fuck?” He stiffened, his mood turning blacker than a thundercloud. “I said invite them to the party, not invite them for a fucking sleepover.”
“Hailee was drunk, right, Cam?”
“Yeah. I put her in my room.”
Jase’s eyes narrowed to deadly slits. “Your room?”
“Chill, it’s not like that.” I schooled my expression. “But I didn’t know what else to do with her.”
“And Felicity’s up there too?”
I nodded, sure I’d caught a hitch in his voice when he said her name. “Did you say something to her?”
“Who?” He frowned.
“Felicity.”
Jase reared back, his eyes wide. “What the fuck would I say to her?”
“I don’t know, she seemed upset about something. I thought maybe Asher had—”
“Again, thanks for that,” Asher added as he moved around the kitchen wiping the counters, whistling some tune far too upbeat for this time in the morning.
“No, I didn’t say anything to her. I was too busy bending Kayla over your mom and dad’s bed.” He grinned at Asher, and the blood drained from his face.
“Tell me you didn’t? Not again, man. You promised—”
“Relax.” He chuckled darkly. “I used one of the guest rooms.”
“She still up there?”
“What do you think?”
“Hit ‘em and quit ‘em, baby.” Asher thrust his hips up slapping the air. When I rolled my eye
s, he added, “You should try it sometime, Cam, or else Miley might get the wrong impression, thinking you’re looking for something more than the little arrangement you’ve got going on. Speaking of the lovely Miley, I didn’t see her last night?”
“Fuck off,” I mouthed.
Just then, the sound of female voices floated into the room.
“Someone get rid of her, please,” Jase grumbled but it was too late. Hailee and Felicity appeared in the doorway.
“Hmm, hey.” She wouldn't meet my eyes and I knew she remembered. Fuck. I’d been hoping she was too drunk to remember.
“Ladies, come in, take a seat, breakfast will be served in…” Asher rubbed his jaw. “I don’t suppose either of you want to make breakfast?”
Hailee climbed onto one of the stools, burying her face in her arm.
“Felicity?” Asher grinned at her.
“Ugh,” she grumbled, her weary gaze flicking over to Jase. He sat rigid, doing nothing to hide his displeasure at the girls interrupting our morning routine.
“Fine.” Felicity rubbed her hands together. “What have you got?”
“I think there are eggs, bacon, stuff to make pancakes.” He beckoned her over to the refrigerator and the two of them set to work. It was weird. We’d never done this before. We always went out to eat, and I couldn’t remember a time we’d ever included girls in our morning-after ritual.
“I’ll be outside. I need some air,” Jase disappeared out of the back door leaving the four of us. I reached over the counter, prodding Hailee’s arm.
“Are you alive?” I whispered, and she peeked up at me. “Barely.”
“Coffee?”
Giving a little shake of her head, she mouthed, “Water.”
“Water it is.” I grabbed her a bottle of water, careful not to get in the way of Felicity and Asher as they laid out all the ingredients; her barking orders at him, enjoying it far too much if the sparkle in her eye was anything to go by.
“Here.” Sliding the bottle toward Hailee, I also threw her a box of Advil.
“Thanks.” Hailee uncapped the bottle and popped two pills, washing them down in one. “I think I need to remember my limits.”
“It’s okay to let loose every now and again.”