by L A Cotton
Feeling the familiar tingle at the base of my spine, I began to thrust upward, meeting Hailee every time she rolled her hips. “Harder Cam, harder…” she rasped, her nails raking down my chest, the sting taking me closer to the edge. Reminding me that I was alive. That I was here in this moment and that I had to fight.
For my mom.
My future.
My family.
Hailee’s cries built, her pace quickening as she began to lose control. Pulling her hair gently to make her back bow, I dipped my head, sucking the hollow of her neck, nipping at the skin there, pushing her closer to the edge.
“Cam—” My name fell from her lips as she clenched around me, pulling me further into her body, squeezing me so tight I saw stars. I wanted to stay there. To live in this bubble and never leave. But her walls clenched me again, and I fell right over the edge with her, holding her close as my muscles locked up and I came hard.
I knew I’d have to leave eventually, but right there, in that moment, I never wanted to let go.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hailee
“Good morning.” The deep timbre of Cameron’s voice sent shivers rippling up my spine.
“Morning.” I peeked an eye open, fighting a smile as I stretched my body, my legs brushing his making my tummy clench.
“I was almost scared to wake up, in case last night was a dream.” His eyes lit up with emotion.
Emotion I didn’t want to get too lost in. Not yet. Not when there was still so much going on around us.
“Come here.” Cameron dragged my body closer to his, igniting a fire in my belly. “I could get used to this,” he said.
Burying my face in the crook of his shoulder, I let myself enjoy the moment. I was in Cameron’s bed… again. And it didn’t feel awkward or strange or like I was making a dreadful mistake, one I’d regret later.
It felt right.
“Thank you.” His voice coaxed me out of his chest, and I gazed up at him. “For coming after me last night, thank you.” Cameron touched his head to mine, inhaling a shaky breath.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” Looping my arm around his shoulder, I breathed him in, the lingering scent of sex flooding my senses. “Should we expect a visit from Xander any minute?” I asked.
“He had a sleepover at Katie’s, but I should probably warn you my mom and dad are home.” My eyes widened and he smiled against my cheek. “Is that going to be a problem?”
“I don’t know; you tell me.”
“I want them to meet you,” he blurted out, gently pulling away to see my reaction.
“I already met your—”
“I mean officially, Hailee. I want to introduce you to them as my girl.”
His girl?
“Don’t look so worried. This is a good thing.” Cameron stole a kiss from me while I was still reeling from his words.
His girl.
He’d called me his girl.
“But Jason—”
“Will have to get over it. Life’s too short, Sunshine. I realize that now. You never know what’s around the corner and I’m not about to waste another second worrying about what Jase might or might not say because I’m in love with his step-sister.”
“In love…” I choked out. “You love me?” My heart was going to burst out of my chest. He looked so calm, so normal, and I was having an internal conniption.
Cameron’s lip curved, breaking into a wide smile as he chuckled. “You hadn’t figured it out by now? I am completely,”—he kissed me—“and utterly.” Kiss. “Ass over elbow in love with you, Hailee Raine.”
“Oh.”
Oh.
His brow quirked up. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you at a loss for words. I don’t know whether to be flattered or mildly concerned.” Amusement danced in his eyes.
“I- I think I need a minute.”
“Should I…” He thumbed to the door and began to untangle himself from the sheets, but I wrapped myself around him, dragging him back to the bed. “Wait.”
“Wait?” he smirked. “Is there something you want to tell me?”
“Cameron,” I chided. “You can’t just spring something like this on me and expect me to be okay with it.”
“Well, I was kind of hoping you might feel the same…” He left the words hanging between us as he dipped his head, capturing my lips again. Rolling me onto my back, Cameron pressed the lines of our bodies together, erasing any space—and doubts—from between us.
“I—”
A knock at his door startled us both and Cameron froze above me. “Yeah?”
“It’s just me, Son. Mom wants to know if you’re hungry?”
Heat blazed in his eyes as he hardened between my legs. “I, uh, yeah sure, Dad.” His voice cracked with lust. “But tell her to make an extra plate.”
My cheeks burned as I silently shook my head with disbelief.
“I see …” His dad cleared his throat. “Well, we’ll… hmm, we’ll see you both soon.”
“Sure thing, Dad.”
“Cameron,” I hissed the second his dad’s footsteps grew quiet. “What the hell?”
“Time to meet my parents.” He winked, dropping a kiss on my head before clambering off me and the bed, not bothering to even try and hide his erection.
I wanted to be mad at him, to argue that this was moving too fast, that he was completely crazy. But as I watched him pull on his jeans and a clean tee, I couldn’t find it in me to protest. Because he loved me.
Cameron Chase loved me.
Ten minutes later, I was having second thoughts.
“I’m not sure this is—”
“Hailee, stop.” Cameron pulled me into his arms. “They’re going to love you.” He gazed down at me with such intensity I felt my throat constrict.
“Yeah, but—”
“No buts. I need you, okay?” His expression softened. “Please, do this, for me.”
Arching my brow, I let out an exasperated breath. “You’re not playing fair.” I wanted to be there for him, I did. But it wasn’t fair to use his situation against me.
Damn him.
“I told you once before, I’m a Raider. And Raiders never quit. Even if we have to play a little dirty sometimes.” Something flashed across his face, but it was gone before I could decipher what it was. “Ready?” he added, and I gave a little shrug. “I guess.”
Cameron led me into his kitchen, his hand firmly around mine. “Mornin’,” he said without a care in the world. “Hailee’s going to stay for breakfast. I hope that’s okay?”
A woman with short dark hair and Cameron’s gray-blue eyes beamed at us. “Of course, it’s okay, sweetheart. Hailee, I’m Karen, Cameron’s mom, it’s lovely to meet you.” She came over and hugged me. “And under better circumstances this time. I’m sorry you had to see that, sweetie,” she whispered, and I swallowed over the lump in my throat.
“It’s nice to meet you too,” I said as Cameron wrapped his arm around me, guiding me over to one of the stools.
“Hailee,” Mr. Chase said around a wary smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“Hello.” I gave him a small wave as I sat down while Cameron helped his mom get some extra plates from the cabinet.
“How was the game last night?”
Cameron stiffened but quickly recovered. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.” He came and sat down beside me, taking my hand in his, as if he needed the contact. “While Mom is going through her… treatment,” the word got stuck in his throat. “I think I should quit the team.”
Mrs. Chase gasped, the sound almost painful, while Mr. Chase’s brows pulled tight as he shifted uncomfortably on the stool. “Son, there is no need to—”
“Just hear me out, Dad, please.” Cameron ran a brisk hand down his face. “This week has been hell for me; my game was off. I’m angry, confused… it isn’t what I need right now or what the team needs. I want to be here for you guys, for Xander. I need to be here.” With the
last word his chest heaved as if a weight had been lifted.
“But, Son, the scouts—”
“Don’t matter, Dad. This is more important. Mom is more important.”
I felt like an outsider. This was a conversation Cameron should have had in private with his parents, but then he was squeezing my hand back, his eyes settling on my stunned face. He gave me a smile so vulnerable yet reassuring at the same time, I realized that, despite my reservations, he needed me here. In some bizarre turn of events, I’d given Cameron the strength he needed to vocalize his thoughts to his parents.
“Oh, sweetheart, come here.” Mrs. Chase’s arms looped around her son’s neck as she hugged him from behind, sniffling into his shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry.”
I swallowed back my own tears. This was a family; three people just trying to do their best with the shitty hand they had been dealt. Cameron’s parents didn’t push him to keep up football and school because of expectation or pressure, they did it for him. Because they knew what football and his future meant to him. But it was a burden too heavy for Cameron to carry. Last night was proof of that.
“You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Mom. I’ve made my decision. I’ll talk to Coach first thing Monday.”
Mr. Chase was quiet, his eyes studying his son. “Don’t make any rash decisions okay, Son? This is your future. We’ll get through this, the same way we get through everything—together. If you need a break, fine. But it doesn’t have to be the end of football. Not when you’re so close to everything you’ve worked so hard for.”
Father and son shared a long look, Cameron’s fingers still firmly entwined with my own. Eventually, Mrs. Chase broke the stifling silence by placing plates of pancakes and bacon in front of us. “I hope you’re hungry,” she said, her expression warm as she watched me and her son.
“Mom. What’s wrong?” Cameron asked, noticing her watching us.
“Nothing, sweetheart. I’m just glad you have Hailee.” She swallowed, a mask of sadness falling over her as she settled her gaze on me. “I’m glad my son has you.”
I nodded, too choked up to reply.
“I’m sorry.” Mrs. Chase smiled. “I’ve made all this food and now everyone is sad.”
“It’s fine, Mom. Let’s eat, I’m starving.” He gave me a discreet wink and motioned for me to dig in.
And I did.
Because something told me no matter how scared this family was; right now, they needed to take comfort in the little things.
“Your parents seem nice,” I said when we were back in the privacy of Cameron’s bedroom.
“They’re good people,” he said, flopping down on the bed, pulling me with him. We landed with a soft thud, my body lying atop the length of his.
“They were cool about me being here this morning.”
He shrugged. “I guess I didn’t give them much warning, but I’m eighteen, Hailee. It’s not like we’re kids.” Cameron brushed his nose against mine, kissing me softly. “I’m glad you were there with me. I’ve been trying to find the words all week, but every time I’ve tried to broach the subject with them, I just couldn’t do it.”
“You really want to quit the team?”
“Yes… no, I don’t know.” He pressed his head back against the pillows, eyes fixed on the ceiling as he let out a ragged breath. “It’s just so much pressure, you know? If I can’t pull it together, I’m a liability—”
“Yeah, but you don’t need to quit. Coach will understand if you need some time out, they all will.”
“Maybe.” His eyes flicked back to mine. “Or maybe I’ve just realized there’s more to life.”
“You love football.”
“I do.” His eyes lit up. “But it isn’t all I want. Not like Jas—” He stopped himself.
“It’s okay, you can talk to me about this.”
“It’s always been his plan. We’d dominate Varsity together and then go to Penn, but everything’s different now.”
“Different?”
“Yeah,” he smiled but it was full of sadness. My heart clenched for the guy I’d swore I wouldn’t fall for and now I was in so deep I wasn’t sure I’d ever find my way out.
And I was okay with that.
More than okay.
“There was a time when I wanted it, when I kept thinking, ‘this is the month Mom will get better’. But she never did and with every episode my dreams moved further and further away until I was no longer sure they were mine anymore.” Cameron paused, dragging his bottom lip into his teeth as if he was weighing up whether to say whatever was on his mind.
“What?” I pushed.
“And you happened.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. That first day of semester, I saw you and it was like I was seeing you for the first time again.”
“Cameron…” I ducked my head, my cheeks burning.
“Hey, don’t hide from me, Hailee.” His fingers slid under my jaw coaxing me back to him. “Don’t ever hide.”
“I just… this, us, it wasn’t supposed to happen.”
“But it did, and I meant what I said, the only thing I regret is that it didn’t happen sooner.” He tucked me into his chest, running his hand up and down my back, eliciting shivers up my spine.
“Cameron?”
“Yes, Sunshine?”
“Kiss me.”
His hand glided up to my face, angling my head back so I could see his gray-blues glittering at me. He smiled warmly, setting off a legion of butterflies in my tummy, and said, “That I can do.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Cameron
I tugged at the collar of my shirt. It was a dark gray color, rolled up at the sleeves; worlds away from my usual football jersey or polo shirt. But I wanted tonight to be perfect which is why I’d called Flick asking her for some advice.
Taking a deep breath, I knocked on Hailee’s door, praying to God she opened it and not her mom, or even worse Mr. Ford. It swung open and my heart skipped a beat. Hailee stood there in a denim skirt, a white t-shirt that scooped low on her chest, and wedged sneakers. Her dirty blonde hair was piled high on her head, her glasses keeping the loose strands off her face. It was simple, understated, but I’d never seen anything more beautiful.
“Hey,” I finally said finding my voice. “I got you these.” Thrusting the box of brownies at her, I rubbed the back of my neck.
“Have you been speaking to Flick again?” Her brow quirked up.
“Maybe.” I smiled. “She mentioned you liked them when I came by... but we didn’t get around to eating them.”
Hailee’s cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, her eyes darkening. I leaned in, unable to resist the pull, and kissed her cheek. “I missed you.” I grazed my lips against her ear, and her fingers curled into my shirt, dragging me closer.
“It’s only been a few hours.” She turned her head slightly, her lips hovering over mine. Electricity crackled between us, the hairs on my arms standing to attention, along with other places. I was so gone for this girl, I might as well have handed over my heart and my balls in a neat little package and told her to give them back when she was done with them.
Stealing a quick kiss, I pulled away putting some distance between us. “We should probably get going, I made a reservation.”
“You did?” Her mouth curved and I couldn’t resist dipping my head to claim her lips again.
“You look beautiful, Sunshine.”
“Cam...” Hailee sighed against my mouth, the soft noise a direct line to my dick. “Are you sure you don’t just want to stay in?” Her arms looped around my neck.
I wanted nothing more than to take her up to her room and sink deep inside her, to lose myself in her, but I also wanted us to go out, to enjoy a night together before next week.
“We need this.” I smiled against her. “Besides, I don’t plan on letting you out of my sight tonight.”
Hailee pulled back, frowning. “I can’t stay out all night.”
“Well, no, I don’t think so, but—”
“Go and grab a bag, Sunshine, and I’ll meet you in my truck.”
“So bossy,” she grumbled before turning on her heel and marching back up the stairs. But I didn’t go to my truck. I waited. Unable to tear myself away from her even for a second.
When she came down the stairs a few minutes later, I pushed off the doorjamb and went to her. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”
Hooking my arm around her waist, I kissed her head and said, “It’s a surprise.”
Ten minutes later, I pulled the truck into a parking spot and cut the engine.
“The Alley,” Hailee said. “We’re going to The Alley?”
“Yeah, is that okay?”
“Yeah, I mean, I love it here, but are you sure you want to be here?”
“What’s wrong with here?”
“Nothing, it’s nothing...” She pressed her lips together.
“Did I do the wrong thing? It’s just Felicity said—”
“Felicity told you to bring me here?” Hailee stared at me with disbelief.
“Well, yeah. I wanted tonight to be perfect. She said you loved those brownies and that I should avoid wearing my football jersey and that you loved The Alley... so, here we are.”
Her expression softened as she shuffled across the seat and leaned over to me. Cupping my face in her hands, Hailee kissed me. “It’s perfect. I just didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable.”
That had my attention. “Why would I feel uncomfortable?” It was just bowling and a dinner. Nothing special.
“Because this is Switzerland.”
“Switzerland?” Now I was the one gawking at her.
“Yeah.” She chuckled. “In there you won’t be Cameron Chase, wide receiver for the Raiders; you’ll just be Cameron, my date.”