“Oh my God! That was insane!” I gasped.
“Nothing to it.” He walked back to me, brushing his hands off on one another.
I narrowed my eyes at him and smiled. “Show-off. I thought you were supposed to show me how to use my core.”
“I am. Grab your ball.” He leaned against the computer and smirked at me.
Rubbing my hands down my pant legs, I retrieved my ball and started to the lane. Cameron followed behind me, causing an uncomfortable dry sensation to build in the back of my throat. I tucked my elbows in at my sides, placed my feet together, and held my ball with both hands.
“The trick is in the arm flow. You can’t hesitate in your motion. Some people do so without realizing, because they are worried they might smack the ball into the back of their knee.” One of his hands gripped my left hip while the other touched my elbow. I licked at my bottom lip, fighting the moan that had built at the base of my throat from his nearness. “Then you need to focus on your step. When you lunge forward, you also need to bend your knees. Follow this motion.” He moved my arm back and pressed on my hip so that I would dip at the right time.
“Like that?” My voice was soft as my nerve endings continued to short out and tingle.
“Exactly.” His warm breath grazed against my ear, and I prayed he’d press his lips there for a moment, maybe even take a little nibble. “Now you try it alone.”
I felt it the second he stepped away from me, taking all of his warmth and sexy guy-smell with him. Doing as Cameron had instructed, I launched the ball down the center of the lane and managed to wipe out nearly half of the pins.
“Not a strike, but still pretty good if I do say so myself.” I smiled and turned back around to wait for my ball.
“Oh yes.” His voice was low when he spoke, as though we were talking about two separate things.
My cheeks warmed, and I watched the machine as it spit out my ball. Hurrying, I lined up my body like the previous time and watched as the ball spiraled down the lane, taking down three more pins.
“You’re a really good teacher,” I said as I walked back toward my seat, grinning from ear to ear.
An impish grin twisted his lips as he walked past me, brushing his body against mine, to retrieve his ball. “Just imagine all the other things I could teach you.”
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
CAMERON
The words had tumbled out of my mouth before I had time to think them through. The look dancing in Paige’s eyes reminded me of the first night I’d met her. It was the same sense of innocence that instantly made me want to look away from her every time another dirty thought clouded my mind. I chewed at the inside of my cheek as I struggled to regain my focus and push all the things I wanted to be doing with her—all the things I wanted to be teaching her—out of my mind.
My ball launched down the lane at top speed, but veered to the side at the last second, causing me to miss three pins. My mind was so far from this game right now that my dad would be pissed at me if he were here. Bowling had been our thing. We’d been on a father/son team for a few years. The year of my fifteenth birthday, I told him I wasn’t into it anymore and dove heavily into my art instead. If I had known that would have been the last year I would ever have the chance to bowl with him, I would have taken it and cherished every fucking second.
Reflection can be a bitch sometimes.
“Ha-ha, looks like the master isn’t perfect all the time either,” Paige teased from where she sat.
“Oh yeah?” I arched an eyebrow and grinned at her. “Watch this move.” When I released the ball, it went barreling down the lane and barely tipped all three of the pins left, but it knocked them down in one swift motion, granting me a spare.
“Like I said, you’re a show-off.” She stood and made her way to where her ball rested.
I went around to the side she was walking to with the intention of brushing up against her in passing once more, but she froze the second our bodies touched in the narrow space. There was a look of yearning reflected in the rich brown of her eyes. My hands landed on her hips, gripping them as though I were forcing her to remain where she stood. Who knew, maybe a part of me was. Her breath hitched, same as mine, at the contact, and she leaned into me a little more. I’d been waiting for this moment all night—the moment when I’d finally be able to taste her sweet lips again.
Swallowing hard, I licked my lips and brought my hands up to run along her arms. Our eyes locked, and I could see the desire pooling in the depths of hers, darkening their shade and dilating her pupils. My hands dipped back down to rest on her hips. I slipped my thumbs up underneath the edge of her sweater and rubbed at her soft skin. Leaning in, I brushed my lips against hers, unable to control myself any longer, and heard a little sigh of relief escape her that was nearly my undoing right there in the center of Norhurst Lanes.
“Okay, so, I don’t know what surprises me more right now…the fact that Cameron Green is standing inside a bowling alley or this horrendous display of PDA he’s taking part in,” a voice I’d recognize anywhere chimed from behind me.
Paige pulled back and I turned to face Eva, ready to give her the nastiest look she’d probably ever gotten from me, but instead my lips formed a smile I couldn’t dampen.
“What are you doing here?” I asked her.
She flung her long hair over her shoulder and glared at me. “You’re not the only one with a date tonight.”
“Oh, really? You out with that same douche you met at the party?”
“He wasn’t a douche,” she whisper scolded me. “And no, it’s Dylan. The one I’ve already been out with a few times, thank you very much.”
“Dylan? I thought things didn’t go so well on your last date with him.” I grinned, remembering her exact words. “In fact, didn’t you tell me he was a boring ass nitwit, and that if I looked up cell phone obsession in the dictionary I’d see his picture beside it?”
“Shhh!” She pressed her index finger to her lips and scolded me like a small child. “Seriously, Cam, shut the hell up! You know I feel like everyone deserves a second chance. Well, this is his.”
“You two crack me up!” Paige grinned. She fastened her eyes on Eva. “So, do you guys want to bowl with us?”
“Absolutely.” Eva smiled. She slipped over the little wall separating the other lane from ours. “I need you two to tell me if I’m making a big deal out of his cell phone habit or not.” Her eyes skimmed over me, and then flicked back to Paige. “Well, maybe just you. Cam isn’t that observant, not like another female would be anyway. I need to know if this is just me searching for things wrong with him or if there truthfully is.”
Eva’s tone was off; it was too vulnerable and fragile sounding. This meant something to her. Maybe I wasn’t the only one growing softer with age.
“Sure, no problem,” Paige agreed. “Point him out to me.”
Eva turned around and glanced at the line of people waiting to pay old comb-over dude. She shifted back around to face Paige. “He’s the one standing in line with the glasses and corduroy jacket on.”
I eyed the guy now that she’d pointed him out. He looked like the type you’d see working behind the counter at some computer repair shop. While I thought this, he pulled his phone out from his pocket and tapped his thumb across the screen. I shifted my stare to Eva; her lips were drawn together in a thin line.
“So, Eva, tell me how it feels to be competing with his online girlfriend,” I asked, knowing I’d be lucky if she didn’t smack me upside the head.
She rolled her eyes. “He doesn’t have an online girlfriend…at least I don’t think.”
* * * *
“Thanks for a really nice night,” Paige said as I pulled in beside her Civic. “I had a good time.”
“Me too.” I grinned, my eyes zeroing in on her hand gripping the door handle already. She looked as though she was about to bolt, making me feel like the big bad wolf bringing little red riding hood home. My grin widened at the tho
ught. “When can we do it again?”
She blinked. “When do you want to?”
I got the sense she hadn’t been sure there would be another time, and frowned. Had my kiss not confirmed that? Leaning in, I pressed my lips to hers, soft and slow, hoping to let her know how much I wanted that second date with her and so much more. Pulling away, I positioned my lips beside her ear and kissed beneath her lobe. “Tomorrow night.”
“I can do that.” Her words were nothing but a breathy whisper.
“I’m counting on it.” I opened my door, rushed around to the side of the car, and opened her door for her—a motion I never did. However, when my parents had been alive, I’d witnessed my dad do it a thousand times.
“Thanks.” She seemed baffled. I couldn’t be sure if it was because of the action itself or because I was the one doing it. She had to know by now that I wasn’t the bad boy my tattoos and past reputation made me appear to be.
After seeing her to her front door, and getting in one more kiss for the road, I practically skipped to my car, popped it in reverse, and started home with the biggest freaking smile on my face ever.
CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE
PAIGE
Saturday night’s date with Cameron had met my expectations. I’d gotten to know him a little better, had a blast, and kissed him more than once. I’d been under the impression that Craig had been the best kisser I’d ever come across, but once I’d had Cameron’s lips on mine, I knew I’d found the true contender for that category.
The jingling sound of my phone ringing was what forced me to get out of bed. When I reached my dresser and scooped it up, disappointment crashed through me, because it wasn’t who I wanted to be calling—it was my dad.
“Hello?” I answered, wondering what he could possibly want on a Sunday morning.
“Morning, honey,” my dad said from the other end.
“Hey, what’s up?”
“I’m heading to a meeting and wanted to take a moment to call you.”
I furrowed my brows together. “A meeting? But, it’s Sunday.”
“It’s an informal meeting on the golf course.” He chuckled. “I’m actually pulling into the parking lot as we speak. I just wanted to take a moment to let you know your mother and I are proud of you, Paige. You’ve done exceptionally well so far in creating the shop, and getting it up and running. I’m sorry I didn’t have as much faith in you as I should have.”
I was speechless. Never in my life had either of my parents told me they were proud of me for anything, and if they did, there generally was something critical following the statement that completely canceled it out for me. I waited for that burn of a critical slap to come next, but it never did.
“Paige? Are you still there?” I could hear the ding of his car as he opened the driver’s side door with the keys still in the ignition. “Damn cell phone. Calls dropping left and right lately.”
“No, I’m still here.” I swallowed hard. “And thanks.”
“All right, well I’m here. I’ll let you go. Love you, honey.” He hung up before I could reply.
Walking backward, I sat on the edge of my bed and cradled the phone in my hands. A knock at my bedroom door pulled me from my thoughts. Blaire opened the door and poked her head around.
“You awake?” she whispered.
“Yeah.”
“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
I blinked and set my phone down. “Yeah, I’m fine. That was my dad calling to tell me he was proud of me and the shop.”
Her brows drew together, and she walked across the room to sit beside me on my bed. “Are you serious?”
I nodded. “Crazy, right?”
“It is, but that’s a good thing. Both of your parents should believe in you more than they do. This shop is going to be the best thing you ever did, I’m sure.”
I flung myself back on my bed. “I can’t believe I own my own business! This is crazy!”
“So, miss business owner, since your shop is closed for the day, do you wanna come hang out with me and Tinley?”
I sat up on my elbows. Blaire’s little niece was precious. “Sure, what are you guys doing today?”
“Heading to that little arcade place she loves. They have some new bouncy slide Bonnie said Tinley wants to check out.”
“That sounds fun. Why don’t they make stuff like that for adults?”
“They do. They’re called amusement parks.” Blaire smiled. “Speaking of, Jason wants me to go to that one in Georgia. I hate roller coasters, but he swears it would be the best date ever.”
I laughed. Control freak, studious Blaire trapped on a ride she had no control over—that would be a sight. “Sounds fun to me. Loosen up some! Live a little, will ya?”
She scrunched up her face. “I don’t know, suffering from heart failure while I’m hundreds of feet in the air is not my idea of fun.”
“When was the last time you were on a roller coaster?” I asked.
Her lips pursed together as she thought. “I guess I was about ten?”
“Exactly, you’ve changed a lot since then and might have the time of your life on a roller coaster now. You never know.”
“Point proven.” She smirked. “I’ll think about it. In the meantime, you need to get dressed. I’m supposed to be at Bonnie’s house in an hour. She has a crap ton of stuff to get done today.”
“How’s her business going?”
Bonnie was the owner of an online sewing business she’d created herself. Her husband wasn’t always the most supportive person in the world when it came to her business and helping take care of their daughter, so Blaire often had to watch Tinley on the weekends for her while Bonnie caught up on orders and such.
“It’s going. When I talked to her last week, she said she’d seen a spike in sales and was all excited about it. I’m praying that the increase continues. It would be nice to see her happy about it all again instead of always trying to justify every business purchase and working herself to the bone to come up with new crafty ideas.”
“Yeah, I bet.”
Blaire left the room, and I grabbed some clothes so I could hop in the shower. Spending the day with Blaire and Tinley was going to be fun. It would also keep my mind off the date I had with Cameron tonight.
* * * *
Cameron’s house looked a lot different than it had the night of the Halloween party. It was clean and sophisticated. For having such a bad boy appearance, he sure did stay in a chic, immaculate house.
“I wish they’d let us take one of their margaritas in a to-go cup.” Cameron grinned. “God, they’re the best.”
We’d eaten at Verde Guacamole in Coldcreek, because we agreed if we were going to have Mexican for dinner. Blue Agave in Norhurst was okay, but we both preferred Verde Guacamole.
“I know!” I smiled. “I have no idea how they do it, but I know I could never make a margarita taste that good. Ever.”
Cameron glared at me with a devious gleam shimmering in his hazel eyes. “Wanna try? I have everything to make them here.”
I bit my bottom lip. It was already hard enough to keep my hands off him after only one drink. After having a few more, I bet it would be nearly impossible.
“There’s an extra room upstairs. If we get too carried away with the drinks, you can crash here.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “Although, I will let you know ahead of time that I would prefer you to sleep in my bed—if you decide staying the night is okay that is—and I can be pretty persuasive when I’m drunk.”
My insides shivered at his words. I would definitely enjoy him being a little persuasive with me in that department.
“I’m fine with a few drinks and staying the night,” I admitted. My cheeks caught fire at the flicker of satisfaction shifting through his eyes at my words.
“It’s settled, then.” He licked his lips, and I knew I was in for big trouble tonight. “Blender’s this way.”
I watched him saunter toward the kitchen with butterflies in my s
tomach.
When I crossed the threshold, I realized the blender and utensils we would need for the margaritas had been set on the counter. Obviously, Cameron had prepared for me to say yes to staying for drinks. A flush of excitement crept through me.
“See, I told you the blender was this way.” He grinned.
A smirk twisted at my lips. “I can see that. Looks like you have everything ready and waiting.”
“Oh, that’s not the only thing ready and waiting,” he muttered in a devilish tone loud enough for me to hear.
That same sense of excitement I’d felt moments before slithered along my spine as a warmth pooled in my stomach. I sunk my teeth into my bottom lip and continued toward the counter, avoiding Cameron’s eyes as I went. He stepped around me and opened the fridge. A bottle of fancy tequila with a name I doubted I would be able to pronounce, a large bowl filled with limes, and a bottle of orange liquor were inside.
Moving all the ingredients from the fridge to the counter in one motion, he glanced at me with a sexy-as-hell smirk twisting his lips. “How strong should we make the first batch?”
I cleared my throat, thinking I wanted them to be pretty damn strong because I was feeling nervous. “Umm, I don’t know. What do you think? Medium?”
He shook his head. “Strong. The first batch always needs to be stronger than the others.”
I cocked my hip to the side. “Then why did you even ask?”
“Because I wanted to know your answer.” He leaned in closer and smiled as though he were about to tell me a dirty little secret. “If you had said not too strong, then I would have known you weren’t really planning on staying the night.”
I arched an eyebrow at him. “And since I said medium?”
He began pouring all the liquids into the blender. “You’re just as ready for this alone time tonight as I am.”
There was no denying the truth to his words, and I wondered if that fact was written all over my face.
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