And they were just standing there, staring at me.
Well, this just got a whole lot uncomfortable.
“Hey,” one of them said. I supposed he was the brave one of the bunch. “You’re the NCU trainer, right?”
Clearing my throat, I said, “Yeah, that’s me.”
“I thought I recognized you,” Mr. Talkative said. The others seemed to gather more confidence along with him as they slowly strode closer to the hot tub. “You go to school there, too?”
I turned my body to the side when more than one pair of eyes zoned in on my chest. “Yep. It’s my second year in the physical therapy program.”
Three of the guys sat down in chairs surrounding the hot tub. But Mr. Talkative sat on the edge, dangling his feet in the water, sitting only feet from me. Subtle, much?
“Nice. I bet you like being the only girl around a bunch of guys, huh?” He smirked while his charming friends snickered to themselves.
“I’m sorry?”
I slowly eased away from him, his proximity making me feel itchy. Most of my body was underwater, but he was making no effort to disguise his attempts at seeing more.
He just scooted closer. “Come on. I’m sure you get tons of attention. You must love your job.”
This guy had to be kidding.
The day just kept getting suckier.
“Well, I love my job,” I said in a haughty voice. I wanted him to know he was pissing me off. “But it has nothing to do with getting any kind of attention.”
He chuckled. “Sure it doesn’t. You have to be banging at least one of them, right?”
Oh, no he didn’t.
“You don’t have to confine yourself to just one team, you know,” he continued. “We could be down for some of that action, too.” He kept inching closer.
His classy buddies laughed and fucking high-fived each other at that. Yep, I’d had enough. I mean, had these idiots just been hatched or something? I really didn’t want to have to cut my hot tub time short because of these douche monsters, but my temper could only take so much misogyny.
“What exactly was your plan here?” I asked condescendingly. “Were you really expecting me to be charmed by your insulting pick-up lines? Or impressed that you’re currently sharing a room with three other guys, even if you were somehow miraculously able to get me up there? Did you have, like, a secret trick that you forgot to pull out of your hat or something? Because so far, I’m not the least bit interested.”
The Three Stooges burst out laughing, clutching their stomachs and slapping their legs. “She got you, bro!”
Oh, but Mr. Talkative didn’t appreciate being put down in front of his three amigos. In fact, his eyes sharpened on me, narrowing in anger.
“You’re one of those, huh?” he said through clenched teeth. “A cock-tease with a big mouth. I should have guessed.”
I did not appreciate being called a cock-tease. In my experience—a.k.a. Trey the Asshole—guys tended to call you that when they got all bent out of shape because they hadn’t been able to land you. But if Mr. Talkative here defined a cock-tease as someone who sits in hot tubs by herself in her swimsuit, minding her own damn business…then, sure. I guess I was.
“And you’re one of those guys,” I said in a snarky voice. “The kind who think their cheesy smile and douchebag personality are enough to trick a girl into sleeping with them.” I climbed out of the tub and faced him, dripping water all over the floor. “Newsflash, they’re not.”
Mr. Talkative had just sprung to his feet with a menacing expression when the door to the pool opened again. This time, Boyd, the Lancaster brothers, and Cam all stepped through. They, too, all froze in their tracks when they spotted the scene before them, their smiles instantly disappearing. What they saw I could only imagine. A scantily-clad girl by herself, surrounded by four big, burly basketball players, one of whom was glaring at her and flexing his muscles.
And what did I see when I looked at Cam?
Seething anger. The likes of which I’d never seen on him before. It even scared me a little. His eyes were glued to Mr. Talkative, his hands forming fists at his sides. Holy shit, if looks could kill…
“There a problem here, gentlemen?” Boyd asked.
Boyd rarely ever lost his cool, always super nice with the best manners. But his broad shoulders were squared up, like even he was prepping for a fight. Colt and Jesse might as well have been simultaneously popping their knuckles.
The last thing that needed to happen here was a brawl when all of these guys had to play tomorrow. I had to diffuse the situation.
“Nope, no problem,” I blurted out. “I was just meeting your opponents for tomorrow. Fraternizing with the enemy, I guess.”
I tried laughing but ended up sounding lame. I wanted to walk over and grab my towel—I was feeling much too exposed, standing there in my bikini—but I couldn’t force myself to move.
They were all still glaring at each other, and Mr. Talkative hadn’t moved away. Cam slowly walked over to him and everyone in the room braced themselves. I nervously wrung my hands in front of me, worrying my bottom lip. Cam was bigger than the guy and I knew he could take him. But I didn’t want anyone getting into a fight over me.
“You want to step away from her, guy?” Cam said in lethally low voice.
It wasn’t a question, either. It was a command.
Mr. Talkative didn’t move. I had to admit he had balls. Any person who would be so brazen to stare Cam down when he looked at you like that must have been a special kind of crazy.
“Now,” Cam growled.
All six guys took one step closer to the pair, preparing for the first punch.
Then Mr. Talkative backed away.
I blew out a breath. Situation neutralized.
Cam turned his body, placing himself between me and Mr. Talkative. The guy joined his friends, smirking at the two of us the entire time as the group headed for the exit.
“See, guys?” Mr. Talkative said loudly. “I told you she was screwing at least one of them.”
Cam lunged in his direction, and I immediately wrapped my arms around his waist, holding him back. The Southeast Georgia players cracked up as they walked out, leaving the rest of us standing there in silence.
While my arms still clung onto Cam.
The reality of what just happened all of a sudden slammed through me. Oh my God. How fucking embarrassing was that? Because I needed these guys to protect me or something? Act as my bodyguards? Or my big brothers?
Except for Cam. He definitely hadn’t acted like a big brother. Not since the day we met.
I yanked my arms back and snagged my towel off the chair, quickly securing it around my body.
“You okay, darlin’?” Boyd asked.
I couldn’t handle them being so sweet to me right now. I felt way too vulnerable to face them, and I hated vulnerability. My sandals slapped against the cement floor as I shuffled toward the door, nodding my head as I went.
I offered them an easy smile. “Yeah, I’m fine. They were just being idiots. No big deal.”
The three of them watched me with concern. I had a brief glimpse of Cam as I opened the door, his expression jolting my system. His body radiated intensity and it was all targeted at me.
Time to go.
I was half-running down the hall when I heard that same door open behind me. I glanced over my shoulder to see Cam striding down the hallway with purpose, all his focus locked on my retreating form. I regret to admit a tiny squeak escaped my lips, and I sped up my pace.
“Do not run from me, Reese.”
I didn’t look back again.
But I did move faster.
And from the sounds of it, he was right behind me.
13
Cam
“Reese, wait!”
She just increased her speed again, so I increased mine. Why was she running? She acted as if she were escaping me, running from me, and not from what happened back there. She reached the door to the s
tairwell and darted inside, I’m guessing because she knew she wouldn’t make it to the elevator before I caught her.
I’ve got news for you, sweetheart. You won’t escape me in there, either.
She was on the landing between the first and second floors when I grabbed her arm and spun her around. “I said stop.”
She wriggled around, struggling to release the grasp I had on her. I wasn’t letting go, though. She wasn’t getting away from me this time.
“You said not to run from you,” she snapped. “You didn’t say anything about walking…hastily.”
I shook my head in astonishment. “Do you ever stop being a smart ass?”
She shrugged. “One of my many talents.”
Enough of the wordplay. “Why were you trying to get away from me?”
She pursed her lips, refusing to meet my eyes. “I wasn’t running from you.”
“Why were you running at all?” When she still wouldn’t answer, I backed her into the corner, pushing forward until her body was pressed against the wall. “Tell me, Reese.”
She threw her hands up, obviously frustrated. “I just didn’t like what happened back there, okay? I was…” She vigorously shook her head. “I don’t know. I was embarrassed!”
Oo-kay. That made zero sense.
“What were you embarrassed about?”
Sensing she needed some space, I released her arm. I wouldn’t give her enough space to get away but just a little. When she rubbed her temples, I had the bizarre impulse to put my arms around her and pull her close. Comfort her. Huh. That was new.
Then a dark thought occurred to me. Something that might explain her upset.
“They didn’t…” Shit. I wasn’t sure if I could even say it. “They didn’t…touch you or anything, did they?”
Not even God would be able to help them if they had.
She choked out a groan. “Oh my God, no. Don’t even go there. They were just being rude jackasses. I was about to leave when you guys walked in. I just felt…exposed. I didn’t like the fact that you had to come in and basically threaten the guy for me.”
My hands clenched. The mere mention of that asshole made me want to go track him down and punch his teeth into next week. The way he’d been looking at Reese when I’d walked in. The manner in which his body had been poised. What the hell had he been about to do?
I couldn’t think about it.
“The prick deserved to be threatened.”
“That’s not the point,” she said, blowing out a heavy breath. “I can take care of myself, Cam.”
For some reason, the way she said my name softened all the fierce emotions coursing through me. She usually called me Donovan, especially when she was pissed. Other times, she had far more colorful names for me. But I liked the way Cam rolled off her tongue.
A tongue that I very much wanted to taste.
I lifted my hand to push a strand of hair that had fallen out of her bun behind her ear. “I know you can take care of yourself, sweetheart.” I laughed. “Hell, I have no doubt you could easily emasculate even the toughest of men. I basically put my balls on the chopping block every time I face off against you.”
Laughter bubbled out of her sweet mouth, easing more of my anger.
“You have no idea how lucky you are to still have those,” she said.
I grinned. “What happened in there has nothing to do with you not being able to handle yourself. That was just us looking out for you. You’ve become like a sister to most of the guys”—except for me—“and they feel like it’s their responsibility to have your back.”
Her hazel eyes pierced mine. “Do you? See me as a sister?”
Not in a million fucking years.
“Do you really have to ask?” I rasped. I heard her breath hitch, so I pushed. Even though I knew I shouldn’t. “Since the day we met, I’ve felt many things toward you. But not one of those has been brotherly affection. Not for a second.”
“Then what would you call them?”
I leaned forward and braced my hands on the wall beside her head, boxing her in. “Aggravation. Confusion. Anger.”
She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Gee, I’m flattered.”
My mouth twitched. “Also fascination. Anticipation. Curiosity.”
Her eyes searched mine. “Is that all?”
So she was pushing, too? Game on.
“Do you want me to say it?” I whispered, bringing my face closer to hers.
“How do I know what you mean if you don’t?”
She asked for it.
“How about…lust? Arousal. Desire, sweetheart. Is that what you wanted to hear?”
Her breathing turned shallow. “Only if it’s the truth.”
I slowly shook my head. “Unfortunately, it is.”
“Why unfortunately?”
Oh, if you only knew. “Because I’ve had so many…ideas. And I can’t act on any of them.”
Confusion marred her features. “Why not?”
I couldn’t tell her about her father’s warning to all of us, though he’d never exactly said not to. But something told me it wouldn’t go down well if she found out. Plus, I didn’t want her thinking I was afraid of her dad. I wasn’t. There was just more to consider in this particular equation.
“Let me rephrase that,” I said. “I shouldn’t act on any of them.”
Her eyebrows drew together. Damn it, she looked both sexy and cute at the same time. “I don’t understand, Cam.”
And she really needed to stop saying my name that way. Too many scenarios came to mind when that word reached my ears. Not to mention the fact that I could feel her warm breath caress the skin of my neck.
Then it hit me.
Her cherry vanilla scent.
Goddamn it. This was too much.
I pushed away, turning my back to her so I wouldn’t have to see her trapped there in that corner for the taking. I put my hands behind my head, sucking in deep breaths. I just needed to leave. Walk right out and not look back.
“Okay, you can’t judge me for this later, but…” She trailed off and I waited in silence for her next words. “Nobody’s looking right now,” she said in a soft voice. “Nobody’s around to see what happens here.”
Everything within me stilled.
Fuck. She couldn’t be serious.
“And I won’t tell if you don’t.”
I looked over my shoulder to see her standing there, eagerness on her face. She was killing me right now.
“You don’t even like me.”
She lifted a shoulder. “You don’t like me, either.”
Not true. I was beginning to think I liked her a little too much.
“We can forget all about it as soon as we walk away,” she added in a breathy voice.
Impossible. I would never forget it if I touched her.
“But I have to admit that some of those things you said you were feeling…I feel them, too.”
What the hell was any sane man supposed to do here?
“It may not be the smartest thing to do—”
“Not at all,” I cut in harshly.
Could she not see how hard I was trying to resist?
“But I won’t hold it against you if you don’t hold it against me,” she finished, her voice now shaking.
I turned back around to fully face her. My chest rose and fell with each measured breath I took. My control was splintering. And the worst part? The thing that pretty much sealed my fate? She was still wrapped up in that fucking towel, holding it to her body like a lifeline.
She was basically half naked underneath.
“Just one,” I said, my voice sounding as strangled as my dick felt.
“One…what?” she whispered.
“One taste. And that’s all.”
I surged forward and crushed her mouth with mine.
Sweet Jesus.
We both groaned as soon as our lips made contact. I roughly shoved her back against the wall, propping her up with m
y hips until her toes barely skimmed the floor. She didn’t even try to fight me. When my tongue grazed her lips, she opened right up for me, eagerly meeting it with her own.
Ah, hell. Our mouths were a perfect fit.
I was really hoping they wouldn’t be. That kissing her would be a disappointment. Yeah, right. Like kissing Reese could ever be anything but explosive. Deep down, I knew it would be like this. So much for that wall I’d tried to build between us. I’d just scaled it in a matter of seconds, like fucking Batman.
Things changed when she moaned. It was that sound of desperation that amped things up for me, like she couldn’t stand not having more than what I was giving her. She arched her hips into mine and rolled them forward.
Oh, sweetheart.
She was grinding her pussy right over my dick.
I let out a deep-throated growl and slammed my hips against hers, unable to stop myself. It felt so damn good. It wouldn’t take much to push myself inside her, either. It’s just one small step from dry humping to actual sex…
I cupped her head in my hands, tipping her face back at a better angle for my hungry mouth, twining her hair through my fingers. And I told myself to keep my hands there. Because the rest of her body was as soft and malleable as her mouth was, and if I got so much as a flash of her in that skimpy bikini again, she’d be stripped naked on the spot.
That was when the towel dropped to the floor.
Because of course it would. The universe really had it out for me today.
All I had to do was lower my gaze and this thing would most assuredly rocket to the next level. The way her nails dug into my arms, pulling me closer, I knew her body was on fire. Oh, I could make you feel so good, sweetheart. In that moment, I was positive there wasn’t anything in this world I wanted more than that. To give Reese so much pleasure, she’d instantly become addicted to my touch. I was pretty sure I was becoming addicted to her. And this kiss was only fueling that growing obsession.
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