by Kari March
I spun on my heel and headed for the door. I couldn't stand to look at her any longer. I got all the answers I needed and it was time to go.
"Running away from me so soon?" Amber scoffed as I approached the door.
I turned back around and smiled sweetly at her. "I'm not running away from you. I'm simply choosing to move on."
Cam came up behind me and squeezed my shoulders as he looked back at Amber. "I'm going to need your shit moved out of my house by tomorrow. Leave the key on the counter."
"Damn, firecracker! I'm so proud of you." Cam said as we walked down the hallway towards the elevators. He threw his arm around my shoulder and kissed my head.
"Thanks," I replied quietly. This crap with Amber was finally over. Cam and I were free to move past all of this but a part of me was a little sad. She was still my sister—evil or not—and a small sliver of me would always wonder what our relationship could have been if she hadn't been so fucked up.
The elevator doors opened on the first floor and Cam and I started our walk, hand in hand, back to the car. After passing through the front doors, Cam stopped and tugged on my arm forcefully. I looked up at him and his eyes were wide as he stared out in front of us. Following his gaze, my heart stopped when I saw my father standing about fifty feet away.
He was staring at me in disbelief. His short brown hair was peppered with streaks of silver and his familiar green eyes were surrounded by deep wrinkles. He lifted a cigarette to his lips and took a drag before he started making his way towards us.
"Cara, let's leave. You don't have to talk to him," Cam said as he pulled on my arm.
"It's okay, Cam. I'm fine," I assured him.
Straightening out my posture, I turned to face my father for the first time in fifteen years.
"Cara?" he called out as he got closer. "Is it really you, princess?"
I nodded my head and smiled weakly at him as I swallowed down the lump that was forming in my throat.
"Troy," I acknowledged with a nod of my head.
He held his arms out for me and I just stared at him with wide eyes. Did he really think I was just going to forgive him for what he did so easily?
"What? No hug for your old man?" he said smiling and Cam took an aggressive step forward.
I put my arm up to stop him from attacking as I eyed my father up and down. "Well, you are an old man but you're definitely not my old man."
Troy's expression fell. "I see you're still mad at me," he said, taking another puff of smoke into his lungs.
"Mad isn't the word I would use to describe how I feel about you," I explained to him. "Try annoyed, let down, furious, seething, disappointed, or how about loathe completely."
"Alright, I deserved that." He raised his hands in defense. "I never should've walked out on you and your mother. I've lived with that guilt every day of my life and I truly am sorry. If I could go back and do it all over again, I would change so many things." His mature, green eyes filled with remorse. "I did try to see you, princess. But you're mother wouldn't let me. She kept you from me."
My jaw tightened as my anger took hold of me. "She did nothing of the sorts! Don't you dare make up lies about her, Troy," I said, jabbing my finger into his chest. "You never once tried to contact me. The only time you ever showed up was when you thought I was dying. You're such a coward."
"Princess, please let me explain," he pleaded with me.
"Stop calling me that! I'm not your princess and I never was."
When he didn't say anything, I knew it was time to leave. I grabbed Cam's hand and started walking away when I heard his voice one more time. "I'm sorry, Cara, for everything."
I turned back around and looked him in the eyes. "I moved on from you a long time ago, Troy. I have a wonderful father figure in my life and I'm happy. I'm thankful every day that you left because if you didn't Royce would have never become my dad." His eyes started to fill with tears. "I'm not the daughter you chose to be with and I've accepted that now. I think it's time that you do the same. You still have a daughter up there that could really use her dad. Why don't you go say those words to her so they aren't wasted?"
He nodded and wiped the tears from his eyes as he looked up at the windows of the hospital. "Thank you, Cara," he said with a smile.
I smiled back over my shoulder as Cam and I walked away. "Goodbye, Troy."
"Do you have to work tonight?" Cam asked as he watched me change into my Maggie's Place t-shirt.
The last twenty-four hours had been emotionally draining and all I wanted to do was lie down and go back to sleep. I had so much to do at the bar before we opened but I really didn't want to go. Cam had taken the week off of work because of the baby and I really wanted to just cuddle with him in bed. But Shay was off tonight which meant I had to go.
"Yep," I said as I leaned over the bed and puckered my lips at him. He met mine with his and pulled me down on top of him.
"Then I'm coming with you," he stated as he nuzzled into my neck.
"You don't have to do that, Cam. You can stay here and sleep if you want." I knew he was tired. I could see it in his eyes. I don't think he had slept in over forty-eight hours.
"I've wasted six months without you and I don't want to waste a minute more. I'm coming with you, firecracker," he demanded before kissing me again.
I smiled against his lips when he grabbed my ass. "Easy there, tiger," I teased and he threw me off of him playfully.
I looked at my watch—2:30pm.
"Shit, I have to get going," I insisted and we both jumped to our feet and headed out the door.
We arrived at Maggie's Place about twenty minutes later and when we got inside I started setting up the bar. Cam turned on the radio and took a seat on the last bar stool right next to the opening of the bar. Watching me intently, his bright blue eyes undressed me every time I moved. My face flushed and I tried like hell to ignore him so I could finish my work.
But I couldn't.
It's going to be a long fucking night if he keeps this up.
I wasn't getting a damn thing done with him in the room. He was everywhere. His scent was intoxicating and I found myself walking closer to him, just so I could smell him. Every time I did he'd raise his eyebrows at me and suck his lower lip between his teeth then release it slowly. It was driving me crazy and he was doing it on purpose.
Be strong, Cara!
While I was preparing the garnish tray I kept glancing at him out of the corner of my eye. His eyes were still trained on me but now they were roaming up and down my body. I saw him readjust himself in his seat—he was just as affected by me as I was by him. I smiled inside at the thought.
Two can play at this game.
Picking up a maraschino cherry, I held it over my mouth while I tilted my head back slowly. I opened my mouth wide and little by little lowered the cherry into my mouth. Wrapping my mouth around the little red ball, I closed my eyes and plucked the stem free.
When I opened my eyes and turned to look at him with a seductive grin on my face, he was no longer in his seat. He had entered the bar and was leaning up against it with his back. His arms were folded over his chest and his legs were crossed at the ankles. He looked fucking delicious—his forearms were exposed from his rolled up sleeves and his seductive smirk made a familiar pulse grow between my thighs.
"Didn't anyone ever teach you that it's rude to stare?" I teased, throwing his words from the first night we met back at him as I flashed a playful grin.
He chuckled a little and turned his body towards me. "I'll stop staring when you stop being such a fucking cock tease."
"You love it," I said as I popped another cherry into my mouth provocatively.
Slowly, yet powerfully, he started to close the distance between us. "I had a vision of throwing you on this bar and having my way with you the first night we met," he said in a deep sweltering voice. "I think it's time to turn that revelation into a reality."
My breath quickened and every nerve ending in my b
ody began to stir as he pressed his body into mine. He grabbed the nape of my neck and smashed his lips down on mine. He entered my mouth with urgency like he couldn't wait to taste me. My hands fisted in his hair as I pulled him closer to me. Soon we were an impulsive mess of hands, lips, teeth and tongues—biting, licking, roaming, and crashing into one another as we tried to get our fill.
Grabbing fistfuls of my shirt he lifted it up, breaking the kiss, to slip it over my head. I fumbled with the buttons on his shirt, pushing it over his shoulders once they were all undone. Running my hands down the rigid muscles on his chest and abs, I made my way to his jeans. I unbuckled them quickly, and shoved them down his legs. He slipped off his shoes, stepped out of his jeans, and stood before me in all his massive glory.
Taking a step back, I took of my bra, kicked out of my boots, and pushed my jeggings and panties down before stepping out of them. "Fuck, you're gorgeous," he growled before he smashed his lips back down on mine.
He reached around and grabbed me, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs around him as he placed me on top of the bar. He nibbled down my neck as his hands found my breasts. He kneaded and squeezed them roughly before taking a nipple into his mouth. His teeth grazed over it and a muffled moan fell from my lips as my head fell back in pleasure.
"I don't think I can wait, Cam. It's been so long. I just want to feel you," I said breathlessly, my voice full of hunger and desperation.
He released my nipple and looked up at me through hooded eyes. The shameless smirk he gave me made my body crave him even more. "I think I can make that happen, firecracker."
He helped me lie down and then he climbed up onto the bar and between my legs. He paused at my entrance as he looked down at me. "God, I fucking missed you," he said, sliding into me. My breath hitched in my throat as he filled me. He pulled out and I squirmed beneath him. "I missed your laugh," he whispered as he thrust back in, going deeper this time. I gripped his arms tightly as the sensation of him rippled through my body. He pulled back out and I didn't know how much more of this I could take. "And I missed your tight little pussy." He pounded into me again.
"God, Cam!" I screamed, digging my nails into his skin and he pulled out again.
He was fucking killing me.
"But most of all, I missed the look on your face when you come." His words took me closer to the edge as he hammered into me.
This time he didn't pull back out—he just fucked me. Harder and deeper with each thrust and I lifted my hips meeting each and every one.
"I'm. So. Close," I said in-between my moans and he picked up the pace. I turned my head as every muscle in my body tensed.
"I want to watch you, firecracker. Don't look away," he called out. I immediately opened my eyes and found his. One look from those deep baby blues and I was pushed over the cliff—falling fast. The winds of my orgasm blew through me like a hurricane—vigorously shaking me to the core.
Cam pushed into me one more time and found his release, never taking his eyes off of me. I watched his face as he fell apart. His arms were shaking, his chest heaving, and every muscle in his body tightened as he twitched inside of me.
He collapsed on top of me and I lightly grazed my nails across his shoulders as our breathing returned to normal. Playfully he bit my ear and I left out a giggle as goose bumps ran across my skin. Pushing up on his arms he leaned down and kissed me softly.
"I love you, firecracker," he said and my stomach filled with butterflies.
I smiled as I looked into his eyes. I had never been as happy as I was in this moment. "I love you, too, Cam."
Beep....beep....beep...
Cam's phone alerted him to a new text message. I looked at my watch as he pushed off of me, jumping down from the bar—3:30pm.
Shit!
The employees were going to be arriving any second and I was lying naked on top of the fucking bar. I jumped down quickly and started getting dressed. Cam zipped up his jeans and pulled out his phone.
After putting my bra on I tossed my shirt over my head. "Who's that?" I asked when I saw his mouth pressed into a hard line.
He looked up at me. "It's Kate."
I wiggled into my jeggings. "Who's Kate?" I asked confused and a little scared. I wasn't ready for more of Cam's female drama.
"She's your other sister," he said.
Every part of me stopped moving as I stared at him.
He has to be fucking joking.
My heart raced when I saw the honesty in his eyes. "What?" I exclaimed. "I don't think I can take much more of this. How many do I fucking have?"
"Just the two," he said before grinning at me. "That I know of." I wanted to slap the stupid smirk right off his damn face.
"Don't tell me this one is crazy too?" I stood there with my hands on my hips as I stared at him.
Cam laughed. "No, Kate's not crazy. She's only sixteen. She lives down in the springs with her mom. Amber and your dad both kind of treat her like shit. She always sort of looked up to me, like a big brother."
"Well, what does she want?" I said relieved.
"She wants to meet you."
I couldn't contain the grin that spread across my face. "When?"
"Whenever you want, firecracker." He slipped his shirt on.
"Can she come here now?" I asked as I tried to keep myself from bouncing up and down.
I watched as Cam punched in some numbers on the phone and then lift it to his ear. After a few seconds he said hello. I waited, my thumb crushed between my teeth as he carried on a short conversation with Kate—my sister.
"Yeah, hold on, she's right here." Cam handed me the phone and suddenly I was beyond nervous.
What if she hated me like Amber did? What if she wound up blaming me for everything that happened to her?
My mouth went dry as soon as I took the phone. Cam could see the hesitation in my eyes.
"It's okay, firecracker, just talk to her," he whispered before kissing my cheek.
I smiled gratefully at him as I held the phone up to my ear. "Hello," I said and my voice cracked a bit.
"Cara?" The sweetest, most gentle voice said on the other end of the line. "I'm Kate. I'm so excited to meet you."
Tears formed in my eyes. "Hi, Kate," I said with a grin. "I can't wait to meet you too."
The late September sun was getting ready to set on the flat horizon as Cara and I drove out to that familiar old 4x4 trail which we loved so much. It had been exactly five months since we got back together and I was head over heels in love with her. Every day with her was the best day of my life.
"Why did we bring my car?" She looked over at me.
I reached across and grabbed her hand, pulling it over to rest on my leg. As I held it I brushed my thumb against hers. "Why does it matter?"
"It doesn't, I guess. There just isn't much room in here," she said, her face flushing.
I couldn't control my smile. She was too adorable. "Were you looking to get lucky tonight, baby?" I teased, turning towards her, wiggling my eyebrows. "It's okay to admit you want me. I know I'm irresistible."
She rolled her eyes at me. "More like impetuous," she laughed.
We turned onto the old dirt road that led us to Jim's ranch. When I passed his house she looked a little confused.
"Aren't we going to go say hello?"
Usually when we came out here—which was at least once a month—we stopped by and chatted with Jim and his wife, Dottie. But tonight I had other plans in store for Cara.
"We'll stop by in the morning," I explained.
"The morning? Please don't tell me I'm sleeping in this car tonight." Her brow creased as she tried to figure out what I was up to.
"We aren't sleeping in the car. Now stop asking questions, we're almost there."
Carefully, I turned down the 4x4 trail and Cara's eyes went wide. Her Ford Fusion wasn't exactly off road material but I knew if I went slow enough, things would be fine. The trail didn't seem nearly as bumpy in Cara's car but then again, we were only go
ing ten miles per hour.
As we drove down along, I noticed Cara staring out over the horizon. Every time we came here she always commented on the amazing sunsets. I knew she loved this spot because of it and tonight, I had a feeling this sunset was going to be one she would never forget.
I had been a nervous wreck all day. Knowing we were going to be coming out here I had decided tonight was the night I would tell him the exciting news I had been hiding for the past few days. But I had no clue he was planning something until we passed Jim and Dottie's house. We always stopped by when we were out here and it seemed odd that we weren’t going there first.
As we drove slowly up the 4x4 trail, I knew Cam was up to something, but I couldn't believe my eyes when we reached the top of the hill. My mouth fell open and a loud gasp tumbled out of my mouth.
Cam's truck was parked under a tall oak tree so the tailgate was facing west. The bed was filled with blankets and pillows—perfect for watching the sunset in comfort. Mason jar candles were everywhere—on top of the truck, hanging in the tree, and sporadically placed all over the ground. It was simply breathtaking. Next to the truck, there was a little round table with two chairs. On top of the table there was a bottle of Captain Morgan's, two glasses, and a big old pack of Cinnamon bears, wrapped in an orange bow. And that's just what I could see from the car.
Cam parked, got out and opened my door for me. Taking my hand we walked over to the amazing display. As we got closer I saw Kate standing next to Cam's truck, holding a picnic basket.
"Oh my God, Cam," I squealed as my hands flew up to cheeks. "This is incredible!"
I ran over to Kate and gave her a big hug. I was so thankful to have her as a sister. We had so much lost time to make up for, every week we spent at least one day together and we made it a point to call each other every day.
"Thanks for helping me out, Kate," Cam said as he walked over to us.
She handed him the picnic basket. "Anytime! Well, I better get going so you two can be alone." She winked at Cam and he gave her a big hug.
Cam threw her my car keys. "Make sure you go slow on the trail, and text me as soon as you get back to my house."