Ten Year Crush

by Toshia Slade

  “Okay.” Her voice sounds so small.

  I’ll spend every day reassuring her, if that’s what it takes. “Now, give me some sugar and let’s get some food. I’m starved.”

  She giggles and plants her lips on mine. I place my hands on both sides of her neck and pour every bit of love I have for her into the kiss. If I want her to believe me, I have to show her, as well as tell her. Make her feel it.

  My stomach grumbles and we break apart laughing.

  “Alright, cowboy. Let’s feed you. By the way, I know you wore that outfit on purpose last night. You can dress up again for me one time, and I can save a horse.” There’s that smile that I love so much, the one that reaches her eyes and could bring me to my knees.

  My cock tingles and twitches at the thought of Gabby riding me.

  “Hell yeah, I did. Had to get my girl somehow. And your costume was any better? Your brother knocked me in the back of the head. Not to mention I had a hard-on all damn night.”

  “Maybe I’ll wear it for you again sometime.” She laughs and jumps down out of the truck.

  “You evil, little wench.” I rush to say before she closes the door. Now I’m going to have a damn hard-on all through breakfast.

  ***

  After we eat breakfast, we order some to take home to Josh and Tiffany, and then hop back in the truck to head to the house and clean up.

  “After we clean up, I need to head home. I have laundry and some homework to get done.”

  My stomach sinks. I don’t want her to leave. Now that I’ve slept with her in my arms, I don’t ever want to let her go. “Can I come stay with you tonight?” I feel like a pussy as soon as the words are out of my mouth.

  “Really? You want to come stay with me?” The smile on her face makes me forget everything about being a lovesick fool.

  “Yeah.” I nod. How can someone turn into your everything in the blink of an eye? I used to laugh at guys like me. Now, I know why they acted the way they did.

  “Alright.”

  Gabby sings the whole way home. Right before we pull into the driveway Florida Georgia Line’s “Hands On You” comes on. They knew what they were talking about when they wrote this song. It reminds me, “isn’t their concert coming up?”

  “It’s in a couple of weeks!” She bounces in her seat. “Do you wanna go with me? I have that extra ticket and Tiffany has to work. We couldn’t both get off right after this weekend.” She’s rambling, like she does when she’s nervous.

  “Hell yeah, but only if you dance with me.”

  “Done, but you have to sing to me.” She grins.

  “Anything for my girl.” I wink.

  She blushes and giggles. She’s so damn cute.

  *Gabby*

  My girl! He called me his girl! A thousand butterflies are dancing in my tummy and my heart swells with love. I love this man and can't wait to go out on a date with him. He's been nothing but sweet and loving since last night. It’ll be fun to see what kind of things he comes up with.

  I'm pulled from my thoughts when the truck shuts off.

  “Stay put, let me get the door.” Before I can respond, Cam is already out of the truck and rounding the front. He opens my door and reaches in, wrapping his hands around my waist and lifting me out of the truck. He pulls me to his chest and kisses my lips, and then lets my body slide down his. I shiver and a bolt of lust shoots straight to my core.

  BAM! The front door slams.

  I jump. Cam and I both jerk our heads in that direction. Josh is storming down the steps, hands balled in fists at his sides and jaw clenched tight.

  “Josh, calm the fuck down,” Tiff says, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him back into the house.

  “No, let me go and get your ass back in the house!” He shrugs her off.

  What the hell has him so pissed off? And why is he coming toward us like that?

  “Gabby, go inside. Cam and I need to talk.” Josh doesn't take his eyes off Cam.

  “No. What are you so mad about?” I put my hands on my hips. I don’t understand why he’s mad at Cam. What could have happened?

  “You had to deal with that asshole last night, and then he takes advantage of you.” Josh points his finger in Cam's direction. “If it wasn't for Tiffany, I would have beat your ass last night, and again this morning when I heard—” He shudders and shakes his head.

  My face heats. Oh.My.God. Why did I not think about my brother being able to hear us? That's because you were too worried about Cam between your legs. Did other people at the party hear us too?

  “She's a grown woman, Josh. And we love each other. I didn't want to go there last night, but she begged—”

  Josh slams his fist in Cam’s face.

  Twice in one weekend, what the hell am I doing to the men in my life?

  “No!” I scream and grab Josh's arm, pulling him away from Cam. I don’t want them fighting over me, but Cam has a point.

  “I'll give you that one, because you shouldn’t have had to hear us together. I apologize for that.” Cam says rubbing his jaw. “I wasn't thinking, but I love your sister. Take advantage of her? Never. And it pisses me the hell off you would even think that. I thought you understood this after our last talk?” Cam’s eyebrows are arched as high as they can go and his jaw is ticking.

  Wait. I let go of Josh and step back. “What talk?” Tiff comes up to stand beside me.

  They both ignore my question.

  “Not an hour after she finds out her boyfriend lied and cheated. And not when she had been drinking.” Josh throws his hands into the air.

  Who the hell does he think he is? I’m a grown ass woman that can make decisions on my own. I'm getting ready to light into Josh when Cam's words stop me dead.

  “I would never do anything to hurt her. I love her and I'm going to marry her one day!” Cam jabs his finger in my direction. He swings his gaze my way and his eyes and face soften.

  All of the breath leaves my lungs. He wants to marry me? “You want to marry me?” My heart is in my throat and I can hear the thumping in my ears.

  He takes the few steps that separate us. Reaching for me, he tucks a piece of hair behind my ear, stroking my face with his thumb. I sigh and lean into his touch.

  “Yeah, Thumper. Someday. When we're both ready and you're out of school. I want to put a diamond on your finger.” He grabs my hand with his other rubbing his thumb over my ring finger. “Make you my Mrs. Camron Taylor. Tie myself to you in every way possible.” He kisses my lips softly.

  Unable to form words, I nod my head. Who knew that he had this sweet romantic side to him? I didn't, but I love it and how it melts me into a big pile of goo. I love my sweet, romantic, playful, protective, and loveable Cam. I want all of him for the rest of my life, plus some.

  “Whatever. Just don't be doing that shit here again. I don't want or need to hear it. That's my baby sister. Go to her place for that shit.” Josh storms off.

  “Great. So, I get to hear the headboard banging against the wall and Gabby screaming all night.” Tiff groans.

  I bury my face in Cam's chest, stifling a giggle. How much exactly did they hear? Why is it I always want to die of mortification? Cam wraps both arms around me, hugging me closer.

  He leans down and whispers in my ear, “They're gone.”

  “I can't believe everyone heard us.” It comes out muffled with my face still in his chest. He somehow still hears me.

  Cam starts chuckling. “Next time, we'll just have to be quiet.” He nips my ear, and then kisses my nape.

  I moan and tilt my head to the side and desire unfurls in my belly. I love the feel of his mouth on me.

  He slides his hands from around my sides, down my back, and cups my bottom in both hands, pulling me against his erection. “Feel what you do to me?”

  “What part of “not here” do you not fucking understand?” Where the hell did Josh come from? I thought he went back inside.

  “Sorry!” Cam yells out and moves his hands u
p to hold my waist. He whispers for me to hear only, “Let’s get this shit cleaned up so I can take you home.” He kisses my forehead.

  Home? Home, with Cam! Him, naked in my bed. My body hums with excitement. “Let's go.”

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  *Cam*

  I grab the food out of the truck that we ordered for Josh and Tiffany and follow Gabby into the house. “We got you all some breakfast.” I sit the bag on the kitchen table and head to the sink to get some trash bags from the cabinet.

  Tiffany digs in and Josh is nowhere to be seen. I feel like an asshole. I should have thought about Josh hearing his own sister. He should have handled it better though. Punching me in front of Gabby? That shit won’t fly.

  I head back outside and start picking up trash in the front yard. We’ll leave the decorations up outside until Halloween is over. It isn’t bad, just a bottle here or there on the front porch and a few that fell off. I round the corner of the house to check out the back and see that Josh has already cleaned up. He’s putting his bag of trash in the garbage can beside the shed.

  Josh sees me and starts in right away. “Now that Gabby isn’t standing here… What were you thinking? Not even a week ago you were out getting drunk and fucking a different girl every night.”

  “I’ll leave out details, because it is your sister. We talked and we feel the same. We’re doing this together. Last night…” Damn. I wish I would have thought. “Sorry you heard that; I wasn’t thinking. I’ve always loved your sister. You know that. I’ve wanted her for a long time and hid it because I didn’t want to chance my friendships with either of you. Just give me a chance to prove it —to both of you. I love her, man. I won’t hurt her.”

  “All that shit she found out last night.” He shakes his head and blows out a breath. “I think you should’ve waited. She was hurt, upset, and had been drinking.”

  Walking to the porch, I sit on the top step, resting my elbows on my knees. Josh leans his shoulder on the railing, crossing his legs at the ankles.

  “My thoughts were the same. I know where you’re coming from. I do. Told her almost the exact same thing, but she said she never loved him. She said she was just trying to forget me. Do you know what that did to me?” I run a hand through my hair. “I did that. If I wouldn’t have been a dumb-ass pussy, she wouldn’t have been with that asshole.”

  Josh moves to stand in front of me, looking down at me. “I told you a month ago you were an idiot. You better not hurt her. I swear to God, I will beat your ass. Best friend or not.”

  I stand up, wanting to be eye level. He needs to see how serious I am.

  “I’d let you. Waking up with her in my arms this morning, never in my life have I ever felt so happy. Complete. I’ll do anything, be anything, for that feeling every day. I was serious earlier about marrying her. I’d give her the world just to keep that smile on her face. I’ve never seen her so happy. I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut every time she turns that smile on me, to know I make her feel like that,” shaking my head, a grin spreading across my face, “best feeling in the world.”

  Josh slaps me on the back and lets out a chuckle. “You are a pussy.” He laughs, shaking his head. “If she’s happy, then I’m happy. Just don’t fuck up.”

  “So, should I start calling you “brother” now, or wait?” I bump my shoulder into his.

  “You’re already my brother. No more mushy shit though or I’m going to go buy you some tampons.”

  I take a deep breath and blow it out as the weight on my shoulders lifts off. Nothing would stop me from being with Gabby, but I’d hate to lose my friendship with Josh. So, I’m glad he’s okay with this. Best of both worlds. And, it’s fucking great!

  *Gabby*

  As soon as Cam is out the door, Tiff starts with the third degree.

  “Oh my god. Are you two together now? Like, “together” together, as in a couple? How was it? Is he huge? I bet it was ahh-mazing. What am I talking about? I know it must have been based on the screams coming from his room.” She points at me and laughs. “Oh! You should see how red your face is.”

  I can only imagine. My cheeks feel as if I’ve been sitting in the sun for hours. When is this going to end? I never cared that Tiff heard Brandon and I having sex, but what Cam and I shared, it was personal. I’ve never felt so connected with someone and so loved.

  I start gathering cups, bottles, and trash from the kitchen table and counters, throwing them into a big black bag. My phone vibrates once in my back pocket. I answer her as I pull it out to see who sent me a text. “I’m not answering half of that, but yes, we’re together.” My cheeks ache from the smile that spreads across my face and my belly flips at my next words. “Camron Taylor is my freaking boyfriend!” I bite back a squeal and keep my feet planted on the floor and from bouncing around like a kid in the candy store. “It was more than amazing and he’s coming to stay with me tonight.”

  “I’m really—”

  I can still hear her talking, but couldn’t tell you what she’s saying. I’m too consumed with the text staring me in the face.

  BRANDON: I’M SO SORRY. CAN WE TALK PLZ? I DONT WANT 2 LOSE U. I LUV U. DONT GIVE UP ON ME PLZ. GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE. I WON’T MESS UP. CALL ME XOXO

  What the hell? Anger rushes through my body and if Brandon were in front of me, I would smack him again. He lied and cheated, but he loves me? Does he think I’m stupid?

  “Did you hear anything I said?” Tiffany asks, pulling me back to her.

  “Sorry.” I hand her my phone. “Look at this shit.”

  “What the fuck? Is he serious?”

  “My thoughts exactly.”

  Tiff hands me my phone back. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “Ignore him. I have nothing to say to him. I do feel bad that I used him, but he lied to me and cheated.” I delete the message and tuck my phone back in my pocket. I don’t want Cam seeing that, it would only piss him off. I go back to cleaning the kitchen.

  Tiff moves right along with me. “You have class with him, so you have to see him, and eventually talk to him.” She raises her right brow.

  She has a point. I just want to put it behind me and move on with Cam. “Monday. I’ll tell him on Monday that I don’t want anything to do with him and that I’m with Cam.” It makes me sick to my stomach thinking about having to see or talk to him at all. And not only that, what is everyone going to think about me moving on with Cam. They don’t know our history. They’ll just see me with a new guy right after breaking up with another. Does what everyone else thinks really matter? You have Cam now! Determination takes root. I finally have what I’ve waited half my life for with Cam. I. Will. Not. Let anything mess that up or make me feel bad over it.

  “Are you going to tell Cam about that message?”

  “No!” It comes out too loud. I take a calming breath and slowly release it. “No, I don’t want him getting pissed and doing something stupid. I just want to put the past behind us. You saw him last night. He’ll rip Brandon apart. Then what happens to Cam? He gets slapped with a big assault charge.”

  “You can’t start off a relationship by hiding stuff. You have to be open and honest.” She dumps a bottle of beer down the drain, and then puts her hands on her hips, giving me the look. One that says are-you-fucking-crazy?

  I avoid her stare. “I know and I don’t want to hide stuff from him, but we had such a great night and day. I don’t want this messing it up. I promise I’ll tell him if it continues.”

  I rinse the sink out and run some hot water to wipe everything else down.

  “Okay, you have a point, but if it continues, you tell him. Deal?” She opens her arms and I walk into them.

  “Deal.” I squeeze her back. I don’t know what I would do without my best friend.

  “I’m really happy for you, but try to keep the hot sex down, or I may need to find a boy toy of my own.” She winks.

  “Jealous?” I laugh.

  “Hell yeah, I am.
So how big is he really?”

  “Oh my god! Would you shut up? I’m not telling you that! And that’s my man you’re talking about!” My man! I never thought in a million years that I would get to say that.

  Excitement blooms in my stomach and I start rushing to clean, ready to get home and spend time with Cam.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  *Gabby*

  Back to the real world Monday morning, I’m rushing into class. I didn’t think I would ever get away from Cam this morning. We spent five minutes kissing good-bye in my bedroom, only to do it again at the door, and then my car. My body still tingles where Cam touched me. The taste of him and peppermint still lingers on my lips.

  We spent the rest of our day yesterday curled up on the couch watching movies. I never thought Cam would be someone that likes to cuddle. His arms were always around me and he was constantly playing with my hair or rubbing my arms, legs, or sides, stealing kisses every chance he got.

  I shake myself out of my Cam-induced fog and move my ass to class before I’m late.

  I reach my class with two minutes to spare before reality settles in and dread fills me. I need to face Brandon and confront him about the endless calls and texts. I didn’t tell Cam or Tiff. There were two more texts, a call, and a voice mail before I finally shut off my phone, afraid that Cam would hear it. Not wasting my time reading or listening, I just deleted them. I don’t care what he has to say.

  I take a deep breath and step through the door. The room is already packed and Brandon is in our usual spot. I see an empty seat in the back and as I go to walk past him, he jumps up.

  He looks horrible. Two black eyes, tape across his nose, and his jaw is swollen and bruised. I’d hate see what his ribs look like. I shudder, knowing it has to hurt, but bringing that shit in Josh and Cam’s house, then to say the stuff he did—he deserved it, plus some.

  “Gabby. I—”

  I cut him off, shaking my head and narrowing my eyes at him in warning. I don’t want the whole class to hear our conversation and he knows I hate being the center of attention.