by Olivia Luck
“Don’t leave here without me.”
Only then do her navy eyes lift to mine. Desire shines in them, her pupils dilated. It’s likely a mirror of what’s in my own expression.
“I won’t.”
Violet
After what I’m now referring to as The Big Kiss in my mind, I’m useless. Thankfully, there’s less than an hour left of this fundraiser and I can go through the motions of overseeing the cleanup. Meanwhile, the party rages on. It’s not too early to call the event a success. Last time I checked, the silent auction had brought in donations of over fifty thousand dollars. Admittedly, that made me practically jump for joy because it’s twenty-five thousand dollars more than the goal for the evening, but there was something else that caught my attention.
After The Big Kiss, I practically ran away from Cameron under the pretense of work. In reality, I’m gathering my scattered emotions and hormones. In the seclusion of the museum’s front hall, I allow myself to take a few deep breaths while reviewing the silent auction winners. That’s when I see that Cameron bid fifteen grand on a trip to LA. Fifteen grand! A pang of jealousy hits me sharp, right in the chest. Who will he take on the trip?
In Cameron’s arms, it was like nothing else in the world existed. Only him. Only his lips pressing against mine, the caress of his tongue. I forgot everything else, even the party below.
You’re coming home with me tonight, he said. And I agreed. No need for convincing, my body was, no, is screaming for his touch.
Looming somewhere in the distant recesses of my mind are warning signs, begging me to slow down. Tonight I don’t want to be sad. I want to live. I want to be free. I want to be with Cameron.
Fingers lace through mine and gently direct my attention to the man standing tall above me. Cameron’s giving me a crooked grin, but his eyes flash with a hunger mirroring the one building inside of me.
“Come on. You haven’t danced with me yet.”
A bubble of nervous laughter escapes my lips. “What?”
Cameron slithers his hand around my waist, anchoring me to his side. “You heard me.” This man vibrates masculinity. The wall of muscle, relaxed confidence—he’s all male. With Cameron, I’m all woman, not the lost girl trying to make her way in the big city. That part of me has been fading into the distant sections of my memory. I’m starting to think of myself as someone new. I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t admit part of the new Violet is sexually confident and knows exactly what she’s walking into with Cameron. We’ll have a good time tonight and then we’ll go back to being friends. I won’t kid myself and think this is any more than a hookup with this gorgeous man. He hasn’t shown any indication of wanting to be more than my friend.
Almost as if it was planned, the music reverberating through the room slows. What’s this? I told Dex to keep it up-tempo and Rocket Man doesn’t fit that request. My brow furrows in confusion as Cameron shifts me in front of him. One hand remains firmly coiled around my waist while the other tangles our fingers together and lifts it adjacent to our bodies.
“What’s going on?” I ask dimly.
“It only took tickets to the next home game to pick the song,” Cameron rumbles.
“This is one of my favorites,” I stammer. He’s close. Really close. Our hips are almost touching, his face dipped down toward mine. In my heels, I’m close enough to kiss his chin without going on tiptoe. God, he smells good.
“I know,” he murmurs huskily.
“How?” I breathe, transfixed by the dreamy quality of the lighting, the lullaby-esque lyrics, and the way each one of his fingers presses into my back, driving me closer to him.
“The first time I brought Rocky over, you had it playing.” I stare into his unblinking eyes, my heart hammering in my chest. No doubt, Cameron Stone is the king of seduction. I won’t let myself think of what it means that he remembers the song playing in my apartment. Instead, I focus on the desire igniting a fire in my low belly.
“Violet. The caterer is asking questions.” I jump away from Cameron like I’ve been burned. Paige stands a few feet away from me with her arms crossed over her chest, glaring.
Shoot! The last thing I need is to give Paige a reason to dislike me further. Her opinion will undoubtedly get back to Janet.
“Right. I’m here.” I send Cameron an apologetic look and wordlessly follow her toward the kitchen. From then, there’s not much time to think about Cameron. I’m busy closing out the gala. There isn’t any time for me to say good-bye to my friends and other guests. Eventually, the post-event chaos settles. I know things are calming down because that’s when my feet start to throb, reminding me that I’ve been on them all evening with little break.
Teetering on my aching soles and lugging my event stuff bags, I make my way into the freshly cleaned party room. The lighting’s at full capacity and the floors are spotless. Everything’s done. Now all I need to do is find Felix and see if he’s ready to go.
“Looking for someone?” I whirl to find Cameron a few feet away, his bowtie dangling around his neck.
“Felix has my car,” I explain.
“He already left.”
“Pardon me?”
Cameron closes the gap between us, his arm snaking around my waist again. Automatically, I lean against him to take the pressure off my feet. “You’re coming home with me. Did you forget?”
“Oh. Yes. You mean now.” Oh my gosh, why do I sound so unsure of myself?
Cameron chuckles, squeezing me close. With his free hand, he reaches for my bags and easily maneuvers them away from me. “Don’t be nervous, Violet. I won’t hurt you.” As if to prove his point, Cameron cocks his head to the side and brushes his lips against my pulse point on my neck. “Nothing will happen that you don’t want.” His lips stay close to my throat when he speaks, and I’m sure he notices the rapid staccato of my heartbeat.
“I know,” I murmur.
“Stop thinking. Let me take over.” His voice has a soothing quality. While he speaks softly, he steers me out through the museum’s front doors where a Town Car idles. It’s bitterly cold out and my jacket’s still packed in one of my bags. Cameron holds me tighter, adjusting his hand to rub it up and down the length of my arm. As we descend the steps, a driver hops out of the front seat and rushes around the car to open the back passenger door for us.
“You didn’t drive?” I ask as Cameron hands the driver my things. Then he helps me climb into the back of the car, quickly shutting the door behind us. He stretches his arm around my shoulder as if he can’t get enough of touching me. He curls me into his body, resting his chin on the crown of my head. It’s an incredibly intimate arrangement. All of my nerves tingle with anticipation.
“No, I wanted to take you home in style.”
“Pretty sure of yourself, hmm?” I tease lightly though I’m a little hurt by the admission. It makes me think I was a planned seduction for him, just another woman for the night.
“Most of the time, yes. When it comes to you, Violet Harper, I’m hopeful that you’ll give me a chance.” His voice rings with sincerity. Twisting out of his embrace, I move to catch his gaze. Those words surprise, no, shock me. Give him a chance? It almost sounds like he is insecure. And I find that nearly impossible to believe of the confident man I know.
“What?” I whisper.
He kisses me then, not with the heat and passion of our first kiss, but with tenderness. “Not now,” he murmurs, cocking his head in the direction of the driver. Then he settles me against his chest again. I hear him inhale deeply. Cameron lifts a hand to cup the back of my neck, stroking his thumb along the top of my spine and sending delicious shivers in its wake. Instead of analyzing the situation, I relax into the embrace and focus on the steady strum of his heart.
The ride to his place doesn’t take long. Ever the gentleman, Cameron grips my hand when he helps me out of the car and steers me to the front door. He pushes the door open for me, allowing me to walk through. Rocky’s waiting by the door, ta
il wagging furiously when I stoop down to tousle his hair.
“Hey, sweet boy,” I croon, allowing him to distract me while Cameron returns to the car to get my things.
A few moments later, he walks into his home. The door shuts with a firm click and then the mood shifts. I feel the weight of his stare on my back. Using my hands as leverage, I push to my feet though I don’t turn to face him. “Does Rocky need to be walked? I can do–”
“Violet.” He silences me with one word, his hands closing on my half-naked shoulders. He’s right behind me, his lips flutter against the shell of my ear. “Relax.”
I’m quivering. My entire body trembles in heady anticipation.
I want this. I want him. Badly.
His hands ghost down the lengths of my arm until he catches one of my hands in his. Cameron walks ahead of me, half turned toward me. Fire lights his eyes, smoldering with intensity. Pinpricks of awareness dot all over my body. He wants me, too. Cameron’s making no move to hide his emotions.
My breathing’s heavier, my thighs clenching together as we ascend the staircase.
Because of last week’s platonic sleepover, I’m familiar with the second story of his home. We pass the guest room and then I know he’s taking me to his bedroom when he pushes open a door at the end of the hall. He pauses at the door, turning to face me completely.
“This is your chance,” he rasps.
“I don’t have any second thoughts. I want you, Cameron.” I don’t recognize my own voice. It’s husky with craving.
Cameron’s eyes narrow with intent. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that,” he says darkly. His hands feel warm on my hips, or maybe that’s my burning skin, yearning for his touch. Cameron pushes me against the doorframe. His lips make a scorching hot trail along the curve of my chin, my cheekbone and then to his lips find mine.
This kiss makes The Big Kiss look like elementary play. He’s ravenous, devouring me, igniting a trail of feverish desire. Cameron lifts me off the ground with my lips fused to his. My fingers wave into his hair, tugging him closer and closer still. I can’t get enough of him. His taste. His touch.
I groan in frustration when he pulls away from me. But I find I’m not alone in my heightened emotions. Cameron looks just as crazed as I feel, shrugging out of his tuxedo jacket and dropping it into a heap on the bedroom floor. I reach up and slide his bowtie from where it hangs around his neck and toss it aside. My hands drift along the hard planes of his chest, gliding over his pectorals and twining around his neck.
Cameron spins me around, pressing his lips to the nape of my neck.
“Tell me you wore this dress for me and no one else,” he growls. I feel his hand at the zipper low on my back and my heart beats erratically in the chest.
My head falls back onto his shoulder a sigh of pleasure escapes my lips. “The dress was for you.”
Cameron’s thumb brushes against the exposed skin on my lower back and I can’t hide the way my body trembles. Achingly slow, he drags the dress open. There’s a sharp intake of breath when he slips the garment off my body. I stand there in my lace thong and lace-trimmed thigh-high stockings, breathing shallow breaths.
“Did you wear this for me, too?”
His fingertips circle one lace-covered thigh and I’m the one sucking in a breath, dizzy with want.
Did I? I can hardly remember my name, let alone speak.
“Tell me,” he demands.
“Yes,” I moan.
In an instant, Cameron spins me around and his lips are on mine. One hand braces against my lower back while the other drifts up to the clip in my hair and drags it from my hair. My body sways against him, my nipples pebbling when they brush against his silky shirt. I’m drunk off him, each touch sending me deeper and deeper down into a Cameron-trance. I dig my fingertips into his biceps, holding on tightly to keep from stumbling.
Abruptly, Cameron pulls away from me. It’s then that I realize just how vulnerable I am—nearly naked—and he’s still completely clothed. My cheeks warm and I lift a hand to cover my breasts. Before I can cover myself, Cameron clutches my wrist.
“Let me see you.” His voice is harsh, in control. Intensity burns in his eyes. He lowers my hand to my side. Languidly, he traces my curves with only eyes. The shyness melts away. I’m left feeling sultry. Womanly. Sexy.
Without taking his eyes off me, Cameron begins pushing open the buttons of his shirt. The white fabric hits the floor, followed by his undershirt. A smattering of dark hair covers his defined chest. I realize that he’s just as affected as I am, visibly panting.
Unsure of what to do next, I stand there, staring at his work of art body.
“I—”
He silences me by pressing his forefinger to my lips. Wanting to taste him, my tongue darts out, licking at his finger.
“Naughty girl,” he murmurs with a smirk.
I have no idea what I’m doing, I want to say. One person taught me everything I know about sex and now I have no clue what comes next. I’m dangerously close to thoughts of Max. Close enough that I have to mentally shake myself. There’s no place for that type of thinking now.
And then Cameron battles through all of my insecurity. I’m back in his arms, his lips against mine. “I want to fuck you up against the wall. I want you in the shower. On your knees. Above you. Beneath you. There isn’t enough time for me to have you in all the ways I want.” My body jerks, not from the crudeness of his words, but because I want all those things, too. I shift on my feet, unable to ignore the twinges of sensual awareness teasing my body.
“Why not?” I whisper.
Cameron doesn’t answer me, moving me backward until my thighs bump against the bed. He pushes me down so that I’m sitting on the mattress, and he moves to his knees. From this position, we are at eye level. Without breaking eye contact, he gently removes my shoes.
“As much as I want you hard and rough,” he practically growls the last word, “tonight is about reveling in what I’ve wanted for too damn long. I’m going to taste every inch of your sweet skin. I’m going to savor every second I have with you. And you’re going to lose yourself in me tonight, Violet.”
He hooks his thumbs inside one of my stockings, leisurely dragging it down my leg. Cameron’s supple lips follow the path of the stockings, nibbling, licking, kissing their way down my leg. Then he repeats the process with my other leg. My body twitches in response and I release a low purr of approval. Cameron moves to his full height on his knees. His large hand wraps one of my legs around my waist to hold me steady. His lips find a peaked nipple and I cry out. My other leg lifts high and I wrap them around his waist in a weak attempt to drive his body closer to mine and press my sex to his scorching skin.
“Slow down.” The vibration of his words against my breast has me writhing. He untangles my legs, lowering them back to his sides.
“Cameron,” I groan. His response is a deep breath, like he’s steeling himself for what’s to come.
With fumbling hands, I reach down to unbutton his slacks. I push his pants and the fabric of his boxers off his hips. My hand meets the straining length of his arousal. He swells beneath my grasp and all words about slowing down evaporate.
Then he physically moves me into the center of the bed by steel grips on my waist. Cameron hovers above me for a half a second then bends down to hook his fingers inside my panties and pull them off my legs. He tosses them aside and I forget to be self-conscious. By the way Cameron devours me with his eyes alone bolsters my confidence. He bends one knee to the mattress then stretches above my body. Again, his hands cup my cheeks, his knee presses between my heated thighs, and I automatically clench him closer.
“You aren’t a one-time thing for me, Violet.” Cameron stares at me, unblinking, completely sincere and shattering my illusions that this is a one-night stand. “You are what I’ve been waiting for.” He lowers his head to mine and I feel the worship in his kiss. “Let me cherish you.”
No w
ords form. All I can do is lie there, reeling. Cherish me? Suddenly there’s more weight to this moment. And even though it scares me to my bones, knowing Cameron wants me both physically and emotionally, I lean up to him and kiss him. I stroke my tongue against his; I lay back flat on the mattress and pull him down completely on top of me.
A big part of me wants this man to cherish me. And only this man.
Cameron’s skillful hands skate along my body, leaving a fiery trail in their wake. As promised, he leaves no inch of my skin untouched. His tongue traces the length of my neck, dipping into the valley between my breasts.
“You are the loveliest . . .” He stops speaking, distracted by his need to press his fingers inside of me. My back arches off the bed and I emit a low moan.
“Cameron,” I whimper, lifting my hips off the mattress. It doesn’t take long for the building in my core to overflow, and I’m crying out in relief. While I lay beneath him, gasping for breath, Cameron presses kiss after kiss along my belly to my neck and then my cheek.
“Come here,” he says, sliding an arm around my back and pulling me into a seated position.
Cameron moves off the bed, moving fluidly to the bedside table. He jerks it open then I hear the sound of plastic ripping open. He covers himself and moves back to me. Cameron moves along the bed until he is sitting directly in front of me. He stretches his legs out along either side my body. At first, I have no idea what’s coming next, but he doesn’t give me any more than a second to wonder. With strong, assured movements, he picks me up and lowers me onto the length of his hardness. I gasp at the contact and then legs cross underneath my body. Deep. Connected. Seated this way, I can stare directly at him and am locked in the intensity of the moment. Cameron moves me up and down with his hands slowly at first, building the tension to an unbearable degree.
My fingernails dig into his shoulders as he increases the tempo. I cling to him, driving my heels into his lower back. Cameron captures my lips with his, smothering our gasps of pleasure. The pleasure is building again. I clench him tighter as the dizzying sensations threaten to send me over the edge of reason.