by J. Kenner
Which completely begged the question of why her skin suddenly burned with the memory of his bare chest under her palm—or why she had a sudden urge to spend the rest of the afternoon taking a scented bath, shaving her legs, and trying on outfits until she found something casual yet cute, and just a tiny bit sexy.
Like family?
Hours later, her words still rang in her head, and she wondered at her own foolishness. Because no way in hell was Cam like family.
Not tonight. Not now.
Not while Mina was standing in front of her bathroom mirror in her underwear, her entire body tingling as she let her mind drift back on the afternoon. The pressure of Cam’s body against hers as he hugged her in congratulations. The heat of his skin when she’d so boldly slid her hand in his shirt. The blood pounding under her fingers and the way she’d felt that unexpected craving rush through her as if following a path from her fingertips all the way down to her sex.
With a little shiver, she eased her fingers under the band of her panties, then moaned when she realized that she was wet.
A heartbeat later, her eyes flew open and she jumped backward, pulling her hand free like some kid caught in bed with a dirty magazine.
Good grief, she hadn’t even realized what she’d been doing. Her hand stroking down her abdomen, her fingers seeking her heat. And her mind lost in the memory of Cam’s innocent touch, while her reaction to it had been anything but innocent.
Honestly, what the devil was wrong with her?
That, thank goodness, was an easy question to answer.
She’d been working too hard. She needed to get out. Have some fun. Enjoy some male companionship of the non-Cameron variety. Because she really wasn’t interested in him that way. He was Darryl’s best friend, for one thing. And he’d been such a fixture in her household growing up, that he was practically a second brother.
Plus, she saw him at The Fix all the time, so they certainly couldn’t start something. How awkward would that be when it inevitably ended? And it would end, because Mina wasn’t even remotely interested in getting serious about a guy. Not now, when she was just getting her career off the ground and proving to her father and brother—not to mention herself—that she was more than capable of successfully managing her own life.
Besides, Cam was too damn nice, and Mina gravitated to men with a little bit of an edge. The kind of guy who grabbed control and made a woman melt. And as much as she adored Cam, he was probably the least edgy guy that she knew.
Now, though, he was in her head, which meant that movie night was definitely going to lean toward awkward.
She sighed, then snatched up her phone and dialed, determined to erase all thoughts of her brother’s best friend.
“If it isn’t the lovely Mina.” Jeff answered on the first ring, his voice as smooth and flirtatious as always. “How are you, beautiful?”
“Feeling claustrophobic in these walls. I’m hanging out with my brother this evening, but I thought I might go out and hit some clubs around eleven.”
“And you’re looking for company?” His tone made clear that he understood perfectly what kind of company she sought. The kind that started with drinks and a loud beat and sweaty gyrations, and then ended up with more sweat, moans, and gyrations of the horizontal variety. The kind of company that was never serious but always fun, and that could capture a girl’s attention long enough to erase everything else—or everyone else—from her mind.
She’d met Jeff during her first year of grad school at a friend’s Super Bowl party. There’d been definite sparks between them, but not much more, and after a couple of dates they’d drifted apart. But then he’d called her a few months later when he’d ended up with an extra ticket to a red carpet movie premiere in Austin. She’d jumped at the chance, and after being fueled up with much champagne, they’d both jumped on each other.
It wasn’t serious. It wasn’t even frequent. But somehow without ever really discussing it, they’d ended up in that elusive land of fuck buddies. Or friends with benefits.
In other words, exactly the kind of distraction between the sheets that Mina knew she needed. Because if she was spending the evening in her dad’s theater room with Cam—if her mind was going to be constantly drifting back to the way his skin felt against hers—then by the time the movie was over, she was going to be in serious need of some big-time distracting.
“Something mindless with a lot of action,” Darryl suggested as he pushed the lever to recline one end of the leather sofa.
“Works for me,” Cam said, carrying a bowl of popcorn toward the couch. They’d already done significant damage to the Chinese take-out. Now, they were moving on to traditional movie snacks. Darryl had even brought a box of Junior Mints. “Or we could go the classic route. Like maybe Rear Window?” He settled on the end opposite from Darryl. That side didn’t recline, but he stretched out, propping his feet up on the ottoman.
Mina swallowed, realizing that put her in the middle. Not a surprise, since those were the trio’s usual movie-watching spots. But today it seemed too close for comfort. Especially since she’d be sharing the ottoman with Cam.
Which, she told herself sternly, was No. Big. Deal.
“Yo. Meanie?” Darryl prompted, making her jump.
“Sorry. Mind wandering. I’m always good with Hitchcock.” Just last semester she’d written a paper on the development of Hitchcock’s work over the course of his career. “But I was kind of hoping for Good Will Hunting.”
Both men stared at her as if she’d lost her mind, and she took a step back, holding up her hands to ward off their blatant disdain. “Just a thought,” she said. “I mean, it is my turn to pick, right? Besides, it’s a good movie, and I want to reference it in a lecture I’m giving to some undergrads next week.”
“Math in movies?” Darryl quipped.
“Character and theme in love stories, actually.” Although maybe something without a hint of romance or sex would be the better choice.
“Veto,” Cam said, while Darryl nodded.
“You wanna watch the latest Fast and Furious, I’m all over that shit,” Darryl said. “I’ll even sit back and chill to North by Northwest. But chick flicks are out.”
“Why do I even hang with you two?” She didn’t bother waiting for an answer, just grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge, then plopped down in her usual spot between them. The house was old enough that the theater room wasn’t original. Her dad had converted one of several dens, and in the process, he’d decided to forego individual theater-style chairs for the front-and-center sofa and a couple of recliners on risers behind it.
The sofa, he said, was perfect for a family of three. And growing up, Darryl, Mina, and Cam had gotten in the habit of sharing it, just as the twins had done with their dad.
Today, Mina wished that she’d taken a recliner for herself. Already, she was far too aware of Cam right next to her.
She told herself to chill. She’d watch the movie, drink a beer, then meet Jeff and work this overwhelming horniness out of her system.
And the guys were right. Hitchcock was the much better choice.
“I never figured out Good Will Hunting,” Cam said. “I mean, he drops his whole life and leaves his family to run off across the country, chasing this girl when he doesn’t even know if it’s going to work out.”
“Leaves his family?” Mina said. “He was an orphan.”
“His friends were his family,” Cam said with such intensity that her heart twisted. She knew Cam’s story. He’d grown up with his grandmother and sister because both his mother and father had walked out.
“Well, I think it’s romantic,” she said. “He was taking a risk for love. That was the point.”
“And what about her?” Cam continued. “When he lands on her doorstep, how is he going to know if she really wants him there, or if she just feels obligated since he gave up everything to follow her?”
“Dude,” Darryl said, “you have way over-analyzed that movie.”<
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“Maybe Cam should give my lecture,” Mina joked, resisting the urge to reach over and squeeze his hand. She might be delving too deep into pop psychology, but she couldn’t help but think that Cam saw his own life in that movie.
“Hitchcock,” Cam said. “I’m putting my foot down.”
“You’re sexy when you’re commanding,” Darryl joked, making Mina roll her eyes even though, silently, she kind of agreed.
Ultimately, they settled on Psycho, and even though it was tame by modern standards—and even though Mina had seen it dozens of times—she still cringed and pulled up her afghan during the infamous shower scene. And when she finally relaxed and stretched out again, her feet bumped into Cam’s on the ottoman.
She jumped, still edgy from the scene, and he grinned at her. “What? You think I’m going to attack?”
“I think you’re on my side of the footstool.”
“Your side? Girl, you gave it up when you abandoned the ottoman during your scream-a-thon.” He gave her shin a light kick. “This ottoman is mine now. The United Ottoman of Cameron.”
She kicked him back. “Not hardly,” she said, then squealed when he shoved her feet toward the edge, setting them both off into a full-fledged foot war for ownership of ottoman. A war so intense and hard-fought that they were both laughing so much they didn’t even hear Darryl until he finally paused the movie.
“You two going to play footsies all night, or do you wanna finish the flick?”
She froze—her legs twined with Cameron’s as their hands also battled for ownership of the afghan that now covered them both. It was fun and intimate and just a little sweet.
A few days ago, she would have thought nothing of it.
Tonight, though…
Tonight, his heavy breathing seemed sensual, not the result of silly exertion. And the fire in his eyes suggested passion, not playfulness. She was seeing him in ways she shouldn’t—in ways that were pure fantasy.
Oh, no…
A split second later, she’d untangled herself and all but leaped to the middle of the couch.
Cam, she noticed, had done the same, launching himself the opposite direction so that he was practically sitting on the armrest.
“Sorry,” she said to Darryl. “Just screwing around. Fooling around, I mean. Just being a goof.” Thank God it was dark because her cheeks felt on fire.
“Start the movie,” Cam said, and Mina had no idea if he looked at her or Darryl because her eyes were locked straight ahead on the screen.
By the time the final credits rolled, Mina’s heart rate and breathing had settled again, but she’d processed none of the movie. Thank goodness she’d seen it a zillion times, because if anyone walked in now and asked her to recite the plot, the moving pictures that had flashed across the screen for the last couple of hours would have been no help whatsoever.
“It’s almost ten,” Cam said, “and I’m starving. You guys want to grab a late bite? I’m thinking pancakes at Magnolia.” The twenty-four-hour eatery had two locations, one just a few miles from the house.
“Honestly, I’m beat,” Darryl said. “But I’ll take a rain check for sometime this weekend.”
“Okay by me,” Cam said, his attention shifting to Mina. “How about you? Does the idea of a gingerbread pancake tickle your fancy?”
“Always,” she said. “But I can’t.” She swallowed, feeling weirdly disloyal. “I, um, promised a friend I’d meet him for a drink. Maybe go dancing. You know. Friday night and all that.”
“Uh-huh,” Darryl said, hoisting himself off the couch and then grabbing the wallet he’d left on one of the side tables. He opened it, then tossed her a condom packet, his mouth curved into a wicked grin. “Wouldn’t be a good big brother if I didn’t remind you to be responsible.”
“You mean you wouldn’t be an asshole,” she said, and as she tossed it back to him, she realized that her cheeks were burning. Which was stupid. She was a grown woman. If she wanted to go out on a date—hell, if she wanted to have sex with her date—she could totally do that.
But despite her righteous indignation, after Cam had left, and Mina had returned to the apartment, she found herself dialing Jeff’s number and canceling, claiming that she was too tired to go out.
“Well, damn, baby. I was looking forward to a tumble.”
“Would be nice,” she agreed. But the truth was, it wasn’t Jeff she wanted to tumble with.
With a sigh, she started to unbutton her jeans, planning to change into her PJ’s. But her hand stilled before she’d even pulled down the zipper. Because maybe, just maybe, she was in the mood for pancakes after all.
Chapter Three
Mina leaned against the doorjamb and tapped on her brother’s door. “It’s me. Can I come in?”
“When have I ever kept you out?”
“A valid point.” Growing up, they’d had connecting bedrooms, and they’d only ever shut the door on rare occasions. And since the idea of sneaking a date in under their strict father’s roof bordered on insane, they’d never been the kind of siblings who’d kept the other out with a ribbon tied on the doorknob or some other symbol.
She edged inside and found him sitting in his recliner with a book in his hand. She sat on the edge of the bed, then wondered what the hell she was doing there, anyway.
“Bored?” he asked as the silence lingered.
“I canceled Jeff,” she said, then added, “My date,” as if that wasn’t obvious. “But now I’m peckish. I keep thinking about those pancakes Cam suggested.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, and even though it was a perfectly tame comment, she had to bite her tongue to keep from asking what he meant by that. Instead, she calmly asked if he wanted to go to Magnolia with her.
Not that she needed a chaperone. She just wanted company. After all, it had been years since she and her brother had been able to simply hang out together. This was a perfect opportunity.
“Pancakes,” he said, shutting his book and looking at her intently. So intently it seemed as though he was looking straight into her mind. Hell, he probably was. Maybe it was a twin thing, but Darryl always had been able to read her.
Which begged the question of why she’d come here in the first place since Darryl was the last person she wanted to know about her lust-filled Cameron thoughts.
“Look, it’s a simple question.” She heard the snappishness in her voice, but couldn’t seem to dial it back. “Do you want to come or not?”
“If you’re looking for company, you know I’ll join you.”
Of course, he would. She exhaled, feeling both ridiculous and guilty. She knew damn well that he was beat and wanted to stay in and chill. She also knew that all she had to do was snap her fingers and he’d do what she asked. Their father, too.
That’s what came of being the sickly second twin. Her father pampered her to make up for not having spawned a perfect pair. And Darryl doted on her because he blamed himself for her rough beginning—as if a twin in utero could be culpable for taking up more than his fair share of their uterine condo and amenities.
And even if he had been intentionally hogging the amniotic fluid, she was fine now. All good. Time to move on.
But that went for her as well as him. If she wanted him to stop babying her, then maybe it was time for her to stop hinting that she needed to be babied.
“You know what? Never mind.”
He settled back in the recliner. “Never mind?”
“Yeah, it’s fine. Besides, you should crash soon. Aren’t you having brunch with the judge and the other clerks tomorrow morning?”
“Not until eleven.”
“Still.” She shrugged. “Seriously. I’m good. I’ll just make some toast, then crawl into bed and read.” She flashed a sassy grin. “Just like my big brother.”
As she hoped, he laughed. She gave him a quick hug, said goodnight, then sent her dad a text message wishing him a good night, too. In the seventies, Bruce Silver had founded a local organic grocery store
that had grown into a nationwide chain worth millions of dollars. Now, her dad tended to live on the road. Right now, she was pretty sure he was in Portland.
She hesitated, then sent her mom a text, as well. Alicia Silver had moved to Oklahoma right before the twins graduated high school. She’d never gone to college, and when the cost of living in Austin had gotten too high for her, she’d gone to work in her uncle’s feed store outside of Enid. She called Mina every week or so, then listened with rapt attention as Mina told her about the work she did for Griffin and his awesome web series, or about being an intern for The Business Plan at The Fix. Tonight, she texted her mom about her job offer.
The response came back right away—That’s my girl. You’re going to make me proud.
Mina smiled, but it was bittersweet. Never did her mom say that she did make her proud. Just that maybe, in some far off distant time, Alicia would look back at her daughter, nod, and think, that’s it. Now, she’s done it.
And she would, too. Dammit, Mina was going to make Alicia and Darryl and her father proud. She was going to prove that she wasn’t a fragile little thing any more. She was strong, and she was smart. Maybe she wasn’t a lawyer or a corporate big shot, but she was going to make it big.
Hell, yeah, she would.
Inside the guest house, she hesitated by the door. Why shouldn’t she go to Magnolia and have pancakes with Cam? They were friends, weren’t they? And since all she’d had this evening was popcorn and Chinese, she really was hungry.
Before she could talk herself out of it, she grabbed her purse and keys off the small table by the front door, then headed for her car.
It only took a few minutes to get to Magnolia, but as she searched in vain for a parking space, her nerve faded. She told herself she wasn’t nervous about seeing Cam—why on earth would she be?—she was just frustrated by the lack of parking. But, honestly, she should have known better on a Friday night.
Maybe she should blow off pancakes and go to The Fix instead.