Page 58 of Under My Skin

“Did I hurt you, baby? I feel like you might get bruises on your hips,” he asks, out of breath.

“You didn’t hurt me. I might get bruises, though. I bruise easily, remember?” My voice sounds like it’s a mile away when I speak, and my legs feel like wet noodles. Cameron is the only thing keeping me upright with an arm around my lower stomach. “Please don’t let that stop you from doing it again, though. I think I’ll like remembering what we do together when I look in the mirror.”

Cameron trails kisses down my back, peppering every vertebra down my spine and finally sliding out of me, making me whimper. “We’re never going to leave this shower if you keep saying shit like that and making those noises, Lizzie.”

I laugh and push off the shower wall, straightening my body and feeling the tightness in my lower back from all theexerciseI’ve done over the past several hours. I had no idea I was so out of shape. One great night of sex beats every gym out there, though, and I’m pretty sure Cameron is going to keep me fit.

After he gently soaps me up and washes my hair, we get out and dry off. Thankfully, I find a comb in one of his bathroom drawers and am able to brush out my wet hair so I won’t have to make the walk of shame looking like an animal that just came in from the rain.

I’ve just finished when Cameron comes back into the bathroom fully dressed and holding my sweatpants and tank top from last night, plus one of his clean shirts. “Couldn’t find your underwear,” he says.

“Wait, what?” I turn around, suddenly freaking out.

“Okay, I lied. I found it, but I’m keeping it.” Cameron’s all nonchalant when he says this, and I can’t tell if he’s being serious or not. “Yes, I’m serious. I brought you one of my shirts if you want to throw that on instead of your tank top. Like I said, I like seeing you in my clothes. A lot.”

I stare at him, wrapped only in a towel with my freshly combed wet hair dripping down my back. When he keeps looking back with that smug smile on his face, I realize that he is indeed keeping my underwear and that I’m definitely wearing his shirt. I grab the clothes from his hand and decide to be confident and sexy, so I drop my towel and stand in front of him completely naked.

“Fuck me. You better get dressed, Lizzie, or I’m gonna have to turn Mikey and his crew away when they get here.” Cameron says this with the most serious expression on his face, his arms gripping the door frame, and his muscles and veins on full display. “I can’t have them hearing me have my way with you.”

“As much as I like the sound of that, I’m a little sore and I do have work to get done today, so I should probably get dressed and make that coffee I promised you.”

“I’m reluctantly walking away from you now, so I’m not tempted by your seductress ways.” Before he even attempts to turn around to leave, Cameron walks straight to me and grabs my face for a very intense and thorough kiss that leaves me breathless and wanting more. “I’ll be waiting in the living room for you.”

All I can manage is a nod. Fully clothed, I walk out to the living room and find Cameron sprawled on the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. “Ready?” I ask.

“Always,” he replies before getting up and grabbing my hand. Wow, I can really get used to all the physical touches and attention. I’ve clearly been starved for it.

We walk through the kitchen, out the back door, and into the yard hand in hand. Coming up the long road in front of our houses are Mikey and his crew in two giant pickup trucks. I was expecting to be gone by the time they arrived, and I’m suddenly self-conscious of how Cameron is going to react about us in front of people.

I quickly drop his hand in case he doesn’t want it to be obvious, even though I am wearing his shirt.

Cameron whips his head over to me and grabs my hand again. “I thought we agreed we weren’t going to hide anything?”

“I just didn’t know if you’d changed your mind or something. You said it all in the heat of the moment, so I didn’t want to assume that’s what you still wanted.” I glance behind his shoulder as the trucks pull into the driveway and realize that our time for deliberation is up.

Cameron turns to me, and the look on his face is wolfish and intense. I have no idea what he’s thinking, but I know it’s something devious. I can hear doors opening and know that we are basically putting on a show for everyone.

Sensing my frantic energy and clearly enjoying watching me squirm over this, he runs his hands up my neck and into my hair. Then he pulls my face up to his and kisses me like his life depends on it. He runs his tongue along the seam of my lips, and I have no choice but to let him in and grip his shirt as I hold on for the ride.

I feel like the kiss goes on forever, and it’s only when Mikey yells “Mornin’!” that Cameron and I break apart. Cameron greets him, but his eyes stay locked on mine, and his hands are still holding my face.

“Go start the coffee, baby. I’ll stop by after the guys get started.” His voice is smooth and deep, and I swear my knees go weak from him publicly claiming me.

“Okay.” My lame response is all I can muster. Cameron smiles big at me and then turns around to formally greet everyone. I offer a small wave to all the guys and then head over to my place with a smile on my face that dwarfs any other I’ve ever worn.

28

CAMERON

I watch Lizzie walk away,and I honestly can’t believe that everything worked out the way it did. She’s the best person I’ve ever known for forgiving me the way she did. She deserves the fucking world, and I’m going to do everything in my power to give it to her. At a pace she’s comfortable with.

I can’t rush things with Lizzie. She has no experience when it comes to relationships, and I need to make sure that this is what she actually wants and not just her fulfilling her teenage fantasy. I’ve been in relationships, I was married, I had kids, but I can’t forget Lizzie has barely had sex.

Until I changed that last night. And this morning. And I’m feeling very smug about it.

Ugh. I can’t think about sex with Lizzie right now. I’m going to have a boner while I talk to Mikey and his crew. I take a deep breath to compose myself, then turn back to the guys waiting for me.

I’m immediately met with the smirks of men whose eyes shine with jealousy from the display I just put on.

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