Page 49 of Feels Like Coming Home

“Don’t apologize, Haley. You shouldn’t apologize for needing more time. I just wanted you to know where I stood.” Cam grabbed my hands and pulled them so that I was looking at him. “I want you to know that I’m willing to wait until you’re ready. I’m not going anywhere, Jones. I promise.”

I wanted to remind him of a promise he had made before, of all the promises he had made before. Of all the promises he had broken, leaving me a little broken each time he did.

I pulled my hands from his and crossed my arms across my chest, trying to keep my defenses up against Cam while also trying to stay warm as a chill ran across my shoulders. Without even realizing it, the sun was starting to set and the beach was starting to get dark. My eyes darted around and noticed that the only people left on the beach were Cam and me.

“We should probably get you home,” he said, extending a hand out for me to take. I stared at it before taking it but decided that it might be nice to feel the touch of someone’s hand in mine for once. Placing my hand in his, we walked back toward the boardwalk. As we reached the edge of the beach, where the wooden planks meet the sand, a sudden wave of bravery took over me and I turned to look at Cam under the single light that illuminated the boardwalk.

“I want you to know that I want to kiss you too.” My words stumbled out of my lips as I forced my eyes to meet Cam’s. “I just think my heart needs a little more time before I'm ready for that.”

Cam’s eyes met mine and he brought his free hand to my cheek. When he swiped his thumb back and forth across it, I held my breath and waited to see what he would do next. He had a small, reassuring smile on his face, and I could see his thoughts swirling behind his deep emerald eyes.

Without saying anything, he dropped his hand from my cheek and started down the boardwalk again, leading me back to the sidewalk with one hand. He never dropped my hand the entire way back to the bungalow.

When we reached the front door, the lights were on inside and the windows were open, allowing me to hear Piper singing along to the music she was playing loudly from inside. It was right around dinner time and the smell of food wafting out from the windows made my stomach growl loudly, causing both Cam and I to start laughing. The sound of Cam’s laugh brought me a sense of warmth I thought I would never feel again after losing Connor. I was still holding his hand as we stood on the front step, not wanting to let it go. My stomach growled again, begging for me to go inside and give it something to eat.

Grinning ear to ear, Cam looked down at our intertwined hands. “You should probably go in and eat before your stomach stages a full-on coup.”

I let go of his hand and placed it on my growling stomach, trying to get it to calm down. “I probably should…”

“Will you go out with me again? On Saturday? Let me take you to dinner.” Cam’s words came out quickly as if he hadn’t planned on saying them. “I’m sorry…I shouldn’t have asked that. You literally just told me you weren’t ready to start anything. I’m such an ass.” He looked down at his feet and rubbed the back of his head.

“No, it’s okay. Wait…are you blushing?” My eyebrows shot up because even in the dimly lit front porch light, I could tell his cheeks had turned three shades darker. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh under my breath. Camden Johnson was blushing, and it was the cutest thing I think I’d ever seen. I leaned my head down, bending just a little so that I could catch his glance. When I did, I smiled, reminding him that I was still there.

Deciding I should give the guy a little reprieve, I continued, “Cam, I would love to go to dinner with you on Saturday.”

His head perked up at my acceptance and his eyes were back on mine. A warm tingly feeling was starting to grow in my core as we stood there, illuminated by the porch light, not saying anything but instead just sharing the same airspace. Cam grabbed both my hands, and then, just for a moment, I thought he was going to kiss me.

Instead of kissing me, I watched as he leaned in, closed his eyes, and pressed his perfectly plump lips to my forehead. It wasn’t hard for him to do because of how much he towered over me. My whole body reacted to the feeling of his lips on my skin. I closed my eyes and leaned into them, breathing in his familiar scent.

I never wanted it to end.

When it did, Cam squeezed my hands gently before releasing them and started down the front walkway. I watched him leave and the tingly feeling inside me continued to grow as I stepped inside the doorway.

I was going on a date with Camden Johnson.

24

CAM | NOW

Ilet the door of my hotel room shut behind me and leaned against it, still smiling from the time I’d spent with Haley. God, did being with her feel soeasy.It was like no time at all had passed between us and we were right back to how we were before we went off to college. I thought quietly keeping up with her social pages was enough, but being with her unlocked a raw type of desire and fulfillment I hadn’t felt in a long time.

I kicked off my shoes and looked around my room. My eyes caught the clock and it told me that it was right around six. As I stood alone in my room, my stomach started to tell me how long it had been since I had eaten, so I called down to room service and ordered myself dinner.

I grabbed my phone and sent Haley a quick text, letting her know I had made it back to my hotel.

As I waited for her reply and my food, I decided to take a shower as the sweat and the salt from the day was starting to settle on my skin. I stripped off my shirt and shorts and tossed them on the bathroom floor. Slipping into the shower, I turned the water on and let the temperature rise as images of Haley started to flood my brain. The way her eyes crinkled in the corner when she laughed and how the freckles on her face seemed to dance. I remember how her hair bounced behind her as she ran from me down the beach, looking like pieces of silk blowing in the wind. The sound of her laugh was singing in my ears, making my entire body warm.

The more I thought about her, the harder I started to get and I could no longer ignore the urge to help myself along. I closed my eyes, letting the hot water hit the back of my neck, and took my dick in my hand. As I stroked myself back and forth, I let the images of Haley continue to play out in my mind. How she felt as I tossed her over my shoulder. The way I could feel her breath on my neck as I carried her on my back through the sand so she didn’t have to touch it. How her soft hand slipped into mine like a missing puzzle piece, finally found.

Then, I recalled the dream I had of her so many months ago. How sexy she looked in only a lace set and how much I longed to see her like that in real life. My breath was starting to quicken as did my hand and I could feel myself starting to get close to the edge. I imagined what it would be like to touch the soft skin of her inner thigh and kiss the spot behind her ear. What it would feel like to wrap my hands through her copper-colored hair and pull her into me, tasting her lips for the first time in years. I created a scene in my mind where she was here, in my hotel room, naked and calling out my name as I took her to places she’d never been before.

The thought of her screaming my name pushed me over the edge and I finished in my hand. After a beat, I opened my eyes and took a few breaths. The thought of Haley on top of me, my name on her lips, wasn’t helping my heart race slow its pace at all.

I finished my shower and grabbed a fresh pair of shorts, pulling them up and over my waist.

As I did, there was a knock on the door and I opened it to see someone from the hotel bringing in my dinner. I tipped the server and thanked him for the food before closing the door again. Setting the food down on the coffee table, I turned on the TV and flipped through the channels until I found ESPN. Some football game replay was on as I sat down to eat. I was halfway done with my meal when my phone lit up, notifying me of a new message. I snatched the phone off the table and hastily swiped my thumb across the screen to read the message from Haley.

I’m glad a big strong man like you was able to make it home okay.

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