Page 39 of Single Glance

Cam frowned, narrowing his umber eyes at me. For a moment, my heartbeat pulsed wildly in my chest, knowing we were treading a dangerous line. This was too much—I’d already come to rely on Cam, his strength, his warmth, all things that made me feel safer without him even trying. It was thekind of support I’d barely even noticed until I spent a few days without him. The more time we spent together, the more he chopped down my walls, and soon, I’d be helpless to stop falling for him.

He moved in front of me in two long strides, cupping my face with a familiarity I didn’t expect. His touch brought some much needed heat to my skin as his thumb swiped along my cheek. “Listen to me, Hadley. You think you have to be strong and handle this on your own, but I’m here, and fuck, I want to be here with you. When life gets hard, when everything goes to shit, I want to be the one you call. Nothing else matters if you need me.”

“But your career?—”

“Is just that,” Cam finished for me. “It’s a job. It’ll never come before the people who matter most to me.” His eyes searched mine, and I swore, his words patched up the worn spots in my soul. “Now, let’s get your stuff and head back to the house. Cole’s got Emilia for another couple of hours, and you should get settled before she gets back.”

I nodded, but Cam didn’t release me, instead pressing his thumb along my bottom lip. He swore under his breath, as if I was his biggest blessing and curse. “You’re making this hard for me, menace.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, although I knew damn well.

“Being around you, not touching you, it’s fucking torture, especially now that I’ve seen what you look like when you come.” My cheeks blushed, and I tried to avert my eyes, but Cam’s grip on my chin wouldn’t let me. “Don’t hide from me, Hadley. You are so fucking gorgeous all the time, but when you come…” He sighed. “You’re everything. Never in my life have I seen anything as beautiful.”

I swallowed, trying to keep my risingemotions at bay, but it was useless, like sandbags trying to hold back a tsunami. Victoria’s words from last night echoed in my mind, reminding me how much I’d already missed out with Cam. Perhaps we were meant to take this path, both too jaded by our experiences to let go sooner.

Without letting myself think of anything else, I lifted onto the tips of my toes and pressed a soft kiss to Cam’s lips. He stilled under my touch, barely breathing when I leaned away from him. If not for his expression, I would have thought I’d made a mistake, but the look in his eyes left no room for misinterpretation.

When I backed away, Cam’s hands found my hips, pulling me flush against him. “Don’t you run away from me, Hadley. If we’re going to start this again, I need to know you’re not going anywhere. I walked away from you once, and I’m man enough to admit I don’t have the strength to do it twice. If you want this, you better be fucking sure you’re all in.”

His words should have terrified me, should have had me running in the opposite direction. For so long, the idea of commitment had frozen me, but now, I craved belonging. Not to anyone else—just Cam. This bond between us had been simmering for so long, disguised under layers of misunderstandings and distrust. Now that it had finally been exposed, we couldn’t escape its pull.

I didn’t speak, not sure how to articulate what I felt around Cam. Was this what it felt like to fall for someone? It was fast—too fast. Then again, we’d been dancing around each other for years, and now that we’d connected, my heart didn’t want to waste time.

So instead of saying words I couldn’t quite get out, I kissed him again. And this time, I had no doubts about what I wanted.

THIRTY-ONE

As soon as my lips touched Cam’s, he transformed. His hands gripped my hips, lifting me until my legs wrapped around his center. He was already hard, his thick cock evident even through his jeans. God, I wanted him inside me. My mouth, my pussy—any part of me he wanted to take, I’d gladly hand over.

He pushed through my bedroom door and shoved me onto my couch, which was luckily spared from any damage. As I flopped onto the cushions, Cam stared down at me, his eyes wild, like a man possessed. He lifted his hand to the back of his neck, pulling his shirt off with one tug. Why was that the hottest thing I’d ever seen in my life? My hand reached out, tracing every line and indentation on his chest, savoring every inch of his bare skin. When my hand reached for the button of his jeans, he grabbed it and brought my fingertips to his lips.

“Not yet, menace,” he said. “Do you have any idea how insane you make me? You put your hands on my cock right now, and I’m going to explode. I’m not readyto be done with you yet.”

“Lots of talk,” I smirked up at him, “and no action. Maybe I want you to explode. Have you ever thought of that?”

Cam leaned down to kiss me again. “Oh, Hadley. One of these days, I’m going to fuck that sweet little mouth, fuck the back of your throat, so every time you think about getting mouthy with me, you remember who you belong to.”

I arched my brow. “And who is that?”

Cam practically growled as he lowered down to his knees and ripped my pajamas shorts off my legs, leaving me exposed in front of him. He stared at my pussy, as if I was a piece of art designed just for him. His first touch was soft, just enough to make my hips buck, seeking more.

“Look at you, baby,” he breathed, his eyes not leaving the apex of my thighs. “So fucking wet for me. So needy. You want me to touch you?”

“Yes,” I bit out, shifting to get him closer.

“Not yet.” Cam tsked his tongue. “Not until you tell me you’re mine, Hadley.”

“This is extortion,” I groaned, dropping my head to the back of the couch, only to pop up again when his tongue traced my heat. Light, too light, like the beginning of a song when all you wanted was to hear the bridge.

“Say it, Hadley. We both already know it’s true. And before you start, yes, I’m possessive as fuck. I don’t care. I want you—all of you. Icraveall of you. Other guys might have settled for only parts of you, but not me. I need every last part. So tell me you’re mine, just as much as I’m yours.”

My breath stuttered at his admission. “Y-you’re mine?”

Cam chuckled as he pressed a kiss to my pussy. “If you even have to question that, you haven’t been paying attention.” Another long lick of his tongue. “I’m all yours,Hadley.” He circled my clit, making me cry out. “All of me belongs to you.” Cam lifted his fingers, using them to explore the parts his tongue left behind. As pleasure built in my core, he leaned back. I screamed out in protest, and Cam reached out to grip the back of my neck. “Anything you ask of me, I’d happily do—but only if you say you’re mine.”

“I’m yours,” I whispered, tears coming to my eyes as I searched his expression. His resulting grin was almost unbearable, like looking directly into the sun. Cam kissed me, my taste coating his tongue. But before my mind could catch up, he shifted us, turning me so I faced the back of the couch. His warmth faded away as he lowered himself behind me, continuing what he had already started.

But there was nothing gentle about his tongue or his touch now. No, instead, he feasted on me like a man starved. Every touch made my insides turn to lava, my fingers digging into the couch with each flick of his coaxing tongue.

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