by Kendall Ryan
That’s the moment I completely lose my nerve, because suddenly, I’m not ready to tell her I’m in love with her—not until I know if she thinks us hooking up was a one-time thing. “He . . . understood,” I say instead. “He’s not mad at us.”
Her hand flies to her heart and her face relaxes. “Oh, thank God. I was freaking out all day, thinking I’d ruined everything.”
I can’t help but touch her again, taking her hands in mine. “You couldn’t ruin anything. What happened last night, and at the hotel, that was on me. My fault. Completely.”
Her lips curl up in a half smile. “I was a willing participant too, if you remember.”
I smile back at her, meeting her eyes, and the tension in the room slides away for the first time since I arrived.
“You okay?” I ask, giving her hands a gentle squeeze.
“Yes . . . I think so, but what is this?”
“What do you want it to be?” I ask.
She thinks it over, chewing on her lower lip. “Is it crazy if I say I liked what we did last night?”
I chuckle and shake my head. “Not crazy at all, because I fucking loved it. I love you, Natalie. And not just as a friend.” I know I’m about to lay all my cards on the table, but fuck it. “I’m not sure when it happened, but somewhere along the way, I fell in love with you. You’re funny and smart and loyal and driven.”
She smiles up at me, her gaze locked on mine.
“You suck at poker, and you can’t bake to save your life. But you’re mine, and you have been since the moment I met you all those years ago.”
Fresh tears are back in her eyes, only this time they’re happy tears. She brings her arms around my neck and gives me a squeeze.
“Cam . . .” Her voice is hoarse with emotion.
“So, where were you all day?” I ask, suddenly curious about where she went and what she did after I left her in bed this morning.
She chews on her lower lip. “I needed time to think. I went back to our old spot at the lake. Then I drove around for a while. Stopped and had a doughnut.”
I laugh, and Natalie smiles. “Come here.” When I pull her to my chest, she doesn’t resist, folding her body into my much taller frame. It feels so good just to hold her like this. I could stay like this forever.
“Cam?” she murmurs.
“Hmm?”
“What did Jack say?”
A smirk tugs at my lips as I remember our conversation this morning. “He said it was about time.”
She pulls back, meeting my eyes with confusion.
I reach into my pocket and pull out my half of the heart-shaped pendant that matches Natalie’s. “I guess he knew. Shit, I guess I knew a long time ago too, if I’m being honest with myself.”
She reaches under her shirt and lifts out the delicate chain that holds her half of the pendant. “I wore it last night. You didn’t notice.”
I noticed, but I don’t tell her this. “Guess I was just a little distracted by how good you looked in that orange dress.”
“It was tangerine,” she says softly.
“Whatever it was, I wanted it off of you.”
“I can’t believe you saved that other half all these years.” She sounds truly astonished.
“Of course I did.”
She really has no idea how deeply I feel about her.
“I’ve been in love with you since I was sixteen, Natalie.”
A single tear slips down her cheek, and I reach down to wipe it away with my thumb.
“It’s okay if you don’t feel the same way,” I tell her.
She shakes her head. “You’ve always been an amazing friend, everything a girl could want, but these last few weeks . . . my feelings have turned into something more too. I love you, Cam.”
Her words are everything. I tug her against me, probably with more force than necessary. But, fuck it, I’ve been patient for what feels like forever, and I’m done taking my time. My lips crash against hers in a hungry kiss, and Natalie lets out a soft whimper that obliterates the last of my self-control. Her lips part, and I deepen our kiss, my tongue licking against hers. I feel her hands tighten into my shirt as she claws her way closer.
My heart is near bursting with so much emotion, and now my cock has gone rock hard.
I lift her into my arms, and Natalie wraps her calves around my hips. I walk her over to the dining table. When I set her down, our lips only part long enough to pull off shirts over our heads, and push pants and underwear out of our way.
We’re frantic with need, even though I was inside her twelve hours ago. Suddenly, I’m starved for her. And somehow, miraculously, it seems she feels the same.
“Cam,” she moans.
“Yes, baby. Tell me what you need.”
The head of my hard cock is pressed against her damp core, and she’s grinding her hips all over me, getting me wet, and fuuuck, making me lose my mind.
I press one finger inside her snug channel while Natalie groans and grabs my ass.
“Need you,” she murmurs against the crook of my neck.
“Let me get you ready first,” I say.
She shakes her head, suddenly resolute. “No. Now. Please.”
She’s right. I can’t wait any longer either. I’ve gotta give the lady what she wants. Aligning myself against her heat, I press forward. Apparently, neither of us can be bothered with a condom. I know Natalie’s on birth control; half the time I’m the one who has to remind her to take it. And I’m certain we’re both clean.
I intend to go slow, to ease into her and make her feel good, but that’s not what happens. The feel of her bare is better than anything I’ve ever felt. Soon, I’m pumping my hips and gripping her curvy ass to bury myself deeper with each and every thrust.
“Fuck, Natalie,” I say on a groan.
“Oh God, yes. Yes,” she pants. “Right there. Don’t stop.”
I couldn’t even if I wanted to.
It feels so good, so right, so perfect.
Then suddenly, I feel her shift in my arms and hear a loud creak.
The hell?
Natalie starts laughing, seeming to realize what happened before I do. “We broke the table.”
“Shit. Sorry.” I lift her into my arms and stalk toward her bedroom. It’s a little difficult walking with my pants tangled around my ankles, and by the time I drop her onto the mattress, we’re both laughing.
God, I never want this to change.
This. This right here is exactly how love is supposed to feel.
“This will be a little safer,” I say.
She nods in agreement as I move over top of her. “In a bed. Yes. Now, come here.”
I can’t deny her, and when I thrust forward, we both release a long exhale.
Together, we move slower this time, and there’s so much emotion reflected back at me when I gaze into her eyes, I almost lose it.
Then I lean down and bring my mouth to hers, and we kiss deeply, our first time as a couple.
Chapter Twenty
Natalie
I couldn’t be happier with my legs entwined with Cam’s. His soft hair tickles my chin, and I breathe in his masculine scent. Somehow, we made it to the bed. I honestly can’t remember much with my body humming like this. The details of our last sexual encounter are lost in the chemicals flooding my body. I don’t mind, not one single bit. I’m certain we’ll be making plenty more memories in the days, weeks, months, and years to come. After all, we have a decade’s worth of sex to make up for.
Can I always feel like this?
Cam drops little kisses on my collarbone, and I shiver in delight.
Okay, maybe some details aren’t lost to me.
“What’s so funny?” he asks me, readjusting so we’re at eye level.
“My boyfriend has a huge dick,” I state matter-of-factly.
“I’m flattered.” He laughs. “I like that word.”
“Huge?”
“Well, yes.” He chuckles, the sound rich and
deep. “But more so boyfriend. I like the idea of being your boyfriend. I can’t say I ever expected that.”
I nuzzle into the crook of his neck, burying my smile in the silky-soft skin there. If I could hide away in this little pocket of comfort forever, I would in a heartbeat. I’d much rather stay here than think about any of the other bothersome things in life. Speaking of which . . . “You broke my table,” I say, pouting. Cam wraps his arms tighter around me. My rib cage is flush against his. He’s warm and firm and perfect against me.
“I’ll buy you a new one,” he promises, dropping yet another kiss on my forehead. I’ll never grow tired of these small gestures of affection. They’re just as powerful as any passionate embrace or intimate touch.
“I love that about you,” I say. I run my fingers along the muscles in his back, earning me a sexy smile.
“Love what about me?”
“My money,” I begin, and then correct myself. “My family’s money. It’s never mattered to you.”
“Why would it?” Cam asks with furrowed brows.
“Ben always let me pay.” I roll my eyes. The more time I spend with Cam, the more I realize what a douchebag Ben was, and how much time I wasted with other guys when the one I wanted was right in front of me the whole time.
“Okay, Ben was an idiot, plain and simple.” Cam traces a line down my body, from shoulder to hip. “And let’s never talk about your ex-boyfriend while you’re naked.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” I whisper. “What would you rather talk about while I’m naked?”
“Well . . .” His eyes darken, lustful. “I’d like to talk about how you get goose bumps every time I touch you. Even the slightest . . .”
I gasp as his fingers dance across my lower abdomen. I don’t mind where this little game is headed. “Oh yeah? What else?”
“I’d like to talk about how soft your skin is,” he murmurs into my chest as he trails soft, featherlight kisses down my sternum. His hands find my hips, keeping me tight against him.
No need. I’m not going anywhere.
“How badly I’ve wanted to touch you . . . just like this.” Cam draws a small circle with the tip of his nose around my breast. I hold my breath as he licks a line to my nipple. Then I moan.
“And the sounds you make when I do that.” I can feel his smirk against my skin.
“What else?” I breathe, already dizzy with lust.
“And the way that you move against me . . .”
His voice disappears into the plateau of my abdomen, where he plants hard, pulling kisses. I lean into it, especially as the touches journey lower and lower.
“The way you taste . . .”
My fingers tangle in his messy hair as he dips between my legs.
Oh shit.
This conversation is over. We’re moving on to more interesting matters. I close my eyes and melt into him. With each caress of his lips and tongue, I can feel how much he loves me.
And with each shuddering breath I take, I can feel just how much I love him.
Chapter Twenty-One
Natalie
“Be good, kids,” Jack teases, setting two beers in front of us on the bar top.
I roll my eyes. “We’re always good.”
Cam smiles, bringing his bottle of beer to his lips.
I take a sip as Jack watches with an amused expression. “Just remember, dude,” he says to Cam. “Just because you guys have been friends forever doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for wooing her.”
I grin at this, sitting straighter on my bar stool. “Yes to wooing. I would like some of the woo.”
Just imagining Cam releasing the full forces of his charms my way sounds delightful. We’ve been dating seriously for a few weeks now, and so far he’s been the perfect boyfriend. But that doesn’t mean I can’t tease him right along with Jack.
We’ve been on dates to the movies, to dinner at my parents’ house, to the Mexican restaurant I love, and my favorite of all—the day I met him for lunch at the hospital and got to see my hot doctor boyfriend dressed in scrubs and interacting with a little patient. I think I fell even more in love with him that day.
Cam excuses himself to go to the restroom, and Jack leans over the bar toward me. “Just so you know, if he hurts you, I’ve vowed to skin him alive.”
I grin at him. “Works for me.”
When Cam returns, Jack stops wiping down the bar to chat with us for a minute longer. “Where are you two crazy kids off to tonight?”
“It’s a surprise,” Cam says, smiling at me.
I squint at him, wondering what he has in mind. Normally, we grab a casual dinner together and then head back to one of our places to hang out. And it’s usually mine since there’s no chance of a roommate interrupting us.
Jack scurries off to help a group of ladies who are obviously here for a bachelorette party.
“You want to head out?” I ask once our drinks are mostly empty.
Cam smirks. “You eager to see what I have planned?”
“I’ve got to see if you’re finally getting the hang of this whole boyfriend thing,” I tease.
“I’m an amazing boyfriend,” he says defensively, helping me out of my seat.
I merely pat his cute butt in encouragement as we head out into the parking lot. Soon Cam is settled into the driver’s seat of his car, and I’m tucked in beside him.
“Where are you taking me?” I ask. We’ve turned onto a picturesque side street in a quaint little neighborhood just outside the city. “I’ve always loved this neighborhood, but there’s nothing here but houses. All the restaurants are two blocks over.”
“I know,” he says, still smiling.
The car slows to a stop in front of a white two-story house with black shutters and planter boxes beneath the windows that I imagine look beautiful bursting with flowers in the spring. There’s a FOR SALE sign in the front yard.
Butterflies dance in my stomach. “Cam? What’s this?”
He puts the car into park and turns in his seat to face me, lifting my hand into his lap. “I can’t live with Jack forever. We’ll need our own space.”
“And this . . .” My hand flies to my mouth.
“I want to buy it for us. But only if that will make you happy. Come look?”
Tears fill my eyes as I nod. “It’s beautiful. You crazy man.” And then I’m out of the car and heading up the front stone walkway toward the most beautiful home I could have ever dreamed of.
Cam opens the door and says something about four bedrooms that we’ll need to work on filling up, and I let out a little squeal of excitement. It’s perfect.
As I wander the spacious rooms with this amazing man by my side, I wonder briefly if this is what it feels like when all your dreams come true.
Epilogue
Natalie
“Where am I supposed to stand?” Jack whispers in my ear.
I turn to him with wide eyes. We’re hiding behind a lace partition separating us from the rest of the ceremony.
“What do you mean, where do you stand? Where did you stand during the rehearsal?”
“Shit, I don’t know. I’m nervous. It’s hard to be both maid of honor and best man, okay? Very disorienting.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry that we inconvenienced you with our friendship,” I say, rolling my eyes. It only made sense that our best friend should have every major role in the wedding, excluding the role of officiant. If he had been comfortable with it, I would have loved to have Jack perform the ceremony. That’s where he drew the line.
“No way,” he said when we pitched the idea. “Get a damn priest. I’m not about to be responsible for the legality of your union.”
The wind ruffles the curtains, and I get a peek at the few guests at our ceremony. Cam’s parents sit comfortably on his side of the aisle, along with Tyron, Max, and a few friends from work. My side consists of our female friends from college and my support squad of Mandy and Janelle. The bridal party is wearing a shade of green Cam and
I have insisted is sage. It’s far from glamorous, but it did make Cam and me laugh. If I had to wear pumpkin-tangerine in my last round as a bridesmaid, then my ladies can wear baby-puke green.
Meanwhile, my parents sit side by side, whispering anxiously to each other. They’re probably wishing they could have spent a few extra thousand dollars on the location. Or at least that I had agreed to a longer guest list so they could have included all of their philanthropist friends.
But this is perfect. A destination wedding in Hawaii with only our closest friends is more than either Cam or I could have dreamed of.
The curtains waft closed again.
“Are you nervous?”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “There are a lot of emotions.”
“Yeah. I can’t believe my two best friends are about to get married.” Jack wraps me in his arms with a big, happy sigh.
“You better believe it,” I whisper into his chest. I can barely believe it myself, yet it feels so right. So inevitable.
“You ready?” Jack holds out his phone, his finger hovering over it.
“Fuck yes.”
With the tap of a finger, Jack starts the music. It’s a simple, cheesy orchestral version of “Here Comes the Bride.” I laugh and loop my arm through his. Together, we part the curtains.
My heart clenches when I see him.
Cam.
He’s a pillar of confidence and strength, with a look on his face I want to remember for the rest of my life. We’re so close to the shore that the small waves almost lap at his bare feet. My heart clenches. I take in all of him, from his cool linen pants to his fitted white button-up shirt, to that smile brighter than the sun shining down on us. I can feel my mother scoffing at his choice in casual clothes, my father sighing at his decision to not wear a tie.
But there he is, simply himself. Cam’s hair whips this way and that in the wind. His cheeky grin makes my heart soar. I would run to him and jump in his arms if I weren’t holding on to Jack so tightly.
“You look beautiful, by the way,” Jack whispers in my ear. “In case it wasn’t obvious.”
