by Nicole Dykes
Van takes a decent gulp of her champagne. “Speaking of this summer,” she turns to me, “I think we should just tell them now.”
Luke looks over at us. “Holy shit! Are you guys finally back together?”
I briefly look over at Luke, who actually seems excited. I don’t answer Luke and turn back to Van. “It’s up to you.”
Hannah looks freaked the fuck out and addresses Van, “What’s going on?”
“Well, it’s really not a big deal, but Cam and I are going to be rooming together this summer.” She takes another drink as we wait for the inevitable backlash from our friends.
They all share the same blank stare in our direction. Hannah’s the first one to form actual words. “Are you serious?”
Van nods, not showing a hint of hesitation. “Yeah. I mean it makes sense. We are both interning in Kansas City this summer, and I need a place to stay. Luke's house has an extra room.”
Luke throws one hand up in the air. “Hold the fuck on. This is going to take place under my roof?” he asks.
I nod. “Yes, where else?”
“No fucking way,” Luke says.
“I already have the keys, asshole,” I say, smirking.
“Look, you guys, it’s seriously not a big deal. We can handle this,” Van says adamantly.
Hannah looks worried and tries just talking to Van. “Do you really think this is a great idea? I mean, Cam, he . . .” Her eyes zoom over to me and then back to Van, “he . . . um.”
“Cam's a fucking whore,” Luke finishes for her.
I glare at Luke and he just shrugs, knowing he’s speaking the truth. Hannah has a little more tact, “Yeah. That. But nicer.”
Van nods, neither one of us can argue that. “I know, but we have an arrangement, and it’ll be fine.”
“Why don’t you just stay with me and Luke for a bit and think about it?”
Van smiles at her friend sweetly. She really cares for Hannah. “I truly appreciate the offer, but you guys are starting a new chapter together. You need your space.”
“And she doesn’t want to listen to you guys fucking all over that new house,” I add, you know, to help.
Luke rolls his eyes. “As opposed to listening to her ex fuck everything that moves?”
“I have a great pair of noise cancelling headphones,” Van says with a smile, and I can’t help the laugh that comes out of my mouth. Damn she’s cute, and she’s thought of everything in the couple of hours since making the decision to move in with me. I would expect nothing less when it comes to Van.
“There you go,” I say to no one in particular and then turn to Choirboy who has been way too quiet. “Go ahead. Weigh in.”
Hunt just shrugs his shoulders, “I don’t know. You guys are adults, if you think it’s a good idea I think you should go for it.”
I grin at him, happy with his reaction. And honestly shocked. I figured he’d be the first one to throw a lecture at us. “Thanks man.”
Hannah still looks fucking nervous. “Are you sure you’ve thought this through?”
She’s mostly asking Van, but I answer anyway, “Does Vanessa do anything without thinking?” I try to give Hannah my most reassuring look. “I’m not going to do anything to hurt Van. I just want to get our friendship back.” I better get points for saying that with Hannah because I know Luke is going to give me endless shit for that later.
Hannah’s worries seem to be eased slightly, and she finally addresses me. “I know you won’t hurt her on purpose, Cam. What about Dani?”
Again, I feel Vanessa tense next to me. Part of me wishes I could take away that tension completely and promise that I’ll stay away from Dani. The other part of me, the colder less caring part, says fuck that. Van gave up the right to tell me who I can fuck when she dumped me without letting me get one fucking word in.
I clear my throat and then answer Hannah. “Vanessa and I talked about Dani.”
“And what? You promised you’d stay away from her for the summer? Because we all know, all its going to take is one horny night where you’re feeling too lazy to go to a club and you’ll call her right up,” Luke so kindly points out and then like a total dickhead adds, “That is if you and Van aren’t bumping uglies by then.”
Van sits straight up now and addresses Luke herself, “That’s not happening. We are adults. We are capable of living under the same roof without tearing each other’s clothes off.”
Luke just shakes his head. “It’s not possible. You are adults who have gotten naked together several times. Trust me, all alone in that house together, you’re gonna wanna see each other naked again.”
Hannah reluctantly nods her head in agreement. “I hate to say it, but I think he’s right.”
Van looks flabbergasted, but I can’t argue. There’s no way anyone would believe I don’t. I mean, I’d fuck her right here and now if she was into it. I keep quiet, but Van scoffs. “That’s ridiculous! By that logic, you, Cam, and Hunter want to fuck. I mean, I’m sure you’ve all seen each other naked in the locker room several times.”
Everyone laughs then, and it’s a momentary break in the tension. Hunt still has a grin on his face when he says, “Yeah, but I’ve never touched their fun parts.”
Luke laughs. “Yup. Never blown either of them.” He looks at Van, “Can you say the same?”
Van glares at him, and Hannah playfully punches him in the arm. He just wraps that arm back around her.
I hold up both hands, trying to silence them. “Look. Whatever Van and I had is in the past.” I’m not sure if I believe that, but I really need my friends to shut the fuck up before they freak Van out. “As for Dani, Van I talked about that, and she won’t be coming to the house. No false promises have been made. I’ll do everything I can not to hurt Van.”
“What about you?”
The question came from Hunt, and I turn in his direction. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, what protects you from getting hurt?” he asks, his tone deadly serious.
Not a damn thing.
“Please, Cam won’t get hurt. It’s Van we need to worry about,” Hannah says.
Even Luke looks slightly worried.
I put on my best cocky grin. “Hell yeah. I’m golden. Don’t worry about me.” I turn to Hannah, “And don’t worry about Van either. It’s gonna be great.”
Not one person in our circle looks like they believe that, me included.
I need to be right though.
Chapter 10
Vanessa
“Are you one hundred percent sure?” Hannah asks me for what must be the thousandth time since last night.
We are in the house we shared for two years and finishing packing the last of her things into a cardboard box on my bed.
I place a picture that we took the day we moved in on top. Cam and I had just broken up, but he’s sitting next to me. Hannah’s on my other side, with Luke’s arm wrapped around her. I remember Jax taking the picture with my phone after the guys moved us in.
“Yes. I’m sure. Please stop asking me,” I say.
Hannah sighs, looking at the picture. “I just think it’s a terrible idea.”
I can’t help but laugh. “I know, but trust me, okay. It makes sense. I like Cam. I want to remain friends. Honestly, the friend part of our relationship was always so good. I want that back.”
“I know, but there was sex. Sex always complicates things. Arousal has the ability to make even the smartest person in the world stupid.”
“Ah, so that’s how you ended up with Luke,” I joke.
“Exactly,” she laughs as she teases back.
“I appreciate you worrying about me, but I promise to keep it in my panties.” I cross my heart with my fingers.
She laughs and throws my pillow at me. I catch it and place it in one of the few boxes I packed. Since Luke's house is furnished, I’m mostly just bringing some clothes and a few other essential items.
Cam knocks on the trim outside of my door. “You guys
ready?”
I nod and Hannah walks past him. “Just a few more things in my room.”
Luke walks past my door following Hannah. “Come on, woman. I want to beat some of the traffic.”
Cam grins as he walks into my room, looking around, and his gaze stops on the boxes, “These ready to go?”
I nod my head. “Yep.” I take a deep breath and then say, “This is a good idea, right?”
He sighs and takes a seat on my bed. A bed we’ve shared so many good nights together in. “Van, not only is it a good idea, it’s a fucking great idea. I know everyone else thinks it’s terrible, but we knew they would.”
His confidence is the first thing that attracted me to Cam. Some may think he’s a cocky, asshole. Which he can be for sure, but really Cam is just comfortable with who he is. Something I envy.
“I know. Just wanted a final reassurance before we get on the road.” I say and zip up my dark purple duffle bag.
He stands up and puts two hands on my shoulders, looking in my eyes. “It’s going to be a great summer, Van. Thank you for trusting me.”
I bite my bottom lip. Lack of trust is why we broke up in the first place. My heart aches thinking about that night. I don’t say that and instead opt to give him my best smile, “I think you’re right.”
Not long after that, we are standing outside of the house. Jax’s truck, that Luke borrowed, is full of Hannah’s things. Hunter’s truck is parked behind it and Cassie's hot pink car is behind that, both packed full of their stuff, ready to go with them to Dallas.
My car has my boxes and bag in it in our driveway, and Cam’s has his stuff all ready to go in the driveway of the house he and Hunter rented. Someone else is moving in there in a couple of weeks.
I’m subletting Hannah’s and my house over the summer, but I’m moving back in when my internship ends and graduate school begins.
Cassie hugs Luke tightly and he hugs her back. “Give them Texans hell, Cass,” he says. Luke rarely shows emotions, but it’s clear he’s going to miss his sister.
She pulls back and smiles at him “You know that’s exactly what Dylan said this morning before he left.”
Luke shrugs. “We know you well. Texas doesn’t stand a chance.”
She laughs and Luke and Hunter shake hands. “Take care of my sister,” Luke says and Hunter just nods in his silent yet reassuring way.
Cam gives Hunter a sort of bro hug and says, “I’ll see ya for the crazy bachelor party in a month or so.”
Hunter just rolls his eyes. “No naked people.”
“Fuck that,” Cam says, and Hunter and Luke just laugh.
Hunter and Hannah briefly hug and so do Cam and Cassie as Hunter walks over to me and gives me a quick hug. “Take care, Van.”
“You too, Hunter. I know you guys are gonna love it there.”
“I think you’re right, but we will be back to visit as often as we can.”
I smile at that. It’s good to hear. “Good.”
He looks over his shoulder at Cam, who is busy screwing around with Luke and then turns back to me. “Don’t hurt him, Van.”
I look at him stunned. “What?”
His voice is low, “You know what I mean. This summer is going to be torture for him, but that’s just how much he loves you. He’s willing to take all that pain for a chance to have you in his life. Just be careful.”
He gives me another hug and then walks to Cassie. After another quick goodbye, they climb into their vehicles and leave to start their new life together.
The four of us stand there and watch for a few seconds until Luke claps his hands together. “All right let’s get this show on the road!”
Hannah just kisses him and then says, “Chill out. We aren’t going to beat the traffic. It’s already six in the evening.”
I laugh. Luke told us all last night that we were waking up at the crack of dawn and leaving right away.
Of course, that didn’t happen. We all slept camped out in the living room in the cabin, minus Cass, who slept upstairs with Dani. We didn’t wake up til almost noon, but woke up to a late breakfast that Brooke prepared.
Then after a long goodbye to Cassie and Hunter with the entire family, we all had packing left to do.
He’s lucky the sun is still up.
I shrug. “Maybe it’s late enough that everyone has already left town.”
Cam grins. “Way to be glass half full, Van.”
I laugh, “Oh, you know me.”
I turn back to the house and sigh as the memories go through my mind. Hannah must be thinking the same thing, and with tears in her eyes, she gives me a big hug. “I’m going to miss you, Van.”
“I’m going to miss you too, Hannah.”
Luke rolls his eyes. “You two know you’re going to be living like three minutes from each other all summer, right?”
We’re still hugging, but turn our heads to look at him. “Our rooms have been next to each other for two years! It’s going to be so different,” Hannah says.
Luke nods his head sympathetically. “I know, babe. Don’t worry, I’ll make you feel better.”
We both roll our eyes and hug again before letting go. She walks over and punches him before climbing into her car that’s parked behind mine.
Luke and Cam say a quick goodbye before Luke hops in the truck and they leave.
Now it’s just Cam and me standing in the yard. He turns to me. “Ready?”
I smile, nodding.
As I’ll ever be. Here we go.
Chapter 11
Cam
The next morning, I wake up in the master bedroom of Luke’s townhouse. Vanessa and I got here around eight last night and spent most of the night unpacking and getting settled.
I stretch and climb out if the king size bed. I pass the dresser and turn off the alarm that was set to go off in a few minutes and then grab a pair of sweats. I’m guessing Van doesn’t want to see me in my boxer briefs this morning.
I slip them on and walk down the hall to the kitchen. After making a pot of coffee I take a seat at the black painted kitchen table and it’s not long before a sleepy Vanessa appears in the room.
Fuck. Me. She walks in yawning. Her hair tied up in a messy bun on top of her head and wearing a gray tank top with a pair of short purple shorts.
She raises her arms in the air, pulling her braless tits up even further and my cock stiffens instantly at the sight. Good thing I’m sitting at the table.
“Morning, Cam,” Van says, but my eyes are glued to her chest like a prepubescent teenager. She drops her arms, placing one on her hip. “Really? You’re staring at my boobs? What are you? Twelve?”
I laugh and finally move my eyes up to her face, “Hey, guys of all ages like boobs. Can’t blame me. You clearly aren’t wearing a bra.”
She looks half surprised but then laughs it off, “I don’t sleep in one. If this is going to be my home for the summer, you might have to get used to it.”
The coffee finishes brewing, but my dick is still not working with me and hasn't gone down enough to stand up. So, I stay put. “You might have to get used to me staring then,” I say with a wink.
She laughs shaking her head and takes a seat across from me at the table. Her perfect tits still on display. Fuck. I’m eventually going to have to stand up. Baseball. My parents arguing. Sick people. “Cam,” I hear Van say.
“Yeah?”
“You’re still staring,” she says as she gets up and pours two cups of coffee. This view does nothing to help my situation. Her legs are long, tanned, and toned. God, I miss those legs being wrapped around me. Those shorts are doing nothing to cover them. Instead, they are hugging that perfect ass of hers.
Fuck.
“Hey, I put on a pair of sweats before coming out of my room, you know, because I was sure you wouldn’t be able to resist staring at my package,” I joke.
She laughs and puts a little cream and sugar in her coffee. She brings them over and sits down, after setting my cup
in front of me. “Well, I’ll try to remember to put a bra on before leaving my room.”
“Please don’t,” I say, only half joking as I take a drink of the hot coffee.
Van giggles and seems genuinely happy as she takes a drink and looks out the patio door. “I can’t believe Luke and Hannah wanted to move. This place is amazing. I almost forgot it has a pool in the backyard.”
It’s a large townhouse with a huge backyard. It only has two bedrooms, but they are massive. “Yeah, I think their new place is even better and, according to Luke, it has five bedrooms.”
“Holy shit! Is he going to turn her into a baby factory?” Van asks.
I laugh, “I think that’s their plan eventually. When he finally pops the question.” She nods and I add, “You could have taken the master bedroom you know?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “The guest room is nice, and Hannah and Luke haven’t screwed in there.”
I laugh, “Says who? My guess is they’ve been naked all over every inch of this place.”
Van’s eyes go to the table her arms are currently resting on. She slowly pulls them to her chest. “You’re probably right.”
We both smile and then she finishes the last of her coffee before standing up. “Well, I better go take a shower. I don’t want to be late for my first day.”
I nod. “Yeah me neither. You need a ride?”
She shakes her head, “Brooke is picking me up. Said it’s on her way, but I’ll see ya tonight.”
“Have a good day.”
She thanks me and wishes me a good day also before bouncing off to her room, hope and excitement all over her face.
I stand up and adjust my still semi-hard cock before going to get ready for my first day of interning. When I get to my room, I strip and take a quick shower.
After my shower, I get dressed in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, an outfit I’m sure is acceptable and still hear Van in her room. I knock and say goodbye through the door before climbing in my car and driving to Tricked.
Jax, Dylan, and Luke are all there standing at the front desk when I open the door and walk inside.
