Page 48 of Letting it Ride

But when I create space between us, Cam’s arm moves, circling around my back and under my injured arm to pull me closer without taking his gaze off the movie. My stomach flips, and all the blood rushes to the area between my legs, leaving me lightheaded and almost dizzy.

I can’t read too much into this. Can I?

I try to look up at him to figure out what he’s thinking. With his arm around me, I’m flush against him. It’s solid, comfortable. Safe.

He looks back down at me, and something in his eyes is different. He reaches his free hand across us to brush a lock of hair out of my face and tucks it behind my ear. The move shifts his body so he’s almost above me, still cradling me with his arm.

Cam smiles down at me. “Hey.”

18

CAM

I’m a complete goner.

I’ve known Addie has had a crush on me forever. I’ve never given it much thought or encouraged it both because of my relationship with her brother and because she’s so much younger than me.

Even as I’ve noticed her more and more over the years since she turned twenty-one, I’ve kept my distance. But seeing her on the ground today when she fell from her ATV? I haven’t been scared like that in a long time. Maybe ever, actually.

It’s one thing to get in an accident where you’re the only one hurt. It’s another thing entirely when someone you care about is hurt. And it’s making me realize there’s something more there. Something more to these feelings between us.

Even on the ship, I was doing my best to keep our relationship on the straight and narrow. Convincing myself that it’s just lust and not worth the risk.

But something is different now. Hell, everything is different. I’m not sure I can pinpoint when it started to change exactly, but it’s clear as fucking day now. And I think something has changed for her, too.

“Hey,” she whispers back. The movie is completely forgotten. Her eyes widen beneath those insane lashes, long even without the help of mascara. She may have been worried about leaving her makeup behind on the ship, but I love her natural beauty.

I run a finger down the side of her cheek to her jaw. My thumb rubs over her lower lip. “Can I kiss you, Addie?” I ask, my voice quiet in the shadows of the room.

She darts her tongue out to run over her lip, and it catches on my thumb.Fuck. My balls tighten. I want to push my thumb into her hot little mouth, feel her suck on it and imagine it’s my cock. But this is Addie. I need to take things slower. She deserves better.

She nods, a slight movement of her head.

I slide my fingers to gently pinch her chin and lower my lips to brush over hers. Soft, sweet. I want her to know I want this, but also that she’s in control here.I’d never take it further than she wants. If this is as far as it goes, I’ll stop right here.

But when I pull back and look at her, her eyes are heavy, the pupils dilated so far that the honey-brown of her irises is a thin rim. Her breathing is shallow, quick.

“Cam,” she breathes, swallowing hard.

“More?” I rest my forehead on hers.

“More. Please.”

I shift us again, pulling her down on the bed until she’s practically lying flat, and I lean over her, balancing on my elbow. I run a finger along her hairline.

“I’m sorry I’ve pushed you away, Addie. It was never about you,” I murmur. I want to tell her about Ellie, about my past, about all the shit that’s been going wrong in my life, but all I want to think about right now is Addie.

“Why?” she asks.

“Because you’re Maddox’s sister. Because—”

She shakes her head. “I know why you pushed me away. But why… why did you change your mind? Are you sure?” She bites her lip.

I press my thumb to her lower lip to pull it from between her teeth. “Because I can’t stay away fromyou, Addie. I want you. I want everything with you. And I can wait if you’re not ready.”

She shakes her head again, but this time she doesn’t say anything. She slips her arm out from where it’s been pinned between us and pulls me down to her. Her fingers fist in my hair as our lips meet, firm and insistent this time.

I run my tongue along her lips. I need to taste her, to know all of her. She parts her lips, and I slip my tongue inside her mouth.

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