Page 19 of One Night Redemption

Her hand is soft on my arm. "Is it possible she didn't know how to? If she had to keep her life going, maybe she had to compartmentalize, and while she was able to give you a roof over your head and the food to make for your stomach, she wasn't able to give you much more."

I hate how her voice is understanding when I don't deserve for her to be. "I wanted more, and I needed more." I let the words come out, although I've tried to hold them back.

"One of the things I've figured out from my job is we all have some trauma from our childhoods. Our parents do the best they can, and sometimes it's much less than what we need. Because we're adults who live in a world where therapy is a part of everyday, normal life, I feel like we take it upon ourselves to try and figure out where our parents were wrong. But at the same time, we don't give credit where they're right." She reaches up, putting her arms around my neck. "You're a good man, Camden. You are not perfect, but none of us are. There's nothing wrong with that, and there's nothing wrong with you."

Those words hit deep in my chest, and I drop the spatula, wrapping my arms around her, and burrowing my face in her neck. My throat is tight, and I can't speak, but I pray that I put everything I feel into this hug, and Cassie knows just how much this conversation has meant to me.

An hour later, we're on the couch, watching some stupid reality show, and she keeps breathing against my chest. It tickles, and I chuckle, pushing her forehead away slightly. "Are you doing that on purpose? You keep breathing against my nipple, and it's distracting."

"Yeah?" She questions, getting up on her knees, straddling my waist. "Camden Fellows, I think the last thing in the world I'd like to be for you is a distraction."

My eyes meet hers, and I can read the sassiness there, as she grins. "What are you going to do?"

She licks her lips, settling against my cock that's beginning to make itself known. "I think I'm going to show you exactly what a distraction is. Because me blowing on your nipple? Not a distraction. Me taking my shirt off with no bra on underneath?"

I groan loudly when she slips the T-shirt over her head, showing me that she's indeed not wearing a bra. "One thousand fucking percent a distraction, but one I will enjoy every single time."

Leveraging myself up using my stomach muscles, I grasp her around her hips, bringing her closer to me. When we're within the distance that I can reach over and wrap my mouth around the hardened tip, I do so, before letting go.

"Take me on a ride, Deputy?"

"With pleasure. Hold on, Cass. It's bound to get bumpy."

She falls forward, and when she does, I grasp her hips, turn her over, and take the kiss I've wanted since we woke up. Cassie melts into me, and it's the best fucking feeling in world, knowing she trusts me enough to give me this part of herself. I will always hold it close, and I make a promise to myself I will never, ever disrespect it, no matter what my brain is hardwired to do. This will work out, because I'm determined, and if there's one thing I know about myself, it's that when I'm determined, I don't fuck things up.

And Cass? She's one thing I never wanna fuck up again.

Chapter

Fifteen

Cassie

I’m watching Cam get ready for work. I know things are still new for us, still evolving as we figure out how to be part of each other’s lives. It gives me a flash of the future, of what things could be like for us if he means what he says—he’s in it to win it. For me, that means the two of us together, forever. Maybe starting a family one day. But I don’t know if that’s what winning means to him. Eventually, we have to talk about all that. Bringing it up while he’s strapping himself into his bulletproof vest and getting ready to go on shift is not the time. Distractions, arguments, whatever you wanna call them—those things can be deadly in his line of work and mine.

“What’s your plan for tonight?” he asks.

“Margaritas,” I reply. “Well, a margarita. I feel like if anyone needs to get hammered tonight it’s Ashley and Lizzie, well, I owe her one. So I’ll have my single drink then be the good girl who gets everyone else home.”

He frowns at me. “You’re driving Ashley home after?”

“Yeah. Why?” He’s acting weird about that.

“That’s not an ideal place to be late at night. I don’t like her living there. I sure as shit don’t like you in and out of Dixie Plaza alone after dark … Call me.”

I laugh. “You’re gonna give me a police escort?”

“Maybe. At the very least, check in when you’re home?”

I get up from the bed and walk over to where he’s standing. “Are you worried about me? You’re getting ready to go on shift at a job that requires Kevlar and you’re worried about me dropping off a probably drunk friend?”

“Dammit, Cass, I’m allowed to worry!”

I lean in and kiss his cheek. “That wasn’t me being pissy. Just clarifying. And for the record, I think it’s sweet. I like you worrying about me. ’Cause I worry about you, too.”

He pulls me in and kisses me until I’m breathless with it. Breathless and wishing we had more time before he has to leave.

When he pulls back, he’s looking at me in a way that lets me know he’s wishing it too. “We’ll finish this when I get off shift. I’m nowhere near done with you.”

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