Page 27 of Caught in the Middle

“Don’t let us stop you from PDA,” Lulu purred mischievously.

Cam’s eyes snapped to Emma’s, not realizing he’d been staring at her this entire time. Lulu gave him a grin he knew meant trouble as her brows did a double bounce. She gestured toward Lauren and Asher, who admittedly looked like a couple infatuated with one another, him still seated on the edge and her in the water, both her arms over his legs for support.

“You look like you want to devour her,” Lulu commented and laughed.

“Stop giving us a hard time,” Emma started, but Cam was already wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her into him. She could feel his heartbeat against her back and was sure it matched her own quickened pace.

“Well, we’d hate to disappoint,” he joked back, though he could see something like a victory flag cross Lulu’s expression. As they went back to their conversation, Asher now telling them Henry said he was going to take a nap and spend the rest of the evening at the casino, Cam leaned his head closer to Emma’s.

He whispered so only she could hear. “If you want me to let you go, just say the word.”

A million thoughts skittered through her mind, none of them including a desire for his hands to leave her body. She could feel the rough calluses of them against her skin. “It’s more believable this way,” she whispered back, her head turning toward his, suddenly aware of how close his lips were to hers.

Cam looked at those lips, soft and pink, tempted to make this all the more believable, but knowing that wasn’t a line he would cross unless she wanted him to. When he raised his eyes to hers, he could’ve sworn he saw the same thought passing through her. Instead, she smiled and turned back to their group, Dan now asking how they all knew each other.

“Lauren and I are sisters,” Lulu explained. “And Emma is our sister whether she regrets ever meeting us or not.”

“I could never,” Emma responded.

“And how’d you guys meet?” Dan asked toward Lauren and Asher.

Cam felt Emma stiffen in his arms. This was the exact kind of scenario she was hoping to avoid. Anything that would shed light on her role.

He noticed Lauren hesitate, but it was Asher who spoke. “We all go way back. Emma and I met through mutual friends and she introduced me to Lauren and Lulu.”

Asher looked toward Emma, whether in question, a dare to say otherwise, or an apology, Cam couldn’t tell, because he hid any emotion well.

Before Cam could process what he was going to say, his mouth was opening and words coming out. “And we met through a passion for adventure.” He squeezed her tight, his head sidling down onto her shoulder next to hers as they swayed in the pool. “I think the world knew we were meant to meet and pushed the circumstances to make it happen.”

Emma relaxed into him, whether because of his words or the protective hold he had on her, even if it looked like nothing more than a boyfriend holding his girlfriend, she knew better. She could sense he wanted to shield her from wherever this conversation might go.

An unfamiliar sense of comfort and safety swam through her. She tried to ignore it.

“You’re such a romantic,” Lauren said but he barely heard her as he was looking at Emma, her eyes a mixture of gratitude and something else. It was that something else that was tugging on his heart.

“So I’ve been told,” he murmured.

Emma gave him the sweetest smile he’d ever seen in his life, her arms wrapping around his, her thumb gently caressing back and forth.

It felt like the world stopped existing outside of that little moment and the breath of air in between them.

Until a gush of water sprayed their faces and Lulu was laughing as she said, “Okay, okay. I take back my PDA comment earlier. That’s too lovey. Take it somewhere else.”

He let go of Emma as they both wiped the water from their eyes and faces.

She couldn’t help but feel the water was too cool now, replacing the spots where Cam’s body had just been. She was going to have to have a serious conversation with Lulu about intervening. Or maybe her friend was saving her from making a huge mistake, even if she was the one who pointed out Cam could be the perfect guy for her, a thought that made her nervous and too self-aware.

She didn’t dare look in her friend's direction, in fear of what she’d see written across her face. Lulu knew what she’d been doing by sending that splash of cold water to bring them back to reality.

???

“What do you want to do for dinner?” Cam asked as they made their way through the lobby toward the elevator.

Emma tugged her bottom lip through her teeth as she thought it over. “Room service?”

Cam stuck his hand in front of the elevator doors for Emma to enter first.

“I’m not in the mood to get around for a restaurant.” Emma pressed the button for their room.

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