Page 30 of Caught in the Middle

She realized she told on herself and gave a small smile and a simple shrug. “I needed a quick way to find out who I was fake dating. It seemed to work well enough that first time.”

He laughed, swallowing another bite. “How many times have you looked at my profile?”

“Twice.” She smiled between bites, then said with a mouthful. “Maybe more.”

Cam grinned. “Well, as I’m sure you know, life online is not always the same as in person.”

It was her turn to arch a brow. “Things not good back home?”

He chuckled. “No, they are. Thankfully so. But lately, it’s been as if more and more of my friends and coworkers are settling down.” He thought for a moment. “I guess I’m in that phase of getting older where even though I have great friends, it takes more planning to get together and we can’t always do it as often. Before, we’d send a text or expect to see everyone at the same bar every Friday night. Then we’d plan a trip every few months or something.”

Cam took another bite before continuing, Emma still eating as she listened. “We still do those things whenever we have time, but typically we try to get together for dinner every other week and it’s harder to align schedules to vacation together. I think Nate was probably trying to live through my experiences while he works himself ragged lately,” Cam joked. “Which Katie has already lectured me to never listen to his advice again.”

Emma laughed at that. Cam had been telling her more and more about his friends the past couple of days. They sounded like her kind of people, all caring, fun, and didn’t take life too seriously. Then again, she’d never really allowed herself to get close to anyone outside of Lulu and her family, Aunt Mel, and her ex.

The thought hit her like a gust of wind. It was true, she realized. She’d never been good about letting people in. Allowing them to get too close. Interesting.

“I have a feeling Katie is probably right on this one,” she said.

He nodded dramatically then laughed. “Honestly though, it’s not been too bad.”

The statement sent a single butterfly floating through her stomach. She’d done her best to avoid any of the flirting from last night.

“Do you have your phone on you?” Cam asked.

She looked at him questioningly. “Yeah?”

He rolled his eyes. “Don’t look so worried,” he joked. “Can I look at your profile? It seems only fair. Besides, we should probably be following each other like a normal boyfriend and girlfriend.”

Emma knew the feeling that panged her was disappointment as she pulled her phone out. She’d scrolled his photos more times than she would admit, and yet he hadn’t even bothered to look her up. This was all the more reason why the intense heat of last night was a bad idea.

She handed over the phone and Cam took it from her with a grin. “Password?”

She told him and then watched as he found the app he was looking for.

“You’re awful trusting to let me have full access.”

She took a drink of orange juice. “I’m not worried. I have nothing to hide.”

“No nudes?”

“Nope.”

“No embarrassing messages?”

“None. I’m an open book.”

“Too bad,” he joked, earning a smile from across the table. Damn, he enjoyed those smiles, though he tried not to let her know he was paying that close attention. Instead, his lips spread into a grin as he opened Instagram and saw his face pop up on the screen. “Looky there,” he said while turning the phone around.

Emma started to lean forward to see then instantly realized what was on the screen. Shit, she’d forgotten she’d been looking at his profile yesterday to waste time while waiting for Lulu to come out of a store.

She made a face to suggest she wasn’t embarrassed and shrugged her shoulders. “I’ve got to do research,” was her only response.

“Mhmm,” he replied. “I think you just like seeing me shirtless in my summer photos.”

“Please, I get enough of that here.”

“Don’t act like you don’t enjoy the view,” his voice lowered, caressing down her cheek and neck from across the table. “I saw you eating me up with those chocolate eyes.”

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