Page 70 of Playmaker

I never knew the true meaning of the wordbreathtakingbefore I visited the canyon for the first time. It was a painting come to life when I first saw it, and I had to suck in a sharp breath of air after being so transfixed by the peace that was almost too overwhelming to bear.

Aside from the wind, it’s silent here, allowing me the time to truly think and reflect on every stressor and inconvenience going on in my life. It brings a sense ofsecuritythat I didn’t realize I needed until now.

Footsteps crunching on stone shift my attention to Cameron, who has come to stand beside me and admire the view too.

The more he stares, the more distant he becomes.

Maybe Cameron needs this moment of peace even more than I do.

There’s a deck with a built-in pool, a grill, and even a hot tub attached to the house, and when Maya spots it, she squeals with excitement. “We aresohitting the pool! Let’s go get changed!”

Cameron snaps out of whatever daze he’s in and joins my father and Ethan to lug the bags inside. It might be a coincidence, but it doesn’t stop the flurry of butterflies taking flight that he’s grabbed only my suitcase along with his own.

My eyes are trained on the way his muscles in his back contract from the weight when Maya scoffs beside me and says, “So far, you’re doing a terrible job of not making it obvious.”

“It’s not my fault,” I groan. “Why does he have to look likethat? He’s so tall, and why did he have to wear those shorts that emphasize his calves?” Maya bursts out laughing, and I send her a dirty glare. “I despise being a female with hormones.”

“Don’t worry, girl.” Maya pats me on the shoulder and pushes me in the direction of the Airbnb. “You’re not the only one salivating. Now let’s go get in our swimsuits and give them a taste of their own medicine.”

—

Two hours later, my dad returns from a nearby grocery store with some steaks to grill, and my mom is working on the side dishes in the kitchen. She told us she didn’t need help and encouraged us to go have fun in the pool.

I prefer to put all my clothes away on the first day of vacation, but for my best friend who is trying to live this trip to the fullest, I’ll sacrifice my routine and join her for a pool day.

When I step outside in the skimpy bikini Maya lent me, a portable radio is blaring as my dad gets the grill ready. Maya is already floating on her back in the water, allowing the sun to tan her skin to perfection, and Ethan’s eyes are glued to her from where he sits on a patio chair. A bottle of whiskey sits beside him, a full glass in his hand as he gulps half of it down.

I bite my lip to keep from smiling.

He’s got it bad.

“Maddie!” Maya exclaims when she spots me. “Come on, let’s play chicken!”

“Chicken?With just ourselves?”

She rolls her eyes, waving to Ethan and—

Holy hell.

The breath hitches in my throat when my eyes meet Cameron’s. His gaze is already burning a hole in the side of my head, and the look in his eyes is identical to when he’s inside of me.

He shifts his gaze to Ethan, who’s too focused on what Maya just proposed to care about anything else, so Cameron takes his time checking me out, staring at my breasts for a beat longer than he should.

His hard, muscular body is oiled up and he’s wearing another pair of hoochie shorts. One arm is on the back of the patio chair he’s sitting in, and his long legs are sprawled out before him. I want to sink to my knees, pull those shorts down, and show him just how good he fucking looks.

Shit.

I’m never going to keep this facade up if I keep thinking dirty.

Cameron takes a slow sip from the whiskey bottle, eyeing me over the rim.

“We have two strong, capable men I’m sure would be more than willing to help us out, no?” Maya bats her eyelashes at Ethan, who gives a curt nod and practically hurls his chair back at the prospect of having her legs around his head, even if it’s not in the way he wants.

“Well?” Cameron asks with a teasing grin. “What do you say, Mads?”

“I don’t know,” I reply with a grin of my own. “Are you as strong as you look?”

A twinkle lights up his eyes. “Stronger than you’d think.”

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