Page 53 of As You Ice It

I don’t know what I was expecting—I guesswords.

Not Camden’s mouth to descend on mine: hot, eager, and very,veryconvincing.

Though I’ve replayed Cam’s kisses in moments of weakness more times than I want to admit over the past seven months, experiencing the real thing again almost knocks me off my feet. Mostly because I am no longer aware of my feet. Camden’s mouth demands my full attention.

I can barely keep up as his lips move against mine, and he seems to sense my overwhelm, quickly shifting gears and slowing to a pace that’s almost excruciating. His hands leave the wall and cup my cheeks, his palms a deliciously rough contrast to the gentleness.

That’s the thing with Camden: he is a study in contrast.

So strong yet so gentle.

A quiet man of few words, but when he decides to talk, he has so much to say.

His kisses are demanding, and yet it feels like he is giving me everything.

A sound escapes me, something shamefully revealing, and I can’t even bring myself to care. Especially not when Camden chuckles against my mouth, trailing kisses along my jaw until he reaches my ear. His teeth give my earlobe the lightest tug before he whispers, “I’ve missed your mouth.”

I’ve missed your everything.

I’m glad I don’t have enough breath to say the words. If I thought the sound I just made was embarrassing, it would be nothing compared to confessing how I feel.

But it’s true.

Kissing Camden is only a confirmation of how much I’ve missed him. How much better I feel with him. Maybe it’s wrong to feel more whole around another person—but that’s how I feel. Whole.

I’ve been on my own for so long. I mean, I’ve had my family around, and I’ve had Liam. But I’ve been functionally and enthusiastically independent for years now, in a way I had to be as a young, single parent.

So, it doesn’t seem like a dangerous codependence to admit that Camden makes me feel moreme. I’ve conquered independence. And now, maybe it’s time to stop making it the goal.

“Naomi?”

“Hm?” My eyes open slowly, like I’ve just woken from the most luxurious sleep.

Leaving a too-quick kiss on the tip of my nose, Camden steps away and bends down to grab the takeout I’d forgotten all about. “Your food is probably getting cold.”

He holds it out, and I want to shove him because after that kiss he wants to talk to me about takeout?

But I do need to go. Parker and everyone else might already be at my house. I don’t want to show up late and looking totally kiss-drunk.

“You better call me,” I warn, taking the bag of food.

The grin Camden gives me is absolutely gorgeous. “Promise,” he says.

And before he can tell me not to, I push right through the emergency exit. The alarm is so loud that I’m almost to my car by the time I hear my phone ringing. Glancing down at the screen while balancing the takeout bag and my keys, I grin.

It’s Camden calling.

I can hear the echo of the alarm through the phone as I answer. “Ye-e-e-s-s-s?” I stretch the word into one long syllable, grinning all the while.

“Naomi.”

Hearing my name from him, even though the phone line, makes my stomach do a dramatic swan dive. “This is she.”

He chuckles. “It’s Camden.”

“I know.”

He clears his throat, and when he speaks again, he sounds adorably nervous. “I wanted to remind you that I need the address for your office so I can pick you up.”

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