Page 12 of The Beginning
Saturday morning
“Hey mom,” Darian says, tossing his basketball up in the air. I turn from the counter as I stir the coffee in my hands, giving him my attention. “Can I get a ride to practice?”
Glancing at my watch, I notice the time. “I thought practice was later this afternoon,” I say walking to where Lexi is sitting working on her laptop. I sit the cup next to her. She’s been quiet this morning, and I’m really hoping it’s just because she’s tired and it’s not the residual from the nightmare Cam told me Lexi had.
“Yeah but CJ and I want to get some shots in before the team gets there. Please?” Darian says tossing the ball up and down while speaking.
Closing the laptop Lexi smiles at me. Picking up the cup, she takes a quick sip. “I can take him, if you want. I needed to pick some things up from the store anyway. Two birds, one stone.Yada yada,” she says laughing while taking another sip of the hot beverage.
I gauge her to make sure it's a sincere request before I release a quick breath. Looking back at Darian, who now has a smile on his face. “Lexi is going to take you, okay? When you need to be picked up, just call me. I know you will probably end up over at CJ’s anyway,” I say grabbing the cup from Lexi while taking a drink.
Grabbing her laptop in her hands, she stands from the island counter. She walks towards the kitchen entry towards our side of the house. “Get your stuff. I will be ready in a minute. Let me put my laptop in my room,” Lexi tells Darian as she walks by.
I’m sitting in the kitchen, looking at my phone and drinking coffee after they leave when Camden walks in the kitchen. His hair is mussed up, and he’s only wearing a pair of sleep pants, since he just woke up. When he finally came to bed after helping Lexi fall asleep, he stayed awake a little longer. I felt him next to me restless. My mind was going crazy as it is, so I knew he hadn’t gone right to sleep.
“Morning, baby,” Cam says as he kisses the top of my head as he walks by going straight to the coffee maker. My eyes lift to watch the muscles in his back ripple as he reaches for a cup in the cabinet and begins to pour his straight black coffee.
Lifting the cup to his lips, he turns and leans against the counter. Licking his lips, bringing the cup down he smiles at me. “See something you like,” he jokingly asks with a wink.
I giggle and lift my cup to my lips. Before taking the drink I reply, “Always.” Which in turn makes him laugh. We stare ateach other for a few more moments before he pushes himself off the counter and makes his way to the seat next to me.
Turning my body more towards him, I sit my cup down on the counter. “How did it go last night?” I ask him.
Leaning his elbows on the counter after sitting his cup down as well, he drops his head slightly. I can tell he’s tired. Not just from lack of sleep, but the knowledge of what has happened to our friend is taking a toll on both of us. After releasing a deep sigh, he looks over to me.
“She told me what happened to her with that asshole. I can’t believe she had to deal with that for that long,” he says, shaking his head. “But she’s strong and resilient. I know she can get through this. I just hate seeing her like this.”
Nodding my head, I reach over the counter and place my hand on his forearm. “I know. Me too. But I know together we can help her,” I say. “I know you care about her too, Cam.”
His head quickly shoots my direction, and he’s shaking his head before I can even speak. Turning his whole body now, I can tell he’s immediately on defense. After what happened with Alyssa, he’s scared to put his feelings on the line again. Quickly standing from my seat, I walk to stand between his thighs and place my hands on his stubbled cheeks, stilling his shaking head.
“Baby, do you trust me?” I ask.
Camden’s eyes search mine for many seconds, scared of what I’m about to say. My brows lift awaiting his answer.
“You know I do, Shay. There’s no question,” he replies as he places his hands on my hips, giving them a gentle squeeze.
“I need you to be honest with me and yourself. Okay?” I say and he slowly nods. His eyes are still dancing between mine. “You care about Lexi, don’t you?”
“Of course, as a fr–” he starts before I interrupt him.
“Stop lying to yourself. I can see it in your eyes when she’s around and whenever we talk about her. You already knowmy feelings about her. Now be honest with me and yourself, Camden,” I say more sternly.
“Yes…” he starts and hesitates for a moment. I know it’s not because of me he doesn’t want to admit it. It’s his own sanity and heart he has been protecting by holding this in. “I care about her very much, Shay. Too much. And it terrifies me.”
Giving Camden a small smile, I lean forward and softly kiss his lips. “I know it does, baby,” I say against his lips before kissing them again. “But I think this time it will be different. She’s different.”
He stares in my eyes for several moments before pulling me flush against his body, and kissing me passionately. Our tongues war with one another, and his immediately takes control. My arms instinctively go around his neck and I feel the kiss all the way from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. When we break apart, our lips stay close enough for me to feel his breath ghost over my face. The smell of coffee and his own scent invades my senses.
“I hope so, Shay. I really do. But until she is the one telling us it’s okay, I’m not getting my hopes up,” he says low and quiet.
I purse my lips because I can tell just by his words, he’s already invested in this and is hoping already as well. I nod at his words as we hear the door open and close. I don’t move from between his legs. I can hear Lexi’s footsteps getting closer. As soon as she walks in the kitchen she hesitates for a moment when she sees us in an embrace.
Her eyes go from mine to Camden’s and when he locks on hers, her cheeks slightly flush and her eyes drop. Walking to the coffee maker, she pulls a mug from the cabinet and begins to make herself another cup of coffee. Her back is to us as I look at Camden with an inquisitive look on my face. His brows are furrowed and he gives a little shrug.
Giving Cam another chaste kiss on his lips we both turn back to our coffee just as Lexi turns back around. “So what are the plans for the day?” Lexi asks.
“Well–” I start but am interrupted.
