Page 99 of Already At Risk
His fingers brushed the inside of my wrist as he walked past me, striding straight to the door. He paused when he reached it, fingers wrapped around the knob.
“Feel better, Champ,” he called to Chloe.
And then he was gone, leaving a balloon of emotion in my chest.
six months ago
NATALIE
I actually didn’t like to dance.
Well, that wasn’t entirely true.
I just wasn’t really good at it. Things like rhythm and melody and music escaped me. My brain didn’t operate that way, unfortunately. I enjoyed it all, but I couldn’t carry a tune or maintain a beat, and did I really want Cam to know that? No, thank you.
But for some reason, when he held out his hand for me to take, I took it.
Hot shivers shot up my arm, radiating from that point of contact. His eyes darkened, like he felt it, too. The mood that surrounded us was flirtatious, fun, but also magnetic and intense. I didn’t really know how to describe it but knew it was a dangerous mix. I’d gone down roads I shouldn’t have before and regretted it. My past weighed on me heavily, day in and out, and I should really tread carefully.
But when Cam flashed his dimples at me, his smile bright and kind, the music upbeat and inviting, I felt lighter than I had in a really long time.
“I’ll dance with you,” I answered, and he immediately took note of how I hadn’t exactly answered his question.
“You don’t have to,” he laughed. “It was just an idea.”
What a novel concept, not having to do anything I didn’t want to—it wasn’t normally something I experienced with other men, my ex in particular. Having choices.
I knew I didn’t have to dance. And yet…
“No, I want to,” I insisted.
Cam grinned and whisked me out of my seat.
“Then come on, Mama,” he murmured, eyes twinkling.
My stomach somersaulted.
Mama.
Being a mom didn’t usually make me feel sexy, but when this man said it? It reminded me that that title was the most powerful part of me, and there was nothing wrong with it. In fact, there was everything right about it.
I didn’t bother hiding my smile as I followed him to the dance floor.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
cameron
“CAM, MY MAN.”
My uncle’s booming voice sounded through my car speakers on my way to work, a jarring tug back into reality after my brain had spent the last twenty-four hours tied up in thoughts around Natalie and Chloe: wishing Natalie had let me stay to help, wondering how they were both doing, worrying that Chloe had gotten sicker or Natalie had caught the bug, too.
She didn’t text me to ask for anything, not that I was surprised by that. Natalie wasn’t used to being with a man who actually helped with things, but I wanted to show her that would never be her reality with me around…even if she wasn’t quite ready for that reality yet. I understood why. I understood it went against what we’d agreed upon. But fuck, it hurt to walk away when I could see the stress in her eyes. When all I wanted to do washelp.
I’d sent one text, asking if Chloe was doing better. Natalie replied, which was something. She said Chloe claimed the 7UP healed her, and then she thanked me again.
I’d barely done anything. She knew that, right? Making sure the two of them had something to eat and drink was the lowest bar in existence.
“What’s up, Uncle Tony?” I asked, forcing myself to stop thinking about the London girls.
