Page 20 of Wild and Bright

“No, she doesn’t.” I hear a smile in Chris’s voice, but my eyes are fixed on Cam’s face.

That smile. I’ve seen it so many times in the last twenty-four hours, I ought to be immune to it by now. Instead, it pulls up long-forgotten memories.

Cam and I had so few moments of harmony growing up. Depending on the circumstances, his attitude toward me wavered between annoyance and disdain. But every once in a while, I’d glance in his direction and catch a look in his eyes that would tie my stomach into knots.

A hungry look.

Though my cheeks warm, I fight to keep my expression blank. I can’t let him see how much that look affects me.

This is only sex for him. Not a real relationship.

“So you don’t want me saying anything to anyone about our situation?”

“You can tell your friends and family we’re in a relationship. You just can’t say anything publicly. So nothing on your YouTube channel—”

“Cam,” Chris interrupts, lifting a piece of paper in front of him. “This seems like a good time to have her sign the NDA.”

Cam nods, and Chris sets the document in front of me. He starts explaining what it means—item by item—but I barely hear him.

My thoughts are racing. I can’t believe Cam would make me do this. I can’t believe he trusts me this little. He’s treating me like a groupie.

“Are you really making me sign an NDA?” I keep my voice low.

His eyes grow slightly hesitant, though his voice remains as hard as ever. “It’s standard in our industry. Most people do it when they start a new…relationship.”

He’s barely able to utter the word “relationship,” because it’s obviously so repulsive to him, which only fans my fire. My jaw clenches. “You’ve known me almost my entire life. Since I was fucking five years old. I was in your backyard when I got my period for the first time. And you’re really making me sign an NDA?”

He doesn’t respond. His expression is almost blank, and I could cry.

“I know all kinds of things about you already. Things about your whole family.” I shake my head. “Hunter would never make me do this, even with all the stupid shit I’ve seen him do when he’s drunk—” Wrath flashes in Cam’s eyes, and my lips close.

“I’m not Hunter.” The words are delivered softly, but they send a chill down my spine.

Somehow, I’m able to hold his stare. “Obviously not. Hunter trusts me.”

Cam leans forward, and I get the distinct impression that he would grab me if he could. Oddly, the thought warms me. Turns me on, even. And I’m thankful for the feeling. Without it, I’d be tempted to storm out of here, if only for the thrill of thwarting him, and I can’t do that.

I need this.

I need this for me and Cadence.

“Hunter lets you walk all over him.” His tone is ice. “And I won’t.”

I scoff, waving a hand and leaning back in my chair. “No way. If this was really ‘standard in your industry’, I would have seen Hunter do it with other people. I bet you made that up because you’re a psychotic control freak.”

Cam doesn’t even flinch. He already knows he’s a control freak, and he doesn’t care.

“Alright, whatever. I’ll sign.” I grab the pen and paper from Chris’s hands. “It’s not like I’m planning on blabbing anything anyway. If you knew me half as well as Hunter—”

“I know you every bit as well as Hunter.”

Cam’s booming voice startles me, making the “H” in my signature a little more jagged than usual. There’s that same petulance I heard earlier in the car. I keep my head down as I scribble out the date in order to hide the small smile rising to my lips.

Good Lord. Does he realize how jealous he sounds?

I school my face to look blank before turning in Cam’s direction. “Is that all?”

His dark brows draw together. He looks like he forgot what we were talking about, which makes me wonder if he’s regretting his lapse in self-control.

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