Page 41 of Echoes in the Storm
Oh, I can do that.Kissing her last night might have taken me by surprise, but it was no mistake. How can it be when I reacted on raw instinct alone?
I reach out and place my hands on her hips, pulling her forward so she’s forced to drop to her knees. Cammie slides in closer as I urge her forward, her knees pressed tight against my thigh. She’s poised, ready for my next move, when a relatively important thought pops into my head. “Do I have morning breath?”
“What?” she says with a laugh, her eyes crinkling adorably at the corners.
“I mean, I’d hate for this epic moment to be ruined by a bad experience with halitosis. Maybe I should go brush my teeth real quick.”
She sighs out her nose, holding a single finger up. I watch as she dives into her bag and pulls out a tin of breath mints. A small blue tab drops into her hand, and pinching it between forefinger and thumb, she jerks her chin toward me. “Open up.”
The mint burns on the tip of my tongue as she drops it on, dissolving quickly as I crunch it between my teeth and shift the powder all around my mouth. I huff into my cupped hand, satisfied with the result.
“Okay now?” she queries.
“Think so.” Her breath hitches as I trail a fingertip under her jaw. “Where were we then?”
“You were about to convince me that you didn’t kiss me by accident, that you don’t regret it, and that the thought of your lips on mine has plagued you as much as the thought of mine on yours has driven me crazy this morning.”
“Come here.” I tuck my index finger under her jaw, pressing into the soft flesh to coax her forward.
Her lids droop, her pupils flaring into deep black pools as she looks down to focus on my mouth. The sight of her so focused on our kiss does nothing to make the stiffy in my boxers disappear. If anything, the velvety feel of her painted lips as she teases them against mine only thickens my cock until I’m twice as hard as I was when I woke up.
Inhibitions and doubts aside, I kiss this girl as if it’s the first time we’ve met, as though neither of us are chained to the ghosts of our pasts, and as though somewhere, somehow, in an alternate reality, chalk and cheese like Cam and I could actually get along enough to have a future together.
She shifts the knee closest to me between my legs, settling herself on my thigh. I groan as the warmth at the apex of her thighs heats my leg, her pussy pressed flush against my quad.Grind it, baby.The thought settles in my mind as she pinches my bottom lip between hers, soft, slow, sensual.Grind those hips, girl.
“Duke …”
“Yeah?”Don’t get off.
“We’re stopping it here.”
I groan. “Why?”
She smiles, those eyes bright as she does indeed climb off and straighten her clothes. “I’m convinced.”
Damn it’s good to see those eyes bright again. “Good.”
Cammie collects her bag and keys, tossing the set in her hand as she seems to think over what to say next. She chooses not to speak, which is fine by me, because to be honest, I don’t know what to say either.
I met this woman four days ago. It hasn’t even been a week, and yet, I’m struck by how easy it is to connect with her. Especially since we both faced our fears and shared with each other the innermost parts of who we are.
Who we were.
Maybe who we can be.
Only time will tell.
Cammie
“Second day in a row, honey.”
I roll my eyes at Mum’s statement. She wouldn’t come out and actually say it, but I know what she hints at—she’s usually lucky if I call her twice in a week. I’m so stubbornly independent.
“Well, because I’m sure your visit yesterday had a little something to do with it, I thought I’d share a milestone with you.”
“You learned how to shop for real food?” She laughs at her own joke.
“No, Mum.” I take deep breath, twisting my grip on the steering wheel. “I opened Taylah’s door.”