By the afternoon, I’m exhausted from staring at my laptop screen, and my stomach is grumbling from hunger, so I get up to go find something to eat. When I get downstairs, I see Bruno has betrayed me and is on the couch with Cami. I’m surprised she’s down here, considering how she was feeling this morning. I figured she’d be sleeping or attempting schoolwork.
She continues messing with her phone, so she either doesn’t hear me or she’s ignoring me. Tiptoeing closer, I look over the sofa and notice she’s on TikTok.
Leaning down until I’m in the camera frame, I smirk. “Whatcha doing?”
“Jesus, Eli!” She jumps and quickly spins around. “Stop doing that!”
“Are you making a video?” I ask with amusement. “Can I see it?”
“No, you can’t. Go away.”
“Oh, come on. I wanna see.”
“No!”
Reaching over, I try to grab it from her hand, but she moves away.
“Stop!” She laughs when I climb over the couch and land on top of her. She holds it up above her head, trying to keep it out of my reach.
“What’re you hiding? Why can’t I watch it?”
“Because it’s just a dumb skit, and you’ll laugh at me.”
“Now I definitely wanna see it.” I grin. She shuffles underneath me, and I hold myself up with one hand so I don’t crush her.
“Never gonna happen!”
I bring my fingers under her arm and tickle her side. “Oh my God!” She wiggles long enough for me to grab the phone from her grip, and she screams. “No!”
Laughing, I pull back until I get a better view of her screen. With one arm, I hold her back as she struggles to fight against me.
Cami sucker punches me in the gut, causing me to lean forward. She tries swiping it, but I’m faster and move it out of reach.
“Nice try,” I say. “You can’t hurt steel.”
She rolls her eyes at the reference to my abs. “So I should aim lower?”
“God, no. Don’t do that.” Especially since she’s underneath me and my mind is going fucking wild with ideas.
“Give it back and no one gets hurt.”
“Just let me see it. How bad can it be?”
She pushes herself up, trying once again to take it, but I pull back just far enough so she can’t. With my other hand, I grab her wrist and hold it above her head. Towering over her, I bring my face close to hers.
“The more you fight it, the more I want it.” My cock throbs in agreement.
There’s a fire behind her eyes as we stare at each other. She brings a hand around my neck and pulls me closer until our mouths connect. My body stiffens for a moment, but when she slides her tongue between my lips, I instantly relax. Cami’s legs wrap around my waist, and she arches her back, grinding her body against mine.
I drop the phone, sliding one hand to her face and squeezing her hip with the other.
“Fuck,” I growl when she pushes into me harder.
Her hand roams down my body, and I kiss down her jawline until my lips find her ear. “If you think this gets you out of showing me that video, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Trying to be sneaky, she stretches her arm and searches around the floor for it. Grabbing her elbow, I suck on her neck and stop her. “Nice try, princess.”
Pinning her to the couch, I squeeze my hand around her wrists. She attempts to shuffle out of my grip, but I’m too strong.
“You can’t distract me with your mouth.”
“Is that so?” She licks her lips and lowers her eyes to my noticeable erection. It doesn’t help that I’m wearing gym shorts.
I study her and notice the way her body reacts to me. With flushed cheeks, she gasps for air as her chest rapidly rises and falls. She might’ve used kissing me to get her phone, but she wants this as much as I do. Cami’s just as affected as I am but doesn’t want to admit it.
Instead of giving in, I grip her hips and flip her over until she’s on her stomach so she can’t wiggle loose. She squeals as I take her wrists again then put her arms around her back, making sure I’m being careful with her. “What are you doing?” She rests her cheek on the couch and doesn’t try to get away.
“Tell me what you want me to do…” I lean down and whisper in her ear. “Did you make a move because you only wanted something or because you want me?”
She swallows hard and licks her swollen lips, staying silent.
“You want to use me? Then use me,” I challenge.
Blinking, she clears her throat and furrows her brows, trying to look at me. “I’d never do that to you, Eli.”
“Good,” I say with a smirk. I release my grip, giving her room to leave, but instead, she sucks in her bottom lip and stays put.
Shifting my body, I roam my hands down her back, then slowly lift her shirt. I press my lips to the little dimple above her ass, and she lets out a bated breath. Kissing up her spine, I remove her clothes in the process. Cami releases a moan, and I nearly embarrass myself with the way my cock responds.
She puts her arms between the couch and her body, slightly lifting herself so I can bring a hand around her and cup her bare breast. The softness of her skin almost has me tearing everything off and giving in to what we both want. Pressing my head into the crook of her neck, I groan at how good she feels pressed against me. She shifts and turns slightly until her gaze meets mine. Without a word, I capture her lips with mine, and when she moans, I grab her jaw and deepen the kiss. I taste the sweetness of the syrup she ate with breakfast this morning, and we both fight for more.
My other hand slides up, and I wrap my fist in her hair, slightly tugging. The heat burning between us is so hot, I wouldn’t be surprised if that annoying smoke detector started beeping again.
Then the doorbell rings.
What the fuck?
We pull apart, both gasping for air as we look at each other confused.
“Did you hear that?” she asks.
“I did.” I furrow my brows. “Are you expecting someone?”
“No. Are you?”
“No.” I lift off her, then straighten my shirt and shorts. Holding out my hand, I help Cami to her feet, and she adjusts herself as we stand awkwardly in front of each other. “I’ll go check it out.”
“I’ll come with you.”
She follows me as I walk to the front door. I look through the peephole, but don’t see anyone. Relief floods through me until I swing it open and see a bouquet of at least two dozen roses on the welcome mat.
I step to the side and watch Cami’s reaction.
“I’m gonna take a wild guess and say those are for you.”
She releases a heavy sigh and grabs them. The crystal vase alone looks like it easily cost a grand, and I know I can’t compete with that. They’re obviously from Zane, and no matter what, he’ll always have an advantage over me.
Cami takes them into the kitchen, and I shut the door, then follow her. The flame that ignited our hot make-out session has extinguished, and she notices when I walk past her and grab a bottle of water from the fridge.
“So, who are they from?” I ask bitterly, unable to look at her. Chugging the water, I keep my back to her and wait for the inevitable.
“Zane,” she responds. “And he left a note.”