“I have excellent avoidance skills.” He gave me a pointed look and I felt myself blush. “I didn’t mean...”
“So, you haven’t been avoiding me all week?”
The air in the room turned dense as Cameron’s gray-blue eyes stared at me intently.
Clearing my throat, I managed to choke out, “I think it was pretty clear after last Saturday—” He took a step forward and I swallowed, backing up, careful not to touch the trophy cabinets. “Cameron,” I sighed.
“Yes, Sunshine?” The corner of his mouth tipped.
“You promised this was just for research purposes.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” Humor danced in his eyes as he kept advancing on me, and despite knowing I needed to escape, I found myself lost in his stormy gaze.
My back finally hit the wall, the reverberation rattling my bones. I pressed my palms against it to stop myself from reaching out for him. But Cameron leaned in, touching his head to mine, completely overwhelming me. “I can’t stop thinking about you,” he admitted, so quietly it was more like a rush of warm air than actual words. “Last Saturday was me doing the right thing, Hailee. You were drunk and I—”
“You just want what you can’t have.” My eyes burned with defiance, willing myself to stay strong.
“I wish it was that simple.” He let out a deep breath.
“What are we doing, Cameron?” What are you doing Hailee? I silently added as I breathed him in.
All week, I’d told myself avoiding him was for the best, that I needed to stay away from Cameron and his mind games. It was easy when I saw him with the team, the constant rotation of girls vying for his attention. Cameron Chase, wide receiver, number fourteen, belonged to Rixon. He was theirs to have, theirs to worship, theirs to love. But there were moments with him, when it was just the two of us, when it felt like he was mine. Like he was offering me a piece of himself.
And all I had to do was reach out and take it.
But I didn’t want the scraps. I wasn’t just another jersey chaser looking for whatever she could get. I wanted all of him or nothing. Something, I knew, he would never be able to give me.
“Tell me what you’re thinking,” he said, pulling me further under his spell.
It was just that though. A spell. And when it was broken, I’d be Hailee Raine, Jason’s step-sister again and he’d be Cameron Chase, my brother’s best friend.
Which is why, no matter how much I wanted him—and I did, I could finally admit it—I forced out the words, “I’m thinking this, us, it can never work.”
Defiance glittered in his eyes as he lowered his mouth to mine. “Don’t you know by now, Sunshine? I’m a Raider and Raiders never quit.”
My stomach sank as Cameron kissed me. Not because the feel of his lips moving against mine didn’t feel good, it did. It felt like my entire body was on fire, every stroke of his tongue making the flames lick higher and higher until I was burning with need. But because he’d proved me right. He was a Raider, he would always be a Raider. And one day, he and my step-brother would ride off into the sunset together, leaving me and the rest of Rixon with no choice but to stand by and watch.
And then where would that leave me?
“Cameron—” I breathed against his lips as they devoured me. Fixed over mine again and again, stealing the air from my lungs, and all rational thought from my mind.
“Just give me this, Hailee.” He paused, his mouth hovering over mine, his eyes pinning me to the spot. “I need this, please.” There was something so vulnerable about the way he said the words it made my heart ache. I leaned back, finally bringing my hands to his face, allowing myself to touch him.
Giving myself—him—this moment.
My fingers slid against his stubbled jaw, tracing the sharp angles of his face. I dropped my other hand to his bicep, painting the tattoo peeking out beneath his sleeve. “You like that, don’t you?” he asked, and I nodded.
“It’s beautiful.” I’d never really found tattoos appealing before but staring at the cherry blossom and hummingbird inked on Cameron’s arm, it made me want to draw on his skin. To brand him with my own mark.
“You’re beautiful.” His fingers gently gripped my chin, forcing my face back to his. Cameron didn’t hesitate this time, tracing the seam of my lips with his tongue. His hands glided down my body, anchoring at my waist and pulling me flush against him. A small gasp spilled out of me when I felt the outline of his hardness against my stomach. I don’t think I’d ever get used to the fact that Cameron wanted me. It made me drunk with desire. Turned me on in a way I’d never experienced before.
But most of all, it made all the memories of his complicities in Jason’s games fade into nothing.
“I want to feel you,” he murmured between kisses. “Let me touch you, Hailee.” The raw desperation in his voice made my heart flutter wildly in my chest. And when one of his hands found the sliver of skin between my sweater and waistband of my jeans, I almost died, right there in front of his eyes.
“Cam—” My voice was shaky, my breaths coming in short sharp bursts.
“Tell me what you need, Hailee...”
My fingers twisted into his jersey as I yanked him closer, kissing him harder. Cameron’s hand worked lower, expertly unbuttoning my jeans. He dipped his hand inside, grazing my damp panties.
“Jesus,” he groaned, easing away from the kiss to look at me. He didn’t say anything, just watched me, as he rubbed my clit over the thin material. My knees buckled, my stomach clenching with need, as I swallowed a moan. “I need to feel you, Hailee...”
I nodded, letting my head drop back against the wall. Cameron hooked my panties to the side and slid his fingers through my wetness, eliciting a string of tiny gasps from my lips. His eyes were wild, as they watched me. Dark and hooded, simmering with pure lust.
“Hailee,” He swallowed hard. “I—”
“Yo, Chase, are you—” Asher burst into the room, his eyes going wide when they landed on me and Cameron tangled together like lovers in the dark. I panicked trying to push Cameron away, but he pressed me further against the wall, shielding me, his fingers still inside me.
“Hmm, Coach is looking for you, but I can see you’re busy.”
“Ash,” Cameron growled.
He threw up his hands. “I didn’t see a thing.” There was a lilt in his voice. Humor. And I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole. “But you might want to... hurry.” Asher tipped his head to the hall.
“Yeah, give me a minute.” Cameron sounded cold now, and the fire died inside me. I tried to wriggle free again, but he was too strong, refusing to let me up.
“Hails,” Asher smirked. “Looking good.” He turned and left, pulling the door closed behind him.
“Oh my god,” I cried squeezing my eyes shut.
“Asher won’t say anything.” Cameron finally withdrew his fingers and backed away. My eyes fluttered open and settled on him, but he looked right through me.
My stomach sank as I fumbled with my jean button. “I should go,” I choked out, willing him to say something.
“Hailee, I’m sorry. It’s just—”