The Thing About Trouble (Crystal Lake 1)

Blue angled her head so she could see his face. She reached up and cupped his jaw. There were many things she wanted to say. Many things to confess. But tonight wasn’t about her. It was about Cam.

“Okay,” she said softly.

He dipped his head and claimed her mouth with an intensity that left her breathless. Blue let his desire and need wash over her. It carried her on a river that began and ended in his arms. Cam scooped her up, and they headed to his bedroom.

That night, there were no more words.

21

Cam opened his eyes.

The long shadows in his bedroom were just starting to recede as, just outside his window, darkness gave way to first light. It was early yet, just past five thirty in the morning, and he had no reason to crawl out of bed. In fact, for the first time in a long while, he had every reason to stay.

A slow grin curved his mouth as he looked down through heavy-lidded eyes at the woman in his arms. She was out cold, her breathing even, her beautiful face relaxed, and her warmth seeped into every part of him. He studied her for a few moments, chest tight, thoughts going to a place he’d never gone to with a woman. Not even Iris, Tawny’s mom. Blue belonged here with him. He never wanted to let her go again.

She mumbled something in her sleep and turned over, though she wiggled her butt back into place, a perfect spoon that had him hard and aching in less time than it would have taken to disengage himself from such a delectable sight. And why would he?

Slowly, his hand traveled down all that skin, tracing the womanly curve of her breast, the outline of her rib cage, the roundness of her hip. She moaned softly, and he curled into her, his hand making its way over her hip until he sank his fingers into the soft heat between her legs. She was wet, and her breathing picked up as he rubbed her clitoris in a gentle, rhythmic motion, and soon her hips gyrated slowly.

He peeked over her shoulder, nipping along the flesh there until his cheek was beside hers. Blue was still asleep, but she was moaning softly, her body reacting to the pleasure he doled out.

Half-asleep himself, but a slave to his body’s demands, he moved against her, slowly thrusting back and forth, his dick sliding along the swell of her butt. Positioning himself, he carefully coaxed her legs open and slid inside Blue from behind. Awash in sensation and heat and tightness, Cam’s eyes fluttered shut. The two of them began to dance again, the ancient thread of need and desire tangled them both up in a dream state of hot sex.

He rested his head against her shoulder, while one hand held on to her hip so he had some kind of control. Her moans were louder, and she arched back into him, trying to increase the rhythm, while Cam held back. He didn’t want this feeling to end. This connection. This fucking fantasy come to life.

But he could only hold on so long, and they shuddered together, his body curved into hers, his mouth on her neck. He was complete. Even in his sex-hazed state he realized that. She belonged to him, and Cam belonged to Blue. Somehow, they made sense.

I love her.

Those were the last words he thought as he drifted off once more, fully sated and fully thankful for the gift he held.

By seven a.m., Cam was grilling eggs and bacon, while Tawny sat in front of the television eating dry Cheerios, Rufus waiting patiently at her side for any ones she dropped, watching some show about a talking cucumber. The cucumber, Charlie, taught numbers and manners and, according to Tawny, was the coolest cucumber ever. Cam glanced up as she clapped and sang along to one of the silly songs. He’d braided her hair, she’d picked out her clothes, and all that was left was breakfast and then school by eight o’clock.

There was frost on the windows when he finally dragged his ass out of bed. Blue was still fast asleep, and he didn’t have the heart to wake her. Besides, the image of her tangled in his sheets, so damn vulnerable and trusting, was something he didn’t think he’d ever forget. At the moment, life was good.

“Daddy, you know this song.” Tawny was on her feet now, stomping them loudly and getting Rufus all riled up. The dog’s tailed wagged crazily as he jumped up and down, excited to be part of whatever it was Tawny was creating.

It took a few seconds until Cam realized what he’d heard. Daddy. The word stopped him cold. She’d called him Daddy. He took a moment, hell he had to because there was a lump in his throat that was so damn big he couldn’t speak. Daddy. How in hell this little girl managed to burrow so deeply into his soul was anyone’s guess. She’d come to him with nothing and had given him everything.

“Sing it with me,” Tawny demanded, marching like a soldier as Charlie the cucumber sang about following rules.

Cam hummed along to the song—of course he knew it. He’d heard it every single morning for the past four weeks. He flipped the eggs, tossed bread in the toaster, and then grabbed orange juice and set it on the counter. He glanced up just as Blue appeared, and nearly lost his breath when she met his gaze.

Her skin had that early morning glow. Her lips were bruised from all the loving he’d given her. And the soft smile that curved her mouth did funny things to his insides.

“Coffee?” he asked.

She nodded and sat down at the island.

He handed it to her, black, the way she liked it. “I could get used to this,” he said and leaned forward. He swept a kiss across her mouth. “You in my house first thing in the morning.”

“Are you gonna kiss again?”

They both looked down at Tawny, who stood with her hands on her hips. “Or are you going to sing with me?”

Cam laughed. “Kiddo, it’s time for breakfast. We’re going to eat.” He nodded toward the living room. “TV off.”

“Ah…can’t we just listen to the songs while we eat our toast?”