The One I Need

Her tone turned wistful. “It’s nice to have family close.”

“How long do you think you’ll be in Lakewood?” Cameron asked. “Is your mom showing any signs of improvement?”

“She’s about the same. As for how long I’ll be in Lakewood, I was lucky enough to sublet a place from a high school friend who was moving out of state. There’s only three months left on the lease, so that gives me time to assess how close I need to be to my mom and what works with my job.”

“When are you supposed to return to work?”

“I have a little over three weeks of time off left.” A rueful smile tipped her lips. “That will use up all the time I saved up.”

“Will you be able to work remotely after the three weeks are up?”

“Yes, but I don’t have all the specifics yet.”

Not for the first time, June wished she could be on just a regular date with Cameron, that they could be two people trading stories and falling in love. But that wasn’t what this was. It couldn’t be, not if she wanted to finally ease her mother’s despair.

“My sister’s death sent my mother into a depression that is, in many ways, as strong today as it was a decade ago.” The path they started down meandered through tall trees and flowering bushes. Interspersed were flowers and ground cover in vibrant shades. June barely noticed. She chose her next words carefully. “The dangers of driving while impaired get a lot of press, but people still do it. Not only adults, but kids as well.”

“I suppose.” Cameron shifted his gaze at the hoot of an owl and pointed to the bird high in a tree. “I thought I heard that guy when we were driving up.”

Despite the sun having dipped below the horizon, lights placed unobtrusively lit the path. The scene that surrounded her on all sides was so peaceful that June wished she could bottle up some of that peace and rub it on her suddenly tense shoulders. “I bet you knew a lot of kids in high school who drove drunk or high.”

He stopped on the small wooden bridge over a bubbling brook and cocked his head. “Why would you think that?”

“The kids from the private schools had that reputation.”

“Really?” Cameron arched a brow. “Most of the kids I knew—and certainly their parents—were focused on doing everything they could to get an acceptance letter from the right college.”

“You said you and your friends liked to party,” she reminded him.

“I also said we liked to play video games and eat pizza.” He swept the air with one hand. “Enough talk about the past. I am sorry about your mom. As I said before, if there’s anything I can do…”

Other than answering all her questions, June didn’t know what that would be.

“Thank you, Cameron.” June gazed down at the brightly colored fish in the water that flowed beneath the bridge. “Amazing.”

Cameron leaned over the rail as if trying to see what had captured her attention. He studied the water, then turned his head toward her. “What’s amazing?”

He was so close that she could feel his warm breath on her face, see every one of the thick dark lashes around those incredible blue eyes.

Desire rose up like a tsunami, and she could not fight her need for him for one more second. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she smiled. “You, Cameron Driskill. You’re amazing.”

Then her mouth covered his, or maybe his mouth got to hers first. June wasn’t sure and definitely didn’t think it mattered. All that mattered was the feel of his lips against hers.

The little inner voice that reminded June of her need to not get too close to this man had gone silent. She kissed him and then kissed him some more. When his tongue swept across her lips, she opened to him.

Heat, hot and demanding, shot through her. It was as if he was already inside her.

He pressed her back against the rail, and she could feel his desire for her through her thin dress.

“Oh, Cam.” She slid her fingers into his hair and arched her neck back. Her breasts strained against the front of her dress.

“Juin—”

“Cameron. Is that you?”

The question had them freezing for just an instant. They sprang apart just as a man stepped into view.

* * *