But she had to remind herself that men like Cam—good-looking men who could be charming—knew how to turn it on. He was a Texan, and men like him knew how to use sweetheart and darlin’ to maximum effect. It was practically part of the Southern boy’s school curriculum.
“Let’s get you and the half-pint inside,” Cam said before leaving the car. Vivi waited for him to walk around his car to open her door—Texas manners again—and swung her legs around to place her feet on the footboard. Her body ached, her muscles moaned and the ground seemed like a long way down. She was sore, she was tired and all she wanted to do was to sleep.
Nearly dying had wiped away all her strength. Go figure.
Then Vivi felt Cam’s hands on her waist, and with no effort at all, he lifted her up and out of the car, and lowered her gently. Keeping his arm around her waist, he tipped her chin up. She caught the concern in his face. And, yep, under the concern, desire flashed. “You okay?”
She wanted to tell him she was worried that if he let her go, her knees would buckle and, worse, she would burst into tears. She nearly told him she was exhausted, that she didn’t think that tonight she was up to being the mommy Clem needed and deserved. That she needed, just this once, to have someone else’s hands on the wheel.
Vivi dropped her eyes and sighed. She hauled back the words hovering on the tip of her tongue, swallowed them down. She would never, ever give anyone an inch of control. Because she knew that land surrendered could never be reclaimed. Her mom, her home, her church were all gone. She’d learned that lesson well.
“Thanks for the lift.” Vivi stepped away from Cam, putting a whole bunch of space between them. “I’ll just grab Clem and we’ll get out of your hair.”
His eyes moved from her face to Clem, who was still in her car seat, softly singing. When Cam looked back at Vivi, he shook his head before lifting his hand to encircle her neck. Vivi wanted to pull away, but because Cam’s fingers were kneading the tension out of her muscles, she just sighed and released a small groan of pleasure.
Then Cam’s head dipped down and he used his thumb to tip up her jaw. His breath was the only barrier between their lips and then there was nothing but his mouth on hers. Vivi felt her body sag, her knees buckle, and was grateful when Cam banded his arm around her back, taking her weight.
So good, Vivi thought, as his mouth moved over hers. Strong and masculine and assured and confident. Cam’s tongue slipped between her lips, gently demanding entrance. She shouldn’t, she really shouldn’t, but her lips were suddenly operating independently of her brain. She needed this, needed him to kiss her in the sunshine of a balmy, late afternoon. She’d take his kiss, suck up his strength, borrow some of his confidence and then she’d send him on his way.
She just needed this minute, and maybe one or two more.
Cam’s hand slid down her back, his thumb tracing her spine. He then splayed his hand on her lower back, his fingers cupping her butt. He pulled her in and Vivi felt the ridge in his jeans as his erection pushed into her stomach. Pleasure, at both his response and at the fact that she could make this gorgeous man so hard, so quickly, rushed through her. Vivi gripped his shirt just above his belt, telling herself that she couldn’t, shouldn’t touch him, that she couldn’t take him in hand.
They were outside her house, she had nosy neighbors, and her child was not a few feet from them.
Vivi twisted his shirt tighter, unable to stop herself from rocking into him, from winding her tongue around his, from moaning in the back of her throat. The heat he generated was insane; the need he dragged to the surface held the same power of the recent storm.
He was a perfect package of power and destruction in six foot something of sexiness.
But while climatic events were powerful and breathtaking, they were also destructive and damaging. They were, as she very well knew, to be avoided. So Vivi placed her hand flat against Cam’s chest and pushed him away. He muttered a curse, reaching for her again, but Vivi quickly stepped back, shaking her head. No, it was time to be sensible, way past time to shut this down. After rubbing her hands over her face, she pushed past Cam to open the back door. Seeing Clem’s face settled her, reminded her that she was a mommy first, a chef second, and that she had no time for kissing sexy men in the sunshine.