A heartbeat later, her eyes flew open and she jumped backward, pulling her hand free like some kid caught in bed with a dirty magazine.
Good grief, she hadn't even realized what she'd been doing. Her hand stroking down her abdomen, her fingers seeking her heat. And her mind lost in the memory of Cam's innocent touch, while her reaction to it had been anything but innocent.
Honestly, what the devil was wrong with her?
That, thank goodness, was an easy question to answer.
She'd been working too hard. She needed to get out. Have some fun. Enjoy some male companionship of the non-Cameron variety. Because she really wasn't interested in him that way. He was Darryl's best friend, for one thing. And he'd been such a fixture in her household growing up, that he was practically a second brother.
Plus, she saw him at The Fix all the time, so they certainly couldn't start something. How awkward would that be when it inevitably ended? And it would end, because Mina wasn't even remotely interested in getting serious about a guy. Not now, when she was just getting her career off the ground and proving to her father and brother--not to mention herself--that she was more than capable of successfully managing her own life.
Besides, Cam was too damn nice, and Mina gravitated to men with a little bit of an edge. The kind of guy who grabbed control and made a woman melt. And as much as she adored Cam, he was probably the least edgy guy that she knew.
Now, though, he was in her head, which meant that movie night was definitely going to lean toward awkward.
She sighed, then snatched up her phone and dialed, determined to erase all thoughts of her brother's best friend.
"If it isn't the lovely Mina." Jeff answered on the first ring, his voice as smooth and flirtatious as always. "How are you, beautiful?"
"Feeling claustrophobic in these walls. I'm hanging out with my brother this evening, but I thought I might go out and hit some clubs around eleven."
"And you're looking for company?" His tone made clear that he understood perfectly what kind of company she sought. The kind that started with drinks and a loud beat and sweaty gyrations, and then ended up with more sweat, moans, and gyrations of the horizontal variety. The kind of company that was never serious but always fun, and that could capture a girl's attention long enough to erase everything else--or everyone else--from her mind.
She'd met Jeff during her first year of grad school at a friend's Super Bowl party. There'd been definite sparks between them, but not much more, and after a couple of dates they'd drifted apart. But then he'd called her a few months later when he'd ended up with an extra ticket to a red carpet movie premiere in Austin. She'd jumped at the chance, and after being fueled up with much champagne, they'd both jumped on each other.
It wasn't serious. It wasn't even frequent. But somehow without ever really discussing it, they'd ended up in that elusive land of fuck buddies. Or friends with benefits.
In other words, exactly the kind of distraction between the sheets that Mina knew she needed. Because if she was spending the evening in her dad's theater room with Cam--if her mind was going to be constantly drifting back to the way his skin felt against hers--then by the time the movie was over, she was going to be in serious need of some big-time distracting.
* * *
"Something mindless with a lot of action," Darryl suggested as he pushed the lever to recline one end of the leather sofa.
"Works for me," Cam said, carrying a bowl of popcorn toward the couch. They'd already done significant damage to the Chinese take-out. Now, they were moving on to traditional movie snacks. Darryl had even brought a box of Junior Mints. "Or we could go the classic route. Like maybe Rear Window?" He settled on the end opposite from Darryl. That side didn't recline, but he stretched out, propping his feet up on the ottoman.
Mina swallowed, realizing that put her in the middle. Not a surprise, since those were the trio's usual movie-watching spots. But today it seemed too close for comfort. Especially since she'd be sharing the ottoman with Cam.
Which, she told herself sternly, was No. Big. Deal.
"Yo. Meanie?" Darryl prompted, making her jump.
"Sorry. Mind wandering. I'm always good with Hitchcock." Just last semester she'd written a paper on the development of Hitchcock's work over the course of his career. "But I was kind of hoping for Good Will Hunting."
Both men stared at her as if she'd lost her mind, and she took a step back, holding up her hands to ward off their blatant disdain. "Just a thought," she said. "I mean, it is my turn to pick, right? Besides, it's a good movie, and I want to reference it in a lecture I'm giving to some undergrads next week."
"Math in movies?" Darryl quipped.
"Character and theme in love stories, actually." Although maybe something without a hint of romance or sex would be the better choice.
"Veto," Cam said, while Darryl nodded.
"You wanna watch the latest Fast and Furious, I'm all over that shit," Darryl said. "I'll even sit back and chill to North by Northwest. But chick flicks are out."
"Why do I even hang with you two?" She didn't bother waiting for an answer, just grabbed a beer from the mini-fridge, then plopped down in her usual spot between them. The house was old enough that the theater room wasn't original. Her dad had converted one of several dens, and in the process, he'd decided to forego individual theater-style chairs for the front-and-center sofa and a couple of recliners on risers behind it.
The sofa, he said, was perfect for a family of three. And growing up, Darryl, Mina, and Cam had gotten in the habit of sharing it, just as the twins had done with their dad.
Today, Mina wished that she'd taken a recliner for herself. Already, she was far too aware of Cam right next to her.