Page 39

10

Shep

Iwokeatdawn,and my first instinct was to check on Cam. She was still asleep, lips parted, hair fanned across the pillow, and an arm draped over Ranger’s neck. In the last few days, I’d somehow become the third wheel in their relationship.

The cabin was chilly, so I snuck out to the living area to light the fire. When I returned to the bedroom, neither Cam nor Ranger had stirred, so I took a quick shower.

As I washed, my mind wandered to dinner last night. I hadn’t expected Cam to want to get to know me. What surprised me more was that she hadn’t withdrawn after I’d shared some harsh realities about my life.

Perhaps she had a fascination for broken people. Her relationship with her brother suggested that. If she thought she could fix me, she didn’t realize how damaged I was.

I hung the towel on the drying rack and froze when I heard the front door slam.

What the fuck?

I tore out of the bathroom. My stomach lurched.

The bed was empty.Goddammit!

I bolted for the front of the house, feet thudding down the timber hallway and heart pounding in my chest. When I reached the living area, I came to a skidding halt. By some miracle, I didn’t land on my bare ass.

Cam stood in the kitchen with her back to me, stretching to reach a large mixing bowl on the top shelf.

Relief washed through me and I almost dropped to my knees.

She turned at the commotion I’d made with my entrance. “Hey, good morn— Oh!” She covered her mouth with both hands as she took in my nakedness. She didn’t shield her widened eyes, though, or avert her gaze. Nope. She stared right at my cock.

“Shit!” I snatched a cushion from the sofa and used it to cover myself.

Cam’s face and neck turned bright red. Her hands moved to her cheeks as if they burned. Her eyes came to mine, a look of confusion on her face. “What the hell, Shep?”

“I heard the front door, and I thought… I thought that maybe you’d…” My throat dried up. I grimaced as I tried to swallow.

“You thought I’d run off?” she asked, appearing calmer since I’d covered up.

I dragged a hand through my wet hair. “Yeah.”

Cam wouldn’t get far on foot, but if she’d found where I hid my truck keys and left, I’d have been stuck here with no way to go after her. Being out there alone was a death sentence for her. It made me sick to consider it.

She’s here, I told myself.She’s safe.

“I woke up when you were in the shower. I thought I’d make us pancakes for breakfast. You’ve been doing so much for me I wanted to return the favor.” Cam looked between me and the kitchen counter where the ingredients and a fry pan were laid out. “Ranger scratched at the door. You must have heard me letting him outside.”

I nodded while my pulse steadied. “Sorry. I hope I didn’t make you uncomfortable with” —I glanced at the pillow covering my junk— “that.”

Her lips rolled before a small smile emerged on them. “I’m a grown woman, Shep. I’ve seen a naked man before. You surprised me is all.”

She still hadn’t averted her eyes. They moved from my calves to my thighs, then lingered on my abs and chest. She was giving me a decent eye-fuck. Did she like what she saw? Being a bastard, I decided to find out.

I made my way toward her slowly. As I drew nearer, she shuffled back, and when her ass bumped into the kitchen counter, her hands flew behind to steady herself. I didn’t think it was possible, but her flush deepened. My eyes were drawn to her mouth when her tongue darted out to moisten her lips.

Oh, darlin’, you shouldn’t have done that.

Thank Christ for the pillow covering me or else she’d know the true nature of my thoughts. I moved with a speed that gave her the chance to tell me to stop, or even hold up a hand, but she didn’t. Another two steps brought me way up in her personal space, right where I wanted to be. Her shallow breaths were warm against my chest. Long lashes fluttered as her chin tilted up, and those feline eyes remained glued to mine.

Still holding the cushion with one hand, I reached up with the other and retrieved the mixing bowl, placing it on the table next to her. “Pancakes would be great, thank you.”

Cam’s mouth opened and closed without making a sound. Instead, she nodded. Damn, she was cute when flustered.

I took a few retreating steps. She remained unmoving with her lips parted, her eyes flicking between my chest and smug face. I turned, threw the pillow back on the sofa, and headed for the hallway. She’d seen the front, so my rear shouldn’t shock her.

As I reached the bedroom, I thought I heard Cam mutter something about my ass, or maybe she called me an ass. I couldn’t be sure.

A smile tugged on my lips while I dressed, and the prospect of spending the day with Cam excited me.

When was the last time I’d felt like that?