Page 8

They rush him to the second ambulance and hop in, doors slamming as they speed away. I stare after them for a long moment before turning back to Cam.

"Cam! What the hell happened? Why are you in handcuffs?"

"Kelly, baby," he murmurs. "Come here."

"No!" I shake my head, hair flying. "Not until someone explains what the fuck is going on!"

"Please, Kelly."

I want to refuse, but there is something in his voice that breaks down the last of my resistance. I go to him, and he leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead.

"I'm okay, sweetheart," he whispers. "It's going to be okay. "

"You're in cuffs," I gulp. "That's not okay!"

"Kelly, look at me. The gun went off, but it went wide.

No one got shot, but I..." He licks his lips, and when he looks away, his expression is equal parts satisfied and shaken.

"I beat the hell out of him, Kelly, until he was out cold.

They're got to take me in. It's the law, and it's not their fault. "

By now, all of the neighbors are outside, either on their front lawns or porches, and Cam nods towards Mrs. Blevins, who is in her housecoat despite the Georgia heat.

The older woman shuffles over as Cam tells me, "Agatha will take care of you until you've calmed down, but they've got to take me to the station now, okay? "

"No!" I sob. "No, no, no!"

"Shhh, Kelly. You're all right. Agatha is going to take good care of you."

"No, Cam, you can't leave! You can't leave me here alone!" I know I’m making no sense. The threat is gone, but hysteria is still growing inside of me at the thought of Cam being taken away. Maybe I really am in shock.

"Kelly," Mrs. Blevins says softly, placing a wrinkled hand on my shoulder. "Come on, now. You'll be all right."

I look from her to Cam, and back again, trying to process what's happening. Cam can't go to jail, not after all of this. Not after he saved me. It’s not fair.

"I have to go," Cam says gently as the police move him towards the car, patience waning. "I know you don't want me to, but I have to. I love you, Kelly Davidson."

It’s the first time he’s ever said it, and the confession only makes me cry harder. I know I’m a tear-covered, snotty mess, but I can’t help it.

"I love you, too," I whisper. "But if you go to jail for real, I'm going to kill you. "

He laughs softly, and so does Mrs. Blevins, though she pats my shoulder consolingly.

"I'll call a lawyer if I have to," Cam promises, "and I'll be home soon. I'll talk to you as soon as I can, okay? Be good."

The officers open the door of their car, and Cam leans down to kiss me once more before getting in. My tears are pouring down my cheeks, and my entire body is shaking, and when the car speeds off down the street, I feel like I'm going to pass out.

"Come on," Mrs. Blevins says gently. "Let's get you inside, and we'll make some tea. You're having quite the day."

"Yeah," I whisper, feeling numb all over. "I am."

Agatha Blevins, for the first time since I've met her, has nothing to gossip about.

She takes me into her home, which is like a velvet-covered time machine, and gives me sweetened chamomile tea, rubbing my back soothingly and asking me questions about anything and everything besides Cam, Frank, and what just happened.

When I'm finally able to breathe again, she walks me home, sees the blood and overturned furniture in the kitchen, and, before I can spiral into another panic attack, firmly tells me to go upstairs and have a hot bath while she takes care of everything.

By the time I come back downstairs over an hour later, there are two other older women in my house, apparently Agatha's friends from down the street. Everything is clean and perfect, and it looks like nothing ever happened, the air smelling like disinfectant and mopping solution.

They're putting together a tray of food when I walk into the kitchen, and I try to protest, but Agatha puts her hands on her hips and tells me I've had a long day and I need to eat.

The three of them stay until I've finished eating the entire tray of food, and then they head out, each giving me a hug and telling me to call if I need anything.

I also notice the roses have disappeared. Good riddance.

Frank is long gone, at the hospital and then on his way to jail once he recovers, but I still check every window with shaking hands. The last thing I do is lock the door, and exhausted, I slowly climb the stairs, collapse on my bed, and cry myself to sleep.

It's the second time since I've moved to Covington that I've been woken up at 3 AM. This time, it isn't to hear my door knob rattling, but to a tall, muscular form crawling into bed with me.

Fear shoots through me, and I open my mouth to scream, but Cam's scent hits me just before his voice does, and the fear melts away.

"Shh," he doesn't cover my mouth, but runs his thumb over my bottom lip instead. "It's just me, baby girl."

"Cam!" I sob, throwing my arms around him. "Oh my God! Are you okay? What happened?"

"I'm fine, Kelly. I'm home now, and I'm not going anywhere. We can talk about it tomorrow, okay? I just want to hold you."

"I want that, too," I whisper. "I was so scared without you."

"I know, baby. I know. I'm sorry. Just go back to sleep." He pulls me into his arms, kissing my forehead. "It was all just protocol. Everything is fine.”

I don't want to sleep, though. My bloodstream is full of adrenaline, and there's no way in hell I can rest. Instead, I grab two handfuls of his shirt and pull him down into a searing kiss, showing him without words just how worried I was .

"Kelly," he groans. "Baby, we can't. Not tonight. You've been through enough."

"I need this, Cam. I need you. I want you. Please?"

He hesitates, but when I slip my hand under his shirt to caress the muscles of his chest, he lets out a soft sound of need. "Kelly … fuck."

"Please?" I beg softly. "Make love to me, Cam. Make me forget."

"If that's what you want, Kelly," he whispers, pressing a soft kiss against my lips. "I'll give it to you. But if you want to stop, you tell me. I'm not going to be rough with you after what you went through today."

"I think..." I bite my bottom lip. "I think I might like it a little rougher. I don't want to feel anything other than you, Cam."

His eyes darken, and he nods slowly. "Tell me if you need to stop, Kelly. I mean it."

"I will."

"Good girl."

He kisses me again, softer this time, more gentle.

He tastes like mint and home, and I sigh as he slowly slips my nightgown off over my head, baring my body to his gaze.

His hands trail over my skin, so lightly I can barely feel them, until he reaches the place between my thighs and caresses me softly.

"Always so wet for me," he whispers, slipping a finger inside of me. "So good, baby."

He adds another finger, and I let out a sigh, rocking my hips against his hand. When he begins to move, I whimper, the feeling of his fingers inside of me driving me crazy.

"Cam, please. I want you inside of me. "

"Patience, sweetheart," he murmurs, his free hand cupping my breast and squeezing it, pinching my nipple gently.

He lowers his head to my chest, swirling his tongue around my nipple until it hardens into a peak.

He bites down on it gently, making me squirm, and I let out a soft cry, gripping the sheets tightly.

Cam keeps teasing me, taking his time with my body until I'm shaking with need. He finally lets his fingers slide out of me, and he stands, stripping quickly. His cock springs free, already hard, and I lick my lips. He's so gorgeous, and I'll never get tired of seeing how much he wants me.

He strokes his length as he speaks. "If you really want to get your mind off everything, how do you feel about trying something new?"

"What?" I whisper.

Cam crawls back over my body, kissing me deeply, tongue stroking against mine as his hand drifts down my body.

I feel his thumb brush over my clit once, and then twice, but when his hand continues downwards, he doesn't slip his fingers into my pussy like I expect.

Instead, one long finger caresses my asshole.

"Oh!" I squeak, and he laughs against my mouth.

"We don't have to," he rumbles, nipping at my jaw. "But I swear I'll make it good for you if you want to try, baby girl."

I hesitate, and he pulls back, waiting patiently. His hazel eyes are full of desire, but the expression on his face is full of patience and love. I know he'll stop if I ask him to, or if I tell him I'm uncomfortable.

"Okay," I whisper, and he smiles.

"Good girl," he praises again.

Cam reaches over to the bedside table, where there's a bottle of lube.

We've been going at it like rabbits and have a bottle at both our houses.

He slicks his cock up with it, and then presses some against my asshole with his fingers.

It's cold, but he warms it up quickly, slowly easing a finger inside.

The feeling is strange but not unpleasant.

There's the slightest bit of burning, but as always, Cam is slow and gentle as he introduces me to these totally new sensations.

"You ready for another?" he asks. When I nod, he adds a second finger, slowly stretching me open.

This time it burns more, and I can feel him scissoring his fingers open to stretch me wider, but I'm surprised by how good it feels, too.

When he curls his fingers, my back arches off the bed, and I let out a soft moan that he swallows up by kissing me.

His mouth drops to my nipples again, the pleasure from it easing and the discomfort from down below, and when I'm writhing beneath him, he finally pulls his fingers out.

"One more," he whispers, "just to make sure you're ready."

"Hurry up," I whine. "I want you, Cam."

He chuckles, pressing a kiss against my hip. "I know, sweetheart. Be patient. I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't," I whisper.

I let out a gasp as his third finger slips into me, and it does burn more this time, but as soon as Cam crooks them again, I gasp, hungry for more. For him.

"Okay," I pant. "Okay. Please, Cam?"

"Please, who?"

Ah. I know what he wants. "Please, Daddy."

"That’s right." He kisses me again. "Put your legs over my shoulders."

I obey, and Cam grips my hips, angling me upward until it's the perfect position for him to slide into my back entrance.

Again, he's as slow as he needs to be, the blunt head of his pushing open the ring of muscle there.

I suck in a breath, muscles tense as he fills me somewhere new, somewhere I've never been filled before.

"You okay, Kelly? "

"Yeah," I whisper, shaking. "Yeah."

He sinks in slowly until his cock is fully sheathed in me. It's an overwhelming feeling, being so full back there, and I let out a little whimper. My pulse is racing, blood roaring in my ears.

Cam doesn't move. He waits, giving me all the time in the world to adjust to the thick length of his cock in my ass.

Finally, I nod, and he begins to move in and out slowly.

Every movement seems amplified tenfold by the fact that I've never done this before, and that we're making love instead of fucking.

All the intensity of the day, all the fear and anger and sorrow are worked out of me with each piston of his hips.

In turn, I move with him, running my hands over his chiseled chest and arms, showing him just how much I missed him, even for such a short time.

"God, Kelly," he moans. "So fucking tight."

"Cam!"

"You're taking my cock so well, baby girl," he whispers. "Such a good girl."

He's hitting spots in me I didn't know existed, and I gasp for air as my body shakes.

The pleasure inside of me builds and builds, and when Cam reaches down to brush my clit, it's like something snaps inside of me.

I come hard and fast, shaking beneath him as he keeps thrusting in and out, making the waves of pleasure last forever.

Cam groans, and I feel his cock twitch. He spills inside of me, hot and heavy, and as the last waves of pleasure fade away, I collapse onto the bed. He does, too, falling onto the pillow beside me.

"Holy shit," I pant. "That was?—"

"I know," he murmurs, pressing a kiss against my temple. "You were amazing, Kelly. I love you."

The confession, now that it wasn't said right outside of a police car, fills me with warm, glowing joy .

"I love you, too, Cam.”

I roll onto my side, letting him pull me close against his chest, and I breathe in deeply, letting the scent of him fill me. We should clean up, and I'm sure Cam should eat, but for the moment, just being together is enough.