Page 31 of Only in Our Dream (Moonflower Cove #15)

Melanie

D ating Cameron West was a dream. An amazing dream that Melanie never wanted to wake up from.

She loved walking around Portland with Cameron by her side; hand in hand as they strolled through the shops.

Melanie loved having a fancy steak dinner with her as they split a cheesecake dessert.

And she especially loved her hand on Cameron’s thigh as they sat at a local dive bar at the end of the night.

Cameron’s birthday had been a complete success, if Melanie could say so herself.

They’d both left work early and headed to Portland where Melanie had planned a day catered to everything Cameron loved to do.

It felt freeing to get away from the Cove for a day and truly feel like the couple they were now.

Melanie still had to pinch herself over that part. How she’d gotten so lucky to fall in love with her best friend Melanie would never know. She must have done something right in her past life. Or her marriage with Rob. Maybe Cameron was her prize for being loyal to Rob all those years.

Even when he wasn’t.

It had been months since Melanie had heard from or seen Rob.

The last time had been at the lawyer’s office signing paperwork.

Not a call or text had been made since then.

A part of Melanie felt weird about that; she had shared her life with the man for the last twenty something years.

But the other part of her was ready to move on.

Melanie needed to leave her marriage in the past in order to move forward with Cameron.

“What’s on your mind?” Cameron covered Melanie’s hand with hers as she gently squeezed. “You look distracted.”

“Just thinking.”

Cameron smirked. “About me?”

“Always.” Giggling, Melanie leaned in for a kiss.

Since it was a Wednesday night, there were only a handful of men sitting at the other end of the bar that were more invested in the college basketball game on the TV than anything. They’d ordered drinks and mozzarella sticks, another Cameron favorite, to end their night with before heading home.

Well, to Cameron’s home.

Although they hadn’t discussed if Melanie was staying over, she had assumed as much.

She’d spent the last two out of four nights at Cameron’s house anyway.

Melanie had to admit that she hadn’t slept as good as she had those two nights in years.

There was just something different about waking up in Cameron’s arms.

Melanie missed her pets though. Cameron had told her she could bring them with her, but Melanie hadn’t wanted to mess up their routine.

Hank and Lucy were both capable of spending hours on their own; they’d do it before when she’d work double shifts.

It was why she’d set up the doggie door and the automatic food feeders for each of them.

Although that did little to dim her guilt at not spending as much time with them as she usually did.

Pushing her guilt aside, Melanie smiled at Cameron.

“Have you had a good birthday?”

“I have thanks to you.” Cameron kissed her again. “Thank you so much for today and for my party last weekend. You have no idea how special you’ve made my fiftieth birthday.”

“You deserve it, Cam.” Another kiss. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” There was a slight hesitation in Cameron’s voice which caused Melanie to lean back on the bar stool slightly. “What?”

“Why does it feel like there’s a but coming?”

“No buts here,” Cameron laughed, but it fell short. She sighed, twirling the straw around in her half-empty drink mindlessly. “I guess I’m just overthinking everything.”

Melanie’s mind began to race. Overthinking everything?

What did that mean? Was Cameron wanting to pump the brakes on their relationship?

Or end it all together? She could barely take a sip of her drink without the nervous shaking of her hands giving her away.

Cameron placed her hand on Melanie’s arm.

“Mel, no, wait. I didn’t mean overthinking this. You and I,” she paused for a beat, “are one of the few things in this world I know for certain. That and I have the best kids.”

“I don’t disagree there,” Melanie nervously laughed. “But what are you overthinking?”

Cameron looked away from Melanie, adding to her quickened heartbeat.

She covered Cameron’s hand with her own, letting her know it was okay to continue when she was ready.

Melanie was sure there was nothing Cameron could say that would change the way she felt about her.

That much she knew for absolute certain.

“This is going to sound so stupid,” Cameron sighed as Melanie remained quiet to let her continue. “But I’ve been overthinking our next steps. I love where we are, Mel, so much.”

“I do, too.”

“And I’ve loved our sleepovers the last few nights.”

“Me, too.”

“I’m not wanting to rush things, but I can see our future playing out and I want it so bad, Mel.” Cameron’s eyes were rimmed with tears as she took hold of Melanie’s hand. “I want to move in together and raise the kids together and get married. I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

Melanie’s head began to spin.

Was Cameron proposing ?

In a bar?

“I’m not proposing,” Cameron quickly clarified as Melanie let out the breath she’d been holding. “I mean,” she nervously laughed, “I want to one day, but not right now.”

“I want that, too.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,” she dreamily sighed. “I love you, Cam. I wish there was a roadmap that told us when the next steps should happen, but I think that’s all up to us.”

“I don’t want to rush things.”

“I don’t either.”

“Well, we’re on the same page there, so that’s good.” Cameron sighed as her shoulders dropped slightly. “I don’t know why I’ve been overthinking this. I didn’t want to talk about it tonight because you’ve done so much for me the last few days. I could never repay you.”

“I wouldn’t let you if you could.” Melanie leaned in, kissing Cameron softly on the forehead. “We’ll figure this out. Together. Isn’t that what Isla and Vera do?”

“Annoyingly so,” Cameron chuckled. “But I need you to promise me that if things start to go too fast for you that you tell me. We can slow things down anytime.”

“Cam.”

“Hmm?”

Melanie looked deep into Cameron’s blue eyes as she spoke.

“I don’t want to slow things down. I want to keep things the way they are and move forward to the next step when we’re both ready.

And when the kids are ready. It’s not just us, and I understand and respect that.

I don’t want to upend their lives by suddenly moving in. ”

“They’d probably love it. Dylan asked last night where you were.”

“Aww,” Melanie put her hand to her heart.

“The kids love you, Mel. You know that. Hell,” she snorted a laugh, “Dylan asked if you were moving in when I talked to them the other night about you staying over.”

“Oh, my god,” Melanie nervously laughed. “Seriously? Do you think she and Jonah have talked about that?”

Cameron shrugged. “Maybe. Neither seemed surprised by the thought.”

This is the time.

Melanie nervously ran her sweaty palm over her pants.

Ask her how she feels about moving in together. You know you want it. Ask her. Before this moment passes by.

“And what about you?”

“What do I think about us moving in together?”

Melanie nodded, waiting for Cameron to continue. Each second that ticked by felt like an hour as she waited with bated breath for Cameron to say something. Anything, really.

“Honestly,” she said with a sigh, “it’s such a big step. And I do want to make it with you. But we need to talk more about the logistics and talk with the kids before we do anything.”

“Absolutely. I totally agree.”

“Thank God. Because for a while I was starting to think I wasn’t lesbian enough to not be UHauling it with the love of my life already.”

The words love of my life lingered in Melanie’s mind as Cameron kept talking.

“I know we’re in a different situation than most couples. We didn’t just meet a few months ago and want to rush things. We’ve known each other for a hundred years. We’ve been with each other through so much together.”

“And will have so much more to go through together,” Melanie added.

“Exactly. And honestly, I love this.” Cameron motioned between them. “I love dating you and getting to see this side of you. I don’t want to miss out on dating you after wanting it for so long.”

“You better be careful, Cam.” Smirking, Melanie picked up her drink and took a sip. “You’re gonna make me swoon right off of this barstool if you keep talking like that.”

“Well, then why don’t we get out of here, hmm?”

After playing the tab, the two headed out to Melanie’s car. They held hands as they drove home, singing along to whatever songs came on the radio. All the while Melanie’s mind kept going back to their conversion.

She meant everything she told Cameron. Melanie wouldn’t do anything to rush Cameron or the kids into a situation before they were ready.

Hell, her divorce had only been final for three months.

They had time. There was no need to rush the four of them into something just because they felt pressured to move to the next step.

Cameron was right. Dating was fun. They had the rest of their lives to move in together. Until then, they could savor all their time dating each other. And one day, they could look back on those memories and share them with their grandkids.

Oh, my god, Mel. You have it so bad for her.

And she did. Melanie couldn’t deny that. She loved Cameron with her entire heart. Just like she loved Jonah and Dylan. Things would all happen in the perfect time they were meant to. Melanie was sure of that.

As they arrived at Cameron’s house, Melanie noted that all the lights were out and Jonah’s car wasn’t in the driveway. Cameron must have read her mind because she answered Melanie’s questions before she asked.

“Dylan is at the Mackenzies and Jonah is spending the night with one of his hockey friends. So we have the house to ourselves.”

“Happy birthday to you then,” Melanie giggled as she kissed Cameron. “And this gives me the perfect opportunity to give you the rest of your gift.”

“Mel, no. You’ve always done too much today and this weekend for me. I don’t deserve anything else.”

“Well, I hate to hear you say that.” Reaching behind Cameron’s seat, Melanie pulled out a slender box wrapped in silver paper. She handed it to Cameron, who studied it for a moment. “Because I’d hate to use this alone.”

Arching her eyebrow at Melanie, Cameron began unwrapping the present. She squealed with excitement as she realized what was inside, holding the box to her chest as she laughed.

“You didn’t!”

“I did.”

“Mel!” Cameron pulled the strap-on from the box. “I can’t believe you got it.”

“Well, after our conversation the other night how could I not ?”

They’d been lying in bed the night after the party when Cameron first brought it up. Cameron told Melanie how she’d always wanted to try it but never trusted or loved anyone enough to do it with them. But Melanie knew they both trusted and loved each other enough to try it out.

The two of them couldn’t get out of the car fast enough.

Cameron fumbled with the garage door as they hastily made their way inside.

It was a good thing the kids weren’t home because they had shoes and clothes discarded all the way up to Cameron’s bedroom.

Melanie took the strap-on and held it between them.

“Give or receive? It’s your birthday. You pick.”

Cameron thought for a moment before answering, “Both.”

“You gotta pick.”

“No, I don’t. It’s my birthday.”

“Okay, fine,” Melanie laughed. “Which one do you want to do first ?”

“Receive.”

The answer surprised Melanie, as she had expected Cameron to use it first on her. But that was the beauty of being with Cameron. Even though they’d known each other for so long, there were still surprises to be had.

Having never worn a strap-on before, neither of them had any clue what they were doing. They giggled and joked as Melanie put it on wrong the first time, then couldn’t get it tight enough to stay on the second time. Cameron finally figured it out, much to the relief of their nervous anticipation.

All laughter subsided as Melanie tenderly laid Cameron on the bed.

She straddled her hips at first, unsure what in the world she was supposed to do next.

Sure, she knew the general idea. But having never done it before, she was nervous.

Especially because she didn’t want to let Cameron down after so much build up.

“Sorry,” Melanie shook her head to try to clear her thoughts. “I’m stuck in my own head.”

“Hey, it’s okay.” Cameron’s up on her elbows, looking at Melanie with more love than she knew as possible. “I haven’t done this either, so it’s a first for both of us. It’s okay to be nervous.”

“Are you?” Melanie bit the inside of her lip as she looked at Cameron. “Nervous?”

Cameron shrugged. “A little. But mostly excited to share this moment with you, no matter what happens.”

Making room for her nerves without letting them overtake her, Melanie nodded her head. She was beyond thankful to be trying new things with Cameron who didn’t judge her, just supported her and her feelings.

“Okay, I’m going in.” Her comment made them both laugh but also provided a moment of relief for them that they both needed. “Let me know if it hurts or you don’t like it or anything, okay?”

All Cameron did was nod.

It took them a few practice rounds to find a position that worked well for both of them.

But when they did, it was more than either of them could have anticipated.

It was a new way to love Cameron; a new way to show her how much she loved her body.

They swapped positions twice, making sure to be patient with each other as they tried new positions.

But Melanie already knew hers. It was on the bed with Cameron’s body on top of hers as her hips thrusted with the strap-on repeatedly. Her orgasm built slower than with Cameron’s hands or tongue, but the buildup was worth the payoff.

“Holy shit,” Melanie lay breathless on her back as Cameron collapsed beside her.

“Yeah.”

“Did you like it?”

“Honestly,” Cameron giggled nervously, “I don’t know. I think so? You?”

“Your tongue is better, but I like to have options.”

“I hear that.” Wrapping her legs around Melanie’s, Cameron pulled her naked body closer. “Thank you for making this birthday the best one ever.”

“Always, my love.” Melanie kissed her softly. “Always.