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LEVI

I hadn’t spoken more than a few words to Cameron over the last three days.

I’d spotted him around the ranch, but whenever I approached, he suddenly needed to be somewhere else. I thought maybe I'd offended him somehow by asking him to get dinner with me, but he'd told me that he was just overbooked. Almost by magic, I’d gotten him to agree to at least attend Amber’s annual fundraiser on the ranch, even if he wouldn’t spend time alone with me. My sister’s community fundraiser was always for a good cause, and it was a chance for Cameron to get to know more of the locals, to see the kind of people who supported ranch life.

As I stepped inside the designated barn, I quickly searched for him in the crowd. When I didn’t immediately spot him, I looked around the venue, taking in the string lights that shone above us, the mason jars filled with fresh flowers on each table, the twinkling glitter that stained each glass. There was also the smell of burning wood, a comforting, warm scent, like someone was making a fire at a campsite.

“You made it!” Amber appeared in front of me, nearly squealing. “Do you like it? Tell me you love it.”

“It looks incredible in here, Amber,” I replied. “But doesn’t it always? You’re really good at this stuff.”

“I know.” She beamed. “But the goal is to make it a little better every year. If I don’t outdo myself, what’s the point?”

“To raise money for a local cause?”

“Ha ha. Very funny, Levi.” She playfully rolled her eyes. “Oh, that reminds me. You didn’t have a plus one or anything for this, did you? I know you usually roll single, but just wanted to check in.”

“Sounds like you’re trying to figure out if I’m seeing anyone, Amber.”

“What? Me?” She pretended to be insulted. “I would never!”

“Drop the act.” I chuckled as I shook my head. “If I was seeing anyone, you’re on my shortlist of people to tell.”

“How long is the shortlist? Am I at the very top of it?”

“ Amber .”

“I’m legally allowed to care about my brother’s life!”

“Thank you for caring. Don’t you have other guests to mingle with?”

“You’re right. Off to mingle, I go.” She grinned. “But I’ll be circling back for you, Levi. Don’t think you’re off the hook for one moment.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I replied, my eyes once again searching through the crowd?—

And there he was.

Cameron was wearing black overalls, with his shoulder straps covering a white t-shirt. His white tennis shoes matched his shirt underneath, but his toned arms were the center of attention, his build standing out from the crowd. He was laughing about something or another, surrounded by a small group of people, each of them now laughing right along with him.

I started to walk over to him but hesitated at the first step.

If he hadn’t been interested in talking to me for the last few days, what would’ve changed tonight?

Instead, I chose to have a seat at my assigned table, nursing my drink as I watched him work the room. He effortlessly moved from group to group, going from ranch hands, to farmers, to some of Amber’s friends, to locals we’d known for years. Each group ended up laughing with him, smiling with him, enjoying their time together. I was honestly impressed with the way he handled himself, without an ounce of shyness in the situation, like he’d done it a million times before.

But soon, being impressed by him shifted into something else.

There was a man I didn’t recognize, maybe a farmer from out of town, someone Amber had invited because of their deep wallet. He walked up to Cameron as he was going between groups, getting him alone for a minute or two. While chatting with Cameron, the stranger placed a hand on the small of Cameron’s back, pulling him in closer as they spoke.

And in that moment, all I could see was red.

It was such a casual movement, way too familiar, way too comfortable.

And before I realized it, I’d crossed the barn. I stood in front of Cameron, with the stranger long gone, somewhere on the other side of the fundraiser.

“Can you come with me?” I started. “I want you to come with me, Cam.”

“Come with you where?” he replied. “And maybe. Later. When the fundraiser is done. I’m a pretty good schmoozer at these things and I like helping to raise money for?—”

“Please, Cam. Come with me. Right now?” There was urgency lining my tone, even though I couldn’t explain why. “I just… I need you.”

“All right. Fine,” he acquiesced. “But only for a few minutes.”

* * *

“Levi, where are we going?”

I had no idea. I’d been walking with no destination in mind, but I knew that I wanted to get far away from the fundraiser, far away from that stranger touching Cameron like Cameron belonged to him . When we reached one of the further barns on the property, I stopped and turned around, Cameron’s eyes meeting mine.

“Levi? What’s going on with you?”

“I…” I started and stopped, my heart hammering in my chest. “Cam, I don’t want…”

“You don’t want what?”

“I like how much you dazzle everyone, everywhere you go,” I started again. “I like how much people like you, how you try and get along with everyone. But I… I don’t like it when… the guy that touched the small of your back…”

“Oh? That guy?” Cameron waved off my concern. “I didn’t know that guy. He was definitely a little too handsy, but he mentioned writing a huge check and dedicating it to me, so whatever.” Cameron put a hand over his chest. “Wait. Did you drag me out of there because you were worried about me? Because that’s really sweet, Levi?—”

“I wasn’t worried about you.”

“Oh.” Cameron’s face fell.

“I mean, I know you can handle yourself, Cam. So, I wasn’t worried. I think I was… jealous.”

“Jealous? Why would you be jealous—” I cut off Cameron’s question with a kiss, pressing him back against the side of the barn. The kiss was deep, probably deeper than it should’ve been, but I was all out of words. I let my mouth do the rest of my talking, as my hands rested on either side of Cameron’s waist, holding him in place as my tongue explored his.

“Levi, wait—” Cameron gently pressed against my chest, breaking off our kiss.

“You don’t want to?” I murmured. “You don’t want me?”

“Of course, I want you, Levi,” Cameron replied, his voice low. “I think I’ve wanted you from the very first moment I saw you.”

“Good.” It was the last thing I said before kissing him again, my tongue excitedly parting his lips. Cameron relaxed against the kiss this time, his body melting against my own. He groaned when I started to grind into him, my hips meeting his, forceful and often. I could feel his cock getting harder in his pants with each movement, his groans getting more desperate by the second.

“Levi…” Cameron moaned my name. “Touch me. Please.”

I shifted slightly, until I was able to slide a hand between us, not stopping until my palm was right over his clothed shaft. I started running my hand up and down the length of him through the fabric, teasing his throbbing cock. Cameron shivered and gasped against our kiss, his hands flying up to either side of my face, keeping me close to him. When he began to whimper, his shaft feeling hard as a rock, I suddenly moved my hand away from him.

“No! What? Why?” Cameron whined. “Levi…”

“Take off your clothes,” I casually instructed. “I want you naked for me.”

Cameron pouted for a few seconds before doing as he was told. He slid his straps off his shoulders as he shifted his overalls towards the ground. He then lifted his white T-shirt over his head before pulling down his boxers and stepping out of them. When he was finished, he looked back at me, an expression on his face like he was trying to read my mind.

“How are you this perfect?” I eyed him up and down, shamelessly taking in every bit of him. “Fuck, Cam.”

“Is it your turn?” Cameron asked, his skin flushing red. “I don’t want to be the only person out here naked right now.”

“Is that something you want, Cam? You want to see me naked?”

“Yes,” he admitted, his cheeks burning bright. “I want to see you naked.”

“Then, your wish is my command.” I pulled off my black shirt before pulling down my dark jeans. A few moments later and I’d pulled my boxers off, too, both of us now standing naked in front of one another.

Cameron’s eyes were wide as he looked over at me, a look of concern written all over his face.

“What’s on your mind, Cam?”

“You’re… big,” he said, his voice low. “I’ve never been with… I don’t know if…”

“You can take me, baby,” I replied, closing the distance between us. “I promise. I’ll be able to fit. But you don’t need to worry about that right now. Just let me take care of you, okay?” I brought a hand down between us, my palm wrapping around his cock. I began pumping my fist up and down his shaft, my mouth leaving kisses all along his neck. Cameron moaned right next to my ear, his fingertips pressed into my back.

“Fuck, you sound so perfect when you make those noises for me, baby.” I continued pumping his cock, loving the way he felt in my hands. “Will you make more sounds like that for me?”

Cameron quickly obliged, his moans getting louder as precome leaked out of his tip and onto the top of my thigh. “Levi… Levi… I’m going to… I can’t…”

“I want you to come for me, baby,” I cooed. “I want you to give everything to me.”

“Levi…” Cameron whimpered as his body started to shudder. Soon enough, there were white trails of his come spurting out of his cock, landing right on my naked skin. He rested his head against the crook of my neck as he came for me, holding me close as he came completely undone. When he caught his breath, I gently shifted his head away from my neck, wanting to look into his eyes.

“You’re so fucking beautiful. Do you know that?” I said, my gaze locked on his.

He giggled, and it was the cutest fucking sound. “Can I try something? For science.”

“What do you want to try—Cam!” I barely had enough time to respond to him before Cameron dropped to his knees. My cock was in his mouth in what felt like record time, his head already bobbing up and down my shaft.

“Fuck, Cam…” It was my turn to groan as I watched him work. His movements were needy, his tongue lapping at the head of my cock, his lips rapidly taking more of me in, inch by inch. His eyes never left mine, either, watching me as I watched him, the connection between us feeling tangible, inevitable.

“Cam… if you keep… fuck…” I groaned again, into the night, my cock getting stiffer and stiffer. Just then, my hips started to move against him, my shaft steadily pumping in and out of Cameron’s mouth, as if I were fucking him deep. Cameron whimpered at the motion but didn’t ask me to stop or move away, taking all of me in stride.

“Mine… you’re mine, Cam…” I said, between moans, my hips still bucking against his mouth. “No one else gets to touch you. No one else gets to have you. Ever. Understood?”

Cameron nodded in understanding, his response so fast and so certain.

And that was all it took. I was coming inside his mouth, my come exploding right down his throat. Cameron kept his lips wrapped tightly around my cock, swallowing every drop of my come until there was no evidence left that I’d even finished. When he was done draining me, he got back up to his feet, his arms sweetly wrapping around me.

“After the fundraiser is over, do we need to stop somewhere in town and pick up some condoms? And are you territorial about which side of the bed you’re usually on? I guess I don’t have to stay the night if you have a busy morning tomorrow but?—”

“No.”

“No what? You don’t have a busy morning?”

“I can’t do this. I’m sorry.”

“Levi… what are you saying right now?” Cameron pulled away from me, looking so hurt. “You just said that I was all yours. You just called me baby ?—”

“I have to go. You should get back.” I was already putting on my clothes. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, yeah?”

“You’re not even coming back to the fundraiser with me?” Cameron was on the verge of tears. “What was this? Were you just bored and feeling horny?”

“Cam—”

“It’s Cameron,” he corrected me as he pulled on his clothes. “And I guess I got you all wrong, huh? I thought you were better than this, but I should’ve known. You already told me no one gets to have you. Not really.”

“Cam, please?—”

“Whatever. I’ll see you around.” It was the last thing Cameron said to me before he stomped off in the opposite direction, his voice cracking on every word.

* * *

I’d fucked up.

Big time.

I’d fucked up so badly that I’d barely been able to sleep. The way Cameron had looked at me like I’d betrayed him, like I’d hurt him to his core. I couldn’t find the right words last night to tell him that I was just scared, that I’d never felt like keeping someone before, that wanting him to be mine and only mine was terrifying. I wanted Cameron in a way that felt permanent, like I never wanted him to go.

But what would that mean for me? What would that mean for Big Sky Rescue?

He was right about me not being able to hold anything else as long as I was holding onto Big Sky. I just felt like if I didn’t put my all into it, there was no chance of it succeeding. It’d been my dream for so long, even if it exhausted me, I just wanted to make it come true. And when Cameron went back home, how was that going to work? Was I supposed to take time away from my company to visit him? Would he be willing to come back to Montana to visit me?

I wanted him, desperately, but I didn’t want to fuck things up for either of us.

And yet, I felt like not even trying was the worst possible option. I didn’t even know if he could ever forgive me after what I’d done, pushing him away like that. He was all I wanted, and there was a good chance he’d never even talk to me again.

Fuck.

I needed to tell him how I felt. I needed him to understand.

And I needed him to be mine .

I took a quick trip into town, just long enough to buy the biggest bouquet the local flower shop had for sale. The shop girl had referred to the chosen bouquet as a “marriage saver” and I’d learned that it was possible to spend thousands of dollars on flowers. Still, any price would’ve been worth it, if it meant putting a smile on Cameron’s face after being the asshole who’d made him cry.

I was walking up to Cameron’s cabin, bouquet in hand, speech mentally prepared. But just when I was about to knock on his door, my phone vibrated with a text. I hastily checked the message, just wanting to make sure it wasn’t any sort of emergency?—

“What the hell?”

It was a message from Teddy, with a link to some article. The attached photo was of Cameron, which made me click on it instinctively.

YEEHAW! RISING STAR CAMERON CLARKE ATTENDS COWBOY FUNDRAISER

“ Who the hell is Cameron Clarke?” I dropped the bouquet in my hands as I stared at the cabin door of a complete and total stranger, a man I’d been certain about only seconds before.