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The only surefire way to find out is to have the conversation. But I’m not sure my heart can handle anything but a ‘yes.’
“Hey, baby—how was the library?” My dad’s gaze flicks from the TV screen to me as I walk through the door, the familiar sounds of ESPN filling the cozy room.
“It was good. But my hands are definitely tired.” I massage my right palm, trying to work out the cramp that lodged there two hours ago. “Ms. Mabel put me straight to work decorating the bulletin boards for the kids.”
“Bet it looks real nice. I’ll have to stop by and check it out.”
I smile, thinking of my dad going into the library. I bet he hasn’t set foot in that building since I was ten years old.
“Thanks, Daddy. How was practice?” I crash down on the sofa next to him, kicking my feet up on the coffee table.I don’t specifically ask about Cam, but I’m dying to hear my dad’s assessment.
“Good. The team’s young, but they’re picking things up real quick. Cam helped Langley out today, boosted his confidence.”
My heart hammers harder at the mention of Cam, heat flushing through me. “Really? That’s great.”
“Yeah, that kid’s got real talent. He’s a natural, just needs to find his rhythm. Next week, I’ll have Cam switch and work with Dalton, compare the two. But right now, Langley’s got the top spot.”
“Nice.” I stare at the TV, gnawing at my lip. “How’d things go with the rest of the team?”
“Good. Mack worked with the defense and they’re coming along nicely. He has some new routes he’s trying out.”
“Cool.” I couldn’t care less about Thunder Creek High’s defensive routes. All I really want to know is how Cam did.
“You hungry? We waited on dinner for you.”
“Oh, you didn’t need to do that.”
“I know. But we wanted to.”
It’s weird, hearing my dad use the word ‘we.’ It’s always been the two of us, me and him. Having a third person in the house—even temporarily—feels odd.
“Cam was in the shower. He should be out any second. Go fix yourself a drink.” He shoos me out of the room with a dismissive wave and I do as I’m told, standing and moving to the kitchen.
The table’s set, three plates with forks, knives, and napkins all laid out, and there’s an odd fluttery thing going on in my chest. All the time I was with Ratface—even engaged to the jerk—he never came home with me.Not once. And my father was patently uninterested in inviting him, either, which I should have taken as a ginormous red waving flag.
Cam has his own damn place setting at the table, no questions asked.
Wonder if my dad would feel the same way if he knew what went down in the yard today. Or the hall bath.
I’m guessing not.
“Hey.” Cam’s deep voice startles me out of my thoughts and I jump about a foot in the air.
“Hey.” I spin around and heat floods through me at the sight of him, his hair wet and tousled from the shower. A T-shirt clings to his broad chest, every muscle outlined beneath the tight fabric. I don’t dare drop my eyes lower, knowing full well what lies beneath the mesh shorts. My panties dampen thinking about it.
“How was the library?” His eyes meet mine and the way he looks at me, he’s genuinely interested in my response. A refreshing change from Ratface.
“Good. Kind of fun, although my fingers might be cramped for the next week. Ms. Mabel put me straight to work on the bulletin board and I stenciled and cut out about a thousand lightning bolts.”
“Yikes. Sounds brutal.” Cam reaches out, gripping my hand and pulling it toward him. His eyes flick to my palm, then back up again, his thumb massaging the sore spots. The muscles tighten, then relax beneath his calloused fingers, electricity sparking up my arm at his touch.
“There?” He presses the knot in the center of my palm hard and a low moan falls from my lips.
“Yes, that’s the spot.”
His strong fingers work at kneading the tightness away. Each brush of my skin makes my muscles quiver, heatblossoming low in my belly. His marine gaze is on my face the entire time he rubs my hand and I’m not even certain I’m breathing except for the fact that I’m still alive.
“You kids ready to eat?” My dad’s voice booms behind us and I instantly tense, face flaming. Cam drops my hand like a hot coal straight out of a burning fire and my mouth kicks into gear.
