Tempting Cameron Read online

  …

  Chloe melted against Cam, their damp bodies plastered together, their mouths fused. He slid his hands along her sides, fingers toying with the ties that rested on her hips and she wanted him to undo them. Wanted to feel those masterful hands touch her in her most intimate places. Wanted to know what it was like to really make love to Cameron.

  Her mind shouted stop but she ignored it. Let him lead her to the seat at the front of the boat where he pushed her down, then followed after her. She lay back on the thin bench cushion, her legs spread, Cam nestled in between them. He kissed the length of her neck, her throat, along her shoulder and her collarbone. His mouth was warm, his tongue wicked, and she shivered, her entire body trembling. He cupped her breast with a large, rough hand, impatiently tugging at her bikini top so he could shift the fabric out of his way.

  And expose her for the very first time to his gaze.

  Now this was the stuff of her adult dreams. Wet and aching for Cam, his hands all over her, his hard, hot body pressed into hers. She’d let him take her like this. Right here, on his dad’s boat in a secret cove on the lake. With the warm summer air caressing her skin and the melting sunset casting his harshly handsome features with gold.

  “I want you, Chloe,” he whispered as he touched her with shaking hands. “I want you so damn bad it’s killing me.”

  She wound her legs around his hips, ready for him. Beyond ready. “Yes. Take me, Cam,” she urged.

  He reared up on his knees, reaching for his backpack, when suddenly a ringing sounded, startling them both.

  They stared at each other, their breaths coming quick. “Yours or mine?” he finally rasped.

  “Mine.” She scrambled for the bag she’d brought and yanked her phone out, saw who was calling, and tossed the phone back inside. Great.

  “Who was it?”

  Shaking her head, she reached for him. Wanted to forget. Wanted to focus on the two of them and no one else.

  “Chloe. Who was it?” His voice was tight, his eyes dark. He didn’t look so aroused anymore.

  “It was Mac,” she admitted, her voice small.

  The mood was broken, just like that.

  Clenching his jaw, he climbed off her, started pacing the boat, making it sway. “Maybe you should call him back and see what he wanted,” he snipped, surprising her.

  “Maybe you should stop being so jealous,” she offered instead.

  He turned on her, his eyes wild, his expression…angry. Like she’d never seen him before. “I’m not jealous.”

  “You are so jealous it’s ridiculous.” She stood and thrust her face in his as best she could, considering he was a giant compared to her. “I don’t know how many times I have to explain to you that Mac is my friend. That’s. It.” She poked him in the chest for emphasis.

  “He doesn’t act like your friend. More like a possessive boyfriend.” Cam shook his head. “Bastard has this way of getting under my skin and irritating the shit out of me at the worst possible moment,” Cam muttered, almost to himself. He rubbed his chest absently, as if her poke had hurt. Good. “It’s like he knows what I’m about to do and interrupts me every single time.”

  She couldn’t recall Mac interrupting them before. Oh wait, at Jane’s wedding reception when Cam asked her to dance, but that felt like a lifetime ago. “What exactly are you talking about?”

  “My entire life.” He kept his back to her but she knew he was still angry. “Everyone adored Patrick because he was the perfect oldest child. The heir apparent and all that shit. And then there was Mac. The baby. The cute one everyone indulged. I won’t even bother mentioning my sisters. And then there was me. Classic middle child, I was screaming for attention so I chased after it any way possible, including getting in trouble. I was such a pain in the ass, I’m sure they were relieved when I finally left.”

  “Better than being the afterthought,” Chloe said softly, not about to feel sorry for Cam. He had no idea how much his family loved him. Needed him.

  He’d been too busy ignoring them to realize.

  He turned to face her. “Is that what you think of yourself?”

  She shrugged, not really wanting to discuss her issues, but it was too late now. “My sisters are so much older than me. I was barely out of elementary school and they were both gone to college. Never to return until they absolutely had to. I always felt like I was some sort of accident. Like, my parents’ last chance to try for a boy and they thought they might get lucky. Instead, they had me.”

  His face softened, lost some of that angry edge. “I really doubt that, Chloe.”

  “Just like I doubt what you think, too. Everyone loves you, especially your family. You’re the adored brother, the favorite uncle, the one who left, traveled the world and really lived your life. You share only a small part of yourself and leave everyone wanting more.” She’d always wanted more from Cam. Still, she wanted more. “I stayed here like a coward. It’s safer. But boring.”

  He sat beside her, nudged her wet hair away from her shoulder so he could lean in and press a kiss there. His lips were cool, soft, sending shivers trembling throughout her already achy, needy body. “You’re definitely not boring.”

  “And you’re not underappreciated.” She touched his bristly cheek. “I always thought you had such tremendous bravado and strength. But you’re just as insecure as the rest of us, aren’t you?”

  He furrowed his brows. “I’m not perfect, that’s for damn sure.” Pausing, he exhaled sharply, as if gathering strength. “Something happened to me there. In Afghanistan.”

  She frowned. “What do you mean? What happened?” Her heart raced, scared to hear what he was about to reveal.

  “I was hurt. Riding with a special ops group across the desert, we ran over a bomb and it sent the vehicle flying, threw me out of the truck. I landed more than three hundred feet away from the car.” His gaze got a faraway look, like he was reliving the accident. “Everyone died but me.”

  Shock coursed through her, chilling her blood to ice, but she did her best to keep her reaction calm. Neutral. Tentatively, she stroked his cheek, tried to bring him back to her. “How badly were you hurt?”

  His turbulent gaze met hers. “Broke my leg, screwed up my knee. Scratched and bruised to hell, kinda like you were from your accident.”

  Nothing like what happened to her. It was a stupid car wreck she couldn’t remember. Cam had suffered through a bomb that might’ve blasted him into bits. He could’ve been killed. The idea of losing him… “Why did I never hear about this?”

  He shrugged those broad, capable shoulders. “I didn’t tell anyone. I thought…I don’t know. I just wanted you to know.”

  Surprise rendered her speechless. She struggled to find words, too shocked that he’d never told his family, the people who loved him more than anyone else in the world, what happened to him. She glanced down at his legs, noted the scar peeking out from beneath his board shorts. Reaching toward him, she touched him there, traced the length of the long, jagged scar. She couldn’t believe she never noticed before. “Is this the wound?”

  “Surgery scar,” he said, his voice tight.

  She dropped her hand. “Why didn’t you tell anyone about this?”

  “I didn’t want to burden them with my troubles.”

  “So you kept them bottled inside you instead.” She drew him into her, wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “Oh, Cam.”

  He slipped his arms around her, pressed his face against her neck where he remained for long, silent minutes. He tightened his grip on her, holding her so close she could scarcely breathe.

  But she didn’t mind. He needed it, needed her. Needed to unload that burden he’d held on to for who knew how long. She stroked her hand over his drying hair, loving how it clung to her fingers, and she realized she was too far gone now to ever turn back.

  She was hopelessly, irrevocably in love with Cameron McKenzie.

  Chapter Eight

  Cam walked into h
is parents’ house, his steps light, his mood lighter. For the first time since his accident, since hell, years, he felt like his old self. Unburdened, the world seemed a little brighter, a whole lot happier.

  It was all thanks to Chloe—and being in his hometown. She’d healed him somewhat out on the boat last night. Sure, they’d argued, but then she’d revealed a small slice of herself he’d never seen before. Her insecurities about her family made him feel like they had something in common.

  So he’d spilled his guts. She listened to his story and didn’t pass judgment, didn’t offer any sort of advice. Had merely offered her open arms to him and held him close while he absorbed her strength.

  He’d be a liar if he didn’t admit he’d grown a bit misty-eyed clinging to her. He’d purged his soul and damn if that hadn’t felt good, especially when he’d done so with a woman like Chloe. She was good for him. She was good to him.

  Jesus, he was turning into a regular sap like his old man.

  With the heaviness of his confession putting a damper on his mood, he hadn’t made any moves on her last night. Thought it best to let it go. Plus, he still had a few more confessions to make before he took it any further.

  He didn’t want to, but he had to come clean about the horrible things he said to her the night of her car accident. It wouldn’t be right, taking their relationship to another level without being honest. He’d never forgive himself if she found out from someone else.

  But how to tell her? God, he didn’t know how to approach the subject without sounding like a complete jerk. He didn’t want her to hate him.

  If he was being truthful, he wanted more from Chloe. For the first time in his life, he believed he just might be able to give his heart to her.

  “Anybody here?” he called out as he strode through the living room and entered the kitchen, stopping short when he saw all his siblings with the exception of Patrick sitting at the table, their expressions somber as they watched him expectantly.

  “What’s going on?” he asked warily. “Where’re Mom and Dad? I thought we were having lunch.” That had been the texted invitation from Jane when he woke up this morning.

  “They’re gone.” Mindy, the second oldest McKenzie sibling and all around representative, indicated the chair next to her. “Sit down, Cameron.”

  He did as she asked because hell, he always had. Mindy held the bossy older sister role, his second mother, with relish, if truth be told. She’d kept him out of trouble, beat him up on occasion, and asked him to be a groomsman in her wedding to Marty, which he’d done with a happy heart.

  Now the son of a bitch left her for some bimbo he was still shacking up with, flaunting her in front of the entire town while everyone gossiped behind their backs. It was disgusting. The sadness he felt emanating from Mindy every time he saw her made him in turn sad for her.

  But there was a different emotion emanating from everyone at the moment. Worry. Concern. Determination. They looked ready to tear into him. Dread settled low in his belly as he waited for the attack.

  Mac sat directly across from him, and for whatever reason that pissed Cam off. He was still mad at Mac for calling last night and killing the mood. He’d had his hand on Chloe’s breast for the love of God. Had been about to see nipple when that call had come through.

  Typical little brother bullshit.

  “We want to talk to you,” Jane started, resting her clutched hands on the table in front of her. “We’re worried about you.”

  “Worried about me? I’m great.” He hadn’t felt this good since he didn’t know when.

  “We want to know why you’re not working.” Mindy got straight to the point.

  His defensives immediately came up. “I’m taking a break.”

  “You never take a break. You don’t talk about it. I haven’t seen you with your camera out once since you’ve come back here. What happened to you?”

  He turned to look at Mindy, who sat next to him. “Nothing happened. I was sick and fucking tired of being in a warzone, okay? I needed to get out of there.”

  Jane watched him with those all-seeing eyes. She’d been the rat when they were younger, always telling on him and getting him in trouble. Always knowing when he was up to no good. “You were hurt when you were over there.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” His voice rose, his blood pressure shot up.

  “I talked to Chloe earlier this morning. We started talking about you and there was this hitch to her voice that made me think something was off. She sounded worried about you.” Jane pressed her lips together and shook her head. “I only got bits and pieces out of her because let me tell you, she wasn’t about to give any information up, but I put it together. I can’t believe you didn’t tell us, Cam. We’re your family.”

  His head was reeling. Chloe had told Jane about their private conversation? Why the hell would she break his confidence? “I didn’t want to worry you all,” he muttered, staring at the table blindly. Refusing to look at them, see the pity and concern on their faces.

  He couldn’t deal with it. Not now, maybe not ever.

  “We’re supposed to worry about you,” Mindy said softly, reaching out to rest her hand on his. “We want to take care of you but you make it awfully hard, always running away from us.”

  He ran because they stifled him. The entire town stifled him. Coming back had been a mistake. He’d known it from the start and somehow let a pretty little dark-haired woman convince him otherwise. She was just like all the rest—untrustworthy.

  The realization broke his fucking heart.

  “I appreciate your concern,” he said tightly, his gaze still glued to the tabletop. “But I’m fine now. The injuries I suffered were minor.”

  “How minor? Chloe refused to tell me. Said that was your story to confess,” Jane said.

  “Broke my leg and screwed up my knee,” he said tightly, his jaw hurting, he clenched it so hard.

  “Minor.” Jane shook her head. “Sounds serious to me. And I thought I noticed you limped sometimes.”

  “It hurts occasionally.” He shrugged. “No big deal.”

  “I wish you would open up to us and tell us what you’re feeling, how you’re doing. Why you’ve given up on your career and come back home,” Mindy said. “Not that we don’t love having you here with us, Cam, because we do, but…what exactly are you doing?”

  “Yeah,” Mac suddenly said, his voice full of anger. “If you plan on leaving soon, then you should stop wasting your time with Chloe. You’ll just end up breaking her heart. Why are you with her?”

  “Mac,” Mindy warned but it was too late.

  Cam finally lifted his head, sending a death glare in Mac’s direction. “It’s none of your damn business.”

  “Cam,” Jane admonished. “Honestly, we’re all wondering the same thing.”

  “I’m the only one with the balls to ask,” Mac added icily.

  “We’re friends,” he said, clenching his teeth. “Close friends.”

  “If you break her heart, I’ll break your face,” Mac said. “I won’t stand by and let you use her as your sexual plaything. She deserves better than that.”

  Cam stood, his right arm cocked back, fist clenched. Ready to lay the blow his brother undoubtedly asked for. “It’s not like that, asshole. Not that I need to explain myself to you.”

  Mac stood as well, rounding the table so fast both women gasped in shock. He got right in Cam’s face, his expression full of fury. “Then what’s it like, huh? I’ve seen you with her. Wrapped around her like a pretzel, your tongue down her throat.” At Cam’s shocked gaze, Mac nodded. “Yeah, I saw you two here in the house on the Fourth. Dragging her into a closet for God’s sake. What’s wrong with you? Embarrassed to be seen with her?”

  That was it. Cam lunged for his little brother, his fist landing on the edge of Mac’s jaw, sending him sprawling. His sisters leapt to their feet, Jane reaching Mac first, holding him down when he would’ve sprang to his feet and gone after
Cam. “What is wrong with the two of you?” she yelled.

  “He’s jealous.” Cam pointed at Mac, who glared at him, struggling against Jane’s grip, which appeared surprisingly strong. “He had his chance with Chloe and he missed it. Now he’s trying to break us apart.”

  “So you two are seeing each other,” Mindy breathed. “I heard rumors but I didn’t believe it. Oh, Cam.”

  “Don’t ‘oh, Cam’ me.” He whirled on Mindy, sick and tired of everyone’s judgment and worry. “Chloe’s a grown woman. She knows what she wants.” And she wanted him, even though she’d caved to Jane and gave away too much of his secret.

  The pain in his chest nearly took his breath away.

  “I’m not jealous, you asshole.” Mac shook Jane off him and stood, gingerly touching his already bruising jaw. “She’s one of my best friends. And you’re my womanizing brother. I don’t want her to get hurt. Because let’s face it, you’ll hurt her. It’s what you do best.”

  “Whatever.” Cam shrugged away from Mindy’s fluttering hands and turned on his heel, headed for the door. “I’m out of here. I don’t need this ambushing bullshit.”

  “Out of here for now, or out of here for good?” Mindy called as he walked away. “Running again as always, right, Cam?”

  He stopped, breathing harshly, his knuckles stinging from making connection with Mac’s stupid, smug face. “I’m not running away.”

  “You always run away.” Jane sounded furious. He heard her footsteps, felt that surprisingly tough grip jerk him around so he faced her. “And you hide. You’re a great hider, you always were. We’re sick of it. I’m sick of it.”

  “Is that why you always ratted me out, Janey?” he taunted. “You were just as bad, always keeping your emotions close to your chest.”

  She stared at him, her green eyes so much like his. “At least I’ve learned from my mistakes and face my life head-on versus running away from it all the time.”

  Her words were like a physical blow. Nailing him in the chest with such force they took his breath away. His sister was right. He hadn’t changed, hadn’t grown up while everyone else had. Without another word, he left the house. The house he grew up in, the siblings he loved and abandoned when he graduated high school and never looked back.