I dabbed at my eyes one last time with the bedraggled tissue I’d pulled from my purse. I’d held it in my sweaty palm so tightly it was practically useless at absorbing one more tear.

I blew out a breath and tried to calm myself. Hearing Cam say he wanted me to stay was like a soothing balm. He’d said everything I’d so badly wanted to hear. I’d fallen in love with him. It killed me to think of him with Lisa or anyone else for that matter. But I still wasn’t one hundred percent sure this would work, especially if he went pro. Soon it would be announced on TV and his whole life would change so drastically, I was sure he didn’t even have a clue. In my mind, it was like becoming a movie star overnight. Practically every week, tabloid headlines were screaming about a new sex scandal involving some famous athlete.

I stashed the damp tissue in my pocket and pulled myself together. I sent off a quick text to my mom telling her never mind about the money; I didn’t need it after all.

As soon as I hit the send button, I sensed someone standing in front of me and my head snapped up. I jumped to my feet. There was Cam, looking like the Cavalry coming to my rescue. His hair was tousled and his gaze burned into me, telling me the truth of everything he’d said to me on the phone.

“Cam…” The rest of my words were lost as I threw my arms around his neck and buried my face in his solid chest. I didn’t want to cry, but a little whimper escaped, and I don’t know what I really said. I was too overcome with emotions. I may have said, “Please, don’t leave me,” all the words strung together in one fast sentence. Which was odd, because I was the one sitting in the bus station. I’d been sitting here thinking about the future and all those women yet to come. Hell, Lisa was nothing compared to that. Why would Cam want me when I practically forced myself on him by jumping in the back of his car and causing so much hassle in his life? But I didn’t want to think about that right now.

It felt so good being in his arms, Cam holding me.

Leave this heaven? What was I thinking? I saw the sincerity in his eyes when I looked up at him and my heart melted. I’d been foolish and hadn’t trusted him because of being hurt in the past. He said he loved me, and I loved him. That’s all that mattered.

He took my face in his hands and pulled me into a long, deep kiss that warmed me to my toes. This was where I belonged. Not in Ohio, running away from all the what ifs, letting my self-doubts drive me from the one good thing that’d happened to me in my entire life.

* * *

By the time we practically fell into Cam’s apartment, everything about me was burning. Butterflies in my stomach. Arousal throbbing between my legs. Skin tingling.

He backed me into the bedroom. “I want you fucking naked, now,” Cam ordered as he reached for the back of his shirt, pulling it over his head. He finished first, crowding into me even as I was still trying to get out of my bra. He picked me up and my legs went around his waist, only the thin fabric of my panties keeping us from full skin-on-skin contact. He grabbed my hair, yanking it back so he could have access to my neck. Teeth and tongue on my skin made me moan and gasp, my whole body turning to mush until he dropped me onto the bed.

“Put your hands up over your head.”

I did what he said without question, the edge to his voice giving me goosebumps.

Cam knelt on the bed, his cock already hard, curling up toward his stomach. He didn't look like he was going to just slam right into me though. The glint in his eyes said that he planned on making this memorable.

“Keep your hands there.” He hooked his fingers into the waistband of my panties and pulled them off, tossing them over his shoulder without a second glance. He paused for a moment, admiring my naked body. “God, you’re beautiful,” he said, reaching up to cup my breasts in his hands, his thumbs brushing over my nipples. His eyes blazed with desire as he pinched my nipples, staring at me as he rolled the hardened flesh.

I'd been wet before, but each twinge of electric pleasure sent another flood of arousal to my pussy until I was practically dripping on the bed beneath me. I flushed, I was so turned on and arched into his touch. He leaned down and took one hard nipple into his mouth, the sensation of his warm wet mouth, spiking yet another wave of pleasure. Not sure if I was supposed to take my arms down, I pushed my breasts up toward him, and raised my head to watch. I wanted to see his mouth on my nipple.

“More, baby. More.”

My head fell back as his tongue flicked and he sucked again. He alternated back and forth, using fingers and teeth to twist and pull, suction and tongue to tease and please. Pleasure coiled tight inside me, and he continued working me toward what I knew would be an explosive orgasm.

It wasn't until I opened my eyes a moment later, that I realized he was holding me by my ankles and watching me with something that looked almost like awe.

Before I could feel self-conscious, he spoke. “I love to watch you when you’re getting turned on. I could watch you all day.”

I smiled. “Only you drive me this crazy, baby.” The electricity between us had been there from the start, and I’d never felt it with any other man.

He chuckled, but there was something primal and almost dark to the sound. “Good. I don't like the idea of anyone else getting to see you in the throes of passion, ever again. You’re mine.”

A shiver ran through me and a part of me dared to hope that his words meant he wanted to be the only one giving me orgasms, forever.

He shifted until he was almost sitting on his heels, then grabbed my hips and yanked me down the bed to position me in front of him. I had about three seconds to feel a bit of friction burn on my back before the sensation disappeared beneath the exquisite pleasure of Cam’s tongue buried in my pussy. He kept his hands on the inside of my thighs, spreading me wide as he maneuvered his tongue and worked me toward orgasm. I wasn't even aware I'd dropped my hands to Cam’s head, trying to hold him against me, until I felt his teeth on my clit. My eyes flew open to see him staring at me. Slowly, I raised my hands back up behind me, and he raised his head.

“Next time, I'll stop and let you suck my cock while I finger you to the edge half a dozen times.” His breath against my pussy made me shiver.

“Oh, baby, you’re so bad.” My voice was barely a whisper. “And I love it when you’re bad.”

To have him in my mouth, feel the weight of him, taste him. To be driven to the edge and held there. The thought of it alone sent a heavy rush of excitement, pushing me higher, closer to climax.

Then he lowered his mouth again and took me, screaming, to the edge and over. Pleasure crashed into me, almost painful in its intensity. It was brutal, the way he licked around and over and in, attacking my clit until I came. He didn't let up, continuing to suck on the swollen bundle of nerves until it was throbbing as much as my nipples.

“Please!” The word tore out of me when I couldn't take any more.

He rolled me onto my stomach, my head at the edge of the bed. Something brushed against my lips and my eyes fluttered open. His cock hovered in front of my face, and I didn't even hesitate to flick out my tongue against the tip, the saltiness of him bursting across my taste buds.

“Open your mouth for me, baby.”

I did as he said, prickles of pleasure moving across my overly sensitive nipples as they rubbed against the bedspread. He slid between my lips, moving across my tongue until he almost went too far. He pulled back and allowed me to reposition myself. I pushed myself up on my elbows to make it easier to breathe, but I didn't touch him, letting him slowly thrust into my mouth. I focused on tasting him, running my tongue over the soft skin, reveling in the feel of him.

He reached down and cupped my chin, his thumb running across my bottom lip. “You have no idea how much I love fucking your mouth. I love it when you take me all the way to the root, watch you swallow every drop, then lick your swollen lips.”

I didn't know what turned me on more, his actions or his words.

“But I want that tight pussy right now.”

He pulled out of my mouth, walked around to the other side of the bed, and grabbed my ankles. I squealed with pleasure as he yanked me across the bed, wondering what position he’d take me in this time, the uncertainty, spiking my arousal again. As my toes brushed the carpet, I braced myself for what I knew was coming. Being prepared didn't stop me from startling as he slammed into me. There was little tenderness, or gentleness, this time. This was passion and desire of him wanting me, showing me he wanted me to stay with him, the total and complete loss of self and immersion in the sexual act of two bodies coming together.

And I let myself take it all. Every thrust of his thick cock stretched me wide and hit me deep. Each dig of fingers into my hips, grunt of pleasure from him and every wave of ecstasy that washed over me.

I didn't let anything else in, didn't let anything mar what was happening between us. I wanted him, and he wanted me. And as I came for the second time, that was enough. Spots danced in front of my eyes, and I felt the world going gray as he called out my name. I allowed myself a burst of self-confidence. He was mine and now I was ready to roll into his arms and cuddle.

“Be right back, babe.” He touched a finger to my nose and kissed me, then headed into the bathroom.

He returned with a warm, wet washcloth and cleaned us both up, then tossed it on the nightstand. He slid into the bed and pulled me up against his chest, where I snuggled into the crook of his arm.

Stroking my hair, he said, “You are the most important thing to me, Allie. The thought of you at that bus station nearly killed me. Please, don’t ever do that again.”

“I’m sorry I gave you a scare, but Cam…” I had to be truthful with him. I couldn’t let my secret doubts stay pushed down. They were eating me up inside and I was tired of the roller coaster ride of emotions. “I can’t help but feel like I’m getting in the way of your big dream. It seems like I bring stress and trouble to your life that you don’t need right now.”

“Baby, I’d give up everything for you.”

“If I stopped you from your dream you’d blame me for the rest of your life, be bitter toward me. It would poison our relationship, I’m sure of it. I don’t want to get your way.”

“Baby…”

“No wait, let me finish. “I love you too, and I’m totally grateful for all that you’ve endured to help me. I mean, Jesus Cam, if it weren’t for me and fuck-ass Jade, you wouldn’t be stressing over healing from injuries before your big day. And...there's still Jade. I'm sure he’s looking for me.”

I tried to fool myself, tell myself Jade had other more important things to do like go to Sturgis, but deep down, I knew Jade. And he wouldn’t stop until he got his way.

“Fuck Jade, he’s in another state. We’ve been in Austin now for months. I’m sure he’s forgotten all about you. He’s not a threat.”

He pulled me close, tightened his arms around me, and I felt reassured. Cam was right. I was pulling the same old self-doubting behavior, letting my anxiety talk me into shit I didn't need to worry about, heeding that same unhelpful voice I couldn't manage to kick out of my head.

“I guess you’re right. I have a tendency to over worry sometimes.” I smiled, feeling better. “I love you Cam, I do. Don’t ever doubt that.”

“You know what, let’s not talk about the past and old What’s His Face. Let’s think about the future. What do you want to do with your future?”

I brightened and said, “Well, for starters, I’d like to finish my Theatre Arts degree.”

“Great. That’s a good plan and I’ll help you. You can go to college anywhere.”

Anywhere? Was he talking about me going with him to training camp?

“As long as we’re together,” he continued. “I’ll help with tuition. Once I’m making the big bucks in the NFL I’ll have so much money, I’ll be wiping my ass with hundred dollar bills.”

We both laughed and it felt good to be lighthearted. Then as usual, I began to think of all the pitfalls. Following Cam to whatever training camp sounded good, but he would need complete focus, and I didn’t want him to worrying about my happiness while training.

“Well, still, this won’t be like college football. The NFL is a hundred times more demanding. You won’t have time to dote on me while in training. Relationships take a lot of work. Maybe you should think about it.”

Plus, I’d heard how professional football players had a different girl in every town. I didn’t want to be the hometown girlfriend. The one left at home when he went on the road to away games. I’d have classes to attend. I couldn’t fly to places every other weekend. After thinking it over, it still seemed like I’d be a burden to Cam if I followed him in his career. After all, look what had happened in the past.

“I'm Just saying why don't you take a day or two to think about it. Don't say yes or no right now.”

He gave me a puzzled look, an almost sad look, and said, “Well, okay. If you insist. But I don’t need to think about it. You worry too much, honey.”