I awoke with a gasp, launching myself upright in bed. I panted for breath, my heart racing in my chest.

"What? What is it?"

I turned to find Cameron lurching out of bed to sit next to me. His red hair was bedraggled, falling over his face.

I was befuddled for a brief moment before it came back to me. Cameron had agreed to stay the night with me. I'd been too scared to be alone. There hadn't been a real intruder, but that didn't stop my imagination from going into overdrive.

"Was it a nightmare?" His eyes were heavy lidded with sleep, but I could still detect the concern in them.

"I don't remember." My voice was still shaky and weak.

"Why don't you lie back and try to get some sleep?" Cameron suggested.

I nodded silently and settled back into bed, but I was now wide awake. I couldn't remember all of my dreams, but I still felt the effects. Adrenaline spiking through my veins, breathing sped up. I began to tremble.

A small touch on my shoulder made me jump.

"Hey, it's just me," Cameron was still hovering over me. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"I don't think I believe you." His voice held a hint of teasing. That hand drifted from my shoulder to stroke my hair, the same way he had earlier when he pulled me from the bathroom.

God that was embarrassing. I pulled the covers up to my nose and tried not to groan.

But the soft touch of his fingers sifting through my hair was enough of a distraction.

Cameron stilled. He pulled his hand back and shifted away from me, as if suddenly realizing what he was doing.

I began to notice things I hadn't noticed earlier. Cameron was wearing a thin white t-shirt, tight enough that I could see the outline of his abs. The exposed skin of his chest and arms were covered in ink. The shifting of his muscles beneath his skin as he pushed his hair out of his eyes made my mouth go dry.

I averted my eyes quickly. I didn't want Cameron to catch me looking. Didn't want him to see me staring at him as if I were dying of thirst and had just found an oasis.

"Do you want to talk?" he asked. "Sometimes it helps to get things off your chest."

Those words made my thoughts drift back to my dream. That spike of fear returned. My whole body tensed. Cameron must have sensed it.

"There's nothing to be afraid of," he continued. "It was just a false alarm. There was nothing on the security cameras. It was probably just a trash panda."

I couldn't help but let out a small giggle.

"Trash panda?"

"A raccoon," he clarified.

"Is that what you call them?"

"Why not? They look like small pandas. They eat trash."

I snorted out a laugh.

"Do you get many trash pandas around here?"

"Oh yeah. My trash is high quality. All the little rodent creatures fight over who gets to root around in my garbage."

I laughed harder. Cameron returned my laugh with a grin of his own. I nestled down into the mattress.

"Thanks, Cameron."

He continued to hover over me. His eyes glinted, pale moonlight reflected off the dark blue.

"If you want to talk, I'll listen."

I burrowed down into the covers. The bed depressed next to me as Cameron reclined, leaning on one arm so he could look at me. The worry and concern in his face made my heart clench. I closed my eyes.

"Only Noah knows the whole story."

"About the break in?" Cameron's brow furrowed in confusion.

"It wasn't just that our place got broken into." I paused. "I was home that night."

Cameron stilled for a moment before his hand returned to my hair, stroking softly.

"You saw the break in?"

"I didn't just see it. I— I walked in on it. I was in my bedroom. I heard a noise. I stepped out into the living room, expecting to see Noah coming in late from rehearsals. There were two of them. And…"

"Tell me," he said in a gentle voice.

"I knew them," I confessed quietly. "They had been in foster care with me and Noah. My brother got famous. They came around again. Acted like we were family. We trusted them."

"Fuck," Cameron cursed. "That's messed up."

I huffed out a laugh.

"I don't think Noah ever forgave himself for letting it happen. For leaving me alone all night. For trusting the wrong people."

"No wonder he's such a cranky, overprotective, hard ass. Being betrayed like that would really fuck a person up."

"He was always overprotective. And always kind of a hard ass," I admitted. "But this sent him over the edge."

"I had no idea," Cameron said quietly. "I thought you and Noah walked in and found your apartment torn up. I never knew."

He looked almost as distraught as I felt.

"No one knew. I lied to the police. I said Noah and I had walked in together. Noah wanted me to tell, but I refused. I was too afraid." I took in a deep breath. "That wasn't the worst part, though."

Cameron held my gaze. "You can tell me."

"At first, when I walked in on them, they didn't know what to do. I thought they might run. But instead—"

My voice faltered.

Cameron shifted down until we were eye to eye. While one hand pet my hair, the other rested softly on my shoulder. The heat of his fingers was like a fiery brand on my skin.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"I screamed. I think they were afraid the neighbors would hear. One of them took out a switchblade." Unconsciously, I brought my hand to my neck, tracing the faint scar under my chin with my fingertips. "He said he would slit my throat if I didn't shut up."

Cameron wrapped both arms around my shoulders and tugged me closer. "Fuck. Lily. I'm so sorry."

I snuggled down into his warmth, ducking my head into his chest.

"They tied me up." My voice was hoarse. "Put my hands behind my back. Duct taped my mouth shut. Tied my feet together so I couldn't run. I squirmed and struggled but they were too big. Too strong."

Cameron's arms squeezed me tight. He returned to petting my hair.

"They kept on looking at me. Whispering to each other. They must have thought no one was home. They hadn't even bothered to hide their faces."

My eyes burned as tears gathered in the corners.

"I honestly thought they were going to kill me to keep me from telling anyone."

Cameron cupped my cheeks with both hands. He lifted my head from where I had burrowed down into him, bringing us face to face.

"And… that's how Noah found you?"

"He didn't come home until late the next morning. All night I sat there, tied up and terrified they would change their minds and come back."

A pained expression crossed his face. "Fuck. I can't even imagine how scared you must have been."

All the terror I'd felt back then came back in full force. Hot tears fell down my face, wetting Cameron's fingers as he stroked my cheeks.

"I thought I was going to die that night. I thought I'd never see my brother again. See my friends again." My breath hitched. "And then tonight. I heard the alarm. I thought—" My voice broke. I couldn't stop a sob from leaving my throat.

Cameron hugged me tight, wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face in my hair.

"It's okay," he said in hushed tones. "You're safe. I promise."

His lips brushed the top of my ear as he spoke. Shivers went through me at that slight touch.

"I'll never let anyone hurt you. You can always come to me. Okay?"

Our legs were tangled together, our chests pressed close. I was sure he could feel the rapid beating of my heart through my thin tank top.

I took in a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I only succeed in breathing in his scent, warm and masculine. That smell sent a streak of heat straight to the apex of my thighs. I shuddered in his arms.

"You're safe," he promised again, taking my shaking for fear.

But in his arms, the fear had subsided. A wave of arousal was taking its place.

I was acutely aware of every inch of his bare skin pressed to mine. The soft strands of his hair tickled my cheeks. The tips of my bare toes brushed his legs. And our hips—

I inhaled sharply.

Our hips were flush together, my own fitting neatly against his. So close I could feel him.

So close I could feel his rapidly hardening length against the hollow of my hip.

I shifted unconsciously, tilting my hips, wanting to feel more of him.

Cameron let out a small sound, halfway between a pained hiss and a pleasurable groan. His fingers clenched, gathering fistfuls of my shirt in his hands. I thought he might flex his hips, press himself against me.

Nervous excitement flowed through me.

Was Cameron really…?

He lifted his head from where it was buried in my hair. His cheeks brushed mine. He stared at me, our lips inches away from each other. The expression on his face was heated. Fiery. His eyes dropped to my mouth.

Arousal and anxiety hit me at the same time.

Did I really want to…?

I knew I liked Cameron. But was I ready for this?

I closed my eyes and parted my lips.

In a flurry of motion Cameron launched himself away from me, scrambling to the other side of the bed.

"Fuck," he said roughly. He sat upright, back against the headboard. He ran a hand over his face. "This can't happen."

I played with the hem of my tank top. I nodded slowly, a mix of disappointment and relief welling up in my chest.

"I'm serious, Lily." His voice was hoarse.

"I know."

He moved to get up, sliding off the bed. I grabbed his hand.

"Please stay," I begged.

"I can't—"

"Just to sleep."

I crawled back and nestled under the covers, leaving room for him to settle back down beside me.

He examined me quietly, as if seeking something in my eyes. He sat back down on the mattress with a thump.

His tall frame made a deep indentation in the bed. I felt myself tilt closer to him. It was like a planet gravitating toward the sun. I was drawn in by his presence.

I turned on my side, facing him.

Cameron lay on his back, arms straight at his sides. I could see a gleam of light reflecting in his eyes, telling me they were still open, staring at the ceiling.

"You're a really good guy," I told him.

He laughed, a harsh, deprecating sound. "No. I'm not."

I reached out for him. His hand was balled in a fist. I placed mine over his. I scooted closer, curling in on myself until my head rested on his shoulder.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep to the sound of his heartbeat.