CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
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Camryn was currently lying on her bed by herself and staring at the ceiling fan as the multiple long blades whirled, each casting moving shadows that chased one another. The dancing scene above her didn’t hold the answers she sought to her dilemma. Sawyer had caved to her brother’s whims and escorted her to the kitchen where Brody had reheated their steak dinners with baked potatoes and garden salads.
Yes, Brody had done something nice for the two of them without saying anything out of line. He’d gone above and beyond to show her that he was willing to let her live her life, but that still didn’t mean she wasn’t miffed that he’d ruined what could very well have been the start of something very special tonight.
It would have been better had either of them not been staying in the main house. Hell, it would have made the situation even that much simpler had she and Sawyer stayed at his place. At least they would have had more privacy to get to know one another. It would have been nice to be taken out to dinner or taken to the beach for a nice picnic. Neither of those things were going to happen due to SSI’s current situation.
She rolled over on her side, slipping her left hand underneath her pillow and hoping the cool material would lower her body temperature. Even though they’d technically just agreed to see where this attraction between them could lead, she could feel the days slipping away one by one. Five and a half weeks would pass before either one of them even had a chance to really breathe and reflect over their time together. She’d be forced to make a decision about her life, all the while wondering if she’d given them enough time for her to make such a monumental choice.
Brody would tell her that life would unfold for her in its own time, and that she was always in a rush to reach the end of something without enjoying the colorful journey it took to get there.
Maybe he was right.
Maybe it was time to stop and smell the roses.
Maybe it was time to take the second step onto the path laid before her.
Camryn tossed aside the warm covers, instantly allowing the cool breeze from the overhead fan to caress her body. She shivered slightly at the change in temperature along with the knowledge that she wouldn’t be cold for long. That thought alone gave her the courage to cross the hardwood floor in her bare feet.
It wasn’t long before she found herself standing right outside of Sawyer’s bedroom door, her stomach fluttering at the anticipation of his reaction. He’d mentioned they could take their time in getting to know one another, but she had only a month before needing to make one of the biggest decisions of her life about her career.
She wasn’t one to stand idle.
Camryn was coming to realize that there were more important things than her profession. The woman inside of her longed for something more.
She raised her arm and knocked lightly on Sawyer’s door with her fist. His muffled reply to enter had her holding her breath, though it encouraged her to wrap her fingers around the brass knob. She hadn’t expected to find him at a seating area with papers scattered all around him. A sharp slice of disappointment shot through her at finding him working instead of lying in bed thinking about her when all she’d thought about for the last hour had been his warm lips pressed against hers.
“Hi,” Camryn said quietly, closing the door behind her as she stepped inside of his room. A hint of his cologne lingered in the air as if it were beckoning her closer to his location. She didn’t resist its pull and found herself curling into the seat across from him. Just being in his presence made everything better. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“Neither could I.” There was an intensity in Sawyer’s blue eyes that conveyed he wasn’t talking about work. Again, that tiny flutter in her stomach began to establish itself. It was hard to concentrate on his words when he wasn’t wearing a shirt. She’d had her hands on the contours of his chest before, but the visual gratification her eyes received from the sculpture of his muscles was quite overwhelming. “I thought I’d distract myself with work.”
“And?” Camryn forced herself to inquire, intentionally setting her elbow on the arm of the overstuffed chair and resting her chin in the palm of her hand. The physical awareness of one another was palpable. “Are you finding yourself successful in that endeavor at the moment?”
“No, not really.” Sawyer made no move to come toward her but instead leaned back in his own chair as if they had all the time in the world. “What is it about you that has my thoughts all scrambled?”
“I highly doubt that’s the case, because you seem perfectly composed sitting way over there all by yourself.”
Camryn would honestly like the answer to his question, though they would have had to switch roles. Her life hadn’t been the same since New Orleans. How was that even possible when they barely knew one another? She’d met quite a lot of different men in her line of work, but none of them held a candle to the one in front of her.
“Dance with me.”
Camryn continued to stare at him in confusion, figuring she had to have misunderstood his words. His penetrating stare caused her to shift uncomfortably in her seat as he continued to wait for her answer, causing her to finally recognize the sincerity of his request.
He stood and held out his hand.
This was it.
This was the moment she’d waited on for weeks, and she found that she had to force herself to swallow against the nervous constriction of her throat. It was then that she realized she didn’t want to be known as Camryn Novak, the actress.
She only wanted to be his Camryn.
His one and only.
“You’re trembling,” Sawyer murmured, gradually drawing her near so that she was tucked in close. Her right hand was captured in his, while his left arm was wrapped securely around her waist. The warmth of his chest soaked into her as he started to slowly rock them back and forth to an unheard melody. “We can take this as slow as you want.”
“I think that’s going to be a problem for me, Sawyer.” Camryn gradually tilted her head back until she met his searching gaze. “I’ve never been known for my patience.”
Sawyer didn’t reply but instead brought her even closer, if that were even possible. She rested her cheek against his muscular chest, wishing she could run her fingers over the slight dips and curves of his muscles. She satisfied herself with closing her eyes and listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. The rhythm itself was a melody.
Camryn didn’t know how long they remained swaying back and forth, savoring this special moment between them. There was only the two of them holding one another in an intimacy unlike anything she’d ever experienced.
The world outside of this room ceased to exist.
It was then that he rested his index finger underneath her chin, never once letting go of her other hand. His warm lips covered hers in a such a sensual manner that her knees came very close to buckling under the intense arousal that overtook her body. He pulled her even closer into him, molding her body into his.
Sawyer slipped his fingers into her hair until he had a fistful, drawing her lips away from his and her head back so that he could trace her jawline with his warm tongue before trailing a long, gentle kiss down her neck. He didn’t stop until he reached the sensitive skin at the curve of her shoulder.
“Lift your arms, sweetheart,” Sawyer said in a tone she’d never heard before. Camryn was useless to resist, doing as instructed so that he could lift the tank top she’d worn to bed over her head. Her hair tie had come out from his tight grip and was now lying on the ground, her shirt joining it in the forming pile. “Beautiful. Your body is magnificent.”
Camryn lifted her lashes to find that Sawyer had pulled away far enough to take in the view of her body. The hue of his blue eyes had deepened in excitement. She couldn’t contain the small gasp of pleasure that crossed her lips when the palms of his hands molded to her breasts, lifting the ample flesh ever so slowly.
“Yes,” Camryn moaned as he drew her nipple into his mouth, tracing the swollen nub with his tongue. The desire rushing through her veins was overpowering, and it was all she could do to keep herself standing. Sawyer must have been paying close attention, for he finally released her and slipped his right arm underneath her legs. “Wait. We need—”
“I have everything taken care of,” Sawyer said as he gently set her on her feet when they were inches from the bed. He slowly kneeled, prompting her to reach out and run her fingers through his short blond hair. It gave her something to do while his calloused fingers drew her shorts down over her hips, thighs, and eventually leaving the material draped over her feet. “I just hope that one box is enough to see us through the night.”
Camryn’s heartrate picked up as she dragged her gaze from his to search for the box full of condoms, finally locating the unopened container that stated there were three latex condoms inside the box.
Three condoms in one night?
She wasn’t so sure she was ready to go from zero to sixty in one six-hour stretch, because that’s all the time they had before Sawyer was due to leave to carry out his work assignment the next day.
Camryn’s thoughts were brought back to the present when Sawyer started to slowly tug on the silk edges of her panties. It wasn’t long before she stood in front of him in all her glory, amazingly enough not experiencing any sense of vulnerability. It was due to how he was regarding her…as if she were everything he’d ever wanted.
The surface of Sawyer’s hands were rough enough to cause goosebumps following the trail of his touch, but soft enough to make her yearn for more. He caressed upward until he had no choice but to stand, not leaving any part of her body unaffected.
Camryn finally let her knees buckle, using the bed for support as she drew herself back onto the mattress. She watched in fascination as Sawyer’s fingers efficiently unfastened the button on his jeans, only to lower the zipper more slowly than she would have liked. She recalled her question to him regarding boxers or briefs and how he hadn’t truly answered her during their phone conversation.
Now she had her answer—boxer briefs. The best of both worlds.
Sawyer was beyond impressive. There was no other way to describe his physical attributes, from the dimple in his right cheek down to his…manhood.
“If you keep looking at me like that, I can all but guarantee that box of condoms won’t last through the night,” Sawyer disclosed in a tone that triggered something inside of her. He’d joined her on the bed, but he allowed her to lean into him enough so that she was over top of him. Her hair cascaded around his chest, but she moved quick enough before he had a chance to reach for it. She’d caught on right away that he liked to play with her hair, and while she enjoyed the arousing tingles it provoked…she had other things on her mind. “Camryn, you—”
“…want to explore to my heart’s content,” Camryn murmured, drawing her hands down his chest like she’d wanted from the first moment she’d walked into his bedroom. The golden hue coming from the seating area offered her enough light to visually enjoy who she was touching. “I want to make you feel the way I do every time our eyes meet.”
Camryn pressed her lips against the left side of the V that marked the path to her intended destination. She lightly stroked her tongue down the trail, not stopping until she’d reached the tip of his member.
She then made love to him with her mouth, leaving an imprint of herself through every touch, stroke, and caress. She had no intention of stopping, but Sawyer apparently had other plans. He returned the favor, though she doubted he would view it that way. The way he loved her with his hands and mouth was something that would forever remain etched in her mind. He made her understand quite clearly how much he desired her, and she could have wept with joy when he finally reached for that elusive box of condoms.
“Here,” Camryn whispered shakily, unable to control her voice after being left on the verge of an explosive release. “You’re taking far too long.”
“And here I thought we’d settled the whole patience thing,” Sawyer murmured against her neck as he nuzzled that sensitive place she’d never known existed. Camryn ripped the foiled package so fast that she briefly wondered if she’d ripped the latex. He’d taken it from her trembling hands and quickly rolled the condom over his thick shaft, exhibiting that she’d been worried about nothing. It was more than clear there wasn’t a break in the latex by how it stretched thin over him. “I guess it’s something we need to work on.”
“It’s going to require a lot of work,” Camryn urged playfully, lying back on the rumpled sheets and pulling him over her to prove her point. “A lot of work, Sawyer.”
“Then we better put in all the required effort.”
Camryn would have responded had he not taken her breath away by the slow thrust of his hips. His tip parted her folds while the rest of his shaft filled her in the most satisfying manner. Heat spread through her entire being. She parted her lips to explain to him how he made her feel, but there were no words to describe the emotions that consumed her.
Their minds and souls were now intertwined…not just their bodies.
This moment was life changing for her in so many ways.
*
He’d had to improvise.
He also had to wonder if his message would be delivered.
A new plan, a different course…and a specific date.
Now all he had to do was find her before his time ran out.