Close to You
She’s adorable.
We dance and simply soak it all in.
And when the song “When I Was Your Man” begins to play, I pull her into my arms and we sway in the aisle, moving back and forth, and for this moment, we’re the only people in the room. She sighs and melts against me, her whole body pressed to me. I bury my face in her hair, kiss her softly, and then the song, and the moment, are over.
“This is incredible!” Cami exclaims, smiling up at me. “Thank you!”
“It’s my pleasure,” I reply.
Everything with Cami is my pleasure.
“SO HOW ARE your siblings?” I ask on Thursday night. Cami and I are in her kitchen, cleaning up from dinner. “I know you said Amanda and her family moved north. What about your brother? I haven’t seen him in years.”
“They don’t live here anymore either,” she replies with a shrug. “Bobby and his wife moved to Arizona to be closer to her family.”
“I always liked your brother,” I reply, watching her closely. “I’m just surprised they left you all alone here.”
“They didn’t.” She frowns. “I have the girls and Steven. Plus, I talk to Amanda all the time, probably more since they moved.”
“Good,” I reply, not sure why I suddenly feel the need to hug her.
“Riley will be here any minute,” Cami says, and bites her lip just as we hear the front door open and Riley calls out hello. “Or right now.”
“Your cat tried to kill me,” Riley says as she walks into the kitchen, peeling her coat off. “I’m pretty sure he hates me.”
“He’s a lover,” I say in the cat’s defense, and grin down at the feline as he winds his way through my legs, purring happily.
“He only likes men,” Cami says. “He doesn’t like me either.”
“What other men has he been around?” I ask, raising a brow.
“Oh, you know,” Cami says, waving me off. “Just Jean Claude and Ricardo. But I always make sure they’re gone by the time you get here.”
Not giving one shit about having an audience, I pull Cami into my arms and kiss the hell out of her, plunging my hands in her hair and fisting, holding her still as I plunder and explore her mouth, nibble her lips, then kiss my way down her jawline to her ear and whisper, “Do you want to change that answer?”
“Just you,” she says, then clears her throat. “I told Jean Claude and Ricardo to take a hike.”
“That’s better,” I reply, and drag my knuckles down her cheek. “I’d hate to go to jail for murder.”
“A little possessive, aren’t we?” Riley asks, and helps herself, pouring a glass of wine. “You want some?” she asks Cami.
“Yes, please.”
“Speaking of possessive,” I reply, not directly answering her question, “what’s going on tonight?”
“It’s Thursday,” Riley says, as if that explains everything. “It’s our TV night.”
“Hot vampires,” Cami says, nodding. “Want to join us?”
“In watching vampires? No thanks,” I reply, and shake my head. “I guess you get her tonight,” I say to Riley.
“Sorry not sorry,” Riley says with a smug smile. “And just so you know, when summer starts, there will be a Real Housewives night too.”
“Real Housewives?” I ask. “Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not,” Cami replies, and sips her wine. “Riley and I love trash TV. It’s sort of an addiction. You should probably know that from the get-go.”
“I believe the get-go was a while ago,” I say, and then laugh. “Okay, have a good night. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to leave,” Cami says, and worries her bottom lip. I can see that she’s torn between hanging out with Riley and me leaving for the night, and that’s never a worry I want to give her. She doesn’t have to choose. She can have all of us.
“I’m fine,” I reply, and kiss her forehead. “Have fun with Riley tonight. I’ll see you all weekend.”
Her face lights up. “Do we have plans?”
“Do we need them?” I ask.
“No.” She shakes her head. “I don’t care what we do, as long as I get to do it with you.”
“I’m going to gag,” Riley says, and starts for the living room. “I’ll take my chances with your homicidal cat while you all play kissy face.”
“He’s not homicidal,” Cami calls after her, then stares up at me with a happy smile. “Thanks for understanding.”
“I’m a guy, babe. I’ll never understand hot vampires.” I kiss her nose, then her lips. “But I understand needing time with your friend. Seriously, enjoy yourselves. Do you need anything?”
“Ice cream!” Riley calls from the other room.
“So much for privacy,” I mutter.
“The walls are thin!” Riley yells, making us both laugh.
“I’ll go get your ice cream.”
“You don’t have to,” Cami says.
“I know.” I walk through the living room and wave at Riley on my way out.
“Cherry Garcia, please,” Riley says with a sweet smile.
I nod, but rather than walk out, I turn back to look at Cami. She’s just sat down next to Riley, and she’s laughing at something Riley said. Cami’s head is tossed back, her hair fallen back so I can see the soft curve of her neck.