Not the Placeholder: A BBW New Adult Serial Romance (Not the Hot Chick series Book 4)
Read Not the Placeholder: A BBW New Adult Serial Romance (Not the Hot Chick series Book 4) Online
Authors: N. Raines
Contents
Not the Placeholder
(Book 4 in the Not the Hot Chick Series)
N. Raines
Not the Placeholder
Cameron Cleary strode into his living room, wearing only a towel wrapped low around his hips. With another towel, he scrubbed his wet hair.
He flashed a grin at Layla, settled on his futon. "I'll be ready to go in a sec."
She grinned right back. "Take your time. I'm in no rush."
Wasn't that the truth. She could happily watch him, with or without clothes, all day long. Her mouth watered at the roll of his shoulders as he dried his hair. His skin glistened, still damp from the shower. A drop of water trickled down his chest. How she'd love to lick it off.
God, she was a ho. Though she'd spent the night at his place, and they'd slept late this morning—which hadn't involved much sleeping—she still couldn't get enough of him. She might be sore, but it was a good kind of sore. She'd jump at the chance of another go.
Layla felt no shame whatsoever. Yep, a ho for sure.
She nodded at the towel. "Why the sudden modesty?" It wasn't like she hadn't seen everything he had to offer.
His dark eyebrows lifted. "Why, Ms. Messner. Are you suggesting I traipse around butt naked?"
"You bet. You're depriving me of my favorite view."
"Really. Well, then…" He swiveled his hips, fingering the edge of the towel hanging there.
She groaned. "Come on, don't tease."
Imitating a drum roll, he loosened the towel and flashed a hip while keeping the best parts hidden. "Ba bum bum ba bum."
An instant later he flung the towel and it landed in her face. By the time she snatched it off, he had already turned and was headed down the hall.
"Aw, no fair." At least she got to ogle his sexy ass as he ambled toward his bedroom.
They'd been going at it like bunnies the past couple of weeks. Since he worked mostly nights as a bartender and she was a teacher, their schedules didn't exactly line up. During the week they grabbed what time together they could, but weekends were a different story. Then they made up for lost time, tumbling into bed and barely emerging till Sunday afternoon.
They were taking a short break today, though it was only Saturday, to go ice skating at the Water's Edge. "Hey, make sure your hair's dry before we go. You don't want to catch cold."
"Yes, Mom," he called.
"Smart-ass."
She waited, scrolling through messages on her phone. A knock sounded at the door. "Should I get it?" she called.
"Yeah, would you?"
Layla opened the door to a petite, slim young woman with short, dark hair and a mischievous smile. "Hi. Is Cam here?"
Who was this? Layla knew Cam had no sisters. "Uh, yeah, he's—"
Without waiting for further invitation, the pixie skipped past Layla into the living room. "Hey, Camster, where the hell are you?"
"Paige?" Wearing jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, he stood in the bedroom doorway. The girl rushed down the hall and leaped at him. He instinctively grabbed her as she threw her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips.
"I can't believe how long it's been!" she cried.
Cam gently hugged the slender young woman in his arms while Layla looked on silently. "Paige." His voice was tender.
The girl planted kisses on his cheeks and chin, hanging on him like a monkey as he carried her into the living room. "Oh, I've missed you so, so much." She tilted her head back and grinned at Layla. "Hi."
Layla, the third wheel, glanced at Cam in confusion. "Hi?"
Cam lightly patted the girl's behind. "Get down now."
Paige gave him a playful pout before planting her feet on the floor. "You haven't changed at all. Still the same old stick–in–the–mud, respectable Cam."
Huh? Layla gaped at him. The hookup king of the 'tenders respectable? A stick–in–the–mud? Had she fallen into some kind of parallel universe?
"And you're still a brat." Cam's voice was less than robust, and his trademark grin was crooked. He'd gone pale. A ripple of unease coursed through Layla as he avoided her gaze. The hairs on her neck prickled.
The pixie swatted him on the arm. "I come all the way here to see you and that's how you talk? Why the hell didn't you answer my texts, dummy?"
"Phone's been wonky," he answered with a straight face. Layla recognized the bald-faced lie and her anxiety grew.
"Whatever." Paige flicked her hand as though she'd already tired of the topic. "Anyway, I figured if you wouldn't come to me, then—"
"You'd have to go to him," Layla finished. She wasn't going to stand like a lump while they carried on a conversation around her.
So this was Paige. Layla had heard about her, though not from Cam. Not that she was entitled to all the deets on his past—after all, their relationship had only recently gone from friends to "more than." She wasn't jealous, just feeling off her game and totally clueless.
"Yeah," Paige agreed, giving her a smile and a look of curiosity.
Cam found his voice. "Uh, Paige, meet my girl Layla."
My girl.
Layla tried not to look gobsmacked as pride and pleasure fizzed through her. He slipped his arm around her waist.
My girl.
It was the first time he'd used those words.
But why use them now, at this exact moment, in front of this girl she'd just met? A needle of doubt pricked Layla's balloon of happiness, deflating it bit by bit.
Paige's eyebrows winged up. She blinked, casting a longer look at Layla. "Wow. I didn't know. Hi, Cam's girl."
"How would you know? You've been out of touch for—what? At least a year and a half." There was no mistaking the sting in Cam's voice.
"You know I had to get away." Paige spoke reproachfully. "Anyway, that's the past. A lot's happened with me. Not bad, don't worry. Good stuff. And I knew I had to share it with you."
Layla felt Cam's body go stiff as he tightened his arm around her. This "good stuff," whatever it was, was nothing he wanted to hear.
As though she'd burst if she held in the news a moment longer, Paige blurted, "I'm getting married!" She threw up her arms as if expecting a shower of confetti to greet her announcement.
Cam reacted as though she'd slapped his face. His head jerked back and his eyes went glassy. A moment later, subdued, he asked "Who is he?"
Paige cheerfully babbled away about her awesome groom-to-be. Layla caught the name Ted and a few other tidbits, but most of the prattle was lost on her. She was too busy watching Cam try to control his expression. He held her so tightly he nearly squashed the breath out of her. She took his hand and squeezed it, telling him she had his back, even if she didn't know the whole story. Cam blinked at her then as if he'd forgotten who she was. His arm fell from her waist and he stepped away. Each step back felt like a mile to Layla, leaving a chasm between them.
At last Paige wound down. In the face of Cam's silence, her enthusiasm melted away. Now she gazed at him, doe-eyed, as small and helpless as a child. "You're happy for me, aren't you, Cam?"
He gave that crooked, not quite real grin again. "Sure, kiddo. If you're happy, I'm happy." Glancing down at his bare feet, he said, "Tell you what. Let me finish getting dressed and we'll do something to celebrate."
Paige's eyes lit up. "Really? Awesome."
"Hey, it's a special occasion, right? Be right back. Just don't yak Layla's ear off while I'm gone."
The girl stuck out her tongue. "I'll make sure to tell her what an ass you are."
"Brat." He vanished into the bedroom, leaving the two women alone.
Paige flopped down on the futon. She swung one leg over her knee as she grinned at Layla, who stood in place, her nerves stretched taut.
"So you and Cam, huh?" Paige tilted her head. "How long have you two been an item?"
"We've known each other for a while." Was it really almost a year? "Been dating…."
A couple of weeks
didn't sound very impressive. "A little while."
"Is it serious?"
Wow. This girl got right to the nitty-gritty, didn't she? Layla didn't know how to answer the question. She was serious about Cam for sure but didn't know where he stood. They'd had two long-ago hookups, then, up until a few weeks ago, had only been friends. Their present thing, whatever it was, was too new to name.
Still, he'd referred to her as his girl. That had to mean something, right?
Paige didn't wait for an answer. "Hope you don't mind me saying this, but you're not like most of the girls he's been with."
Layla's mouth curled sardonically. "You mean I'm not his type?" No. She wasn't some hot chick with a banging body. But she'd decided she wouldn't let that trouble her. She and Cam were having fun and she intended to enjoy the ride for as long as it lasted. Later, she'd cry.
"Not a brainless bubblehead, more like. Don't be mad. I mean, you're cute and all. But you got more going on than looks. You'd be good for him."
Paige made her sound as exciting as a bowl of oatmeal. Time to change the subject. "How long have you and Cam been…" What? What were they, exactly? Layla still had no clue.
"Oh, we go way back," Paige answered with a careless wave. "We grew up together, practically. Lived in the same neighborhood. He was like a big brother to me."
"Really?" That sounded pretty innocent. Relaxing a bit, Layla took a chair next to the futon.
"Yeah. I mean, I don't have any brothers—or sisters—of my own. So, you know, I really looked up to him. Kind of hero-worshipped him."
Hero worship. Layla could understand Cam inspiring that in a young girl. She felt a twinge of jealousy. Paige had known Cam a long time and had a real history with him. "What was he like as a kid?" she asked, suddenly hungry to know.
"Kind of like how he is now. A good guy. A great guy. Friendly, funny. Everybody liked him." Paige smirked. "And he always had plenty of girls. That hasn't changed, either." She grew serious. "You could never ask for a better friend. There were lots of times he must have thought I was a pest, but he always stuck up for me, protected me. He was always there for me."
Layla was so touched by the heartfelt confession, she found it hard to swallow past the fullness in her throat. "I can totally see him doing that."
"Yeah. Like this one time on the school bus, some bully stole my lunch bag and was just about to stomp it. Cam told him, 'Whatever you do to that bag, I'm gonna do to you.'" Paige laughed. "My God, I can still see that kid's face. He practically turned green. He was
so gentle,
handing me back that bag."
Cam was a hero and a big brother figure to Paige, but what was she to him? Why had he reacted so strangely to her sudden appearance and the news of her getting married?
An unfamiliar chirp sounded. "Oops, that's mine." Paige dug her phone from her jacket pocket and cackled at the screen. "Oh no, she didn't." She tapped in a response and grinned when the phone chirped again. She sprang to her feet. "I've got to meet somebody. Tell Cam I'll catch up with him later, okay?"
Just like that? "Is everything all right?"
"Sure. Just one of my crazy-ass friends. Hey, maybe I'll see you later." Paige was out the door before Layla could say more.
Cam returned a few moments later. "Where's Paige?"
"She just left a minute ago. Said she'd catch up with you later."
He shot her a look of alarm. "Was she okay? Where'd she go?"
His sharp tone jolted her. "She was fine. Meeting a friend. What's the matter?"
He shook his head and the tightness in his expression eased. "No. Nothing."
Layla didn't know what to make of this girl who suddenly appeared out of the past and just as abruptly disappeared. She didn't know what to make of Cam's reaction, either. "I didn't expect her to take off so suddenly. I thought she'd stick around a while."
Cam huffed a short laugh. "That's the thing about Paige. She's totally unpredictable. You never know what she's going to do next."
"She told me how you always used to stick up for her. You were her hero."
"Yeah, that's me," he answered, deadpan. "The big hero."
She didn't know how to reach him in the awkward moment of silence that followed. Cam eyed her speculatively, as though he were a cat and she an especially tasty-looking mouse. "How badly do you want to go skating?"
She shrugged, a bit off-kilter by the unexpected question. "Well, I was looking forward to it, but if you have other ideas—"
"I do." He grabbed her and dragged her close, then sealed his lips to hers. Tingles of excitement raced through her, as they always did when he touched her. Aw, hell, when it came to Cam, she was just too easy. But that didn't trouble her as she flung her arms around him and urged him toward the bedroom.
But it was like trying to budge an oak. He smirked. "What are you doing?"
