Tempting Cameron (2 page)

It had been a gorgeous ceremony. He was happy for his sister. She deserved this second chance at love.

But was he happy to be back in Lone Pine Lake, even for such a short period of time?

Nope. Not really.

“You cold?” he asked when he saw Chloe shiver. If he still had his jacket on, he would’ve offered it to her. Draped it over those slim shoulders, his fingers accidentally brushing her skin. Would she enjoy his touch? Or look at him like he was crazy?

That he even contemplated such a thing proved he
was
crazy.

“I’m fine.” She shrugged those very fine shoulders, cast him a sideways glance. Luckily enough she ignored that he’d ignored her question. “We should probably go inside. They might be cutting the cake.”

The music still blared. He didn’t hear the overenthusiastic DJ announce anything. “They’re not cutting the cake.”

She nibbled on her lower lip; he caught the nervous gesture from the corner of his eye. It sent a bolt of lust shooting through him and he shoved it down. “I guess we should make small talk, then,” she said.

Why did she sound so damn reluctant? “Guess so.”

Breathing deeply, she turned to face him, her breasts brushing against his forearm, which he had propped on the edge of the railing. Just like that, his entire body tightened, became achingly aware of this pretty, tempting female standing by his side. “I’m sure you’ve been asked this a million times already tonight, but how long are you staying in town?”

If he had his way, it would be less than twenty-four hours. But considering he had no job to return to, no home, no prospects, and he was a messed-up head case, he was here for the long haul. “Not sure.”

She frowned. “What sort of answer is that?”

“An honest one. I’m not sure.”

An irritated sigh left her and she mimicked his position, leaning against the railing, her elbow bumping his. “You’ve always been a man of few words, haven’t you?”

“As few as possible.” He shrugged, looked at her. “It’s worked for me so far.”

Her gaze met his, pretty dark brown eyes studying him. Looking right through him. He wanted to squirm where he stood. “It’s always driven me crazy.”

“What’s driven you crazy?” It startled him, that revelation. He irritated her? How? He rarely saw her now, and when she was younger, he’d merely tolerated her. Even though there had been those times she and Jane had been such thorough pains in his ass, he’d been tempted to take a long drive and leave the two giggling girls in the middle of nowhere. Hope like hell they’d find their own way back.

“Your lack of communication,” she answered, training her gaze once more on the meadow instead. “You never want to talk.”

“Talk can sometimes be meaningless.”

“I love to talk.” She smiled, bright and sunny, full of bubbly happiness. “It’s part of my job, a part of me. I’ve been told I have excellent communication skills.”

He bet she did. And if she knew just how dirty his thoughts were in regards to her and all her skills, she’d probably run screaming from the balcony.

“I used to get in trouble in class for talking too much. Isn’t that funny? Well, not really since it was true. But now I’m the teacher, busting the kids for talking too much when I’m as guilty as they are.” She paused, pressed her lips together. “I’m rambling.”

She’d always rambled. When they were younger, he found it annoying. Now it was kind of cute. He realized she was nervous.

Why?

“So why were you looking for me, Cam?” she asked when he hadn’t said a word. He was too entranced with how the moonlight cast her cheeks with light, how fathomless her eyes were, how ripe her mouth appeared. No cosmetics touched it, yet her natural lip color was a deep, rosy pink.

He had the sudden urge to kiss her. Something he’d never, ever contemplated doing.

“I don’t know,” he finally answered when he realized she was waiting. “I saw you sneak out here.”

“You did?”

Cam nodded. “You aren’t upset, are you?”

“No.” She shook her head, a sad smile curling those tempting lips. “Feeling a little down, maybe.”

“Why?” He rarely asked that question—it opened up an endless array of problems, endless talking, endless…everything.

“Everyone’s moving on, doing fabulous things with their lives. Including you.” She inclined her head toward him. “Big-shot photographer traveling the world.”

He snorted. Big-shot photographer brought down a few pegs and now without a job. “I’m no big shot.”

“To everyone in town, you are.” She gazed out at the meadow and he took the moment to study her profile unabashedly. Pretty upturned nose, thick lashes surrounding those dark eyes, and rounded cheeks. Not model-status but cute in that girl-next-door way. Funny because that’s what she’d been, living a few doors down from their house. Her mom still lived there, as did his parents. “And if people I know aren’t taking off with their careers, they’re getting married, settling down and having kids.”

“You want all that.”

She turned to him again. “Doesn’t everyone?”

Hell, no.
“Not me.”

Chloe frowned. “Well, you already have your career. So I’m sure that’s satisfying enough.”

Hell, no again, but he didn’t feel like arguing with her. “You’re not satisfied?”

“I love my job; don’t get me wrong. I enjoy teaching and I like that the school is so small. Feels like I’m close with everyone, you know what I mean?”

He knew exactly what she meant. It was more than half the reason he escaped Lone Pine Lake in the first place. Everyone knew him, everyone knew his private business, and there was no escaping it.

So he’d left.

“But I always feel like I’m missing out. What, I’m not sure.” She laughed as if she’d embarrassed herself. “I know it sounds silly, yet I can’t help the way I feel. Like there’s something deep within me that longs to be free. I want to explore, have an adventure, do something shocking, you know?” A soft sigh escaped her. “I’m stuck here. Teaching, taking care of my mom, fixing up my little house. I have no business complaining. It’s a good life, if not an exciting one. Sometimes.”

She wasn’t excited and he’d had enough adventure to last twenty lifetimes. “You’re not happy?”

“I’m happy. Enough.” She sighed again, the sound zinging him straight in the heart. He rubbed his chest. “Funny how that word doesn’t
sound
like enough.”

He agreed, which threw him for a loop, because he hadn’t thought he had anything in common with Chloe Dawson.

Another song started up, a slow, romantic tune, and again he thought of asking her to dance. Pull her into his arms and hold her close. Whisper in her ear that he could show her an adventure if she only asked…

“I’m boring you with my silly issues.” She waved a hand, dismissing them. “I’m sorry. I should go back inside.”

She started to walk away but he stopped her, curled his hand around the crook of her elbow. Her skin was soft, silky. His knuckles brushed against her chest, sent a shockwave through him that rendered him completely still.

“You’re not boring,” he murmured. “Everyone moves at a different pace. Everyone has a different purpose. I think you might’ve already found yours.”

She swallowed hard. He saw the delicate movement of her throat. Without thought, he drew his thumb across the inside of her upper arm, swore he felt her shiver from his touch. Electricity crackled and sparked between them, heady and fluid, and he drew her closer. Closer…

“I should go inside,” she repeated, her voice shaky. “I sound like such a baby, complaining when one of my dearest friends just got married. Your sister. God, you must think I’m completely selfish…”

He cut her off with his lips, rendering her completely silent. She did talk too much. Way too damn much…but she also seemed sad. A little lost.

And he could relate. Despite her thinking he had it together, he didn’t. He was as lost as she, maybe even more so.

Holy hell, she tasted good. He kissed her again, softly, seeking. Testing her, testing himself. He withdrew, studied her upturned face. Her eyes were closed, her hand gripped his forearm as if she needed to for support. Such a sweet, sexy offering, he couldn’t resist.

And so he settled his mouth on hers one more time, deepening the kiss. Her lips parted, opening to him, until he touched his tongue to hers and she responded in kind. A murmur of pleasure escaped her as he pulled her into his arms, his tongue delving, his hands skimming along her curves.

She tasted of sunshine and innocence. And beneath that, an aroused, sexy woman. It had been a long time for him—more than a year, what with everything that had happened, which meant she was temptation personified.

Her voluptuous body pressed into his, her breasts nestled to his chest, her slender hands clung to his shoulders. He slipped his arm around her waist, slid his hand lower, over her curvy backside, desperate to pull her fully into his body and show her exactly what she was doing to him…

Reality crashed over Cam, a wet blanket that immediately chilled his mood. What the hell was he doing, kissing Chloe Dawson? Miss Dreaming of White Picket Fences was so not the woman he should be doing this with.

He shouldn’t be kissing anyone who lived within the vicinity of Lone Pine Lake, let alone their homegrown elementary schoolteacher.

Cam broke the kiss, his breathing hard, his mind awhirl. Chloe reared back, her breathing as irregular as his, her lips damp and swollen. “Sorry,” he muttered, feeling like a jackass.

She squinted. “Sorry?”

Now he felt even more like a jackass. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“Done what? Kiss me?” She withdrew from him completely, his hands falling away from her. “If you say next it was a mistake, I’m going to kick you in the nuts.”

He wanted to laugh. He was also seized by a not too irrational fear of her pointed shoes. “More like an impulse.”

Chloe frowned. “An impulse?”

She asked a lot of questions and expected him to explain. How could he when he had zero explanation for why he’d kissed her? “You just…you know. Looked a little sad. Said you were looking for an adventure.”

“And kissing you was supposed to be some sort of grand adventure? To plain little ol’ me?”

Okay, now she was mad—and maybe embarrassed, considering the pink tinge to her cheeks. But maybe that was better. “I didn’t mean…”

“Or maybe you felt sorry for me. Is that it?” She was fuming now. Her eyes were glassy and her face flushed. Or maybe the flushed face was from the amazing kiss he’d just laid on her, he didn’t know. But damn, she was prettier than ever.

Which meant he was a sick, twisted bastard.

“I—” he started but was interrupted by the DJ’s announcement from inside the reception hall.

“Everyone gather around, we’re about to cut the cake!”

Chloe sent him one last long, withering look before she turned away from him. “I should go.”

“Chloe.” She didn’t acknowledge him. Merely turned on her heel and fled into the darkness.

Leaving him there alone, his breathing ragged, his mouth swollen. Hell, his lips actually tingled and his body was tense, on fire for her, and he could do nothing about it.

Shit.

Chapter Two

“What happened to you last night?”

Chloe tripped over her own feet at her friend Alison’s casual question. They were out for their three times weekly walk around the lake, extra early this morning in order to beat the predicted summer heat wave that was coming. “What do you mean?” she asked carefully.

Alison shrugged. She was a kindergarten teacher, had transferred into the school two years ago when old Mrs. Loggins had retired. Chloe and Ali had become fast friends. They were the same age and had the same issues, living and working in Lone Pine Lake.

As in, they were dateless and bored with it.

“You disappeared during the reception. I saw you dance with Mac and then you took off,” Ali finally said, huffing and puffing as they walked up a short hill. “And then when I saw you again, you seemed shaken. But I couldn’t ask you about it, since we were surrounded by every resident of Lone Pine Lake at the time.”

“And we know how they love gossip,” Chloe said somewhat bitterly. She’d consoled herself with the hugest piece of cake imaginable, stuffing her face with vanilla buttercream and chocolate cake goodness after that spectacular kiss with Cameron had been ruined, what with his feeling sorry for her and cashing in on irrational impulses.

Just thinking about what he said still irritated her. And for all her efforts devouring that luscious piece of cake, she’d still ended up with a terrible stomachache.

“Your tone of voice alone makes me realize you have gossip to share.” Ali smirked. “Spill.”

Despite Alison being such a good friend, Chloe wasn’t sure she wanted to tell her about her crush on Cam. Or about her subsequent and rather intimate conversation with him, which ended with the most delicious kiss she’d ever experienced in her life.

Again, with Cam.

She sighed. Two words she’d never thought she could apply to herself.
With Cam.
They had a deliciously wonderful ring to them.

“Don’t tell me you hooked up with Mac,” Alison said, her voice tight.

Chloe shot her a crazy look. “Mac? Are you kidding me? He’s like my brother.”

“Oh. Well. I don’t know.” Ali gazed out at the lake, which was already dotted with boats despite the extra early hour and that it was a Sunday. “What happened then?”

“You really thought Mac and I had a thing?” Chloe was surprised. Alison hung out with her and Mac all the time. The three of them were part of a larger group of people who often hung out together socially. “Don’t you think I would’ve told you?”

“I didn’t know.” Ali shrugged, looking…defensive? “He seems to like you a lot.”

“He’s known me since preschool. We’ve grown up together.” Chloe wrinkled her nose. Hmm. Was her friend interested in Mac? And why had she never said anything about it before?

“True, but that doesn’t mean you couldn’t develop feelings,” Ali said.

Her friend had a point. After all, she’d grown up with Cameron, too. But he’d always seemed so far out of her realm, elusive. A four-year age difference was a huge one when they were kids.

Now, not so much…

“Forget Mac.” Ali flicked her fingers, waving him away. “Gimme the scoop. And it better be juicy.”

Chloe remained silent, fear paralyzing her vocal chords. She wanted to tell her friend. But she had to know that what she was about to share, Ali couldn’t tell anyone else. Ever. “Promise to keep this a secret?”

“Always. You know I’m closed-lipped.”

And thank goodness for that. Ali was a great friend. She’d confided in her more than once. “This is a big deal for me—huge. I’ve never confessed this to anyone.” No one, not even Jane; though her friend had sometimes hinted at it, Chloe hadn’t really confirmed it. None of her friends knew, nor her sisters. She’d hugged this particular secret close to her chest for what felt like forever.

“Oh my God, just spit it out. You’re killing me here.”

“Fine.” Chloe took a deep breath and exhaled loudly. “I was outside on the terrace last night with Cam.”

“Cam.” Ali wrinkled her brows. “As in Cameron McKenzie? Mac’s older brother?”

Chloe nodded. Didn’t say anything.

“Okay, you’re going to make me pull this out of you, huh? What were you and Cameron doing outside on the terrace?” Clearly finally picking up on Chloe’s heated cheeks, Ali dropped her jaw. “Fooling around with him? With
Cameron
?”

“Shhh.” Chloe whipped her head back and forth, looking for signs of life, but no one was around. “Keep it down. The hills have eyes, you know.”

“Ha, no kidding.” They walked in silence for a moment, Ali absorbing this new bit of information, no doubt. “I’m going to assume fooling around means kissing, because I know you wouldn’t do anything too scandalous out on a terrace during your friend’s wedding reception. Right?” Chloe nodded, rolled her eyes. “So what happened after you kissed him?”

“We sort of argued and I ran out on him. Then I ate too much wedding cake,” Chloe confessed miserably.

Ali started to laugh, then immediately shut up when Chloe shot her a death glare. “Why did you run out on him? Sounds like he was a willing participant if he kissed you.”

What he’d said still hurt. “He apologized. Then blamed it on impulse. Then went on to say he felt sorry for me.” Well, he hadn’t actually said that, but she knew. It had been a sympathy kiss. A hot, delicious, drive-her-out-of-her-mind kiss, but definitely a sympathetic gesture on his part.

And really, it was pointless, kissing Cam. He wasn’t one to stick around for long. She knew this as absolute fact. And maybe he’d been drunk. Maybe he hadn’t realized exactly who he’d been kissing. Not like he’d ever paid much attention to her before.

“He apologized? Oh, Chloe.” Ali frowned, her expression full of all that unwanted sympathy.

“Stop. I’m fine. Really, I am.” She remained quiet for a moment as they trudged up yet another hill. The air grew warmer, the cars driving around the lake headed for the docks moving at a steady stream. It was going to be a busy one today. Looked like the tourists were out in droves. “It was a mistake.”

“You never know. If it had continued, you two might’ve ended up back at your place, doing the dirty.” Ali waggled her brows.

“Please. Like he’d want to do the dirty with me, as you so eloquently put it.” Chloe shook her head, thankful they were in the homestretch of their walk. “He’s leaving soon anyway.”

“Are you craving something long-term with Cameron? Otherwise, why would it matter if he’s leaving soon?”

“I’m not about to consider a one-night stand.” Perish the thought. She’d never done anything like that in her life.

Plus, she was afraid one night with Cameron would never be enough.

“I didn’t say a one-night stand. But I heard he’s in town for a few weeks.”

Chloe paused, making Alison stop as well. “Who told you that?”

“Well, Mac did.” Ali looked away, almost as if afraid to meet her friend’s gaze. Strands of dark blond hair escaped her ponytail, swirling about her face, tickling her cheeks. She was pretty, with cornflower blue eyes and a willowy figure. Chloe could be sickeningly jealous of her if Alison wasn’t such a good friend. “We were talking last night at the reception. And he told me his brother planned on sticking around for a while.”

“I had no idea,” Chloe breathed as they started walking once again. Her mind raced with possibilities. Cameron was in Lone Pine Lake for the next few weeks, which meant…what? Would he contact her? Probably not. But chances were she’d definitely run into him again. Would it be awkward and painful? Or would he pretend nothing had happened?

She didn’t know which option was worse.

“Mac said he was going with some friends to The Pine Tree tonight,” Ali said, her voice deceptively casual. She was referring to the local bar and grill where they liked to hang out. “He invited me. Want to come along?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t gone to The Tree in ages.”

“Me neither. It’ll be fun. And you never know—maybe Cam will be there.”

“Huh. I doubt it.” She didn’t have that sort of luck. She’d run into him somewhere far more embarrassing, like at the market among the vegetables or while hanging out lakeside wearing nothing but her swimsuit.

Just the thought of him seeing her in a swimsuit made her want to walk the lake trail again.

Well. Maybe not.

“Let me check.” Ali whipped out her cell phone, her fingers flying on the keypad.

“Who are you texting?”

“Mac.” Ali kept her gaze trained on her cell screen, her face screwed up in concentration. “I’m asking who’s going tonight.”

Chloe watched her friend carefully. “And what are you doing with Mac’s number anyway? I didn’t realize you two were that close.” Again, adding fuel to her suspicious fire that maybe something more was going on between her two friends.

Ali shrugged, her demeanor nonchalant. “We’re not close. Casual friends, that’s it. He gave me his phone number a while ago, more like an emergency thing, I guess.”

“An emergency thing? Like what, you need help mulching your yard and he’s the man to call?” Mac owned the local nursery and gardening center in Lone Pine Lake. Had bought it when the owner, his old boss, retired two years ago.

“Shut up,” Ali muttered. “And I’ll have you know he’s been a tremendous help with starting my garden this year.”

“Starting your garden. That’s an interesting way to put it.” Chloe squealed and ran when her friend tried to yank on the end of her ponytail.

“I didn’t give you any grief about
your
secret,” Ali called after her as she chased Chloe up the driveway and into her front yard. “So give me a break.”

“Ah, you know I’m just kidding. And are you implying you have a secret?”

Ali grabbed the bottle of water she left on Chloe’s porch, unscrewed the cap, and took a long drink before answering. “I’m not going to lie. I find Mac very…attractive.”

“Oooh,” Chloe started but shut up when Ali slanted her a look.

“I wondered more than once if he had something for you.” At Chloe’s incredulous expression, Ali continued. “You two are together a lot. He’s protective of you. At one point, when I first moved here, I thought you were dating.”

“We’ve never dated. One mistaken drunk kiss a long time ago when I was still in college, but that was it.” Chloe screwed up her nose. “And it wasn’t even that great of a kiss. Felt weird. Like I was kissing my brother.”

“Eww.” Ali shook her head, took another drink. “So you’re saying he’s a bad kisser.”

“No, I’m saying that when it comes to the two of us, kissing will never be an option.” She couldn’t say that about Cam, though. The minute his lips had touched hers, her body had flared to life, tingling everywhere. She’d been filled with a needy ache ever since.

Ali’s phone dinged and she checked it, her lips curling into a little smile. “He mentioned Cam in his list of everyone going tonight.”

Nerves clanging in her stomach, Chloe swallowed past the sudden nausea that threatened. “Great,” she said weakly.

Ali laughed. “Wear your Sunday best, my friend. You’ll want to look good for your new kissing partner.”

Chloe smiled in return but worry consumed her. What if Cam didn’t want to be her new kissing partner? And was that the lamest thing to call him, or what? What if he ignored her the entire night instead?

She didn’t think her fragile heart could take it.

…

“I can’t believe you dragged me here,” Cam grumbled irritably as he followed Mac into the Pine Tree Bar and Grill.

Mac flashed a grin over his shoulder. “It was either here or hang out with Mom and Dad for another fun-filled night. You tell me which option sounds better.”

Cam didn’t answer. He’d been staying at the ’rents house but had already spoken to Patrick earlier about crashing at his and Lyssa’s place for the summer. He craved privacy. Jane and her kids had moved out a few weeks ago, since now they lived with Chris.

Tomorrow he was grabbing his bag and going to Patrick’s. Patrick’s family had already headed back home to the bay area. They’d bought the cabin years ago and usually stayed there when they came to visit Lone Pine Lake, the only exception being when Jane had lived in the house with her kids for almost a year.

A huge-ass empty house on the lake sounded perfect to Cam’s loner soul.

“I offered you to stay at my place.” Mac had a condo not too far from the town’s center.

“Your place is too small. Besides, Patrick said I could stay at his house,” Cam answered.

They stood by the bar counter, scanning the room, looking for Mac’s group of friends. “How long do you plan on staying here, anyway?”

Cam shrugged. “I don’t know. A couple of months.”

“Seriously? Through the summer? I’m surprised.” When Cam scowled at him, Mac laughed. “You try your hardest to avoid this place. It’s like you hate your hometown.”

He didn’t reply, kept his gaze trained on the flat screen TV that hung over the old jukebox, which had stood there since he could remember. The place was less than half filled. No surprise, considering it was a Sunday night. Most locals stayed home before they started the workweek and the weekend tourists were already gone.

But Cam had no place to go tomorrow, nowhere to work. He was on a semi-permanent hiatus. Hell, even his family didn’t know the extent of what he suffered while overseas. He hadn’t wanted to worry anyone, strike panic in their hearts when it wasn’t necessary.

He could handle the scary shit on his own. Didn’t need anyone else.

They went to a larger table and sat, ordering a pitcher of beer and a couple of burger specials. “Who else is coming?” Cameron asked after the waitress left.

“Alison and Chloe for sure,” Mac answered. “A few others might show up later.”

His heart jerked. “Chloe?”

“Well, yeah. I hang out with her and her friend Ali a lot.”

“Who’s Ali?”

“Alison Sullivan, resident kindergarten teacher at Lone Pine Elementary. She moved here a few years ago and she’s good friends with Chloe.”

“Huh.” Cam grunted, then muttered a thanks when the waitress brought them the pitcher of beer accompanied by frosty mugs. He poured himself one and took a sip as he thought about Chloe.