“No,” she called from the kitchen. “It came from my grandparents’ house. My grandpa hated it, but my grandmother loved it, so they gave it to me when I moved out for college. I can honestly tell you that I have spent very little time on that couch. It’s mainly decorative. I don’t normally have people over, so if it’s just me, I’m normally in the chair or my bedroom. And to be honest, I don’t spend a lot of time here.”
Javi let out a breath like he was relieved. “I’m glad you didn’t pick that out, because that is horrible. I can understand why your grandpa disliked it. It is so uncomfortable, and I feel like I’m going to break it,” he said.
Camdyn giggled. “Move to the chair. It’s much more comfortable there.”
“But I wanted to sit with you,” he said with his playful smirk.
“I’ll still sit with you.” The chair was oversized and comfy, but still in a Chesterfield-ish style that worked with the sofa. The chair wasn’t as large as a love seat, and two people couldn’t actually sit in it, especially with one of them being as broad as Javi was. He wasn’t a little man by any means.
He moved over to the chair and immediately picked up the framed picture on the side table. It was a photo of Camdyn in hergraduation gown, surrounded by her parents and brother. He set it back down as she walked into the living room with two glasses of water that she sat on the little table. Then she placed a hand on his shoulder and straddled his lap. Javi’s hands immediately moved to support her.
“I like sitting in this chair,” he announced with an exaggerated smirk.
She couldn’t help but laugh at his reaction. Had she ever met a man who tried so hard to make her laugh? She didn’t think she had. She moved her hands and linked them behind his neck.
Javi reached one hand up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I want to keep seeing you,hermosa. I want this all the time with you. I want a serious relationship with you.”
She stiffened. “I don’t know if I’m ready, and I’m moving soon?—”
Javi put a finger over her lips, shushing her. “Listen to me. I know you just got out of a relationship. Maybe you weren’t what he wanted, and that’s why he did what he did. We don’t know, but I can assure you that I know what I want, and that’s you. I will do everything I can to make our relationship work. So, Cami, please, will you explore this with me? Can we date seriously?”
“Javi, it’s not that I don’t like you. I just don’t see how we can make this work. I’m moving three hours away to be part of my family’s law firm. Working there is a nonnegotiable for me. I don’t want either of us hurt, because if you’re traded or decide to move back to Florida, I won’t go.”
From his expression, her protests were falling on deaf ears.
“I know what I want. As long as we always choose each other, we can make it work,” he said.
“I wish I could believe that,” she murmured, more to herself than to him.
“You can. Just trust me. Say yes.”
His eyes beseeched her, so she closed hers and took a deep breath. He’d better not make her regret this. “Yes,” she whispered.
“I’m sorry, did you say something?” he asked.
She opened her eyes to glare at him. He knew exactly what she’d said. Funny how she found his smirk infuriating now. “You heard me.”
A full-blown grin spread across his face. “Yeah, I did. Now kiss me. Make it official,” he said as he reached up with both hands to cup her cheeks and pull her lips to his.
Their kiss was a reunion they’d both been anticipating, and their hunger for each other quickly became a frantic exchange.
CHAPTER 12
I might have to wait a long time. They might not send for me this season. I am not trying to play any bluff.
– Tim Keefe, Baseball Hall of Fame inductee, 1964
They’d just broken apart for air when the doorbell rang. Camdyn at once moved to get off Javi and he groaned.
“Let me see who that is,” she said apologetically as she moved towards the door. She looked through the peephole and cursed.
Javi immediately moved to the door behind her. “Who is it?” he asked, annoyed by the inconvenient visitor.
“My ex,” she whispered.
Anger bubbled in Javi’s gut. “He’s still bothering you?”
“Almost daily. I don’t know how to be any more blunt,” she responded.
