When she pulled her hand away, her eyes were sparkling like she was amused by him, but he wasn’t sure why. “Nice to meet you, Javi. I’m Camdyn.”
“So, Camdyn, what do you say? Do you like to dance?” he asked her.
Her smile was more of a smirk, as if she knew some secret he didn’t. “I love to dance. What time should I meet you there?”
CHAPTER 3
Temptation is the devil looking through the keyhole. Yielding is opening the door and inviting him in.
– William “Billy” Sunday, professional baseball outfielder & American evangelist
Camdyn hadn’t expected to go clubbing while in San Diego, so she hadn’t grabbed anything appropriate to wear when she’d been in a mad dash to finish packing. She’d only brought comfortable clothes for the game, an outfit for the next day that could double as workout wear if she hit the gym, a swimsuit, pj’s, intimates, and her toiletry bag. She hadn’t felt that she needed more than that for a quick weekend trip, and she’d been sure if she had forgotten something she could just pick it up. Unfortunately, she didn’t have time to go buy club appropriate attire.
Lucky for her, though, she was friends with Morgan Miller, who had told her all about the guys’ plans to go out after the game and had invited her to come along. At first she’d declined, citing nothing to wear, but Morgan insisted she had something Cam could borrow. Third wheeling with Morgan and Garrett hadn’t really sounded appealing, but when Javi had invited her,she hadn’t been able to resist. A quick call to Morgan and she was set…and she had to admit, she felt hot in the little black dress she’d borrowed. It wasn’t a perfect fit, because Morgan was a bit slimmer than her, but that just meant Cam’s well-endowed places were showcased a little better by the tight material.
Camdyn had become friends with Morgan a couple of seasons back. Morgan had been dating Garrett at the time and dealing with a stalker ex-husband. They often sat together when watching games, but Cam’s last-minute ticket hadn’t allowed for that on this trip. Instead, Cal had gotten her a ticket by the bullpen, which is where her reliever brother spent most of the game anyway.
When she’d realized Javi thought she was one of the baseball groupies that had been hanging around the bullpen, she’d almost laughed and corrected him. But she’d kept a straight face and thought,why not play along?She knew who he was and that he’d been called up while Thorton was out with an injury. She may not have been to any games recently, but she still kept up with the news about her brother’s team. And Javier was a gorgeous addition with dark hair, dark eyes, and a muscular physique. His quads and glutes filled out baseball pants better than anyone she’d ever seen…and she’d spent a lot of time in ballparks.
The idea of playing the part of a groupie had been instantly appealing. She could have some rebound fun tonight without expectations. Plus, she loved to dance. She’d taken a variety of dance classes throughout her adolescence, yet she rarely danced now. So, if nothing more came from going out tonight, at least she’d have gotten to dance again.
Her only real concern was Callahan possibly ruining her fun, but it wasn’t like her brother would be at the club. He hated places like that. So there was no chance of him crashing the clubtonight, and if she played her cards right, his teammates would just think that she had shown up at Morgan’s invitation.
Outside the club, Camdyn could feel the vibrations of the bass coming from the club as Garrett helped Morgan and then her out of their rideshare. She’d ridden with them but had already informed both that she didn’t plan on riding back with them. She hoped to snag a ride with Javi, not that she shared that with her friends. But if her plan didn’t work out, she’d arrange her own transportation. The team’s hotel, where she was also staying, was only a couple of blocks away. Garrett hadn’t liked that, but he knew better than to attempt a debate with Camdyn…though she didn’t doubt that he’d tattle to Callahan if he thought she was being reckless or unsafe.
Inside, the music blared and Camdyn was immediately pulled into a crush of bodies as she trailed behind her friends to the back area, where the reserved VIP tables were. She let them lead by just enough that it wouldn’t look like she’d arrived with them. She could see a few of the guys from the team, including Javi, lounging at a booth with drinks in front of them. She also clocked a couple of other guys from the team on the dance floor nearby.
She danced alone, yet surrounded by the bodies of strangers, for a couple minutes within view of the VIP area before making her way over. She’d been hoping Javi would see her and that she could draw him away from the table. When that didn’t work, she decided to approach the table instead.
Like she’d suddenly entered his magnetic field, his eyes locked onto her and his face immediately brightened. He stood and stepped around Morgan and Garrett, who were chatting with the guys.
“Ah, Camdyn, you came!” he said in greeting.
Javi’s departure from the table drew the others’ attention and they quickly spotted Cam. Several lifted their chins inacknowledgment or gave small waves, and she smiled back but didn’t bother to speak as it was too loud to be heard at any distance. She eased to the side, hoping Javi would follow. She needed to separate him from the group before one of the guys blew her cover and exposed her as Cal’s sister.
She had no doubt that they’d tell Cal she’d been here, but she’d rather they not know that she planned to leave with Javi. She didn’t truly know how Cal would react if he knew. She was grown. Older than him, even. But the guys on the team viewed each other as brothers, and they loved drama, bickering, and were fiercely loyal to each other. If Javi knew she was Cal’s sister, he might consider her off-limits, and that would be disappointing, so it was just best if he didn’t find out.
He was handsome and very different from Ricky, something that appealed to her infinitely at the moment. He was shorter than her ex but still taller than her, maybe right at or just under six feet, and he had dark hair in an appealing fade cut that was a little longer on top than typical. He had coffee-colored eyes, and a solid, thick, athletic build. He’d looked good in his uniform, but he looked even better in his post-game fit. He’d opted for a casual guayabera with slacks and loafers. Not just anyone could pull off the style, but he rocked it.
He eased closer to be heard over the music. “Would you like a drink,hermosa?” He motioned back towards the table.
“No, thank you. I’d rather dance. Let’s find that Latin room,” she said as she turned and headed off into the crowd without waiting to see if he’d follow.
Even if she weren’t eager to get away from the rest of the gang, she wouldn’t have had a drink. She never drank. She’d learned from her grandpa early on that alcohol was frequently involved when situations went bad. Too many people lost control or made poor decisions while under the influence. Cam couldn’t fathom how people found that enjoyable, but she’dalso been accused of being a type A, domineering dictator. She wasn’t. She just enjoyed managing her expectations and experiences, and to do that, she frequently had to direct others.
She glanced back to make sure Javi was following and found him trailing with his eyes glued to her bottom. She’d been feeling a bit negative about herself since finding Ricky with Cecily. She didn’t know or understand why he’d cheated on her, and it really didn’t matter, because it wasn’t like she had been in love with him. In fact, it had given her the opportunity she’d wanted to break things off with him. However, his cheating had left cracks in the veneer of her self-esteem, because he wouldn’t have cheated unless something was wrong with her, right? Or at least that was the intrusive thought that kept niggling in the back of her mind. The way Javi looked at her was repairing her confidence. There was no doubt that he found her attractive.
They entered a room blasting a Shakira remix, and Javi moved in close behind her. His hands found her hips as she led them onto the packed dance floor. There was little room to move, but Camdyn didn’t mind being close to Javi. He smelled good. She’d caught a whiff of his cologne, and it had been alluring. Citrusy but also woodsy with notes of spice. She loved a good-smelling man.
Usually reserved in public, Camdyn didn’t normally let her hair down with anyone except her family or her closest friends. Clubbing was not her norm; however, tonight she was playing a part, and she was enjoying the performance she was putting on for Javi.
He took her hand and led them into a basic eight-step bachata. She was impressed, and once he realized she could follow and keep up, he started to show off. Their movements were tight due to the cramped space of the busy club and their positioning had her nearly riding his thigh for dips and slides. They rolled their bodies in sensual waves, and the energyexchange between them was palpable. They flowed as if they’d been dancing together for years. It was sensual and more intimate than it should have been.
Camdyn could feel his hard arm and shoulder muscles through his thin shirt, and she was amazed at how easily and fluid he could move his broad frame. The bodies gyrating with them on the dance floor made the air hot and thick. Sweat trickled down her back and was starting to bead on Javi’s forehead. Still, for several songs, they danced on. But the day was finally catching up with Camdyn and she was getting tired. Either Javi was tired, too, or he was able to tell she was losing steam.
As the current song ended, he pulled her close, his cheek almost touching hers, close enough that she could feel his breath on her ear when he said, “Let’s get out of here.”
A shiver ran down her spine before she nodded, and he took her hand and led her out of the club. She felt flushed, but in a good way. The night air outside the club was humid, in the way that all coastal places are, but it was a welcome reprieve and gave her a chance to catch her breath while Javi hailed them a cab. It was only a couple blocks within the Gaslamp Quarter to the hotel, but Cam was relieved to not have to walk it.
