I cradled her close, one hand tangled in her very messy hair, the other still gripping her hip. Somewhere in my subconscious, I knew I was holding her so tightly because I couldn’t bear the thought of her slipping away.
She was mine. Whether she knew it or not, I didn’t give a damn what came next. I’d carry her through all of it.
22
HARPER
Eventually, reality slipped back in. It was the feel of our sweat and cum coated clothes sticking to us, and the way everything buzzed around the edges like we were floating in a dream.
Cam shifted beneath me first, brushing my hair back from my face with a soft touch that made me shiver.
“We should… probably clean up and maybe try to get some sleep,” he murmured, voice quiet.
I nodded against his chest, reluctant to move but very aware of how uncomfortable I was feeling.
We got up slowly, both of us quiet. In a moment like this, no words felt needed. The exhaustion was setting in. Cameron held my hand and practically dragged me into his bathroom.
He set out towels for us after starting his shower and letting it warm up. I redid my bun to try to avoid getting it wet. It took so long to dry when it got wet, and the middle of the night was not the time for a wash day.
Cam stuck a hand into the shower, checking the water temperature. It must’ve been to his liking because he walked towards me and began undressing me. He pulled my tank topover my head and placed a small, gentle kiss on the tip of my nose.
He got onto one knee and helped me out of my shorts, which were drenched. I sighed in relief, already a bit more comfortable. Then Cam did something that surprised me. He picked me up. I yelped in surprise. He carried me bridal style, placing me on my feet in the shower.
“Thank you,” I said sheepishly. It was very rare that a man picked me up, especially with such ease. I wasn’t a skinny girl. A hundred and seventy pounds at five foot two wasn’t rare, but most men I had been with never attempted to lift me.
That one move made my attraction towards him grow exponentially.
He nodded, clearly exhausted, then undressed himself. Cameron practically had to peel his pants off. He smiled as they pooled around his ankles. I couldn’t help but stare.
The man was truly a work of art. He was lean, muscular, tall, and tattooed. Everything I ever wanted. The longer I stared, the harder he got.
“Hey,” I said, reaching out of the shower for his hand, guiding him under the warm water with me. “Thank you.”
Cam looked over at me, brow raised, feigning confusion. He acted as if he didn’t think that paying for the construction on my house was a big deal. But for me, it was.
“Harper,” he said gently, “I’m sorry I didn’t think of it sooner.”
“Please. Thank you for thinking of it at all,” I replied with a soft smile. “Also… I didn’t grab my body wash or anything.”’
His smile grew. “I guess you get to smell like me tonight.”
We took turns lazily washing each other. This was such an innocent shower, but it still felt so intimate. It felt like, as he cleaned my skin, he was simultaneously worshiping my body. I loved the feeling of his attention on me. I felt so safe with him.
He turned off the water and stepped out of the shower first. He grabbed my towel and helped me out.
After we dried off, we stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. I reached for his hand, lacing my fingers through his, and his thumb brushed over my knuckles without hesitation.
He looked at me for a long second—eyes soft, like he were searching for something in my face. I didn’t have the words for what I felt. All I knew for certain was that I was so tired.
He must’ve seen it on my face.
Because without a word, Cam tugged my hand and led me across the hall to my room, grabbing a pair of shorts for himself on our way out of his room. I grabbed a large sweater and decided against pants. It was long enough to cover my ass, anyway. He dropped his towel and slid on his basketball shorts over his half-hard dick.
A bed had never looked as good as mine did right now, so when Cam pulled back the comforter, I slid in without protest, sighing at the feel of the cool fabric against my warm skin.
He pulled my glasses off my face and set them on the nightstand. He wordlessly took my hair out of the bun on my head and handed me my bonnet that was on my nightstand. Even after tucking me into bed, he didn't leave right away.
Instead, he climbed in beside me, half-clothed, and lay there under the blankets while I tucked into his side. It felt like the most natural thing in the world. I smiled to myself, and I imagined falling asleep like this every single night.
