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“Put your foot on the brake.”

I obeyed, and he flipped up a little red lever on the center console, pressing the button beneath. The engine growled to life, sending a thrill down my spine. Cam gave me a quick rundown of the controls, and then—like he trusted me—he let me drive his rich-boy car.

I pulled into the Spanish moss tunnel at a crawl, fully aware of the power beneath me.

“It’s the skinny pedal on your right, in case you were wondering how to make it go,” he said with a chuckle.

“Ha. Ha.” I put a little more oomph into it, and we moved from turtle speed to granny-with-a-walker.

“No, no. Don’t rush on my account.”

I smacked his arm while he laughed. The twisty streets outside his estate justified my slow, careful maneuvering, but once we reached the long, empty road that led to town, I’d run out of excuses.

He leaned closer to me, dropping his voice to a low murmur. “Come on, honey. Drive it like you mean it.”

The words seeped into my muscles and bones, electrifying and melting them all.

Honey.

My foot grew a little heavier, and we shot to a normal speed. The speed limit. No need to go faster. Because who was I to tell the state of Georgia that I knew better?

He let loose a wicked chuckle. Did he know where my thoughts had gone? “Such a rule follower. There’s no one around. See how fast it can go.”

“Camden Shepherd! Are you peer-pressuring me into breaking the law?”

“Absolutely.”

I dropped my jaw in faux outrage. “Why?”

A most dangerous grin transformed his face. “The truth?”

“Always the truth, Shepherd.”

His entire body listed toward me. “If this car is sex, you can’t blame me for wanting to see you drive it fast.”

My throat went dry. I didn’t look, but his gaze skimmed my face, drawing intimate lines over my cheeks and lips. The flirty girl who only ever emerged around him took control of my voice box and replied, “Sometimes slow is better.”

He hummed. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Oh, god. Ohgod ohgod ohgod.

This new, brazen Cam was a lot to take. Impossible to ignore. I no longer had to wonder whether he liked me. It was clear as cold water on a sunny day. His interest was a palpable, breathing thing, gaining traction with each day that passed.

What happened to the guy with the subtle grins and the secret coffees? He’d practically disappeared the moment I yelled at him in his office.

…the day we’d clarified our past…

Pieces fell into place.

Prior to that argument, Cam was operating under the assumption that I never wanted him, that his kiss had offended me. The dams had broken between us, spilling truth out, and he’d clearly decided to forge these waters.

But what did he want out of this? What did he want from me? And how much was he willing to pay for it? My mind leapt back to my mother’s words. Shepherds don’t date girls like us. They fuck girls like us.

Perhaps I was naive, but I couldn’t picture that of Camden.

I’ve known since I was fifteen that you will do extraordinary things, and I wanted for one small chapter of my life to be a part of it.

What man would say that to a woman he only wanted to screw? Those were words of respect, of reverence even. Those were words that would get me into his bed, yes, but also lodge him directly in my heart.