Fingers quaking, I pushed up the sleeve on my jacket and unfastened the Omega watch he'd given me for Christmas. When he made no move to take it, I lifted his hand and placed the gift in the palm of it, curling his fingers around it. 'Thank you for everything, Malcolm.'
When he looked up from the watch, a piercing ache emanated from my chest at the dejection I saw in his face. 'He's just a kid who doesn't know what the hell kind of gift he's getting in you, and when he's done, when he makes the mistake of throwing you away, I hope you'll come back to me.' He stepped towards me and I froze as he dipped his head to press a sweet kiss against my cold lips. 'We could be really happy.'
I didn't take a breath until he put some distance between us. He threw up a hand and I turned to see he was flagging down a taxi. It did a U-turn and pulled up at the kerb. Malcolm opened the door for me. 'I'll be here when he's done with you.'
I left him standing on the street, as the taxi took me back to London Road.
I'd broken up with Malcolm.
Oh, my God.
I felt heavyhearted. I felt remorseful. I was worried I wasn't doing the right thing. However, overriding all of that was this desperation to find Cam, to tell him I did feel what he felt. For the first time in as long as I could remember I was going after what I really wanted. Perhaps tomorrow I would lament the decision, but tonight I just wanted a taste of something really good and pure for once.
I almost threw the fare at the taxi driver, then rushed into the building, my boots slapping carelessly against the concrete as I hurried up the stairs. I was just rounding the stairwell to Cam's landing when I heard a door open. As I reached the top of the stairs, he came into view, standing barefoot in his doorway, waiting for me.
Overwhelmed that just the sight of him made my chest so full of emotion that it hurt, I stumbled a little towards him, my boots just clipping the doorstep.
Cam didn't say anything. Every inch of him was solid with tension as he looked at me.
'Cam – '
My words were swallowed by motion as his hand clamped around my wrist, wrenching me hard against his body, his mouth slamming down on mine. I instantly wrapped myself around him, and my fingers curled in the hair at the back of his neck as I licked and sucked and flicked my tongue against his, our kiss so deep I didn't even realize I was inside his flat until the door crashed shut behind us.
Cam broke the kiss to pull back, his hands shoving my jacket off my shoulders. I let it drop to the floor, exhilarated in feeling – my breasts were swollen, my skin burned, and I was surprised once more to realize I was already wet for him from just a kiss and anticipation. 'Cam … ' I whispered urgently, needing some part of me touching him at all times. I slid my hand up under the bottom of his tee, feeling silken, hard, hot skin against my palm. 'I broke up with him.'
He nodded, his hands on my waist as he yanked me to him, my breasts brushing his chest deliciously. I shivered and Cam smiled, fully aware of the power he had over me. In reaction to his cockiness, my hand glided back down his six-pack and out from under his shirt and didn't stop its descent. He sucked in his breath as I rubbed him through his jeans, watching the colour on his cheekbones rise. 'I got that, baby,' he said with a groan. 'You wouldn't be here otherwise.'
'Are we really doing this?' I whispered against his mouth.
His hands squeezed my waist, and I looked up into his eyes. They were almost navy with scorching heat. 'We're really doing this. No backing out.' His lips skimmed my jaw until his mouth stopped at my ear. 'I'm going to fuck you so hard, sink so deep inside of you, you'll never work me out from under your skin. Never.'
Tingles exploded all over my body at his words.
I reached for his mouth. I loved the taste of him, the feel, the way he kissed, like I hoped he screwed. I sucked his tongue hard and he shuddered, his growl urging me on, until it descended into the wettest, dirtiest kiss I'd ever experienced.
My back slammed up against the wall as he crashed us into it. 'I can't wait,' he told me breathlessly.
I shook my head, my chest heaving against his, telling him silently I couldn't wait either.
I felt his warm, rough hands on my outer thighs as they brushed my skin, pushing my skirt up to my waist. With an almost animalistic grunt, Cam curled his hands around the fabric of my knickers and tugged, the sound of it tearing away from my body and the sudden air between my legs increasing the heat between us to a combustible level. He'd just ripped my underwear off! Holy hell!
That was seriously hot.
I thought I would feel exposed, uncomfortable, standing there with my skirt at my waist, the most private part of me on display for him. I felt neither.