Page 96 of His to Seduce
Chapter 32
David
One eye on the grill, another on the front door, I was barely paying attention to the company around me.
Fall was hitting hard and fast. The heat from the grill was barely enough to warm our bones as I sat outside Chelsea’s small house with Lucas, Jackson, Aidan, Tyson, and Declan. We were all there against our wishes, but I gave Jackson credit for actually acting excited about being at the baby shower for his wife.
She’d insisted he see the presents when she opened them instead of unloading them from her car afterward.
Based on the size of the growing pile in Chelsea’s living room, I figured the reason the shower was co-ed was that the women knew all of us would help haul that crap into a vehicle and into Suzanne and Jackson’s house afterward. There was way more shit than would fit into Suzanne’s Camry.
Camden hadn’t arrived yet, although every other woman was inside, sipping fruit punch or mimosas. My eye on the door was a laser, waiting for a glimpse of her.
Starving for it. I’d hardly slept in days, maybe weeks, since I dropped her off at her house.
But I needed to know she would come to me, that she’d trust me. I couldn’t be the only one fighting for a relationship, even though I still felt like an asshole for pushing her so hard.
“I was almost raped!”
That word. Fury still built like a tremor inside my bones, slamming into me like a tidal wave every time I saw the anguished expression, the way her face had crumpled quickly followed by collapsing knees when she’d shouted it.
“You looking like you want to strangle someone isn’t going to make Camden come to you, you know.”
I ground my teeth at Declan’s words and faced him.
Whoever had hurt her, I wanted to kill him. I’d been trained to save lives. Bring people back from the dead. I wanted to slam a scalpel into whoever had hurt her, whoever had damaged her. Then I wanted to save him, heal him…and hurt him all over again. I’d thought of a thousand ways to hurt the bastard who’d tried to rape her.
“She’s not even here.”
“She will be,” Aidan said, sliding into a metal lawn chair across from me. “Chelsea said she promised she’d be here.”
Movement inside grabbed my attention and, like the starving man that I was, I leaped from my chair as Camden appeared.
Auburn hair curled and flowing over her shoulders. Creamy sweater that went past her hips to her thighs. A long, heavy necklace that settled into the space between her full breasts. Navy leggings tucked into heeled boots that came almost to her knees. Everything about her, I noticed in a moment. The bags she lugged in, two in her hands, one under arm.
Help her. Stay. Mine.Wait.
I gripped the beer bottle tighter in my hand. My other hand curled into a fist and flexed. Contradiction was a bitch. The need to go to her, comfort her, apologize. Tuck my nose into the hollow of her throat and inhale her scent. Wait for her to come to me.
Tension pulsed hot and heavy inside me, rolling out in waves until I knew the moment she knew I was watching her.
Long lashes on alabaster skin fluttered and her gaze met mine. Shiny pink lips parted and I was done for.
I loved her, loved everything about her. From the way she tucked her hair behind her ear, as if she still wasn’t comfortable with it brushing her skin. The way she easily smiled at Chelsea, wrapped her in a tight embrace after Chelsea took her gifts from her hands. How she tossed her head back and laughed at something Paige had said. The way every time she moved a step farther inside the house…closer to me and too damn far away…her eyes met mine with each fleeting glance she tried to hide from me.
I saw all of her. From every wounded, scared piece of her that was all bubble wrapped for her protection to the love she shined on everyone else she met. She had so much love to give, yet was so reluctant to receive it.
Her mysteries had drawn me to her. Her vulnerability set me on fire for her.
I swallowed audibly. Forgot the men who were around me. Watching me? Who gave a crap? She turned me inside out, into a creepy stalker, scowling as a blush crept up her cheeks at something Chelsea whispered in her ear.
About me? Please…yes…let that heated skin be for me. All for me.
I was going crazy.
A hand clamped to my shoulder and I was jerked back. Aidan laughed, loud and boisterous, when he saw my expression. One of pain? One of love? One of what the fuck have I done by insisting she come to me?
“Holy shit,” he exclaimed, his hand shaking me, knocking things loose. Putting things back together. I no longer knew anything but that I was a mess without her. “You’ve got it so fucking bad. Welcome to the club, man.”
