Never Say Never (13 page)

“Morning, Kitty Kat.” I hear my father say as I make my way into the kitchen.

“Morning.”

I start to walk away, grabbing my purse, a good book and the small throw hanging over the chair.

“Where you off to in such a rush?”

I shrug, “Nowhere.”

“Kat, where are you going?” He asks again.

“I’m just going to the Riverwalk to read. I won’t be long.”

“Kat, wait a minute.” He pauses briefly,”I, ahh....won’t be home tonight, okay? Will you be all right?”

I nod.

“Call me if you need anything,” he says, struggling to get out the words.

I take a deep breath before turning back around, my hand still on the doorknob.

I sneer, “Are you seriously spending the night with her?”

He steps closer, “We just have late dinner plans and a show. It’s just easier this way.”

What else can I say?

“Fine. I’m leaving now.”

I storm out, slamming the glass door behind me with all my strength. I need to be dramatic at this moment. He is leading his life happily, I am not. What a jerk for doing this to me? Every time her name is brought up, I’d picture my Mom, wondering if this is why she left. If I find out that he was cheating on her, I’ll never come back.

Starbucks is unusually empty for a Saturday, but I don’t mind. Get in and get out, that’s my motto these days. I wish I’d taken my car, because walking only makes you see people that you don’t want to see. This town is crawling with those very people. It’s a huge suburb, but for some reason, half the school is out and about doing God knows what.

I’m lying on the grass reading, when he appears out of nowhere.

“Hey, you,” Cameron says.

Great, this is just what I need.

“What do you want Cameron?” I ask, not moving, other than lifting my sunglasses onto the top of my head.

“I stopped by your house. Your Dad told me I could find you here. I should’ve known you’d be here,” he says, squatting down beside me.

“That doesn’t answer my question,” I retort.

“C’mon, Kat I’m trying here.”

“And what is it exactly that you’re trying for?”

He laughs. “It’s not obvious?”

What is this guy’s deal? He never gives up. Part of me is psyched, but seriously, how many times does someone have to say no?

“It’s just too hard, okay. It’s not you, it’s me,” I say, as I sit up. I scoot back a little to avoid looking into his eyes. They could be my undoing if I stare at them too long. So I push the sunglasses back down, hiding my eyes.

“Why does it have to be so hard? This should be easy. I’m a guy, you’re a girl...this is how it works, Kat.”

Here it is, moment of truth, the only way I see out of this, is to lay it on him.

“Cameron, have you ever seen or heard any mention of a Mom?” I ask, as a tear escapes my eye. Thankfully, he can’t see it.

“No, now that you mention it, but Kat what’s the big deal? My father’s gone, you don’t see me treating everyone with a huge chip on my shoulder,” he says, as he scoots closer.

“You don’t understand.”

“Tell me then.”

“Your father and mom divorced, correct?” I ask.

He nods.

“My mother left me, just a note. I found it one day after I came home from the beach. Your father didn’t leave you, you see him. My mom chose to leave me, without looking back. I don’t even know where she is,” I admit softly between tears, tears that he can now see and hear in my voice.

He pulls me in, hugging me. God, why did his arms feel so amazing around me? I let him hold me as I cry into his shoulder.

He whispers, “I’m sorry, Kat. I had no idea.”

I pull away, keeping my head down. “I just...I don’t want to feel that way again.”

“Feel what way?” He asks.

I tilt my face up, looking into his green eyes, “Losing it, everything that goes with it.”

His eyebrows arch. “Losing what?”

“Love,” I say.

He subtly laughs, taking my glasses off. His eyes piercing straight through mine, his face turns serious.

“That risk is always there Kat. Don’t you think you deserve to be happy?”

“I was happy.”

“Don’t you want to be happy again?” He asks, wiping the tears streaming down my face.

“Yeah, sure I do. I just don’t think happiness is right around the corner.”

He pulls my face into his, kissing me. Between kisses, he murmurs, “I can make you happy, just give me a chance. You need to let me in, if it’s gonna work.”

I don’t answer, I close my eyes, finding his lips once more. Because right now, this feels amazing. He pulls me in closer as I wrap my arms around his neck, his tongue teasing my mouth as I open it slightly. I know I should push him away, but I don’t. His kiss is too exciting and I get caught up in the moment. After several minutes of this erotic dance, our tongues are meeting each other’s in sync, I need to pull away.

“What was that?”

“You kissed me that time, you tell me?” He teases, pulling me down on the grass.

“You have no idea what you do to me, Kat.”

“What is it about me that you like so much?”

“You want a list?”

“Yeah, a list would be good.”

He pulls me closer, lying me down next to him, staring into the blue sky.

“All right, how ‘bout this instead. Every time you look at me, talk to me, touch me, every time that I taste the cinnamon that lingers on your lips, everything just stops. I feel like we’re the only two people laying here, even if the park is filled with a million people. It’s like you and I are the only two people who exist in this moment.”

I sit up, leaning over him, “That wasn’t a list. It was more of a speech.”

He laughs, “Fine, it is, but I mean it. I’m not alone, please tell me you feel it too.”

“I’m scared. I don’t want to get hurt again.”

He pulls me on top of him, “You don’t think I’m scared?” He pauses, kissing me quickly. “You scare the hell out of me, I’m taking a chance, just as much as you are.”

I pull back slightly, unsure of what was happening here. He feels my restraint as I stay silent.

“If you can find one reason to try, I’ll do whatever it takes. I promise. Give me one chance,” he pleads, still cupping my chin in the palms of his hands.

What’s a girl to do? I have the most breathtaking boy in school lying underneath me, practically begging me to stay with him. My head keeps yelling at me to get up, but my heart keeps me still.

“Well, that was one hell of a speech,” I say, smiling.

He smiles back like he’s just won the biggest trophy. He pulls my chin back down to meet his, and our erotic dance begins again.

***

As we walk back into town, toward my house he insists on stopping at the bakery. Peering into the glass case, he orders the biggest chocolate cupcake they make, grabs a box of birthday candles and pays the lady behind the counter.

“C’mon, let’s go celebrate your birthday.”

“My birthday was last week.”

“Better late than never, right?” He smiles.

I swear my heart goes completely crazy every time he smiles at me like that.

“We can go to my house, my mom’s not home,” he tells me.

I’m not ready for that one.

“How about my house, my Dad’s gone for the night.”

He looks at me, furrowing his brow.

“The whole night, huh?”

“Yes, and get your head out of the gutter. That’s not happening.”

He just laughs back at my comment. He drapes his arm over my shoulder as we make our way down Jefferson.

CAMERON

I have everything I want at this moment. Kat wrapped in my arms, Colorado State not too far into the future, and an entire night alone with her. I know I can’t let myself get too worked up, after the comment she threw at me. Lord knows I’ll do everything in my power not to push her too far, but just thinking about lying next to her all night, get’s me excited.

She leads me into her house, my phone sitting in my pocket. I want to tell her what I have on it, but don’t. I can’t ruin this moment, she’s letting me in for once and I don’t want to blow it.

I grab her hand, walking her into the kitchen.

“Do you have any matches?”

I take every ounce of her in as she walks over to the drawer, pulling out a lighter. “Here, but you really don’t have to do this.”

I shake my head, “Yeah, I do.”

I place the candle in the cupcake, lighting it before I place it down in front of her.

“Make a wish.”

I watch as she closes her eyes, thinking of whatever it is she’s wishing for. I hope it’s me, because that’s what I want her to wish for. Although, that’s already a done deal.

She blows out the candle, and cuts it into two huge pieces.

“Thanks, Cameron.”

I watch as she takes the first bite, chocolate frosting is sitting in the crease of her mouth. I never thought icing could be so hot, but damn she looks good as she sticks her tongue out licking it away.

“I could have gotten that for you,” I tease.

“I’d bet you’d like that,” she says, teasing me back.

My body couldn’t move fast enough around the island that was standing in between us.

I grab her by the waist, pulling her in, “Let me taste that.”

She playfully pushes me away. “Go get your own.”

With that she reaches down grabbing my half, thinking she’s going to place it delicately in my mouth, I open.

“Give it to me, girl.”

Two-seconds later, my face is covered in frosting.

She laughs. “You asked for it.”

“Oh, now you’re gonna get it.”

She turns running upstairs, and I don’t need an invitation. I grab her half, chasing her to her room. She’s fast, I’ll give her that. She beats me up and runs straight into her closet. I know this is a no brainer, I’m stronger. She can’t hide in there for too long, before I rip the door from it’s hinges. I decide to be nice and give her a warning.

“Kat, if you don’t come out, I’m coming in.”

No answer.

“All right, you asked for it.”

I grab the knob, twisting and turning. I can feel she’s putting in some strength trying to keep me out. It’s not long before I put all my muscle into it, opening it.

She shrieks, “Don’t you dare.”

As I walk in to her enormous closet, black hanging everywhere, she cowers into the corner.

“You’ve got nowhere to go now,” I say, as I kneel in front of her.

She has her hands covering her face, like that’ll help her.

With one fell swoop, I remove her hands and shove the cupcake in her face.

We both start laughing, our faces both covered in chocolate frosting.

“You have no idea how much this foreplay turns me on, Kat.”

“Really, I didn’t know you’d be so easy. If I had known, I would have shoved it in your face at the store. Then where would we be?”

“We’d be laid out on Jefferson with chocolate on our faces, that’s where we’d be.”

I can’t resist her anymore, and by her facial expression, the feeling looks mutual. I take advantage of the situation, knowing she has nowhere to go. I grab her, wrapping her legs around my waist, and kiss every ounce of chocolate off of her. We’re both really getting into it, no one stopping what I think is about to happen. My hands are under her shirt, running up and down her back. I start to undo her bra when a shrilling ring from my cell brings us back to reality.

“Aren’t you going to answer that?”

“Are you kidding? Hell no.”

As I pull her closer, her hand starts to roam inside my shirt, her hands are gliding further down and stop at the top of my pants. I start breathing heavier, knowing what’s about to happen. She’s moaning with each kiss, and I’m getting caught up in those moans. She surprises me by pulling the phone from my pocket as it starts to beep, letting me know I have a text.

She flips it open, “Let’s see who’s calling, shall we?” She teases.

I see her smile fade as she reads the message.

“What’s this?”

“What?” I ask, having no idea what’s she’s talking about.

“It’s Barbie, asking you to come back over. She doesn’t seem to like how you two left things last night.”

Shit!

“Kat, it’s not what you think, I promise. I did it for you.”

She tilts her head, pissed.

“For me? You were with her for me?”

“I wasn’t with her, I swear. I just...I just wanted to get her back for you. I heard she was behind the flyer thing and I don’t know... I just did it.”