Ten Year Crush (10 page)

“What are you doing?” I cover a yawn with my hand and stretch out, groaning.

“Are you still in bed, lazy ass?” I hear the smile in his voice.

“My alarm was getting ready to go off. I have to be at work by nine.”

“Well, I was just calling to make sure you and Tiff are still coming to the Halloween party next weekend. You’re coming, right?”

“Are you all doing it on Friday or Saturday?” I wonder how this is going to play out after last night. I hope Cam keeps his mouth shut about it. I don’t want anyone finding out. The more people that know, the better the chance there is of Brandon finding out. And, if I know my brother, he will flip his shit, so maybe that’s enough for Cam to keep his lips sealed.

“We’re doing it Saturday, but do you think you can come stay Friday, or come early to help out?”

“I’ll talk to Tiff, but we should be able to come out on Friday. I’ll text you when I find out for sure.”

Stay under the same roof as Cam, can I do that?
Pull up your big girl panties, Gabby. You need to act like it didn’t happen.
I can never say no to Josh either
.

“Alright Gabs, have a good day. Love you, brat.”

“Love you too, Joshy-Poo.” I hang up giggling to his grumbles. I think he secretly loves it. Even though I’m three years younger, he’s always spent time with me and made sure I felt loved and included. He didn’t have to take his younger sister along, but he always did. I think back to right after Josh got his license.

Josh came walking in my room with a huge grin on his face. “Throw on some old clothes, were going for a ‘drive’. Text Tiff and tell her we’re coming to pick her up.” He emphasized the word drive and winked at me.

“What are we really doing?” I whispered while sending Tiff a text, telling her to get ready.

“We’re going to play in the creek. Cam’s already downstairs.”

I threw on some old shorts and a tank top, slipping on flip-flops.

That was the day that I really fell for Cam.

We pulled up to this pretty spot down on the creek. On the right, there was a beautiful little water fall and up ahead was an open field. It had rained that day, so it was nothing but mud. Cam picked up a handful and slung it my way, hitting me in the chest and splattering all over my face.

“No, you did not!” I yell, swooping down and grabbing both hands full of mud. I took off running, chasing after him. Once I got close enough I jumped up on his back and smacked both hands down on the top of his head, and then ran my hands down his face, ending on his chest, till I could reach no further.

“You little brat!” He swung me around and dropped down to the ground, laying me in the mud. I started struggling; trying to make my escape, knowing what was coming next.

With no hope of getting away, I resorted to the one thing I knew always worked. Begging. “Please, Cam, don’t. I’m sorry, I won’t do it again.”

“Oh, Thumper. Begging isn’t going to get you out of it this time.” A thousand butterflies were released in my stomach at the feel of him lying on top of me and his warm breath in my ear.

After each of us was covered in mud from the other, we headed to the creek and tried to drown each other. I spent most of the day in Cam’s arms. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t a lover’s embrace, just being there, stole my breath and my heart.

I shake my head and clear the memories away.

I pull myself out of bed to start getting ready for work. Before heading into the shower, I send Brandon a quick text.

ME: HEY JOSH JUST CALLED, U STILL GOING WITH ME FOR H-PARTY? NEXT SAT! XX

Coming out of the bathroom, Tiff yells from the other room. “You almost dressed, hooker? We have to leave in fifteen minutes!”

“Just have to throw on some clothes and brush my hair.” I run around my room throwing clothes on as I go. I do this every time, but I would rather have that extra time to sleep. I’ve always been more tomboy than girly-girl.

Ten minutes later, we’re in Tiff’s car heading to work.

“Josh called. You still want to go to the Halloween party Saturday?”

“Yes! We need to go costume shopping. How about tonight when we get off?”

“Sounds good.” I play with my seatbelt, not feeling the same excitement that she is over the upcoming party.

“Hey, what’s up, buttercup? Something is bothering you.”

I blow out a breath. I’m still no closer to figuring out what it all meant, how I truly feel, and I need my best friend’s thoughts. “Cam kissed me last night” I blurt out.

“WHAT?” Tiff slams on the breaks and a horn blares behind us.

“Oh my god! Are you trying to kill us?” I slam my hands on the dash, heart racing, and stomach in my throat. “Drive right and I’ll tell you about it.” I shoot her a death glare.

“Sorry, just wasn’t expecting that.” Her eyes are round with shock.

“Yeah, me neither,” I mumble under my breath. “Anyways, Brandon and I went out for drinks and dancing. Well, Brandon kept disappearing. I was on the dance floor and Cam came up and started dancing with me and saying all this
stuff
.” My face and body heat thinking about the things he whispered in my ear. “He asked me if Brandon kissed me like this, and the next thing I know he was kissing me.”

“Holy shit! What the fuck was he thinking? How was it? Did you cream your panties?”

“Tiff! Are you serious?” My face burns with embarrassment. I should have known she’d say something crude. That’s her, but her crass words still managed to floor me.

“What? How can you not? This is a guy you’ve been hot for…for ten years. Ten years, Gabby!”

“Yes. Okay, is that want you wanted to hear? My body was on fire, but I didn’t want it to be! He had his chance, Tiff. He didn’t want me. He loves me, but we can never be together. What the hell is that anyway? He made his choice so he needs to leave me alone. I’m with Brandon.”

“You’re right. Total asshole.” She looks over with a shit-eating grin on her face.

I wanna knock it off, but we both know that was the best kiss of my life. I hate the butterflies that flood me every time I think about the kiss, and then the guilt that soon follows. I shouldn’t have done that to Brandon and I need to figure out what I’m going to do soon. It isn’t fair to Brandon if I’m in love with someone else. I keep saying I need more time, but I’m really starting to wonder if any amount of time is going to help.

“So where did Brandon keep running off to?”

“I have no clue. He said the beer was running through him and there was a line in the men’s room, but I don’t know. I feel like he was hiding something. He just acted weird last night. Then, it seemed like he couldn’t leave fast enough last night when he dropped me off.”

“That’s weird. Sounds fishy to me. If he cheats on you I will rip his dick off and feed it to him.”

“Thanks, Tiff.” If there is one thing I can always count on, it’s her having my back. “I was going to question him, but I felt guilty about Cam kissing me, so I kept my mouth shut.” I pick at the pink polish on my nails.

“Cam kissed
you,
right?” At my nod, she goes on. “So, you did nothing wrong. He kissed
you
.” I open my mouth to talk and she cuts me off, “so what if you kissed him back? Nobody has to know.”

“But...”

“Are you planning on kissing him again?” She raises her brow and I see the corner of her mouth twitching, wanting to form a smile. She knows damn well if he kissed me again I wouldn’t be able to resist, and I’d kiss him right back.

“NO!” It’s kind of the truth. I didn’t plan to kiss him the first time either. I’m just not strong enough to push him away.

“Okay then.” She shuts the car off and we climb out.

“Oh yeah, Josh wants us to come stay Friday night to help them decorate for the party.” After the talk with Tiff, I’m even more nervous about staying under the same roof as Cam.

“I’m free. We can head over when we get off work.”

“Great.” I shoot Josh a quick text and let him know we’ll be there Friday to help. I hope Cam can keep his delicious lips to himself.
No, not delicious. He’s an asshole, remember? You’re with Brandon!

“Lord help me, I’m a freaking mess,” I whisper to myself and head in for my shift.

Chapter Eleven

*Cam*

I’m jostled awake from my nap by someone beating on my bedroom door.

“Get up, asshole, we have shopping to do.”

“I’m up,” I grumble, climbing out of bed. At least the headache is gone and I don’t feel like a marching band is playing in my skull anymore.

Glancing at the clock, I see that it’s already five. After I finished my conversation with Josh, I ate, and crawled back in bed to sleep off the hangover.

I slip on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and pull on my boots.

“Alright, where all do we have to go?” Coming down the hall into the living room, I see Josh sitting on the couch.

“We can go to the party store, grab the decorations, and pick out our costumes. Then Friday, on my way home, I’ll run by the grocery store and pick up the snacks and food. Gabby and Tiff are going to come over and stay the night to help us set up for Saturday. You better keep your hands to yourself too.” He points his finger at me and gives me that don’t-fuck-this-up look.

“Got it.” I raise my hands in surrender. It’ll be hell having her that close to my bed, knowing what she feels like pressed against me. My cock twitches and I shake my head to clear the thoughts. “We ready?” I need to get out of here and get my mind as far away from Gabby and my bed as I can
—
-before Josh beats my ass when he sees my reaction to Gabby staying here.

“Let’s go.” He grabs his keys and we’re out the door. We’ll have to drive over to Lexington and hit the big party stores there, because we live in a smaller town.

Josh and I went in halves and bought a nice, little three-bedroom house out in the country. When we eventually go our separate ways one will buy the other out. That’s always been the plan. With it sitting on a two-acre lot, it makes a nice place to have a party. We don’t want anything crazy though and have our shit get broken. We’re just inviting some old college friends that still live around here and some people from work.

Josh and I both have a love for building things, so we both got business degrees and opened our own construction company, Murphy & Taylor Construction. I know, original. We do good work and we’re staying busy. We have two full teams and can build a house from the ground up. Our customers are always happy with what we build them and how fast we get it done, that’s all that matters. Next year, when Gabby finishes her degree in Accounting, she’s going join us, doing all the office work, crunching numbers, and keeping all of the paperwork straight.

Thirty minutes later, we’re pulling up to the Halloween store. Once inside, we grab a cart and start making our way down the aisles, throwing in decorations for inside and out
—
-skeletons, skull heads, spiders, and finally a jug of fog fluid for the fog machine we have from last year.

“Are we going to do the costume contest again this year?” I ask, holding up placing ribbons.

“Yeah, why not.” Josh shrugs his shoulders. It always adds a little competition and everyone tries to out-do the year before.

We make our way over to the wall of costumes and I stop dead in my tracks. There stands Gabby and Tiffany talking to a girl and pointing to a picture on the wall. Gabby’s in her work uniform, a tight pair of brown khakis and a bright orange polo shirt. She has her hair pulled up in a high ponytail, showing off her neck. I stifle back a moan remembering how sweet she tastes.

“Hey, Gabs.” Josh walks up, wrapping her up in a hug.

Her eyes are as big a saucers staring right at me over his shoulder. What is she thinking? Does she hate me now? Does she regret kissing me? Doubt starts to fill me. Was I just imagining her being as into that kiss as I was?

“Hi, big brother!” She pastes on a huge fake smile. Dammit. I don’t want her to be uncomfortable around me. I’ll fix this.

I walk up and wrap her in a hug. I say loud enough for everyone to hear, “Hey, Thumper.” Then, I whisper in her ear, “I’m sorry about last night. Please don’t be mad. We’ll talk later.”

I pull back and look into her huge green eyes.
God, she’s beautiful.

“No need, we’re good.” She turns from me, facing Josh and Tiffany.
My ass. She can barely look at me.

The salesperson comes walking from the back, handing Gabby and Tiffany each a costume.

“You two already picked yours?” Josh asks.

“Yep, we’re going to be the hottest cops in town!” Tiffany says, waggling her eyebrows and turns it around to show us.

I about swallow my tongue and I can’t even imagine how it’s going to look on Gabby.
Holy mother of god, that’s fuckin’ hot.
My cock twitches. I see Josh slam his mouth shut out of the corner of my eye. Yup, I bet he just had the same thought I did, except picturing Tiffany in it.

It says “Adult Officer Sheila B Naughty” across the front and man, does it cause all kinds of naughty thoughts. The navy blue zip-up jump suit is short and I know it’s going to show off her amazing legs. God, I hold in a groan, her ass is going to look amazing in it. The zipper stops low enough that it’s going to show more cleavage than should be legal.
Oh, this is going to be bad.