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  Such a tender moment in the midst of a heated act was a welcome break. My passion-clouded brain could see clearly again. I still wanted him in my mouth. I reached out for his cock and wrapped my hand around it. I tugged lightly, and Garrett shuffled forward. I opened my mouth in invitation and devoured him inch by inch. I took my time savoring him, working him back up, and when he started to pull away, ready to release, I remained firm, keeping my mouth on him until I drained every drop.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. “That wasn’t the plan but fuck.”

  Garrett reached down and brushed a few stray strands of hair away from my forehead. The back of his knuckles glided along my cheekbone as he stared down at me with tenderness. “You didn’t have to do that,” he said softly.

  “I know, but I wanted to.”

  Garrett stood and extended a hand toward me. “Let’s continue this in the bedroom.”

  With my hand firmly tucked in his, I trailed after him to the only bedroom in the guest house. It was hard not to grin at the sight of his firm, round ass. Was there anything about him that wasn’t absolutely perfect? Once again aware of the fact that I wore only a pair of cutoffs, I quickly reached up to cover my bare chest.

  “Don’t cover yourself, Cami,” Garrett said when we made it to the bedroom. I dropped my hand and quickly worked on unbuttoning my shorts. When I reached for my panties, Garrett stopped me. “Let me.” His fingers slipped under the delicate fabric and brushed against my skin. I shivered from his touch as he pushed them down my thighs. He knelt before me and tapped each ankle, silently commanding me to lift each foot. He kissed the top of each thigh before burying his nose in the center of my body and inhaling sharply.

  “Even your pussy smells like jasmine,” he growled. Garrett wrapped his hands around my waist, anchoring himself there as he dragged his nose up farther, trailing it across my stomach and between the valley of my breasts. “I’m going to remember this smell forever.”

  Garrett was still on his knees, placing reverent kisses across my belly before he wrapped his arms completely around me and pulled me forward. He leaned his head against me and just held me silently. We had a lot to fit in over the next few days, and I wanted to give him every moment he desired.

  He pulled back slightly but still held me firmly and looked up. I ran my hands through his beard, something I’d longed to do since I met him. It was surprisingly soft. His chin rested just above my belly button, and he smiled contentedly.

  “What do you want?” I asked gently.

  “To love you for the rest of my life,” he replied softly.

  With one last kiss on my stomach, Garrett stood and then surprised me by lifting me into his arms. I shrieked but wrapped my arms around his neck as he carried me the short distance to the bed.

  “You’re going to hurt yourself,” I reprimanded him as he tossed me onto the bed with ease.

  “Then it’ll be the best kind of hurt,” he replied with a smile before leaning over me to claim my lips with a kiss.

  Our bodies melded together as a simple kiss turned into more. My legs parted to make room for his large body, and my back arched slightly, pressing my breasts against his chest. His arms slid around my back and gripped my shoulders from behind while he kissed the breath from me.

  “Cami, I love you,” he said with finality. “I want you to know that, and I will tell you that every day until I leave.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Garrett

  I woke up alone, which wasn’t unusual, but for the past few mornings, Cami’s warm, naked body was sprawled next out next to me. We made this bed and the guest house our sanctuary. But rather than her trademark jasmine, I smelled something sweet. Cami was in the kitchen. I winced as I sat up and looked down at my stomach. There was still an ugly purple bruise from Palmer’s blow, but both the discoloration and the pain would be gone by the time I deployed. I pulled on my boxer briefs and padded out into the living room where my T-shirt was piled on the floor. I tossed it on and then followed my nose. One look at the calendar as I passed by it on the way to the kitchen reminded me that I was about to be expelled from Eden. Deployment day loomed uncomfortably close.

  Cami looked gorgeous, her wild curls glowing like a halo from the sun streaming through the windows. She wore a black tank top and a pair of tight-fitting shorts that made me think lots of dirty thoughts. I resisted the urge to drag her down to the tiled floor when she turned, clutching a white mixing bowl, and beamed at me.

  “Good morning,” I greeted her, shuffling into the kitchen. The countertops were cluttered with bags of flour and sugar and cartons of eggs and milk. And also a container of sprinkles. “What are you doing?”

  “Making you pancakes. You missed out the last time,” she said. The last time she’d offered to make pancakes had ended in disaster. “Have a seat. Do you want coffee?” Cami pointed toward the countertop where a few stools rested underneath.

  “Coffee would be great, thank you.” I pulled out a stool just as she set a mug in front of me. I eyed it skeptically; it had a pretty floral pattern with birds but proclaimed, “Good morning, asshole.”

  She grinned as she poured coffee from a French press into my cup. I watched her move capably around the kitchen. This was her space, and it made her happy. She hummed as she poured pancake batter onto a hot griddle. In minutes, I had a plate stacked high with fluffy homemade pancakes that were speckled with colorful sprinkles.

  “Confetti pancakes,” she informed me with a huge grin. “My specialty.”

  I felt guilty eating while she cleaned up, so I begged her to sit and eat with me. I listened as she talked aimlessly about learning how to bake from her grandmother. “Whenever my mom would take me out exploring, we always ended up at a bakery. I was fascinated by the display cases full of gorgeous cakes or perfect pastries. Sometimes, they’d show me how to make something if I asked.”

  “Did you go to culinary school?”

  “No. I’m entirely self-taught. But the Graysons had a friend in Seattle who was a pastry chef for a hotel. She hired me a year after I graduated from high school, and I worked my way up from there.”

  Cami made it sound easy, but you didn’t end up owning a condo in a slick high-rise in the middle of downtown Seattle through luck. She was being modest, which made me love her even more.

  “Do you have plans today?” I asked her. I wasn’t foolish enough to think that she’d drop everything for me just because I was leaving in a few days. She still had a life to live.

  “Well, actually …” Her voice trailed off as she looked anxiously at the front door of the guest house. Seconds later, the door opened, and a familiar voice called out.

  “Cami?” It was Palmer. What the fuck was he doing here? I looked at Cami who had a guilty look in her eye.

  “In the kitchen,” she called out, keeping her eyes locked on me. “I’m sorry, but this needs to be solved right now.”

  “Do I smell confetti pancakes?” Palmer asked walking into the kitchen. He hadn’t seen me yet, but when he did, his easy demeanor disappeared. “What the hell, Cami!”

  I stood, ready to act, but Cami held up a hand. Suddenly, I wished she had on more clothes than just a tiny tank top and skintight shorts.

  “Palmer, this is getting ridiculous,” she told him. “I thought you understood how I felt, but I guess I was wrong. You need to apologize to Garrett.”

  “Nope. Cami, this has nothing to do with you,” he told her, but she wasn’t buying it.

  Cami rolled her eyes and sighed. “Spare me. This has everything to do with me, and you'll apologize right the fuck now, or our friendship is over.”

  Palmer looked at her as if she wasn’t serious, but it was easy to tell that she was. So I took the lead and apologized again. “Palmer, I knew how you felt about Cami, but I pushed your feelings aside. I thought I was doing the right thing by talking to you before making a move, but I guess I should have waited longer. I’m sorry that you were hurt.”

  Cami shot
me a look that said “Really?” before turning her attention back to Palmer. She tapped her bare foot impatiently until he shifted uncomfortably and sighed heavily.

  “Fine, Cami. I’m sorry, Garrett.”

  I could tell Cami wasn’t appeased. “Okay. Bye, Palmer,” she said, pushing him toward the door.

  “What the fuck? What do you want from me?” The moment Palmer raised his voice, I was up and between him and Cami. I backed him against the wall with my forearm pressed lightly against his chest.

  “Apologize to her right now, asshole, or we’re done for good,” I growled.

  Cami’s hand was gently tugging on my arm, and when I faced her, I could see that instead of anger, she was disappointed. I released him, but he only had a moment to get himself together before Hurricane Cami stepped in.

  “What do I want from you, Palmer? I want you to act like a fucking man and apologize to your best friend for not only physically assaulting him but for also acting like a jealous asshole. And then I want you to apologize to me not only for yelling at me just now but for treating me like your property. You had no right to do what you did because you and I have never been a thing. How many times do I have to tell you that the only thing I want with you is friendship?”

  Palmer was stunned. Cami’s words dazed him, and I could tell he wasn’t expecting her to go off on him. He opened his mouth to respond, but Cami held up a hand.

  “Save it, Palmer. You hurt me by reducing me to nothing more than a possession. I’ve known you most of my life, and this is how you treat me? I’m done.” Cami stormed out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, a door slammed. I knew there was fire inside her. I turned my attention back to Palmer who looked both horrified and guilty.

  “Is this how you want to leave things between us, man?” I asked him. “I’m deploying in a few days.”

  “It seems like we just got home from that shithole.” He seemed both surprised and confused because, after our last tour, we thought we’d be stateside for a while.

  “It’s getting out of control over there, so I’m heading back.” I didn’t exactly know the specifics myself, but I had been paying attention to the news, and I knew that the surge of rebels in the area was intensifying.

  “Why didn’t you say something?”

  “Maybe because you punched me in the gut and then told me to get the fuck out?”

  Palmer looked away with a grimace. “I’ve loved her for so long, you know? But I never had a chance to leave the friend zone, did I?”

  “She’s going to need you,” I admitted. “I’m not going to be here to help her through the death of her father. She’s going to need her best friend.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “She just found out that the cancer spread. His surgery, the chemotherapy, none of it worked. I don’t know how long doctors are giving him, but I’d be a fool to hope that he’ll survive until I return.”

  “Shit,” he muttered.

  “Yeah. You have to be there for her, Palmer. I have to be able to count on you while I’m gone. I know it’s unfair to ask you to do this for me, but you’re my best friend.”

  He nodded slowly. “Okay. I’m sorry, Garrett. I shouldn’t have lost it like that.” Palmer looked toward the hallway. “I should go and talk to her.”

  I held up a hand. “Let me. Just stay here.”

  Slowly, I walked down the hall to the closed bedroom door. I knocked softly before entering. Cami sat on the bed, her eyes red from crying.

  “Hey,” I said. “Are you okay?”

  Cami wiped the streaks of tears from her cheeks and sniffled. “I have so much to worry about, Garrett. I don’t need to deal with this too, you know? He’s acting selfishly.”

  I nodded my understanding. “I know, and I think he knows that now too. He let his own jealousy get in the way, but I think he understands what we’re all dealing with now.”

  “How? Did you punch him in the face or something?”

  I couldn’t help the loud burst of laughter that escaped. “No, I didn’t punch him in the face.”

  “Well, can I punch him in the face?”

  “Easy there, Rocky. No one is going to punch anyone, okay?”

  Cami legitimately pouted, and I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and nipped her bottom lip with my teeth before kissing her hard. “Come on,” I told her before the kiss led to something more. “Palmer’s waiting.”

  She whined but eventually followed me back to the kitchen where Palmer had helped himself to a few confetti pancakes. He set the plate down and held up his hands.

  “I’m sorry,” he said with a mouthful. “I couldn’t resist. You know how much I love these damn things.”

  Cami walked up to Palmer and snatched the plate away from him. His eyes were as big as saucers, and he backed away from her slightly. “Garrett said I couldn’t punch you in the face, so I’m taking away your pancakes until you really apologize to him.”

  I intervened before she became violent. “It’s okay, Cami. He did apologize.”

  She looked between us skeptically. “You’re still not getting any more.”

  “Cami, I owe you an apology,” Palmer started. With his eyes on the plate in Cami’s hand, it was hard to tell if he was simply apologizing to get his plate of pancakes back or if he really was sincere. “You were right. I did treat you like a possession, and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  I could see Cami start to relent. Her shoulders sagged, and her defenses began to crumble. “Palmer, I don’t need any more stress in my life right now. I need you to be my friend.”

  “I know, and I promise to be here with you through everything. You won’t be alone.”

  She looked at me for reassurance, and I dipped my head slightly. “Okay,” she grumbled. “Apology accepted.”

  “Thank you.” Palmer sighed. “Now can I have some more pancakes?”

  Cami didn’t exactly seem placated but scooped two hot, fresh pancakes onto his plate before handing it to him. She glanced at me and wordlessly offered me another helping, but I shook my head. I was stuffed. I watched her carefully as she finished cleaning up the breakfast mess. Was this something I was going to worry about? Cami constantly putting others before herself? Selflessness was an admirable quality, but it could take its toll on a person, and I didn’t want Cami to run herself down. This was something I needed to discuss with Palmer because I wanted him to make sure she took the time to care for herself.

  “Do you want to go and spend time with your dad?” I asked, surprising her.

  “Are you offering to go with me?” She’d sacrificed a few days with him for me, and I knew she was feeling restless.

  “You said he wanted to meet me and make sure I was capable of taking care of you and the house.”

  “What’s wrong with the house?” Palmer asked.

  “Nothing. Dad’s just fussing over nothing.”

  “Well, make a list, and we’ll put you on the schedule,” he told her. “I’ve got to go, though. Thank you for breakfast.” Palmer reached out a hand toward me, and we shook, officially burying the hatchet. He placed an arm around Cami and pulled her in for a hug. He kissed the top of her head before telling her, “I meant what I said. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “Thank you, Palmer.” She returned his hug, snaking her arms around his middle. I could tell from the grateful smile on her lips that their friendship was important to her and that he was forgiven. Palmer snagged one last pancake before he left with a guilty grin.

  The minute Palmer cleared the door, and I heard it shut, I had Cami pressed against the closest wall. She gazed up at me with big blue eyes; her breathing was heavy. “If you ever invite another man over and all you’re wearing is this,” I scolded her, running a hand down the front of her tank top, “we’re going to have problems.”

  “What kind of problems?” she breathed out. “Are you going to spank me?”

  “I’ll do more than spank you, sweetheart. I’ll fuck you senseless.�
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  “I don’t see how that’s supposed to teach me a lesson,” she purred. “It might just turn me into a repeat offender.”

  I groaned, and my cock throbbed uncomfortably. “Let’s go,” I said, grabbing her hand and leading her to the bathroom. Hopefully, there was enough hot water.

  As we drove to the hospital, Cami kept looking over at me and giggling. If I’d had to guess, she was replaying the events of the past few hours in her head, and I didn’t blame her. Fucking her against the shower wall was a memory made to last.

  “Stop thinking about it, or I’m going to meet your dad with a raging hard-on,” I told her.

  “I’m sorry! I just … can’t help myself.” She squirmed in the passenger seat and continued to grin like the Cheshire cat. What was I going to do with her? We were close to the hospital, so there wasn’t much.

  “Well, you’re going to have to,” I said as I made the turn into the hospital’s parking lot. This seemed to sober her quickly, and I was relieved.

  I took her hand as she led me through the hospital corridors and up to her dad’s room. She knocked timidly on his door and poked her head inside. I waited just outside in the hallway until she announced that she had company.

  “Hey, Dad,” I heard her say.

  “Camille! Long time, no see!” He greeted her warmly, and they talked briefly, but I couldn’t hear; their words were muffled.

  “I brought someone with me today,” she told him nervously. She poked her head out and motioned for me to enter. “Dad, this is Garrett. Garret, this is my dad, Alex Sorenson.”

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir.” I extended my hand toward the man who was sitting up in the hospital bed. Alex Sorenson was a formidable looking man. Even though he was battling cancer, he still looked capable of kicking my ass. He wore a blue bandana around his head, hiding the baldness that was most likely the result of his chemotherapy treatments. His eyes were the same disarming shade of blue that captured my attention the first time I met Cami, and it was easy to see so much of him in her.