Love Tap(33)

“Thanks,” I mutter under my breath. He either didn’t hear me or doesn’t respond as he pulls out of the parking lot.

Looking out of the corner of my eye, I catch him looking at me before he directs his attention back on the road.

My heart is beating a mile a minute. My thighs are clenched together like they’re glued, and if my underwear weren’t soaked from the rain they’d be wet just by being this close to Camden. After all these years, the boy I fell in love with next door still does it for me. I’m starting to think I’ll never move on. I should really invest in a vibrator.

“How are the hands?” His voice comes out sexy and rough.

I glance down at my hands noticing they’re discolored and look terrible.

“They’ve seen better days.” I turn them, hiding them from his sight. I feel like an amateur next to him.

“You seemed out of breath today,” he observes, his jaw cocked as if he’s chewing the inside of his cheek. He’s trying to make conversation, which takes me aback.

“What can I say, I’m out of shape.” I shrug, smirking.

“Jog a mile a day, that’ll help build your endurance up, trust me it works.” His tone of voice light, as if we are old buddies catching up.

Why, why is he helping me when he clearly told me to go away? Does he feel sorry for me?

“Why are you telling me this and why did you help me today?” I ask, not being able to keep the thoughts to myself any longer.

He stops at a red light and pins me with those gorgeous eyes.

“I’m not going to sit back and watch you break your damn hands Tatum.”

“Don’t do me any favors, and… and don’t call me that.” I grit my teeth in anger.

“You’re just as stubborn as you were when you left, you know that?”

“Yeah, and you’re still a know it all, did you know that?”

His hand reaches for the gearshift just as mine reaches for the dial to turn some music on. The touch of his warm skin against mine I gasp in reaction and pull away. His mouth parts and eyes flash with something seductive just before he draws his back.

Our eyes look around the car awkwardly, as we stop at another red light.

“I don’t remember you tensing up so much when I touched you before,” he states matter of fact, and my face pales.

He’s so sure of himself it’s ridiculous. I’m sure his bevy fan group help stroke that ego of his. Well, I’m no groupie, and won’t play his games.

“I only tense when I’m in the car with bad drivers.” I point at the light that is now green and a car honks behind us. Camden glances in the rearview mirror before speeding off so fast the tires spin.

He glances at me as if he’s waiting for me to squeal in fear, but I don’t. I like going fast, not only in a car but in life. He shifts gears, and eyes me again.

My heart skips a beat as he practically drifts around a corner, but I remain calm on the outside.

He finally slows down and I exhale a calming breath.

“If you’re trying to scare me it won’t work. I like going fast.”

A sexy smirk fits his face. “I remember a few things you liked doing fast.”

My mouth parts, and I give a sideways glance. My mind searching for a comeback.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you know they say too many hits to the head can cause brain damage, I think you’ve met your quota.” I tilt my head to the side and give a condescending smile.

“Cute, but I see the way you look at me when I’m training.” He keeps his eyes on the road as he points out my horrible stalking.

“Ever think I was looking for fighting tips?” I question, but I’m lying through my teeth. I’m not thinking about anything fighting when looking at him.

Running my palms along my sweats my body grows anxious.

“No, you look at me like you want me, yet left me behind like I was nothing. Ironic isn’t it.”

My head whips to face him, my fingers digging into the seat with anger.

“I didn’t leave. I—”

“You did.” He cuts me off. Closing my eyes I try to calm myself and explain why I left the way I did when I was eighteen.

“I did what I thought was best Camden. If I called you, or told you where I was, you would have come after me.” My face contorts as I bare my soul, wishing he could see I was a confused person four years ago. I missed my mom so much when I left for college, I didn’t want to accept that she was gone. My dad pounded in my head that I needed to leave Chicago, get away and try new things.

“Exactly. We would have been together, what was so wrong about that?” he asks. With one hand on the wheel he glares at me with a look of hurt in his eyes. Anger laces its way through that he doesn’t see I was doing the selfless thing.

“You would have thrown everything away for me and in the end I would have been a pregnant teenager while you worked some dead end job trying to pay rent in our shit trailer, all the while hating me. All because I was selfish and made you give it all up!” My face reddens as the urge to cry becomes overwhelming.

His narrow eyes slowly lift, softening his angry look. But only briefly, as his jaw ticks and his brows pinch together in frustration.

“Bottom line, you left and coming back here thinking we’d get back together was plain stupid on your part.”