Camden's Redemption (Gloves Off #4)(26)

“I know,” I murmured.

“And you can look past all of that?”

“I guess it’s easier to see the good in him when that’s all I’ve seen. Maybe if I knew him before, it’d be different. I’m kind of glad I didn’t know him then.”

Jason looked down at his phone and pushed me toward the door. “Yeah, he’s been pretty cool with me. But right now, you need to go.”

Rushing out the door, I saw Camden turn the corner toward his building. I picked up my pace and raced after him. As soon as I thought I was gaining ground, a hand reached out from the shadows and pulled me into the darkness. My body was pushed back into the wall and caged in.

“I think it’s time to collect,” his voice whispered in my ear.

My heart thundered out of control. “Fuck, Cam, you scared the shit out of me. My heart hurts now.”

He placed his hand over my heart, brushing my left breast with his fingers. My whole body tingled. “Yes, I can tell.”

Once my breaths slowed, I got a good look at him even though he was shaded by night. I lifted my hands and placed them on his cheeks. “I guess you want payment, huh?”

He licked his lips and moved closer. I could feel his cock hardening and he groaned when I rubbed up against him. “It’d be nice,” he growled low.

Standing up on my toes, I tilted my head to the side and pulled his face closer. When my lips touched his, I lingered there for just a few seconds before it became too much to bear. His hands grasped my waist and his fingers dug into my skin. He opened me further with his tongue and I let him take everything he wanted from me. His scent engulfed me and I couldn’t get enough. I wanted more of him.

Breathing hard, I gently pulled away and placed my forehead to his. “Was that good enough for payment?”

His deep chuckle made me shiver. “You have no f*cking clue. I need to save your ass more often.” His grip on my waist loosened, but he still held me to him.

“What do we do now?”

Smiling, he brushed a strand of my hair off my face. “It’s your decision, buttercup. I’m not going to pressure you into anything.”

There was that name again . . . buttercup. I’d never had anyone give me a nickname other than Brooke or B. I kind of liked it. As much as I wanted to finish what we started, I knew we couldn’t jump straight to the sex. It was what I did with Blake. “I tell you what. Why don’t we call it a night and tomorrow I’ll take you out to that dinner I owe you. And then afterward,” I said, rubbing a finger down his chest, “we can finish what we started.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to finish it tonight and tomorrow?” he asked.

Laughing, I pushed against his chest. “Very tempting, but I have my own reasons.”

He grasped my chin and tilted it back, his blue eyes serious as they bored into mine. “It’s not because of your scars is it? I saw them and I still think you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“Thank you. But no, that’s not it. I just want to make sure we do things right.”

“I understand. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t, but there’s something about you that makes me want to be different. Before I would’ve f*cked you right here in the alley.”

“What if I wanted you to take me right here?” I wanted to have sex with him, but not in the street. I’d lose my job in a heartbeat.

He shook his head. “You’re not that kind of girl, Brooklyn.”

“Is that the kind of woman you want?”

Averting his gaze, he smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes. “That’s all I ever got. I never knew what it was like to be around someone like you.”

I placed my hand on his cheek and turned his attention to me. “Well, now you do. And tomorrow we’ll go on a real date. My parents are long gone so they won’t crash it this time around.” My phone buzzed in my pocket and I knew it had to be my brother. “If you give me your phone, I’ll type in my number.”

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his phone. I entered in my information and handed it back to him. “Call me anytime. I’ll text you when I’m on my way to pick you up tomorrow.”

“Why aren’t you at your condo?”

I knew that question would come up eventually. “I decided to stay at my house for a while. It’s just a small one outside of the city limits. Sometimes I like to get away from all of this here,” I said, gesturing to the bustling city streets.

“Will I be able to see it?”

The thought made me nervous. I wasn’t rich and my house was probably a quarter the size of his in California. “It’s nothing special. I don’t know why you’d want to see it.”

“Because it’s yours, Brooklyn. Are you ashamed of it?”

I shrugged. “Maybe a little. I’m not exactly rich or glamorous. I grew up middle class.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that. I have money, and it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. I’m not going to think any less of you because of it.”

“You sure about that?”

He nodded. “I promise.”

My phone buzzed again. “All right, it’s getting late so I should probably get home.” We walked out of the alley and stopped on the street. I didn’t see my brother around, but he was probably close by.