Her Trick His Treat (Cherry On Top Tales #5)

Chapter Twelve-Tommy

CHAPTER TWELVE-TOMMY

I cursed as I looked at the time.

I’d planned on showering and heading right over to Camryn’s apartment, well, I would as soon as I tracked down her address.

But one of my engineers called with a problem. Soon, what should have been an hour delay max became four hours, as one by one the problems snowballed.

By the time I finished fixing shit, it was later than I’d intended.

Fuck.

Frustrated at my own failure to go to her immediately, I was just headed to my car, Camryn’s address in hand courtesy of a little online espionage, when Buck and Sonny pulled in behind me.

“What the fuck do you guys want?” I barked, feeling less than cordial.

“You dick,” Buck growled, hopping out of the front seat. “Did you seriously fuck my wife’s little cousin last night?”

I stood my ground, jaw clenched as I waited for him to make the first move. He shoved me, and I shoved back. And that was as far as we got before Sonny jumped between us.

“Knock it off!”

“What Camryn and I do is none of your fucking business.”

“The fuck it’s not. Jan is freaking out. Camryn is like her little sister, and she was missing all night,” Buck continued.

“Camryn is thirty years old, Buck. She’s not a fucking kid. And like I said, it is none of your business.”

“You two idiots don’t stop squaring off at each other and I’m calling it,” Sonny said.

“What? No! We aren’t doing that, Sonny,” I growled, not wanting to waste time with this shit but knowing these two were never going to back off if I didn’t accept the challenge.

“Call it, Sonny. This fucker is going down!” Buck growled.

“Goddamn it,” I grunted, tossing my keys and phone on the grass and stepping out of my sneakers.

“Okay. The challenge is accepted. You know the rules. Shoes and socks, off. Now, get on the concrete.”

“You two are fucking assholes,” I spat and assumed the position.

“Ready?” Sonny asked, ignoring me as Buck got down on my newly redone asphalt driveway.

“The planking contest starts now,” Sonny said, grinning like the moron he was.

He had his phone out and started recording, leaning his dumb ass against my car.

I could not believe we were doing this. Every time something went wrong in college, something that needed to be worked out. This was how we did it. A plank off. Regardless of weather.

“Get your fat fucking ass off my BMW, Sonny,” I grunted.

“Fuck you,” he replied still recording us. “Be happy it’s not summer. That asphalt would be burning your hairy fucking arm skin off.”

Buck snorted. The hairless motherfucker.

“Where were you going right now?” he asked.

“Right now? To Camryn’s. To talk,” I added before he started crying again.

“Look, my wife was pissed and worried. Sorry I came at you hot,” he muttered.

“I’m glad Camryn has someone who cares about her, Buck. But I am one of those people, too.”

“How the fuck you figure that? You just met her,” he pointed out unhelpfully.

“Sometimes you just know,” Sonny said, and I was about to agree, but then the asshole added. “But I never figured Tommy Boy here for a relationship.”

“Fuck you guys. I haven’t seen you in years. I’ve matured. Besides, there’s something about Camryn, man. She’s special. She’s—” I had to bite my lip because I was going to say mine , and I figured neither of these assholes would appreciate that.

“Come on, Tommy. Give in. I’ve been hitting the gym hard for my lady,” Buck taunted.

“Fuck you, love handles. I ain’t giving up,” I replied, taunting him with his college nickname.

“Dick.”

“Pussy.”

“Okay, ladies, you two done with the name calling? The first one of you to move is out,” Sonny said, and I concentrated on my form.

“Seriously, was last night, okay? Fuck. I don’t mean like that,” he said, realizing how it sounded after the fact. “I meant, was Camryn safe?”

“Yes. Of course she was fucking safe, man. What do you think I am?”

“You’re the one who said it. We haven’t seen you in years, bro,” Buck muttered.

“And what? You think I became a serial killer in that time, you prick?”

“Fine. You’re right! Sorry. Jan was just worked up,” he growled, and that’s when I knew I had to take a chance.

“Look, I understand. But I promise Camryn is safe with me.”

“Is?” he asked, his gaze locking in on mine.

I nodded, and whatever happened then, whatever he saw he must have approved cause Buck moved then and Sonny declared me the winner.

“God,” I muttered, stepping into my shoes and grabbing my shit off the grass.

“What? At least now we know you’re just as fucked in the head over your woman as we are over ours,” Sonny said, grinning at me like the fucker he was.

“Seriously? Move your fucking car, man.”

“So grouchy. Where are you going?” he asked.

“To talk to my woman,” I told him.

“You have her address?”

“Yeah, I tracked her on social media,” I replied, a wicked smile on my face as I saw Buck lunge for me.

But he was too slow, and I was already in my car.

Sure, I tracked her down on her socials. Found out about her recent move to New Jersey to be near family. And I found her address by spying a picture of her at her new favorite coffee shop.

I just had to zoom in on the bag she was holding and right there for the whole fucking world to see were her name and address printed on the receipt.

I was going to have to talk to her about internet safety.

Fall leaves scattered across the street as I pulled onto the highway and made a beeline for her place.

I’d been away from her too long. That spot in the middle of my chest felt tight, and I rubbed my fist against it.

This was way too soon for this. But I wasn’t the kind of man to fight his feelings.

When I was tired? I slept.

Hungry? I ate.

Thirsty? I drank.

When I wanted something? I got it.

And I wanted Camryn.

Desperately.

Once I arrived at her place, I moved to knock on the door, but I heard her voice, muffled but unmistakable, as she chatted with someone. A few someones, actually.

I strained to catch snippets of their conversation, my curiosity piqued.

Okay, so I was being nosy. Sue me. But I had to know more about her. I was greedy for information, and I was not above snooping.

What other sides of her were there? What secrets did she hold that could add more layers to this burgeoning connection?

“—can’t believe you actually did that!”

Vixen laughed, the sound bright and melodic, making my pulse quicken.

“I mean, who does that in a public place?”

“Like you haven’t,” she quipped, and I grinned.

Good for you, I thought.

Their laughter echoed off the walls. Vixen’s laugh was the loudest though, and I appreciated it. Grinned right along with her.

I couldn’t help it. Her joy was infectious, and it wasn’t lost on me they were talking about last night and what she and I’d done in that private room.

Naughty girl, telling secrets.

But I didn’t mind. I imagined she needed to tell someone. After all, it was new to her. To me too, if not in the same way.

Pride surged inside me, and I couldn’t help but really smile right then.

Knowing I was the only man who’d ever been inside her hot little body made me want to beat my chest and roar it to the whole world.

“Is he coming by today?” one of the women asked.

“Oh, um, no. No! I mean, of course not. He didn’t say anything after we, you know, and we aren’t like together . It was a one-time thing,” she explained, and that was when I frowned.

Was that really what she thought?

I listened a few minutes more, then I grabbed the mask from my pocket.

Listening to her talk and laugh had been like looking through a window at what life could potentially hold for me.

But I didn’t want to be on the outside anymore. Not with her.

I wanted to be the reason for her joy. I wanted to drag her with me into this whirlwind of need and desire I was currently stuck in.

Was it going to get lighter? I doubted it. This yearning I felt to be with her was extraordinary. I’d call it something more, but it was too soon.

Still, I wanted to take her with me, some place we could explore our desires together.

I dragged the mask over my features and leaned in closer, ready to make my presence known.

The magnetic pull of her energy enveloped me. Camryn was so vibrant and alive, and the more I listened, the more I realized that this was just the beginning.

I was ready to dive deeper, to discover just how far we could push the boundaries of this connection.

This was just the start.

I was determined to explore every tantalizing aspect of the woman standing on the other side of the door.

Starting now.