“Come here on Friday night. Let me give you some therapy. I promise I’ll work you so hard you’ll sleep for days.”
“I can’t.” She sounded almost regretful. “I have the boys. Or Michael, at least.”
“Then another day. You name the time, I’ll be here.” He wanted to see her naked. To kiss her everywhere until she was gasping. He wasn’t lying about working her out. He had more energy than he knew what to do with.
And he wanted to use it on her.
“It’s not a good idea, Cam.” Her voice was soft. It curled around him like a blanket.
“Why not?”
“I told you. The kids. They don’t deserve having their mom talked about in town. And I’m trying to build up a reputation at work. I don’t want it to be for the wrong reasons.”
“And if I promised you nobody would find out?”
“Somebody always finds out.”
His lip quirked. “That’s because people are stupid. Come just once.” He laughed. “I mean, come here just once. I’ll make sure you come plenty more times than once.”
Her breath hitched. “Cam, I…”
“Don’t answer now. Think about it. I’m gonna hang up and go to bed, because I’m not the kind of man who begs.”
She didn’t respond, but he could hear her breathing soft and low.
“Touch yourself tonight. Think about how good I’d feel inside you. I know I’ll be thinking about that.”
Her breath was heavier now.
“You still there?” he asked, though he knew she was.
“Yeah.”
“Are you touching yourself?” Jesus, he was aching. It was his turn to feel breathless.
“Not yet.”
Not yet. Which means she was planning to. If one of her laughs felt like winning a game, this admission felt like winning the damn Superbowl.
“Good night, Mia. Sleep tight.” he said, adjusting himself because right now he could drill a hole through a rock. He needed a cold shower. Stat.
There was another long pause, then a sigh. “Good night, Cam.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Okay, team, we’re done for tonight.” Coach Hawkins clapped his hands together. “Go home, get some food inside you, and I'll see you tomorrow after school.”
Cam nodded at the defensive team, who’d been running drills with him. Sweat was dripping from his head – he’d never ask them to do anything he wouldn’t do with them. “Good work,” he told them. “Those tackles are getting better.” They’d been working on creating turnovers from offensive running plays. It had been fun to play offense for a change, letting the team try to block his runs toward the end zone. Like them, he was exhausted now. He really needed to up his training.
Tomorrow he’d go running twice. If he couldn’t keep up with a high school team, he was definitely losing it.
“Before you all go, I need a couple of volunteers,” Coach called out at the team’s retreating backs. “The local pee wee team is short a couple of coaches, and I thought it could be a chance to give back. You’ll be needed Saturday mornings at nine. Anybody up for it?”
There were a few murmurs about Saturday jobs, and wanting to sleep in, before one of the Varsity players put his hand up. “I guess I could help. My kid brother’s on the team.”
“Thanks, Leon.” Coach gave him a wink. “One down, one to go. Come on, show a little spirit here. Coaching will be good for your play. You get to learn how to spot weaknesses and work with others on them. Plus it’ll earn you points with me.”
“I can do it. My brother’s joining the team, too.”
Cam turned to see Michael with his hand up. He’d been running drills with Cam, though avoided talking to him.
“We can go together,” Leon said, slapping Michael on the back. Michael looked pleased to be noticed by the older player. “You’re Josh’s brother, right? Noah won’t stop talking about him. I think he wants my mom to adopt him.”
“She’s welcome to him,” Michael mumbled, and Leon laughed.
Coach nodded at them both.“Great. I’ll email you all the details. Okay, team, help me collect up the equipment and then hit the showers.”
Half an hour later, Cam was walking across the parking lot when he heard somebody call out his name. He turned to see Michael running toward him, holding his hand up as though trying to get Cam to stop.
“Everything okay?” Cam asked, as Michael reached him, his breath coming in short spurts. Michael looked over his shoulder at Cam’s dark blue Audi.
“You got your car back,” he said, swallowing hard. “I guess that means you got the invoice, too.”
“Yeah, I got it.” He’d paid it, too.
Michael shifted his feet. “And you plan on sending it to my mom?”
No he wasn’t. Cam wasn’t that much of an asshole. “I don’t think that’s your concern.”
“But it is. It wasn’t my mom’s fault your car was dented. I’m the one who should pay for it, not her.”
“You got a spare eight thousand hanging around?” Cam had been pleasantly surprised at the cost. Two thousand less than he’d anticipated.
“Um, no?” Michael raked his fingers through his hair. “But maybe I can work it off or something. Make a payment plan with you. I’m hoping to get a weekend job as soon as I turn fifteen. Until then, I can do stuff like cut your lawn or tidy your yard or something. I do it for my uncle and he’s happy with my work.”
“You want to make a payment plan?” Cam repeated. “How long do you think it’ll take you to repay eight thousand dollars?”
Blowing out a mouthful of air, Michael grimaced. “A while. But I’m a man of my word, sir. The money will come back to you.”
Cam tipped his head to the side and stared at the boy. He’d been avoiding Cam ever since he’d started working with the team. It was understandable, as they hadn’t gotten the best start after all, but he could still remember Mia’s request to try to mend some bridges.
“Does your mom know about this?” Cam asked him.
“No. And I don’t
