Close to You - Kristen Proby Page 0,44
exclaims, practically dancing in her seat. “This is awesome. I love Bruno Mars.”
I find parking and lead her inside, holding her hand tightly. She’s dressed in a simple black sweater and jeans with black boots.
I can’t help but wonder what’s under those clothes.
“I thought this show was sold out,” she says as we find our section.
“I know people,” I reply, and locate our seats, to the right of the stage, and only a few rows back. We’ll have a great view.
“You’re good at this date-night thing,” Cami says with a grin. “You’re hired.”
“I’m relieved,” I reply, and lean in to kiss her cheek, just as the opening act takes the stage. I can’t take my eyes off her. She’s watching the show with wide green eyes, taking it all in. She laughs at the band’s bad jokes and claps for them. And when it’s time for Bruno Mars to take the stage, she loses her ever-loving mind, screaming like a teenager.
She’s adorable.
We dance and simply soak it all in.
And when the song “When I Was Your Man” begins to play, I pull her into my arms and we sway in the aisle, moving back and forth, and for this moment, we’re the only people in the room. She sighs and melts against me, her whole body pressed to me. I bury my face in her hair, kiss her softly, and then the song, and the moment, are over.
“This is incredible!” Cami exclaims, smiling up at me. “Thank you!”
“It’s my pleasure,” I reply.
Everything with Cami is my pleasure.
“SO HOW ARE your siblings?” I ask on Thursday night. Cami and I are in her kitchen, cleaning up from dinner. “I know you said Amanda and her family moved north. What about your brother? I haven’t seen him in years.”
“They don’t live here anymore either,” she replies with a shrug. “Bobby and his wife moved to Arizona to be closer to her family.”
“I always liked your brother,” I reply, watching her closely. “I’m just surprised they left you all alone here.”
“They didn’t.” She frowns. “I have the girls and Steven. Plus, I talk to Amanda all the time, probably more since they moved.”
“Good,” I reply, not sure why I suddenly feel the need to hug her.
“Riley will be here any minute,” Cami says, and bites her lip just as we hear the front door open and Riley calls out hello. “Or right now.”
“Your cat tried to kill me,” Riley says as she walks into the kitchen, peeling her coat off. “I’m pretty sure he hates me.”
“He’s a lover,” I say in the cat’s defense, and grin down at the feline as he winds his way through my legs, purring happily.
“He only likes men,” Cami says. “He doesn’t like me either.”
“What other men has he been around?” I ask, raising a brow.
“Oh, you know,” Cami says, waving me off. “Just Jean Claude and Ricardo. But I always make sure they’re gone by the time you get here.”
Not giving one shit about having an audience, I pull Cami into my arms and kiss the hell out of her, plunging my hands in her hair and fisting, holding her still as I plunder and explore her mouth, nibble her lips, then kiss my way down her jawline to her ear and whisper, “Do you want to change that answer?”
“Just you,” she says, then clears her throat. “I told Jean Claude and Ricardo to take a hike.”
“That’s better,” I reply, and drag my knuckles down her cheek. “I’d hate to go to jail for murder.”
“A little possessive, aren’t we?” Riley asks, and helps herself, pouring a glass of wine. “You want some?” she asks Cami.
“Yes, please.”
“Speaking of possessive,” I reply, not directly answering her question, “what’s going on tonight?”
“It’s Thursday,” Riley says, as if that explains everything. “It’s our TV night.”
“Hot vampires,” Cami says, nodding. “Want to join us?”
“In watching vampires? No thanks,” I reply, and shake my head. “I guess you get her tonight,” I say to Riley.
“Sorry not sorry,” Riley says with a smug smile. “And just so you know, when summer starts, there will be a Real Housewives night too.”
“Real Housewives?” I ask. “Do I even want to know?”
“Probably not,” Cami replies, and sips her wine. “Riley and I love trash TV. It’s sort of an addiction. You should probably know that from the get-go.”
“I believe the get-go was a while ago,” I say, and then laugh. “Okay, have a good night. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“You don’t have to leave,” Cami says,