A layer of sweat coats my skin, the small, barely existent breeze the only reprieve from the ass kicking Coach put on us at practice today. Apparently, she's trying to kill us before our first game of the season next month. It's abnormally hot today, like sweat-your-tits off hot, and she had us running sprints, not only the length of the field, but up the monster of a hill that adds a scenic backdrop to our school.

My legs feel like jello and I'm secretly reveling in the exhausted state. Call me crazy, but I actually enjoy the ache of my muscles.

"Mack! Wait up!" I hear behind me as I sling my bag over my shoulder. I turn to see a couple of my teammates trotting up, that same sparkling sweat running across their red faces.

"Practice was brutal, huh?" Keisha huffs, her hands held against her waist.

"I don't think I'll be able to walk tomorrow," Maria adds.

"Yeah." I nod, fighting back a smile. "I'm pretty sure that was Coach's goal."

They both smile, shaking their heads before changing their attention from me to the scene behind us all. It's nothing I'm not used to. In fact, I spend most of our practices keeping my team in line and focused on our sport, not the baseball players practicing adjacent to us.

I follow their gaze, catching a glimpse of Cam. The heat is nearly nauseating, which has resulted in the baseball coach allowing his boys to have a light practice, no shirts required. And the view is...let's just say the sun is not the only thing heating my cheeks right now.

Cam is on the mound as Gio steps up to bat. Looks like they've got a scrimmage going on, and I'm suddenly very in tune with every detail. Apollo claps his hands at short, raising two fingers in the air to signal his outfield they've got two down. Cam peers down at his catcher, Donovan. This is the part I miss. My brother used to be the guy squatting behind the plate, calling the pitches. Cam and my brother were flawless. It's as if my brother knew the exact pitch Cam needed to throw each and every time.

But I watch as Cam shrugs off two pitches before Donovan is standing, hands in the air to call timeout and jog out to his pitcher. I can't hear them from here, and the fact Donovan still has his mask on and Cam covers his face with his glove, conceals any chance I have at figuring it out.

What I can see is Cam shaking his head, Donovan's arms lifting in a frustrated sigh before he's turning away, slapping his hand to his thigh. He looks upset, and Cam looks...irritated. It's something I haven't seen on him too much when it comes to the game.

Donovan sets himself, and Cam settles, taking a breath before he turns his gaze to the plate. Raising a knee, he winds up, firing a fastball on the outside corner. Gio turns into it, swinging hard but coming up empty.

My eyes trail back to Cam, watching as he claps his hand to his glove, the corded muscle along his arms flexing with every movement. The tight pull of his abs constricts right alongside the toned ripples of his back. My lips are suddenly tingling, remembering the way his mouth felt against mine, craving to taste him again, to feel the defined form of his body pressed up against mine.

"Looks like someone is enjoying the show," Keisha says, bringing my attention back to her. She's smiling, watching me drool over Cam. Something I most definitely should not be doing.

"What?" I snap my head back, turning away from the shirtless distraction. "I wasn't—"

"Oh please," Maria says, throwing out a hand. "He's your boyfriend. You can stare all you want."

My boyfriend. Right.

"I still can't believe it," another voice butts in, pulling my attention back to find Brittney approaching. "You and Camden are really a thing?"

The quickened beat in my chest slams against my lungs, making it hard to catch my breath. "Yeah," I lie, hating the way it scrapes against my throat.

She nods, her eyes boring into mine, searching for the truth as she squints. "Since when? I mean," she quickly clarifies, popping a hip, "I've heard the rumors, seen you two prancing around the last few weeks, but since when has Camden been more than your brother's best friend?"

I can feel their eyes on me, each of them waiting for an answer, surely trying to figure out how I landed the attention of Camden Beck.

"It's new," I offer, trying to avoid details that Cam and I have not spoken about yet. "We've been spending a lot of time together lately, and so I guess it just happened."

Brit gives one nod, her eyes still narrow. "Just happened? So, one moment he's just your brother's best friend who you used to complain about his player ways, and the next you're sucking face? I don't exactly buy that, Mack. Not coming from you."

My heart falls into my gut, plummeting down in a treacherous decline. I can feel the lumps lodged in my throat, the bright shade of pink taking over my chest.

Suddenly, there's a pair of firm arms wrapped around my waist, a possessive hold pulling me back and swooping me away from the group. "Sorry, girls," Cam says, squeezing me to his chest. I can feel the edges of muscle moving against my back as he lifts me up. "But I've been distracted by my girl for the entire practice. I'm gonna have to steal her away."

Keisha's hand quickly flies to her mouth, covering a smile as Maria hits her shoulder, her mouth popped open in shock. Brittney stands there, eyes wide as she watches Cam carry me away, his mouth pressing soft kisses along my neck. It takes all of two seconds before my heart is pulled from my gut, a set of fluttery wings carrying it back into place. The beaming smile across my face is suddenly accompanied by a blanket of goosebumps glittering my skin at the way Cam's lips feel along my neck.

I spin myself in his arms, turning to face him. His eyes lock onto mine, a deeper shade of green looking back at me when he slides a hand across my lower back, pulling my hips into his.

"You have no idea how perfect your timing was just now," I whisper.

"Yeah, well, judging by the look on Brittney's face and the way you were gripping your bag, I figured things were getting uncomfortable."

"They're questioning how real this all is," I admit as I ignore the way his chest presses into mine.

He glances behind me, his eyes low behind the bill of his hat. "It'll be fine."

My heart speeds up in my chest, the fears of this unraveling suddenly playing out in front of me. "You don't know that. Cam, if this goes south—"

"It won't."

"How can you be so sure? They already don't believe it."

"They'll believe it."

"As much as I appreciate the confidence, your oversized ego isn't going to magically manifest this one into fruition."

He smiles and the light along his eyes catches. "They'll believe it, Kenze. But you're going to have to start playing along."

"I'm wrapped in your very sweaty arms right now and I haven't complained once, I'd say I'm playing along just fine."

The laugh that trickles free rattles his chest, and I can't help but smile along with him. "It's a start."

Thinking about what he's saying, I picture the audience behind us. Brittney's doubts are swimming laps around my head. "Are they still watching?"

He leans in, pretending to get closer as he looks over my shoulder. "Yep."

The panic surges back through my chest. "Put your hands on my butt," I blurt out.

"What?" he answers almost immediately. "Wouldn't that be breaking some type of line you've drawn?"

"Camden. Hands. Ass. Now."

"Damn," he breathes out as he slowly lowers his hands to my butt. "Bossy is a good look on you."

"Save the flattery. We have work to do."

He smirks. "Got it, boss. What's next in that playbook of yours?"

I look up at him, trying to think of the next logical step. With the brim of his hat low over his eyes, I slowly reach up. My fingers graze the bill, gently twisting it backward. The movement brings our faces closer together, no barrier between us.

His eyes drop to mine, my gaze now steadily locked with his. They're greener in the heat of the sun. There's a sparkle to them, a faint swirl of caramel brown around the center. His eyes are truly beautiful. I don't know if that's the word to describe the stained glass array of emeralds, but suddenly I'm lost in a sea of greens.

Without thought, my palm rests along his cheek, frozen in place as we hold one another's gaze. "What now?" I whisper, suddenly feeling far too out of my league.

His gaze drops to my mouth, slowly making its way back up. And it's within that slow and steady trickle of his eyes that I feel something flutter in my gut. The distant memory of his lips on mine, the anticipation of feeling them again, the shadow of fear at what that all means.

"You're in charge, Kenze," he whispers, his words floating between the limited space.

I nod, unsure of what comes next. Without another word, his forehead drops to mine and my hand slides behind his neck. His breath feathers my lips, his hands squeezing and bringing us closer.

"Beck!" A deep, stern voice booms behind us. "Get your ass on the fucking field!"

His hands lift to my waist, that firm hold still keeping me in place when a mixture of greens stares back at me.

"I'm sorry. I gotta go," he rasps, clearing his throat and effectively breaking my trance. "Wait for me? I'll give you a ride home."

"Beck! If your ass isn't on this field in five seconds—"

"Go." I laugh, pushing a hand against his chest.

"You'll wait?"

"Yes. Just go."

He smiles, pressing a kiss to my forehead and whispering, "We'll come up with a plan to make sure they aren't questioning this anymore, okay? Don't worry." He pulls back, nodding his head before he's sprinting back to the field.

I follow after him, finding a spot to watch the rest of his practice. I pause for a moment, shifting my gaze back to the girls behind me. They're no longer staring, no suspicious questions across their eyes. Keisha offers a small wave, Maria doing the same before they both turn to leave.

Brittney doesn't look my way. She simply reaches for her bag, throws it over her shoulder and walks off the field.

There's a beat of satisfaction filling my chest. And for the first time since I caught Adam's tongue down her throat, I feel like this year might actually turn out okay.

***

Author's Note:

Just wanted to pop back in to let you know Cam's POV is coming next! I hope to have it to you soon!😊