Page 112 of Effortless

It was the humans who made love hard, he knew.

“It’s women like you who make the thought of being in love with you something to fear because no offense, Cam, but you’re kind of a fucking flight risk.”

Her laughter came out soft and light.

“Am I?” she asked.

“Just a little bit, babe.”

“Yeah, I guess I am.”

“I don’t mind taking that risk, though, Cam. I want to take it, but only if you do. I don’t mind the effort actually being something needs, but it’s a give and take. I cannot be the only person giving while you just take from me.”

She let out a quiet exhale, and closed the album in her hands. Tom waited her out, and didn’t move an inch when she got up from the couch and came closer to him. He stayed still even when she was close enough to touch, and she reached up to cup his jaw with her warm palm.

“I’m here, Tom.”

He nodded. “I can see that, Cam. A call might have been nice.”

“It’s been a rough month.”

“Oh?”

“Really rough,” she admitted. “But I am here … with a little help from Cross, but don’t tell him that because then he’ll want to be thanked. I like to keep him honest.”

Tom chuckled. “So, what does being here actually mean for you?”

“I guess it means what you did for me, I’m trying to do for you. I’m here. Who are you, Tommaso Rossi? Care to show me your world?”

“Anything you want.”

Anything to keep her.

At least for now …

Camilla’s hand slid from his jaw to behind his neck, and she pulled him closer. She had to stand all the way on the tips of her toes to reach up and press her lips to his. It was only once her mouth touched his that he wrapped an arm around her waist, and crushed her to him.

Her body.

Her mouth.

All of her.

Her fingers tangled into the hair at the nape of his neck, and tugged hard enough to sting. He answered that back by biting her bottom lip, and then kissing the same spot. Her breathless laugh whispered along the seam of his lips before he hushed her with another kiss—harder and deeper than hers had been. She didn’t seem to mind. Her lips parted to let his tongue snake into her mouth.

There, he found a familiar taste. A sweet heat. Their kiss was now a familiar dance that could make him ache and burn all at the same time. It was a damn shame that now his cock was hard, but he was going to have to wait to do something about it.

The whole dinner thing, and all.

Yes, Tom had most certainly missed Camilla. He wondered if that feeling was mutual. Her hands that wouldn’t let him go, and her lips still on his, said it probably was.

“So, Camilla, what brings you all the way to Chicago?”

Tom shot Adriano a look. His uncle, and his aunt Alessa sitting right beside the man at the table, only grinned right back at him.

“Thought I would like the city, actually,” Camilla said.

“Not someone, then?” Eve, Theo’s wife, asked.