Cam sighed and lowered his head.
I smothered my giggle with my hand.
His family was… wonderful. They were friendly and warm. Nothing like my own. I doubted my mom knew how to use the coffee maker or would lower herself to serving someone, even my dad.
Mrs. Hamilton put the cup down in front of her husband. “Aren’t you two going to the drive-in tonight?”
“Yep,” Cam said, standing. He picked up our bags. “We need to get going so we get a good spot.”
“Make sure you grab some thick blankets,” she said, sitting back down at the table. “It’s been getting really cold at night.”
I was kind of reluctant to leave his family, even if the conversation was pretty bizarre. I stood, thanking his mother for the coffee.
“No problem, honey.” Mrs. Hamilton turned to her son. “I have the yellow room ready for her, Cameron. Be a gentleman and show her where it is.”
A strange look crossed Cam’s face, but it was gone by the time we stepped out into the foyer. I followed Cam up the stairs. “I like your parents. They’re very nice.”
“They’re pretty cool.” He trailed his hand along the wooden banister. “Is your dad convinced that Big Foot exists?”
I laughed. “No.”
“How about the chupacabra?”
Laughing again, I shook my head. “Definitely no.”
He headed down the hall on the second floor. “My parents have a room upstairs and my sister has one at the start of the hall.” He stopped outside of a door and nudged it open with his hip. “This is the yellow room, because it’s yellow.”
The room was yellow, but a pretty buttercup shade and not school bus. Cam put my bag on the bed as I made my way over to the window overlooking a side garden below. I turned, catching a fresh scent of vanilla. “It’s really pretty. I hope your mom didn’t go through any trouble.”
“She didn’t.” He stretched his arms above his head, cracking his back. “You think you’ll be ready in about thirty minutes?”
I sat on the edge of the bed. “Yep.”
Cam backed toward the door, arms still raised. He tapped the top of the door’s frame. “Guess what?”
“What?”
A slight grin appeared. “My bedroom is right across the hall.”
My tummy tumbled. “Okay.”
The grin spread, turning wicked. “Just thought you’d be happy to hear that.”
“Thrilled,” I murmured.
He chuckled as he left the room, closing the door behind him. I sat there for a second and then threw myself onto my back. Cam was right across the hall, which was no different than at the apartment building, right? Wrong. Tonight and tomorrow night he’d be closer than he ever had before.
#
About an hour and half later, I stood beside his truck as he put two long pillows up against the back of the truck’s bed. He’d backed the car into the spot so we could sit out and have a lot more space. We weren’t the only ones daring the cold temps at night. Several big trucks were park alongside us, doing the same with pillows and blankets. One even had an air mattress.
Cam came over to the tailgate and offered his hands. “Ready?”
I placed my hands in his and he lifted me up. The sudden shift in weight caused him to stumble back a step and his hands dropped to my hips to steady himself. An immediate rush of heat pooled into my stomach as I looked up.
Cam’s thick lashes hid his eyes as his hands seemed to flex. His lips parted, and my body tensed with anticipation. Under the starry night, it seemed like the perfect atmosphere for a kiss. I could practically feel his lips against mine.
He dropped his hands and turned to the two bags near the stack of blankets and pillows. Disappointment rose as he knelt down. Why hadn’t he kissed me?
Hell, why hadn’t he kissed me since our date?
“Here,” he said, rising. “Brought you something to help keep you warm.”
He held one of his skull caps and as he raised his hands, I caught the scent of his shampoo. I stood still as he pulled it down over my head, taking the time to tuck my hair back behind my ears before he was done.
“Thank you,” I told him.
Cam smiled as he grabbed the other bag and moved back against the pillows. I carefully made my way over to him and sat beside him. He pulled out the bucket of fried chicken and drinks we’d picked up on the way.
The movie started to play—an old one that seemed to be some kind of yearly custom, because there were several shouts and cheers as the first scene rolled across the massive screen.
“Home Alone?” I asked, looking at Cam.
He snickered. “It’s like a Thanksgiving tradition around these parts.”
I grinned. “I haven’t seen this movie in forever.”