19 comments/ 44354 views/ 18 favorites Genuine Ch. 01 By: greenbee Chapter 1: The Meeting She had a loveliness about her that was rare to find in a woman her age. Most twenty-something's were cute and fresh, but she had a sophistication that made him watch her out of the corner of his eye while he sipped his coffee. "Will that be all for you, sir?" She smiled as she set the bill on the table in front of him. Her voice was smooth and low like a rich desert. James felt himself harden at the sound of it and at the sight of the deep dimples on either side of her mouth. He nodded at her and picked up the bill. Throwing him one more smile, the pretty waitress and her coffee pot continued down the aisle. *** Laura stared down at the two twenty dollar bills folded neatly on the table. Once again, the gorgeous man in the expensive suit had left way too large a tip for his morning coffee. Every weekday morning for the past month and a half she'd waited on him while he drank his coffee and read the business pages. She never minded that he took up a table while only purchasing coffee and his large tips were only half the reason for that. Laura sighed deeply as she picked up the money. He was definitely one of the most stunning men she had ever laid eyes on. His features were sharp and manly from his heavy brow to his strong jaw. The only thing soft about his face was his mouth. His bottom lip was full and fleshy giving him a permanently sexy pout. His suits were always perfect, never a wrinkle or a smudge. His jacket, tie and shoes were always fashionably matched, but in a way that spoke of class, not the silly "metro-sexual" craze that was sweeping through San Francisco. Laura had never seen him untidy. His dark brown hair was always combed immaculately. She could lose hours imaging how it would look ruffled by her fingers and falling into his eyes. She couldn't tell what color they were. Whenever she got close enough to peek, his gaze was always averted, towards his paper, out the window, anywhere but in her direction. She could understand that. There was absolutely no reason for a man like him to even glance at a woman like her. She wasn't unattractive, but she knew she wasn't a knock out either. She was 5'3" and 130 lbs. The extra weight distributed itself in curves that made it hard for her to wear the fashionable designs many of her peers paraded around in. She never wore make-up because she preferred to spend her money on school, books, rent and other things that she deemed more important. Her hair was a mass of unruly curls that she usually tamed back into a low bun the moment she stepped out of the shower. Her best feature, as she was told time and time again, was her skin. Laura's skin was the color of deep brown earth warmed by the heat of the sun. Her skin was rich looking and flawless. It had a golden undertone that made it look like she was glowing from within. She was often stopped on the street by women and some men who wanted to know what skin care products she used. They never believed her when she told them it was simply genetics. Laura knew she was pretty, but whenever she stood in front of that man, feeling weak in the knees and wishing with all her might that he would look at her just once, she felt incredibly plain. It was obvious to her that he wasn't interested and never would be, but that didn't stop her from going home at night and fantasizing about him. She had imagined memories of him all over her tiny apartment, in her bed, in the shower, in her kitchen, in the elevator... everywhere. Smiling to herself Laura poured coffee for another customer. If she had it her way, she'd truly give him something to tip for. *** The next day... "You actually ordered food today! Are you celebrating something?" James glanced up from his paper and smiled. "As a matter of fact I am. Today is the one year anniversary of my divorce." He watched her bright smile falter, and nearly groaned as she bit into her full bottom lip. "I'm so sorry. That was very forward of me. I shouldn't have asked." "No you shouldn't have." He set down his paper and looked at her fully. She looked terribly uncomfortable under his gaze. She shifted from foot to foot and swallowed noticeably. Her discomfort turned him on and he licked his lips. "But there is a way for you to rectify the situation." "Oh?" she said, her pouty lips forming a perfect ring around the word. "You can go out with me tonight. Dinner." "I don't know. I have to study for midterms next week." James simply stared at her. She bit her lip again and offered him a smile. "Alright, dinner." She breathed. He smiled back at her and offered his hand. "I'm James by the way." She shook his hand with one of hers and brushed her name tag with the fingertips of her other one. "I'm Laura," she said, telling him what he already knew. He glanced at her nametag anyway, his gaze lingering on her chest. Even the ugly waitress uniform she wore wasn't enough to hide the fact that she had fabulous breasts. "It's nice to get to know you Laura." *** Laura smiled as she walked towards the kitchen to place his order. His eyes were the deepest, darkest, most beautiful shade of blue. Genuine Ch. 01 Ever been in love with the school flirt? It sucks. This story is only partly true, and this is the first part. I intentionally left out character descriptions so you can use your imagination. I really hope it leaves you itching to read more. Please give me feedback, I'm not quite sure how to end it but any comments would be appreciated. * I met Cameron as a senior in high school. I had my eye on him before we officially met, and one day I just worked up the nerve to speak to him. We started laughing and joking around, about silly stuff. It was instant chemistry, and we became best friends almost instantly. Cam and I had that kind of bond you have with someone you've known all your life, except for the fact that it just came out of nowhere. We were able to communicate with no words, and had millions of inside jokes that left other people raising eyebrows. We poured our adolescent hearts out to one another. Then I had to go and fall in love with him. I think I had always been in love with him, but one day we were in art class. I had just created the most hideous sculpture ever, and I was wondering why the hell I even took art as an elective because obviously I suck at it, and Cam just looked at and laughed. "Em, what the hell is that?" he asked. I looked at the lump of clay and shrugged, feeling like an artistic failure. "Dude, that's so awesome. Your sculpture is so original that we won't even be able to interpret it." He pretended to be awe struck by the piece of pseudoart before him. I simply had to laugh at his goofiness. Looking up into his blue eyes, I felt my cheeks redden and my stomach tightened. Oh no. Not good. I knew I had fallen for him, and hard. I also knew how big of a mistake it would be. Cam was one of the most attractive, cool guys in the whole school, and he knew it. He didn't act all stuck up about it, but he definitely liked the attention. Girls were practically killing each other to talk to him. How I had managed to earn the position of best friend is beyond me. Until that day, I had never understood why the hell all these girls were after him. If you are a jealous person by nature, then try to imagine dating the class flirt. It's like a completely new circle of hell. Day after day, I had to watch Cam talk to and flirt and hug girl after girl. He had a new "girlfriend" every week. But I saw the side of him those girls didn't get to see. Cam was usually the fun loving, comical, "life of the party" personality. There were times, however, when he would slip into a deep depression. He'd call me. It probably sounds mean, but I enjoyed his bouts of darkness. I liked that side of his personality. Cam was really an insecure person, on the inside. He wanted people to like him, and so he bought into the easygoing, cool, popular guy thing. Then he would come to me and confess how he really felt about it. That he hated putting on an act for girls he didn't like, hated having to brag to his friends in order for them to like him. Lying about the fact that he was really a virgin, and writing poetry only to just throw it away because nobody was interested. Except for me. That was the part of him I loved, the part he hid away. I could see it in his eyes when we spoke. Those icy blue eyes that burned into me...I couldn't. Eventually, seeing him hang around all those other girls started to get to me. It made me sick. If this wasn't him, then why the fuck did he bother? This is me. I'm Emma, and I do not want to be your friend. If you don't know me, don't pretend you do, and don't expect me to kiss your ass. I was pretty much a loner. I wasn't into social activities, I didn't have "girlfriends", and not a whole lot of boyfriends. I was a very honest person, not only with myself, but with other people. It's probably safe to say that I wasn't well liked. Especially having Cameron as a friend; that only served to make my female classmates really hate me. I hated the way girls would pretend to be my friend just to get to Cameron. I wasn't an outcast or anything like that, but I had a few friends who were good and honest, and that was about it Somehow, Cameron had worked his way into my tight knit circle. It was a paradox, and it surprised everyone else as much as it surprised us. As much as I hated his double life, I couldn't just walk away from him. After all, I had spoken to him first. I had fallen for him. I was the only one to blame. I suppose I've always been a bit masochistic, but it was ridiculous. So I did the one thing I was really good at. I blocked him out. Once I realized I really did love him, I stopped looking at him as a friend. I stopped opening up to him. He was immediately aware, but he didn't say anything. Cam called me, late at night, a couple months after the "incident" in art class. He was depressed. Normally, I was happy to talk to him but I was upset. It was Tuesday, and he had just started "dating" another stupid, ditzy girl, who of course, hated my guts. Her name was Candy or Carrie or something, and she was a perfect little cheerleader who looked at me like we were in Salem and I was a witch. I was not in the mood to help this guy feel better about himself, so when he started in with his self deprecating jokes, I said nothing. He noticed something was off, so he started trying to get a response from me. "Candy doesn't like me being friends with you, you know." he chided, sounding like a little kid. "Maybe I shouldn't be dating someone who can't get along with my best friend." I felt ill suddenly. "Fine, I'll stay out of the picture." I said, with a cold edge to my voice. There was a pause. "You know, I don't really like her anyway. I know you don't like her. You never seem to like any of the girls I date. I was hoping you and Candy could be friends." A wave of jealousy hit me, and I said the first thing that came out, my voice taking on a cruel, condescending tone. "The reason I never like your girlfriends is because they're all basically whores who want to have sex with you, but you dump them before they find out you're really just a virgin. Then you go back and brag to your friends about how she wasn't "good enough" to take to bed. It's a little pathetic, you know." I heard a slight gasp on the other end of the line. "Emma, what are...you're being a bitch, you know? Damn. I'm trying to have a conversation." Cameron sounded hurt. I couldn't stop. This was months of pent up jealousy and frustration coming out, and I was in so much emotional pain that hurting him felt great. A mental slideshow of him with his girlfriends began to run through my brain, and in that moment, I could hate him. "I'd rather be a genuine bitch then a fake like you, Cam. Luckily, nobody really knows you. If they knew how insecure you really are, and the great lengths you go to impress everyone, they'd think you were a fucking loser. How long do you think you can keep this up?", and I was almost yelling. "How many girls are you going to pretend to date? How many lies are you going to tell your friends? God, do you think I'm stupid? That I don't see what you're trying to do? I'm sick of making you feel better about yourself. If you want someone to cheer you up, maybe you should look in the fucking mirror. Only you won't because you are pathetic.." That last word dripped from my lips like venom, and I knew it had stung him deep. The truth hurts more than anything else. Cameron was silent. I took a deep breath, suddenly panicking that I'd lost my best friend. Too late now; but I didn't expect his response. "You're right, Emma. I'm sorry. You're not stupid." His voice was soft, and I heard the line disconnect. I couldn't sleep. I stayed up that night, thinking about Cameron. His strange personality, both carefree and disturbed at once. It felt good, in a way, to get the frustration out of my system. I hoped he wouldn't hate me. Cam came to class the next day, but he wouldn't look at me. He was different. He was quiet, sullen and more reserved. He wouldn't speak to me directly, but he did make eye contact every so often. The expression in his eyes was impossible for me to interpret. This went on for about a month. At this point, I wasn't focused on it so much. Graduation was drawing very near, and I had other things to worry about besides Cam Davidson. One day I came out of my chemistry class, fumbling with about twelve notebooks when I ran straight into someone. Cam. Plowing into him about knocked me on my ass, but he grabbed me quickly. "Yeah, you just walked into a brick wall, didn't you?" he laughed, jokingly. He was right, though. He'd always been muscular but his body had felt hard as steel just then. I smiled wryly. "Thanks for not letting my fall on my face." I mumbled as I stuffed the notebooks in my backpack. He nodded politely, but when I looked in his eyes, I could see his sorrow. I realized how much I'd missed him. We walked away, but I called him that night. We were back to laughing, joking around. We were friends again. We didn't really speak about what had happened, but I felt like he respected me more. He was still dating his bimbos, of course. He still called me when he was depressed, but he didn't expect me to feed him compliments to inflate his ego. He truly just wanted someone to talk to, and I was still happy to listen. My feelings for him were still there, but with other stuff going on, I found it easy to kind of put that on hold for the time being. Graduation came soon after; we signed each other's yearbooks and threw our caps in the air, but our relationship didn't change much. We kept up phone calls almost daily. Unfortunately, the girl he was dating before graduation kept in touch with him, too. My plans were to take a year off before going to college; Cameron had the same plans as well. I had plans to go visit my aunt in New York that summer, and I would be gone for about 6 weeks. Cameron knew this, and a few days before I was supposed to leave, he called me. "Hey, I'm taking you out tonight, since you're leaving me soon," he told me on the phone. "Okay, but you're paying for dinner," I kidded him. "And we're having steak, buddy." He laughed, then his tone grew more serious. "I am. I'm taking you someplace nice. I want you to get dressed up." I groaned. "Come on, don't do that to me. You know I don't like getting all dolled up." It was the truth. I normally did wear make up and fix my hair a little, but I was still a jeans and sneakers kind of girl. Dressing up meant, well, a dress. Cam chuckled softly. "I really want to give you a special night, so please?" Genuine Ch. 02 It's short. Next time will be longer, that's a promise. ~Green Chapter 2: Laura felt sick to her stomach. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so nervous. It had taken her over a half an hour by train to cross the bay from San Francisco to Alameda so she would have to hurry if she was going to be ready in time. Laura glanced at the clock, hurrying out of her coat. It was 6:10. James would be arriving in an hour and twenty minutes. She hopped in the shower, choosing to use the ginger-rose scented soap that she saved for special occasions. The spicy scent rose up as the shower steamed, going to her head. She traced a slippery trail between her breasts and down over her stomach and in between her legs. She lingered there for a moment thinking of the way James had looked at her in the restaurant. Laura wasn't a slut, she rarely even dated with school taking up so much of her time. Even so, there was something about James that made her wish she was the type of girl who could jump into bed with a man on the first date. She was more than sure that their date was little more than a foray into the "exotic" for him. An easy lay with the curvy black young thing. Regardless of what he thought was going to happen and what the naughty side of her brain was whispering that she should do Laura knew that tonight's dinner would be a PG rated affair. James would arrive, they would go to dinner, maybe have dessert, and then he would drive her home. She wouldn't even invite him in and after he realized that she wasn't such an easy nut to crack he would be polite enough, but after he drove off she would never see him again. The scenario had happened to her enough during her undergraduate and even high school years and not exclusively by white men. Men of all backgrounds seemed to assume that big tits meant an easy lay. Most had left her company angry at having wasted their time and money. Laura laughed humorlessly as she turned off the water. "I don't even know why you agreed to this." Wrapping a large fluffy towel around her body and another on top of her head she sauntered out of the bathroom and across her bedroom. She had half a mind to call James and cancel their date but the man had taken her number without giving his own. Laura reached all the way into the back of her closet until her fingers brushed against the feathery softness that she had been looking for. The cashmere sweater dress was one of the nicest garments she owned. It was long, reaching to her mid-thigh. The sleeves were extra long, brushing at her knuckles and the scoop neck was low enough to show off just a touch of cleavage. The soft material contoured to her curves and the buttery yellow color settled nicely against her brown skin. She completed the outfit with a wide brown leather belt and soft leather ankle boots. She tore her bathroom apart looking for anything that resembled make-up and all she could find was a tube of old mascara. As she swept a few passes over her lashes her doorbell rang. Laura's stomach jumped. He was early by twenty minutes. Laura smoothed the front of her dress trying to calm her jumping nerves. Then she grabbed her purse and a coat and went to the door. When she opened it the only thing she could do was stand there. She had been impressed before, but this was getting a little ridiculous. James stood about a foot taller than her diminutive height, a detail that was lost in the café where she stood over him with her coffee pot. From his khaki pants and cotton button down shirt she could tell that he was going for a casual look. He was failing miserably. The naughty side of her brain was going into over drive, wondering why on earth she couldn't sleep with this man on the first date. She visibly shivered at the thought of any part of his body between her legs. James smiled down at her with his dark blue eyes like he knew what she was thinking. He had charming winkle lines at the corner of his eyes. Laura felt her insides melt. This was going to be one hell of a fight. Genuine Ch. 02 First of all, I want to give a great big thank you to any and everyone who sent me comments, feedback, or just stopped by to read my stories. I got a lot of positive feedback for Genuine, Chapter 1 so here is Chapter 2 and I hope everyone enjoys it. * I stood in front of my mirror, anxiously smoothing my dress across my full hips. Cam had told me to dress up, so I went all out. My reddish blonde had been curled and pinned up into a loose, sexy bun, and I was wearing makeup, a yellow and blue flowered sundress and white heels. I checked my legs; they looked pretty tan and smooth so I didn't wear pantyhose. I felt a little exposed, so I pulled white knit button up cardigan out of my closet to wear over my dress. I slipped it on and checked my reflection one last time. A very pretty, dolled up, yet anxious girl looked back at me. I was nervous. I still had feelings for Cam that I had managed to suppress for the past few months, but they were still hiding in the back of my mind. It wouldn't take much to bring those feelings back into play. The thought scared me. Honestly, Cam and I hadn't had a deep conversation in weeks. Ever since I told him off on the phone, our relationship was kind of neutral. I really missed joking with him, and staying up all night on the phone with him. I missed his late night poetry. I just missed my friend. Oh why, I wondered, did I have to start feeling for him? If I could just write him off as a friend, things would be okay. He could go ahead and date anyone he wants. I wouldn't be jealous. At least now that school was out, I didn't have to see it every day. It made it a little easier. I still wanted him all to myself. Ever since I first met Cam, I had mentally claimed him as "mine". It made me physically sick to see another girl touch him. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to be that girl in his arms. Why couldn't he see that he belongs with me? The doorbell rang, and I tried to push those thoughts from my mind. I splashed my favorite perfume, Curve, on my neck and wrists, listening to Mom open the door. I waited a moment, then heard laughter from downstairs. My mom loves Cam. I hurried down the steps, because I knew Mom would keep him in the living room all night, laughing and joking. As I came into the hall, the laughter stopped. I looked up, wondering what had happened. Cam was staring at me like he'd never seen me before. I'm glad he was too busy staring at me to notice I was checking him out as well. He looked so good, dressed in nice jeans, a blue polo shirt and his typical black leather jacket. His light brown hair wasn't fixed, exactly, but it looked better than usual and he smelled faintly of Tommy. He had definitely been working out here lately, and put on a few pounds of muscle. He looked good. "Dude, is that what you're wearing? Why can't I wear jeans?" I joked. Usually he would've made some dumb crack about looking better in a dress than me or something, I don't know. He remained serious. "Please don't change. You look beautiful." he said softly. Mom was looking at both of us with this stupid, embarrassing smile. God, I was going to die. Cam must have noticed because he said goodbye and dragged me out to the car before she started asking questions. We made light conversation in the car, and I tried to relax. Everything would be fine as long as I could forget that he looked drop dead gorgeous and that I had a big crush on him. Cam took me to Mona Lisa, a nice Italian restaurant in the next town. Once we got seated, face to face, we started talking. "Did you see the look on your Mom's face?" he grinned at me. I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, she was probably jealous. You know she loves you" I teased him. He winked at me. "That was my plan all along." I laughed out loud. "Should I call you Daddy?" He turned a little red at that one. "What are you going to eat?" he asked, changing the subject. The waitress came; he ordered lasagna, I ordered eggplant parmesan. He was more talkative than usual; he was trying to make me laugh and teasing me about all kinds of things. Somehow, I had successfully suppressed my feelings for him; I just tried not to make eye contact with him. Looking into his eyes made me want to kiss him, touch him. If he noticed anything strange, he didn't let on. I just kept telling myself 'this is not a date, this is just a night out with a friend'. We finished dinner, and dessert. We got in the car, but he seemed reluctant to take me straight home. He struck up another conversation with me, and turned on the radio. One of our favorite songs came on and we started singing along to it. I was having fun. "Do you remember when that song first came out and we would sing it on the phone together at like two in the morning?" I giggled. "And then your mom came in the room and was freaking out?" The memory of Cam dancing around in his room with the phone when his mom walked in had me in tears laughing. Cam remained silent and I gradually stopped laughing. He was looking straight ahead. I started to worry that I had offended him. I kept quiet and looked at him. He finally turned to me, looking straight into me eyes, and started to speak. "I remember. I remember every time I called you on the phone and you would listen to me. I remember all the advice you gave me that I never took. I remember the look in your eyes when I'd make you laugh." I averted my eyes from his, but he put his hand on my face, forcing me to make full eye contact. My head was spinning and my mouth went dry. "What I don't remember is why I never stopped to tell you how much I care about you. I've taken you for granted, all this time. There's only one person who I really care about." I was scared. He was staring at me as though he could see my soul. I couldn't speak, and I couldn't move. He moved closer to me, and I let my eyes fall shut. He leaned in and kissed me. His arms encircled me, pulling my body close to his. Kissing me gently at first, then harder. He kissed me with the passion a dying man would use to gasp for air. He kissed me with a need. I couldn't breathe; my mind refused to comprehend what was happening. My mouth wanted to stay pressed to his all night, but my brain was screaming in frustration. I finally had to pull away. I opened my eyes, feeling like it was the first time. Everything looked as different as it felt. I blinked my eyes, wondering if I was really in a dream. The moon and stars shone brightly and Cam's beautiful blue eyes twinkled in front of me. I couldn't believe it. "Did you just kiss me?" I croaked, not knowing what else to say. He stroked my hair. "Yes. Is that okay?" I shook my head in disbelief. "Yeah, it's okay....it's....wait, what happened? What does this mean? I thought we were just friends, and what about Casey?" He chuckled. "Candy. And if you want, she's out of the picture. It just took me a while to realize who I really had feelings for." He kissed my lips again, lightly. "It's you, Em." We held each other for a few minutes before he took me home. The drive was pretty much silent. I held one of his hands tightly in two of mine. I never wanted to let this feeling go. He kissed me again before he dropped me off at home, just as passionately as before. I went in and shut the door behind me, then leaned against it. Mom came in the living room and took one look at me. "Did he kiss you?" she asked excitedly. I smiled at her wearily and shook my head. "I can't deal with this right now." She shrieked in joy. "I knew it!" I went upstairs to lay down, wondering what would happen next. The next day was Tuesday. I would be leaving for New York on Thursday. I wanted to see Cam before I left.I called him on the phone. He sounded different when he answered. I was all excited, but he just didn't seem to be happy. I was oblivious. I chattered on about something silly for a few minutes. "Hey, Cam, you know I'm leaving soon and I wanted to get together before I leave on Thursday. Maybe I'll dress up for you again," I teased. He hesitated. It was only a moment, but it made me sick to my stomach. Something was different. Something wasn't right. "Emma, I just wanted to say that maybe, last night....well, maybe it was like, a mistake. We're friends, you know? We have a good thing going. I just got carried away. I know you're leaving for a few weeks, and I'm going to miss you, but I don't want you to think I'm leading you on." His voice took on a twinge of sympathy. Like he was telling a child, no, we can't get ice cream today. I felt tears sting at my eyes, and I literally wanted to throw up. My heart sank....no, it broke. I took in a deep, painful breath and let it back out. "Oh...okay." that was all I could say. In the background, he kept going on about how he cared about me and stuff, but I wasn't listening. It was all I could do not to break down and cry, but I could not let him know how I was feeling. In my mind, he was the enemy. We said our goodbyes and hung up. I sat on the bed, and as my mind raced, my despair turned to anger. I had been doing so well until he kissed me. Why did he kiss me if it didn't mean anything? I was so angry. And hurt, and betrayed. Was I not good enough for him? What was wrong with him? I got up and packed my bags. It didn't matter. One year later. I was at the mall browsing the bookstore, my purse on my arm and a cup of coffee in my hand. A shadow loomed over me, and I glanced up. Blue eyes. I looked back down at the books. "Hey, Cam." I hadn't seem him since that night he had kissed me; he had tried to call me several times, in vain. He had tried to come by and see me when I got back from New York. I had managed to push him out of my head, out of my heart. Seeing him, knowing he was right there, made my heart flutter and my stomach do cartwheels, but I couldn't let him know that. I took a casual sip of coffee, but my hands were shaking. "Hey, Emma." he sounded almost sad. "How have you been?" "Not bad." I said, pretending to be distracted by a cookbook. "Hey, you think we can get together sometime?" he asked me. "It'd be great to catch up." "Sure." I said it softly, but I was really looking forward to hanging out with again, in the worst way. I guess you never get over your first love. I gave him my number, and he called me a few nights later. I had my own place, but he was still with his parents. I didn't feel comfortable inviting him over to my house, but I definitely didn't want to go to his parents house either. I had only met them a few times; they were hardcore religious and they kind of scared me. So we met at his buddy's house. He was Cam's buddy, and I knew him from high school. I went over there about eight o clock. They were in the living room with a bottle of vodka getting wasted. I spent the next hour watching Cam smoke cigarette after cigarette, as he and his buddy finished off nearly half a gallon of vodka. I realized I hadn't missed much. After high school, Cam had enrolled in the local junior college, only to drop out afterwards. He was working at a fast food restaurant in town trying to make some money to get out of his parent's house. Turns out he was still into letting girls walk all over him. He was dating some girl who had a baby and would leave him alone for hours to baby sit. He wasn't happy. He wasn't the same smart, funny, ambitious guy I had known so long ago. It wasn't really that long ago, but he was so different. Apparently he was an alcoholic, now too. I had pretty much decided it was time for me to leave when Cam told me to come outside with him to talk. He lit up another cigarette, taking a deep drag before turning to face me. "I wanted to apologize for what happened back then." he told me. I looked up at him, searching his pretty blue eyes. He was still the same guy. The old feelings were still there. He wasn't the person he used to be, but that didn't stop me from loving him. I felt sad for him then, for who he used to be. The strong guy I used to know seemed beaten down. I wished I could be there for him. I wanted to hold him, pull him close to me, and make all his troubles go away. But if he wouldn't let me in, there was nothing I could do. I couldn't just be his friend. It was either all or nothing. And he'd never give me all of himself. "Don't worry about it." He smiled, his expression wistful. "Ever wonder what might have happened, Emma?" He didn't ask the whole question, but he didn't need to. I had spent too many long nights wondering what had went wrong. Two people who seem so right for each other meet. They form a bond. Then, just as quickly, it's gone. Tears came to my eyes. "All the time." I smiled. We talked a little more. His eyes were starting to glaze over and look bleary. "I better go lay down," he told me. He went inside and laid down on the couch. I think he passed out the moment his head hit the pillow. I'm glad he wasn't awake. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I pulled the blanket up over his chest. I touched his face, then gently kissed his lips. "I love you." I whispered softly. A tear fell from my face onto his. I wiped it away, stroking his face gently. I stood up and got my jacket, to leave. Cam's buddy was standing in the kitchen, watching me. "So you're Emma." he said. "Yeah." He glanced over at Cam, then back at me. "You really do love him, don't you?" I nodded, my eyes still on Cam. "Don't say anything. Please." I told him. He nodded. "You know, this girl he's dating...it's never going to work out. Why did you guys never hook up? God knows he cares about you. He kept talking about you, and how he wasn't good enough for you. What happened?" I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, then looked back at him. "I don't know. But I'll always love him." Love is like a wave crashing on the beach. It may ebb and flow, but the waves always return to the shore. Once you fall in love, you are never truly free. You are bound to that person, forever, no matter what. Sometimes things don't work out, and you don't know why, but some people will always hold a special place in your heart. Genuine Ch. 03 So I wanted to end this at Chapter Two but apparently I'm not going to get away with that. I was in my car heading home from work when my phone started to ring. My heart probably stopped beating when I saw the number. It was Cam. It had been over a month since I'd seen him, and I really hadn't expected to hear from him again. I took a deep breath and debated whether or not to answer. After a moment, I flipped open the phone and put it to my ear. "Hello?" I asked tentatively. Cam's rich, husky voice filled my ears. "Hey, Emma. How are you?" "Good, you?" "Doing okay." There was a long pause. Then, "Do you want to hang out? I wanted to talk to you again, maybe sober this time." he chuckled. I relaxed and smiled. "Sure, okay." We decided to go see a movie and I turned my car around and made my way there. I didn't feel really excited to be seeing him again, but I wasn't going to say no, either. I met Cam outside the theatre and was surprised at how nice he looked. Khakis and a white shirt underneath his ever present leather jacket. I was reminded of the "date" we went on in high school and had to push those thoughts out of my head. We were supposed to be watching a romantic drama, but we both kept finding things to crack up about. As we sat in the darkness, I kept looking at him. He looked basically the same as he had looked in high school, with light brown hair and the same muscular build. Of course, his steel blue/gray eyes hadn't changed a bit. I still had trouble making eye contact with him; just his gaze could be intimidating. "The movie is straight ahead, Emma." he suddenly whispered without even looking at me. I blushed, and whipped my head around to face the screen. After the movie was over, he walked me back to my car. We leaned against the side and he lit up a cigarette. I wrinkled my nose at him, and he gave me an apologetic look as he exhaled, blowing the smoke away from me. "Cameron, when did you take up smoking and drinking?" I asked him seriously. He sighed. "Things at home just keep getting worse and worse, Emma. I just can't deal." He looked down at his shoes, then back at me. "Especially since I don't have a best friend to help me out anymore." I gave him a sideways glance. "You don't need me to help you out with your problems." He put out his cigarette on the ground and stood in front of me, putting his hand under my chin. I was forced to tilt my head back and look up at him. "I'm sorry for what happened between us. I've always cared about you, and you're the only one who's ever been there for me. I know I didn't show you that, and maybe it's too late to tell you I love you, but I do." He looked into my eyes as he spoke, and I could see how serious he was. "You love me? Really?" I asked incredulously. Cam nodded, then leaned over to kiss me. It was a hungry, hard kiss. He pressed me back against the car and his arms went around me. I could feel his tongue invade my mouth and the taste of smoke on his breath was suddenly sexy. My arms went around to his hard back and I could feel the hard muscles underneath his shirt. My body was responding in a way I couldn't ignore, and I felt a heady rush of passion cloud my senses. I let myself forget all the pain he had caused me and lost myself in his kiss. For a moment, there was no endless parade of stupid girls; just me and Cam. I could allow myself to hope that maybe he did love me. A rush of emotion hit me, and when I pulled away, I found myself gazing into the eyes of the guy I met in art class so long ago. It only lasted for a moment though. I suddenly realized that I was even more confused than I had been. I just wanted the feeling to last. "Come back to my place?" I asked him softly. Cam kissed me again, then looked into my eyes. "Are you sure?" he asked. I knew he was supposed to be dating someone, but I didn't care. I had waited so long for him to be mine, in my arms. Even if it was just for one night, it would be worth it. We got in our separate cars and headed to my apartment, which was not too far away. At least, not far enough to give me time to change my mind. I let him in and we sat on the couch for a few minutes, making who-cares small talk. Then he leaned over and kissed me. He pulled away and looked into my eyes. I was so nervous that my eye twitched. We both started laughing and it helped to lighten the mood a bit. I laid my head on his strong chest and we just held each other tightly for a moment. My senses came to me and I finally had to ask, "What about that girl you're dating?" I could feel his stiffen against me and I waited for his answer with a heavy heart. He finally looked down into my eyes. "Will you give me time to let her down gently? You're the one I really want to be with." It sounded hollow and I knew it, but I didn't care. I nodded and kissed him again. It was a slow and deep kiss that didn't seem to end. He pushed me onto my back on the couch and lowered his body on mine. I was intoxicated by my passion and desire. I forgot myself completely and let my body take over. I was moaning and whimpering and pressing my body against him. My heart was pounding and my body ached. I just wanted him to touch me. Touch me, he did. Before I knew it he was unfastening my pants and sliding his hand down into my panties. I knew I was wet and I moaned loudly, pressing my groin against his hand. He cupped my small pussy with his large hand and began to stroke me. A surge of desire wracked my body and I could feel myself growing even wetter. His mouth was still pressed to mine, and he tried unsuccessfully to slide his large finger into my entrance. I was very small and tight, still being a virgin and all. Cam broke the kiss and gave me a wicked grin. He seemed unaffected, but I lay there flushed and panting. I was all his. I would have divulged top military secrets just to keep his hands on my body. He pulled my pants down, then started to pull off my panties. I wanted it so bad, but I grabbed his hands to stop him, suddenly becoming self conscious of my body. "What are you going to do?" I asked him softly. His ice blue eyes looked into mine. "Let me please you?" he asked softly. I gulped and nodded. Ca, pulled off my panties, then my shirt and bra. I was naked and he was still fully clothed and I felt extremely vulnerable. I tried to cover my body with my hands but he grabbed my hands and held them. His piercing eyes were still locked on mine and I could feel my body blush all over. "You're beautiful. I love your body." He ran his large hands over my breasts, down my stomach, and stroked my pussy again. I moaned loudly and let my head fall back. He buried his hands in my hair and kissed my mouth again, furtively. "I always wanted to do this for you," I heard him whisper, and he moved his lips to my sensitive neck. I gasped and my hands went to his back. My whole body trembled as he worked his way down to my breasts. He took each of my hard nipples into his mouth and sucked gently, his tongue teasing each one. Then he moved down my body, until his head was between my legs. He gently spread my thighs apart , grasping one ankle in each hand, and bent down to taste me. What happened next was so amazing I can barely describe it. He began to lick and suck on my clit expertly, using his mouth and tongue to give me unbelievable pleasure. His strong hands held me firmly in place as I bucked and trembled beneath him. He took total control over me, teasing me and bringing me to the edge over and over, until finally, he allowed me to come. I was trembling so hard, I would have fallen off the couch if he hadn't been holding my hips firmly in place. He continued to suck on my sensitive spot until I begged him to stop. When it was over, he stood and looked at me almost triumphantly, like he'd just won a football game or something. I just smiled up at him lazily, feeling warm all over. "Where's your bathroom?" he asked me. I was a little hurt, as that seemed to be the end of our fun. I pointed him in the direction, and as he went to wipe my come off his face, I became fully aware of my nudity. I quickly grabbed my panties and slid them back on, then pulled on my shirt. He came back in the living room, and started putting his shoes and jacket back on. I watched him quietly. "What just happened? Why are you leaving?" I wanted to ask. But I didn't. "I gotta get going. I just remembered something I have to take care of." he told me. "Well, thanks. That was awesome. Let me know when I can return the favor." I told him, trying to be sexy. He didn't seem to notice. He left, without even kissing me goodbye. I felt used, even though I was the one who had gotten off. I was confused. What did he want from me? I tried calling him over the next few weeks, but he never answered. I wanted to know what had happened. Why did he show interest in me, then leave? Why did he say he loved me?