Page 96 of Made to Be

“I’m with you now,” he assured me, echoing my thoughts. “And I’m not going-”

I silenced him by flinging my arms around his neck and pressing my lips to his. This kiss was long and innocent but just as passionate as any deeper kiss we’d shared. When we finally separated, I blinked as my eyes focused. I couldn’t help but drink him in, the warm glow of the lamp making his face appear soft and angelic. I released a drawn-out sigh and whispered against him,

“I love you, Cam.”

His own trembling sigh was heavy with relief. It left me melting into him as we kissed beneath the golden glow of the streetlight, tasting each other’s tears. Long fingers danced over my spine as a wide, dreamy smile spread over Cam’s face.

And I had never been happier.

***

Days passed, then weeks, and before I knew it, nearly a year had gone by.

The BPD never showed up at my door. Not for Cam and not for he-we-don't-speak-of. And Alice’s wedding was right around the corner. The day before Halloween, in fact. Their chosen colors were black and orange – or apricot as Mandy declared – and they evenhad Cam decorate a Halloween-themed cake with a bunch of little bats. Jinx had been delighted.

I’d helped. Meaning I had made the second batch of icing for the cake. Yes, the second batch.

Because, like the gentleman I was, I’d used the first batch on Cam like he had on me for my birthday. Seeing Cam’s muscled, tattooed body covered in black and orange icing had been a sexual experience I definitely wanted to repeat.

He’d loved it.

But maybe the next time we could both be covered in icing. It would be hella messy, but so fucking worth it.

I rubbed a palm over the seam of my pants, urging my rapidly filling frosting-fantasy-induced boner to go away. Now was not the time to go all horny when Cam had told me he had something very important to tell me. He even had a place in mind and, thirty minutes later, Cam was helping me out of the car at the Briarwood Cemetery.

My brow wrinkled with confusion, but my curiosity was piqued.

“Uh, what are we doing here, Cam?” I asked him as he tangled our fingers together.

He smiled brightly down at me, even as the bitter chill whipped around us, sending my hair in all sorts of unruly directions and his gray plaid scarf flapping wildly. It was well after dark, so it was particularly frigid and I shivered, bundling my coattighter around me. Cam tugged me into his side, looped my arm through his, and began walking.

“You’ll see,” was all he said.

I hummed and smirked up at him. “What a tease. I’m quivering with suspense.”

By the time we stopped, I had already realized where Cam was bringing me. I gave him an intrigued glance as I turned to eye the gravestone with my name on it. When he pulled out a foldable spade shovel, I snickered.

“Where were you keeping that?”

“Vic, it’s time,” Cam said, holding out the shovel to me like one would offer a ceremonial weapon or something.

I sighed softly, “I suppose you’re right, babe.”

“I’ll keep a lookout.”

I unfolded the tool and shoved the spade of the metal into the dirt. “I’m sure that cemetery guard would love to catch us hooligans this time doing something actually frowned upon.”

“He would never catch us,” Cam added with a wily grin. “Well, he wouldn’t catchme. You, on the other hand...”

I snorted, “See if I suck your dick later.”

Cam chuckled, but I caught the darkened, lusty look he sent my way as he scanned the surrounding rows of headstones. It didn’t take me long, only a few shovel-fulls of dirt, before I felt the metal collide with a material sack. Luckily the ground wasn’t frozen, or thiswould have been a far more difficult task. Kneeling, I brushed the remaining dirt and rocks from the simple, black Cordura backpack. It was perfectly preserved, even after being buried for a few years thanks to the protection spell I’d placed on it, keeping it and its contents safe from the elements.

My heart gave a little wrench as to why I’d kept this here all that time. My emergency bag if I had to run again.

But there was no longer a need for me to ever run. Hadn’t been for a while.

When I looked up to find Cam, he’d disappeared. My gaze darted around and I stood in mild panic.