Promise Me (RLU #1)

by Carlie Jean

The man’s head snaps up, and cinnamon-tinted eyes take me in from behind his glasses. His dark brown eyebrows furrow as he stands and removes his glasses. Holy hell. My mouth dries out while another place gets a different memo. He’s tall, at least 6’4, and let’s just say he looks like he’s well-acquainted with the weights at the gym. His ball cap sits atop brown hair that curls slightly at the ends. I get the sudden urge to run my hands through it. No, dammit.

He kind of intimidates me because I equally want to ride him, while also flipping him the bird.

“Oh man, Cameron is in trouble. I can’t wait to watch him fall,” he muses as he shoves his arms into his jacket. “Fall?” I ask, my eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Finn’s body retreats. Turning around, his head twists over his shoulder, and he says, “In love with you.”

She’s slowly starting to become a code I want to crack. A series of numbers out of order that I want to put back in their proper place to function again.

My brain screams one word so clearly and dominantly that I can’t ignore it. Beautiful. She’s fucking beautiful, and I can’t deny it, as much as I want to.

You know when you hear an old favorite song and it fills you with a warm, happy feeling at the familiar tune? Yeah, that’s what listening to her laugh did to me, and despite it being new, it feels like my heart knows its tune already.

I’m in trouble.

but I know I spend every restless minute before sleep thinking of her.

He’s the first guy I’ve ever drawn.

Every time I look at it, butterflies take flight in my stomach.

“So much that I watched every goddamn Marvel movie with you when you had the flu that one time.

my hand itches to hold hers. Well, that’s new.

“You can stay under two conditions.” “Proceed,” I motion, waving my hand in front of me for her to continue. Her body shifts on the log to angle herself toward me. “One, you have to tell me something about yourself-” “I like the color green?” I smile for the first time, not a full one, but it’s a start. Aurora freezes, her bottom lip parting from the top. Her eyes widen in awe like she’s just seen fireworks for the first time. “Is that a smile, Fields? You just fulfilled condition two.”

“What are you doing after this, birthday girl?”

I want to take care of Aurora Vallacourt, and once I start, there’s no stopping.

If someone told me two weeks ago that I would be willingly spending my birthday with Cameron Fields, I would’ve laughed in their face. But now? I would smile.

“And you’re not getting an Uber. I’ll drive you.”

I pull out my phone and attempt to pull up the app when my phone is snatched from my hands. “I’m not putting your life in the hands of a stranger, no thank you. Just get in my car, please?”

Because I can’t have him. No matter how much I may want to.

Butterflies threaten to take flight at his concern, but I’m beginning to learn that this is his personality. He’d do this for just about anyone. There’s nothing special about me. That has me sitting up straight, then groaning at the ache below my belly. What is he doing?

No, no, no. This is not good. He can’t do this to my poor, secretly hopeless romantic heart. This man. This sweet, kind, caring man. He remembered my favorite food combination and got me a heated stuffed cupcake, which I told him is what my dad calls me.

“Thanks for being the best friend, Cam. I appreciate you.” “Shh,” he coos, “Get some rest.”

Who is this guy? Why is he so close to her? I want to be that close to her.

He’s making my girl uncomfortable for whatever reason, and to hell if I’m going to let it continue.

“If he corners you again like that, you call me, okay?” I breathe, staring at her intently. “I can take care of my—” I cut her off. “You. Call. Me. Got it?” I demand, my voice colder than I’d like it to be, fueled by the need to protect her. I soften my voice this time. “You know why Aurora.” It must be the reminder of my father that causes her will to break, her head nodding. “Okay, I will.”

“This isn’t my pen, Fields.” Oh, fuck me. “Are you sure?” “Yeah. Maybe you got me confused with another girl,” she remarks, pulling away. “Impossible,” I mutter. “What’s that?” she asks, stuffing the pen in her backpack. “Nothing. You’re just going to steal my pen, then?” She turns to me with a teasing smirk, a glint in her eyes. “Yup. I’ll think of it and remember the time my best friend missed me so much, he pretended I forgot a pen just to come and see me.” I laugh. “You couldn’t spare me?” “Nope, I like teasing you. And if you want to see me, you can just ask. That’s what friends do,”

“Aurora, you know you look good.

I can’t believe my smart boy once pretended not to be able to read for a cookie.

“C’mon, Rory, open your pretty eyes for me.”

“Your future wife is going to be so lucky,” she swoons, forking a piece between her plump lips. My cock twitches at the motion, imagining something else between those lips. Little does she know I’ve imagined her as mine more times than I’d like to admit.

“I’ve got you, don’t worry.”

“I’m not going to judge you. We’re friends. There is nothing you can say that will push me away, okay?” I

A sob breaks free from her throat as she cries, her body wracking from the sensation. It fucking tears me up from the inside out. I instantly pull her onto my lap, cradling her into my chest, my arms wrapped tightly around her. Using my fingers to tilt her chin up to mine,

Theo’s going to talk to him about leaving me alone.” It’s cute that she thinks I’ll be okay with just that. I’m still fucking pissed about what happened in the hallway the other day, and now I’m about to explode. Despite the rage threatening to unleash within me, I won’t use my fists as per my rule, but if I ever see him, I will give him hell.

I like her. I really fucking like her. And not as a friend. It’s more than that. So. Much. More.

I know I’m falling for her.

Try sitting next to a man you’ve thought about when using your vibrator and just realized you may have feelings for.

“Cam, I can walk. My house is only a few minutes from here.” “No chance. Just get in the car and don’t argue, please?”

“Next time, I’ll walk, but thank you for the ride and everything today,” I nearly whisper, my voice low and soft. He pins me with a glare, his deep voice filling the space. “No, you won’t, and you’re welcome.”

“Stop being cute and just let me,” he smiles, those dimples pulling in at his cheeks. Did he just call me cute? And why does my heart feel like it just ran a mile? He called me cute. It’s it’s not like he said he loves me or just fucked me senseless.

Sure, Cameron is just my friend, but I want to impress him.

“Talk to me, please. It’s killing me,” he murmurs against my hair.

“Rory,” he breathes, resting his forehead on mine, my name soft on his otherwise harsh features.

In my peripheral vision, I see a figure emerging from the washroom hallway, and I freeze. Aware of my stillness, Cameron follows my line of sight, turning his head over his shoulder, and then he’s gone.

Somebody put their hands on my girl. It fucking triggers me like nothing else could.

“Touch her again, and I’ll break more than just your nose,”

“No, don’t even say it. You’re not him,” she whispers to me, bringing her hands to my cheeks, forcing me to look at the sincerity in her eyes. “Then why do you look scared, love?”

“Bu—” “No, there’s no buts, love. You mean too much to me.