Not the Friend with Benefits: A BBW New Adult Serial Romance (Not the Hot Chick series Book 3) (2 page)

"Okay. You make a couple figure eights for me."

"If only." She was still at the beginner stage, trying to stay upright for longer than a few minutes.

He gave her a quick kiss. "See you later."

She held on to the lapels of his jacket. "Hey, wait a minute. How about a
real
kiss?"

His eyes widened in surprise, but soon filled with warmth as he pulled her to him. His strong arms enveloped her, and Layla felt safe and protected in his embrace. Drew's lips were soft and warm pressed to hers, possessive. A thrill tingled through her when he urged her mouth open to accept his tongue.

"Get a room," some wiseass remarked passing by.

They pulled apart, both laughing. Drew's eyes lit with something more than humor when he said, "Let's remember where we left off, and pick up from there later." His voice was low and rough.

"Later." Her answering voice was wobbly. "At my place."

"Your place." The look her gave her sizzled with promise.

****

"You're not paying attention."

Layla glanced up at Cam, who frowned at her.

"Sorry," she said. "What did you say?"

"I said, you're not paying attention." He skated backward in front of her, holding her hands in his, helping her balance. He glided along with the confidence of a man who'd played ice hockey in high school and still played pickup games with his buddies. "Quit looking down at your feet. Look at me."

Which wasn't hard to do, considering how hot he was. Most of the women—and a few guys—skimming around the outdoor rink stared as he gave Layla her skating lesson. She knew they weren't looking at her, unless to get a chuckle at her expense. No, it was Cam's hotitude that had the skaters entranced. All that rubbernecking had resulted in a couple of near collisions from ladies too busy checking him out to watch where they were going.

But he had eyes only for Layla. He took his mission of teaching her how to skate here at the Water's Edge very seriously.

She grimaced. "If I don't look at my feet, how can I make sure I'm doing it right?"

"You have to feel it. And you have to look where you're going. Else you'll run into somebody."

She bunched her mouth mulishly.
Tell that to all the women checking out your butt.

"How come my ankles feel like mushy pasta?" They kept wobbling and didn't feel strong enough to support her.

"They shouldn't. Are your skates laced tight enough?"

"I think so."

"Let's sit down and I'll check them." Still skating backward, he led her to the outside edge of the rink, gliding smoothly to avoid the other skaters in their path. "Lift your feet."

"I can't. I'll fall."

"You'll fall if you don't." Cam escorted her to a tented area with picnic tables where people sat to rest or enjoy refreshments. Layla sank onto a bench, leaving room for him beside her. He patted his knee, inviting her to place her leg there. "Let me check those laces."

"Can we get something to drink?"

He gave her a knowing look. "Are you really thirsty? Or are you just trying to get out of the lesson?"

Her shoulders slumped. "I look stupid out there. I'll never get the hang of this."

"You're doing fine. You've only had a few lessons."

"The little kids out there are whizzing by me and I'm wobbling around like a blob of jelly."

"Those kids have been skating since they could walk, some of them. They've had practice. And that's all you need."

Layla gave him her best sad-puppy eyes. "We've been at it for an hour. Can't we please take a break?"

He sighed and shook his head, knowing she was playing him. "All right. Then we get back out there, agreed?" He stood. "So what sounds good? Hot cocoa?"

"Yes, please. With whipped cream."

She toddled with him to the refreshment stand. As they waited in line, someone in passing called "Hey, Cam!"

He blinked and, after a moment's surprise, smiled at the man who'd stopped to talk. "Hey, Red. How you doing, man?"

Red was a round-faced guy with thinning auburn hair. "Not bad. Good to see you. It's been a while."

"Yeah, I guess." A flush that hadn't been there earlier rose in Cam's cheeks. "Well, you know, I've been busy."

"Sure, I know how it is. We've missed you around here, though. Kiki's missed you for sure."

Layla's eyebrows rose. Kiki?

"Aw, I've missed her too. She's a cutie."

Alarms rang in Layla's brain. A cutie? Who was this Kiki?

None of your business. Cam's a friend, remember? Only a friend.

"She's here," Red answered. "She's with Deb now. I'm just getting us all a drink." He indicated the beverage tray in his hands, which held three hot cups. "You should come over, say hi. She'd love it. Say, how's Paige doing?"

Paige?

"Uh, good, I guess." Cam's gaze flicked away. "Tell you the truth, we kind of lost touch."

Now it was Red who flushed. "Oh, uh, sorry to hear that…"

Cam looped his arm around Layla's shoulders and tugged her close. "Red, this is my friend Layla."

Red's eyes widened and he looked grateful for the chance to change the awkward topic. "Hey. Hi. Layla, is it?"

She nodded. Her smile felt wooden. "Yes. Hi."

"Well, listen, man. Really good to see you. Seriously, come say hello to Deb and Kiki. They'd love to see you."

Layla stood silently while Cam ordered their hot cocoas. She pulled some bills from her pocket to pay for her drink, but he stopped her. "I've got this." He handed her the insulated cup. "Here you go."

"Thanks," she murmured. Though the drink smelled delicious, suddenly she'd lost the taste for it.

As they headed back to the picnic tables, Cam said "Red's an old friend from school. Deb's his wife and Kiki is their little girl."

"Oh." Layla was ashamed of the relief that washed over her. "That's nice."

But who was Paige?

"They're right over there." He nodded at Red's little family, sitting not far away. "Listen, would you mind if I…"

"No, go over and say hi," she told him. "I'll hold your cocoa."

He handed her his cup. "Thanks a lot."

She watched him clap Red on the back, kiss the cheek of the
brunette woman seated next to him, and smile at the little girl sitting next to her mom. The child, who looked to be five or six and a redhead like her dad, launched herself into Cam's arms. He threw his head back, laughing as he gave her a hug.

Aww.
Layla's heart melted.
So cute.

After a few words to her parents, Cam lowered Kiki to the ground, gently took her hand, and led her out onto the rink. Hand in hand, they circled the ice. After one complete turn, he returned the little girl to her parents. They chatted a bit longer. Then he waved good-bye and skated back to Layla.

"That was nice," she remarked as he lowered himself beside her.

A flush colored his cheeks. "She's a cute kid." He took the cup she handed him.

They sipped their cocoa in companionable silence. Layla tried not to let her thoughts dwell on Paige, whoever she was. To distract herself, she gestured toward the skaters young and old gliding by on the ice. "They make it look so easy."

"Lots of things look easy. Let me ask you a question. When a kid comes to you whining that the assignment is too hard or they can't figure out their homework, do you tell him, 'Oh, that's okay, Jimmy. If it's too hard, don't bother. Just forget the homework.'"

She gave him a withering look. "Don't be silly. Of course not."

"Right. You work with him. Ask him what he doesn't understand. Go over it with him until you're sure he gets it. You don't let him give up."

She held back a sigh. "I have a feeling you're working up to something."

"Yeah, I am. Following your example, I'd be a pretty lousy teacher if I let you give up."

"I'm not giving up." Being compared to a whiny schoolkid wasn't a compliment. "And I don't whine."

He stared out at the ice rink. "Okay." He took a sip, swallowed, then began to murmur in a high, crybaby voice, "Wah, my legs feel like spaghetti. I can't lift my feet, I'm gonna fall. Don't go so fast. You're going too fast, you'll make me fall."

She gave him a shot with her elbow. "Teachers are supposed to encourage their students, doofus. Not make fun of them."

He huffed a laugh. "You got me there. Okay, no more teasing. But you gotta promise you'll keep trying."

She smiled. "I promise."

It was so nice, joking around with Cam and hanging out. Just because they'd hooked up in the past didn't mean they couldn't be friends. Though Cam had indicated he'd be just fine adding "benefits" to the mix, Layla had no intention of letting that happen. First of all, Drew was in her life now. Second, Layla knew she couldn't be that casual about sex with Cam. She liked him too much. It wouldn't be hard for her to develop deeper feelings for him.

Not because he was hot, though of course he was. His thick, wavy head of hair made her want to run her fingers through it. His hazel eyes brimmed with mischief, and just a glance from him could send a tingle through her. More than that, he was smart, ambitious, and a genuinely good guy. It would be so easy to fall for him.

And what would Drew say if he knew all that? Maybe he'd want you to stop seeing him. Isn't that why you've kept your friendship on the low? Because you don't want to take that chance?

Luckily, Cam had no inkling of the thoughts running through her mind. "Speaking of teaching," he said, "how's the job coming along?"

He was referring to her current substitute position, filling in for a teacher on maternity leave. "Oh, it's good. The kids are great. The other teachers have been amazing. It's so nice going to the same class every day, not having to wonder what school I'll be in, what grade, what subject I'll have to teach."

"It's first grade, right?"

"Yeah. From what they tell me, I'll be there till the end of the year."

"That's awesome."

She spent a few more minutes talking about the class and a couple of funny incidents involving her students. Then he told her about the latest happenings at the Shamrock, the bar his family owned and where he worked. His face lit up as he regaled her with plans for their big St. Patrick's celebration.

When they finished their drinks, he checked her laces, tightened them, and took her back onto the ice. They resumed skating as they'd done before, Cam skating backward in front of her, holding her hands.

The first time around the rink, he ordered, "Chin up. Look where you're going, not down at your feet."

The second time around: "Bend your knees. You're too stiff."

The third time: "That's it. You're doing fine. I'm gonna let go now. Keep going. You can do it."

"No, don't let me go. I'll fall." Her fingers became pincers as she refused to let go of his hands.

"Then fall like I showed you." That had been their first lesson, learning how to fall without landing on her face or spraining a wrist. "You'll be fine."

Mercilessly, he loosened her grip and drifted away. She was on her own. All the rules raced through her head, all the things he'd taught her.
Don't hunch forward, keep your knees bent, lift your feet…

Her ankles buckled. Her knees wobbled. She was going to fall! Remembering something else he'd taught her, Layla thrust her arms out at her sides to regain her balance. She straightened up and relief rushed through her. She grinned at Cam. She was doing it! She was skating all on her own!

Cam grinned back, his face aglow with pride.

Suddenly a little kid whizzed in front of her. She startled reflexively and threw up her hands as she lost her balance. She was going down.

"Dip!" Cam hollered, bending his knees low, reminding her how. Layla bent just before she toppled over, then flopped down hard on her butt. Ouch. As the other skaters glided past, she maneuvered to her hands and knees to lever herself up.

Cam swooped over to her and helped her stand. "You did great!"

She grimaced, rubbing her backside. "I fell on my ass."

"Hey, everybody falls. You fell good. You remembered everything I told you." Cam slipped his arm around her waist. "I'm proud of you."

That pride, and the snug feel of his arm around her, sent warmth spinning through her. Uh-oh.

None of that. Remember Drew. He'll be waiting for you.

This time Layla was grateful her pesky conscience spoke up. Remember Drew. And remember Cam was firmly in the friend zone. She'd placed him there with good reason.

Her smile felt as wobbly as her ankles. "On that note, I think I should be getting back home."

Cam blinked, the light dimming in his hazel eyes, his expression growing serious. "All right. Just one more spin around the ice."

"Okay. Once more around."

They skated together, Cam beside her this time while she concentrated on keeping her knees bent and chin up, watching where she was going. She wasn't quite so scared this time. If she fell, hey, everybody fell. She'd get back up again. And Cam would be right there, helping her.

"Yay, we made it!" she crowed as they reached the tent area and sat down.

"Never a doubt in my mind," Cam said.

Layla sighed. "This was fun. Thanks a lot."

"You bet. You did great." He cocked his head. "So…next Saturday, same time, same place?"

"Absolutely." She was champing at the bit, anticipating her next lesson. Soon she'd be leaving those little kids in the dust.

Her enthusiasm sputtered when she remembered Drew. It wasn't fair to keep him in the dark about her skating dates with Cam, even though they were perfectly innocent.

Cam picked up on her change of expression. "What's the matter?"

She gazed at him. "I told you I've been seeing someone."

He nodded. "Yeah, I remember." His response was clipped, perfunctory. He sounded almost annoyed, as though he didn't like thinking of her with another guy. But that was crazy. Cam was an amazingly hot dude who served drinks to cute college girls five nights a week. He was up to his neck in women. No way would he care who Layla dated.