Caught (Camren)

•23•

"Will you relax?" Lauren laughed. "You look fine."

I ran frantically around her room, sifting through her closet to try and find something that was more appropriate to wear to my dad's dinner than the clothes I'd packed. I pulled the sweater I was wearing over my head and tossed it to the side, managing to hit Lauren dead on with it.

"Camz," she pressed. "Why the hell are you so nervous? It's your dad."

"I can't fuck this up, Lauren," I told her. "He already thinks I'm a terrible person for making my mom leave. I want him to at least think a little highly of me."

"He already said he doesn't blame you."

"Yeah, and you think he's being honest?" I questioned. "He knows that if he'd told me how he really felt I wouldn't have accepted his apology."

She tossed the sweater aside and stood up from the bed, walking over to me and wrapping her arms around my waist. She kissed me once and brushed my hair out of my face, tucking it behind my ear and smiling proudly.

"Do you even know how beautiful you are?" she whispered.

"This is not the time for you to flirt with me," I protested.

"I can't help it," she chuckled. "Seriously, Camz, you're gorgeous no matter what you wear. He's your dad. He's not going to judge you based on your clothes. You just need to relax. How are you going to have a good time if you're already so wound up?"

"I can't relax," I sighed. "It's too late now. I'm already stressed."

"Let me help you then," she said seductively.

She slid her hands around my back and down my backside, stopping on the back of my thighs and bending down to lift me up. I wrapped my legs around her waist and she slowly backed towards the bed, finding a seat and instantly connecting our lips. I could feel the results from her kiss immediately, my heart rate already slowing down and my mind calming itself despite how the contact made it spin uncontrollably. She slid her tongue along my bottom lip and bit down softy, causing me to gasp in surprise. One of her hands brushed against my neck and down my shoulder, her fingertips slipping under my bra strap and pulling it down as she slipped her tongue into my mouth. I pulled back, the strict reminder of my time limit to meet my father winning in the end despite how much I wanted to stay with her.

"I have to leave," I told her.

"You don't have to," she argued, lightly pressing her lips to my collarbone.

"You're the one who's rushing me to get ready."

"Yeah, but now I have other stuff on my mind," she said.

She kissed my neck again, gently biting down on the same spot and sucking until I was sure she'd left a mark. My entire body screamed for just a little bit longer, my skin burning with the desire for her to keep going, but the more logical side of my brain kept me on track.

"Lauren, I have to go," I persisted.

She sighed but released me, allowing me to back off of her lap and retrieve the sweater that I originally wore. I threw it over my head and straightened out my hair with my hand, smiling at her as I backed towards the door.

"I expect to hear all about the stuff on your mind in full detail when I get back," I told her.

"Take your time, really," she waved. "I'll be fine by myself."

"I love you, Lauren," I laughed.

"Yeah, yeah, I love you too."

I chuckled to myself as I stepped outside, but my humor was short lived as my heart began to pound in my chest again, my dinner with my dad approaching quickly as I made my way to Lauren's car.