"This is where I grew up," he said softly.

"Your mother's house?" Now the decor made sense.

"Now mine and my brother's. We share the place."

"You both live here?"

"Yes, but he has a date tonight and won't be home until late. Come on into the kitchen and I'll grab the chicken for the grill. I have potatoes in the oven and a salad made."

"Your domestic side."

"The easiest thing I could think of to make. I can grill, but kitchen duty is not my strong suit."

This was not a good idea, but wild Cami pushed my nerves aside. I followed him into the kitchen walking past a winding staircase that I guessed led up to the bedrooms. Modern appliances filled the kitchen, and I envied the space. I would love to run loose in here. My tiny apartment had a small L-shaped counter with two barstools. It had a total of about three square feet to move around in. This room was a chef's dream.

"Your mother liked to cook?"

His grin disappeared for a moment. "No, well yes- all this is new. Joel likes to cook." He uncorked a bottle of red wine and poured us both a glass. His grin came back. "To good food and better rugby discussions," he said clicking my glass.

How could I resist that toast?

The delicious wine warmed me. It was tastier than the Cabernet Sauvignon I had the night before. I didn't recognize the label and figured it was too far out of my price range to bother asking. Van pulled a plate with four chicken breasts from the fridge, and I followed him outside to the grill. The backyard was gorgeous with large trees covered in small twinkling white lights beside the partially enclosed patio. Two large buildings separate from the house caught my attention. One, a huge garage with four large vehicle doors was easy to identify. The other had an ivy-covered fence blocking my view of what appeared to be windows.

"Let me get these started and I'll show you."

Van must have seen me studying the building. He tugged on my hand after closing the grill and we walked over. He opened the door and turned on the lights. It was a pool housean honest to God pool house that included a Jacuzzi, lounge chairs, changing rooms, and bathrooms complete with showers. I walked around in awe.

"The Stelson brothers are party animals."

He didn't deny it. "We have our moments. Would you like to swim before dinner?"

"I didn't bring a bathing suit, as you well know, and the steam in the room is making these pants uncomfortable."

He brought my fingers to his lips and kissed the backs adding a small flick of his tongue. "By all means let's get you out of your pants." Before I could use his name like a four letter word, he placed a finger over my lips. "Shh, I had to taste you and I was a good boy by limiting myself to your fingers."

I didn't argue because wild Cami jumped past my defenses and stamped her foot. Desire washed through me and a low ache throbbed between my thighs. God my nipples even tightened, and more than anything I wanted to feel Van's touch. "I do need some more wine," I managed to get out past my suddenly dry lips.

We walked back into the house and he showed me to the downstairs bathroom so I could remove my jeans. I stuffed them in my bag and left it on the counter before returning to the kitchen. My pulse raced when Van's eyes repeatedly went to my legs. I drank my wine while he tossed a salad refusing any help. It gave me time to get my hormones under control. Well- maybe.

"Would you like to eat in the dining room or outside on the patio?" he asked.

"The patio please." I watched as he refilled my wine glass.

Before Van handed me the glass he reached for my glasses and took them off. "I want to see your eyes. Besides eyesight, do you need them?"

What could I do but laugh. "If eyesight is off the table, I can live without them." I took them from his fingers laying them down on the counter.

We went back outside carrying plates and silverware. I set the table while he checked the chicken.

"So tell me more about Cami. What does your future hold?" he asked while fiddling with the grill.

Him. His eyes. His scent. His car. His bike. The way he looked covered in dirt and sweaty from practice. I set my wine glass down. Too much testosterone thinking even for wild Cami. "I want to travel around the world. Write articles that mean something to more than just local Cleveland readers."

"Mean something how?" He sounded sincere in his interest.

"There are so many good and bad things happening around the world with women and children. I want to be at the center of changedig up those untold stories that transform lives. I want to follow in the footsteps of Frances FitzGerald, Martha Gellhorn, and Katharine Graham." Van's blank look was impossible to miss. "You don't know who those ladies are any more than I know a football from a rugby ball, but they're my heroes."

His eyes were so intent. "You're amazing, you know that?"

I grabbed my glass and downed the rest of my wine. Van went into the house and brought back the wine, pouring the rest of the bottle into my glass. My head spun, but it felt goodliberating almost. It wasn't something I could describe. I was always too shy to speak my mind, I followed all the rules, and suppressed that I was any type of sexual being. Basically boring. Van made me feel alivethe way he looked at my body and asked questions about my future plans.

"Tell me about rugby. What do you love most about it?"

"Everything," he said simply. "I think the chicken is pretty close. Do you mind grabbing the salad? I'll grab a platter and the potatoes from the oven."

We worked together without saying anything. We sat down and Van made another toast, "To that special someone."

I clicked his glass. Was I that special someone to him? I wanted to be. I wanted a hell of a lot more than that. I wondered if I looked at him the same way he eyed me. With appreciation and, yes, desire.

I barely tasted my food. "I would have sworn you'd eat steak seven days a week," I said after he ate his second piece of chicken. I continued before he could answer. "It's wonderful, but I can't eat more. Please have mine."

He didn't argue, just grabbed the third piece. "Joel forces it on me a couple of times a week. The chicken was for you," he said between bites.

It amazed me that he cared more about what I might want to eat than what he liked. I sat my fork down unable to eat another bite. "I still can't believe the two of you live together. You seem very different."

Van smiled just a tad. "You mean I don't have a stick up my ass?"

I laughed a little too loudly. "That's exactly what I meant."

"You need more wine. Let me grab another bottle," he said rising from the table.

The twinkling lights in the yard were a bit blurry. I tried tilting my glasses higher not realizing they weren't on. I couldn't feel my nose. "No, I assure you, I don't need more wine," I giggled. He was already inside and couldn't possibly have heard me.

Wild Cami decided another sip or two wouldn't hurt. After he poured more wine, we made small talk getting to know each other. I stood up to gather dishes and stumbled. Before I could grab the table, Van was there.

"Sorry," I said with another giggle. "I'm tipsy."

"You're beautiful." He stared into my eyes not moving or, more precisely, making a move.

Without thinking, I went to my tiptoes and pressed my lips gently to his. His arms circled me or I would have fallen. He pulled me against his rock-hard chest making me feel stable. No- that wasn't it- invincible. Cami the prude was gone.

I needed to fuck Van Stelson.