May 21st & 22nd, 1970
I adored Lily, but even I had to admit that she could be peculiar at times. This morning, she insisted on cooking breakfast for us and wanted to know our schedules for the day so she could align meals. A duet of “I don’t know” came from my sister and me when she asked about our plans for the day. The weather seemed okay, but it could turn at any moment in Scotland, so there was no guarantee of sun.
“You could go to the coast and watch the ocean,” Lily suggested, but Liliane decided on a strong refusal of that offer.
“I think I’m going to just walk around and look at the architecture. I can’t get enough of it,” I told them. “You can do whatever you want, Lil.”
“Sure, no problem. Do you want to have lunch somewhere at two?”
Before I could answer my sister, there was a loud knock on the door.
“Who could that be?” Lily asked rhetorically. She never answered the door between the milkman and the postman, the latter of whom we were not expecting for another hour.
My sister was the first to get up and go to the door. “We have to see who it is, auntie.”
“So, who is it?” I asked when I heard the door open.
A snicker was all the answer I needed to go to the door and see for myself. Standing on the small raised porch was Cameron, a small gift box in hand. “Might I speak to Emily, please?” he asked softly.
I emerged from behind the living room partition and smiled. “Hi, Cameron. What brings you here?” Then, with a foot nudge to my sister, “Thanks for getting the door.”
She threw me a sidelong glance and left, but I didn’t trust the look on her face so I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
“I was hoping you’d be here,” Cameron said before I could say anything else. “I got this for you yesterday. From Dundee.”
My smile grew wider as I accepted the gift. “Thank you, Cameron.” I gently opened the box and saw that inside was a small wooden carving of a highland cow. “Oh, it’s lovely!” I raved, smiling at him. “That was really kind of you, to get me something.”
Cameron looked bashful as he glanced to the ground and then back to the carving in my hands. “I saw it in an apprentice shop and thought you’d like it. A nice little memory of Scotland.”
“I have many memories of Scotland, now,” I told him, including our time together in my silent calculation.
His smile widened and the bashful look dissipated. “Would you like to come to breakfast with me?”
“Only if we can go to Donovan’s,” I replied. “I’ve heard they have delicious black pudding.”
“They do,” he told me with excitement. “It’s near the university but I’ve got the van, it’s parked a few houses down.”
“That’s settled, then. Let me get my shoes.”
I walked back into the house and pulled my shoes on, grabbing a light windbreaker from the coat hook. “Lily, I’m going to breakfast with Cameron, I’ll see you guys later!” I closed the door behind me without waiting for a response and turned to see Cameron holding his arm out to me.
“Shall we?” he grinned.
“Do you usually go round to women’s houses this early in the morning?” I asked him jokingly once we had ordered our breakfast.
“No, only the ones I like.” Cameron winked at me and I felt myself redden. “The tour is quite nearly finished and I remembered you were leaving Scotland soon, so I wanted to come by and say hello.”
“Well, hello,” I answered with a cheeky smile.
Cameron laughed and asked when I would be leaving.
“Our flight is mid morning on the twenty-seventh,” I informed him. Honestly, since meeting and getting to know Cameron, I didn’t want to leave Scotland at all.
“A week from now.”
I nodded and tried to hide my own disappointment over my impending departure. “Yes.”
The food arrived and we dug in, happily eating in silence for a few minutes.
“Might we see each other again? Before you leave?” he asked, seemingly unsure of himself.
I smiled reassuringly at him. “With your penchant for showing up at my doorstep, I’m sure we will.”
He chuckled softly. “I know it was a bit unexpected, but… we’re playing at a hotel on King’s Gate tonight,” he divulged. “I was hoping you’d like to come and see it. It’s the last show of the tour and you’d be my guest, of course, so it’s free of charge,” he rushed to add.
“That would be wonderful,” I accepted. “And I’d love to.” I could feel my cheeks burning for the second time this morning but tried not to let it bother me.
“Excellent, I’m glad.” Cameron smiled, charmingly genuine. “Do you know where the hotel is?”
“No, but I’m sure I could ask Lily,” I offered, though I wasn’t even sure if she would know of the place.
“No bother. I’ll come by to pick you up before soundcheck, around four.”
“Sounds great!” I beamed.
All Cameron had told me of the band was that they played progressive rock, which suited me fine. Thankfully, I had gone shopping while in Scotland and the flared-sleeve buttoned shirt I’d bought last week looked great with a mid-thigh skirt I’d packed. This morning I’d found myself hoping Cameron would kiss me, and as I looked at myself in the mirror I decided that tonight he would— by his initiative or mine.
‘Bare legs are a little too much,’ I grumbled, resigning myself to asking Liliane for clothes.
“Hey, have you got any pantyhose?” I asked after knocking on her open door.
She gave my outfit one look and snorted. “What’s in town tonight? The love train?”
“I want to look good,” I resisted. “I can’t show up to the concert in old denim.”
“You usually do. But I’ll see if I’ve got a pair.”
I waited at the threshold until she tossed a bundle at me.
“These tan nylons would go best with that outfit,” Liliane suggested.
I thanked her and went back to my room, slipping on the pantyhose and heading downstairs to have a cup of tea.
By the time four o’clock rolled around, I was waiting anxiously for Cameron to show up. The curtains were open so I could see his van park and know when to step outside, so I wouldn’t have to deal with any more quips coming from my sister and Lily.
I sipped the cup of tea while sitting on the sofa, my family chatting to each other. I ignored the sporadic comments I could hear coming from them and tried to keep calm— I was beginning to get nervous despite myself.
Before I could worry too much, I saw a dark blue truck park across the street. I didn’t realize it was Cameron until he stepped out of the car and began to walk towards the house.
I stood up in a rush and almost spilled my tea, before walking over to the front window and motioning to Cameron that I would be out in a moment. I slipped on my thin sneakers then brought my cup to the kitchen, setting it down beside the sink. “I don’t know when I’ll be back, but keep the back door unlocked and I’ll just pop in.”
Lily scoffed and pointed to a small object on the table. “You think I’ll leave the door unlocked? The spare key. I’ll keep the front light on for you.”
I grabbed the key and thanked her as she and Liliane wished me a good time. I stepped outside and saw Cameron’s eyes widen when he saw my outfit.
“Is it too much?” I worried instantly.
He shook his head. “Not at all. I like it,” he added with a smile, meeting me on the pathway.
I smiled back, and we walked towards the truck. “What happened to your van?”
“Otherwise occupied.” He opened the passenger door for me. “The crew are still unloading the equipment from it. This is Clyde’s truck.”
“Clyde?” I asked when he walked around to the other side and sat in the driver's seat.
“He’s the drummer. He was at the pub when we first met, but you were never introduced,” Cameron explained.
“I guess there’s a first for everything.”
Cameron turned the key in the ignition and chuckled. “Yes, there is.”
We got to the venue not long after, chatting all the way to the hotel. Cameron had told me the names of his band mates, and told me that the band was the brainchild of himself and Willie.
While walking through the hotel’s performance hall, I noticed the crew setting up the equipment on the short stage, surveyed by some of the hotel staff. I suppose Cameron could feel my nerves because before opening the door to the backstage area, he took my hand in his and squeezed, giving me a reassuring smile.
“Thanks,” I said quietly as he opened the door and let me walk through first.
The change in atmosphere was not quite describable, but very palatable. One of the men huddled in the mass came up to us, cigarette in hand.
"So, Cameron, this is the lass you've borrowed my truck to pick up?"
"Clyde, this is Emily. Emily, Clyde."
"Hello," I said with a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you," Clyde said, shaking my hand before turning his attention to Cameron. "They need you on stage, something about your keyboards. I can't quite remember now, but I think they said a wire got snagged."
"Shit, alright. I won't be long, Emily. Make yourself comfortable." Cameron shot me a quick smile and left towards the stage.
"You look familiar," Clyde mentioned as he offered me a drink. I declined, but looked at all the bottles of alcohol and wondered, jokingly, where their personal distillery was located.
"We met in Garlogie, a couple weeks ago. At the pub," I explained.
"Ah yes, the raggedy girl. Well, nice to meet you officially."
We were standing in front of the group of about a dozen people, who it seemed all turned to look at me at the same time.
"Everyone, this is Emily. Cameron's girl."
'Cameron's girl?' I wondered what exactly he'd been telling them about me, but pushed the thought aside when a long haired woman hopped off the table she'd been sitting on and extended her hand to me.
I shook it and she introduced herself as Clyde's wife, Sylvia. This left Clyde to rejoin the group and light up another cigarette, while Sylvia brought me to the refreshment table and motioned to the homemade sandwiches.
"I don't know if you've eaten yet, but these were made this morning by me and Darla," she explained. "You're welcome to eat and drink whatever you like."
"Thank you."
"How many of us have you met?" she asked happily.
"Not many," I admitted. "Cameron, obviously. You, Clyde, and Willie."
"Cameron is a sweetheart," she whispered to me, even though we were far from everyone else. "He does like you. And he's coming this way," she added, bouncing off back to the lounge chairs.
I looked to my left and saw that she was right. Cameron, wringing his hands, was walking towards me.
"I see you've met Sylvia."
"Yes, she's quite nice," I noted.
"It's almost time for soundcheck. Have you ever been this exposed to the makings of a concert?"
His cheeky smile brought a grin to my face. "No, actually. The last concert I went to was last year, even. I missed the opener and barely made it in time for the first song."
"Shame," he noted. "At least tonight, this is another memory I can give you of Scotland."
The look on his face was hard to decipher, which made me think that maybe Sylvia was right. Maybe Cameron did feel about me how I felt about him.
"Did you get introduced to everyone?"
"No, just Sylvia and Clyde."
"Well, beside him is Willie, who you know, of course. He plays guitar. Our bassist Lee is to his left. Then that's Dale, the—"
"Alright everyone, soundcheck’s now," Willie stated with authority, interrupting us and anyone else in conversation.
"Upright arse," Cameron said under his breath. Then, to me, "Come, let's go."
I'd never seen a soundcheck before, let alone one where I was practically a VIP. I stood by the side of the stage and watched as they began to play. Cameron's keyboards started off quietly and then grew to be the driving force of the song. Only when Dale started to sing about three minutes into the song did I realize this wasn't an instrumental.
They took less than fifteen seconds between each of the four songs they played. By the time they'd finished, every one of them had wet patches on their shirts.
"Did you like it?" Cameron asked as he walked up to me, leading me to the backstage area once more.
"It was great! I didn't know a keyboard could be played like that," I admitted. I snuck a glance at his collar, spotted with sweat. I felt a small shiver go through me but luckily, Cameron didn't notice.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Just wait until there's four hundred people here and we really play! We really rip it up," he added.
Cameron excused himself for a moment and stepped behind the free-standing room divider. I wondered what he was doing until he stepped out in a different shirt, coming up beside me as I poured myself a tea.
"Would you like one?" I asked.
"Yes, please."
I poured another cup and set it down in front of him. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he added two drops of milk and took a sip, making a mental note of how he prepared the drink. He was still clammy but the change of clothes had reduced my desire to rip off his shirt, though not satiated it entirely.
“Would you like to sit down for a bit?”
I nodded and followed Cameron past the row of chairs and tables into another room. I hadn't noticed the door earlier but it was obvious now, painted a different colour and had the words 'storage' written on it.
The 'storage' room was nothing like I expected. There were boxes, yes, but mostly just a large room with a loveseat and a coffee table.
"A little unorthodox for a storage closet, isn't it?" I joked.
Cameron chuckled and smiled at me. "I asked to move this in here, I figured you might not want to have a dozen pairs of eyes looking at you all evening."
"That's very thoughtful," I said, setting my tea cup down on the table.
"Was I wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"No, no. I just wasn't expecting you to be so… accommodating."
Cameron smiled once more. "Emily," he said, and when I looked at him, I could see the fire behind his eyes. He put a hand on my cheek and I hoped he could see behind my eyes as well.
He kissed me then, softly but eagerly. He pulled back too soon and I put my hands on his chest and leaned forward. I kissed him harder, and before I knew what was happening, we were entangled.
I pulled back after a moment and felt my cheeks a deep red. “Cameron, I…”
"I'm sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to bring you here and force you into anything, I just—"
'He's nervous,' I realized, and said his name with a smile. “Cameron. I do really like you.”
Though he tried to hide it, his face lit up; he sat down and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Relieved?” I asked with a laugh.
He looked at me, the answer clear on his face. “Yes, actually.”
I sat down beside him and put my hand on his. “Had you not noticed?” A small chuckle escaped my lips. Where this boldness came from I didn’t know.
He let out a chuckle and nodded slightly. “I wasn’t sure…” he admitted. “I didn’t want to misjudge.”
“Your honesty is endearing,” I whispered. “Can I kiss you again?”
“God, Emily,” Cameron said. “You don’t have to ask.”
I smiled shyly and scooted closer to him. We were facing each other and I still held his hand in mine. Without thinking about it too much, I leaned forward and closed my eyes as I reached his lips with mine. The intimacy sent shocks through my body, as if I had been waiting all my life to be kissed by him— though I had only been waiting about a week, in reality.
Within minutes, we were entangled once again. My hands on the back of his neck, his hands on my waist. I prodded at his lower lip with the tip of my tongue and he responded by opening his mouth. I moaned quietly and I felt him chuckle against me. I’m sure he was fighting his desires as I was mine; all I wanted to do was pull him on top of me and take him.
I briefly pulled away to brush the hair out of my face and push the thought from my mind. Cameron gazed at me as I did so and smiled.
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked down bashfully and I realized he was looking at my chest.
“What, they’re peeking at you?” I giggled.
Cameron laughed. “I suppose they are,” he admitted.
Though I pondered it momentarily, I decided against taking my shirt off, in case anyone walked in and saw me straddling him in my bra. Instead, I placed his hands on my waist under my shirt and he began to thumb at the edge of my bra. My whole body was on fire.
I kissed him again, harder, and he responded with just as much voracity. His hands moved to the small of my back and I pushed myself against him. ‘They’re more than peeking at him, now,’ I said to myself.
Time seemed to stand still until we heard a knock at the door.
“It’s filling up, Cameron,” someone whose voice I didn’t fully recognize said through the door.
“Thanks, Geoff,” Cameron responded.
“I guess you want me to get off?” I said quietly.
“I don’t want that, no. But if I’m to play a show tonight, you’ll have to,” he answered cheekily.
I laughed and smiled shyly. I slid off of him and sat against the arm of the couch. I could see what I had felt just moments earlier, pressing against me. I felt shy beyond words and glanced down at the floor, though I could see Cameron from the corner of my eye as he arranged the topmost button of his shirt, which I’d been gently tugging at while we kissed.
“Are you alright, Emily?”
I hadn’t noticed he was looking at me, so his worry surprised me. I looked up at him and smiled as best I could. “Yes, I was just thinking.”
“Did something I do upset you?” he asked worriedly. Cameron sat back down beside me and looked at me with concern.
“No, not at all, Cameron.” I tried to be as reassuring as possible. “I just…”
“You can tell me.”
“I didn’t really want to stop,” I admitted, laughing shyly.
He smiled at me and took my hand in his, squeezing. “Neither did I.”
We calmed ourselves down for a few minutes, but when the second knock on the door came we had no choice but to venture out. Sylvia winked at me and I blushed, which made her laugh loudly.
“Everyone else is behind the stage. You might want to join them, Cameron,” she told us.
Cameron snuck me a quick kiss on the cheek before darting off to join the rest of his band, leaving me with Sylvia.
“So?” she inquired when he was out of the room. “What happened?”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” I answered.
“Oh, so you kissed! I knew it!” she squealed.
“What, were there bets?” I asked jokingly.
“Almost,” she quipped. “But the show will start any minute now. We should go to the side stage.”
I followed Sylvia through the hallway, past the few lingering crew members, to the best spot in the house.
“Do you want to see his ass or his face?” she asked me with a cheeky grin.
“Uh, I, um…”
“Kidding! Let’s go.”
We walked the last few steps to the designated viewing area for the crew and entourage. ‘Face it is,’ I thought as I saw the set up: we were on the side with the guitar and bass, set to view the keyboardist from across the stage.
“I stand here, to see my husband better,” Sylvia told me as she settled into her viewing spot.
“You can see the whole crowd from here,” I noted in amazement.
“Never been on the side stage before?”
“No,” I answered.
“It’ll be fun! I suggest you stand here,” she said, pointing to a spot about four feet from her. “You’ll be able to see better.”
“Thanks.”
Just as we finished speaking, the lights dimmed and the crowd roared. A solitary man came onto the stage and went to the microphone.
“Let’s welcome to the stage, Aberdeen’s very own… Amoeba!”
The crowd’s roar grew and the rush of adrenaline I felt must have been nothing compared to Cameron’s as they came onto the stage. Each of the members raised a hand in their wave to the crowd. I caught Cameron’s eye and he winked at me as he began to play.
The concert was amazing, I’d never seen a crowd going wild like that. There seemed to be something in the air that made them go wild, hollering and dancing to the music. I found myself dancing as well, despite being completely unfamiliar with the songs. Every song they played was unique and captured my attention fully, though I couldn’t seem to articulate why.
The final note struck out and Dale’s “thank you! Good night!” echoed in the hall. Sylvia pulled me along with her to the backstage room, which the band entered at the same time.
The first thing I noticed was Cameron’s shirt, it was drenched with sweat and his hair was wet. He beamed when he saw me, and a smile lit up my face.
“That was incredible!” I exclaimed before he had the chance to say anything. He walked up to me and put a hand on my hip. The touch was electrifying.
“Glad you enjoyed it!” Cameron was obviously happy to see my positive reaction to the band, and that made me happier than I thought it would. He went to change his shirt again behind the room divider and I was glad, because I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my hands off him if I saw him sweaty and shirtless.
Once he emerged, he caught the attention of Clyde and they both nodded at each other. Cameron came up to me and asked if I had everything I came with.
“Yes. Why?”
“I’d like to bring you somewhere,” he told me.
“Alright.”
I followed Cameron outside and realized that the wordless exchange I’d seen was vehicular in nature, as he led me right to Clyde’s truck.
“Clyde and Sylvia are the only ones who have a hotel room booked, for tonight. The rest of us all live in the area,” he explained, unlocking the truck’s doors but not opening them. “My house is about eight miles from here and if you want to, I’d be happy for you to spend the night.”
I couldn’t immediately hide the surprise I felt, and Cameron rushed to explain before I could speak.
“I have spare bedrooms and I’m truly not expecting anything from you, Emily,” he assured me. “Once the equipment is loaded up, the hotel will kick us all out and I only want to spend more time with you.”
He was speaking less urgently by the end, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of his flushed face.
“Without being too forward, I do want to kiss you like that again. But I’d rather you be comfortable, so I’ll drive back to your aunt’s house if you want me to,” he rambled.
“Is it my turn to talk?” I asked teasingly. Cameron looked like he was holding embarrassment at bay with both hands, so I leaned back against the side of the truck. “You have a spare room?”
“More than one.”
“A telephone?” I asked, thinking about Lily.
“Yes.”
I had already made my decision, but let my insecurity slip past. “Do you say this to all the girls?”
“Not a single one.”
The drive was short— within twenty minutes of leaving the hotel on King’s Gate we’d reached Cameron’s house, surrounded by a thin spattering of trees and grassy fields beyond that.
“This is a house?” I asked him, incredulous as we got out of the truck. It looked more like a miniature castle, built with stone and a large wooden door.
“Yes.”
“And it’s yours?” I was too surprised to hide it.
“Well,” he began as he unlocked the door, then pushed it open and beckoned me inside. “It was my mother’s, but it’s been given to me unofficially. I haven’t spent much time here recently, what with the tour, but this is my home most of the time.”
The inside was so grand I had trouble putting words to it, and was much more modern than the stone exterior. Cameron gave me a quick tour of the main floor and led me upstairs, where he pointed out two guest rooms and a bathroom from the hallway.
“You can have your pick of them,” he told me, and pointed to the closest door. “My room’s a bit fancy, what with its own bathroom.”
Cameron excused himself to take a shower and disappeared into his adjoining bathroom, leaving me time to look around his house. ‘My apartment would fit into this house four times over, with room to spare,’ I laughed to myself. The main floor had a sitting room, kitchen, and bathroom, along with a spare bedroom and another room that seemed like a music studio.
I hadn’t brought anything for my overnight stay, since I hadn’t known about it when he picked me up from Lily’s house. And though he had offered to drop by so I could pick things up, I had refused. ‘It would put my sister into a frenzy,’ I explained, and I knew I was right.
I poured myself a glass of water at the kitchen sink then went to the bathroom, relieving myself and washing my face with a cloth. I ended up back on the second floor a few minutes later and entered Cameron’s room, feeling quite bold as I took off my shoes and pantyhose, reasoning with myself that the nylon had begun to irritate me after seven hours of wear.
I had just tossed them next to my shoes and sat down on the edge of his bed when Cameron emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Hi,” he said, surprised by my presence.
“Hello,” I giggled.
“You’re comfortable?” he asked, glancing at my pantyhose on the floor.
“Very,” I answered, struggling to keep my eyes off of his still-damp chest hair.
“I’ll just…” he began, glancing around the room. “Ah, my jeans. I’ll just go put them on.” Cameron grabbed what, at a quick glance, looked like boxers and a pair of jeans from his dresser, then stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
‘He didn’t grab a shirt,’ I hummed, smiling to myself. I wiggled my toes and realized that shaving my legs yesterday had been a great idea.
When Cameron emerged, barefoot and damp-haired, he leaned against the door jamb and looked at me intently. “I didn’t bring you here to seduce you, or anything. I hope you know that, Emily,” he said quietly. “I only figured a night indoors would be less chilly than Duthie Park was last week, and I didn’t want to impose myself at your aunt’s house.”
“It is warmer than the greenhouse was,” I laughed quietly as I stood. “It’s very sweet of you, Cameron. And… I’ll admit I’m really taken with you.”
“I’m happy to hear it,” he smiled, closing the distance between us. “Didn’t think I could be so happy.”
I looked at him, frowning slightly. “Why didn’t you think you could be happy?”
“A story for another day,” he reassured me with a shake of his head. “But I am happy.”
“I am too, Cameron.”
He kissed me then, and I felt like I was melting. My hands went to his bare chest and he put his hands on my waist, his touch feeling electric. I knew that this time, with no one around to interrupt, I wouldn’t let myself be stopped by a voice in my head.
Wordlessly, we moved to the bed— sitting so close together I could feel the residual warmth from his shower. I moved deliberately, aching for my intentions to be clear. A quiet gasp escaped his lips when I kissed his neck, and so I reached under my shirt and unhooked my bra, letting it fall onto the floor.
His eyes darted to the floor then back at me. “Emily, you don’t—”
“I want to,” I interrupted him, the tightness in my belly impossible to ignore. “Lie down with me.”
We kissed, Cameron slowly lowering me back onto the bed. His lips trailed to my neck and tried— unsuccessfully— to stifle a gasp. With his hands on my thighs and my skirt raking up higher every minute, he smiled teasingly. “You’re burning warm.”
“You should feel the rest of me,” I laughed. “I’m on fire.”
Soon, my skirt was on the floor and my shirt unbuttoned. Cameron discarded his jeans and his eyes lingered on my chest.
“Is everything alright?” I worried.
“Everything is perfect. You’re perfect,” he assured. I blushed deeply and he put his hand on my cheek. “Don’t be shy, Emily.”
“Okay.”
Light was just coming in through the curtains when I woke. We had made love for hours last night, or so it seemed; there was no clock in the bedroom. Cameron woke when I shifted to my side and he spoke groggily.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I answered. I gave him a kiss and he pulled me closer to him.
When he let me go, I was nearly breathless. His sweet smile made me melt and all I wanted was for him to be with me, for much longer than the time we had. I hadn’t realized I was frowning until he spoke.
“Everything alright?”
“I can hear my sister’s questions already.”
Cameron’s hand ran along my arm as he spoke. “Well, you’ve had nights out before, I’m sure.”
“Yes,” I admitted shyly. “But I think this trip panned out a lot different than she expected it to.”
“Time moves too fast sometimes.”
I nodded. “It does.”
We stayed in silence for a few minutes. I could have stayed with Cameron all day, but I knew that just being out until morning was scandalous, let alone being out all of the next day as well.
“You can shower when you’d like. I’ll make you some tea and bring you back to your aunt’s,” Cameron told me, as if reading my mind.
“Thanks,” I said, and slipped out of bed. I could feel him looking at me as I walked to the bathroom, but I didn’t mind.
The hot water felt so good, I barely wanted to get out and dry myself. Once I did, the thought of clean underwear crossed my mind and I heard Cameron call out from the bedroom.
“You haven’t got any clean pants, but these jeans should fit. You can wear them if you’d like.”
I stepped out of the bathroom and thanked him, taking the jeans from his outstretched hand. I slipped into them and my shirt; Cameron was already dressed. I put my shoes on and gathered my underwear, pantyhose, and skirt, slipping them into my purse.
“The tour is finished, now, so I’ll be staying here for a few weeks,” he let me know as we made our way to the truck. “I put the house phone number in the jeans pocket, so you can call me whenever.”
We were at Polmuir Road before long; Cameron parked in front of the house and parked the car. We both began to speak at the same time, but he urged me to speak first.
“I had a really great time at the concert, Cameron. And with you.”
“As did I.” He smiled and gave me a quick kiss. “Call me anytime, if you want to see me.”
“I will.”
“I’ll bring you to the door.”
We stepped out of the truck and Cameron took my hand in his as he walked me up the pathway to the front door.
“Well, I’ll see you soon, Cameron.” I smiled at him and he brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.
“I look forward to it.”
I smiled at Cameron once more as he let go of my hand; we didn’t need to say anything else. I reluctantly closed the door behind me as he walked back to the truck.
The house was quiet for only a moment, before my sister bounded down the stairs.
“Where have you been? Lily was beyond herself!” My sister whispered angrily.
“Calm down, I’ll tell her I’m alright.” I was already fed up with my sister and it had only been ninety seconds.
“Whose jeans are those?” she asked.
“Well, they’re—”
“What happened to your skirt?” she interrupted me. “And my pantyhose? Don’t tell me you ripped them!”
“Would you shut up for a second? Hi, Auntie.”
Lily had walked in from the kitchen. “Emily, you’re back? I thought you said it was—”
“I’m fine, I’m here now. I was with Cameron,” I explained.
“All night?” Lily was shocked.
My sister was beyond shock. “Do not tell me you were in a hotel room with him!”
“He’s got a house in Cairnie, it’s fine,” I added.
“Girls nowadays,” Lily scoffed, heading back to the kitchen. “Breakfast will be ready in 30 minutes, girls.”
“You could go to the coast and watch the ocean,” Lily suggested, but Liliane decided on a strong refusal of that offer.
“I think I’m going to just walk around and look at the architecture. I can’t get enough of it,” I told them. “You can do whatever you want, Lil.”
“Sure, no problem. Do you want to have lunch somewhere at two?”
Before I could answer my sister, there was a loud knock on the door.
“Who could that be?” Lily asked rhetorically. She never answered the door between the milkman and the postman, the latter of whom we were not expecting for another hour.
My sister was the first to get up and go to the door. “We have to see who it is, auntie.”
“So, who is it?” I asked when I heard the door open.
A snicker was all the answer I needed to go to the door and see for myself. Standing on the small raised porch was Cameron, a small gift box in hand. “Might I speak to Emily, please?” he asked softly.
I emerged from behind the living room partition and smiled. “Hi, Cameron. What brings you here?” Then, with a foot nudge to my sister, “Thanks for getting the door.”
She threw me a sidelong glance and left, but I didn’t trust the look on her face so I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
“I was hoping you’d be here,” Cameron said before I could say anything else. “I got this for you yesterday. From Dundee.”
My smile grew wider as I accepted the gift. “Thank you, Cameron.” I gently opened the box and saw that inside was a small wooden carving of a highland cow. “Oh, it’s lovely!” I raved, smiling at him. “That was really kind of you, to get me something.”
Cameron looked bashful as he glanced to the ground and then back to the carving in my hands. “I saw it in an apprentice shop and thought you’d like it. A nice little memory of Scotland.”
“I have many memories of Scotland, now,” I told him, including our time together in my silent calculation.
His smile widened and the bashful look dissipated. “Would you like to come to breakfast with me?”
“Only if we can go to Donovan’s,” I replied. “I’ve heard they have delicious black pudding.”
“They do,” he told me with excitement. “It’s near the university but I’ve got the van, it’s parked a few houses down.”
“That’s settled, then. Let me get my shoes.”
I walked back into the house and pulled my shoes on, grabbing a light windbreaker from the coat hook. “Lily, I’m going to breakfast with Cameron, I’ll see you guys later!” I closed the door behind me without waiting for a response and turned to see Cameron holding his arm out to me.
“Shall we?” he grinned.
“Do you usually go round to women’s houses this early in the morning?” I asked him jokingly once we had ordered our breakfast.
“No, only the ones I like.” Cameron winked at me and I felt myself redden. “The tour is quite nearly finished and I remembered you were leaving Scotland soon, so I wanted to come by and say hello.”
“Well, hello,” I answered with a cheeky smile.
Cameron laughed and asked when I would be leaving.
“Our flight is mid morning on the twenty-seventh,” I informed him. Honestly, since meeting and getting to know Cameron, I didn’t want to leave Scotland at all.
“A week from now.”
I nodded and tried to hide my own disappointment over my impending departure. “Yes.”
The food arrived and we dug in, happily eating in silence for a few minutes.
“Might we see each other again? Before you leave?” he asked, seemingly unsure of himself.
I smiled reassuringly at him. “With your penchant for showing up at my doorstep, I’m sure we will.”
He chuckled softly. “I know it was a bit unexpected, but… we’re playing at a hotel on King’s Gate tonight,” he divulged. “I was hoping you’d like to come and see it. It’s the last show of the tour and you’d be my guest, of course, so it’s free of charge,” he rushed to add.
“That would be wonderful,” I accepted. “And I’d love to.” I could feel my cheeks burning for the second time this morning but tried not to let it bother me.
“Excellent, I’m glad.” Cameron smiled, charmingly genuine. “Do you know where the hotel is?”
“No, but I’m sure I could ask Lily,” I offered, though I wasn’t even sure if she would know of the place.
“No bother. I’ll come by to pick you up before soundcheck, around four.”
“Sounds great!” I beamed.
All Cameron had told me of the band was that they played progressive rock, which suited me fine. Thankfully, I had gone shopping while in Scotland and the flared-sleeve buttoned shirt I’d bought last week looked great with a mid-thigh skirt I’d packed. This morning I’d found myself hoping Cameron would kiss me, and as I looked at myself in the mirror I decided that tonight he would— by his initiative or mine.
‘Bare legs are a little too much,’ I grumbled, resigning myself to asking Liliane for clothes.
“Hey, have you got any pantyhose?” I asked after knocking on her open door.
She gave my outfit one look and snorted. “What’s in town tonight? The love train?”
“I want to look good,” I resisted. “I can’t show up to the concert in old denim.”
“You usually do. But I’ll see if I’ve got a pair.”
I waited at the threshold until she tossed a bundle at me.
“These tan nylons would go best with that outfit,” Liliane suggested.
I thanked her and went back to my room, slipping on the pantyhose and heading downstairs to have a cup of tea.
By the time four o’clock rolled around, I was waiting anxiously for Cameron to show up. The curtains were open so I could see his van park and know when to step outside, so I wouldn’t have to deal with any more quips coming from my sister and Lily.
I sipped the cup of tea while sitting on the sofa, my family chatting to each other. I ignored the sporadic comments I could hear coming from them and tried to keep calm— I was beginning to get nervous despite myself.
Before I could worry too much, I saw a dark blue truck park across the street. I didn’t realize it was Cameron until he stepped out of the car and began to walk towards the house.
I stood up in a rush and almost spilled my tea, before walking over to the front window and motioning to Cameron that I would be out in a moment. I slipped on my thin sneakers then brought my cup to the kitchen, setting it down beside the sink. “I don’t know when I’ll be back, but keep the back door unlocked and I’ll just pop in.”
Lily scoffed and pointed to a small object on the table. “You think I’ll leave the door unlocked? The spare key. I’ll keep the front light on for you.”
I grabbed the key and thanked her as she and Liliane wished me a good time. I stepped outside and saw Cameron’s eyes widen when he saw my outfit.
“Is it too much?” I worried instantly.
He shook his head. “Not at all. I like it,” he added with a smile, meeting me on the pathway.
I smiled back, and we walked towards the truck. “What happened to your van?”
“Otherwise occupied.” He opened the passenger door for me. “The crew are still unloading the equipment from it. This is Clyde’s truck.”
“Clyde?” I asked when he walked around to the other side and sat in the driver's seat.
“He’s the drummer. He was at the pub when we first met, but you were never introduced,” Cameron explained.
“I guess there’s a first for everything.”
Cameron turned the key in the ignition and chuckled. “Yes, there is.”
We got to the venue not long after, chatting all the way to the hotel. Cameron had told me the names of his band mates, and told me that the band was the brainchild of himself and Willie.
While walking through the hotel’s performance hall, I noticed the crew setting up the equipment on the short stage, surveyed by some of the hotel staff. I suppose Cameron could feel my nerves because before opening the door to the backstage area, he took my hand in his and squeezed, giving me a reassuring smile.
“Thanks,” I said quietly as he opened the door and let me walk through first.
The change in atmosphere was not quite describable, but very palatable. One of the men huddled in the mass came up to us, cigarette in hand.
"So, Cameron, this is the lass you've borrowed my truck to pick up?"
"Clyde, this is Emily. Emily, Clyde."
"Hello," I said with a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you," Clyde said, shaking my hand before turning his attention to Cameron. "They need you on stage, something about your keyboards. I can't quite remember now, but I think they said a wire got snagged."
"Shit, alright. I won't be long, Emily. Make yourself comfortable." Cameron shot me a quick smile and left towards the stage.
"You look familiar," Clyde mentioned as he offered me a drink. I declined, but looked at all the bottles of alcohol and wondered, jokingly, where their personal distillery was located.
"We met in Garlogie, a couple weeks ago. At the pub," I explained.
"Ah yes, the raggedy girl. Well, nice to meet you officially."
We were standing in front of the group of about a dozen people, who it seemed all turned to look at me at the same time.
"Everyone, this is Emily. Cameron's girl."
'Cameron's girl?' I wondered what exactly he'd been telling them about me, but pushed the thought aside when a long haired woman hopped off the table she'd been sitting on and extended her hand to me.
I shook it and she introduced herself as Clyde's wife, Sylvia. This left Clyde to rejoin the group and light up another cigarette, while Sylvia brought me to the refreshment table and motioned to the homemade sandwiches.
"I don't know if you've eaten yet, but these were made this morning by me and Darla," she explained. "You're welcome to eat and drink whatever you like."
"Thank you."
"How many of us have you met?" she asked happily.
"Not many," I admitted. "Cameron, obviously. You, Clyde, and Willie."
"Cameron is a sweetheart," she whispered to me, even though we were far from everyone else. "He does like you. And he's coming this way," she added, bouncing off back to the lounge chairs.
I looked to my left and saw that she was right. Cameron, wringing his hands, was walking towards me.
"I see you've met Sylvia."
"Yes, she's quite nice," I noted.
"It's almost time for soundcheck. Have you ever been this exposed to the makings of a concert?"
His cheeky smile brought a grin to my face. "No, actually. The last concert I went to was last year, even. I missed the opener and barely made it in time for the first song."
"Shame," he noted. "At least tonight, this is another memory I can give you of Scotland."
The look on his face was hard to decipher, which made me think that maybe Sylvia was right. Maybe Cameron did feel about me how I felt about him.
"Did you get introduced to everyone?"
"No, just Sylvia and Clyde."
"Well, beside him is Willie, who you know, of course. He plays guitar. Our bassist Lee is to his left. Then that's Dale, the—"
"Alright everyone, soundcheck’s now," Willie stated with authority, interrupting us and anyone else in conversation.
"Upright arse," Cameron said under his breath. Then, to me, "Come, let's go."
I'd never seen a soundcheck before, let alone one where I was practically a VIP. I stood by the side of the stage and watched as they began to play. Cameron's keyboards started off quietly and then grew to be the driving force of the song. Only when Dale started to sing about three minutes into the song did I realize this wasn't an instrumental.
They took less than fifteen seconds between each of the four songs they played. By the time they'd finished, every one of them had wet patches on their shirts.
"Did you like it?" Cameron asked as he walked up to me, leading me to the backstage area once more.
"It was great! I didn't know a keyboard could be played like that," I admitted. I snuck a glance at his collar, spotted with sweat. I felt a small shiver go through me but luckily, Cameron didn't notice.
"I'm glad you enjoyed it. Just wait until there's four hundred people here and we really play! We really rip it up," he added.
Cameron excused himself for a moment and stepped behind the free-standing room divider. I wondered what he was doing until he stepped out in a different shirt, coming up beside me as I poured myself a tea.
"Would you like one?" I asked.
"Yes, please."
I poured another cup and set it down in front of him. I watched out of the corner of my eye as he added two drops of milk and took a sip, making a mental note of how he prepared the drink. He was still clammy but the change of clothes had reduced my desire to rip off his shirt, though not satiated it entirely.
“Would you like to sit down for a bit?”
I nodded and followed Cameron past the row of chairs and tables into another room. I hadn't noticed the door earlier but it was obvious now, painted a different colour and had the words 'storage' written on it.
The 'storage' room was nothing like I expected. There were boxes, yes, but mostly just a large room with a loveseat and a coffee table.
"A little unorthodox for a storage closet, isn't it?" I joked.
Cameron chuckled and smiled at me. "I asked to move this in here, I figured you might not want to have a dozen pairs of eyes looking at you all evening."
"That's very thoughtful," I said, setting my tea cup down on the table.
"Was I wrong?" he asked worriedly.
"No, no. I just wasn't expecting you to be so… accommodating."
Cameron smiled once more. "Emily," he said, and when I looked at him, I could see the fire behind his eyes. He put a hand on my cheek and I hoped he could see behind my eyes as well.
He kissed me then, softly but eagerly. He pulled back too soon and I put my hands on his chest and leaned forward. I kissed him harder, and before I knew what was happening, we were entangled.
I pulled back after a moment and felt my cheeks a deep red. “Cameron, I…”
"I'm sorry, Emily. I didn't mean to bring you here and force you into anything, I just—"
'He's nervous,' I realized, and said his name with a smile. “Cameron. I do really like you.”
Though he tried to hide it, his face lit up; he sat down and ran his fingers through his hair.
“Relieved?” I asked with a laugh.
He looked at me, the answer clear on his face. “Yes, actually.”
I sat down beside him and put my hand on his. “Had you not noticed?” A small chuckle escaped my lips. Where this boldness came from I didn’t know.
He let out a chuckle and nodded slightly. “I wasn’t sure…” he admitted. “I didn’t want to misjudge.”
“Your honesty is endearing,” I whispered. “Can I kiss you again?”
“God, Emily,” Cameron said. “You don’t have to ask.”
I smiled shyly and scooted closer to him. We were facing each other and I still held his hand in mine. Without thinking about it too much, I leaned forward and closed my eyes as I reached his lips with mine. The intimacy sent shocks through my body, as if I had been waiting all my life to be kissed by him— though I had only been waiting about a week, in reality.
Within minutes, we were entangled once again. My hands on the back of his neck, his hands on my waist. I prodded at his lower lip with the tip of my tongue and he responded by opening his mouth. I moaned quietly and I felt him chuckle against me. I’m sure he was fighting his desires as I was mine; all I wanted to do was pull him on top of me and take him.
I briefly pulled away to brush the hair out of my face and push the thought from my mind. Cameron gazed at me as I did so and smiled.
“What is it?” I asked.
He looked down bashfully and I realized he was looking at my chest.
“What, they’re peeking at you?” I giggled.
Cameron laughed. “I suppose they are,” he admitted.
Though I pondered it momentarily, I decided against taking my shirt off, in case anyone walked in and saw me straddling him in my bra. Instead, I placed his hands on my waist under my shirt and he began to thumb at the edge of my bra. My whole body was on fire.
I kissed him again, harder, and he responded with just as much voracity. His hands moved to the small of my back and I pushed myself against him. ‘They’re more than peeking at him, now,’ I said to myself.
Time seemed to stand still until we heard a knock at the door.
“It’s filling up, Cameron,” someone whose voice I didn’t fully recognize said through the door.
“Thanks, Geoff,” Cameron responded.
“I guess you want me to get off?” I said quietly.
“I don’t want that, no. But if I’m to play a show tonight, you’ll have to,” he answered cheekily.
I laughed and smiled shyly. I slid off of him and sat against the arm of the couch. I could see what I had felt just moments earlier, pressing against me. I felt shy beyond words and glanced down at the floor, though I could see Cameron from the corner of my eye as he arranged the topmost button of his shirt, which I’d been gently tugging at while we kissed.
“Are you alright, Emily?”
I hadn’t noticed he was looking at me, so his worry surprised me. I looked up at him and smiled as best I could. “Yes, I was just thinking.”
“Did something I do upset you?” he asked worriedly. Cameron sat back down beside me and looked at me with concern.
“No, not at all, Cameron.” I tried to be as reassuring as possible. “I just…”
“You can tell me.”
“I didn’t really want to stop,” I admitted, laughing shyly.
He smiled at me and took my hand in his, squeezing. “Neither did I.”
We calmed ourselves down for a few minutes, but when the second knock on the door came we had no choice but to venture out. Sylvia winked at me and I blushed, which made her laugh loudly.
“Everyone else is behind the stage. You might want to join them, Cameron,” she told us.
Cameron snuck me a quick kiss on the cheek before darting off to join the rest of his band, leaving me with Sylvia.
“So?” she inquired when he was out of the room. “What happened?”
“I don’t kiss and tell,” I answered.
“Oh, so you kissed! I knew it!” she squealed.
“What, were there bets?” I asked jokingly.
“Almost,” she quipped. “But the show will start any minute now. We should go to the side stage.”
I followed Sylvia through the hallway, past the few lingering crew members, to the best spot in the house.
“Do you want to see his ass or his face?” she asked me with a cheeky grin.
“Uh, I, um…”
“Kidding! Let’s go.”
We walked the last few steps to the designated viewing area for the crew and entourage. ‘Face it is,’ I thought as I saw the set up: we were on the side with the guitar and bass, set to view the keyboardist from across the stage.
“I stand here, to see my husband better,” Sylvia told me as she settled into her viewing spot.
“You can see the whole crowd from here,” I noted in amazement.
“Never been on the side stage before?”
“No,” I answered.
“It’ll be fun! I suggest you stand here,” she said, pointing to a spot about four feet from her. “You’ll be able to see better.”
“Thanks.”
Just as we finished speaking, the lights dimmed and the crowd roared. A solitary man came onto the stage and went to the microphone.
“Let’s welcome to the stage, Aberdeen’s very own… Amoeba!”
The crowd’s roar grew and the rush of adrenaline I felt must have been nothing compared to Cameron’s as they came onto the stage. Each of the members raised a hand in their wave to the crowd. I caught Cameron’s eye and he winked at me as he began to play.
The concert was amazing, I’d never seen a crowd going wild like that. There seemed to be something in the air that made them go wild, hollering and dancing to the music. I found myself dancing as well, despite being completely unfamiliar with the songs. Every song they played was unique and captured my attention fully, though I couldn’t seem to articulate why.
The final note struck out and Dale’s “thank you! Good night!” echoed in the hall. Sylvia pulled me along with her to the backstage room, which the band entered at the same time.
The first thing I noticed was Cameron’s shirt, it was drenched with sweat and his hair was wet. He beamed when he saw me, and a smile lit up my face.
“That was incredible!” I exclaimed before he had the chance to say anything. He walked up to me and put a hand on my hip. The touch was electrifying.
“Glad you enjoyed it!” Cameron was obviously happy to see my positive reaction to the band, and that made me happier than I thought it would. He went to change his shirt again behind the room divider and I was glad, because I didn’t think I’d be able to keep my hands off him if I saw him sweaty and shirtless.
Once he emerged, he caught the attention of Clyde and they both nodded at each other. Cameron came up to me and asked if I had everything I came with.
“Yes. Why?”
“I’d like to bring you somewhere,” he told me.
“Alright.”
I followed Cameron outside and realized that the wordless exchange I’d seen was vehicular in nature, as he led me right to Clyde’s truck.
“Clyde and Sylvia are the only ones who have a hotel room booked, for tonight. The rest of us all live in the area,” he explained, unlocking the truck’s doors but not opening them. “My house is about eight miles from here and if you want to, I’d be happy for you to spend the night.”
I couldn’t immediately hide the surprise I felt, and Cameron rushed to explain before I could speak.
“I have spare bedrooms and I’m truly not expecting anything from you, Emily,” he assured me. “Once the equipment is loaded up, the hotel will kick us all out and I only want to spend more time with you.”
He was speaking less urgently by the end, and I couldn’t take my eyes off of his flushed face.
“Without being too forward, I do want to kiss you like that again. But I’d rather you be comfortable, so I’ll drive back to your aunt’s house if you want me to,” he rambled.
“Is it my turn to talk?” I asked teasingly. Cameron looked like he was holding embarrassment at bay with both hands, so I leaned back against the side of the truck. “You have a spare room?”
“More than one.”
“A telephone?” I asked, thinking about Lily.
“Yes.”
I had already made my decision, but let my insecurity slip past. “Do you say this to all the girls?”
“Not a single one.”
The drive was short— within twenty minutes of leaving the hotel on King’s Gate we’d reached Cameron’s house, surrounded by a thin spattering of trees and grassy fields beyond that.
“This is a house?” I asked him, incredulous as we got out of the truck. It looked more like a miniature castle, built with stone and a large wooden door.
“Yes.”
“And it’s yours?” I was too surprised to hide it.
“Well,” he began as he unlocked the door, then pushed it open and beckoned me inside. “It was my mother’s, but it’s been given to me unofficially. I haven’t spent much time here recently, what with the tour, but this is my home most of the time.”
The inside was so grand I had trouble putting words to it, and was much more modern than the stone exterior. Cameron gave me a quick tour of the main floor and led me upstairs, where he pointed out two guest rooms and a bathroom from the hallway.
“You can have your pick of them,” he told me, and pointed to the closest door. “My room’s a bit fancy, what with its own bathroom.”
Cameron excused himself to take a shower and disappeared into his adjoining bathroom, leaving me time to look around his house. ‘My apartment would fit into this house four times over, with room to spare,’ I laughed to myself. The main floor had a sitting room, kitchen, and bathroom, along with a spare bedroom and another room that seemed like a music studio.
I hadn’t brought anything for my overnight stay, since I hadn’t known about it when he picked me up from Lily’s house. And though he had offered to drop by so I could pick things up, I had refused. ‘It would put my sister into a frenzy,’ I explained, and I knew I was right.
I poured myself a glass of water at the kitchen sink then went to the bathroom, relieving myself and washing my face with a cloth. I ended up back on the second floor a few minutes later and entered Cameron’s room, feeling quite bold as I took off my shoes and pantyhose, reasoning with myself that the nylon had begun to irritate me after seven hours of wear.
I had just tossed them next to my shoes and sat down on the edge of his bed when Cameron emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around his waist.
“Hi,” he said, surprised by my presence.
“Hello,” I giggled.
“You’re comfortable?” he asked, glancing at my pantyhose on the floor.
“Very,” I answered, struggling to keep my eyes off of his still-damp chest hair.
“I’ll just…” he began, glancing around the room. “Ah, my jeans. I’ll just go put them on.” Cameron grabbed what, at a quick glance, looked like boxers and a pair of jeans from his dresser, then stepped back into the bathroom and closed the door behind him.
‘He didn’t grab a shirt,’ I hummed, smiling to myself. I wiggled my toes and realized that shaving my legs yesterday had been a great idea.
When Cameron emerged, barefoot and damp-haired, he leaned against the door jamb and looked at me intently. “I didn’t bring you here to seduce you, or anything. I hope you know that, Emily,” he said quietly. “I only figured a night indoors would be less chilly than Duthie Park was last week, and I didn’t want to impose myself at your aunt’s house.”
“It is warmer than the greenhouse was,” I laughed quietly as I stood. “It’s very sweet of you, Cameron. And… I’ll admit I’m really taken with you.”
“I’m happy to hear it,” he smiled, closing the distance between us. “Didn’t think I could be so happy.”
I looked at him, frowning slightly. “Why didn’t you think you could be happy?”
“A story for another day,” he reassured me with a shake of his head. “But I am happy.”
“I am too, Cameron.”
He kissed me then, and I felt like I was melting. My hands went to his bare chest and he put his hands on my waist, his touch feeling electric. I knew that this time, with no one around to interrupt, I wouldn’t let myself be stopped by a voice in my head.
Wordlessly, we moved to the bed— sitting so close together I could feel the residual warmth from his shower. I moved deliberately, aching for my intentions to be clear. A quiet gasp escaped his lips when I kissed his neck, and so I reached under my shirt and unhooked my bra, letting it fall onto the floor.
His eyes darted to the floor then back at me. “Emily, you don’t—”
“I want to,” I interrupted him, the tightness in my belly impossible to ignore. “Lie down with me.”
We kissed, Cameron slowly lowering me back onto the bed. His lips trailed to my neck and tried— unsuccessfully— to stifle a gasp. With his hands on my thighs and my skirt raking up higher every minute, he smiled teasingly. “You’re burning warm.”
“You should feel the rest of me,” I laughed. “I’m on fire.”
Soon, my skirt was on the floor and my shirt unbuttoned. Cameron discarded his jeans and his eyes lingered on my chest.
“Is everything alright?” I worried.
“Everything is perfect. You’re perfect,” he assured. I blushed deeply and he put his hand on my cheek. “Don’t be shy, Emily.”
“Okay.”
Light was just coming in through the curtains when I woke. We had made love for hours last night, or so it seemed; there was no clock in the bedroom. Cameron woke when I shifted to my side and he spoke groggily.
“Good morning.”
“Good morning,” I answered. I gave him a kiss and he pulled me closer to him.
When he let me go, I was nearly breathless. His sweet smile made me melt and all I wanted was for him to be with me, for much longer than the time we had. I hadn’t realized I was frowning until he spoke.
“Everything alright?”
“I can hear my sister’s questions already.”
Cameron’s hand ran along my arm as he spoke. “Well, you’ve had nights out before, I’m sure.”
“Yes,” I admitted shyly. “But I think this trip panned out a lot different than she expected it to.”
“Time moves too fast sometimes.”
I nodded. “It does.”
We stayed in silence for a few minutes. I could have stayed with Cameron all day, but I knew that just being out until morning was scandalous, let alone being out all of the next day as well.
“You can shower when you’d like. I’ll make you some tea and bring you back to your aunt’s,” Cameron told me, as if reading my mind.
“Thanks,” I said, and slipped out of bed. I could feel him looking at me as I walked to the bathroom, but I didn’t mind.
The hot water felt so good, I barely wanted to get out and dry myself. Once I did, the thought of clean underwear crossed my mind and I heard Cameron call out from the bedroom.
“You haven’t got any clean pants, but these jeans should fit. You can wear them if you’d like.”
I stepped out of the bathroom and thanked him, taking the jeans from his outstretched hand. I slipped into them and my shirt; Cameron was already dressed. I put my shoes on and gathered my underwear, pantyhose, and skirt, slipping them into my purse.
“The tour is finished, now, so I’ll be staying here for a few weeks,” he let me know as we made our way to the truck. “I put the house phone number in the jeans pocket, so you can call me whenever.”
We were at Polmuir Road before long; Cameron parked in front of the house and parked the car. We both began to speak at the same time, but he urged me to speak first.
“I had a really great time at the concert, Cameron. And with you.”
“As did I.” He smiled and gave me a quick kiss. “Call me anytime, if you want to see me.”
“I will.”
“I’ll bring you to the door.”
We stepped out of the truck and Cameron took my hand in his as he walked me up the pathway to the front door.
“Well, I’ll see you soon, Cameron.” I smiled at him and he brought my hand to his mouth and kissed it softly.
“I look forward to it.”
I smiled at Cameron once more as he let go of my hand; we didn’t need to say anything else. I reluctantly closed the door behind me as he walked back to the truck.
The house was quiet for only a moment, before my sister bounded down the stairs.
“Where have you been? Lily was beyond herself!” My sister whispered angrily.
“Calm down, I’ll tell her I’m alright.” I was already fed up with my sister and it had only been ninety seconds.
“Whose jeans are those?” she asked.
“Well, they’re—”
“What happened to your skirt?” she interrupted me. “And my pantyhose? Don’t tell me you ripped them!”
“Would you shut up for a second? Hi, Auntie.”
Lily had walked in from the kitchen. “Emily, you’re back? I thought you said it was—”
“I’m fine, I’m here now. I was with Cameron,” I explained.
“All night?” Lily was shocked.
My sister was beyond shock. “Do not tell me you were in a hotel room with him!”
“He’s got a house in Cairnie, it’s fine,” I added.
“Girls nowadays,” Lily scoffed, heading back to the kitchen. “Breakfast will be ready in 30 minutes, girls.”
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