Sure, he felt a certain regard for some people, such as Havana, Bailey, and Corbin. But others … If they mattered to Aspen, they’d matter to Camden, but only in a superficial way. He hadn’t connected with anyone the way he had her.
His cat fucking adored her. Trusted her. Would do anything for her. Neither he nor Camden liked that they no longer lived with her. Especially since their entire circumstances had altered.
Before, he’d only really had to share her with Havana and Bailey. Now they were all part of a pride. Well, the three females were. In practice, he was barely a member. And, being both an enforcer and one of Havana’s personal bodyguards, Aspen spent more time with her girls these days. He and Aspen used to ride to and from work together, but now she and Bailey escorted Havana to and from the rec center each time.
Camden didn’t feel that Aspen was slipping away from him—no, they were tied in a way he couldn’t explain. Besides, he’d never let her slip away. But he did feel on shaky ground, and he didn’t like the sensation much.
He also didn’t like that several males within the pride were sniffing around her. He never liked it when a man showed interest in Aspen. But he liked it even less that these weren’t just “some guys” she vaguely knew who likely wouldn’t be around for long. They were part of her everyday life. One was also an enforcer, so he moved in the same pride “circle” as Aspen, and he’d been pretty persistent in his pursuit of her. Not that Camden could blame him. She was so fucking beautiful she made him ache.
The first time he’d had a sexually explicit dream about her, it had shocked him. It had also forced him to consciously acknowledge that his feelings for her had lost their platonic nature. Once he’d acknowledged it, those feelings had grown until they held a viciously sexual edge that made him crave her day and night.
She was model-worthy-gorgeous, complete with the haughty, catwalk don’t-touch-me vibe. Her thick-lashed eyes were a deep, dusky ivy green. Her dark hair was styled in a long, angled, jagged bob that suited her well.
Tall, she was only a few inches shorter than him. He’d seen her naked when she shifted into her animal form, so he knew she was all wicked curves, supple muscle, and smooth skin. He’d imagined sliding his hands over her curves more times than he could count. That “imagining” usually led to him jerking off.
It didn’t help matters that his cat often urged him to succumb to temptation and take what he wanted. Which Camden absolutely could not do. She’d never done or said a single thing to suggest that she wanted more than friendship.
“You’re looking very fierce all of a sudden,” she said. “What’s wrong?”
He wasn’t going to tell her that he was in a sort of sexual hell, so he gave her another truth. “I miss you. Miss the fuck out of you.”
Her brow creased in surprise. “You see me every day.”
“Not as much as I used to.”
“My time has been eaten up by other things lately,” she allowed. “I’m sorry if you feel neglected or shut out or left behind. I don’t want that.” She bit her lip. “You’re not thinking about leaving the pride, are you?”
He frowned. “Why would you think that?”
“I can sense that neither you nor your cat have settled here yet.”
“It’s going to take time, but I’m not going anywhere.”
The line between her brows smoothed out. “Good.”
He combed his fingers through the choppy, wavy layers in her hair as he reminded her, “I told you when we were kids that I’d always be close.”
“‘Kids’ being the key word. We’re adults now.”
“Doesn’t change that you’re stuck with me.”
“I have no problem being stuck with you. But I feel that you’re unhappy here. I don’t want that.”
“It’s not being part of the pride that bothers me. It’s how much less I now see of you. And since it bothers you as well, we should do something about it. Like have dinner together later. Just the two of us.”
Her mouth curved. “I’d like that.”
He leaned toward her. “Know what I’d like?”
“What?”
“For your spare bedroom to become my room.”
Her eyes crossed. “Seriously, Camden.”
“Seriously, Aspen. Look me in the eye and tell me you like that we’re not roommates anymore.” She said nothing, just as he’d anticipated. “You can’t, can you? I doubt your bearcat is happy about our new living arrangement either. I know my beast isn’t.”
“Your beast is never happy. He’s always moody and surly, no matter what’s happening.”
“Not true. He’s always in a better mood when you’re around. Which is yet another reason why it would be good for us to go back to being roommates.”