Best of the Best

Chapter 13: Want

Lauren sighed as Camila checked the closet for the third time. "Still nothing, bud," she reassured him. "I think me and your mom must have scared them away."

Thomas nodded slowly, still somewhat unconvinced, green eyes wide as he held his blankets tight. "Kay," he said quietly, as Lauren rubbed his leg through the comforter. "Under the bed?" He asked.

Camila got on her knees and looked under it once more. "Still nothing. Not even a long lost sock. Way cleaner than under my bed."

That finally earned a slight smile. "Mama make me clean there."

Camila stood up. "Well it must be too clean for monsters."

Thomas nodded and slid further under the blankets. "Yeah."

"Feel better now, sweetheart?" Lauren asked, brushing some hair from his forehead.

"Better," he replied, his eyes as Lauren continued to run her fingers through his hair.

Lauren leaned over as she stood and kissed his cheek. "Sweet dreams."

"Love you, mama," he said, already on the verge of sleep.

"I love you too, baby," she echoed, flipping on the night light.

Camila was slinking out of the room when Thomas' sleepy voice made her stop. "Love you, Camila," he mumbled, before turning over and snuggling into his pillows.

Camila turned, eyes landing on the lump of blankets on the bed. "Love you too, bud," she murmured , eyes shifting to Lauren whose expression softened from surprise to affection.

She moved towards the door, taking Camila's hand as she passed, tugging the still shocked girl into the hall. "What am I going to do with you?" Lauren asked, closing Thomas' door before turning around to face Camila.

Camila fidgeted, despite the tenderness of Lauren's tone. "I umm... I don't- You could probably do whatever you want."

Lauren hummed and licked her lips, stalking forward, trapping Camila against the opposite wall. "Whatever I want."

Camila's fidgeting increased. "Well I mean- What do you want to do with me?"

Lauren rested her hands on Camila's shoulders. "You mean after you swooped in this morning to come to my rescue, and spent the day watching my son, playing with him and feeding him and caring for him. After I just heard him sleepily declare his love for you as easily as he does for me, and you whispered it back. No hesitation, no evasion. Just emotion. What could I possibly want to do with you after all that?"

Camila swallowed, looking down at Lauren's adoring, though somewhat predatory expression. "Umm... do you wanna finish your wine?"

Lauren dropped her head with a sigh and shook it slowly. "Oh champ, no I don't want to finish my wine," she said, tracing a finger down the middle of Camila's chest. "I definitely am not thinking about wine, I'm thinking about how you need to tell me now if you don't want this to go any further, because I have never wanted you more than I do right now."

Camila's mouth dropped open. "Like want want?"

Lauren's head snapped up, her eyes closing as she fought the urge to roll them. "Yes, want want," she barely managed to finish before being swept up into Camila's arms. She stifled the scream that would have woken Thomas with a kiss, gripping broad shoulders as she was carried down the hall.

They bumped into a few walls, Camila thrown off course by Lauren's lips. Camila fumbled with the first door she stumbled into at the end of the hall. A set of sheets landed on her head and hit the floor with a thud as she knocked into the shelves, causing Lauren to pull back and try to cover her laughter.