In Five Years

Chapter 21

Maddie

"There's my baby girl." Cam grins as soon as I pick up his face time call. I'm laying on my bed, my head propped up in my hand as I dangle my phone with the other. He must have just gotten out of practice because he's clearly sweating, his hair sticking to his forehead with no shirt on.

Not now, Maddie!

Dirty thoughts consume my head until there's silence between us, his hand waving in front of the camera. "Hello?" He asks. "Did I freeze or something?"

"Oh, no." I quickly shake my head and fall back onto my pillows. "Sorry, I was just distracted. How was practice?"

"Tiring. I'm headed back to the dorm now to shower and get some sleep. We've got a game this weekend so coach is pushing us extra hard like always."

I hear multiple doors close from his end, the light shifting from brightness to darkness a couple of times until he finally seems to get to his destination. He props his phone up on his nightstand, and from what I can tell his room is tiny. It doesn't look like much. I see a couple of football posters hung up on his wall, and a tiny twin bed to the right of him.

His duffle bag from practice is tossed to the side, and right in front of the camera he tugs down his shorts and briefs, making himself completely naked. I find my eyes glued to the screen as he wanders to the closet to find a towel, his back muscles contracting as he reaches for the top shelf.

"Are you doing this on purpose?" I tease.

"Huh?" He glances back and realizes he's in front of the camera before he lets out a laugh. "Oh, honestly, no, I wasn't. Are you enjoying the show though?"

"Very much so."

He wraps a towel around his waist, and it's barely clinging onto his hips as he comes back over to pick up the phone. I raise my eyebrows at him, and that damn smirk that always drives me crazy falls onto his face. I could stare at him forever.

"You know I miss you, right?" He tells me. "I really wish I was there."

"Me too. It's hard to believe it's already been a week since you've been gone. I'm proud of us though with this whole long-distance thing. So far so good."

"Mhm." He sighs and falls back onto his bed. "I need to get in the shower, but I seriously have no energy."

"From being so sore?"

"Yeah. Everything just feels tight. I might need an ice bath or something later. I don't know."

He closes his eyes from being so tired, fluttering them open to look at me again. I can tell he's getting ready to fall asleep, and I'd give just about anything to be right next to him. I'd play with his curls just like I know he loves. I'd stare at that face for hours and just watch him sleep.

"I'm sorry you're so sore," I whisper. "I'd massage you if I could."

"Mmm." He hums tiredly, a tiny smile falling onto his face. "That sounds delightful. Rain check for the next time I see you."

It's so tempting to use that gift card he gave me and hop on the next flight out, but I need to save it for when I need to see him. He just left a week ago. If I use it now then who knows how long I'll have to go until I can see him again?

"Rain check." I smile sadly, but he doesn't see it because his eyes are still closed. "Cam?"

"Hm?" He mumbles.

"You know I want to marry you someday, right?"

He smiles. "I do now."

"I love you so much. This long-distance thing is going to work I think, and that makes me really happy."