Disclaimer: Power Rangers does not belong to me.
Chapter 10: Heat Wave
The next day, Kapri was feeling very good about herself. Sensing the tension between Kelly and her cousin was that of a sexual nature, Kapri had purposely hidden Marah's gift from Dustin. Just as Kapri had planned, the car-owning Cam was forced to go back and get the gift. He had run into Kelly at the apartment, and things had gone as Kapri had hunched they would have from there.
Kapri had basically planned the perfect romantic evening for Dustin and her sister while successfully forcing Cam and Kelly to realize their attraction to one another. "I'm so good at playing Cupid," thought Kapri smugly to herself. "Well, for everyone except me."
Kapri on this sour note hopped out of Cam's car, which her cousin had let her borrow as a bribe for her silence about his activities from the previous evening with Kelly. Entering Storm Chargers, Kapri was met with a blast of hot air that was unnaturally humid even in California for this time of year, considering it was less than two weeks before Christmas.
"The air's not the only thing that's hot in here," thought Kapri coyly to herself, noticing Hunter sitting with Marah behind the Storm Chargers counter.
"What's up with the heat wave?" asked Kapri, standing by store entrance.
"Kelly's air conditioning broke," replied Marah. "Hunter called the company a couple hours ago since Kelly's been out running errands all morning."
Kapri couldn't bring herself to look Hunter in the eyes. Ever since the "Thunder staff covered in cow dung" disaster, she and Hunter had kept their distance from one another out of awkwardness. Thus Kapri was very surprised to see Hunter smiling at her invitingly.
"How's my favorite cowgirl?" teased Hunter, waving Kapri over to where he and Marah were sitting.
"Fine," replied Kapri cautiously, wondering what Hunter had eaten for breakfast that morning to make him feel so friendly toward her now.
"Marah was just telling me about the surprise birthday dinner last night and everything you did to help Dustin," said Hunter. "I can't believe all the work you put in!"
"Why?" asked Kapri sarcastically. "Because the night actually went well?"
"I didn't mean it like that," eased Hunter. "It's really sweet the way you gave so much of your time to help your sister have a great birthday with her boyfriend."
Marah, still singing from her birthday surprise of the previous night, had detailed for Hunter the evening extensively – including Kapri's role in decorating the pagoda and teaching Dustin to cook. Hunter now suddenly saw the blonde sister in a new light, not as a needling nincompoop, but as a girl who was governed by her good intentions toward the people she cared about.
"Kapri's a sweetheart," interjected Marah, mirroring Hunter's exact thoughts at that moment.
"So Cowgirl, think you could teach me to cook some time?" asked Hunter, extending his hand in a friendly truce. "I'm such a disaster in the kitchen that I even mess up macaroni and cheese!"
"On one condition," agreed Kapri. "You go over with me in person the next time how to clean Thunder staffs so I don't ruin any more expensive equipment."
"It's a deal," confirmed Hunter, shaking Kapri's hand and smiling at her warmly. Kapri felt her face go hot, and it wasn't 'cause of the broken air conditioning.
"Looks like things are heating up in here," called Kelly, interrupting Hunter and Kapri's moment. The Storm Chargers boss entered her store holding a tank of gas in one hand and carrying a big bag of ice under her other arm.
"The repairmen said they'd be here this afternoon to fix the air conditioning," said Hunter, taking the can of gas from Kelly. "Thanks for getting this fuel mixed for me."
"Anything for you Hunter," replied Kelly sweetly. "You're one guy in my life who's always good to me," she continued as she walked into the back room behind the counter. Kelly pushed open the door slightly and then slammed it shut abruptly.
"What is Cam doing here?" Kelly hissed in a tone Kapri detected for once not as abhorrence, but rather as anxiety.
"I brought him by earlier to run some tests on my bike's engine," explained Hunter confused. "I didn't think it would be a problem."
"You didn't think, that's what," moaned Kelly. "Hunter, you are now so on my list of least favorite people! Along with Cam of course."
"What did I do?" complained Hunter.
"It's more like who did she do," snickered Kapri under her breath.
"What was that, Kapri?" shot back Kelly.
"Oh nothing," sang Kapri mischievously "Guys, I think it's time go. How would you like that cooking lesson now, Hunter?"
"But I'm not hungry," he protested obliviously.
"You are now!" ordered Kapri, pulling Hunter and Marah along with her. "Let's go upstairs to the apartment and see what Dustin can do for us in terms of cooking utensils."
"Kapri, what the heck is happening here?" asked Marah confused as she was pulled out the door. "If there's something going on between…"
Kelly groaned as the trio exited the store. While Kapri may have had good intentions, her execution needed some work. Feeling the bag of ice start to drip in the air-conditionless shop, Kelly realized she needed to immediately get the frozen fluids into the freezer… which happened to be located in the room where Cam was currently situated.
"This isn't such a big deal," Kelly thought trying to reassure herself as she pushed open the door. "All I'm going to do is see my sworn enemy who I happened to kiss last night!"
The back room felt a hundred degrees hotter to Kelly, particularly once she noticed Cam lying on the ground with his glasses – and more importantly – his shirt off. Positioned under Hunter's bike, Cam had his muscular arms extended up into engine in manner that allowed Kelly to fully appreciate his rippled chest and toned body. Finally sensing someone's presence, Cam looked up and in the surprise of seeing Kelly, hit his head on the bike engine.
"Cute," cooed Kelly to herself against her will. Although cute wasn't the word that came to Kelly's mind as she took in Cam's six-pack abs and rimless face. Kelly had never noticed it before with his glasses and geeky style of dress, but Cam was definitely hot.
Cam ran his hands nervously through his sweaty, black hair. "Hunter said I could work back here," he blurted out. "You stupid idiot!" groaned Cam to himself. "You should have at least said 'hello' to her!"
"It's not a problem," mumbled Kelly, averting eye contact. "It's particularly not a problem when you have your shirt off like that," she thought coyly to herself.
"Uhh, it's really hot in here," said Cam, not meaning for his literal comment to sound so suggestive.
"It's going to be like this for awhile," replied Kelly as she walked toward the fridge. "The air conditioning people won't be here till later."
Cam's intense gaze burned through Kelly as she moved across the room. He couldn't help himself. The red-headed girl looked sizzling in her low-cut, frayed jean shorts and loose, evergreen tank top that she wore over a black, sports bra. Cam slid out from under the bike as Kelly, stilling holding the bag of ice, turned around suddenly.
"Cam, I'm sorry about last night…" started Kelly anxiously.
"I didn't mean yesterday evening Kelly to…" began Cam simultaneously.
The pair laughed, finally allowing their nerves to cool slightly. "You don't need to apologize at all," reassured Cam, coming toward her. "Last night was just a bad error in judgment on both our parts. Not that you were a bad kisser or that kissing you was bad or that you're a bad person at all…" Cam's voice trailed off.
Kelly flushed red, and Cam guessed it wasn't from the room's heat.
"I really need to put this ice away and then change out of these sweaty clothes," mumbled Kelly, heading toward the freezer.
"Kelly wait," murmured Cam, seizing her free arm. Pulling her arm around his neck, Cam pressed his lips fiercely against Kelly's with passion that made her knees buckle.
Ice cubes clattered to the floor as Kelly threw her other arm around Cam's neck and pushed her body close to his. Cam felt his head and every other part of his body throbbing as Kelly, kissing him deeply, ran her hands urgently over his shoulder and down his back. He lifted Kelly up like a feather, her legs moving to encircle his waist as he carried her to the work table – all while continuing to kiss her with the greatest of intensity.
Like a lust-driven fool, Cam swiped to tools off the table and place Kelly on top of the wooden surface. Their foreheads pressed together, both Cam and Kelly gasped for breath while staring desirously into each other's eyes. Letting her hands slide over the front of Cam's muscular chest, all Kelly wanted to do was get out of her sweaty clothes, get out of her store and get Cam up to her bedroom.
Kelly realized apparently she was going to get the first part of her wish as Cam lifted her sticky, green tank top off her body. Lying back on the table, Kelly moaned softly as Cam began to fervently kiss her neck and caress her petite waist. Kelly pulled Cam on top of her and unbuttoned his green, track pants, sending the temperature in Storm Chargers over the top.
A/N: An update on the love lives of Tori and Shane in the next chapter. Stay tuned!