1
Two weeks earlier
Cameron
Ashley smiles into her cocktail glass as she sits across the table from me, and I feel myself melt.
This woman will be the death of me. No matter how long I look at her each day, it’s never enough.
“Are we having dessert?” she asks as she opens the menu.
“You’re my dessert,” I reply as I watch her.
She smiles and raises a sexy eyebrow as she peruses the offerings.
It’s Friday night—date night—and she’s all mine. It’s been a long week. I lost a patient in surgery on Tuesday and, as always, Ash was there to pick up my pieces.
I don’t know what I would do without her. I can hardly remember what it was like before she and Owen came into my life.
It must have been lonely, because they’re my whole world now.
“Hmm, that’s me. Sticky date pudding with butterscotch sauce.” She smiles.
“Sticky date pudding sounds really, really good,” I reply.
Her eyes rise to meet mine, and she smirks.
“Let’s go home and have sticky date pudding?” I whisper.
She sips her drink and smirks against the glass. “Can I have yours?”
I chuckle. “Absolutely not.”
She bites her bottom lip to stifle her cheeky smile, and reopens the menu. “My sticky date is off the menu, Cameron.”
I rub my foot up her shinbone. “Until I say it isn’t.”
Our eyes lock and the chemistry buzzes between us. She smiles and looks back to the menu again. “Oh, this sounds good.” She points as she reads. “Creamy ricotta and zesty lemon curd with a drizzle of cream through rich cannoli pastry.”
“Hmm, yes.” I frown. “That’s me.” I smile. “I do love to lick up cream that drizzles.”
Ashley smirks over her menu. “Because you’re an animal.”
I pick up my wine glass and smile into it as I wink her way.
She smiles sexily and raises her glass to me.
“Bien que rien ne goûte aussi bien que votre crème.” I smile.
Translation: Although nothing tastes as good as your cream.
“I’ve en a eu pour toi ici, bébé,” she whispers darkly.
Translation: I’ve got some for you right here, baby.
My cock starts to tingle. I can’t handle it when she talks dirty to me. As soon as she begins, it’s all over. “Let’s go home.”
“Let’s not.” She smiles as she takes my hand in hers over the table and kisses it. “I get you to myself one night a week and we always rush home to have sex because we can’t get enough of each other.”
I smirk. “You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
She slides my finger into her mouth and sucks on it, and I nearly convulse on the spot as I watch her. My cock starts to thump. She sucks my finger again and her eyes close in pleasure. “Do you know how loved you are, Cameron?”
I get a lump in my throat, not because she’s saying it but because I know it’s true.
“I do,” I whisper.
She smiles, and kisses my hand before she places it back on the table and holds it in hers.
I do.
I do.
I frown as I watch her peruse the menu again, and a strange feeling comes over me—one I’ve never had before.
I want to hear her say I do... to me.
I frown as the fog lifts, and suddenly my mind becomes crystal clear.
What am I waiting for?
She’s the one. I know she’s the one.
She glances up from her menu and smiles sexily. “What’s wrong?” She asks.
I sip my wine. “What makes you think that there’s something wrong?” I reply.
“You look like you just swallowed a fly.”
I throw my head back and laugh. If only she knew what I was thinking about.
“You probably should stop swallowing bugs and put that big mouth of yours to good use under the table instead,” she mutters dryly as she continues reading. “That’s what you really should be doing.”
I picture myself under the table going down on her, and I shuffle around in my chair to allow my cock some much-needed room. “Hurry up and order your dessert. You’re getting fucked in the parking lot downstairs in approximately fifteen minutes.”
She smiles darkly and licks her lips. “Make it ten.”
We walk into the elevator and turn to the front. Three women and a middle-aged couple are behind us.
Ashley glances over at me and I smirk.
Game on.
“What time will your husband be home tonight?” I ask her out loud, so everyone can hear.
“I don’t know, he’s your father. You ask him,” she replies flatly. She tilts her chin defiantly as she stares at the doors in front of her.
I keep my eyes facing forward as I try to keep a straight face. “I would, but I’m going to be balls-deep in his wife.”
She drops her head and frowns as she tries desperately not to laugh.
“Oh, my fucking God,” one of the girls behind us whispers as she elbows her friend.
“Listen.” She glances over at me. “You can’t tell your brother about us. If he finds out I’m fucking you, too, it’s not going to be pretty.”
I drop my head and scrunch my eyes shut.
“What a slut,” the girl whispers to her friend.
I turn to face the girl. “Do you mind not speaking about my father’s wife, my brother’s mistress, and my hot little fuck buddy like that?”
The three girls’ eyes widen in horror, and Ashley puts her hand over her mouth and bursts out laughing. It’s contagious and, unable to help it, I laugh, too. The doors open just in time and I grab her hand and pull her out into the parking lot.
We begin to walk to the back corner where our car is parked. “That was a bad one.” She laughs. “Your father and your brother.” She shakes her head. “Where do you come up with this stuff?”
“You started the father.” I laugh as I grab her ass. “My brother was an added bonus.”
I push the key lock and the lights flick on my Aston Martin. Ash goes to the passenger side and I follow her and quickly pin her against my car.
We kiss, and her hands rise up my neck and into my hair. We kiss again and again, and God, this woman makes me crazy. I unzip my suit pants and she frowns as she looks down at me. “I wasn’t joking about fucking you in my car,” I growl.
Her eyes widen, and she glances around the car park. It’s semi-dark and nobody is around.
“Here?” she whispers.
“Right here.” I get into the passenger side and push the seat back as far as it will go.
Ashley looks around the parking lot guiltily.
“Get the fuck on my cock now,” I growl.
She bubbles up a giggle as she hitches up her dress a little. “You are a cream-licking deviant, Dr. Stanton,” she whispers as she falls into a straddle position above me and slowly closes the door behind her.
I pull her panties to the side and swipe my fingers through her flesh.
She’s burning hot and dripping wet. “Yes,” I hiss. Hmm. “Fuck, you feel good.” I slide my cock back and forth through her lips and pull her down onto me in one hard slam.
Her mouth goes into a perfect ‘O’ shape and she closes her eyes. She holds the head rest behind me with both hands.
It’s magnified in this small space... the feeling of her. The feelings I have for her.
Our mouths clash together in desperate need. “Bring your legs up,” I push out.
She struggles a bit. “The damn gear stick is in my way.” She hits her knee hard. “Ouch!” she yells. “If you’re going to fuck me behind your father’s and brother’s backs, can you at least buy a panel van?”
I laugh out loud and grab her hipbones. “Done.” I pick her up and slam her back onto me.
“You’re a very bad man, Cameron Stanton,” she breathes above me.
“And you are an excellent stepmother.”
It’s Wednesday afternoon and I’m just arriving at Joshua’s and Adrian’s office.
I have news, and I asked them to keep the afternoon free for me.
“Hey.” I smile as I walk into Joshua’s office.
Murph is on his laptop on the couch with papers scattered all around him, and Joshua is standing by the window with a golf putter, putting a golf ball into a little fake hole thing.
“Working hard, I see,” I mutter to Joshua.
I slap Murph’s hand in greeting.
“Fuck off, this is how I think,” Joshua replies, distracted. He slowly hits the golf ball and it misses the hole by a mile.
“You are the worst golfer I’ve ever seen,” I tell him.
“I know, right?” Murph rolls his eyes.
“I’d like to see you do better,” Joshua replies.
“I would, but I’m too busy working,” Adrian says, deadpan.
“You ready to go?” I ask.
“Yeah.” Joshua frowns. “What are we doing again?”
I inhale deeply as I brace myself to say this out loud. “We’re buying Ashley an engagement ring.”
Adrian’s eyes widen in excitement. “Oh, my God!” he shrieks as he jumps from the couch. Joshua breaks into a broad smile and slaps me hard on the back before he shakes my hand. “Congratulations, mate.” He laughs.
“Well, that’s premature.” Adrian smiles as he pulls me into an embrace. “She didn’t say yes yet.”
My eyes widen as nerves dance around in my stomach. “She will say yes, won’t she?” I frown in horror. The thought that she might say no hadn’t even crossed my mind.
“I wouldn’t if I were her,” Joshua jokes as he grabs his wallet and keys. “Imagine being fucking stuck with you for life.”
“You two are,” I reply as I fix my hair in my reflection in the window.
He rolls my eyes. “I know. You annoy us daily.”
Adrian laughs and puts his hands up to his face. “Oh my God, what ring are we getting?”
I shrug.
“Well, what shape does she like?”
I shrug again. “I don’t know. There are shapes?”
“Well, what kind of diamond are we getting?” He frowns, agitated.
“I don’t fucking know, do I? What is there?”
Joshua closes his eyes and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Give Murph your credit card, and you and I will go to the pub for the afternoon. I’m sensing this is going to be hell.”
“Tempting.” I smirk. “Nope, I’m doing this right. And we need to think of a way for me to pop the question.”
Adrian narrows his eyes as he thinks. “Yes, it definitely has to be perfect.”
“Remember those fucking lights you had me stringing up for hours, Stan?” I ask as I open the door for us to leave.
He smiles. “They worked.” We walk out through the doors.
“Yes, fairy lights are the only reason Natasha said yes,” Adrian mutters dryly. “You two are so stupid.”
“We’re going shopping for the afternoon,” Joshua tells the two bodyguards who are waiting by the door. “Have the cars follow us at a distance today, please.”
“Of course, sir,” the bodyguard replies as he gets on the phone to the other guards downstairs.
“I’m driving,” I say, and we walk out and get into the elevator.
“You brought the Audi?” Adrian asks in surprise.
“Yep.”
“But… you don’t have Owen.”
I shrug happily. “I’m a family man now. I don’t need to drive a flashy car anymore.”
Joshua smirks. “Who are you and what have you done with my brother?”
We walk into the hundredth jewelry store in four hours, and I exhale deeply. Murph and Joshua peer into the cabinets while I walk around with my three gift bags safely in my hand.
I haven’t found Ash an engagement ring yet, but I have bought her a pair of diamond earrings, a bracelet with a diamond ‘O’ pendant, and I got Jenna a necklace for taking such good care of Owen.
I never bought a girl jewelry before. It’s kind of fun, to be honest.
“Look, will you fucking concentrate?” Joshua snaps. “This is the last shop we’re looking at today. I want to go home. I’ve had enough of this shit.”
“Hmm…” I hum as I look around.
“Just find the style you like and then we’ll get one made. I think that’s the best idea,” Joshua suggests.
“What about this one?” Adrian points to a square-cut diamond ring.
“Yeah.” I purse my lips as I think. “I like the round ones.”
Adrian narrows his eyes. “Ashley wears rose gold, right?”
“I don’t know, it’s a different colour kind of thing.”
“Yes, she wears rose gold,” Joshua replies as he looks through the glass cabinet. “Her watch is rose gold.”
“How do you know about rose gold?” I frown.
“Because I looked for that ring of Natasha’s for ages before I found it, and now I know everything there is to know about everything.”
Adrian rolls his eyes. “Except how to get a golf ball in a hole.”
Joshua’s eyes flicker to Adrian. “I do know how to put golf balls in smart asses’ mouths until they choke,” he offers dryly.
“He’d like that. I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first ball he’s had in his mouth,” I mutter, distracted.
Adrian smirks.
We all continue to peruse the cabinets.
“Where should I ask her?” I think out loud.
Adrian puts his hands up, all animated. “Something so romantic that she’ll be swept off her feet.”
“Hmm.”
“You can go to Kamala,” Joshua suggests.
I cringe. “No, that’s your place.”
Adrian looks through the glass. “Why don’t you fly her somewhere exotic?”
I curl my lip. “I want something sentimental.” I narrow my eyes. “Something that only she will get.”
“Eiffel Tower?” Joshua raises his eyebrows. “You two do speak French to each other all the time like total wankers.”
I smile. “That could be cool.”
“Oh, what about New York in the library where you showed her the newspaper advertisement.” Adrian smiles.
“That’s a good one.”
“Why don’t you just put an advertisement in the paper?” Joshua shrugs.
I put my hands into my pockets as I think. New York reminds me of when she didn’t come home that night.
New York is forever ruined for me now. I feel my stomach churn at the horrible memory.
“Fuck this. Let’s go to the pub.” Joshua sighs.
“We’ll do some research and come back,” Adrian adds.
I nod. “Yeah, she might be getting a ring out of a bubble gum machine at this point. I fucking hate this shit.”
It’s Tuesday and I have just picked up Owen from preschool on my way home from work, and we jump into the car. “How was your day, buddy?” I smile into the rearview mirror.
“Good,” he replies as he looks out the window and we pull out into the traffic. “Can we have McDonald’s for dinner?”
“No,” I reply flatly. “I think we’re having pasta or something.”
Owen screws up his face. “I’m sick of home food.”
I smirk as I weave in and out of the traffic. “Wait till you have to cook the shit,” I mutter under my breath.
“Will Mom be home?” he asks.
“Aha.” I see a travel agent and I pull over. After wracking my brain for a romantic proposal all weekend, I got nothing. I thoroughly deserve my rating of three in the romance sector. “Yes, she’ll be home soon. She’s not working late tonight,” I answer.
“Can I have a bath with crayons tonight?”
“No. Those things are ridiculous.” Owen got bath crayons that were supposed to be great fun for his birthday, but all they did was fuck up two upstairs baths and stain the fucking carpet in the hall. “I threw those silly things in the rubbish. Do you remember the mess they made?”
He rolls his eyes as he stares out the window. “Santa will bring me more, anyway,” he mutters under his breath.
I smirk because he’s got a snarky little attitude, just like his mom.
“Don’t count on it, buddy,” I say as I park the car. “I’ve got a hotline to Santa. He and I are tight.” I cross my two fingers and hold them up for him to see.
We climb out of the car and I take his hand as we head into the travel agent’s. The door has a bell over it and it rings to let them know of our arrival.
“Yes. Hello.” The girl smiles as she comes from the back room.
“Hello.” I smile. Shit. I glance down at motor mouth, who’s staring intently up at us. Didn’t think this through too well, did I? “I’m looking for somewhere to go for vacation around Christmas time,” I lie.
“Sure. Somewhere kid-friendly?” She smiles.
Owen grins up at her and swings his arms excitedly.
Hmm, fuck’s sake. “Yes, kid-friendly,” I confirm.
“Well, Disneyland is always great. Have you been there?” She smiles down at Owen.
His eyes light up and he shakes his head. “No. Oh, can we go, Dad? Can we?”
“Hmm... I’ll just take some brochures, if that’s all right.”
“Okay, sure, where do you want brochures for?”
I narrow my eyes as I glance down at Owen. “Somewhere...” I pause.
She smiles knowingly. “Did you see our globe at the front?” she asks Owen.
“Oh.” He immediately goes over to the globe and starts to look at it intently.
“You don’t want kid-friendly at all, do you?” she whispers.
“Definitely not,” I whisper back.
“What do you want?”
“Romantic kick-ass proposal place.”
She smiles broadly and puts her hand on her chest.
I look at her blankly. I’m not asking you. “Any suggestions?”
“I have heaps. Give me your email and I’ll send you a list of destinations tomorrow.”
“Great.” I take out my wallet and am just taking out a business card when I hear a loud crash and bang, and I look up in horror. “Owen!” I call.
He stands still, eyes wide.
Fucking hell.
Owen has spun the globe so hard it has come off its stand and gone flying into the window, smashing into a hundred pieces.
His little face falls and his eyes fill with tears. “It’s okay.” I sigh. “It was just an accident.”
He scrunches up his face and begins to cry in embarrassment.
“I’m so sorry,” I mutter. “How much do I owe you for the globe?”
“I’m not really sure it can be replaced.” She frowns in horror. “It was my boss’, a present from his late wife.”
“Oh, fuck.” I sigh.
“I know,” she whispers, wide-eyed and mortified.
My phone rings and the name Bloss lights up my screen. “Excuse me for a moment, please.” I answer the call. “Hey, Bloss.”
“Hi, Cam. I just got a call from a solicitor.”
“Why?” I glance up to see the poor girl trying to pick up the pieces of the smashed globe. I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes in horror. I’m going to have to book my trip through here now.
“They want to see me urgently and left a message on my phone,” she says.
“What about?” I ask.
“I don’t know. What do you think it is?”
I shrug. “I have no idea.”
“Do you think it has something to do with the court proceedings you lodged?”
I shake my head. “No, babe. Text me the number and I’ll ring them and find out.”
“Oh, could you? I’m still at work.”
“Yeah.”
“Where are you?” She smiles.
“I’m with Owen, breaking shit.” I sigh.
She laughs, thinking I’m joking. This is not a drill. We are literally breaking shit over here. “See you in about an hour.”
“Bye,” I reply.
After paying the poor girl what she thinks the globe is worth, and promising to book a trip for her trouble, we head home and I turn the television on for Owen so I can go into my office and call the solicitor. “Hello, Lanvin Solicitors,” the receptionist answers.
“Yes, hello.” I narrow my eyes. “I had a missed call today from you and I was wondering if you could let me know what it was concerning, please.”
“Just a minute. What was the name?”
I scowl because I know she probably won’t give me any information. “Ashley Tucker.”
“Oh.” She pauses, and I can hear her keyboard clicking.
“I’m her husband,” I reply. Well… hopefully soon-to-be.
“Ah, yes. Here it is. We just need Mrs. Tucker to come into the office, please.”
I frown. “Can I ask what it’s in regard to?”
“She’s been named in a will.”
“Whose?” I frown.
“Gloria Newton.”
I smile and close my eyes. Gloria… beautiful Gloria. I bet she left Ash her book collection.
“That’s great. Can we come in next week sometime, please?”
“Sure. Monday afternoon?”
“What’s your last appointment?” I ask.
“Five-thirty.”
“Okay, Ashley will be in then. Thank you for your call.”
I hang up and smile to myself. I’m glad Ashley didn’t take that call. It’s going to be a really nice surprise for her.
“So?” I hesitate as I watch Ash over our dinner table. “I was thinking of booking a trip for us.”
“Yes. Disneyland,” Owen spits in excitement.
Ash raises her eyebrows and continues to eat.
I jump up and grab the pile of brochures from the side table and hand them to her. “What do you think?” I ask. “You can pick anywhere.”
She looks through them and exhales. “I just don’t have time to go away, Cam. Next year we can do something.” She takes the last mouthful of food from her plate.
“Next year?” I frown. I can’t wait a fucking year. “You’re entitled to holidays, you know.”
She shakes her head. “I don’t want to go away right now. I already live in a resort half the time.” She gestures to the house around us. “We don’t need to go away when we are very lucky where we are.”
“Well, maybe we could do a weekend?”
“Cam, I have exams and work and a child and preschool and a million things I have to do every day. I’m sorry. I just don’t have the time at the moment. You and Owen go away to Disneyland if you want.” She smiles. “That would be nice to spend some alone time with just the two of you.”
She stands and kisses my cheek before she takes the plates to the sink. “Thanks, though.”
I scowl. How the hell am I supposed to think of some romantic fucking thing when she won’t leave the house?
My score is dropping to one.
I look through the brochures as I wrack my brain.
Maybe I should ask her in an elevator. At least then if she said no I can pretend it was a skit.
She yawns. “I’m going to have a shower and then I am going to lie down on the couch and do nothing,” she announces.
“Owen and I will wash the dishes.” I sigh, preoccupied. The poor thing is exhausted. She works way too hard. I remember being an intern, and it was hell.
She disappears up the stairs and I flick through the brochures, scratching my head.
“Well, she doesn’t want to go away, Owie.” I sigh.
“She would go to Vegas.”
My eyes glance to his in surprise. “Why would she go to Vegas?”
“Because that’s her favorite place.”
“Why is Vegas her favorite place?” I frown.
“Because that’s where she met you and you gave her my seed.”
I smile. “It is.”
“She said that one day when she has enough money she’s going to take me there.”
“Did she, now?”
He smiles and then shakes his head, widening his eyes. “But I’m not giving any seeds out when I kiss girls.”
I laugh out loud. “I should hope not, Owen Stanton. You’re four!”