Chapter Fourteen

Cameron

Sophie was in the shower when I woke. In a matter of seconds, I’d decided to join her but not before sending her a little inspiration. This morning, I chose a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: Do one thing every day that scares you. Then I hit “Send” and soon heard her phone beep on the other nightstand. With a grin, I dropped my boxers and strutted into the bathroom. I brushed my teeth all while watching her through the glass door of the frameless shower. As soon as I finished, I strode over and joined her.

“Oh, I was just finishing,” she announced. Then she stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the lips.

“Morning, kitten. Are you ready for some football?” I smiled and wrapped my arms around her slick skin.

She laughed. “As a matter of fact, I am. I’m going to make that s’mores dip for your whole family and that buffalo chicken dip I told you about last night.”

“Sounds great.” I rinsed my hair while staring at her. She seemed so confident, so relaxed. I wanted to bottle it and save it for later because if my brother showed up, she’d need it. He always had me on edge. I only could imagine what seeing him might do to her. I studied her a moment, the way she looked with her hair slicked back, droplets of water collecting on her skin. Something about her appealed to me in ways I couldn’t even express. Without thinking, I began to kiss her, starting with her forehead, then her temple, moving on to her cheek. The kisses continued down her throat until soon I’d found her breasts and began to lick and nibble while she panted in pleasure.

“Wait,” Sophie murmured. “I don’t want to smell like sex when I meet your parents.” She half-heartedly pushed at my chest.

I rose until we were staring each other in the eye. “Then this is the best place for the sex, since I can clean you up after.” I chuckled. “Problem solved.”

She bit her lower lip, and her nostrils flared as I teased her nipples with my thumbs. “Will I ever be able to say no to you?” Her voice was full of wonder while she shook her head. “I feel so weak where you’re concerned.”

“Silly Sophie.” I lifted her in the air, my hands gripping her buttocks. “Don’t you see you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known?” Then I sucked a nipple into my mouth and grazed her skin gently with my teeth.

“Not like this.” She moaned and pushed her body out of my arms. When I helped her land on her feet, she turned and bent over. “Like this. I want to try it this way.”

I inhaled sharply. “Kitten, you’re full of surprises.”

As gently as possible, I slid into her from behind, holding on to her hips while I began to move. Soon I’d found my rhythm, and we were both breathing erratically as we made love for about the fifteenth time since we’d been brought back together.

“I love . . .” Sophie began, but I stopped her with a finger over her lips and a severe look.

“Not during sex. Not for the first time.” I shook my head as she peeked toward me. “I want to believe you. I want to feel the truth of it. Right now, I’d think it was the pleasure talking.”

She turned away, and a second later, I felt her muscles contracting around me, squeezing me in the best ways. I ran my hands up her back and sides. I reached around and cupped one of her perfect breasts. Inside me, the pressure was building.

“How about now?” Sophie wondered quietly. “Is it safe to tell you?”

Instantly, I erupted. Somehow, for some reason, this amazing woman loved me. As afraid as she was of the consequences, she was determined to make sure I understood. “I know, Soph.” I slowly pulled out and lifted her into my arms again. She smiled shyly while she wrapped her legs around my waist. “I can see it in your eyes,” I explained. Then I leaned in and kissed her with everything in me. I wanted to leave her gasping for breath and certain she didn’t love alone.

By the time we broke apart, she could barely speak. We silently began to wash each other. Then, as the water began to cool, we turned it off, and I reached for her towel to keep her warm. “I’ll build a fire when we get back tonight,” I announced. “If I build one now, we’ll never leave. You look so beautiful fresh out of the shower.”

Her eyes sparkled, and I sensed she was finally starting to believe me, and the confidence she should’ve always had begun to grow. “OK, I’ll dress and work on food. What time do we need to leave?”

Stepping out of the shower, I dried off quickly and wrapped a towel around my waist so I could go check my phone. There was a missed call from my mother and a text. Thank God I was bringing Sophie to run interference today. “Well, it’s ten now. The game is at one. I’d say no later than twelve fifteen so we can get settled in before kickoff.” I shrugged like it was no big deal, but I planned to return my mother’s call before we drove over.

At last, Sophie had settled into the kitchen. “Do you want me to make breakfast?” she asked as she pulled out all the pans and supplies she’d need to start preparing her food.

“Nope. I’m going to step outside for a minute. When I return, I’ll make hot chocolate. Sound good?” I smiled. I’d pulled on a pair of jeans and a thermal shirt. My jersey was at my parents’ place, ready for me.

“Perfect.” Sophie smiled and then focused on her tasks, leaving me to speak to my mother all by myself, which was precisely what I needed.

I walked out the back door to the deck and then down the stairs to the grass before pulling my phone out of my pocket. With a deep sigh, I hit the button to return her missed call. Mom didn’t even properly greet me before she started in.

“Cameron James Everett, I could kick your tail right now. I don’t care how big you think you are,” she threatened.

“Mom,” I began calmly.

“Don’t you ‘Mom’ me, mister. You left for work, never returned, and haven’t sent me more than a lame text message in days. What can you possibly say to make this better?” she said with a growl.

“I’m bringing Sophie home for the game, Mom.” I bit my cheek while I wandered out to the dock to get as far away from the house as possible.

“Who’s Sophie? See what I mean? Why am I just now hearing about this girl?” She slammed her hand down on the counter.

“Oh, you’ve been hearing about her for years. Remember?” I pleaded.

“Sophie. Sophie. Nope, I don’t remember a Sophie . . . unless you mean the girl you nursed a crush on for all those years.” She gasped. “Is it that Sophie?”

I chuckled. “Yes, Mom. That’s my one and only Sophie. I rescued her the other night. We connected. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing her again.” I hoped my explanation would appease her.

She sucked in a breath. “Well, that’s nice, Cameron, but is she worth losing your job over? Because your captain called me. You missed your last three shifts. He said if you’re not dead, your career is.”

My shoulders drooped. “I can explain, Mom. Later. Right now, we’re getting ready to come over. I want you to understand,” I mumbled. “She’s everything.”

“Great. I’d sure hate to think you wrecked your life over nothing.” She sighed angrily.

“It’ll be OK, Mom. I promise. Just . . . be nice to her. She’s a little skittish.” I glanced up at the house, hoping Sophie hadn’t snuck down behind me, but I could see her in the kitchen window, puttering away.

“When am I ever not nice, Cameron?” my mother snapped.

“Well . . .” I chuckled.

“Goddamn it. You deserve my wrath. I love you, and I worry over you. May you never have a son who breaks your heart like you do mine.” She sniffled, which had me rolling my eyes and wondering.

Sophie and I had made love without protection so many times, my child could already be inside her. The thought made me smile. I’d never wanted forever before.

“We’ll be there about twelve thirty,” I announced. “Sophie is making a buffalo dip and a s’mores dip.”

“What if I wanted to make a buffalo dip?” Mom pouted.

“Do you even know how?” I asked gently.

“No.” She huffed.

I chuckled. “Then it’s kinda a nonissue, wouldn’t you say?”

“See you soon, Cam,” my mother grumbled as she hung up.

That’s when I realized I hadn’t even asked about my brother.

Sophie

 

“Are you sure I look OK?” I asked nervously. “I’ve never really gone to a football party.”

“Well, this isn’t one either. You’re going to family day, and we happen to be watching football. Trust me, when you see what the Super Bowl party is like, you’ll understand the difference.” Cameron smiled at me and laid a hand on my thigh while he drove my vehicle.

I had one casserole dish on my lap and the other on the floor between my feet. The s’mores dip had been prepped but couldn’t be cooked until we showed up at his parents’ house. “Do you think they’ll like me?” I asked quietly. Somehow, this seemed immensely important to me. I was probably going to drive myself crazy until we arrived and I knew for sure I’d passed the parent test.

“My folks will love you. My father will barely pay attention to you once the game is on, but he’ll taste your food and know you’re special.” Cam laughed. “Mom will be your buddy the entire game. So if you don’t want to watch, don’t worry. She’ll keep you company.”

“OK.” I nodded and stared out the window. “How long until we get there again?”

“We’re turning onto my road now. Say . . . three minutes. Brace yourself. If I know my mother, she’ll greet us at the door or on the porch. Hell, she might even rush the car.” He sighed. “Kitten, I’ve never brought a girl home before.”

My eyes widened. “Never?”

He shook his head. “Never. Not for a school project. Not as a friend. Most definitely not as a girlfriend.”

My heart raced. There was a label I hadn’t had previously, but I yearned for now. I waited for him to correct his verbiage.

“I know I didn’t mention it before, but would you mind if I introduced you as my girlfriend?” Cam glanced at me while he pulled into the driveway.

“Like we’re exclusive? Only seeing each other?” I bit my lip while waiting for his response.

“Have I been unclear so far?” He shook his head. “Yes, just you and me for as long as you’ll have me, kitten.”

I grinned. In fact, I smiled so wide, I thought my face was going to break. I’m pretty sure I teared up a little because a moment later, he was dabbing at my eyes.

“Please stop. My mother is going to think I upset you, and I’ll be in the doghouse all day.” Cam leaned in and kissed my lips. “So that’s a yes, right?”

“Definitely. I’m yours.” I giggled.

Seconds later, there was a knock on my window. I jumped and opened the door. “Hi,” I began shyly.

“You must be Sophie!” his mother squealed. “Cameron, why didn’t you tell me she’s gorgeous?” She wiped her hands on her pants. “Sorry. I’ve been cooking. I’m a wreck. Let me help you.” She reached for the dish on my lap and paused. “Oh my word. Your nails are amazing.”

“Thank you,” I responded shyly. “It’s kinda my thing.”

“You’re a nail technician! That’s very cool. I hear they make decent money too.” She smiled over my head at Cam and nodded her approval.

He started to open his mouth to object, but I placed a hand on his arm to silence him. I could explain the complexities of my life some other time. Cam didn’t even understand everything yet. I smiled at his mother. “You know, after we get the food set up, I can do your nails, if you want.” I watched her face light up.

“That would be really nice,” she admitted. “Let’s get inside. I can’t wait to introduce you to James, Cam’s dad.”

I smiled. “I’ll follow you.” Then as I stood, my phone chimed. I glanced at Cam, who whistled innocently. With a giggle, I checked my text messages. There was a beautiful picture quote by Oscar Wilde: Men always want to be a woman’s first love—women like to be a man’s last romance. Below it, he’d added his own personal message: Looking forward to romancing you for the rest of our lives.

So many butterflies. So many tears. My heart was so full. I couldn’t believe I’d ever been worried about this. What a silly thing, to fear love.

Once inside, I was ushered into the kitchen to drop everything off. The family room was open to the kitchen, and there was a fire burning in the floor-to-ceiling stacked stone fireplace. A big burly man in a recliner was engrossed in the pregame show. “Would you believe they’re picking the Saints over the Panthers?” He threw his hands in the air, then turned when he realized we’d arrived. He slowly stood and lumbered over to his wife’s side. He wrapped an arm around her waist. “Bunny, who do we have here?”

My brows shot up, and I glanced at Cam, who rolled his eyes. “Her name is Bonnie. He misspoke one time and decided that would be her nickname henceforth.”

I chuckled. “Cam calls me kitten. You know, firefighter joke because he carried me out of a burning building.”

Cam leaned down and kissed my temple. “Dad, this is Sophie.”

His father’s head tilted. “Like . . . the Sophie?”

My brow furrowed, and I looked to Cam for explanation. His cheeks flamed as he responded. “Yes. The one and only Sophie.”

Rocking on his heels, his father nodded. “Nice to meet you, Sophie.”

“Nice to meet you too, sir.” I held out a hand to greet him, but the man hauled me into his arms. I stiffened but held it together. When he set me down, I glared at Cam, who shrugged.

His parents wandered off for a minute, no doubt to talk about me, and I cornered Cam in the kitchen. “Hugs? And what have you told them about me?”

He blew out a breath and averted his eyes. “I told you, you’re the first girl I’ve ever brought home. They’re a little . . . excited. And I only said good things. How much I like you, all that.” He shrugged. “Sorry, Soph. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

I inhaled deeply and shook my head. “You didn’t. I’m just . . . not used to this. Gimme a few minutes to adjust, OK?”

“I’ll give you all the time you need.” Cam buried his face in my throat. “I adore you, Sophie. I’m in this for the long haul.”

Seconds later, the oven beeped, and I realized it was time to put the s’mores dip in the oven. We broke apart so I could work the unfamiliar appliance. When we did, I noticed his parents were standing in the doorway, smiling at us. I blushed, but Cam seemed relaxed and at ease in a way I’d rarely seen before.

“You know,” I commented to his mother, “I did say I could do your nails while the food cooks.”

“Yes. Thank you!” She looped an arm through mine and brought me to her bathroom. “This is my grand collection of polish,” she announced as she passed me a basket from her linen closet. Then she shook her head. “Pretty pathetic, huh?”

In silence, I studied a few of the colors she had accumulated. “Do you want something traditional, or can I break from that and Simply Sophie them?” I rolled my eyes. “I mean, can I do them my way? Are you up for some adventure?”

“Do what you will, my little fairy nail mother.” She laughed, and I quickly saw Cam’s gorgeous green eyes had come from her.

I tucked the basket under my arm. “Let’s get to work at the table. Mind if I record this on video?” I murmured absently. “Two birds, one stone, so to speak.” I shrugged.

“Why not? What do you do with the video?” Cam’s mom followed me out of the room.

“Oh, I’ll be posting it online.” I bit my cheek. There was no reason to disclose my ridiculous number of followers, right?

“How cute! So you have a blog or something?” She stared at me intently, and I realized she was curious about the woman her son had brought into her house.

Once I set everything on the table, I grabbed my purse from the counter where Cam had left it. He and his father were settled into the family room, but he kept peeking over at me periodically. I loved how attentive he’d become. I’d never felt so safe.

“What would you like me to call you?” I asked as I readied the camera.

“You can call me Bonnie, for now.” I saw the sparkle in her eyes, and I blushed when I decided she was already picturing me as her future daughter-in-law.

“Good. Thank you, Bonnie. So I’ll make this video a little differently. Can you just roll with it? We’ll get to know each other while I work.” I giggled. “Would you believe I get paid for this?”

She eyed me curiously. “I do and I don’t. I guess you’ll explain.”

I nodded as I turned on the camera. “Happy football Sunday from Charlotte, North Carolina,” I began. “We’re experiencing some perfect fall weather here. And while the guys are settling in for some food and fun, I thought we might do nails.” I set out an array of colors where the camera could capture them. “These are the colors we’ll be working with today. And these are the nails.” I reached out and pulled Bonnie’s hands into the shot. “This is Bonnie. She has generously allowed me to make her my nail model for the day. We’re going with some new fall-inspired designs.”

While I worked on her fingers, we chatted. “So you were going to tell me about the video?” Bonnie began tentatively.

“Right, and since some viewers may be new to the channel, I’ll share a little of the history.” I took a deep breath. “I started a YouTube channel when I was a teen with one of my best friends. It’s still up, though seriously out-of-date with the current makeup trends. We called it Sophia Kate. Then Kate went off to college. She’s still in front of the camera as a reporter for a local news station. And I’m staying behind the camera where I’m far more comfortable.” I giggled. “After graduation, I developed my own solo project, Simply Sophie. I started with nail art because it was a hobby.” I finished the base coat and asked, “What do you think of that so far?”

“It’s beautiful, so much bolder than anything I’d usually wear. I love it.” She laughed, and her husband whipped around in his chair to smile at her.

I marveled over their relationship. So many years together, and they were obviously still very much in love. “Well, just wait until we’re finished. I have a few more tricks up my sleeve, or more accurately . . . in my purse.” I grinned and continued my story. “So after the first year, I had several hundred thousand subscribers, and deals started to pour in. I began to really branch out, try new products, and earn a comfortable living.” I bit my bottom lip.

“Oh, you support yourself like this? With nails?” Her brows rose, and I read the worry in her face.

“Yes, but I have multiple streams of income. I design vinyl nail coverings for one company. I receive money for the number of views I get on each video. I write the occasional column for fashion magazines. Plus I have several rental properties.” I paused when I saw her eyes widen.

“You’re doing OK, then.” Bonnie blew out a breath. “I’m a mother. I worry.” She shook her head in Cam’s direction. “I have two boys. One was a marine; the other is finishing law school.”

“That’s great. Two successful sons,” I commented as I finished adding the leaf decals I’d dug out of my purse to two of her fingers. “Now a little glitter and a top coat.” I worked while she spoke about her boys.

“Carrying and giving birth to twins was the easy part,” she murmured. “Raising them was the real challenge. I’ve never seen two more different boys in all my life.”

“Let’s give these a moment to dry. You’re all done. What do you think?” I smiled calmly.

“Wow. I’ve never had such pretty nails. Thank you, Sophie.” She jumped up to hug me, but I pointed to the camera.

“After these dry a good five minutes, Bonnie will be ready to resume her normal activities. Give these a try at home.” I cut off the camera and smiled at her.

“Right from your cell phone?” She shook her head in wonder.

“Not usually, but in a pinch, it will do. I lost my good camera in the fire. I have yet to replace it.” I sighed. “I need to make an insurance claim. There’s a lot I need to handle in the coming week.” I uploaded the video on YouTube, adding the categories, hashtags, and description. “Done,” I announced. “Now I’ll check on the s’mores dip.” I moved to the oven and peeked inside.

“I’m so glad our golden boy finally connected with his dream girl.” Bonnie beamed while studying her nails. “And it’s so good to get to know you, Sophie.”

“I feel the same way,” I murmured as I grabbed the pot holders on the counter to pull out the dip.

“Yeah, I’d begun to think he’d never bring a girl home.” James chuckled in the keeping room.

I set the s’mores dip on the island and laid out the graham crackers. “Ready for you to dig in.”

“Perfect timing, kitten. The game is just about to begin.” Cam came over and stood beside me while I pulled out the nacho chips to go with the buffalo dip. Once I’d finished, he hauled me into his arms and whispered, “They love you. You’re amazing.” Then he leaned back and stared into my eyes. “You doing OK?”

“I’m actually having a really good time.” I nodded, and my shoulders sagged in relief.

“Good.” He hugged me close. “Come sit with me.” Together, we started toward the empty love seat when he paused. The front door slammed, and Cam’s brow furrowed as he looked to his mother.

“We invited him, but P. J. didn’t say he was coming.” Bonnie frowned.

I froze. “P. J.?”

“In the flesh,” he announced as he strutted into the room, and he wasn’t alone.

“Katie?” I rubbed my forehead as I struggled to process everything.

She gave me a smug look. “Yeah. I’m dating P. J. And look at you, hanging out with C. J., just like we always dreamed.” Her brow rose in challenge. She knew. She’d known all along.

I gasped and backed out of Cam’s grasp. My face scrunched up as I met his gaze. “C. J.?”

He frowned. “I haven’t been C. J. for a really long time. I don’t understand. What’s wrong?” He reached for me, but I raised my hands and backed away.

“‘What’s wrong?’” I spat. “You ruined my life. You were the catalyst for my brother’s death. You . . . all because I liked you, trusted you, wanted you to like me too.” I choked back a sob.

Katie and P. J. stepped aside, allowing me to grab my purse from the table. My heart was in my throat. I couldn’t decide if I was going to cry or puke or both. I felt positively sick, and every bit of me hurt, like a flu, only far more debilitating. I glanced at Bonnie. “I’m sorry. I have to . . . go.” Then I raced toward the front door. Tears nearly blinded me as I stumbled down the steps. I heard the sound of people behind me, but I refused to look. I couldn’t face anyone at the moment. I just needed to be alone, away from everyone, especially Cam and Katie.

“Typical,” Katie called out. “Always running. You’re the weakest person I know. How were we ever friends?”

I whipped around and glared at her while wiping my eyes. “Were we ever?” My hands, though shaky, were on my hips.

“What? Friends?” Katie drew back like I’d hit her. Then she stiffened and stuck out her chest. “I don’t know. Maybe we weren’t. You tell me.”

I released a hollow laugh. “I’ve had cause to reconsider. Especially now. The other day you were downright mean, but I had no idea you could be such a heartless bitch.”

P. J., who had been standing behind her, stormed at me, screaming, “Take it back, you dumb cunt!”

My eyes widened in shock, and I froze, uncertain of what to do even as he raised his hand, ready to strike me. I held my hands fisted at my sides, my chin up, mentally prepared for his blow. Instead, he landed in a heap at my feet. And when I looked down, I realized it was because Cam had tackled him.

He roughly rolled P. J. over and sat on his gut. “If I ever catch you raising a hand to Sophie or any other woman ever again, I’ll beat you to within an inch of your life.” Cam leaned low in his brother’s face. “Do you understand?”

P. J. sneered. “Of course I understand. Now ask me if I care.”

“You have no fucking soul. How could we have shared a womb?” He released him and stood up in disgust.

With a laugh, P. J. rolled to his feet. “Pretty rich coming from the guy who ruined her life.” He snickered.

Cam looked at me. The pain in his eyes nearly crippled me. “I don’t understand that either. Soph, won’t you talk to me? Explain what you mean. I’d never hurt you, or anyone else, intentionally.”

“Then I must be the biggest mistake you ever made,” I whimpered as I opened my car door and hopped in.

“Wait. At least give me a clue. How can I fix this?” He rushed to my window and pressed his forehead against it.

“Fix a text from ten years ago?” I shook my head. “You can’t.” Then I shoved my key in the ignition, started the car, and sped off without glancing in the rearview mirror.

“Never look back,” I whispered while trying not to hyperventilate. But as I stared forward, I had no idea where to go.