“OH, LOOK SWEETIE,” LACEY COOED as she stooped down next to the all-terrain stroller and pointed into a group of pinõn pines nearby. “That’s a roadrunner! See?”
Cam watched the sweet interaction between his adorable wife and infant son with undisguised joy. Dylan might only be two months old and adept at little more than holding his head up, but the way his Ponytail kept up a non-stop narrative during the baby’s every waking moment, you’d think they were carrying on a conversation. And maybe they were.
Not too unlike what he experienced during the precious quiet times with his son, when he murmured about guy things like learning to catch a baseball or how he couldn’t wait to teach his boy the joys of reading. He’d come to enjoy reading during the long months of Lacey’s blissful pregnancy when they sat side by side while she taught herself to knit and he read aloud. Life was fucking great in the Cameron household these days.
Chuckling when she straightened and returned to pushing the fancy stroller along the road, he couldn’t help but remark, “Be glad Zeus isn’t running around out here. She loves to chase those little buggers. Raven, too. One day they might even catch one and then watch out! Holy shit, but that’ll be funny.”
“Language, Daddy,” Lacey reminded him with mock indignation. “I don’t want Dylan’s first words to be off color.”
Cam couldn’t help but laugh. “Off color? Fuck, woman, he’s gonna have to learn how to curse like the rest of us outnumbered males if he doesn’t want to end up with a box of dolls stashed under his bed.”
“Oh, be quiet you,” Lacey giggled. “I can hope, can’t I? But you’re right—this whole place is like ground zero for swear words. Doesn’t help that Tori has a black belt in naughty language and Meghan’s not far behind.”
Slinging a possessive arm about his wife’s shoulders, he hugged her close and chuckled. “It’s only you, my delicate flower, who thinks there’s any merit whatsoever to watching your mouth.”
His heart filled with a lot more than love when she glanced sideways at him from under her lashes and whispered, “Well, you’ve found plenty of other ways for this mouth to be naughty than with some vulgar language.”
And man oh man, had he ever. His sexy ponytailed wife had taken to subjecting him to some scorching hot intimacies featuring her lips and tongue that made him a happy man indeed.
“Speaking of which,” he drawled lazily, “isn’t it about time we had some alone time? You know, some horizontal rhumba with your legs in the air and me fucking the giggles right out of you?”
Lacey stopped pushing the stroller and huffed at him with female indignation oozing from every pore of her face. “Seriously, husband? Is that all you think about?”
“Hardly,” Cam answered with a sly wink. “And look who’s talking. I seem to remember your doctor saying we should wait at least seven weeks before being intimate. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t it you who tried to force the issue way before then?”
“Shush you,” she giggled. “I can’t help it if you’re like movie star gorgeous. Besides, I don’t remember you putting up all that much of a fight.”
“Well, what’s a guy to do when his wife surprises him with some come-hither eyes while she’s down on her knees?”
Lacey sighed at the memory he conjured up and turned to him, throwing her arms around his neck and pressing her delectable body against his. With her fingers creeping into the hair on the back of his head, she groaned and captured his mouth with her lips. They stood there, arms wrapped tight around the other and kissed like sex-starved maniacs.
“You know, I wanted to make love to you that night but you weren’t ready. It’s been better to wait. Let your body adjust to all the changes.”
His wanton wife pushed her hips into him and wiggled. The shimmy shot heat into his groin at an alarming rate of speed.
“I’m ready now, Cameron. And you know perfectly well it’s not just you with that legs in the air scenario taunting every waking hour.”
Oh, God. She was going to be the death of him some day, he was sure of it. Throughout her entire pregnancy, his wife had been like a sex machine, climbing all over him morning, noon, and night. He’d been awakened countless times by her wicked tongue. Doing all sorts of sexy things intended to rouse him from sleep so she could ride him with abandon until she flew apart shuddering helplessly in his arms. Shit. Truth be told, he’d taken her from behind with that gorgeous ass of hers staring him in the face and her beautiful pregnant belly nestled in some pillows just a few days before Dylan’s birth.
He was mapping out a sexy scenario involving a long warm bath and a bunch of flickering candles, maybe even a bottle of expensive champagne for the resumption of their marital sexy times, when Lacey cupped his sex through his jeans and sighed. Fuck. If she kept that up, he was going to have her right here in the middle of the road.
“I bought a black corset,” she murmured into his ear. “And some naughty lace panties that tie on the side.”
“Excuse me?” he wheezed. His virginal bride was turning into quite the seductress.
“You heard me,” she drawled as she suddenly disengaged from him and began pushing the stroller along the road.
He just stood there with a dumbfounded, slack-jawed expression watching her delicious ass stride away from him in a pair of stretch jeans that clung to her every curve. As Lacey’s signature blond ponytail swung and swayed with each step, he wondered out loud, “How did I get to be so fucking lucky?”
WHEN SHE RETURNED TO DRAE and Tori’s house, Stephanie found her pregnant daughter laughing gleefully at her husband as he pantomimed his technique for changing diapers. It was good to see Tori with a smile on her face and Draegyn so relaxed.
Using his hands to demonstrate, he insisted that, “Cam says, it’s all about the lift and shoosh. Ya’ lift the baby’s ass by the ankles and shoosh the diaper underneath.”
“Shoosh?” Tori giggled. “Is that even a word? I’m not sure Bunny Cha Cha wants to get shooshed.”
Draegyn looked up as Stephanie entered the living room and grinned. “I’m right, aren’t I, Grandma? First lift and then shoosh.”
Grandma. Yikes! Every time she heard the word, she didn’t know whether to laugh or scream.
“Actually, I kind of agree,” she answered with a wry grin. “And you’d best do it quickly too—especially if Bunny Cha Cha turns out to be a boy—unless, of course, you like being covered in pee.”
Bunny Cha Cha. Geez Louise. Only Tori could come up with such a ridiculously adorable way of referring to their baby. Truth be told, Stephanie had been pleased when the newlyweds decided against finding out their child’s sex beforehand. She was glad they held off. That moment when a newborn’s cry rang out in the delivery room and the doctor said, ‘congratulations, it’s a whatever’ was special.
“See! Told you,” Draegyn teased as he bent low to kiss his wife.
Stephanie sighed. Whatever misgivings she’d been harboring about the good-looking former ladies’ man were quickly vanishing under the glaring evidence of the man’s blatant devotion to her daughter.
“Hey, Mom,” Tori chirped excitedly when Draegyn straightened. “Lacey and Dylan are heading up to the big house. Meghan called down and asked us to come by for brunch. Get in some baby snoodles. You up for it?”
Seeing the way Draegyn’s expression brightened as his wife smiled warmed Stephanie’s heart. Thank God, Tori seemed better than she had after her arrival yesterday. The haggard, struggling woman she’d been so distraught to discover had been replaced by a happier, lighter individual who wasn’t nearly as pathetic as she appeared just twenty-four hours earlier.
“Absolutely I’m up for it, shugah,” she told her. “That’s one cute baby. He was so adorable at his christening—I loved holding him and as you say, getting in some baby snoodles. Just give me a half hour to shower and change and I’ll drive us up to the house. That okay with you, Draegyn?”
“Hell yeah,” he quickly answered. “Whatever Victoria wants is fine by me.”
Stephanie didn’t miss the crooked grin he shot his wife or the hushed giggle that floated from Tori’s mouth. Oh, my, my. Those two must have had quite the night.
“Oh, did you see the cart in the driveway?” he asked her.
She chortled and shook her head. “You mean the one with the bright pink seat covers and fuzzy yellow peach hanging from the mirror? Yeah, I saw it.”
“I know, right?” Tori laughed. “Meghan christened it the Georgia Peach-Mobile. She had Gus bring it down here just for you, Mom.”
Stephanie tsk tsk’d and shook her head. “You people are spoiling me, I must say! First, a private jet, then a suite of rooms more impressive than a luxury hotel, and now a personalized cart. Y’all keep this up my darlings and I may never leave.”
Was it her imagination or did Draegyn and Tori both appear to be thrilled at her words? She was kidding, of course. Her life was in Atlanta, not here in this beautiful place that was its own little world.
“Well,” Drae chimed in, “I, for one, hope you stick around a good long time after the baby comes. Seeing how fast Dylan has grown and changed in just two months has been eye-opening.” He reached out and took Victoria’s hand as they both beamed at her. “We want you to be involved, Stephanie. Every step of the way. After all,” he added with a sadness she’d never heard from him before, “you’re going to be this kid's only real grandparent.”
Damn those St. John’s, she thought. There was nothing that got a person thinking more about family and what that really meant than the impending birth of a child. For all that Draegyn brought to the table—good looks, an impressive bank account, integrity, grit, skill, and a good healthy dose of possessiveness—he was clearly lamenting his lack of an intact family. He had his sister but beyond that had little, if any, contact with his parents.
Attempting to diffuse the sudden pall of heavy emotion in the room, Stephanie went and leaned over her daughter for a quick kiss then playfully elbowed her rather stoic looking son-in-law. “You know what?” she said as they both looked at her. “I thought that maybe we could try on ‘Mom Mom’ instead of Grandma. Sounds less like a caricature and more like someone who will double down and work overtime to cause mayhem and spoil the bejeebers out of a grandchild.”
Tori giggled. “Oooooh, I like that! Mom Mom. Yes!” In the next instant, those damn pregnancy hormones rushed in and she saw tears sparkling in her daughter’s eyes. “You’re going to be the most awesome Mom Mom ever,” she sniffled.
“Yeah, well, right this second this Mom Mom-to-be needs a shower so you hold that thought, daughter, while I make myself presentable.”
Looking pointedly at Draegyn, she raised her eyebrows a tad and gave him a look that said, Hug now, as she turned toward the elevator hallway. The last thing she saw before turning the corner was her son-in-law dropping to the sofa as he gathered Tori into his arms.
STEERING THE PEACH-MOBILE ALONG THE road up to the main house, Stephanie kept an eye on Tori, who sat with both hands holding her enormous belly. Dressed comfortably in a long, flowing dress that screamed boho chic with her hair cascading across her shoulders, she looked every inch the pregnant Madonna. When she gleefully started sing-songing the wicked witch tune from the Wizard of Oz, as they zipped along, Stephanie had to laugh, marveling at her daughter’s quirky sense of humor.
“What’s that on your wrist?” she asked, noting the odd bracelet that looked like a summer camp project.
“Oh, this?” Tori answered, holding her hand up to display the unusual twists of colored cords. “It’s a friendship bracelet that Draegyn’s niece sent me. Isn’t it adorable?”
“Well, it’s certainly unusual,” Stephanie replied. “You know,” she added, “it’s kind of weird having all these people suddenly in our lives. It was just you and me for so long, darlin’. I like that Draegyn comes with this enormous extended family. It’s good for you.”
She heard Tori sigh. “Really, it’s great, Mom. I love being part of a big family. And Draegyn’s sister, Desireé, has been more than welcoming. You’re part of Family Justice now too, y’know. Don’t forget that.”
“Have you met the sister yet?” she asked.
“Not in person, no. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and kids. Bad timing, mostly. They were traveling during school vacation—went to Disneyworld in Orlando and also visited her husband’s family. Now that the children are back in school, coming here for a visit isn’t practical. But we computer chat all the time. Desi’s great and the kids are, too. I love being an aunt. It’s way cool.”
“I bet Desi is excited about becoming an aunt herself.”
Tori chuckled. “Sheesh! Are you kidding? She’s over the moon. Their parents might suck a bag of dicks, but those two, Draegyn and Desireé, adore each other.”
“Suck a bag of dicks? Good Lord, Victoria. Such language!”
Tori’s tummy rippled as laughter shot from her throat. “I know! It only gets worse being here in this testosterone factory. You should hear it when all the brothers get together—it’s like cuss word central. Daddy would be so proud.”
Stephanie loosed a good-natured snort. “Your father had an advanced degree in vulgarity, I’ll give you that!”
“I wish he were here,” Tori grumbled. After a minute of silence, she turned and asked, “Do you still miss him, Mom? I mean, you know—does it ever get any easier? Losing the person you thought would always be by your side?”
Wow. Now there was an inquiry Stephanie hadn’t been expecting.
“I’ll always miss your father, sweetie. He was an exceptional human being and after all, he gave me you.” She reached out and squeezed one of Tori’s hands. “But life goes on. Right?”
“I suppose.” More silence ensued and Stephanie couldn’t help but wonder where this line of questioning was coming from. “Just want you to be happy, that’s all.”
Why Calder Dane’s sexy bod and gorgeous eyes suddenly appeared in her thoughts shook Stephanie up.
“Um, speaking of family, shugah,” she drawled. “What’s the story with Alex’s uncle?”
Tori’s head whipped toward her so fast, Stephanie was surprised it didn’t unscrew and fall off.
“You mean Calder?”
The house was coming into view so she slowed the cart but kept her eyes straight ahead, not wanting to give away too much with the unusual inquiry.
“Yeah—Calder. Uncommon name. I ran into him and Alex earlier this morning. At the gym.”
“Oh, really?” Tori quipped. “Both of them together? Bet that was some sensory overload, huh?”
“Mmmmm. What’s his story and why is he here?”
“The four-one-one on why Calder is here is pretty simple. As scary smart as Alex is, well, his uncle is that times ten. Apparently, it was Calder who got Big Daddy interested in engineering and technology. Meghan says he’s some sort of founding member of the Silicone Valley Geek Squad.”
“Really? Humph. That would make him like what? In his fifties?”
A hoot of laughter rang out from Tori’s side of the cart. “Why Stephanie Jean Bennett, what in the world is going on in that head of yours? Really? How old is he? What’s next? You want me to pass him a note in study hall?”
Bringing the cart to a stop in one of the empty spaces in the driveway at the main house, Stephanie shot Tori what she hoped was an inscrutable expression and gave her long blond hair a little flip. “Don’t be such a smartass, young lady. Just fill in the blanks and I’ll handle my own notes, thank you very much.”
As Tori struggled to get out of the cart, Stephanie bolted to help, holding her by the arm while she found her feet.
“Okay then,” her daughter chuckled. “In a nutshell, he’s here because I’m too preggers to handle any work responsibilities and Alex wanted to step back from the day-to-day Justice stuff to focus on Meghan and their wedding. Calder’s basically in charge. Direct and to the point enough for you?”
Stephanie didn’t respond as they walked to the front door, giving Tori an opportunity to get in the last word.
“Oh, and he’s got enough money to buy an island plus he’s not married, nor is he gay.”
Oh, snap.