Chapter 21

Present Day

 

“Cam, what’s wrong?” London asks, fear in her voice as she reads me with a wide-eyed expression.

I type in my text reply to my Commanding Officer, Luke Trenley, and check the time on my phone.

“I’ve got to head out to work. There’s a large wildfire in progress that we need to contain.”

London steps up in front of me, reaching her arms around my neck, stepping up on her tiptoes to get closer.

“What about Taylor?”

“I’ll need to let my mom know and ask her to drop him off with Lisa. I’m not going to have time to go home to get him.”

“Do you need me to pick him up and drop him off?”

I scoff and shake my head. “Lisa would blow a fucking gasket if you showed up with our son. She’s already jealous enough as it is and if she met you now…”

There was a time long ago when I had first met Lisa that I spoke about Sage and London all the time, and shared with her how much I missed them. She’d wigged out on me, convinced that I didn’t love her and that I was still in love with London. I’d let it slide then because she’d been six months pregnant at the time with the crazy pregnancy hormones raging through her head.

But after Taylor was born, it got even worse. She accused me all the time of cheating on her, even though I never laid another finger or even a roaming eye on another woman.

But I know deep in bones that Lisa would remember London and would take issue with her bringing our son back home to her.

“Nah, I got it. But thank you. I appreciate it. But maybe Sage can drive you home?” I look behind London at Sage, who nods his head.

“No problem at all. Go get your stuff and go do your thing. We can talk when you get back.”

Our eyes connect, and something passes through them that I can’t quite comprehend. His gaze clouds over and he steps into my space. We’re inches apart, his head only an inch shorter than mine as he leans in, his hands cupping my jawline.

“Be careful. I want to see you after my tour.”

I’m stunned into silence when his lips claim mine. He sucks my bottom lip into his, tugging it, and then biting it, before I feel his tongue brush along the seam as I automatically open for him.

The kiss isn’t long but packs a wallop. My knees buckle when he pulls away, leaving me disoriented and slightly fuzzy in my brain.

“What was that for?” I ask, my voice raspy with arousal.

“I’ve wanted to kiss you like that for years, but I was scared you’d fucking hit me. I guess you could call it a Cam bucket list item.”

I chuckle. “Consider it marked off.”

Sage swats my ass and winks. “That ass of yours is on the list, too. Just so you know.”

I choke out a cough, swinging my backpack over my shoulder and turning toward London.

London’s broad smile comes into view as she moves in close, encircling us in her open arms.

“Whatever happens,” she says, staring up at us both, her green eyes flickering with light. “I’m so glad we had last night. It just reaffirms the feelings I’ve always had for you both.”

She reaches up and kisses Sage, long and deep. My cock jumps and demands attention.

And when she finishes, she turns to me, wrapping me in her arms.

“I want you to come back to me in one piece. I need more of what we had together last night.” She looks between me and Sage for confirmation, which we both give her in the form of a smile from me and an eyebrow raise from Sage.

“Cam, do you know the reason London gave me each time she turned down my proposals?” Sage asks, turning to look out the window to avoid my direct eye contact.

“No, what was that?”

He turns back and stares between us and a remorseful smile appears on his lips. “You. You were the reason, Cam. She said she couldn’t marry me because it wasn’t fair to either one of us. She loved both you and me. And she also knew I was in love with you, too. We were only two-thirds whole without you.”

I nod, not surprised by the confession. I know it’s true with everything in my being.

As if the world is on fire and spinning out of control, I lean in and kiss him again, and then kiss London. I need their love as the forcefield around me to protect me from all the shit the world has thrown my way. And the fire that rages in and around me.

“I love you both so much. I never stopped,” I murmur against London’s lips and then turn to look longing at Sage.

We say our goodbyes and I agree to call them once I’ve returned home.