CHAPTER THREE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

S leep hadn’t come easily for Meagan. She tossed and turned, unable to get the half-naked sight of Cameron out of her mind. The way the sweat clung to his lean body made her mouth water for a taste. Not that she’d been staring at him much. Okay, she hadn’t been able to take her eyes off him or the sexy trail of hair that dipped into his sweatpants.

It wasn’t only his body that turned her on; it was how he swooped in and took charge of the situation. He didn’t ask questions; he did what needed to be done. Taking care of April, melted her heart the most. His love for that tiny human was charming. She ran her fingers through her hair, tying the mangled brown strands up into a messy bun.

This family differed from hers. Her dad wasn’t the hugging type. He loved her plenty, and she never doubted his affection, but they rarely touched. Cameron and April showered each other with love. It was beautiful. He was beautiful.

She tugged on a pair of worn jeans and flopped down on the bed to zip them. They fit snug. Everything she owned had become tight. Since she’d moved in with the Northcote’s, she’d packed on a couple of extra pounds, mostly in her rear. Not having a chef at her beck and call these next few weeks would be good for her waistline. Meagan opted for a baggy, navy-blue sweater to hide her muffin top. All the daydreaming about hooking up with the sexy hockey player was silly and pointless. He’d never be interested in her.

The house was quiet as she finished dressing. She tiptoed into the kitchen which was empty. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted her way, making her smile. Cameron must have set the timer the night before. She spotted the full pot and stepped towards it.

“Do you like our house?” April asked, causing Meagan to leap at least a foot into the air.

She clutched her chest and tried to slow her breathing as April giggled. Meagan hadn’t been expecting anyone to be up. “Wow. You walk like a ninja. I didn’t hear you at all.”

Cameron breezed past her, getting to the coffee before she could. “She takes after me. We’re both light on our feet.” He removed two cups from hooks on the wall. “Coffee?”

“Yes, to both questions. Your house is great and two sugars, no cream,” she said, taking a seat at the kitchen table. The rustic tabletop was made from reclaimed wood, as were the chairs. The kitchen was modern with stainless steel appliances and a mosaic glass backsplash. A blend of old and new that worked. The countertops were concrete and there was a butcher block island in the center. It was a chef’s kitchen without being overdone. She liked it. The modern bungalow was quaint. The perfect family home.

April took the seat next to her. “It’s not as big as your house. You live in a big palace.”

Meagan laughed. “That wasn’t my home. I live there, but I don’t own it. My family home is like this, only your house is more my style. I especially like how you’ve decorated your room. Did you pick the colors?”

Every wall had been painted a different shade of purple and the accents were all bright, lime green. The perfect little girl’s room for a girl who wasn’t in love with princesses. April liked hockey, animals and books, but she wasn’t a fan of fairytales.

“I picked everything.” Her tiny dimples brightened her face. She looked exactly like her dad when she smiled like that. “Daddy has no sense of style. That’s what Nana and Uncle Joe say.”

“Hey!” The man in question sauntered over. He placed a steaming cup in front of her and ruffled April’s hair. “I have great style. By the way, you got yours from me, kiddo.” He took a sip from his cup.

“No, I didn’t. Uncle Joe taught me. He’s smexy.”

Meagan giggled as Cameron’s face fell and he nearly spat his coffee across the table. The little girl was right. Joe was smart and sexy, but she wondered where she’d picked up that term.

“He’s not more stylish than me. And what does smexy mean?” He crouched down next to his daughter.

April tucked her blonde curls behind her ears as she pondered the answer. “I don’t know. I heard lots of girls call him that. They call you it too, but not as often. They also call him—”

“Don’t say any more about Joe. And you shouldn’t be listening to those women.”

His cheeks turned an endearing shade of rose and Meagan melted. A man who could blush. Wow.

“Let’s learn more about our new friend instead.”

“Great idea,” April added, throwing her arm over her dad’s shoulder. “Who do you think is more smexy, Dad or uncle Joe?”

This time it was her cheeks that changed color. “I shouldn’t answer that. Your dad is my boss and it wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“Technically, I’m not your boss.” Cameron stood and pulled out the chair across from them. “Honey, she probably doesn’t know uncle Joe. Joe Larson’s a very busy man and not everyone knows him.”

“Actually, we’ve met a few times.” Meagan sat straighter, twisting the cup around in a circle. “He saved me and Connie a while back. I don’t know him well and he probably doesn’t remember me.”

“Everyone says uncle Joe has the biggest—”

“You’ve been spending way too much time around the arena.” He didn’t sit, instead he waltzed to the fridge. “Meagan, I’m sorry about this. It’s bad enough my own daughter thinks her uncle is more stylish than me. I don’t think my ego can take another hit. Let’s change the subject. What can I make you two for breakfast?”

“Yogurt and berries!” April rocked in her seat.

In the center of the table was a bin filled with crayons and paper. April helped herself; she was a happy-go-lucky kid. Meagan wondered what caused the nightmare last night but didn’t ask.

He turned his face towards them and tilted his head to the side. “Yogurt and berries, what?”

“Please and thank you, Daddy.” April batted her lashes as she spoke and Meagan laughed. The little girl turned her attention to the pages in front of her, wagging her tongue out as she concentrated on coloring inside the lines.

“That sounds good. If you have enough, I’ll have the same. Please and thank you.” She stood up and joined Cameron by the fridge. “Can I help?”

“I got it. I can’t cook much, but I can whip up a mean yogurt and berries. Breakfast is my specialty.” He winked and pulled out the ingredients for breakfast.

A rush of heat shot between her legs when he did that. She rubbed her thighs together. “What’s the plan for the day? I saw nothing regarding April’s schedule. Does she have any activities like dance or music lessons?” Meagan leaned against the counter watching him prepare their meal.

“April goes to daycare Monday through Friday. You’ll have most of the day off and work a split shift. I’ll take her today and you can come along. You don’t have a car is that right?”

“I don’t have a car, but I have a license. Do you have a second vehicle? If not, we can take the bus once I figure out the schedule around here. We could stay here too; I don’t mind spending the day with her.”

He added spoons to the dishes and smiled at his handy work. “I’ve got a couple of cars you can use. It’s best to let her socialize and get used to daycare. With my crazy schedule this works best for us. Getting her transitioned was hell for both of us after my mom left. I don’t want to disrupt the small victories.”

She didn’t pry for more details. “Daycare during the day it is.”

Cameron handed her a bowl and their fingers touched. The same visceral reaction traveled through her. What was up with that? She eyed his thick fingers and wondered what they’d feel like between her legs. She took the food and rushed back to the table to sit before she said something stupid.

They sat around the table and discussed schedules and the approved visitor list. It was a short list. Cameron was particular about who he allowed around his daughter. His protectiveness reminded her of her father. The similarities ended there. Cameron was laid back and her father was very strict. While they talked, April fed herself, smearing the blueberries and raspberries all over the place. Her jammies and the tablecloth were covered in berries. Cameron didn’t care about the mess. Meagan offered to clean, but he informed her a cleaning lady came over often to tidy and she wouldn’t have to do any cleaning.

She listened and learned about their routine. Every time he asked her a question, she’d ramble and say something stupid. Her stories made them both laugh, and the sound made her ears tingle with happiness. By the time they drove to the daycare center a few miles away, she’d revealed her most embarrassing stories. The time she burped into the microphone while making a speech at her high school graduation, and the time she accidentally, flashed her father’s platoon when her dress got caught in the car door.

The laughter ended when they arrived. April didn’t want to get out of the car and it took a lot of coaxing before she finally went inside. It was difficult to watch, but there wasn’t anything she could do. Once inside, April cried again and refused to let go of his hand. Eventually, she joined her friends on the mat and started playing. She could tell the ordeal had taken its toll on Cameron, who looked deflated and worn out.

“Is that how it always goes?” She leaned against the wall, watching the kids interact.

He leaned next to her, their arms touching. “Sometimes better, but there are always tears. I’ve tried different techniques, but she has separation anxiety. It kills me to see her in pain, but we can’t be attached at the hip. That’s not healthy for either of us.”

“I could stay,” she offered. Partly, to help April feel less anxious and partly because she was nervous about being alone with him. His presence did funny things to her hormones. She talked a mile a minute or tripped all over. All the above made her come across as a star struck idiot.

“That’s sweet of you to offer, but I need to get you home. I have to leave for the rink, and we never finished the tour. You never got a chance to see the basement. Aren’t you curious what secrets are hidden in the dungeon?” He followed that up with dramatic sound effects.

She giggled as they made their way back to his SUV. He opened her door and helped her into her seat. His touch brought her mind straight into the gutter. “Should I be worried about finding your kinky playroom? Stuffed with various torture devices and other pleasantries.” She wanted to slap herself for saying that, but he laughed and closed the door.

Cameron got into the driver’s seat and started the SUV. “All the playrooms at my house are PG. I’m not into BDSM or anything that involves pain.” His eyes stayed on the road as they merged into the traffic. “I’m way more interested in pleasure.”

The last word rolled off his tongue and covered her like summer sunshine. Her body felt like it was on fire. She pressed her knees together and looked out the side window.

“Why, are you into that stuff?” Cameron asked when she said nothing.

She shook her head. “I… was kidding. Pleasure beats pain in my book too.” She unzipped her coat. “Did it get hotter in here? Do you think we’re done with the snow?”

His laughter filled the interior of the car. “I’m glad you came to help us out, Meagan. I think this arrangement will be good for all of us.”

They arrived back at the house. Cam showed her the walkout basement. There were no BDSM playrooms, but there was a home theater, exercise room, pool table and a fireplace with views of the lake.

“Feel free to use anything,” he said, trailing his hand over a set of free weights and eyeing her body.

The suggestion wasn’t missed. He thought she was fat and needed to use the equipment. Meagan had extra pounds and more curves than your average girl, but he didn’t have to point it out. Her cheeks heated, but not from arousal for once. His eyes roamed her body, probably thinking she needed to lose weight. Her father had been harping on her to get fit and look more like her sister. Cameron probably only dated stick figures with fake breasts or rail thin models. Beauty came in all sorts of shapes and sizes and she resented the implication.

“I’m happy with my body, actually. I don’t think I have to use your gym to fit some unrealistic stereotype of beautiful.”

“You… I wasn’t implying. Shit, I never…” He backpedaled himself into a corner and she was glad to see him squirm. “Please, don’t take any offense, you misunderstood.”

“Yeah, I don’t think I did. You’re staring at my stomach, touching exercise equipment and told me to use it.”

“Don’t use this equipment. You are beautiful exactly the way you are,” he said, closing the gap between them.

“You don’t have to say that. I may be overly sensitive on this subject. I should go.” She touched her red cheeks, feeling the heat and seeing the embarrassment reflected in the wall of mirrors.

“You don’t need to lose a pound. If you do, don’t let it be from your ass because it’s big and lush. Perfect, the way it is. I—” An alarm on his watch sounded. “Gotta go. I’m sorry about offending you. Please don’t quit. I’ll be back later to pick up April.”

“I didn’t mean quit; more like leave the room. This was my fault. I… I can pick her up.”

“No, I’ll do it,” he said, racing out the door. He didn’t trust her, but he’d called her beautiful.

She looked at her herself and turned to get a good view of her ass. A bottom he called lush. Oh boy, she was crushing hard for him. “Really, it’s my job. You don’t have to rush back. That’s why I’m here,” she yelled after him.

“Fine, but I won’t be long.”

She went upstairs after she heard the door close. After grabbing her phone, she noticed several missed calls from her parents and a few from Lindy. There were three voicemail messages. As predicted, her parents didn’t want her working with Cameron and living at his house. No surprise. They didn’t approve of her decisions. She didn’t call them back. She didn’t need to be surrounded by negativity.

Lindy’s messages were upbeat and filled with envy. Her best friend’s word choices were spot on. Smexy filled the screen, making her laugh. This new adventure was exactly what she needed in her life.