“What if my parents find out?”
“What are they going to do?” he retorted. “Ground you?”
“If they find out, they might worry,” she countered.
Eric rolled his eyes. “Camden you’re pregnant. How much trouble could you possibly get into? You can’t get knocked up again, and you won’t be drinking or doing drugs.” He chuckled. “You planning a bank heist I don’t know about?”
“What do I tell them in the morning?”
If he didn’t know better, Eric would think Camden really didn’t want to go; but the fact was, he could see the longing in her eyes, and she deserved a little happiness right now. He reached forward and grasped her hands gently.
“Babe, your parents love you, but so does Shane, and that poor boy thought he’d lost you forever.” Eric raised one hand and brushed her cheek gently. “I know I didn’t think too highly of him for hurting you so badly in the past, but after what I saw this morning, there is no doubt in my mind that he loves you. I’ve never seen someone look like the world had just been handed to him like that. To be honest, I’m a little jealous. Wish I had a guy who worshipped the ground I walked on.” He smirked at her.
“If you keep this up, you won’t be walking anywhere.”
Eric laughed at Camden’s empty threat. “Sweetie, I promise. I’ll take care of your parents. You just take care of Shane.”
“Who’s taking care of me?” Shane’s deep voice sent shivers down Camden’s spine. She turned to see him standing outside the open window.
“Camden.” Eric smiled evilly. “Camden will be taking very good care of you.”
Shane grinned and waggled his eyebrows at Camden in response, and her snarky retort died on her tongue. He looked so sexy when he was playful.
“I’m looking forward to it. It was taking you guys so long, I thought you might have forgotten I was out front…you know…waiting?”
Eric chuckled quietly, and Shane winked at Camden. “Everything okay, Sunshine?” he addressed her with concern when he saw her tense expression.
“Yeah,” she answered demurely.
“She’s concerned her parents will feel abandoned in light of the news we shared today,” Eric interjected. “But I told her I got it covered.” Eric lifted Camden’s bag playfully and tossed it through the open window to Shane.
“Out you go, boo.” Camden squealed when Eric lifted her off the ground and passed her through the window to Shane. She was so taken by surprise, she didn’t even fight him, and as soon as she felt Shane’s warm embrace, she lost her will to fight completely. Eric was right. Camden was exactly where she wanted to be.
“You two behave yourself,” Eric whispered as loudly as possible. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” With that admonition, he closed the window to the library, leaving Camden alone with Shane for the first time in hours.
“You ready to see my humble abode?” Shane grinned as he carried Camden to his truck. It was the same one he had driven before she left home, an old, rust red Chevy that had been passed down to Shane from his father. Shane hadn’t ever received much from his dad, so he held onto the truck like a child would a favorite teddy bear.
“Lead the way, Hunt.”
Camden smiled as he opened the passenger door and set her inside. He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. As he walked around the truck, Camden could only stare at him, ogling him conspicuously. Soon, Shane settled into the driver’s seat and stared into her eyes. With a look of contentment, he reached over and pulled her into the center of the seat.
“That’s better,” he murmured.
Shane reversed the vehicle and pulled onto the street. He placed an arm around Camden’s shoulders, and played absentmindedly with her hair.
The ride to the bar was filled with silence. On the one hand, Shane was ecstatic that he was taking Camden to his home. That she was finally where she had always belonged…with him. On the other, he was totally and completely terrified. When Shane had seen the pictures of a cancer-ridden Camden, he was panicked. To know that the cancer was inside her, attacking her right now, and there was nothing he could do about it made him feel utterly helpless. He wanted to be her hero, her white knight. How could he do that when he was powerless to protect her from the most dangerous thing in her life?
Shane was so lost in his thoughts, he drove to the bar on auto-pilot. He didn’t even realize that he had parked until Camden’s gasp startled him.
“Your bar is named ‘Cam’s’?” She turned to face him, and Shane was stricken by the tears pooling in her vibrant green eyes.
“You d-don’t like it?” he asked cautiously. The blinding smile that suddenly graced Camden’s face, in spite of her tears, removed all doubt of her feelings.
“I’ve been gone three years, thinking you never wanted me and forgot all about me! And you named a bar – your dream - after me! That makes me feel incredibly special….and incredibly stupid for believing you when you rejected me.”
She pouted for a moment, and then stepped into the protective cocoon of Shane’s arms. The day had been so overwhelming that Camden’s emotions were all over the place. She held Shane closely and inhaled his scent. It was so masculine and addicting. Just having his arms around her made her world feel right. Shane leaned forward and kissed Camden’s forehead.
“Let’s head up the back stairs,” he suggested. “I don’t want to deal with my staff tonight. I want to keep you all to myself.” He didn’t miss the naughty twinkle in Camden’s eyes.
“Can’t wait,” she whispered.
Shane eagerly grabbed Camden’s bag, and led her through the back door of the bar. They passed his office, and he began to lead her up the stairs to his apartment. As they neared the top of the stairs, Camden was shocked to see a voluptuous blonde exiting Shane’s apartment as if she belonged there. Camden froze in place and immediately removed her hand from Shane’s grasp.
“Stella?!” Shane’s voice conveyed his confusion. “How did you get into my apartment?” he demanded.
Stella blushed and held out a key. “I was planning to be gone before you got here. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to make things weird.”
“Nothing’s weird, Stella. Just trying to figure out WHY you were in my apartment,” Shane prompted, still waiting for an answer. He didn’t like how Camden had moved to the opposite side of the stairs, placing distance between them.
“Javier let me have the key,” she explained. “You see,” she continued, turning her gaze on a bewildered Camden. “Earlier, I was out shopping with Tiffany when she called Brody to check on their plans for tonight. He mentioned that it wasn’t a good time to talk, because his sister had turned up preggo, and he was going to kill the bastard who knocked her up.” Stella cut her eyes humorously to Shane.
Shane grimaced. Even though Brody wasn’t in the vicinity, Camden felt her protective nature kick in, and she shifted closer to Shane once again.
“I figured that meant a reunion was in order for you two, and I wanted to do something special after you listened to me whine about my cursed love life last night.” Stella smiled genuinely at Shane. “I may not get requited love, but that doesn’t mean you can’t.”
Turning back to Camden, Stella advised, “Hold onto this one, honey. I’ve never seen a boy so smitten! You are one lucky girl.”
With that parting comment, Stella headed downstairs to the bar, and Camden realized that she kind of like Stella. Tiffany she could do without, but Stella? She was a pretty cool girl.
***
“Shane, it’s beautiful.” Camden stood in awe in the center of Shane’s apartment. She had been expecting a bachelor pad, full of posters with scantily clad women, empty beer cans, dirty dishes, and piles of laundry. What she hadn’t expected was an extremely organized and well-decorated home. It was definitely manly, with brown leather couches, lots of wrought iron accents, and the biggest television Camden thought she’d ever seen. It was rustic, but it was absolutely homey and comfortab
le.
Camden could picture herself living in a house decorated like this. She could picture herself living in a house like this with a man like the one across from her. Who was she kidding? She could picture herself living in this house with this man. And that thought scared her. She didn’t want to desire that. It would make it so much harder to fight off anger at the unfairness of life. If she lost to cancer, it would be so much harder to lose if she had so much to leave behind.
When she planned to cut-off her family, she realized she could fight the cancer without the fear of agonizing loss. What did she have to lose when she had already given up her family? But now, with her family back? More importantly, with Shane and their baby? She suddenly had more family than ever, and to hope for more - for a long, happy life - was dangerous.
Shaking her head to free her thoughts, Camden locked eyes with the beautiful man standing across from her, his grin breathtaking.
“Want the whole tour now?” His voice was husky, thick with lust.
“The only tour I want right now is the tour of the bedroom,” she answered cheekily.
Shane laughed and reached for her. Lifting her into the air, he spun in a circle, and then kissed her soundly before setting her onto the floor again. He held her hand gently and led her to the bedroom.
When Shane froze, Camden feared that something was wrong, but when she stepped into his room, understanding dawned. She gasped as she took in everything that Stella had done.
***
Chapter 18
It was absolutely amazing. Shane owed Stella his permanent loyalty. The girl had spent merely hours with him and had seen things others had missed for years. When he needed a friend, she stepped up to the plate without judgment, and when he finally got what he'd always wanted (while she still was pining for something she couldn't have), she went a step further. His best friend was an absolute and total dumbass. If Shane weren't so head-over-heels, irrevocably in love with Camden, he'd steal Stella from Brody in a heartbeat.
Shane pulled Camden into his side, his arm resting low on her waist.
"So I guess we know why she sneaked into your apartment," Camden murmured. "It's breathtaking."
Shane's bedroom was decorated in shades of black and grey. Stella had played with that color-scheme, draping some sheer grey fabrics in a canopy over a table in the corner of the room. The small table had two chairs, and table service for two. Another small table was a couple of feet away with an assortment of fruits and cheeses, as well as a dessert plate with something deliciously chocolate. She had replaced Shane's plain striped cotton sheets with shimmery slate grey satin ones, and lavender colored rose petals were strewn across the bed and floor. Candles were placed strategically around the room, and Stella had dimmed the accent lights to enhance the romantic ambiance. A soft instrumental jazz cd played in the background.
It was one of the most romantic things Camden had ever seen. Her pregnancy hormones in full force, a few tears escaped her eyes. Shane smiled softly as he leaned forward and wiped her tears.
"Would you like to eat first?" he asked softly. Camden could only nod, but her stomach growled, causing Shane to chuckle. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, and he grasped her elbow and led her to the table.
"I can't help it if the baby demands food," she pouted.
"I see," Shane teased. "So it isn't you that's hungry, it's the baby?"
Camden's lips tipped into a smile, laughter hidden in its depths.
"Of course," she giggled.
Once seated, Camden took in the fancy crystal and china. It had to be Stella's. There was no way Shane owned any of this stuff. His house may have been surprisingly nice, but he was still a guy. Camden smiled when she saw the non-alcoholic champagne, and her tears returned when she noticed the card in the middle of the table. It was addressed to both her and Shane. Knowing she couldn't handle anything else that would send her hormones into a tailspin, Camden set the card to the side to read later.
"Ready to see what she made for dinner?" Shane grinned, and his stomach grumbled, obviously just as excited at the thought of food as Camden (or as she would say, the baby). While Camden watched in amusement, Shane lifted the silver domes off their plates, causing her jaw to drop.
"How much did you tell her about me?" she asked, giggling.
Shane's cheeks flushed in embarrassment.
"I was pretty drunk, but she apparently is a really good listener."
Camden could not be more delighted. It was as if she was attending a one plate potluck of her favorite foods. Her plate had mini-quiches, a little bowl of homemade macaroni and cheese, a small slice of lasagna, two spring rolls, and smoked barbecue chicken nachos. Each item was from one of her favorite restaurants in her home town, and the only way Stella would have known is that Shane had been talking about Camden. A lot. The warm feeling that grew in her stomach still frightened her, but Camden pushed it down and began to eat.
Shane stared at Camden, watching her relish each delicious bite of food. When she took a bite of macaroni and cheese, she moaned, and Shane felt his pants tighten. He hurriedly finished his meal, trying his hardest not to look like he was rushing. He didn't want to kill the mood that Stella had set so perfectly. He still couldn't believe she had gone through all the trouble.
When he noticed that Camden had stopped eating, he looked at her, surprised at her lust-filled eyes. The corner of her mouth turned up wickedly.
"Ready for dessert?" he asked.
"Oh yes," she said seductively. Standing slowly, she walked toward the bed, swaying her hips. Like a pendulum, they hypnotized Shane. When he realized her intent, he quickly pushed back his chair and hurried to her. Spinning her to face him, Shane's lips met hers in a slow, gentle kiss that was full of love and passion. Camden immediately responded, opening her mouth to allow his tongue to explore. Her fingers followed their usual path, ending in his dark, wavy strands of hair. She tugged his hair gently, causing him to moan.
Camden wasn't sure when or how it happened, but when she next became even slightly aware of her surroundings, she and Shane were on his bed. Shane hovered above her, the look in his eyes so intense, Camden didn't know what to do with the emotions they caused within her. She grabbed his neck to pull him to her, but he resisted.
"Let me look at you," he whispered. "I've spent years dreaming of you in my bed. I need to convince myself this is real."
Camden smiled softly. "It's real, Shane." She whispered back. "We're real."
While Camden meant that she and Shane were real, his eyes flickered to her belly. He placed his hand gently above their forming child and smiled.
"Yeah, you're real."
He grinned again and reached for Camden's shirt. Slowly he removed each article of Camden's clothing. It was torture, as his motto seemed to be "Look, don't touch." By the time Camden lay before him completely naked, she was squirming with desire. The torture continued as Shane began to lightly trail her body's curves with his fingertips, as if memorizing her inch by inch.
"Shane," she whimpered. "Please."
Shane shuddered at the sound of his name on her lips. He was trying to make this night last forever. The first time they were together was wonderful, but Shane knew that tonight, he got to keep her in his arms. He lifted his shirt over his head, displaying his gorgeous abs. Camden's fingers itched to trace them, but Shane leaned forward, finally kissing her.
The kiss was deep and sensual. Shane poured all his hopes and desires for them into that one kiss, and it was so potent, Camden felt tears once again come to her eyes. She reached for his belt, only to find Shane's hands already working to remove it. As his hands undid the button-fly on his jeans, Camden's hands grasped the waistband and began to pull them down.
As before, the sight of him took her breath away.
"I love you, Sunshine," he murmured huskily, pulling her to him and nuzzling her neck. But Camden had other ideas. She hadn't been able to explore him thoroughly at the campground, but now she planned to ma
ke up for lost time. Slowly, she dropped to her knees in front of Shane. His eyes widened when he realized her intent.
"I'm ready for dessert now," Camden teased.
Without warning, Camden leaned forward and took Shane in her mouth. He gasped at the warmth of her mouth on his cock, and he settled his hands into her hair to keep from falling. He had never felt anything as wonderful as being with Camden.
Camden's tongue licked and swirled his member, taking special time to focus on the head. She traced the tip, lapping the liquid that escaped. She brought her hand to his shaft and began to pump steadily, in concert with her mouth. The duel sensations of her tight fist and her warm, wet mouth caused Shane to harden further. When her other hand reached under him to massage his balls, he thought he would explode. His groans filled the room, and he whispered her name repeatedly.
He stared at her. It was extremely erotic watching her blonde head bobbing, her mouth and hand snug around him, working him to his finish. He couldn't count the number of times he had fantasized of just this, but nothing compared to the reality of it. Camden's skillful tongue soon had Shane's balls tightening in readiness for release.
"S-s-sun...." he panted, moaning once as her tongue swiped the sensitive ridge of his head. "Sunshine, I'm about to...." He couldn't talk. The sensations were too intense. She had set him completely ablaze.
"I know," Camden purred in satisfaction.
Shane thought she would pull away, but her attention became more focused as she worked to bring him to climax. Suddenly, he felt it, like lightning traveling through him, and Shane roared as he spilled his release into Camden's waiting mouth. He was shocked, as the orgasm was the most intense he had ever experienced, but the tingling sensations of his dick were prolonged, as Camden continued to suck him dry, pumping him with her hand until he was totally spent.
She sat back on her knees and looked into his eyes, a breathtaking grin overtaking her features.
"Best dessert I ever had," she announced, a small giggle escaping her lips.
"I want some dessert," Shane pouted playfully, tugging Camden to her feet. He lifted her to set her on the bed, but she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist. He leaned forward to release her, but she tightened her grip. His cock rubbed against her clit, causing Camden to throw her head back and moan. Taking advantage of her momentary distraction, Shane set her on the bed, softly pressing her body into the waiting pillows.
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