Sweet Surrender, Baby Surprise

by Kate Carlisle

  “Funny, very funny,” Cameron said, and lifted his son up again.

  “Dada!” Jake cried.

  The room went silent. Julia watched the brothers exchange glances, then they all broke out in grins. Adam slapped Cameron’s back. “Congratulations, Dad.”

  Cameron exhaled heavily. “Thanks, I guess.”

  “Yeah, congrats,” Brandon said. “Can’t wait to meet the little woman.”

  Trish coughed to get their attention. “The little woman?”

  “Mama! Mama!” Jake cried. He waved his arms and kicked his legs as the three men slowly turned.

  Julia had been marveling at the lovely camaraderie among the brothers and their willingness to bring Jake into the fold, but now she laughed at the abashed expressions on each of their faces. She reached out to pat Jake’s cheek as he bounced in Cameron’s arms. “Hi, punkin’. Are you having fun?”

  The baby burbled and wriggled as Brandon shrugged. “Hey, I’m a big guy. Everyone looks little to me, not just women.”

  “Nice try, Ace,” Adam drawled.

  Ignoring him, Brandon thrust his hand toward Julia. “Hi, I’m Brandon, Cam’s much smarter and more handsome brother.”

  Julia shook Brandon’s large hand. He was as big as a bear and, like his brothers, one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. He had shoulders as wide as the refrigerator and wavy, light brown hair an inch too long. He pushed his hair back, but several thick strands flopped onto his forehead, giving him an irresistible, bad boy look. Brandon looked powerful enough to snap a man in two with his bare hands, but he couldn’t have been more gentle with Jake.

  Adam stepped forward. “Hello, Julia. I’m Adam Duke.”

  She shook hands with the tallest and most serious of the three brothers. Adam was dark haired and sophisticated, with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes that focused completely on her. Julia’s first thought as she shook his hand was that Trish was a very lucky woman indeed.

  “Adam’s frightening the womenfolk again,” Brandon said, and picked up his beer. “Listen, Julia, if you get scared and need a hug, I’m your man.”

  Julia laughed, and Trish rolled her eyes in amusement.

  “Nobody’s hugging her but me,” Cameron muttered as he handed Julia a glass of crisp white wine. She smiled her thanks as his two brothers ribbed him.

  Conversations overlapped as Cameron opened another bottle of wine. Everyone wanted to hold the baby, and Jake was perfectly happy to be passed around from one family member to the next. Not just the women, but Cameron’s brothers also demanded quality time with their new nephew.

  Julia took a sip of the wine and felt her muscles and nerves relax. A half hour had passed, she realized, and instead of feeling worn out, she felt energized. She’d never been around such a boisterous, fun group. If this was what family was all about, she would love to be a part of it always.

  The doorbell rang and Sally ran out to see who it was.

  “That’ll be room service,” Cameron said in a low voice behind her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited everyone to stay for dinner.”

  “I don’t mind a bit,” she said, turning to smile at him. “Your family is wonderful. You’re so lucky.”

  “I like to think so,” he said, staring at her intently.

  “I should help get things together,” she said, feeling her cheeks burning. Cameron was the only man who could make her blush simply by looking at her.

  As she gathered utensils, plates and napkins, she sized up the three Duke men. Cameron’s brothers were both gorgeous, but Cameron eclipsed them both with his tall, leanly muscular body, clear green eyes and beautiful smile. And that adorable dimple in his cheek was like the cherry on top. No wonder she was always blushing when he was around.

  As the room service crew worked swiftly to set up dinner, Julia settled Jake in his high chair, placing Cheerios and soft baby carrots on his tray for him to munch on while she warmed his dinner.

  Then, to everyone’s delight, she whipped up a modified chocolate mousse by combining the remaining chocolate bars, whipping cream and sugar from last night and adding egg yolks and vanilla. Within ten minutes, dessert was chilling in the refrigerator and everyone sat down to eat.

  All through dinner, they laughed and talked over each other, sharing lots of old family stories with Julia. One story would lead to another, and Julia couldn’t remember a time when she’d laughed so much.

  After the dishes were removed, Cameron made coffee, and Julia served her chocolate mousse to rave reviews. She had to laugh because it was one of the simplest things she could’ve made.

  Back at the table after clearing the dessert dishes, Julia felt a little twinge in her heart at how readily the Duke family and friends had welcomed her and Jake into their lives. She watched as Cameron finished giving Jake his bottle and raised him to his shoulder. He rubbed the baby’s back a few times and Jake favored him with a rousing belch. Everyone laughed and cheered.

  Julia’s breath caught as Cameron squeezed her thigh under the table. “You having a good time?”

  She gazed at him. “The best ever.”

  These people, this moment, were exactly what Julia had dreamed about her entire life, she realized. It was the warm family circle she had always wanted to be a part of. Could it really be this easy for a dream to come true? Was she foolish to think she could honestly trust her heart to these people and this man?

  Cameron had been watching her closely all evening. He didn’t want to crow too loudly, but his plan was working to perfection, even better than he could’ve envisioned.

  Leaning closer to Julia, he said, “Walk with me outside for a few minutes?”

  “I should put the baby to bed first,” she said.

  “Oh, do you mind if we do it?” Trish asked, pushing away from the table. She stood and touched Adam’s shoulder. “We should practice, you know.”

  Adam’s eyes widened as he stared up at Trish.

  “Excuse me,” Brandon said, glancing back and forth at the two of them. “Do you two have an announcement to make?”

  “I don’t know,” Adam said, his eyes narrowed on his wife. “Do we?”

  She smiled innocently. “Of course not, but it never hurts to be prepared.”

  Adam’s cheeks puffed out. Shaking his head, he stood and grabbed hold of Trish’s hand. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

  Everyone laughed, and Cameron handed the baby to Trish. “He’s starting to fade into dreamland.”

  “He’s so sweet,” Trish whispered, then looked at Julia. “We’ll be careful.”

  “He’s pretty sturdy,” she teased, tucking Jake’s collar under his chin. “And he does love to get his diaper changed.”

  “Yeah,” Cameron said with a laugh. “Good luck with that.”

  He led her out to the living room and opened the sliding glass door. Julia stepped out onto the terrace and he followed her. The evening breeze lifted her wavy blond hair and she pulled her lightweight jacket tighter around her waist. Cameron squelched the urge to wrap her in his arms and shield her from harm.

  It’s just a little wind, he thought, knowing she could take care of herself. But ever since he’d hatched his plan in the early hours of the morning, he’d been advancing, both mentally and physically, toward protective mode. He’d already called his housekeeping service to take care of the baby-proofing of his home. They’d also assured him they would have the swing set erected and ready to go within the week. Now he just needed to arrange for the baby’s room to be fixed up. He was hoping Julia would be amenable to helping him with that job. They could go shopping together. Women loved to go shopping, right?

  “What a beautiful view,” she said, gripping the balcony rail as she stared north at the forest of towering redwood trees silhouetted against the night sky.

  Cameron’s gaze was focused on her. “Yes, it is.”

  Julia turned and saw that he was looking at her. It was too dark to see if she was blushing, but Cameron ha
d no doubt her cheeks were pink. He wasn’t sure why that made him smile. He just knew he hadn’t met a woman capable of blushing in a long time.

  “Are you having a good time tonight?” he asked, as he rested his hands next to hers on the railing.

  “Yes,” she said, and her eyes twinkled in the moonlight. “Your family is just wonderful. I’m so grateful that they’ve welcomed Jake.”

  “They’ve welcomed you, too, Julia.”

  “I know,” she said, laughing softly. “They’re so kind. I’m thrilled that Jake will grow up surrounded by a warm and loving family.”

  “Is it going to bother you to have us all clamoring to be with him?”

  “Absolutely not,” she said firmly. “That’s the best thing in the world for him.”

  “I’m glad you said that, because it’s something I’ve been thinking about all day.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’m trying to figure out what’s best for Jake.”

  She gazed up at him. “You are?”

  “Yes,” he said, smiling down at her. Damn, she was a beautiful woman. Sometimes that realization snuck up and knocked him upside the head. “I want Jake to be a part of my life, Julia. I want the very best for him.”

  She nodded warily. “I want that, too.”

  “Good,” he said, pleased that his plan was working out so well. “Because I think you and I should get married.”

  Six

  “What?”

  He knew he’d caught her off guard, so her shriek shouldn’t have been such a big surprise to Cameron. But it still managed to ring in his ears. He grabbed hold of her hands in a romantic gesture he hoped she’d appreciate. “I want us to get married, Julia. You and Jake will move into my home. We’ll be giving Jake a great life.”

  Julia’s eyes turned dark. “Jake has a great life.”

  “It’ll be even better if we’re together,” he said with all the patience he could muster.

  “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Absolutely not.”

  Not appreciating her tone, he stepped a foot back and folded his arms across his chest. “Are you going to keep me from seeing my son?”

  Taken aback, she stared wide-eyed at him. “No, of course not. We can arrange some sort of visitation schedule. You can-”

  “I don’t want visitation,” Cameron said. “I want him.”

  “That’s not possible,” she cried. “I’m his mother. He’s been with me his entire life and I’m more than capable of raising him on my own. You can’t take him from me.”

  “I don’t want to take him from you,” Cameron said quickly, annoyed that this conversation wasn’t going the way he’d planned. Nothing seemed to go according to plan with Julia. “I’m asking you to marry me so we can raise him together.”

  She stared at him for a moment then asked, “What planet did you come from and what have you done with Cameron Duke?”

  “That’s not funny.”

  “You’re right, it’s not one bit funny. I don’t know who you are. Where did you dream up this idea? There’s no way I’m going to live with you.”

  “Why not?”

  She spluttered in shock, but finally managed to speak in complete sentences. “Because you don’t want me, Cameron. You never look back, remember? What happened to your rules? What changed overnight that you suddenly want me around?”

  He swallowed hard and thought fast. “Look, people adjust, Julia. Rules are meant to change with the times.” He was being perfectly reasonable, why couldn’t she understand?

  “Well, isn’t that mature of you?” she said, a little too snidely for his taste. “But that still doesn’t mean I’m going to move into your house to play nanny while you go about your business.”

  “Nanny?” He frowned. “Who said anything about you being a nanny?”

  “Oh, come on, Cameron. I’m not a complete idiot. You want Jake, so you need me there to take care of him.”

  “No, that’s not true. I want you, too.”

  “Jake and I are perfectly happy in our own home. With our nanny. You can visit anytime.”

  “I don’t want to visit, I want to live with my son and his mother. I want you to marry me. Why is that so hard to comprehend?”

  “Because you’re using me to get to Jake,” she said, her voice quivering with emotion. “And I won’t be used.”

  That’s when it sank in. Julia was afraid. Damn it. Once more, he was being a dolt. She seemed to bring that quality out in him. Leaning back against the concrete balcony wall, Cameron pulled her close and ran his hands slowly along her spine, trying to soothe her. “I swear I’m not using you, sweetheart. I wouldn’t do that. I’m just asking for a chance to live as a family. You, me and Jake.”

  She sighed, then looked up at him. “Cameron, you don’t love me.”

  His eyes widened before he could stop the reaction. She wanted love? From him? He blew out a breath, knowing he could never give her that. But there were plenty of other things he could give her.

  “Julia, I admire you,” he said gently. “I respect you. I like you a helluva lot. I want to be with you. It’s pretty obvious we’re both hot for each other. That’s a major plus, right? I think we could have a great life together. But I…I just don’t do love. I’m sorry.”

  She tilted her head and studied him keenly. “Do you love Jake?”

  He frowned. Did he love his son? Could he? He thought about it, remembering those moments when he and the little guy had stared into each other’s souls. He already had a bone-deep connection to the boy. Was that love? Did it matter? Cameron didn’t think so and Julia would have to deal with that.

  “Jake is my son,” he said. “I’ll protect him with my life.”

  Julia nodded without speaking. She’d seen the look of awareness that had passed across Cameron’s face when he’d considered whether he loved Jake or not. Julia knew that look. She’d seen it in her own face when she looked in the mirror while holding Jake. It was the look of parental love. Cameron might not be able to say the words, but she knew he felt them.

  She didn’t dare admit that she was tempted by his loveless proposal. What would that make her, besides desperate? Did she really want a family so badly that she would abandon the possibility of love forever?

  A while later, she wandered through the rooms of the suite, visiting with the people she’d already begun to wishfully think of as her family. At the same time, she considered Cameron’s words. He liked Julia. Respected her. They were hot for each other. But was all that enough to make them a family? On the other hand, there were probably plenty of other families that had started out with less.

  A family was something she’d dreamed of for most of her life. She’d always imagined what fun it would be to have brothers and sisters to play with and talk to. Cameron’s brothers and Trish would fulfill that desire. And with Sally, she would have a mom to share her deepest dreams and secrets with. They could go shopping and have lunch together.

  “And we could braid each other’s hair,” she muttered, disgusted with herself. Good grief, was she so needy that she would marry Cameron just to have lunch with his mother?

  With a sigh, she walked into the second bedroom just as Trish snapped the last snap on Jake’s jammies.

  “We did it,” Trish said, gazing at Adam with justifiable pride.

  “You were brilliant,” he said. With one hand, he held Jake securely on the changing table while he reached for Trish with the other and planted a kiss on her mouth.

  Julia sighed again. It was such a romantic move.

  Trish noticed her then. “Oh, Julia, he was a perfect angel.”

  “And he looks relatively undamaged by the whole experience,” Julia quipped. “For that, I thank you.”

  “Thank you so much for trusting us with him,” Trish said.

  Adam kissed her temple and she beamed at him. They were so clearly in love, it almost hurt to watch them.

  Could Cameron ever love her that much? she wondered, then
rapidly banished the foolish thought from her mind. Wishing for things that would never come true wasn’t her style. Long ago, she’d trained herself not to wish for too much and to be happy with whatever she had, because things could always change for the worse in a heartbeat.

  After Adam and Trish left the room, Julia laid Jake in his crib and rubbed his tummy until he settled.

  “Sweet dreams, my darling,” she whispered, and watched him drift off to sleep. He’d always been such a happy baby, and relatively easy to care for. Now Julia wondered if she was robbing her son of a closer relationship with his father by saying no to Cameron’s proposition. Cameron had said he would protect Jake with his life. But was that enough on which to build a marriage? Could she be content, knowing that Jake would have a doting father who protected and cared for him?

  As she switched off the light, Julia remembered the other point Cameron had made to sweeten the deal. They were hot for each other.

  “So true,” she murmured, and felt a jolt of desire in her lower stomach at the thought of the two of them in bed together. The image was so vivid, she had to stop for a moment, take a deep breath and let it out slowly, before she was able to walk into the living room. Her eyes instantly sought and found Cameron, who watched her with an intensity she’d never experienced from a man before.

  Julia’s laid-back facade turned to dust as Cameron’s blazing awareness scorched her from across the room. Oh, yeah, they had heat. The question was how long could they make it last?

  Cameron scrunched his pillow and wondered if he would ever sleep again. In keeping with his plan, after their guests had left, he’d led Julia to her bedroom door where he’d kissed her good-night and walked away.

  “For the third damn night in a row,” he said. Once again, he lay in bed wide awake, wondering what the hell was wrong with him. He was a marine, he’d led warriors into battle and faced the enemy, but walking away from Julia a few hours ago had been the hardest thing he’d ever done.

  But it was for a good cause, he reasoned. His plan was working. Leave her wanting more. He’d give Julia another few days, but in the end, she would come to see that marriage was the best thing they could do for little Jake.