by Hadley Quinn
“Just tell the truth.”
“I will,” Melanie growled.
“I’m just saying that it’s not going to be easy any way you do it, so just stick to the truth.” They were both silent for a minute as they took sips of juice. Melanie finished hers first and got up to toss it into a recycle bin. She didn’t miss Camryn’s surprise that Jack recycled.
“Don’t judge the book,” she playfully told her sister.
Camryn held up her hands and laughed. “Okay, okay.”
Jackson came out a few minutes later, his wet hair messy but not spiked with any product. He was wearing a pair of baggy sweats and a different t-shirt, and it caused Camryn to glance at the time on her phone. It was almost eight p.m.
She watched Melanie and Jackson interact for a few minutes. It seemed really normal to Camryn, like they’d been in a relationship for a while. And her sister seemed…different. More mature, even. Normally Melanie flittered around everywhere, giggling and joking about silly things or what a cute guy said to her at the coffee shop that day. But tonight she was mellow and pensive. Granted she was about to drop a huge bomb on her new boyfriend, but to Camryn it seemed like they interacted this way all the time.
When Jack was about to head for the front room to watch TV so the girls could visit, Melanie asked if she could speak with him. His surprise was obvious but he agreed.
Melanie glanced back at Camryn like she was heading to be slaughtered, but what could Camryn do? This was her sister’s mess, and even though she loved her and would do anything for her, right now she could only be there to clean up the shit after it hit the fan.
It was painful to hear Melanie build up to her pregnancy confession. Camryn remained in the kitchen and could hear them in the adjoining living room just fine. Melanie was already crying. It was hard not to watch them, so Camryn studied Jackson’s expressions and body language along with every word he spoke.
He was a bit stunned, to say the least. At first he didn’t say anything, but finally he rubbed his face and leaned onto his knees. “So what’s gonna happen, Melanie? Who’s the father and what are your plans?”
“I don’t have any plans,” she answered right away. “I only found out this morning. I realized I was a week late.”
“And what about the father? You need to figure it out and let him know.”
“I know. I will.”
He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his damp hair. “Okay, so…figure it out and… Well, you’re welcome to stay here if you need to.”
“So that’s it? We’re done?” Her voice was listless, like she knew the answer.
Jackson stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. “I don’t know, Melanie. If there’s a way the baby’s dad could be a part of your life, then I won’t stand in the way. But if that’s not an option for you, I’d rather we not be over. But either way… You’ve got to at least figure out who knocked you up and talk to him.”
Melanie was optimistic. “But you’re not completely against, um…?”
“Dating someone that’s pregnant? No, I wouldn’t consider myself the type of guy to kick you out because you’re pregnant.” He sighed, and with a shrug said, “We have time to talk about it. Maybe after a few more weeks we won’t even be able to stand being around each other.”
His smile was reassuring and it made Melanie relax a little. Camryn was impressed with the guy, if she were to be honest. He actually reminded her a lot of Teague, and it made her wonder if that kind of personality was like a life-changing magnet to the Jacobs’ sisters. Maybe Melanie had the same kind of instant connection with Jackson as Camryn had with Teague.
But unfortunately the mood shifted when Melanie mentioned she had one more thing to tell him, and when she finally got around to admitting her actual age, Jackson looked like someone had punched him in the face.
He stood up from the couch and took a step away from her. “Are you…? Are you kidding me? This is a joke, right?”
He waited for Melanie to answer but all she did was shake her head.
“Holy shit,” he exhaled with disbelief. He ran both hands over his head and kept them there. “My instinct told me you weren’t being honest about that, but my brother vouched for it. Are you telling me he lied, too?”
Melanie bit her lip and looked down at the floor. “Um, he probably does think I’m older…”
He was speechless as he stared at her. Finally his arms dropped and he sighed. Pointing to the front door he quietly said, “I want you to leave. Grab your things and get out, please.”
“Jack, please,” Melanie cried. “You’re acting like I’m underage or something!”
He shook his head and took another step away. “I’m willing to understand mistakes and fuckups—I’ve certainly had my share of them—but I cannot stand being lied to. Get your things and leave. Now.”
Melanie turned on her heel and hurried for the hall, crying as she refused to look at her sister on the way by. When she disappeared into the bedroom, Camryn silently walked to the recycle bin to drop her plastic bottle into it. Jack was watching her, and she could tell he was really uncomfortable. Whether it was because of her presence or Melanie’s confessions—or both—she couldn’t blame him one bit.
He watched her walk across the apartment and stop at the couch. They looked at each other for a few seconds until Camryn finally said, “I’m really sorry.”
He was clearly surprised by her response. “I don’t really understand,” he finally said carefully. “She called you…why?”
Camryn licked her lips and took a deep breath. “For two reasons. One, I’m the only female family that she has; the only one she can count on. And two, she likes you so much she was hoping I could magically fix this so you wouldn’t boot her ass out.”
He didn’t respond because Melanie came down the hall, bag slung over her shoulder and other miscellaneous items clutched in her arm. She didn’t look at either of them as she opened the apartment door and disappeared into the hallway.
Camryn turned to Jack and said, “Look, I know how pissed you are, and you have every right to be. Melanie is just… She’s my sister and I love her, but even though she does careless shit like this, she really doesn’t mean any harm. I know that’s not an excuse, but there’s more to her than this.”
She grabbed her phone and keys from the kitchen counter and headed for the door.
“Camryn,” Jack called, bringing her to a halt. She turned around to face the sad smile on his face when he added, “I really do know there’s a lot more to her.”
She met his gaze long enough to determine he was being sincere. She nodded and then shut the door on her way out.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Despite the circumstances, Teague was so happy to see Camryn that night. Kellie was home too when the girls arrived, and she showed Melanie a spare bedroom she could crash in for the night. When Melanie was taken care of, Teague looked at Camryn and watched her shoulders drop with a very defeated exhale.
“Come here,” he said, stepping towards her to gather her in his arms. Kissing the top of her head Teague murmured, “I’m so glad to see you. I know the reason sucks, but I’m glad I got to see you a couple of days earlier than planned.” He pulled back to look at her, placing his hands against her face. Her green eyes were dark, almost mossy, and he could tell how stressed she was. “You want to go take a bath with me?” he smiled, eyebrows raised. “I’ll make it worth your time. Or I could just leave you alone and let you relax if that’s what you need,” he added. “Whatever you want is fine with me.”
“A bath with you sounds amazing.”
“Perfect,” he grinned. “But first… I just want to kiss you.”
He pressed his lips against hers and held them there for a moment. Then he began to work them over with his, taking his time to make the reunion sensual and meaningful. Teague used his hand against the back of her neck to assist in his gentle assault, loving the taste and feel of her lips, and the way her fingers
slid up his shirt to touch his skin.
“If I could choose one thing to do before I died, it would be kissing you,” he spoke softly.
Camryn froze. Teague pulled away to see what was wrong, but she swallowed and forced a smile. “I’m ready for that bath, I think,” she told him, pulling away entirely. “How ‘bout you bring a couple of drinks for us and I’ll get it running.”
She kissed him once more, just a solid smack on the lips, and headed for the hallway.
“What the fuck?” he whispered to himself as he watched her leave. But then he considered his choice of words. Had he really said something about dying? Was he that insensitive?
When Teague entered the bathroom a few minutes later, he studied her carefully. But Camryn was already giving him her classic beautiful smile as he set two drinks on the ledge of the tub. Then she surprised him by roughly shoving him up against the wall.
“How bad did you miss me?” she asked, pressing her lips against his neck. Kissing a path to his mouth, she rubbed against his lower half.
“So bad I popped a boner while I was sitting in traffic tonight.” He leaned down to kiss her forehead as she laughed. “It fucking sucked,” he added with a smile. “All I could think about was your face in my lap like at the park last week.”
She bit back a laugh as she leaned away to study the bedroom eyes he was deliberately giving her. “A boner like this?” she asked, her hand pressing against it.
He closed his eyes as she massaged him, undoing his jeans at the same time. “Yeah, something like that,” he sighed.
“Wow, that must have been painful,” she suppressed a laugh.
“Uh huh…pretty much,” he panted as she was now stroking his bare skin.
“Aww, then I should probably make up for it since it was so nice of you to think about me.”
“Yeah, it was…it was rough.”
“Rough?” she growled, fisting him harder.
His breath released past her head as he moaned. But she let go of him and took a step back. Eyeing him up and down, she smiled, obviously liking the fact that he was totally drunk for her. She grabbed the edge of her shirt and pulled it over her head. His eyes circled over her chest and down her stomach to the jewelry in her navel. With a smile, she unbuttoned her pants and shimmied them down.
“This is a simplified version of the striptease I want to give you, but that will be for the bedroom another time,” she said with a wink.
Teague watched with undivided attention. Even his throbbing cock wouldn’t prevent him from taking in every inch of her beautiful body with his eyes. He wanted to strip his own clothes off just so he could get inside her, but he was honestly too absorbed to move. When Camryn was completely naked in front of him, he finally took a breath of air. It came out shaky because she was up against him now, yanking his pants and boxers down before she stripped his shirt off. Her lips were all over his body—his chest, his stomach, his neck and his shoulders—and the room started to spin.
Finally she said, “I admire your restraint, Teague. But I am so horny right now—”
He grabbed her ass and hauled her up against him as he turned her back to the wall. His cock was smothered in heat as he sank into her and ravaged her mouth simultaneously. When she moaned and squeezed her legs tighter around him, her nails bit into his skin and his thrusts went deeper.
Even though they’d discussed it several times, Teague still worried about birth control. He knew Camryn could sense his hesitation as he slowed, but he couldn’t help it. Melanie’s situation was too much of a reminder.
“Cam, let’s just be more careful,” he said.
“I use a different method than my sister, if that’s what you’re thinking about.”
“Kind of, but even so…”
“Teague, it’s not like I forget to take a pill or anything. It’s in my uterus and it’s effective until it’s taken out. I’m so thankful you’re concerned, and of course you have your own choice, but there will be no surprises, I promise.”
He fought against the natural urge to disagree, but she was so fucking hot he couldn’t resist. Just this once, maybe it would be okay. He could trust her, couldn’t he?
The question disappeared in his mind the second her tongue entered his mouth again. It was only quiet moans and groans to maintain some privacy, even while they moved from the wall to the counter and finally to the bedroom floor where Teague could feel her shatter beneath him. When she rolled him over to return the favor, Teague had a hard time keeping quiet as he filled her for the first time, his body appreciating what his mind was telling him not to. She felt so incredible it was enough to block out his selfish enjoyment.
As their movements slowed, Camryn exhaled and laid her chest against his. Teague’s hand gathered her hair as his other hand rubbed softly against her lower back. “Your flexibility is mind-boggling,” he finally said.
She laughed and looked up to meet his gaze. “Eighteen years of dancing will do that for you.”
He smiled and was about to say something when something glistening caught his eye. “Ah shit!” he exclaimed, and Camryn hopped off of him at the same time she noticed water flowing from the bathroom floor and into the bedroom.
***
It wasn’t funny, it really wasn’t, but when she saw Teague’s naked ass make a beeline for the bathroom, Camryn had to laugh. He tiptoed through the water to shut the tub faucet off and then unplugged the drain.
He glanced back and caught her clutching her stomach as she laughed. He laughed too and said, “Get your sexy body in here and help me.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, shaking her head. Still chuckling she added, “My God, you’ve got the cutest tushie.”
“Tushie?” he grunted as he grabbed a pile of towels. “Jesus.”
She laughed again as she carefully entered the bathroom, but when she reached out for the towels he tossed to her, she lost her balanced on the slick floor and her feet went out from under her.
At first Teague’s mouth made an “oh” with surprise when she landed on her ass with a splash, but when Camryn started to laugh, so did he. All of the towels dropped out of his hands as he grabbed the edge of the counter to offer his other hand, but she was too far away to reach for it. So when he leaned forward even more to help her, his feet slipped back and he fell to his hands and knees.
That sent Camryn into another laughing fit that made her stomach hurt and her eyes cry. “So much for you being a skilled stuntman!”
He swiped his hand through the water to splash her. “Shut up!” he laughed. “And that was graceful for a professional dancer?”
“Ha! I don’t dance in water. That’s your expertise on a surf board.”
He’d pretty much crawled across the floor to get to her and he chuckled again. “Okay, so get me a damn surf board and I’ll show you my water skills.” He sat next to her and pulled her onto his lap.
Camryn wrapped her arms around his neck, and even though they were in the most ridiculous situation, she felt her heart swell in her chest when he kissed her. It wasn’t more intimate than any of their other kisses—it wasn’t even as foreplay—but the way he held her and put everything into the moment, confirmed every ounce of devotion she felt from him. It was those butterflies, again—just like she’d felt a dozen other times with Teague—but combined with the way her heart was racing and the feeling that she could share the deepest part of her soul with him was something more powerful than she’d ever experienced.
When Teague pulled back to look at her, she could swear she saw it in his eyes, too. They were a dark aquamarine as they searched hers intently. He ran his thumb along her lip and softly held her face, and he just sat there and studied her features for a moment. Finally he smiled and said, “I’d better get this water up before it causes any damage.”
Camryn slid off of his lap and used the counter to help herself up. When she got her voice to work she asked, “Do you need assistance, surfer boy?”
He grinned and p
ulled himself up effortlessly. “Nope. I think falling to make you feel better about yourself did the trick.”
She smiled, but just looking at herself in the mirror was shocking. Her face and body were red and blotchy; partly from the bathroom antics, but mostly because of Teague’s kiss. Oh well. They were both naked and in the middle of a really awkward situation anyway. She wasn’t even embarrassed around Teague, and that was saying something.
Teague grabbed another stack of towels from a cupboard and wrapped one around her. “I might need a few more if you want to grab some from my bedroom closet. They should be up on the shelf as you walk in.”
“Okay,” she nodded.
She dried off a bit as she stepped out of the bathroom, cringing at the water that was soaking the carpet. She hurried to the closet and flipped on the light. Glancing from left to right, she spotted the towels on a shelf above her head. She reached for them, and because she tried going for the entire stack in one try, she lost the top half of them onto the floor. They’d dropped in front of some presents that were nicely wrapped in Disney wrapping paper and neatly stacked in the corner. As she knelt down to scoop up the towels, Camryn glanced over the tags on the gifts. Each one of them was labeled with “Chase.”
She scooped up the towels and re-entered the bedroom, dropping three of them immediately on the carpet that was soaked with water. “Will this be enough?” she asked Teague, who had every towel he had spread over the bathroom floor. One was wrapped around his waist and Camryn smiled at the beautiful simplicity of such a sight. His dark hair and muscular physique were so sexy against the mostly pure white of the room.
He rubbed his hand over his head and chuckled as he tossed another soaked towel into the now-drained tub. “Well, we might have to start ripping off the bed sheets next.”
She smiled and dropped one towel on the floor, using her feet to mop up the little bit of water nearest to her.
Teague took the other two towels from her and said, “This should be good. I think next time we’ll hold off on the bath until our usual reunion is complete.”