“Where to?” he asked.
“Upstairs,” she replied, her lips nuzzling his neck.
He kept her in his hold and took the stairs like they were nothing.
“Now where?”
“To the left, last door on the right.”
He didn’t set her down until they were inside, and then he immediately removed her dad’s trunks and tossed them aside.
She smiled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close before leaning down and capturing her mouth in a long, luxurious kiss.
“God, I missed you,” he said afterward.
“I missed you too,” she admitted.
He made quick work of removing her cover-up and tossed it over his shoulder, where it landed on top of her dresser, and then he paused to admire her for a moment.
“I want you to know something, Jules.”
Placing her palms on his chest, she felt the pounding of his heart. She’d expected to already be naked by now, so she was surprised that he’d stopped to talk.
“This isn’t just about sex to me. What we have…what I feel…”
“It’s okay. We don’t have to talk right now,” she said, smoothing her hands down his arms, finding his hands, and entwining their fingers together.
“Just let me say this.”
“Okay.”
“It may have started out that way, but it…you…mean so much more to me now. I’m not very good at this, am I?’
She smiled, wanting to assure him that he was a lot better at it than he thought, but then he continued.
“When you took off on me, I thought…well, I realized how much I wanted you in my life. And I know I probably don’t deserve you, but…”
“Stop saying that.”
“But I would never purposely hurt you. I think we’ve got something really special here, and I’d like to see where it goes. That is, if you’re willing to stick it out with me.”
Julia was nodding, but he didn’t seem to notice. He just kept on talking.
“And I know it won’t be easy, especially with Cam and Ava in the picture, but I’m willing to give it my best shot if you will too.”
“Yes, yes, yes,” she said, giggling softly. “I’ve been nodding my head during your entire speech.”
“Oh. You have?”
“Yes. And yes, I’m willing to ‘stick it out’ with you, as you so eloquently put it.”
“I’m not very good with words,” he said, scratching the back of his head.
“There’s another way,” she whispered.
His head snapped up.
“You can show me.”
“Now, that, I’m good at.”
Sliding his hands up her back, he untied her bikini strings, freeing her breasts from their confines. He then lifted the top over her head and tossed it over his shoulder, where it landed on top of her cover-up.
“How are you doing that?” she said, laughing.
“I have no idea,” he said, his voice thick with desire.
Next, he dropped to his knees in front of her, tucked his fingers in the sides of her bikini bottoms, and slowly slid them down her legs.
Instead of tossing the bottoms over his shoulder, he pushed them aside and scooted in closer, his face lined up with her…
“Ohhhh,” she moaned as his tongue flicked out to tease her. And then he did it again before looking up at her through hooded eyes.
“More?” he asked, his breath blowing over the spot that he’d just kissed.
“Yes, please.”
Cupping her bottom firmly, he proceeded to lick, kiss, and nibble until she became so lightheaded she had to grip his shoulders for support.
“Connor.”
But he didn’t show any signs of stopping, and so she held on for the ride, and oh, what a ride it was. She moaned unabashedly, and somehow, her hands were now entangled in his hair, and she was pushing his head forward as far as it could go.
When he found the magic button, she exploded, releasing all her pent-up emotions in one long, ecstatic cry.
Her entire body had gone limp, so she was grateful when Connor picked her up and carried her to the bed. Her eyes clouded with desire, she watched as he quickly removed his boxer briefs. But when he crawled over her, he frowned.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, confused.
“I don’t have any condoms with me.”
“None?”
“No. I came up here to talk to you, and I didn’t want to assume that anything else would happen.”
She smiled then, so wide that she knew her gums were showing, but she didn’t care.
“And this is a good thing, why?” he asked.
Reaching her hands up, she cupped his face and pulled him down for a kiss. When she let go, she said, “I love that you came all this way just to talk to me.”
“Yeah?”
“Um-hmm.”
“Tell me more,” he said, grinning down at her.
“I love that you weren’t afraid to go to my parents’ house when you wanted to find me.”
“That would be parent—singular.”
“Yes, but how did you know that my dad wouldn’t be there?”
“I didn’t.”
“See. I love that you didn’t let anything deter you from getting to me.”
He traced her lips with a finger and gazed at her reverently.
“Nothing could have stopped me. I don’t want to lose you, Julia. Right now, that’s my biggest fear.”
Trailing a finger down the middle of his chest, she said, “And I love that you just told me that.”
“None of this solves the problem of not having a condom, however,” he said as if to remind her of what they were in the middle of doing.
“No worries,” she said and pushed on his chest to get him to roll onto his back. Of course, that was like trying to move a huge boulder; however, he understood what she was doing and helped out.
Kneeling over his hips, she said, “Lay back and relax.”
He obliged, crossing his hands behind his head and watching as she took his erection in both hands and bent over him. After treating him like her favorite brand of popsicle, his body tightened, and his hands fisted in her hair.
“Damn, Julia. You’re too good to me.”
She stopped what she was doing just long enough to smile up at him before putting her mouth on him again, this time taking him in as far as she could before slowly releasing him.
She loved watching him like this—loved seeing him shed his tough-guy persona to indulge in the raw pleasure that she brought him. Up until recently, Connor had worked hard to keep his emotions in check, but recently, he’d started to open up. And she liked seeing this new side of him. Discovering that he had a daughter had softened his rough edges, and he seemed more willing to expose the emotional side of himself. He’d shared more with her in the past eight hours than he had since they’d been dating, and the weight she’d been carrying around for the past few days had lifted.
“Julia,” he growled, breaking into her thoughts.
It was a warning cry, but she didn’t heed it. Instead, she nodded, and Connor let go, holding her head in place while he ground out his pleasure. When he loosened his grip, she slid up his body and nestled into his side, resting one hand on his chest, where she could feel the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.
“I might have to forget a condom more often,” he said after a minute.
She smiled against his skin before she remembered what Cam had said about them not always using protection. For some reason, she felt compelled to ask him about it even though now might not be the best time.
“Connor?”
“Um-hmm.”
“What Cam said about you two not using protection—I find that difficult to believe. I mean, you’ve always been so diligent about it with me.” She tried to keep the accusation out of her voice, and she hoped she’d succeeded because he was quiet for what felt like a long time.
“Cam told me she was on
the pill, and I believed her. But recently, she admitted that she’d gone off it in the last couple months of our relationship.”
Julia bolted upright. “So, she tried to trap you?”
“I don’t know that for sure, and regardless, she’d never admit it. She said she thought we’d be safe for a while after she stopped the pill.”
Julia smelled a rat—a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, conniving rat! She wouldn’t put it past Cam to try to get pregnant so she could keep Connor tied to her. What would have happened if he hadn’t caught Cam canoodling with her boss? They might still be together—Cam, Connor, and Ava.
“Hey,” he said, sitting up beside her. “It doesn’t really matter anymore, does it? I made a mistake, and I’ve paid for it. Plus, I almost lost you in the process.”
Julia shook her head vehemently.
“You disagree?”
“You can’t view Ava as a mistake. She’s lovely, and she’s yours. If she was a mistake, she’s the sweetest mistake there ever was.”
Leaning forward, he gently kissed her lips. “You know what? You’re right. From now on, that’s how I’m going to think of it.”
“Just don’t ever tell her that,” Julia said solemnly. “Nobody wants to think they were a mistake.”
Taking her hand in his, he kissed the back of it. “Hopefully, you’ll always be around to remind me.” And before she could respond, he tumbled back on the bed, taking her down with him.
An hour later, they were in the kitchen eating the sandwiches and potato chips they’d bought earlier.
“I need to leave early tomorrow morning,” Connor said in between bites of his Italian sub.
“I figured.”
“Finn will have my ass if I keep missing work like this. Especially now, when it’s so busy.”
“I’ll probably head back too, even though Harper won’t expect me at work for a couple days.” Plus, now that she and Connor had reconciled, there was no reason to stay away. Maybe they could come back again during the summer under better circumstances, which gave her an idea…
“Hey. Maybe we could bring Ava up here sometime. Just the three of us for a weekend.”
Connor smiled, a dollop of dressing on his lower lip that Julia wanted to lick off. “That’s a great idea as long as Cam agrees.”
At least this time, she didn’t wince when he said Cam’s name. Progress. “Why wouldn’t she? She’s your child too.”
“I know, but I still have to respect Cam’s feelings, Jules.”
“I understand.” But she didn’t try to hide her disappointment. It sucked that they’d have to check with Cam whenever they wanted to spend time with Ava.
Reaching across the table, Connor rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “Maybe we could start smaller and work up to it. What do you say?”
“Sure.” Because what other choice do I have?
The rest of the evening was pure bliss. After they finished eating, they spent the next two hours lounging on the deck, sitting side by side, holding hands, and talking.
“When we get home, I’m going to have a talk with Cam,” Connor said, looking out over the lake.
“Sounds scary.”
He chuckled. “I want to make it clear to her that there’s no chance of us getting back together. I’m not going to let her manipulate me anymore.”
Julia gave his hand a squeeze. “And I’m going to have a heart-to-heart with my dad. He needs to stop trying to reunite Alec and me and acknowledge that I’m with you now.”
“Sounds like we have our work cut out for us.”
“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” Oh God. Now I sound like a cross-stitch saying!
“At least we have a few people on our side.”
“You mean Harper and Finn?”
“And Liam and my parents.”
Suddenly, it struck her that her parents still hadn’t met Ava. She was going to have to fix that too. Maybe if they saw her with Connor and his daughter, her parents would start to accept that she was serious about him.
They stayed outside until the sun began to descend, and then Connor stood up and held out his hand.
“Where are we going?” she asked, searching his eyes for clues.
“Back inside. This might be the last night we have alone for a while, and I want to make the most of it.”
Smiling big, she said, “I couldn’t agree more.”
Chapter Twenty
Connor hadn’t realized how much he’d missed his daughter until he held her in his arms again. Her chubby little hands and feet flailed with glee at the sight of him, and he melted. How was it possible for such a little person to have such a big effect on him?
“I think she missed you,” Cam said from where she sat on his couch. “And I did too.”
Uh-oh. Her admission didn’t bode well for the conversation he was about to have with her.
Still holding Ava, he sat down on the chair opposite of Cam and prepared for battle. He handed Ava a teething ring and bounced her on his knee as he tried to figure out where to start. But Cam beat him to it.
“I have good news. While you were gone, an apartment opened up in the building we looked at. I’m going to move in next week.”
“That is good news.”
“And it’s only a mile from here, so you can visit me and Ava anytime.”
“I don’t just want to visit her, Cam. I want Ava to stay with me some of the time too.”
“Of course,” she said, waving her hand around like it was a given. “Will you help me move in when it’s time? The unit is on the third floor, so I’ll need help carrying things up the stairs.”
“Sure. My brothers can help too if we need the extra muscle.”
“Your muscles are more than enough,” she said flirtatiously.
Okay, maybe Julia was right. Maybe Cam did want him back. Just then, Ava dropped her teething ring, and a plop of drool landed on his jeans.
“Is she okay? Why is she so wet?” he asked.
Cam laughed. “Yes, she’s fine. All babies drool, especially when they’re cutting teeth.”
“Sounds painful.”
“It makes her fussy at times, but if she has something to chew on, she’s usually okay.”
Handing the teething ring back to Ava, he tried to remember where they’d left off. Who knew babies could be so distracting?
“Where were we?”
“We were talking about your muscles,” Cam said with a wink. And then she purposefully crossed her legs, giving Connor a view up her skirt.
Averting his eyes, he said, “Don’t.”
“Don’t what?” she asked.
“Don’t flirt with me. It won’t work.”
“It used to.”
“That was a long time ago.”
“Back when you used to love me.”
“Used to being the operative phrase.”
“Oh, come on, Connor. You can’t possibly feel that way about Gillian.”
He glared at her. “Julia. Don’t pretend you don’t know her name.”
“Whatever. The point is, you loved me once, and now we have a child together. We could be a family.”
“No, Cam. We can’t.”
And then, as if Ava sensed the discord between her parents, she started to fuss.
“I think she needs to eat,” Cam said, standing and holding out her arms.
“I’ll hold her while you get the bottle,” Connor said, standing his ground. He didn’t want Cam thinking he was incapable of caring for Ava. That wouldn’t help his cause any.
Cam huffed out of the room to warm a bottle while Connor stood up and started pacing. Bouncing Ava up and down in his arms, he willed her to stop fussing, but it was to no avail. The second Cam reappeared with a bottle, Ava calmed down, and Cam went to take her from him again.
“I’ll do it,” he said, snatching the bottle from her hand before she could argue.
Sitting back down, he cradled Ava against his chest and offered her the bottle. He watche
d with something akin to awe as she suckled and stared back at him. It was almost as if she were trying to memorize his features—features that looked a lot like hers. It was amazing, really, and for a moment, he forgot that Cam was even there.
“You’re getting better at it,” Cam said softly.
It was the first compliment she’d given him that hadn’t made him uncomfortable. “I’m trying.”
Tucking her bare feet underneath her, she smoothed her skirt over her legs, but this time, she didn’t give him a peep show. Maybe she was finally taking the hint. But just in case…
“Look, Cam. I know this has been hard for you, and believe me, I have a better appreciation for single moms than ever before. But I’m here to help in any way I can, and I think I’ve proven that.”
She nodded, her fingers clasped tightly in her lap.
“But you and I are never going to be together. I’m with Julia now.”
“Do you love her?” Cam asked as if she were issuing him a challenge.
He swallowed hard. He hadn’t put his feelings for Julia into those exact words, but he was getting closer to that. However, he didn’t want Cam to be the first to know.
“I didn’t think so,” she said, looking victorious.
“What I feel for Julia is between her and me. My relationship with her is private.”
“If she’s going to be spending time with my daughter, I have a right to ask questions.”
His eyes went wide. “Your daughter? I believe she belongs to both of us.”
“You weren’t even there for the first few months of her life.”
“And whose fault was that?”
Okay. Breathe, Connor. This was not going well at all. He decided to try a different tact.
“What about you? What happened with Tyler?”
Flapping her manicured hand around, she said, “That was nothing. It ended a long time ago.”
Just then, Ava’s mouth went slack, and formula started dribbling down the side of her face.
“She needs to be burped,” Cam said, darting across the room with a burp cloth in hand.
The Sweetest Mistake (O'Brien Brothers #2) Page 15