After wiping off Ava’s face, he flung the cloth over his shoulder, hoisted her up, and gently patted her back until she emitted a puff of air. After a few more pats, she emitted a much louder burp, which made him and Cam laugh.
“Yep. She definitely takes after me,” he said.
“I won’t argue there,” Cam said, smiling for the first time in the last several minutes.
See, he wanted to say. We’ll get along fine if we just keep it about Ava.
“So, we were talking about Tyler.”
“No, you were talking about Tyler,” she corrected.
“Is there any chance for you two?”
“Not unless he divorces his wife, which I don’t see happening anytime soon.”
“Well, is there someone else you’re interested in? Someone from work maybe?”
Cam laughed, but it wasn’t joyful. “I see what you’re trying to do, Connor, but there’s no one else right now. There aren’t too many men out there who want to be saddled down with a single mom and child.”
Connor immediately thought about Julia, who’d agreed to stick by him even though he was a single dad. Everyone deserved someone like that in their life, even Cam.
“What do you see in her, anyway? She doesn’t seem like your type,” Cam said, breaking into his thoughts.
Ignoring her tone, he twisted his neck to peek at Ava, who had fallen asleep on his shoulder. While he was enjoying her soft, warm body next to his, he decided it was time to set her down and focus on Cam. He wanted to get this conversation over with and get on to more important things—like Julia.
Careful not to jostle her too much, he walked across the room and laid Ava in the bouncy seat. He was already beginning to understand the importance of naptime, and he hoped that she would stay sleeping long enough for him to accomplish what he’d set out to do.
Instead of returning to the chair, he sat next to Cam on the couch, leaving ample space between them. Maybe if he could convince her that they were a team in raising their child, she would loosen up about Julia. It was his only hope.
“Julia’s warm, and funny, and kind. I care about her—a lot. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t have room in my life for Ava, and for you too as Ava’s mother. I only want what’s best for both of you.” There. Maybe he was getting better with words, after all.
“What if you’re what’s best for me?” Cam said. Her voice had softened, and he thought he saw a tear in her eye.
He shook his head. “I don’t think you really believe that. I think you’re just scared to be alone, even though you’re not. Besides me, there are a lot of other people who are willing to help with Ava.” Including Julia, he thought but didn’t say.
She didn’t argue with him that time, but she averted her eyes and picked at a loose thread on her skirt. “I really screwed up, didn’t I?’ she said, her voice sounding small and very far away.
“You can’t think like that,” Connor said, placing his hand over hers.
“I’ve made so many mistakes.” A tear dripped down her cheek, but he resisted the urge to wipe it away.
“We all make mistakes,” he said quietly, “but Ava isn’t one of them.”
Looking across the room, he saw that Ava was still sleeping, her head cocked to one side and her lips moving as if she were still sucking on the bottle. She was so darn adorable that it made his heart squeeze.
“I’m so sorry, Connor. I never got a chance to tell you that. I’ve always regretted hurting you, but I’ll never regret loving you.”
He nodded, his throat tight with emotion. What’s happening to me? Why am I becoming a wuss?
Their conversation having come to a natural end, Cam got ready to leave. Connor helped transfer Ava into the car seat, and then he went back inside to a house that suddenly felt very empty. He could still detect the lingering scent of Ava in the air—a combination of sweet baby skin and formula.
Flopping down on the chair, he accidentally sat on her teething ring, and he pulled the soggy toy out from under him. Twisting it around in his hand, he smiled, remembering what Julia had said at the lake house about Ava being the sweetest mistake.
He’d tried to get that point across to Cam and hoped that he’d succeeded. And then he flicked on the television because all this emotional stuff was exhausting! As he was channel surfing, he decided that he needed a night out with the guys—his brothers in particular. He needed to feel like a man again instead of a wuss. Having made the decision to call them and set something up, he relaxed into the recliner and let his mind drift.
He thought about Ava, his conversation with Cam, and Julia. He would have called her right after Cam left, but she was with her parents. They’d decided to tackle their two biggest obstacles right after they’d returned from Up North. He still couldn’t quite believe all that had happened to him in such a short amount of time.
First Julia and then Ava, both of whom had him wrapped around their little fingers. He smiled then, realizing there was no place else he’d rather be.
Chapter Twenty-One
It was one of only two times that Julia felt uncomfortable in her childhood home. The first was when she’d brought Connor over for dinner, and the second was now, as she faced her parents across the dining room table. Even the aroma of homemade chocolate cake didn’t make her feel better.
“Did you enjoy your stay at the lake house?” Dr. Lee asked.
“Not completely.” She’d been trying to decide how to begin, and he’d just given her an opening.
“Oh? Why not?”
“Well, I was having a fine time until Alec showed up.”
Debra looked down and shifted the vegetables around on her plate.
“Ah,” her dad said.
And then, because she was horrible at subtlety, Julia blurted out, “You have to let it go, Dad. Alec and I are not getting back together.”
Her dad looked startled for a moment, but then he gave her a slight nod.
“I’m with Connor now, and I know you don’t particularly like him…”
“Now, hold it right there.”
Uh-oh. It wasn’t very often that her dad took that tone with her. “I never said I didn’t like him.”
“You didn’t have to. It was written all over your face the first time you met him.”
He sighed. “I’m sorry, Julia, but he doesn’t seem like your type.”
She tucked her hands beneath her thighs to keep them from banging the table. “Who is my type? A doctor like you and Alec?”
“Now, honey,” Debra said in an attempt to calm her down. But Julia was on a roll.
“Connor may not be a doctor, or a lawyer, or whatever else you deem to be a suitable occupation, but he’s excellent at what he does, and his business is very successful.”
“I thought it was his brother’s business,” Dr. Lee said.
“He and his brothers are equal partners, and eventually, Connor wants to branch off on his own.”
“That’s all well and good, but does he have the means to take care of you in the manner to which you’re accustomed?”
She’d never thought of her dad as snobby until right then, and it pained her. Looking over at her mom for help, she saw that she was on her own. Her mom belonged to a different generation. She’d been content in her role as a wife and mother and well taken care of by her doctor husband. But Julia wasn’t like that. She didn’t need anyone to take care of her or provide things for her. She was capable of doing that all by herself. She wasn’t with Connor for what he could give her. She was with him because…
“I love him,” she said quietly, testing out the words. And they felt right. “I love him,” she repeated more emphatically.
“Love doesn’t pay the bills,” Dr. Lee said.
“Now, James,” her mother said, finally breaking her silence. “Listen to your daughter. She’s in love with Connor, and we should be happy for her. She’s not a child anymore.”
Her dad stared at Debra for a moment in shock,
but when he turned and saw the tears streaming down Julia’s face, he visibly softened.
“And you’re okay with taking on another woman’s child?” he asked.
Swiping away her tears, Julia said, “Ava’s his child too, and I love her. I’d like you both to meet her.” She’d sidestepped his question because she wasn’t sure how to answer, but she’d been truthful about her feelings for Ava. And she truly believed that once her parents met Ava, they’d fall in love with her too, regardless of who her mother was.
“Okay, then,” Dr. Lee said. “I’ll have to trust your judgment.”
It wasn’t overly encouraging, but it was a step in the right direction. Debra rubbed Julia’s back a few times and then stood up to serve dessert.
Julia excused herself to the bathroom, where she splashed cool water on her tear-stained face and took some deep breaths. She’d done it. She’d stood up to her father and proclaimed her love for Connor all in one swoop.
But now she suffered a brief moment of uncertainty. Did Connor feel the same way about her? He’d been so sweet and attentive to her at the lake house, and he’d shared more of himself than he had up until then. He’d told her how much he cared about her and how important she was, but was that the same as love?
There were still a lot of unknowns, and she dealt better with certainties. Case in point: her career choice, where one plus one always added up to two. Thinking back, it was probably the same reason that she’d been with Alec. He was known to her, and he was calm, steady, and predictable. He would have given her the kind of life her father had alluded to—a life of comfort and luxury.
But in the end, that hadn’t been enough. She hadn’t loved Alec passionately the way she did Connor. She probably would have ended up bored and childless. And now look, Connor had suddenly become part of a package deal. If they stayed together, she’d have Ava too, and hopefully more children down the road.
Hold on, Julia. You’re getting way ahead of yourself.
When she returned to the dining room, her dad was no longer at the table, but there were three thick slices of chocolate cake at each of their seats.
“Where’d Dad go?” Julia asked as she sat back down.
“He had to take a phone call,” Debra said.
After taking her first bite of the moist cake, Julia said, “Thanks, Mom.”
“I know it’s your favorite,” she said.
“Not just for the cake. For sticking up for me in front of Dad.”
Debra patted her hand. “You know he means well, right? You’re our only child, and he worries about you. We both do. Once you have your own child, you’ll understand.”
“I’m already starting to,” Julia said, thinking about Ava.
Julia felt much lighter when she left her parents’ house, and she wondered if Connor had had similar success with Cam. She considered driving straight to his house, but she didn’t want to interrupt if they were still talking. She was still debating what to do when she pulled onto her street and saw his Jeep in her driveway. Apparently, he was anxious to see her too, and the thought of that made her heart swell.
When she pulled in beside him, she saw that his head was leaned back and his eyes were closed. Was he sleeping in her driveway? She made a mental note to give him a key to her house. And then his eyes popped open, and he smiled at her—a slow, sleepy grin that made her insides warm.
They both got out of their cars at the same time, and he lifted her right off her feet and spun her around.
Laughing, she said, “What was that for?”
“Just for fun,” he said as he set her back down and followed her into the house.
Once they were behind closed doors, he pulled her into his arms and planted a firm kiss on her lips, making a loud smacking noise when he pulled away.
“Wow! Does this mean things went well with Cam?”
“As well as you might expect,” he said, making himself at home on the couch.
She set down her purse and joined him, nestling in close and soaking up his presence. “Tell me everything.”
“Ladies first. How did it go with Dr. Lee?”
There was no malice when he said her dad’s title, and she decided that he was just being respectful. So, she launched into a summary of her conversation with her parents and ended it on what she hoped was a positive note.
Afterward, she said, “Now tell me about your discussion with Cam.”
He gave her the highlights, shifting uncomfortably when he confirmed her suspicions about Cam still wanting to be with him. But Julia didn’t have the heart to say, “I told you so,” especially when she thought about how difficult the conversation must have been for him. It sounded like he’d said all the right things without giving Cam any false hopes. There was a part of Julia that felt sorry for Cam. She’d messed up a good thing, and they were all in an awkward situation because of it. On the other hand, Julia wouldn’t have been with Connor if things hadn’t gone the way they did.
“It sounds like you handled it well,” she said.
“I did my best. Oh, and there’s one more thing I wanted to tell you.”
He’d raised his right arm to run his hand through his hair, and she caught a glimpse of his tattoo. Crazy enough, just the sight of it turned her on. She had the sudden urge to touch it, to touch him, but he wasn’t done talking yet.
“I scheduled a guys’ night out for next Saturday. I hope you don’t mind.”
Eyebrows raised, she said, “Why would I mind?”
“I don’t know. I just don’t want you to think I’m ditching you on a Saturday night.”
She laughed. “Connor, I’m perfectly capable of entertaining myself.”
His eyes widened. “I just got an amazing visual.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
“I was kidding, but not really. I liked watching you that time. I still replay it in my head.”
She squirmed even though she was secretly pleased. She liked that he was just as turned on by her as she was by him.
“It can happen again, ya know.”
He perked up. “Oh yeah? Like when?”
Shooting him a seductive smile, she stood and offered her hand. “How about right now?”
“Hell yeah,” he said and jumped off the couch.
By the time they got to her bedroom, he already had his shirt off and was unbuttoning his jeans.
“In a hurry much?” she teased.
“I’m not in a hurry, I’m anxious. There’s a difference,” he said as his pants hit the floor.
“I’m anxious too,” she said as she whipped her T-shirt off and tossed it aside.
Her bra went next, and her nipples stood at attention under his intense gaze.
“Damn, woman!”
He sucked in a breath when she stepped out of her jeans and panties, and she noticed he still hadn’t removed his boxers.
Crawling onto the bed, she propped herself up with pillows and leaned back so she could still see him. “I guess I’ll have to get started without you,” she said. Who knew she had a temptress inside her? Knowing she was safe with Connor, she felt free to let go of her inhibitions and explore, and his reactions spurred her on.
Raising her hands to her chest, she cupped her breasts, feeling their weight before brushing her fingers over her taut nipples. Smiling, he watched her and started to remove his boxers, his erection springing forth just as her right hand disappeared between her legs.
Swallowing hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat, he said, “Are you wet for me?”
His voice sounded deeper in the dim light of her bedroom, and her breath quickened.
“Yes,” she said.
“Good. Keep going while I get a condom. I remembered this time.”
“Thank God,” she said as she grazed her fingers over her tight bud.
Keeping his eyes on her movements, he quickly sheathed himself, but he didn’t move until she beckoned him forward. Her body was on fire, and while she hadn’t minded
starting without him, she wanted him to take her to the finish line.
Crawling over her, he pulled her hand away and replaced it with his erection. “My turn,” he growled.
“Ohhhhh,” she moaned as he pushed inside, their bodies molding together perfectly.
Once he was buried deep, he lowered his head to capture her lips. The man was an expert kisser. First, he sucked her full bottom lip between his, the pressure causing the slightest bit of pain before he released it and ran his tongue across it.
“Connor,” she said, wriggling her hips beneath him.
“Good?”
“Yes.”
Next, he plundered her mouth with his tongue while gripping her left hip at the same time and thrusting into her.
Her brain shut down, and all she could do was feel. Her nipples rubbing against his chest, her core tightening, her legs wrapping around his powerful thighs as he plunged into her. With the friction building, her breath came in short gasps, and she knew she was getting close.
“Julia,” he said, panting against her mouth.
With her name on his lips, they came in a powerful burst of energy, bodies slick with sweat, lips swollen, limbs shaking, hearts pounding.
Afterward, when Connor had cleaned up and rejoined her, he curled his body around hers and held her tight.
Gathering her long hair in one hand, he moved it to the side so he could nuzzle her neck, causing her to shiver.
“Cold?” he said.
“No. It’s just you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah. You do that to me.”
She felt his smile against her neck.
“You do that to me too,” he said.
She smiled too even though she was facing away from him and he couldn’t see it. “Stay with me tonight,” she whispered.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“Me either.”
“I would hope not since this is your house.”
She laughed. “This is good, isn’t it? This thing between us,” she said, her throat tight with emotion.
“Not just good. The best.”
Twisting to look at him over her shoulder, she said, “Ever?”
“Ever.”
The Sweetest Mistake (O'Brien Brothers #2) Page 16