“Those girls are going to cause a stampede in this town,” Jake said.
“Yep, trouble is on the horizon,” Nelson agreed.
“Thank god we’re already taken,” Levi added.
“Amen to that, brother,” Nelson said, high-fiving Levi.
“I want one.” Ethan smiled dreamily with his elbows on the table and head in his hands, watching the girls bustle around as the brothers all laughed.
A few minutes later, Laurel brought out their lunch and winked again at Ethan, causing him to blush beet-red. The lunch smelled delicious, and they all watched as Ethan eagerly dug into his burger. Jake noticed a few seconds later Duke’s truck park across the street in front of Treasures-A-Plenty, the store owned and operated by Vanessa Sanchez. Smiling, he nodded his head to his brothers as they all watched Duke help Cami from the cab and into the store.
* * * *
“Duke, I don’t need anything. I’m fine,” Cami said for the thousandth time, but Duke wasn’t listening. He knew she only had one set of clothes, and he was getting tired of her wearing his and his brother’s baggy sweats. She needed things that were hers, but mostly she needed lacier bras and panties. Since it was too late in the day to drive into Celestial to visit Heaven’s Pleasures, he was stuck with Van’s place. He just prayed the woman had what he was looking for.
The door chimed as they entered, and the smell of lavender and roses filled his nose. Yep, this was a woman’s store, no doubt about that.
“Stop being stingy and go find some jeans, shirts, pajamas, and anything else you might need. I’m gonna go get Vanessa and see if she can help you,” Duke ordered.
“But I don’t want you spending your money on me,” Cami said, standing her ground.
Growling, Duke ordered, “Move, now.”
Sighing, Cami turned and started looking through the racks of clothes.
Heading toward the back of the store, Duke spotted Vanessa leaning over the counter with her nose in her computer. “Fuck a duck!” she shouted, slamming the mouse down hard. “One of these days, Mildred, I will replace you with a newer model!”
“Hey, Van,” Duke said, startling her.
“Geez, Duke, wear a bell next time.” She smiled up at him. “What brings you to town? I thought you boys were headed to Virginia on a case.”
“We were, but something came up. I need your help with something. Are you busy?” he asked.
Smiling, she looked up at him and said, “Nope, what up?”
* * * *
Cami was exhausted. By the time, the brothers had finished taking her and Ethan shopping it was too late to cook anything worthwhile, so the guys decided to grab something to go from Macie’s Diner. Too tired to argue, she nodded and rested her head against Duke’s shoulder. She had just closed her eyes when Jake walked over to the truck carrying one of the many bags of items Duke insisted she just had to have.
“Damn, Duke, what the hell? Did you buy out the whole damn store?”
“See, I told you it was too much,” she whispered.
“Cami needed things. Women things, and Van said there were certain things a woman couldn’t just live without,” Duke replied uncaringly.
“Like the twenty pairs of lacy panties or the several pairs of silk stockings, garters, and corsets?” Cami chuckled.
“Damn, is all that in here?” Jake asked taking a quick peek in the bag.
Cami knew there was no option but to relent and accept Duke’s hospitality when it came to jeans, sweaters, T-shirts, and such, but when he started piling up on extravagant lacy panties and matching bras, she put her foot down. As if that would actually work. Nope, instead, she ended up with a rainbow assortment of undergarments that would last her a lifetime, along with a couple of corsets, several pairs of silk thigh-highs, garter belts, and one killer pair of five-inch high heels.
She wanted to strangle Duke. Every time she put something back, he would add two more. The man had a serious lingerie fetish. Sighing, she snuggled closer to him, trying to ignore the mounds of bags that just kept piling up. Talk about overkill. She did, however, manage to pick up items for Ethan, things he would need, and she was grateful that Duke never told her no. Therefore, while Duke was picking out what he wanted her to wear, she shopped for her son.
Now, all that was left to do was to wash everything and put it all away. That was something she didn’t relish doing and decided that it could all wait until tomorrow. Nevertheless, right now all she wanted to do was get home and take a nice, long soak in a tub.
Chapter Eleven
So much had happened in the few days he had been away, yet nothing was as significant as learning how wrong he was about the one woman who captured his heart so long ago. He knew he had messed up when he was younger and there was nothing he could do about it now. He just prayed that she gave him the chance to explain. If she would allow him that one request, Richard knew he would be spending the rest of his life endeavoring to deserve her.
Time stood still for him when he found out that the man who hired him and his brothers was none other than the sick bastard who whisked her away from her father and married her. The man didn’t even have the balls to do that right, installing her in a shack on the outskirts of the town she grew up in as he waved a sheet of paper in front of her face, telling her that her father had sold her to pay off his debts. To make matters worse, he killed her father so she would never learn the truth. For years, she believed his lies and endured so much hardship. Richard was astounded that she survived it all. His dollface was just that, a survivor. She protected Ethan with every breath in her body and never said a word. When she found the right moment, she fled and never looked back. She was courageous, smart, and strong.
He should have seen that.
Instead, he blamed her for something she had no control over. She never judged him or condemned him. Instead she accepted him as he was. No one in his life had ever done anything remotely like that, and it humbled him.
When he had learned the truth, he did everything he could to ensure her safety. With the help of Federal Bureau of Investigation, he gave them what information he had in the hopes they would catch the bastard. It was at the New York FBI offices that he learned that Mr. Linkman was also known as Jacques Boudreaux. It made him sick to his stomach to know that man was ever in Cami’s vicinity. He was a lecher, scum, and did not deserve to breathe the same air she did. Before he left New York, one of the agents in charge told him that they would keep in touch with him and let him know when Mr. Linkman or Jacques Boudreaux was in custody. Until then, Richard knew he and his brothers needed to keep their eyes and ears open. He didn’t trust the man, and now that he learned he wanted Cami, there was no way Richard was letting that happen.
All he could think about was getting home. The trip was long, but it gave him time to think, too much time to think. When the plane landed in Billings, he felt so sick to his stomach he actually had to find the nearest restroom.
He had so much to atone for.
Now, he stood in his living room waiting, waiting for the love of his life to walk through the front door. Looking at the clock, he wondered what his knucklehead brothers were doing keeping her out so late. It was cold, and she needed to be warm and safe at home where they could protect her better. Nerves plagued him as he rubbed his sweaty palms up and down his jeans. He looked about the room, making sure everything looked perfect. It had to be. Today was the first day of many apologies he owed her, and he would do so gladly, if he could just hold her in his arms, smell her scent, feel her warmth against his. He needed to feel her heart beating against his.
The sound of a truck approaching let him now that his time of reckoning was upon him. There was nowhere to hide anymore. He was done with the lies, the pain, the heartache, but mainly he was tired of running away. Now he wanted to run toward something, to fight for what he wanted, to take what belonged to him. Tonight he was running toward her, and he prayed she would catch him.
His eyes never wavered as he heard th
e key slip into the lock. He stared as the doorknob turned. Holding his breath, he now prayed he didn’t pass out.
“I’m telling you, Jake, that was some funny shit.” Levi laughed, walking in first carrying several bags in his hands, and then froze when he saw him.
“The hell it was, nerd-boy. It was embarrassing as hell,” Jake replied, pushing Levi into the house, he, too, carrying bags.
“Will you two knock it off?” Duke said, walking in shaking his head, letting the young boy walk before him.
“Why, he started it!” Jake replied, bumping into Levi, stopping dead in tracks.
“What the hell,” Duke whispered then shut his mouth as he, too, looked.
“Can’t we manage to get along for one night?” Nelson asked, trying to get into the house. “Damn, Duke, move your ass. It’s cold out here.”
Duke moved to the side, letting Nelson in, and when his brother stepped into the house, Nelson, too, stopped moving.
“Come on, boys, it wasn’t that bad. So Jake spilled…” And just like that, she was there. Never in his life had he seen anything so beautiful. She looked stunning in her red wool coat with fur-wrapped lapels as she stared at him, her mouth forming the littlest O. Nobody said a word. The only sound in the room was his beating heart. Too afraid to move, he stood there, watching her, too scared to approach her. He wished she would give him some hint, anything to let him know that he was welcome.
Gathering all the courage he had, he spoke. “Cami, I am so, so, so sorry. I know those words won’t change anything, and I really have no right to ask. I mean…my behavior was unforgivable, and because of what I did, I caused you so much heartache. I was young and stupid, Cami. I know that’s no excuse, and if I could take it all back, I would in a heartbeat. Please, know that I never meant for any of this to happen.”
Her eyes never strayed from his, not even when she finally took off her coat and handed it to Nelson, nor when she slowly walked toward him, stopping within inches of him. Through all the tension, he stood there ready to take whatever she deemed was fitting. However, when he saw her beautiful eyes fill with unshed tears, he couldn’t take it. Falling to his knees before her, he wrapped his arms around her waist, not caring who witnessed his fall from grace.
“Let me make it up to you. Let me show you how much you really mean to me. Please give me a chance to do it right this time. I won’t mess up again, I swear. I’m not a good man, but I will be for you. Just give me the chance to show you, please.”
* * * *
Her life was now complete.
He was home.
He was her first love. He was the one who captured her heart first. She had loved this man from the very beginning. He was her rock, her confidant, her friend when she needed him. He taught her to be brave when she was afraid. It was because of him that she had the courage to leave and start over. It was because of him that she was no longer afraid. All of them gave her her life back. They all fought for her when she couldn’t fight anymore.
Forgive him? In her mind, he did nothing wrong. She was the one who messed everything up. She was the one who, when she had found her courage, let it falter until it almost cost her everything. Nothing on this earth would ever make up for the pain she caused him. Because of him, she was still alive and free. Because of him, she learned to love.
“Richard, please stand up,” she asked softly, her voice shaking. She wanted to cry when he released her. Standing before her, he didn’t look at her, but she could see his tear-stained cheeks. He was breaking her heart.
Reaching up, she gently cupped his face and whispered, “I love you. I always have and I always will.” The next thing she knew, she was in his arms as he crushed her to him. Taking a deep breath, she was finally where she belonged.
She was home.
“Come with me,” she said, taking his hand in hers, leading him back to the master bedroom. Once inside, she shut the door and sat on the bed, waiting for him to follow.
She whispered his name. “Richard.” The silence that descended was heartbreaking. Tears formed, and she blinked as they slowly fell. Though he never said anything, she knew he didn’t feel comfortable being alone with her. Listening to his rapid breathing, she didn’t know what to do. She wished he would say something. The silence hurt, so she went with her gut she said the only thing that she could. “I miss you,” she said.
He sighed and sat down next to her.
It took everything she had not to break down. That little breath meant so much, spoke volumes. A dam burst within her, and nothing would ever be able to patch it up. She sobbed quietly, knowing that he couldn’t stand her tears. Her heart bled for him. The pain was unimaginable.
How she ever thought living her life without them was better, she would never know. It took her years to move on without them. She programmed herself not to look over her shoulder, expecting them to come for her. Looking back was the hardest, but keeping her head facing forward agonizing. She stumbled many times. Nevertheless, in the end she swallowed her pride and kept going. Finding them had been the best decision she ever made, and now that Richard was back, she hoped they could all start to heal.
“I’m sorry I couldn’t save you,” his raspy voice whispered just as the bedroom door opened.
“Cami, is everything all right in here?” Duke asked.
“Yes, Duke. Can you please just give us some time and make sure Ethan showers after he eats? No television tonight, just food, shower, and bed.”
Nodding, Duke smiled and left the room, closing the door behind him.
“Are you all right? Have they been good to you?” he asked, concerned.
“I’m better now that you’re home.” She smiled. Richard frowned, not saying another word. He looked so lost and unsure and though he wasn’t ready to talk, she only wanted to do one thing. “Bathe with me?”
* * * *
Richard snapped his head up and looked into her liquid honey eyes for any sign that she was joking with him. All he saw was kindness and understanding. Her generosity overwhelmed him, and unable to utter anything coherent, he just simply nodded, letting her lead him into the bathroom. She never looked back to see if he was following, not even once. Lost in a trance, he felt as if he had no choice. Her goodness and grace called to his soul, and like a man starving, he would follow her to the ends of the earth.
In the short time he had been gone, his room had become hers. Little things she had done made his desolate room warm and welcoming. The soft sound of Lady Antebellum’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” filled the room as he stepped into the bathroom to find her standing next the large Jacuzzi tub, and bubbles billowed soothingly. “Bathe with me,” she whispered again, slowly unbuttoning her shirt.
Like a moth to a flame, he shut the door, walked over to her, and gave her another kiss. Slowly, she slipped his coat off and let it drop on the floor. His shirt soon followed. Kneeling before him, she removed his shoes and socks. He had never in his life been so keenly aware of his surroundings, the sensuality of her, or the love in her eyes as she looked up at him. Leaning forward, Richard reveled in the feel of the soft cotton fabric of her shirt as it slightly fell open, providing a full view of her beautiful round breasts. She lifted her head and kissed the hard bulge of his pants, then stood up, removing her shirt.
“I’ve missed you so much,” she said as she pulled the bottom of his T-shirt out of his pants then up and over his head. “I hoped and prayed you would come home.”
Her tiny delicate hands roamed his chest and abs. “I feel different. Complete, now that you are home. I’m no longer afraid,” she said with a gentle smile as his heart burst. This was the woman he loved above all others. She was the other half of his soul, and he had come so close to losing her. She humbled him with her sincerity and honesty, and in that moment, Richard promised himself he would endeavor to deserve her.
Moving his hand up the small of her back, he leaned down and kissed her soft, plump lips. For years, he had seen her and never on
ce had he really looked at her. Oh, he knew he loved her, but before him now was a new woman, sultry and alluring. It was still Cami, but she was so much more. Her body started to shake. “If I’m dreaming, please don’t wake me.”
Holding her close, Richard promised her as he slid both hands easily down to her trim waist and helped her out of her jeans. With only a bra and panties on, she looked stunning, “You are my dream, Camellia.”
She smiled up at him, and he felt his belt loosen, the clasp open, and his zipper slowly descend. Imitating his movements, she slid her hands down the side of his pants and boxers, against his skin, and pushed them down in one smooth motion. As she lowered with them, the pants and boxers fell to his ankles. He stepped out of them and stood naked before her. His dick stood at attention with unprecedented firmness, with his head moist with pre-cum. Still kneeling, she reached around, grabbed his ass with both hands, and pulled him to her, engulfing his cock into her mouth. “Sweet Jesus,” he gasped as her warm, moist mouth massaged his aching cock. “Oh fuck, baby, you gotta stop that. I don’t want to come yet.”
Nevertheless, Cami had other intentions as she tightened her lips around his shaft, slowing pulling his cock out of her mouth. She circled the head with her tongue before running it down his shaft then back up. “You promised not ruin my dream,” she teased.
“Oh fuck,” he said, shutting his eyes tight as she wrapped her lips again around his dick again and descended on it with purpose. She pounded his head against the back of her throat, massaging his shaft with her skilled lips. His whole body spun quickly out of control. He could feel his dick swelling. He was reaching the point of no return, which she enjoyed with great delight. “Fuck, baby. Just like that. Oh yes, don’t stop,” he began to shout just as her lips sucked the head of his dick, then let go. “Oh, Cami, don’t stop. Don’t stop not yet. I was just about to…”
“I know, Richard,” she said, “But I want more.”
The Chains That Bind [The Men of Treasure Cove 10] (Siren Publishing LoveXtreme Forever) Page 14