by T L Swan
My mouth drops open in shock. “You tell him to not tell me stuff?”
“Yeah, but I didn’t tell her we skate on the road, Dad,” Owen adds.
“Cameron Stanton!” I snap. “What the hell? You skate on the road?”
Cameron flicks the peak of his hat again. “Big mouth.”
After half an hour and a cart full of clothes that are suitable for a trendy designer fashion show, we make our way to the fitting rooms. Cameron lifts Owen out and shows him in and organizes the outfits he is to try on together.
I smirk as I stand back. It’s so nice having someone else to help me with Owen. Jenna is fantastic, but I always try and take over because I feel guilty that she does too much.
With Cameron, I can let him go as much as he wants and feel no guilt whatsoever.
We are in the fitting rooms and Cam pops his head around the curtain to speak to Owen. “Try these pants on first mate with this top.” He pauses for a minute as he watches him. “Do you want me to help?”
“I can do it,” Owie replies.
“Alright, alright.” Cam nods as he comes back out of the curtain. “What is it with the not wanting help thing?” he asks.
I shrug. “He does it to me as well.”
My phone rings and Andrew’s name lights up the screen. Shit. I hope his mom is okay. I haven’t had time to go and see her yet. “It’s Andrew.”
Cameron frowns. “Your ex?”
I nod as I answer it. “Hello, Andrew.”
“Hi, Ash. How are you?”
I smile. “I’m good. Is your mom okay?” I glance over at Cam as he listens intently.
“She’s alright.” He pauses. “She’s running out of time.”
My face falls. “I’m so sorry.” I sigh.
“She’s asking for you, Ash. She wants to see you and Owen.”
I blow out a breath and my eyes rise up to Cameron. “Yes, of course. I can come to New York next weekend,” I reply
Cameron frowns.
“Dad. I’m finished,” Owen yells.
Cameron sticks the new pair of pants through the curtain without even looking in Owen’s direction. His eyes are glued on me.
“That would be great.” Andrew sighs relieved.
“You can arrange for us to see her on the Saturday, if that’s okay.” I think for a moment. “We can fly down on Friday night.”
“Thanks, Ash,” he replies. “It’ll be nice to see you.”
Cameron is watching me like a hawk. “It will.” I smile as I try to act casual. “See you then.”
“Dad, I’m finished,” Owen calls.
Cameron flicks the curtain back and looks in. “Excellent, we’re definitely getting those. Now try on the jeans, too,” he mutters, distracted.
“I have to go to New York next weekend,” I announce.
“Is his mom alright?” Cameron asks.
I shake my head. “She’s asking to see me and Owen.”
He nods as he thinks for a moment. “Okay, so we go to New York next weekend.”
I frown. “What do you mean we?”
“Well, you don’t honestly think I’m letting my family go to New York without me, do you?”
I only heard one thing in that sentence: My family.
“Cameron.” I frown.
He walks forward, effectively pushing me back into the dressing room. “I could help out with Owen.” He tucks a piece of my hair behind my ear.
I frown as my brain stops working because of his close proximity.
“We could get a family suite with a couple of bedrooms,” he adds to sweeten the deal. “You won’t even have to share a bedroom with me.”
I fold my arms in front of me as he tries to talk me into it.
“We could go Friday night, you can go and see them on Saturday, and then on Sunday we could go to the zoo or something. Just the three of us.” He smiles hopefully
I smirk as I look up at him. “You would do that?” I ask.
He smiles and takes my face in his hands. “Of course I would. You’re my girl. I would do anything for my girl.” He bends and takes my lips in his as he holds my face. The kiss is tender, sweet, and lingering. I feel my feet lift off the floor.
“Are you making another baby?” Owen asks, interrupting our moment.
We both look up to find Owen watching us in his underpants.
“Yes, we are,” Cameron grumbles, annoyed. “Why are you out here half naked?”
“Because you didn’t bring the clothes in,” he says as he puts his little hand on his hip with attitude. “You need to concentrate, Dad, you know.”
I giggle at the sight of a four-year-old telling his father off. Cameron rolls his eyes and disappears back into the fitting room to continue his duties.
“Let me think about it,” I call behind him.
I already know my answer and I smile to myself. It looks like we’re all going to New York… together.
Later that afternoon, we walk into Natasha and Joshua’s house for Jordana’s birthday dinner. We’ve had a fun day. We went out for lunch and then back to Cam’s house this afternoon. I had a nap on the couch while they skateboarded together on the road. I’ve lost that battle already.
Cameron has kissed me three times today. Once in the fitting room, once in the parking lot after lunch after Owen got into the car, and once in his kitchen at home.
That was the best kiss yet and he had to go and hide in the pantry for a while until the evidence of his arousal… calmed down.
I feel like I’m slipping down a steep hill that leads back to him, and no matter how hard I try to hang onto the rocks beneath my feet, I can’t stop the gravity that’s pulling me down.
He’s beautiful—everything about Cameron is beautiful, and I’m not sure how, after just four kisses, I seem to be forgiving him for all the hell he put me through.
How could I forget what he’s done?
But then his reasonings last night seemed so heartfelt and I really want to believe that he was trying to do the right thing.
His family.
That’s what we would be. If we get past all this and make it through the other side, we would be a family. How wonderful.
We get through the usual security and head up to the house. The front door is wide open and the familiar sound of children’s laughter rings out. Owen grips Cameron’s hand tight. It always takes him ten minutes to warm up until he’s off running riot with the other Stanton children.
These kids are amongst the strongest willed children I have ever met, and funnily enough, when Owen is with them he seems to take on some of their power. He fights back now and doesn’t put up with nonsense from anyone. I got called up to the preschool this week because apparently Owen punched that bully kid in the nose. I was mortified, yet Cameron saw it as a victory. Funnily enough the kid hasn’t gone near him again since.
I think this is how it was when the Stanton boys were young. Joshua is naturally strong willed and Cameron is naturally like Owen, but because he grew up with such strong characters as brothers, he turned out to be a force to be reckoned with, too. Natasha said that Scott, the eldest Stanton, is just like Joshua, while Wilson, the youngest, is just like Cam.
Cameron takes my hand in his, but I pull out of his grip and shake my head subtly.
He frowns in question.
“Not yet,” I whisper. I don’t want anyone to know what’s going on between us when I don’t even know what that is myself.
He frowns and subtly shakes his head in annoyance. We walk out into the large kitchen and family room area and everyone comes into view. Adrian, Tash, Josh, Jarvis, Nicholas are all there, as well as… oh no… Margaret. Cameron’s mother is sitting on the lounger. I haven’t seen her since she told Cameron about Owen being his son.
This should be fun… not!
They smile as they see us. “Hello,” everyone calls as their attention all turns to us.
“Mom and Dad are making another baby,” Owen announces to the crowd.
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My eyes widen. Oh dear God, no. The blood drains from my face.
The room falls silent and Cameron flicks Owen’s cap peak. “Big mouth,” he mutters. “We kissed, that’s all,” Cameron tells them all. “Just kissing. Owen, you’re going to get it,” he snaps.
Joshua shakes his head and the room breaks into laughter and chatter. My eyes flick to Margaret. Her cold, calculating eyes hold mine, and I shrivel under her glare.
Holy shit, this woman is pure evil. She’s openly furious.
I feel my nerves flutter, and Cam puts his hand on the small of my back in a silent show of support.
“Come in, come in.” Tash smiles as she glides over and embraces me.
I nervously walk in and through to the kitchen as everyone goes back to their conversations.
“What’s going on?” Tash whispers so that nobody else can hear. She puts her arm around me in excitement.
“Nothing.” I shrug. “He apologized last night and we kissed, that’s all. I’m not even sure myself,” I add.
“Oh my God, I’m so excited. Get some wine. We’re celebrating,” she whispers as she squeezes my hand in hers.
I smile. I love this girl. She has all the money in the world, yet she’s still so damn normal. If I’d just met her on the street today, I would never know she has money except for the huge rock on her finger… and the security guards, of course.
A bang sounds out the back and then the screaming starts.
Blake has crashed his bike into a huge ceramic pot and is now crying. Everyone rushes outside to his aid, so I turn to pour myself a glass of wine.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Margaret’s cold voice hisses behind me.
What?
I turn to her as my heart starts to thud. “I beg your pardon?”
“Who in the hell do you think you are?” She growls.
“I could ask you the same question.”
She steps forward. “Do you really think that trapping my son is the way to go?”
“I haven’t trapped anybody.”
“That’s your plan, isn’t it? You little gold digger. You get yourself pregnant and turn up here to demand half of Cameron’s empire.”
“What?” I frown. “You’re delusional. Leave me alone, Margaret. I have nothing to say to you.” I turn my back on her because I know if I don’t, I’m going to lose my living shit.
“Listen here, you lying little witch,” she continues behind me. “You walk out of my son’s life right now. He doesn’t need a distraction like you and he is not your bank boost or ticket to freedom.”
“How dare you?” Cameron growls from behind us, and we both turn in surprise.
Cameron walks over and puts his arm around me. “Don’t you ever speak to her like that again. Do you understand me?” he yells.
“She’s… she’s no good for you, Cam,” she stammers nervously. “She’s a gold digger. She got pregnant on purpose and then she turns up here, making demands.”
Cameron steps closer to her. “Let’s get on thing straight here… I’m the one pursuing Ashley. It’s not the other way around. I’m the one who fucked up, and if I have it my way, she’ll soon be back with me and you will have nothing to fucking do with it.” Natasha and Joshua come back inside and frown as they approach all the shouting.
Cameron glares at his mom. “If you dare disrespect Ashley again, you disrespect me and Owen, too, and I’m not going to allow that to happen. You better apologize now.” He growls.
“I will do nothing of the sort,” she snaps.
“Margaret,” Natasha interrupts. “Cut it out. Ashley is my friend, and what was she supposed to do? She had no way of contacting Cameron. How dare you speak to her like this?”
“Natasha, she’s fooled you, too. She got pregnant on purpose. This was no accident,” Margaret shouts.
“That’s enough, Mother.” Joshua sneers.
“Apologize,” Cameron yells.
“No,” she shouts back.
“That’s it.” Cameron growls. “Get Owen, Ashley. We’re leaving. I’m not putting up with this shit.”
“No,” I say calmly as my eyes hold Margaret’s.
The room falls silent.
“I’m not going anywhere.”
Margaret narrows her eyes and raises her chin defiantly.
I fold my arms in front of me and smirk. “You misunderstand me, Margaret. I’m a lot of things, but weak isn’t one of them.”
“How dare you? This is my son’s house.”
I smile sarcastically. “Oh, I dare. This is Owen’s family time, and I will stay with my son while he’s here. If you don’t like it, that’s just too bad.”
Our eyes are locked.
“You don’t have to like me, Margaret,” I say calmly. “But, as my son’s grandmother, I will try my best to like you……. although you are making that increasingly difficult.” I glance over and Natasha smirks.
“Now, if you don’t mind cutting down on your dramatics, I’m here for Jordana’s birthday. Go and make a scene somewhere else.”
The room falls silent and I turn to Cameron and kiss him on the lips quickly. “I’ll be out the back, baby.” Then I turn and head out the door.
“Hell, yeah,” I hear Joshua mutter as Natasha giggles.
I smirk and head outside without looking back.
Fuck off, you old mole. I’m not taking your shit and I’m not backing down.
I do things my way.
29
I read the text from Cameron and smirk.
It’s Thursday lunchtime now. We’ve been flirting all week and, other than the quick kisses he gave me when he dropped Owen off, we haven’t been alone at all. The Sunday family dinner at Natasha’s cemented that we are officially trying again. We went back to his house and had a big talk after dinner and I agreed to try and give things a go. We snuggled on the couch while Owen watched television. Cameron didn’t push for anything because he knew I wasn’t ready. Things are good between us and I think I’m finally ready to move on. He can sense it.
I missed you last night.
I glance up at him across the cafeteria table and our eyes lock. He’s sitting with Amber, listening to her babble, yet he’s messaging me. I text back.
You getting soppy on me, Stanton?
He smirks and texts back.
Totally.
What are you going to do about it?
I text back.
That depends.
An answer fires straight back.
On what?
I read his reply and write back.
On what you want me to do
about it?
He glances at me and texts back.
Since we both know I’m about to die from a massive s
perm overload, I think you
already know what I need.
I bite my bottom lip to stifle my smile. Jeez, this is highly inappropriate cafeteria behaviour, but he’s just so fun to sext. I write back.
Tell me what you want?
I want the details. All the sordid details.
He raises an eyebrow and his dark eyes drop to my lips before he replies.
I want to start with you on your back, n
aked, your legs wide open for me.
I want to inhale every inch of you with my tongue.
You have no idea h
ow badly I need to taste you.
How badly I need to be inside of you…
That will do. I look up to see the desire dancing like fire in his eyes, and my body starts to tingle with arousal. When he looks at me this way, it’s like I can already feel his touch on my skin. Another text bounces back.
Get Jenna to mind Owen tonight
Come over.
Spend the night with me.
I smirk and write back.
Come over or come under?
He smiles sexily.
You will come under a
nd then you will come over.
I need yo
u.
Good God. I get a vision of riding that beautiful, big cock. God, it’s been so long.
Nine weeks.
Nine weeks without him touching me feels like a lifetime. I text back.
I will see what I can do.
xoxo
It’s after nine when I knock on Cameron’s door.
I waited until I got Owen to bed before I came over. If he knew I was coming here without him, there would have been hell to pay. Cameron answers the door in his boxer shorts and nothing else. He smiles down on me. I didn’t tell him I was definitely coming, but I’m pretty sure he’s happy that I did. My eyes drop to his broad, muscular chest and the chiselled abs.
My heart somersaults in my chest. He’s just so perfect.
“Miss Tucker,” he breathes as he steps forward and takes my face between his hands. His eyes hold mine as he bends and kisses me. He’s all suction and domination.
I smile against his lips as his hips grind against me, and I feel my sex clench in appreciation of his hard body. He grabs my hand and rips me roughly into the house, slamming the door shut behind us.
He walks through to the kitchen and sits me up on the counter. He spreads my legs in my dress and runs his hands up my bare thighs.
Goosebumps scatter my skin as he looks at me. “Do you have any idea how badly I need you?” he whispers.
I swallow the lump in my throat and nod. For the first time in nine weeks, we’re alone. This could be dangerous.
He grabs my hair in his hand, pulls my head back, and kisses me. His tongue slides through my open mouth and I sigh against his lips.
My eyes shut and I moan. Oh God, I need this.
I need him.
His mouth drops to my neck where he bites and sucks me so hard I think I’ll be marked tomorrow, but I don’t care. I want him to mark me.
I want him to claim me.
His mouth drops to my breast and he bites my nipple through my dress. I cry out. “Ouch, Cam,” I whisper as I hold the back of his head.