Love Interrupted

by Eva Andrews

  Knowing I was safe, and secure, I closed my eyes and let the sounds of the water lull me as Cam took us south. Sitting in his big captain’s chair, I was wrapped in a soft blanket and comfortably curled up in his lap as he got us out of the Marina and away from land.

  Kissing his jaw, “Thank you for saving us Cam.”

  “Shh baby, just sleep. You’re safe now love, no one is ever going to hurt you again.”

  Drifting in and out as Cam took us out into the Gulf of Mexico. Occasionally I’d shoot up out of a nightmare, and Cam would be right there to lull me back to sleep with his soft words and gentle touch.

  I wasn’t sure how long it took for us to get to our destination, or anchor. All I knew was Cam was carrying me downstairs to our bedroom near 3AM in the morning.

  Clearing my throat as I blinked through foggy eyes, “I want to take a shower.”

  Kissing my temple, “I got you sugar.”

  Slipping into our room, he closed the door behind us and gently set me on my feet. Holding onto me, he slowly took my torn red dress off and tossed it aside. With only ambient light, I leaned against him and let him take off my bra and underwear before he scooped me up and carried me into our marble bathroom.

  Hitting a few buttons, our twelve-headed shower began to steam as he sat me on the counter.

  Watching him intently, I could tell his brain was going a million miles a minute. Crooking my finger at him, “Who would have thought you’d look hotter in tactical gear compared to your insanely tight business suits.”

  Grinning he leaned against the counter, “My suits are not insanely tight, they are just extremely well-tailored darlin’.”

  Slipping off the counter, I stepped towards him and he took a step back.

  “Get in the shower baby.” He offered softly.

  Instantly embarrassed, I diverted my eyes and I slipped into the shower. With my back to him I wasn’t worried he’d see my tears. Seconds later I heard the bathroom door close, giving me the first real privacy I’d had in days.

  Between his whiplash mood change, and the mental torment I had endured for days, I stood alone in the shower as the water beat down on me and washed away the pain. I had to remember, just because he came to rescue me didn’t mean he wanted me.

  Sure, he held me and brought me back here, because I told him to, not because he wanted to.

  Running a hand over my stomach, I leaned against the marble shower and sobbed. My life had gone sideways in a matter of a ten days, I wasn’t sure I was strong enough to make it through without him.

  “Shayne.”

  Jumping a little at his voice, I looked over my shoulder to see Cameron standing with the shower door open, still in his tactical gear. He was watching me, intently.

  His eyes shot to my hand that was lying flat over my womb, and then snapped back up to my eyes.

  “You said ‘saving us’, not ‘saving me’.” His eyes danced as he watched my reaction.

  I said that? Fuck, fuck, fuck.

  Watching me with those eagle eyes of his, he stepped into the shower fully clothed.

  “Cam…”

  “I should have taken you to the hospital.” Worry clouded his eyes as he walked under the water until he was standing so close I had to look up at him.

  “I’m fine,” pausing, and then adding, “we’re fine.”

  Falling to his knees, his strong hands shook as he raised them to my belly, kissing my slightly rounded belly.

  Whispering to my belly, Cameron cradled me with his hands as he talked to our baby, “I’m so sorry I upset your Mommy, I was so stupid. I just love her so much, it hurts. Being without her for these past ten days has been torture. I will do whatever it takes to make her happy,” pausing, he looked up at me and said, “even if that means staying away from her, so I can’t hurt her anymore.”

  What? No!

  Sinking my hands into his hair, I closed my eyes, “We are a team, Carmichael. No matter how many times you hurt me, I’ll always want you.”

  Kissing my belly one more time, he stood up and cradled my face as the water rained down on us, “I think our team just upgraded to family.”

  Grinning, I started to peel off his layers of body armor and tossed them on the marble floor of the shower, “Team Carmichael is in a family way.”

  “I love you Shayne,” he whispered before lifting his arms so I could take his shirt off. I wanted his skin on mine. I needed that connection. I didn’t need anything else but this.

  Chapter 19

  Cameron

  Falling asleep with Shayne in my arms was the balm to my soul. The woman’s scent calmed me, centered me. Hearing her soft breathing as she peacefully slept beside me was everything to me.

  I had almost lost her last night.

  Her psychotic mother almost shot her in the head and ended her life, and the life of our unborn child.

  Grinning as I palmed her toned stomach, a child, we were going to have a baby. Shayne was carrying my child, and both of them were safe in my arms. Right where they were supposed to be.

  I knew Shayne was scared, she was scared of losing the baby. She didn’t need to tell me, I could see it in her eyes. Who could blame her? She had suffered so many devastating losses in her life, she had known firsthand how cruel life could be.

  Since the night she left the house with Max, I had been getting my shit together.

  She was right that night, about so many things. I knew if her and I were going to move forward, I had to get some stuff taken care of, and I did.

  It had been so hard to give her space, in hindsight, I knew I shouldn’t have given her any. I should have run after her; I should have been persistent and intentional. Instead, I did what I thought was right, and let her be.

  Turns out, that made her think we broke up. Got her kidnapped, and almost killed.

  Good fucking work Carmichael.

  Kissing the side of her head, I slipped out of bed and pulled the covers around her so she was snuggled in. Grabbing some clothes, I closed the door behind me silently. Lord knows how long she had went without sleep, the woman deserved to sleep for days if she needed it.

  Making coffee, I checked my phone and replied to the various texts I had received over the night. Everyone was worried, rightly so. I knew Chris and Miles had taken care of letting them know the details. I simply told them she was safe and healthy, and I’d let them know when she was ready to head back to port.

  Taking a cup of coffee to the swim deck, I sat down in a large outdoor chair and let the sun hit my face. There were a myriad of things Shayne and I needed to talk, but with her kidnapping, I wasn’t keen on the idea of bringing any of them up right now.

  My fingers twitched, itching to reach out to my father for advice. Jameson Carmichael had wise words no matter what your situation. I had relied on my dad’s advice for years, yet, I knew I could muddle through this without his wisdom.

  I didn’t have much relationship experience, but I had to figure this shit out.

  So, how do I bring up our fight and fix that, and help Shayne get through hours of police questioning and investigations? How do I help her heal from another kidnapping, and fix the damage I caused to her heart a week before?

  Fuck.

  She was having our baby and I was fucking lost.

  Lost, not because she was pregnant, lost because I didn’t know how to fix what I had broken. Being in the know was something I was damn good at, but relationships were not my forte.

  What Shayne and I had, this was a first for me, and it’d be my last. She was my Sun and Moon, the day started and ended with her.

  I had to fix this, and it seemed reasonable to want to start where things had gone sideways- our fight over the pictures of her and Greyson.

  Bouncing my head off the back of the chair, I sighed. My parents knew I’d screw up eventually. Hell, Dad had been warning me about Lana the moment shit got real with Shayne. I had brushed him off, and passed it off on the fact that my parents never had li
ked Lana. Fast forward months later, and Lana had almost ended Shayne and I- because I took the bait.

  When Shayne and I fought that night, she said something that stuck with me. It had shamed me all week, and made me realize just how right she was.

  ‘You always choose her. I don’t fucking deserve this Cam, I deserve a man who will have my back no matter how bad the evidence looks. I need a man who will trust me blindly, against all odds. You are obviously not that man. You’ve made your choice Cameron, Lana over everyone.’

  As much as I’d like to pretend I had a rebuttal for her remark, I didn’t. She was right, I had chosen Lana’s manipulative ploys every damn time. I should have looked at the photos and shrugged it off.

  I could have called Greyson and asked him calmly about them, or shit, asked my fiancée calmly about them- yet I hadn’t.

  It was obvious Shayne trusted me with every inch of her body, mind and soul. Yet, I hadn’t given her that, I didn’t know how. I was a military man through and through, I doubted and questioned everything. I was used to looking into stuff, digging and although I hadn’t personally done that, I had either hired someone, or accepted Lana’s photos.

  I didn’t deserve Shayne.

  She didn’t give a shit about what I owned, or how much was in my bank account. She didn’t care that she’d never have to work a day in her life if she didn’t want to- solely on her fortune alone.

  What the fuck was I even bringing to the table? Furthermore, could I be the man Shayne needs?

  All I knew was, I wasn’t giving up. I wasn’t going to let the woman I loved slip through my hands again. I might not be good at relationships, or trusting, but I was going to figure that shit out.

  Shayne was my family now, her and our little baby she carried in her womb. I was going to do whatever it took to make sure those two were always taken care of, always loved, and always the center of my world. No exceptions. I wasn’t going to lose either of them, I’d do whatever it took.

  Standing up, I sat my coffee cup down and stood on the outer most edge of the deck and looked down at the water.

  Feeling her hand slide over my ass cheek, I felt her step beside me as I grinned.

  Last night I had taken my time and cleaned every inch of her perfect body in the shower, massaged her long hair with her fragrant shampoo and conditioner. I had toweled her off and taken her to bed.

  Although my body yearned for her, I refused to act on it.

  “Not going to jump, are you?” She teased, dressed in my Army shirt and black boy short lace panties. Jesus, that combo made my dick jump at attention.

  Shaking my head, “Nah love, just contemplating the man I need to become for you.”

  Grabbing my arm, she spun me around, “You don’t need to become anyone else Cameron Carmichael, I love the man you are. Don’t you go changing on me because I’m pregnant.”

  Smiling down at the angel, “It isn’t because your pregnant love, it’s because I love you both so much, I have to get better at being the man you need. I’ve hurt you, numerous times after promising to keep you safe.”

  Relief flooded her eyes, “I need you Cameron. I need the man you are, there are so many beautiful things I love about you. I love the man you already are.”

  Feeling uncomfortable with her so close to the edge, I pulled her close and hugged her, “I’m so sorry for throwing those photos at you, and assuming the worst. You deserved better, and I’m ashamed of my accusations.”

  “I forgive you Cameron.”

  Her voice was so sweet, it damn near drove me to my knees again. I could hear the genuineness of her words, she had forgiven me.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, or rather ask you if it was okay if I had occasional lunches or dinner with Greyson. I just assumed you’d shut it down. I should have talked about it with you instead of assuming.”

  “There is nothing to be sorry about darlin’, you shouldn’t have to get my approval on things like that. I trust you Shayne, I know it doesn’t always seem like that, but I do. I trust you with my life, I trust you with my family, I trust you with my heart and our baby.”

  Grinning, “I can’t believe we are going to have a baby.”

  It was easy to see her joy, albeit hesitant given the fact she miscarried our first child, she was radiating, “Do you know how far long you are?”

  Grimacing, “Uh, I haven’t been to the doctor yet.”

  Tipping up her chin, I looked down into her light green eyes, “Are you serious?”

  Nodding, she slipped her arms around my waist and pressed her head against my chest, “Okay, I know you’re going to hate this, but hear me out. Okay?”

  “Of course baby.”

  Sighing, “As you know, work has been insane. I’ve been all over the world in the past two months, insane work hours and absolutely not paying attention to myself.”

  Sitting her chin on my sternum, she looked up at me, “To be fairly honest, I haven’t even taken a pregnancy test, I don’t need to. When I think back, I realize I never had my period after I got my IUD taken out, and that was over three months ago.”

  “There could be other reasons darlin’.” I said, my heart sinking a little with the thought she might be wrong.

  Shaking her head, “You are right, but, there are also other signs I’ve completely ignored or passed off as normal exhaustion or stress. I’ve been pregnant before Cam, I know what it feels like, and I promise you I am.”

  “It’s not that I doubt you baby, but we need to get you in to the doctor.”

  “Oh, I agree. It is totally on my list of things to do, my OB is awesome. You’ll like her, she reminds me of your mother. She doesn’t take any shit.” She said with a big smile, and then added a little kicker, “I’m guessing I’m close to two months along already, if not closer to three. I wouldn’t be surprised if you knocked me up that same day I got my IUD out.”

  Laughing at the light in her pretty eyes, “I am so fucking excited for this Shayne.”

  “You are going the best father, and your parents will spoil him or her so much! Oh my God, can you even imagine how bad our siblings are going to spoil this baby?”

  Chuckling at the thought, “Well let’s see, Addie will probably have all her designer friends fashion this baby a wardrobe for the gods, and Juddie will buy our baby its first grand piano for sure, you know he’ll be teaching his little niece or nephew to play as soon as you give birth to it.”

  Laughing, “I can totally see that now!”

  Growing serious again, I was still worried, “Please promise me you’ll make an appointment, shit I don’t care if you have to throw my name at them, I want you seen ASAP. My wife doesn’t wait in line to be seen until next week.”

  Blushing, “You’ll come with me, right?”

  “You want me to come?” I asked, a little shocked. I didn’t know men did that.

  “Ugh yeah,” she teased and playfully slapped at my arm, “I want you to come to all my appointments with me Cam, I didn’t get to have you there with me the first time. I want you there this time.”

  “Done.” Wasn’t even a second of hesitation in me when she put it like that. I didn’t care if it was normal or not, my woman wanted me there, so I would be.

  “I can’t wait to hear its heartbeat. I’ll probably cry, just so you know. Apparently being overly emotional is a symptom I forgot as well, I’ve been a damn emotional basket case lately.”

  Not that I’d ever admit it out loud, but yeah, she had been emotional lately, I blamed it on her work habits and lack of sleep. It hadn’t even crossed my mind it could be because of a baby.

  Shit, I had a lot to learn.

  “Yeah, don’t be surprised if you see me cry for the first time.” I offered honestly, I couldn’t imagine how life defining the sound of your child’s heartbeat would be, but I knew it’d be huge.

  “Should we wait to tell our family until after the doctor appointment?”

  Shrugging, “Up to you darlin’.”
/>   “Let’s wait until things settle down, and after our appointment. You know your mother will have a million questions, like the baby’s due date. We can’t very well tell her we are carrying her grandchild, but we don’t know when it’ll make an appearance.”

  She had a point, my mother would want to know a date- so she could remodel my old room into a nursery. “Good call.”

  “Her birthday is coming up, an ultrasound picture of our first grandbaby sounds like a really great present.”

  “Woman, you are a genius.”

  Taking my hand, she tugged me inside, “Come cook the family breakfast while I tell you what happened, I’m starving and I’d rather you hear it first before I need to recount it for tons of people.”

  Walking with her to the kitchen, “Deal, and Shayne, you won’t have to recount it for tons of people. Your brother and Anna have already handled ninety percent of it given their professional capacity. All you have to do is make one statement, and it’ll be done.”

  “Seriously?”

  Lifting her up, I sat her on the countertop, “Seriously baby, you’ve got a brother in the FBI and a future sister-in-law with the CIA, and I think you forget, I have a pretty good pull with both of their bosses, and their bosses, and their bosses.”

  “Jesus! Cam, how high up are you?”

  Shrugging, “I’m on top of the world baby.”

  “Cameron Jameson Carmichael.” She said, in a stern voice as I pulled out stuff of the fridge.

  “Shayne, I’m retired. Me and the team take occasional missions, always of our choosing. However, I’ll be the first to have a child. So that’ll change things, I’ll stop going on missions obviously.”

  Reaching over, she put her hand on mine as I chopped up a green pepper for her egg white omelet.

  “Thank you for saving me Cam, I knew you’d find me. I had this sense of peace the entire time, I knew you’d realize I was gone. I knew you and Chris would find a way to track me down using the bank transfer funds.”

  Putting the knife down, I placed my palms on the flat of the marble countertop and took a deep breath, “When I got your text, I figured you were about to cancel our lunch date. It wasn’t until I talked to Chris two days later that we figured out your mom was involved.”