When I finally did turn back to the guys, all four of them gave me a wide-eyed look. “What?”
“You’re whipped.” I quirked my mouth to the side, pretending boredom. “We’ve never seen you in anything other than jeans and a T-shirt. That girl already has you wrapped around her little pinky.”
“Does she know?” Scott asked. At my continued silence, he elaborated. “That you’re her father.”
“No, of course not.”
“She knows.” Hunter nodded with a smirk. “Maybe not consciously, but in her gut, she knows. She probably hasn’t had a father figure in her life. Kind of like the way Shane immediately connected with Leila when he lost his mom, well before he had with Jack.”
“That’s the first logical thing you’ve said all weekend,” Scott said.
I thought about that, and I’d be lying if I denied that joy flooded my chest from that possibility.
Maybe my daughter was ready to accept me as her father without issue.
Chapter 16
Camilla
My daughter was having a ball. We hadn’t been there an hour, and I could already tell this weekend would be one she’d chat about for months to come.
Playing with this group in such an impressive setting would undoubtedly influence her. That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it were to suddenly disappear, how would it affect my baby?
While sand was washed off, inflatable swimming wings secured, and splashing ceremoniously commenced, I surrendered to my begging child. “Okay, let’s go put our bathing suits on.”
“Yay!” Alivia exclaimed again, clapping her hands. She turned toward Leila and boasted. “I know how to swim.”
“That’s amazing,” Leila said, squatting before her. “You’re a big girl. Maybe you and Shane can help us watch over the little ones.” Besides Leila’s four-year-old twins, and her toddler, there were four other kids ranging between three and five.
“I can do that,” she replied with a firm nod, as if her six-year-old self had a ton of experience in watching over others. Leila’s eyes caught mine, and we both suppressed our smiles.
“Perfect.” Leila stood just as her baby, Drex, chose that moment to waddle away, stub his tiny foot, and begin to wail.
“Uh-oh,” Alivia announced. “I think he has a boo-boo now.”
“I think you’re right.” Leila hoisted the hysterical toddler in her arms and asked, “Liz, would you mind showing them to their room for me?”
“Not at all.” Lizzy checked to be sure her two were okay with Beverly before offering her hand to Alivia, who willingly accepted it. “Let’s go get you changed.” Lizzy then glanced at me with a dimpled smile that looked so much like her brother Jack’s.
I should’ve been intimidated by these beautiful, kind, ridiculously rich people… but I wasn’t. In the short time we’d been there, it was obvious that they were all normal. They laughed, busted on each other, gossiped like any group of friends would. If my friend Debbie were here, she’d be shamelessly wiggling her way into their circle.
Especially after seeing this magnificent beach house, which looked more like a resort than a weekend getaway.
The sprawling estate had a main deck that stretched from one side of their mansion to the other. Besides the impressive pool, the deck sported a dining area, an outdoor kitchen, and a lounging area. It also held a small change house equipped with a bathroom and a separate hot tub. A secondary lower deck provided more seating options, with stairs that led down to their private beach. It didn’t end there, with a huge jungle gym that could accommodate a dozen kids at the same time. There was even a staffed lifeguard chair for ocean safety.
From across the deck, Trey spotted us heading toward the house and stood to follow. When he caught up, he smirked at Lizzy. “Leila has you doing her dirty work?”
“What do you mean?” I asked as Lizzy laughed.
“She hates bringing attention to all they have,” Trey explained. “It makes her uncomfortable.”
“This time she had a legit excuse. Drex hurt himself,” Lizzy said, defending her. But when we all swung our gazes over to the pool area, there was Drex on his mommy’s lap, laughing without a tear to be found.
“I rest my case,” Trey added, holding open one of the French doors for us.
“That’s ridiculous. She should be proud of…” My words died on my tongue when we stepped into the house. “Oh my God. This is…” Stunning, spectacular, breathtaking. “Unreal.”
“Yeah,” Lizzy said proudly. “My brother made sure it was the house of her dreams.”
Jeez, the house of my dreams couldn’t hold a candle to this one. Regardless of its size, it wasn’t at all pretentious. It was tasteful, homey, and welcoming. The main living area consisted of one big open-concept room that housed a kitchen to die for, sharing space with family room furniture and a huge dining table. The entire wall facing the beach was floor-to-ceiling windows with a set of doors at each end. Pale woods and comfortable navy couches enhanced Mother Nature’s palette.
Trey was absolutely right… as gorgeous as their penthouse was, it didn’t compare to their beach house. Again, the opulence that surrounded us should’ve intimidated me. Yet, inexplicably, it all made me feel right at home.
What I had noticed was the absence of any televisions. In fact, since arriving earlier, I hadn’t seen one cell phone. Then again, they probably had a theater room somewhere in the house equipped with a fully stocked concession stand.
If I didn’t have an anxious little girl who desperately wanted to swim, I would have explored every inch of the Lairs’ beautiful home. Later, I’d have to ask Trey to give me a tour.
“I’ll take them from here,” Trey said to Lizzy. She smiled sweetly and passed Alivia’s hand to his. Wordlessly, Trey led us up the grand staircase and down a long hall that stretched to the left, holding several guest rooms. In fact, I counted six doors as we went. “I’m in this one.” He pointed to door number seven before opening number eight beside it. “You girls are in here.”
Like the rest of the house, modern furniture mixed with traditional touches made the room extremely welcoming. Sitting on an upholstered bench at the foot of the bed were our overnight bags. Upon seeing her Hello Kitty suitcase, Alivia catapulted toward it and began unzipping it to get to her bathing suit.
When she yanked it out with one hand, I pointed to the en suite bathroom. “Go ahead and get changed, sweetie. I’ll be in to help you in a minute.”
I turned to see Trey hovering by the door, staring at me anxiously. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah. Why?”
My admission caused his frown to soften. “I don’t know. You’ve been tense all day, and now I’m worried you regret coming.”
“No, Trey, I’m really glad we came. They’re great people.”
“They are. They’re my family.” His pale-blue eyes drilled into mine for a long moment before he looked away. “Anyway… Alivia can stay in here with you, or the kids’ room if you’re okay with that.”
“The kids’ room?”
“This way.” He led me toward the last bedroom at the end of the hall. Inside was a large suite with a fun layout of bunk beds meant to accommodate sleepovers and its own bathroom. Sure enough, off to the left was an adjoining room doubling as a mini theatre, with the cutest leather seating clusters all facing a large screen.
“This is quite a setup. Is there one for adults too?”
“Nope. Leila’s rule when staying here is total unplugging.” Trey shrugged. “She’s a nut.”
“No one seems to mind,” I teased.
“We just got used to it. This place is more a day camp than a rock star’s lair.” He waved toward the room, adding, “Obviously, it’s all about the kids. She wants them to have plenty of activities to keep them occupied. The basement is set up with toys and crafts for rainy days. Of course, they’re completely supervised by Beverly and her assistant…” I followed to where he pointed a finger. “And video monitors just
in case.”
“Well, I’m sure Alivia would love to stay here with the other children.” From down the hall, her calling for me forced us back to where she was waiting in the doorway.
“Trey, you didn’t put on your bathing suit. You said you would swim.” She pointed her finger at him. “Don’t chicken out.” She then gripped the pink nylon fabric around her tiny hips with sass. “You too, Mommy. Everyone has to go swimming.”
“Don’t you worry, Squirt. Mommy will be in that pool with or without her bathing suit.” He narrowed his gaze challengingly. “I bet I can get changed before Mommy does,” he dared before disappearing behind the door to his room. And I couldn’t stop myself from visualizing Trey’s muscular, tattooed body in nothing but a bathing suit.
If a paparazzi ever found their way onto the Lairs’ property, they could make a fortune off the photos that would capture the whole lot of them playing with their kids in the pool or on the beach. The men of Devil’s Lair most definitely gave a new meaning to the word dilf.
When it came to Trey, my imagination came up short. Sure, he always had this rocker thing going with the endless selection of well-worn denim jeans and basic T-shirts. Even when searching for information about him online, every picture I came across of him in a leather jacket, or on his motorcycle, served only to market that bad-boy persona he’d perfected. But Trey Taylor in his black swim trunks was by far the sexiest thing I’d ever witnessed. Shit, he had that sexy V thing going and, combined with his tattoos, had my suit damp before I even hit the water.
The way he took on the role of a doting father, playing with his daughter in the pool, chasing her around the beach, holding her in the ocean, completely messed with my head. During it all, he ensured I was right there with them, having fun whether I wanted to or not.
Earlier, he dived under the water, came up, and gripped my ass to raise and toss me across the pool. Alivia thought it was hilarious and prompted him to do it again when we were in the ocean. Watching them whispering and plotting other ways to get me wet induced even more confusing thoughts. While I loved witnessing their relationship strengthen right before my eyes, I still worried it was all happening too soon.
As for me, with each hour that passed, I found myself slipping deeper and deeper into some sort of Trey Taylor daze. Where his flirting and snarky comments at one time annoyed me, they now caused desire to thrum deep within me. Each casual touch and every easy glance had my heart rate hitching just a tad faster. And I wasn’t sure if it was because of this new development that I noticed those touches and glances coming more frequently, or if it was just wishful thinking on my part.
Chapter 17
Camilla
By the time dinner was over, yawn after yawn meant it was time for the kids to call it a day. Alivia could barely keep her eyes open. Following the other moms’ leads, we dragged them all inside to get ready for bed. It impressed me that even with help, Leila handled most of what the kids needed.
Of course, she was able to focus on them and her guests because of the cook and server she had working that weekend. Trey explained they hired help only when they had a full-house situation. Otherwise, the Lairs liked to wing it and keep it casual.
Once pajamas were on, teeth were brushed, and good-night kisses were doled out, Beverly and her assistant, Heather, took over by marching them into the kids’ suite.
Alivia was beside herself when I said she could go as well. She ran right over to Shane, Leila and Jack’s son, to announce she was allowed. All day, the two had been inseparable. As the oldest two, they’d formed an adorable bond and seemed to get along well—although Trey also noticed and made it a point to tell Jack to keep his son away from Alivia.
Once I knew Alivia was settled, I took a quick shower, pulled my damp hair into a ponytail, and threw on a comfortable pair of sandals, shorts, and a T-shirt.
Knowing the adults planned to enjoy a quiet evening outdoors, I tentatively made my way out to the deck area, where I heard voices and laughter. Cigar smoke billowed above the lounge chairs, where all five men had congregated. Not seeing one of the girls out there, I had made an about-face when Trey spotted me.
“Camilla!” he called out, raising his arm. He noticed my hesitancy and rested his cigar on the ashtray before stalking right for me. “Where are you going?”
“I’ll wait inside until the girls come out. I don’t feel comfortable hanging out with you guys yet.”
He took a moment to digest my claim. “Okay, then let’s take a walk on the beach.” The shock I felt must have been clearly visible on my face when he asked, “Now what?”
“Nothing. That’s fine,” I lied. It wasn’t fine to be taking a romantic stroll on the beach with the man who had consumed my thoughts all day. Even now, as I stared at him fully dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, I saw his naked torso in my mind. All that sexy colorful artwork permanently displayed on his skin, his muscular arms flexing every time he raised Alivia in the pool. The smattering of hair on his chest, the thin trail stretching below his belly button, the peppering of it on his bare legs.
“Camilla…”
“Oh… what did you say?”
“Walk?” he asked as his brows practically met his hairline.
“Right… okay.”
He waved a hand toward the beach, and I sluggishly began walking that way. What was I afraid of? Being alone with him?
Yes.
When we reached the lower deck, where the guys were chatting, they turned toward us.
“We’re going to take a walk,” Trey announced, barely slowing his step. He then took my hand to move me along at a quicker pace.
“Have fun, kids,” Hunter or Scott or Evan called out. I couldn’t get their names straight.
At the bottom deck, I followed his lead and removed my shoes. The moment our bare feet hit the sand, he asked, “Why are you acting so skittish?”
Skittish? Was that how I was coming off?
“I’m not skittish,” I responded defensively.
But when I pulled my hand from his, he shot back, “No, not at all,” before rolling his eyes.
We walked a few steps side by side in silence until he suddenly dragged a hand through his hair and sighed. “I thought we were in a much better place lately, Camilla.” Even in the dim moonlight, I could see the frown marring his handsome face. “Are you having second thoughts again? Are you back to where we were when you came to me? Because I’ll fight you if I have to.” The threat was loud and clear in his tone.
The more I tried to respond, the more my thoughts mottled my words, causing me to trip up and stumble like an idiot. I finally managed to say, “I’m not having second thoughts.”
He abruptly stopped walking and turned to face me. “Be honest with me.”
There was no way I could be honest with him, because that meant I first needed to be honest with myself. And under no circumstance could I allow my feelings to progress or even admit them. Frustrating tears welled just enough to blur my vision. Upon seeing them, Trey pulled me into his arms. “Hey, you’re scaring me now. Are you okay? Is Alivia okay?”
I nodded against his soft cotton T-shirt. “We’re fine. I’m just having a hard time processing everything.”
“Meaning me?” He pulled away far enough to stare down at me.
“You and all that comes with you.” Mainly, the fact I can’t stop thinking about you. “It’s a lot to take in.”
Misinterpreting my admission, he said, “We’re just people, Camilla. People with money, but no different than you. We bleed the same—we cry the same.” As he continued to hold me hostage with his crystal-blue eyes, every cell in my body came alive. “We hurt the same.”
“You and I may, but a six-year-old hurting is much different.”
“Why is she hurting?” he asked a bit too harshly. “She had a ball today.”
“She did.” As did I. “And this weekend will be one she talks about over and over. She’ll want more of it, and we both know that’s not some
thing we can promise her.” Feeling his eyes on me as I shifted to face the ocean, I tried to pull out its tranquil energy to settle my nerves. But having him so close repelled any calmness I sought out. “Our daughter is a very trusting little girl, and her age makes her very impressionable.” When he suddenly closed the distance between us, I stared at the look on his face. “What?”
“You said ‘our daughter.’” I had? “You’ve never used the word our before.” While his eyes searched my face, his brows pulled together just before he lowered his lips to meet mine.
Instantly, every issue I had, both old and new, vanished.
Trey
For ten, maybe fifteen seconds, all my pent-up sexual frustrations waved a white flag and said, Fuck it. And the prick that I was surrendered to it by pressing my lips to hers before running the tip of my tongue over them to gain access. And to make things worse, my grip on her hips tightened as I pulled her body flush against mine… mainly to relieve the ache behind my zipper.
But once she opened her mouth, our tongues tangled in an erotic dance, and a soft moan traveled through her, cuing logic to smack the back of my head.
The way I yanked back you’d think her lips were coated in acid. But I didn’t stop there and actually retreated a few steps for good measure.
Shit… shit!
What the fuck?
She stared at me in shock, her hand robotically raising to cover her gaping mouth. “I’m sorry, Camilla. I shouldn’t have done that.” My admission caused lines to crease her forehead before she wordlessly shook her head.
Was she agreeing that I shouldn’t have? Or was she saying, Yes, I should’ve?
There was no way of knowing what ran through her mind, and not being the type to play games, I came right out and asked, “Did I fuck up?”
She continued to stare, prompting me to pace. “Look, I know this isn’t an excuse, but lately the slightest encouraging sign causes any common sense I hold to short circuit.” Stopping before her, I sighed and added, “I’m sorry.”
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