by L A Cotton
My heart beat hard against my chest as I slipped out of the bathroom. Hailee was already in bed, sitting up against the headboard playing with her cell phone.
“Jason wanted a photo of Avery.”
“I never thought I’d see the day he’d be a doting uncle.” My lips curved.
“Yeah, something tells me we’ll have to fight him for cuddles tomorrow.”
After we opened presents in the morning, we were all heading over to the Bennet’s for Christmas dinner. Jason and Felicity, and Asher and Mya were all in town for a few days. I was looking forward to seeing them. It had been a while since we were all in the same place.
“I can take him,” I said.
Hailee’s brow furrowed. “Are you okay? You seem a little nervous.”
Fuck.
My fingers trembled as I ran a hand down my face. “Can you come over here?”
“Okay.” Her frown deepened.
Hailee climbed off the bed and approached me. Without thinking, I dropped to one knee and stared up at her.
“Cameron... wh- what are you doing?”
“Hailee Raine,” I took her hand in mine. “I had this whole speech planned. I was going to tell you about the moment I fell in love with you, reminisce about our life together, and all of the amazing things we’ve experienced. But honestly, watching you with Avery just now, and then Xander, I don’t need to talk about the past. Because every time I watch you with our son and my brother, I fall in love with you all over again. But being the mother of my children isn’t enough for me. I want you to be my wife. My other half. The better half of me. Will you marry me?”
“Oh my god,” she breathed, tears dripping down her cheeks. “Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Hailee threw herself down onto the floor and wrapped her arms around me. I hadn’t even managed to get the ring box out of my pocket, but it didn’t matter.
“Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited to hear those words?” She eased back to look at me. “I want a life with you, Cameron. You and me and Avery and Xander.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She nodded.
“I didn’t even show you the ring.” I finally pulled the box out.
“It could be a candy ring and I’d still love it.”
I flipped the lid and Hailee covered her mouth with her hand. “It’s beautiful.”
“Here.” Plucking the princess-cut diamond ring out of the box, I slid it on her finger, feeling my chest tighten.
“It’s a perfect fit.” Hailee admired it. “I love it.”
“And I love you, Mrs. Chase-to-be.”
“God, I like the sound of that. Should we call everyone to tell them?”
“Tomorrow,” I said gruffly. “Tomorrow we can tell them. Tonight, you’re mine.”
Hailee
Cameron scooped me up in his arms and carried me to our bedroom. The soft sound of laughter filled the room, as he lowered me to the floor.
“I want to worship every inch of your skin, Hailee.” He cupped my face. “But honestly, I’m not sure I can wait to be deep inside you.”
My core clenched at his words, at his hooded gaze, his eyes clouded with lust.
“So don’t. I’m right here, Cam.” Hooking my hands into my tank top, I pulled it over my head and dropped it on the floor. His mouth kicked up at the corner as his hungry eyes raked over my breasts.
My body had changed since giving birth, but Cameron never made me feel anything less than beautiful.
“So soft,” he whispered, trailing his fingers over the curve of my skin. “But you have too many clothes on.” Cameron slipped his hands into my lounge pants and panties and pushed them off my hips, letting the soft material pool at my feet. He lifted me with ease, lying me down on the bed and covering my body.
“This doesn’t seem fair somehow.” I curled my fingers into the hair at the nape of his neck.
“Give me a second.” He dropped a kiss on the end of my nose and climbed off the bed to undress. My eyes feasted on his body. Cameron might not have played football anymore, but his physique was still impressive. Broad shoulders and cut abs pointed to a narrow waist. His muscles were defined and strong and I loved nothing more than feeling his weight pressed on top of me.
“How long do you think we have?” I asked around a knowing smile.
“Long enough.” Cameron stroked a hand along my ankle and pulled me down the bed a little, fitting his body over mine. My legs hitched around his waist, anchoring us together as he kissed me. Our tongues tangled, slow and seductive as if they didn’t want to rush. But it was Christmas Eve and we had a seven-month-old and an overexcited eight-year-old under the roof. Chances were, we didn’t have the luxury of time.
As if he felt my urgency, Cameron slipped his hand between us and found my center. “So wet,” he murmured against my lips, gently working two digits inside of me.
“Cam,” I breathed as my body stretched around his fingers.
“Come for me, Hailee... come undone.” He whispered the words against the corner of my mouth, his eyes fixed right on my face, watching as I hurtled toward the edge.
“It feels so good,” I panted. “But I want you inside me, Cam.”
“Fuck, yeah. Okay.” Cameron hooked my thighs wider, then gently rocked into me, filling me. My breath caught as he pulled out slowly and pressed forward again, going deeper.
“Okay?” he asked, and I nodded.
“Don’t stop.”
Cameron made love to me in the dark, the room filled with our breathy moans and dirty promises. He felt so good, rocking into me, pushing me toward the edge. His pelvis bumped my clit with every roll, sending bolts of pleasure shooting through me.
“Do you have any idea how good you feel?” he groaned against my neck, licking and sucking the skin there as if he couldn’t get enough.
I hugged him tighter, never wanting it to end, completely lost to the sensations flowing through my body.
“I love you, Hailee. So.” Thrust. “Fucking.” Thrust. “Much.”
The wave of pleasure building inside me crested, crashing over me with such intensity I cried out. But Cameron was there to swallow my moans, his tongue lapping at my mouth as my body shuddered around him.
He kept rocking, harder... faster, his pace growing jerky until a low groan rumbled in his throat and he came hard inside me.
“Fuck,” he rasped. “That was...”
“Yeah, I know.” I touched the side of his face, smiling up at him.
“I can’t wait to make you my wife, Hailee. To be tied to you in every single way possible. I can’t—”
Avery’s cries came through the baby monitor.
“So much for keeping his promise,” Cameron muttered.
“It’s a big step him being in his own room.”
“I know. Stay. I’ll get him.” He kissed me softly.
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah.” Cameron climbed out of bed and pulled on his sweatpants. “I’ll be right back.”
“Take your time.” I stretched my body, reveling in the delicious ache. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Cameron
“You couldn’t just give me an hour, could you, buddy?” I plucked Avery out of his crib and held him up. “You’re supposed to be sleeping.”
He smiled at me, softening my expression. “Cute kid, real cute.” I chuckled. “You want to go see Mommy?”
He cooed, flapping his little hands in the air as I cuddled him into my chest. Hailee was insistent on trying to settle him back in his crib no matter what hour or how many times he had us up. But it was still relatively early, and the truth was, I missed the late-night cuddles with the three of us in bed.
“Your mommy’s going to kick my ass,” I said as we walked back to our bedroom.
Hailee was in bed, a sleep shirt pulled over her body. “Cameron, we agreed...”
“I know, but I told him our good news and he’s excited.”
She rolled her eyes, fi
ghting a smile. “Ten minutes and not a minute longer.” Hailee patted the space beside her, and I climbed in, nestling Avery in the crook of my arm.
“This... you and Avery... it’s all I ever wanted, even if I didn’t know it.”
“You really mean that?” Hailee asked, looking at me through lowered lashes.
“I don’t regret a single thing, Sunshine. I only wish Mom was here to see this. To see us. Boy, she’d love you.” I gently rocked Avery in my arm.
“I like to think she’s watching,” Hailee said.
“Yeah, me too.” My gaze lifted from my son to my girl... my fiancée.
Fuck, I would never tire of saying that. At least, not until she became my wife.
Just then, the door creaked open and Xander’s face appeared. “I heard Avery. Is he okay?”
“He’s fine, buddy,” I said. “You wanna get up on here with us?”
“I... yeah.” A big grin broke out over his face. “Okay.” He ran and jumped onto the bed, tucking himself into my side.
Avery’s overexcited giggles made us all laugh.
“He’s so cool,” Xander said, taking his nephew’s hand in his. “I know I’m not his big brother, but I’ll always look out for him.” He looked up at me. “The way you always looked out for me.”
Hailee caught my eye as I tried to swallow the ball of emotion lodged in my throat.
“I love you, Xan.” I hugged my brother tighter while holding my son in my other arm.
“Whoa, wait, is that—” Xander grabbed Hailee’s hand and tugged it across my body. “You’re getting married?”
“Cameron just asked me.”
“And you said yes?”
“I sure did, buddy.”
“Holy crap, that’s awesome! First I got Avery and now I’m getting a new sister.” His grin was infectious. “This Christmas rocks.”
“Yeah, it does.” I grinned back, knowing that somewhere up there, Mom was looking down on us and smiling too.
“It totally does.”
The Wedding
Chapter 1
Cameron
“Is he out?” Warm hands slid around my waist and Hailee pressed herself against me as I watched Avery sleep.
“Yeah, I didn’t even get to finish the story.”
“He’s had a busy day.” She slipped around me.
“He’s going to have an even busier day Saturday,” I said.
“I can’t wait to see him in his little tux.”
“I can’t wait to see you in your bridesmaid dress.” Leaning down, I kissed Hailee. My wife. My best friend. My every-fucking-thing.
The last four years had been hard.
Mom had lost her battle with the brain tumor, right before Avery was born, and then Dad had died in a tragic accident before Christmas.
But we had so much to celebrate, to take comfort in. Avery was almost four and he brought so much joy to our lives.
“It’s a good thing I’m not showing yet.” Hailee took my hands in hers and laid them on her stomach, right where our second child was growing. “We’re doing the right thing not telling them, aren’t we?” she said.
“Yeah.” I ran my nose along hers. “It’s their big day, Sunshine. Let’s not steal their thunder.”
“Yeah, I guess. But it’s hard keeping this from Fee. You know how intuitive she is. The second she sees I’m not drinking alcohol, she’ll know.”
“She’ll be too busy soaking up everyone’s attention.”
“Fine. But if she asks, I’m not going to lie.”
“Deal.” I hooked my arm around her waist and pulled her closer, sealing my mouth over her soft lips.
God, I loved this woman.
Almost nine years together and my heart still beat wildly in my chest every time we kissed. I loved Hailee more with every passing year. After everything we’d been through—falling pregnant when we were still in college, my mom dying, helping raise my brother Xander, to being a young couple raising a son, and then being hit with my dad’s sudden death—Hailee had been right there, standing by my side. Holding me up. She was my strength, my heart; she was the better half of my soul, and I was so fucking happy we were going to have another baby.
Even if I was a little bit terrified it meant we’d be raising an eleven-year-old, a four-year-old, and a newborn.
“Hmm,” Hailee murmured against my lips, teasing me with her tongue. “We should probably make the most of him sleeping.”
Xander was having a sleepover with Hailee’s mom and stepdad.
“Yeah?” I eased back, gazing at her.
“Yeah. I need you, Cam.”
“Come on.” Grabbing her hand, I led her out of our son’s room, and pulled the door closed.
The second I stepped into our bedroom, my eyes went to the pale-green silk bridesmaid dress hanging on the closet. I hadn’t seen Hailee in it yet, but I knew she would look stunning.
“You know,” I said, pulling her into my arms again. “That dress is bringing up all kinds of memories from our wedding.”
“I’m surprised you can remember,” she chuckled. “You were toasted by the end of the night.”
“True.” I trailed my lips over her jaw, along her neck and to her ear. “But I was still able to make you scream my name, Mrs. Chase.”
Hailee’s breath caught. “Maybe you should remind me.”
Laughter rumbled in my chest as I buried my hands deep in her hair. “It would be my pleasure, Sunshine.”
Slowly, I kissed her, tangling our tongues and nibbling her lips. Hailee melted against me as I moved her backward toward the bed.
“Be quick,” she moaned, “in case he wakes.”
“He’s out for the count,” I said, pulling away to yank my sweater over my head. Hailee’s t-shirt went next. Then her pants and my jeans. I would have loved nothing more than to spend the entire night worshipping every inch of her skin, but when you were parents to a toddler every minute alone was a luxury.
And I didn’t intend to waste a single second.
My hands painted a map over her body, studying every dip and curve, paying extra attention to her stomach, soft and round from her previous birth.
I’d known Hailee when she was just a girl, growing into herself. But now she was all woman, every blemish, scar and stretchmark a testament to the life we’d created together.
“Stop teasing me,” she purred, arching into my touch as my fingers glided lower. “Cameron.” Hailee grabbed my wrist and thrust my hand against her center, moaning softly.
“So impatient,” I teased, fighting a smile.
Her eyes locked on mine, bright with lust. “He could wake any—”
“He won’t.” I pecked the end of her nose, lazily rubbing my fingers back and forth over her damp panties.
“Stop teasing me and just—” Hailee’s words became garbled as I slipped two fingers into her underwear and pressed them inside her.
“You were saying?” I smirked.
Hailee dropped her head to my shoulder, breathing heavily as I worked her slowly, circling my thumb over her clit in perfect synchrony. After years of practice, I knew exactly what she liked, exactly how to touch her to get her to fall apart.
“God, Cam…. God!” she breathed against my collarbone, sending a shock to my dick. “It feels so good.”
“Nothing compared to how it’ll feel when I sink deep inside you.”
Hailee lifted her face, gazing up at me with so much love and lust, I felt ten feet tall. “Show me,” she purred.
“Come first.” I curled my fingers deep inside, grazing her g-spot. She shattered in my arms, clutching onto my biceps and moaning my name.
Pushing her down gently on the bed, I shoved my boxer briefs down my hips and kicked them off. Hailee’s hooded gaze immediately went to my dick: thick and long and more than ready to sink inside my wife.
My knees hit the mattress and I lifted her legs and curled them around my hips as I sank down and—
“Momma,” Avery
’s small cries filtered down the hall.
“Jesus, kid, perfect fucking timing,” I mumbled, dropping my head to Hailee’s shoulder.
She chuckled, letting out a resigned sigh. “Let me get him settled and we’ll pick right back up.” She kissed me thoroughly, silently promising me of things to come.
But I knew our son, and once he got his momma in his bed, it was unlikely I’d see her again until the morning.
“I’ll go,” I said. “You get some sleep.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, you’re growing our daughter. You need to get your rest.” Clambering off the bed, I pulled on some shorts.
“Daughter, huh?” Hailee said. “And how do you know it’s a girl?”
Pausing at the door, I glanced back with a smile. “Just a feeling.”
Hailee
“I can’t believe this is it,” I said, accepting a glass of champagne from Mya.
We were having a pre-wedding pamper night at the hotel. Just me, Felicity, and Mya.
Best friends for the best part of nine years.
God, I couldn’t imagine my life without these women. Next to Cameron, Avery, and Xander, they were the most important people in my life. And I couldn’t wait to watch Felicity walk down the aisle to my stepbrother tomorrow.
“Did you feel this nervous?” she asked me.
“I barely remember it. Everything about that day is a blur.” I just remembered feeling so happy, my cheeks hurt from all the smiling.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I feel like I’ve waited my whole life for this day and now it’s here, and I’m terrified.”
“Fee, my brother loves you. You have nothing to worry about.”
“Yeah, girl,” Mya added. “You’ve managed eight-and-a-half years being Jason Ford’s girlfriend, living life in the spotlight.”
It was true. Jason was kind of a big deal after taking the NFL by storm fresh out of college. His career with the Philadelphia Eagles had gone from strength to strength. Like Mya and Asher, they lived in the city so all being together in one place at the same time was a rare thing these days.