Chapter 10
Camille
I honestly wasn’t expecting Cole to ask me to come back over tonight, but I’m so damn glad he did. I was a little hurt when he asked me to go home, but it’s not because I felt he didn’t want me around or anything. I was upset because I wanted to be there to support him, just like he supported me when Dalton came down.
As much as I wasn’t expecting the text invitation, what was more surprising was the way Cody and Holden greeted me. You’d think I had been off on some long voyage and just returned…but I definitely didn’t hate it…not even a little.
Helping put the boys to bed, it’s one of my new favorite routines, but Holden gave me a whole new reason to look forward to it and it came in the form of a sleepily mumbled ‘I love you, Cam’. Yeah, I might’ve got a little teary eyed, but you can bet your ass that I told him I love him too before kissing his forehead and quietly leaving his room. Cole was waiting for me and, as if this whole day hasn’t already thrown my whole world into a damn tail spin, he wrapped his large hand around mine and led me down to the living room then he sat down on the couch, right next to my usual spot.
“Cam, I’m sorry I asked you to leave earlier. It’s just…the shit she was saying…I wanted to choke the fucking life out of her for talking to you like that. I knew that I had to do what I could to diffuse the situation so I could get her to leave before the boys got dragged into it.” I can hear his sincerity and I’m really not mad, just hurt that I wasn’t able to be there for him while he faced one of his past demons, but…I get it.
“It’s okay, Cole. What did she have to say?” I try not to let him see how much I wanted to wring that bitch’s neck, but the little smirk he gives me tells me I failed.
“She claims she wants to fix this…to fix us…but there’s no us to fix. I’ve got no love for that woman and the only good thing she ever did in her life was give me my boys. I don’t want her around the boys and I don’t want her around you. I’m so damn sorry for how she talked to you and I’m sorry I sent you away, but I was literally seconds away from ripping her damn throat out. I didn’t want the boys to see or hear anything she said and I just…I needed to get you away from her so she’d just…stop.” I could let him keep going and something tells me he would if I don’t speak up, but I decide to stop him there.
“I know, Cole. It’s okay. So…you think she’ll really take you to court? I mean, you have full legal custody of them, right?” I feel immense relief when he nods, but his expression is still so damn troubled.
“I do, but I can’t afford a damn lawyer again. I’m barely keeping us afloat now and last time my dad helped, but he doesn’t have the money for a damn legal war with my bitch ex and he lives halfway across the damn country now.” And here’s where Cole Samuels is going to learn a little something about me…like the fact that I have connections.
“Well, I can help with the lawyer. No! Don’t talk, just listen. I told you about my friend who encouraged me to go for that job, but what I didn’t tell you is that she’s married to one of the most sought after family law attorneys in the state. I can call and see if he’d be willing to take the case and before you say I don’t have to do this, I’m not doing it because I have to, I’m doing it because I want to. You and the boys…you deserve to live your lives without her shadow hovering over you.” I don’t know how it happens, maybe he leans in…maybe I do…but suddenly…we’re kissing.
I’m not innocent and I’ve definitely had a lot of kisses in my life, but this is something so different from every damn one of them. His left arm slides around my waist, pulling me into him while his right hand is at the back of my neck, tangled in my hair as he angles my head to deepen the kiss. I don’t hesitate to part my lips for him the second I feel his tongue graze my lower lip and he quickly accepts the invitation. By the time we break the kiss, we’re both panting, our foreheads resting against each other as our warm, heated breath mingles in the small space between us.
“Damn it, Cam…do you know what you’ve been doing to me? From the minute I saw you sitting on the damn sidewalk, holding Joey and comforting him…you’ve been breaking down every damn wall I’ve built up since the day that bitch left. I kept telling myself you were just like her…just like my mom. I told myself you would walk away just like they did, but I was so damn wrong. You just kept showing up, proving yourself every damn day.
"You stayed, Cam…and that…that wrecked me in the best fucking way. You were present, you stepped up and you didn’t fucking flinch at the chaos...you made yourself a part of it. You, Cam, are so fucking amazing and I’ve been wanting to hold you…to kiss you…to be with you for too damn long.” And his lips are back on mine, proving just how much he means every damn word.
As he pulls me tighter against him, I slide one leg over his lap, straddling him to close that fraction of space between us and give him better leverage to keep kissing me like his life depends on it. I don’t miss the large and rather impressive bulge in his jeans, the one that’s pressed firmly against my throbbing core, giving me enough friction to tease, but no where near enough to satisfy. As if on instinct, my hips gently roll, just once…just to test the waters…and the soft gasp that I swallow down mixed with his deep moan…yeah…nothing delicate or innocent there.
“Cam, baby, we don’t have to stop, but we need to move this behind closed doors in case one of the boys wakes up.” He’s not just being a responsible dad, but he’s giving me an out…one I have no plans of taking.
“Then we better get moving.” He pulls back just enough to lock his deep blue eyes with mine, probably searching for any hint of uncertainty, but he sure the hell won’t be finding any from me. The arm that’s been wrapped tightly around my waist slides down and hooks under my ass as he pins my body tighter against his and stands up, holding me like I weigh nothing. He carries me up to his room, which is, thankfully, on the other side of the upstairs, and into his room where he closes and locks the door.
“Are you sure…” Yeah, not letting him finish that thought! My lips crash into his and I feel him moving us further into the room until he slowly lowers me down onto his large, plush bed. I smile when he reaches over and turns on the baby monitor before leaning back and looking down at me, his eyes scanning every damn inch of me like he’s admiring a work of art.
“Do you know how many times I’ve had to look at you and tell myself I wasn’t allowed to touch you…to want you? Seeing you walk around looking like sin and being so damn good to my boys…you’ve been tempting me at every damn turn, Cam. All I’ve wanted is to touch you…to fucking taste you…to hold you.” The heat in his eyes is setting my whole body on fire and I want him…more than I’ve ever wanted anyone.
“Then what’s stopping you, Cole?” I get to watch it in real time…the second his last thread of restraint tightens, threatening to snap. He doesn’t dive right in, he doesn’t devour me. He gently lifts my left leg and carefully removes my shoe then does the same for the right. His hands gently slide up my legs, feeling each inch of smooth skin from my ankles to my thighs, only stopping when he hits the hem of my shorts.
“Can I?” I don’t know why it hits so damn hard that he’s asking, but it does. I nod my head then watch as he very carefully unbuttons and unzips them. I lift my hips as he begins sliding them off of me then tosses them onto the floor. I sit up as he reaches for the hem of my shirt and let him lift it up, my arms raising as he pulls it over my head and tosses it on top of my shorts.
“You’re so gorgeous, Cam. So fucking perfect.” I grab the hem of his shirt and lift it with urgency, needing to see him without the barriers and he allows me to remove it without protest. When he stands up in front of me, I watch as he unbuttons his pants and drags the zipper down so damn slowly until his pants finally drop to the floor at his feet. This man, his body built of hard, rigid muscle covered in the perfect sun kissed skin, stands before me in only a pair of boxer briefs while looking like a damn gift from the gods.
“Christ, Cole…you’re fucking beautiful.” I look up and see the look of disbelief and awe, like no one’s ever told him his body is a damn masterpiece, an idol worthy of worship and praise. Don’t even get me started on the straining bulge that’s barely being contained by the cotton and spandex material of those black boxer briefs! Carrying something that big around in your pants should definitely be illegal!
“Last chance, baby. If you want to stop, tell me now because I don’t know if I’ll be able to hold back.” Oh, this gorgeous, foolish man! As if I’d ever want to stop! I offer my answer by reaching behind me and unhooking the clasp on my black satin and lace bra then slide the straps down my arms before tossing it with the rest of my clothes somewhere on the floor. He’s on me in a flash, hovering over me as I’m pressed into the soft mattress, his lips on mine, his hands caressing and grasping every damn part of my body that he can as they map it out like he’s discovering some new land.
“Fuck, baby, you’re body…it’s fucking amazing…so damn perfect.” His lips trail kisses from my jaw, down my neck, across my collar bone and then his mouth is worshiping my heaving breasts as I struggle to draw in air between desperate gasps, my back arching off the bed, my body instinctively seeking his. Once he’s satisfied, he places a kiss on my sternum then trails slow, wet kisses down to my stomach until his fingers hook into the sides of my black underwear, locking his eyes with mine as he slowly slides them down with my hips raised to help him. I watch in awe as he slides his boxer briefs down, baring himself to me completely and it’s a sight I’ll surely never forget.
Standing before me is a man who would put the greatest of gods to shame, but more amazing than his perfectly sculpted body with random scars covering his chest and arms, is the intense look of pure reverence he’s giving me as his eyes scan over me until they meet mine. He slowly crawls his way up the bed, up my body, until his lips are on mine and all I can think is…there’s no going back and for once, I’m okay with that.