The Stubborn Suitor, Complete Series (An Alpha Billionaire In Love BBW Romance) (12 page)

I
t had taken
hours to fall asleep the night before and, although she hadn’t actually drank much the previous evening, Cami felt hung over when she was jarred awake by the three-year-old jumping on her bed.

“Mommy!” Madison squealed. “Breakfast!”

Cami groaned but she pulled herself out of bed. Sleeping in was a luxury one didn’t have when dealing with a toddler. Ignoring her headache, she pulled Madison into her arms and held her tight as she made her way into the kitchen. She got Madison situated into her highchair with some Cheerios before she started coffee and set about making a more substantial breakfast.

After eggs, toast, and coffee, Cami was feeling a little more alive. She knew that she needed to hold herself together for Madison. She couldn’t afford to fall apart, no matter how much stress she was under. And the only way she was going to be able to keep herself from falling apart was to keep busy.

Cami was able to take a relatively relaxing shower while Madison was distracted with Saturday morning cartoons. Even though she didn’t feel like it, Cami blow-dried her hair, did her makeup, and chose a cheery sundress with brightly colored flowers on it. She then wrestled Madison into an outfit and got them both out of the house.

Cami really didn’t have any plans for the day—she just knew that she had to keep moving. So they went to the park, then the farmers market, and then stopped for lunch at a kid-friendly café. She thought about calling her mom, but she knew that her mother would ask about Drew as well as the custody dispute. She really didn’t want to have to discuss either of those things today, so she kept to herself.

After a full day out on the town, Cami let Madison help her make a delicious dinner full of fresh veggies they’d bought at the market earlier. Having skipped her nap, Madison was ready for bed by early evening. She didn’t even fuss when Cami put her in the bath, and stayed calm while Cami slipped her favorite jammies on her.

Cami curled into Madison’s tiny bed with her and began to read a goodnight story, but Madison was asleep less than halfway through. She continued to read aloud, just to distract herself, until the story was finished. Rising from the bed, she made her way back into the living room.

There was nothing else to distract her now. She was alone with her thoughts. Making herself a cocktail with the leftovers from the night before, Cami tried to relax on the couch. Even with a drink in her hand and her feet up, she was finding it hard.

There was no way that she was going to lose her daughter, she told herself. Things would work themselves out. Still, she couldn’t seem to keep the panic at bay. She was just about to work herself up into a full-blown anxiety attack when there was a knock at the door.

Frowning, Cami looked at the clock. It was nearly eight o’clock, and she wasn’t expecting anyone. She assumed it was Maggie, back to check on her, so she kept the cocktail in her hand as she headed towards the door. She answered with a smirk on her face, ready to tell her best friend that she wasn’t as fragile as Maggie thought she was. But the smirk was wiped clean off her face and replaced with one of surprise when she found herself facing Drew, not Maggie.

“Um…hi,” Cami stammered ineloquently.

“Hi,” Drew said with a timid smile. “Sorry to stop by unannounced, but I wanted to see you. Can I come in?”

Cami shook her head. She really didn’t know what to make of Drew’s appearance, but she was still angry after the silence all week and just wanted to forget all about him. Leaving her drink on the shelf in the entry hall, she stepped out onto the porch and closed the door behind her.

“Madison’s asleep inside,” she told him curtly, crossing her arms in front of her. “I don’t let men I’m dating into the house while she’s home.”

“I thought I was the first man you’d dated since the divorce,” Drew said with a smirk that made Cami even angrier.

“It was a theoretical rule until recently,” she replied coldly. “But now it’s more applicable than ever.”

Drew’s grin faded quickly, and he gazed down.

“Look,” he began after a moment of silence. “She’s asleep, right? I’ll be quiet, I swear! And if she wakes up, I’ll leave before she can see me. I just want to talk to you. Just for a few minutes.”

Cami debated for a second. On one hand, she was pissed that she hadn’t heard from Drew all week. But, on the other hand, he hadn’t promised he’d call on a certain day. And he would be a welcome distraction right now from the anxiety that was constantly hounding her. Finally she nodded and opened the door, walking through it and leaving it wide for him to follow.

She grabbed her cocktail on her way into the living room and sat on one side of the sofa, looking at him expectantly. Closing the door behind him, Drew took a seat on the other end of the sofa. He looked down at his hands for a moment, obviously nervous.

“Well?” Cami prompted eventually.

“Look,” Drew began, finally looking up and making contact. “I know that I’m supposed to be waiting for you to make up your mind. And I do realize that, since I haven’t heard from you all week, your mind is probably already made up, and you really don’t want to see me anymore. But I thought, instead of just waiting for your call—if it ever comes—I would be proactive. So I’m here.”

Cami just stared at Drew for a moment.
He
had been waiting for
her
call? Her mind went back over their last conversation. Had she given him the impression that she was going to call him? She hadn’t said as much, she knew she hadn’t. He’d always been the one to call, so she just assumed he would continue to do so.

She suddenly felt a little silly, pining all week, waiting for his call. Why hadn’t she considered calling herself? Pride, she realized. She didn’t want to seem like the one doing the pursuing. And yet she
had
told him that she needed time to think. It totally made sense that he was waiting for her call.

She didn’t say any of this, however, not wanting to admit her mistake. Instead, she offered him a small smile.

“I’m sorry I haven’t called,” she said. “It’s not that I don’t want to see you again. It’s quite the opposite, actually. And I thank you for giving me the time to come to that decision. I’ve just been really distracted lately—with new custody issues.”

“Oh no,” Drew said, his face turning into a grimace. “What’s happened now?” He looked genuinely upset and it made Cami’s heart flip a little. He really did care about her and what happened to her daughter.

“My asshole of an ex-husband is now suing for full custody.” Cami didn’t even try to keep the anger and frustration out of her voice as she spoke. “If he wins the case, I will lose my daughter completely.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Drew said confidently.

“You don’t know that,” Cami replied. “Ken has money and connections. He has a habit of getting pretty much whatever he wants. Hell, he has two years of
documented
sobriety according to his lawyer, while I know for a fact that he hasn’t been sober for even a year. I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t sober now.”

“If that’s the case, he can’t hide it forever,” Drew said hopefully.

“With enough money, you can hide anything forever,” Cami responded dejectedly. “He’s a shitty father and he’s going to win simply because he has the means. I can’t even afford a half-decent lawyer.”

Cami could no longer hold back the tears that had been threatening to fall all evening, and she turned her head away as she sobbed against her arms. She could feel the cushions shift as Drew scooted across the sofa towards her, then warm, strong arms were wrapped around her, holding her tight. Instinctively, she turned and buried her face in Drew’s muscled chest, seeking comfort in the firm grip.

Drew didn’t try to shush her or calm her down. He just let her cry. Eventually, she was calmed by the steady beat of his heart and the hands rubbing soothing circles against her back. When she was all out of tears, she finally pulled away. She was embarrassed to see a wet spot on his shirt where she’d been crying.

Cami quickly excused herself and slunk to the bathroom to clean herself up. Just a few hours ago, she’d completely written Drew off, and now, she was sobbing on his shoulder and leaving tear stains on his clothing. She shook her head, finding that she was too worn out to muster up too much mortification over what had just happened. Instead, she focused on splashing cool water on her face and adding a little foundation to her blotchy skin.

When she finally headed back into the living room, Drew was sitting comfortably on the middle of the sofa where she’d left him, looking at his phone. He put it away as she approached and smiled at her sweetly. But he didn’t move back to his side of the sofa, leaving her to squeeze in next to him, their bodies still pressed together.

Once she was situated, he wrapped his large arm around her again, pulling her in even closer. Cami knew that she should say something—that she should establish some boundaries and create some distance between them. But the closeness was just too comforting, and she felt herself move into it.

“I’ve missed you this week,” Drew whispered against her hair as he kissed the top of her head.

Cami closed her eyes and let out a contented sigh. “Me too,” she admitted.

“You’ve missed you too?” he joked. “You really must be under a lot of stress if you’ve lost yourself in the process.”

“You know what I mean,” she said, playfully slapping his chest.

She went to move away slightly, but Drew’s large hands were suddenly cupping the sides of her face, and then they were kissing. His lips were hesitant at first, soft and questioning, as if he was seeking consent before taking things further. Cami moved into the kiss, pressing her lips against his hungrily. That was all the consent Drew needed. He was suddenly sliding his tongue against her lips until she opened for him, then began to sensuously circle it around her own.

Cami let out a little moan, only to catch herself.

“Madison,” she whispered against Drew’s lips.

“I can be quiet,” he assured her, moving his mouth down to kiss and lick her neck and jaw.

When his tongue found the sensitive skin behind her ear, Cami had a hard time keeping quiet. She bit her lip as she arched up into his embrace.

Cami felt herself pressed back down against the sofa as Drew crawled on top of her, until his long, muscular frame was above hers, pushing her down into the cushions. It felt delicious, and Cami bit her own cheek to keep from crying out as Drew thrust his hips into her. She could feel his growing erection through his jeans, which were rubbing against the bare skin of her thigh. She could feel her little dress getting hiked up as Drew’s greedy hands began to explore her thighs.

“No,” she whispered, pushing her dress back down.

“Sorry,” Drew replied, pulling away slightly. “I really didn’t come here for sex. I’m fine just spending time with you.”

“No!” Cami said, a little louder than she meant to. But the fire between her legs was not going to let her be satisfied with simply sitting next to Drew on the sofa. Especially not when she could still feel his hard cock pressed against her leg. She needed him inside her, and soon. “No, this is good. Just not here. In case Madison wakes up.”

Cami wiggled out from under Drew, leaving him sprawled out on the sofa. He looked so sexy and debauched that it took Cami’s breath away. His dark hair was sticking up in every direction, and his lips were swollen and bruised. His eyes were blown wide with lust, and the tent in his jeans left very little to imagination.

Cami took a deep breath, savoring the rhythmic pulsing between her legs as she looked at this man. Her panties were already completely wet, and she could feel her own juices trickling down her thighs. Unable to wait any longer, she held out her hand to Drew.

He rose from his position and took Cami’s hand, allowing her to lead him through the small house and into the bedroom. She ushered him there, where he stopped to look around while she shut the door. He eyed her up and down, his look full of lust. He grinned wolfishly as he stared at her for a moment. Cami wondered if she looked as messy and hungry as he did. She sure felt like she did.

“Remember,” she whispered as he stalked towards her. “We have to be quiet.”

“Oh,” he whispered back. “I can be quiet.”

With that, he grabbed her and whipped her around before tossing her across the bed. She lay there, limbs splayed out, completely at his mercy. She knew that her little sundress was up around her waist and her panties were visible.

“So wet for me already,” he growled as he leaned over and stroked her thighs, which were gleaming with her juices.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“It was so hard saying goodbye to you after our last date,” Drew whispered into her ear as his fingers began to stroke her through her wet, clinging panties. “All I wanted to do was take you home, tie you to my headboard, and take you hard, until you screamed.”

“Yes,” Cami moaned a little too loudly, pushing against his hand.

“No, no,” he chastised, taking his hand away. “You have to be completely silent for me. If not, you’re not going to get what you need. Can you be silent for me?”

Cami nodded.

“Good girl,” he breathed against her neck. “Now, not a word, or we’ll stop completely.”

Cami bit her lip to keep from crying out as his hand slipped beneath the black lace to circle her clit. She thrust down against his hand as he brought her closer and closer to the climax. She was right at the brink, ready to tip over into complete bliss, when the hand disappeared.

Cami almost let out a whine of complaint, but she swallowed it down at the last moment. Drew must have noticed, because he leaned over and offered another breathless “Good girl!” into her ear. He then stood and slowly began undressing. He pulled off his sweater first, then his tie, which he ran through his hands for a moment, as if he was thinking about something. After a second, he crawled back onto the bed with a mischievous glint in his eye.

“I know you’ve had a really stressful few weeks,” he said in barely a whisper as he grabbed both of her hands and pressed them against the comforter above her head. “So I want you to simply relax and let me take care of you. Can you do that?”