“When do you find out the gender?” Camden interrupts my deep thoughts.
“I’m not sure yet. I think by twelve weeks, they may be able to tell me when they do the prenatal testing.” I slip my hand from under his and grab my water glass, taking a drink. I need something to cool me down and a break from his touch.
“So, in about six weeks?” He lifts his eyebrows in question.
“Give or take,” I nod.
My stomach growls loudly, and I press my hand against it in an attempt to quiet it, but it’s no use. Camden chuckles and opens the menu.
“Let’s get you fed.”
Once we order, Camden tells me about his job, the work he did for the dating app he mentioned when we flew back from Everton to New York. As I listen to him speak, I smile. All afternoon, I’ve been on some kind of cloud, pinching myself. As shocked as I was when I saw him standing by my apartment, as the afternoon went by, I started to feel less alone.
He has no idea what it means to me that he flew over here to talk in person and simply offer the comfort I’d been missing. It’s going to be a long road, but I believe we can work together to make this as easy as possible.
“Does Easton know?” Camden says after swallowing a bite of his steak. The food here is delicious, and the aroma has been amping up my hunger since we walked in.
I shake my head. “I wanted to talk to you first. The only reason I told my mom was because you never replied to my message, and I had a meltdown. I called her on impulse and spat it out.”
Camden nods, pensive. “I know he’s your brother, so if you want to tell him alone, I’ll respect that, but I’d like to tell him together. Even if it’s through a video call. I owe him that much.” He scratches the scruff on his jaw, his eyes darting around the restaurant.
“We can do that,” I agree. “He’s not going to kill you,” I add when I notice the wrinkles on his forehead and tight jaw.
“Funny,” he chuckles dryly. “Trust me, Easton is going to rip me a new one, so I’d like to be there when you tell him. I’d rather show my face than have him think I’m a coward.”
“Camden, look at me…” I wait until his eyes land on mine. “I’m sure Easton is going to be confused, but I won’t let this ruin your friendship.”
“It might already be ruined without him knowing it.”
This time I reach for his hand to comfort him. “Trust me,” I whisper, but everything else I was going to say dries up in my throat when I stare into Camden’s eyes. They pierce through me, heat and affection combined. The way he’s looking at me digs deep in my heart and claims a piece of it.
“This is kinda a shit-show, right?” He gives me a crooked smirk that makes him look younger.
“I guess, in a way, it is,” I laugh.
In between bites of dinner, I catch glimpses of Camden. The guy I thought I knew has been replaced with a version of him I could see myself falling for. He makes me laugh when he needs to and comforts me when he senses I’m going to fall apart. He’s been considerate all day. The perfect gentleman, really, which is a category I had never placed Camden into.
When we finish dinner, we head out into the cool evening, and I point out different places to Camden. My phone keeps buzzing in my purse, but I’m ignoring it as best as I can, assuming it’s Noel.
“You can answer the phone,” Camden says finally. So much for trying to be slick.
“Sorry, it’s probably Noel. She’s been worried about me.” I fish my phone out of my purse, confirming my assumptions.
“Yup, it’s her.” I show him the screen before answering.
Her eyes narrow, scrutinizing me before she opens her big mouth. “Where are you? You look pretty. Are you out on a date? Getting some and forgetting about that douche bag baby daddy?” Her eyebrows dance on her forehead as she smiles deviously.
“Noel!” I scold her and widen my eyes, wishing she could read my damn mind. Instead, Camden leans in closer to me, making sure his face appears on the screen.
“Hello, Noel, long time no see.” I see the cocky smirk reflected back at me on the small frame in the call.
“Oh… Uh… Hi,” she squeaks, staring at me like a deer caught in headlights. “I was talking about another douche bag baby daddy,” she says, schooling her features.
“Uh, huh,” Camden nods. “Sure…” He pinches his thumb and forefinger together in an okay gesture.
“A little warning would’ve been great, Ally.” Noel rolls her eyes.
“Now it’s my fault? You’re the one with the huge mouth. Imagine if I were on a date, and you said that. The guy would’ve heard you!” I argue.
Noel opens her mouth to say something, but we both look at Camden when he growls.
“Whoa…” Noel says. “That’s kinda hot.” When I look at her again, she’s fanning her face. “Gotta go!” She smirks and winks before hanging up, leaving me alone with the man who looks like he wants to eat me for dessert. The idea alone causes tingles to travel up and down my spine while at the same time, terrifies me.
“I’m sorry you thought I didn’t care and thought I was a douche bag. I wanted to see you in person was all.” He steps forward, holding my hands. “But you aren’t going to have any other douche bag baby daddy if I can help it.” My heart drops into the pit of my stomach as I stare at him, searching his eyes. I’m sure I look like a lunatic as I figure out exactly what he means.
I take a deep breath to slow my sprinting heart. When I collect myself again, I say, “I guess that’s a title that only you can truly handle.”
“Fuck,” I hear him mumble before releasing my hands and running his fingers through his hair.
He takes a step closer until our chests are flush, and his heartbeat is racing against mine. His hand combs through my hair as he holds the side of my face. My breath catches as I stare up at him, swallowing thickly while I wait for his next move.
“Ally,” he whispers, his breath tickling my lips.
I throw every excuse I’ve been feeding myself for the last six weeks out the window and lean into his touch. His lips touch mine in a careful kiss at first, a soft brush that’s tentative, waiting for my reaction. Camden inches back the tiniest bit and stares down at me.
When I don’t argue, his fingers curl into my hair as he holds me possessively in place. His tongue swipes against my lips, probing and begging for me to open for him. We deepen the kiss, standing in the middle of a sidewalk in Madrid, and I don’t even question it. I grip onto Camden for dear life, hoping he’ll always keep me afloat the way he did today.
As our tongues dance together and my heart thumps against my ribs, every worry melts away. In this moment, nothing else matters but Camden and me. I sigh into the kiss, clearing my mind as his prickly stubble scratches my face. His roughness against my softness—it’s a perfect balance. My body reacts, nipples tightening and core clenching as heat swims through me. I moan into the kiss, and Camden takes my lower lip between his teeth, tugging.
He brushes his lips against mine, slowing us down as we catch our breaths.
“I’ve been wanting to do that since you ran out of my bed in a panic,” he confesses with a full smile, all pearly whites, and one dimple.
“I wanted to kill you that morning. I was so confused when I woke up, and when I turned and saw you next to me, all hell broke loose.”
“I know. You were worse than my shrilling alarm clock.”
I smack his arm and glare at him. “It was so not what I was expecting, and you were very arrogant.”
“I’m always arrogant, but with reason.” He winks, and my body shivers. From what I remember, he has every right to be confident.
“I meant what I said.” His hand lands on my stomach and butterflies fly wild. “Let me show you that I’m here for you. Give me a chance to prove myself.”
I can’t tell if he’s asking for a place in the child’s life or mine, but the way his eyes stare into mine with sincerity makes me nod.
“I haven’t been
with anyone since the night we spent together. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. You were stuck in my mind, as wrong as that may seem to others.” His confession catches me off-guard. Camden is always with someone, dating, sleeping with them, flirting. And I’ve always been his best friend’s little sister.
“Well, this is awkward. Clearly, I’ve been on a ton of dates,” I shrug apologetically, pursing my lips.
“Allyson,” Camden growls, and Noel is right, that is kind of sexy.
A slow smile covers my lips as I look up at him through my lashes. “It was a joke,” I throw out with a roll of my eyes.
“Mine,” he says through a clenched jaw.
“What are you, a caveman?” My eyebrows bunch together as I stare at him.
“No other man is going to raise my baby,” he says possessively. “And as for you, no other man will touch you but me if I can help it.”
My eyes snap open upon hearing him—laid bare with no more questions or doubts.
“This may be a complicated situation, but just hearing you being out with another man does things to me I’ve never felt before. Hell no, Allyson,” he shakes his head. “I want a chance first.”
I cock my head to the side and narrow my eyes as I assess him. He’s completely serious, but I don’t know if he realizes what all that entails. “Are you capable of having a stable relationship with a woman? One-hundred-percent loyal? This isn’t about testing out and seeing what happens. Now, there’s a child involved, even if it’s not born yet, it will affect its life if we date and things end badly.” I try to explain the best I can, make him understand this isn’t a game.
“He.”
“What?” I scrunch up my face.
“Not it, but he. You keep calling the baby it,” Camden shakes his head as if it were obvious.
“What if it’s a girl?” I lift my eyebrows.
A slow smile creeps on his face that should tell me to turn and run, fast. “Let’s make a little wager.” My heart leaps. “If the baby’s a boy, you go on a date with me.”
“And if it’s a girl?” I arch an eyebrow.
“No need to add more terms to this bet,” he says confidently, an easy smile on his lips and his hands in his pockets. Damn him for being so good-looking. His mussed hair and bright, brown eyes that are always smiling. His stubbled jaw and sexy smile add to the dangerous mix.
“So all this talk, and you’re willing to wait at least six weeks to see what will happen?” I cross my arms over my chest.
“These six weeks will just prove to you I can be faithful.” He winks, his smile growing.
Arrogant jerk.
“Six weeks is nothing in the span of a lifetime. From now on, Camden, you and I are linked.”
“I know, Allyson. Don’t you think I’ve thought all this through? I can’t stop thinking about you. You’ve got me so twisted, I don’t even care to look at another woman if she’s not you. And now you’re carrying my child. It may be a life I never thought I’d have or want, but now that it’s hanging in front of me, I want to grab it and protect it.”
I don’t know what to say to that, so I just stare like an idiot, focusing on my breathing—in and out, in and out.
“And by the way,” he adds, “I’m staying until we find out the gender. I’ll have a bet to win, and I want to make sure I’m here to reap the rewards.” He begins walking.
Just like that, he leaves me standing in shock, staring at his back, questioning what the hell I’ve gotten myself into.
“Are you coming?” He looks over his shoulder and asks. My feet begin moving toward him, although my mind is filled with messy thoughts and questions. Can Camden be more than just the father of my child?
chapter 16
Allyson
True to his word, Camden has stayed in Madrid, working from his hotel room or a café while I’m at work during the day. It’s been five weird days since he arrived, and I’ve gotten used to seeing him day in and day out. But since he usually waits for me outside my apartment building in the evenings with some kind of treat to quench my cravings, I’m okay with him being here.
Okay with him being here, I scoff at myself as I stretch in bed. I’m definitely more than okay. Who am I kidding? After that kiss on Monday night, all I can think about is Camden. His possessiveness, protection, and care. He’s stepping up to the plate, and it scares me.
I get up from bed and race to the bathroom. I have to stop waiting until the very last minute to pee.
Once I’ve relieved myself, I drag my body to the kitchen and heat up the milk to make my decaf coffee, a gift from Camden, along with the kettle and a bunch of teas. He’s seriously become overprotective, and it’s sweet and annoying at the same time, but that could be a cause of my chaotic hormones.
As I take a sip of my steaming coffee, someone knocks on my door. With furrowed eyebrows, I walk to look through the peephole since I didn’t buzz anyone in. I open the door with pursed lips as I hold my mug to my chest.
“Good morning,” Camden says with a smile. “I brought breakfast. I’m starting to realize Spaniards don’t eat breakfast the same way we do in the US, although I did see a couple places advertising brunch.” He walks in as he talks on and on about going to brunch tomorrow.
“Camden,” I stop him.
“Yeah?” He turns around with lifted brows.
“I already have to drink decaf coffee; give me a sec to take a sip before you continue talking a mile a minute.”
He smiles, his one dimple making an appearance as he looks me up and down. “You look sexy.”
I bring my free arm up to cross over my chest, resting the one holding the mug over it.
“Uh-uh, don’t cover yourself now.” He takes the few steps toward me, closing the space between us, as his hand holds my chin. “You really do look amazing,” he whispers before his lips kiss the corner of my mouth. I hold my breath and wait, frozen by his bold move. Since Monday evening, Camden has been more upfront about what he wants, and he’s determined to prove himself.
“Thanks,” I choke out, which only causes his smile to widen.
“Come on, I brought croissants from that bakery you showed me the other day.” He grabs my arm and pulls me into the small kitchen, setting the bag on the tiny table.
“Did you bring anything else?” Curiosity gets the best of me, and I peel open the bag to peek inside while Camden grabs two plates.
When I look up at him, I notice he’s placing a glass of milk in the microwave. “You can have regular coffee,” I tell him.
“I’ll join you in the decaf world today,” he smirks and spoons the instant decaf into his steaming milk before taking a seat at the table with me. “And there is something else in there,” he winks.
A smile takes over my face, curious if it’s the puff pastry filled with whipped cream I got the other day. Before I can get to the sweet goodness, Camden steals the bag from my hands.
“You need to eat a real breakfast first.”
“Are you already preparing for your Dad role?” I tease, biting down my smile.
He leans forward with an arched eyebrow. “Let me take care of you,” his husky voice washes over me. My heart spikes, still not used to his gentle side, so I nod.
“Good. Do you have eggs?” Camden stands, opening my fridge before I can reply. “Get ready for The Steele Breakfast.”
“The Steele Breakfast?” My eyebrows pinch together as I snort in laughter.
Camden turns to look at me, the sleeves of his Henley tee scrunched up on his arms. “You laugh now, but when you try it, you’ll be begging me to make this every morning.”
I watch him crack eggs into a bowl while I drink my coffee, patiently waiting. I’m not complaining about the view; the muscles on his toned forearms flex with each movement. When my stomach growls, I stand and lean beside the small section of counter next to the stove and watch him scramble the eggs.
I smile when he looks over at me, confidence oozing out of him. Camden walks around m
y kitchen, grabbing ingredients he needs as he goes. The savory aroma wafts around my kitchen, and I inhale deeply, mouth watering.
“Do me a favor?” He lifts his eyebrows as he looks at me.
“Sure.” I nod and move away from the counter.
“Toast the croissants.” I nod and turn on the toaster oven while I cut open the croissants the way Camden instructs. After putting them in the oven, I refill our mugs with milk and prepare two more cups of coffee.
“Ready?” Camden looks at me over his shoulder, shielding our plates with his body.
“Uh, more than ready. I’m starving.” As if my stomach thought I needed to emphasize my hunger, it growls on cue. Camden’s deep chuckle echoes around the kitchen.
“Tell that kid to be patient,” he jokes. When he turns around, my eyes widen. Two croissants stuffed with scrambled eggs, melted cheese, and pan-seared ham.
“That looks freaking delicious.” I lick my lips and lean back on my chair. Once Camden is seated, our plates in front of us, I smile at him and say, “Thank you for this.”
“You’re welcome. Cooking helps ease my nerves, and I’m honestly scared to talk to Easton today.” He frowns, his confident armor slipping as our plan to tell Easton about my pregnancy silences us.
I’m terrified of telling him, although my mom continues to assure me it will all work out.
“Yeah, I’m nervous, too,” I tell him.
“You’re his sister. That makes you irreplaceable. But I’m his friend, and friends are always easily replaced.” He looks down at his breakfast with a dark expression. “Especially now that he’s in Everton.”
I hadn’t realized that Easton moving had affected Camden this much. Noel, Berkeley, and I do our best to keep our friendship strong, and I figured they did as well. Guys are different, though.
The Right Kind of Wrong: A Brother's Best Friend Romance Page 10
