of the time she thought her mother needed a reality check. Today, Shelly appreciated her mother’s optimism.
“I’ll send the money. Tell Dad I said hi. We’ll talk soon.”
Shelly hung up with a new determination to do what she originally set out to do. Like she told Cameron, they may not love each other now, but they could build a relationship based on friendship. The tension between them would ease, and they’d settle into marriage and a life together.
Chapter Twenty-Six
* * *
CAMERON HAD PUSHED up all his meetings and flown all night to get home. He didn’t like being away from Emma when she was sick. Even with Marti there, he’d worried about his little girl.
When he came into the penthouse, he figured everyone was asleep. Past midnight, the house was quiet and dark.
He dropped his bags in the entryway and headed for Emma’s room. He snuck in, only to find an empty bed. The sheets were rumpled and her butterfly nightlight shined a soft glow over a cup of water on the nightstand beside the bed and her favorite Tina’s Travels books spread out on the blankets and floor.
Maybe Marti took her to George’s. He’d come all this way and almost a day early and they weren’t even home.
Disappointed, he walked into the master bedroom and saw the sweetest sight he’d ever see. Marti and Emma slept curled up in his big bed together.
He didn’t think about what he was doing or what the consequences might be. He stripped off his rumpled suit, put on a pair of pajama bottoms, and crawled into bed behind Marti. She had Emma wrapped in her arms and her back to him. He curled up behind her and held them both to his chest.
He buried his face in her hair and when he smelled her fresh, clean scent, he sighed and fell into a deep, contented sleep.
MARTI WOKE UP and noticed four things: light shown through the slit in the drapes, Emma wasn’t in bed with her, Cameron was on top of her kissing her, and he was naked. His hard cock pressed against her thigh. Not a dream. Reality. Cameron was here with her, kissing her. He slipped off her nightshirt, ran his hand down her stomach to her panties and pulled them down her legs. He came back to her and continued loving her awake with soft openmouthed kisses across her belly and up to her neck.
“Cameron.” Was that her breathless voice? He’d never touched her or kissed her like this. One stolen kiss here or there when he came to see George, but nothing as deep and passionate as this.
He kissed her neck and collarbone and his fingers combed into her hair, holding her head still. His entire body pressed down the length of hers. She loved the feel of his weight on her.
Giving in to temptation and need, she threw her arms around him and held him to her. She ran her hands down the smooth line of his back and dug her nails in when he licked her earlobe and sucked it gently.
“Emma woke up and saw us all sleeping together. You know what she said? Can I have some cereal? That’s it. She’s in there watching a cartoon movie and eating breakfast. She thought it was the most normal thing in the world to wake up in bed with both our arms around her.”
“You’ve been here all night.” He trailed kisses down her neck and over the swell of her breast, and she sighed with sheer pleasure.
“I got in a little past midnight and found you two in bed. I couldn’t help myself. I crawled in with both of you and held the world in my arms all night.”
He moved up and took her mouth. He’d wanted to kiss her, really kiss her, for so long he couldn’t think straight half the time.
He kissed her soft and gentle, traced her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, and when the tip of his hard throbbing erection pushed against her and she gasped he thrust his tongue into her mouth and slid it over hers. She sighed and moaned deep in her throat and grabbed the muscles of his back and pulled him to her more.
She spread her thighs, so he fit between them more easily, and she ran her feet up the outside of his legs.
She loved the way he felt. He was so strong and male. His legs were hairy and tickled her feet. She stroked