Justice Falling (Falling #3)(45)
“When’s he ready?” Hank asked Oliver.
“Half an hour. Let’s jet.”
“Darlin’, we’re going to go to the doctor.” Hank stopped his wife from speaking with a finger to her lips. “Angel, I swear by all that’s holy, we’re going, you’re not arguing and once we get a clean bill of health for you and our daughter, we’re going home for the day.”
“But…”
“No buts about it. I’m taking care of my girls and that’s that. Oliver, you know what to do.”
“Already done. Canceled everything. Nothing’s more important than Pen,” Oliver said to Hank while in the arms of Dean, Oliver’s significant other.
Dean held Oliver’s face and wiped his eyes with both thumbs. Oliver shoved his head in Dean’s chest. Oliver truly loved Aspen, maybe even as much as Hank, only in an entirely different way. The same way the angered brooding Tripp Devereux felt right now about London and Collier’s eloping. Emma spoke quietly to Tripp as he stood in the corner. She whispered in his ear and slid her hand up and down his bicep in a soothing gesture. Made me wonder for the millionth time what the two had going. They claimed that they were just friends but I wasn’t so sure. Mentally I noted I needed to have a chat with my baby sister.
Hank nodded at Oliver then addressed Camille. “Cancel everything for the rest of the day, Cami. And…,”He took a strained breath. “You proved yourself. I’m waiving the six months trial period. You’re official starting Monday; benefits for you and your son start first of the month. And a raise. A big one!” He pulled her into an allover hug; one only a man of his size could do without me want to take him out. As it was, it took extreme patience watching another man put his hands on my girlfriend.
“Really, Mr. Jensen…”
His eyes warned her.
“Hank,” she corrected. He smiled. “I didn’t expect anything. I’ve experienced Braxton Hicks before. They tend to start around thirty weeks and are often caused by unnecessary stress and strain.”
Hank looked at London and Collier.
“Hank, mate,” Collier started.
“Nothin’ out of you. I’m pissed at both of you. You were selfish, and can wallow in that guilt for the next few days. I don’t care. The stress you caused my wife…unacceptable!” His words cut the tension raging through the group. Emma gasped, Tripp sneered, Dean and Oliver hugged and London and Collier looked like puppies that had been kicked, left to starve and shoved over the side of a bridge. As they should look for the stunt they pulled. Getting married, none being the wiser. Bollocks.
Hank and Aspen left with Oliver and Dean. I paid the bill and came back for Camille. “Let me walk you back to work.” She nodded then excused herself.
Collier came over and clasped my shoulder. “You brassed off, too?”
“Yeah, but I get why you did it. You didn’t want to share her in that moment.” And I did get it. If given the chance to whisk Camille away and make her mine for eternity, I’m not sure I’d make a different decision. Shite. I was getting way ahead of myself.
Collier pulled me into a tight embrace, the likes of which men didn’t often do in public. “Brother mine, you know me too well. It’s our second marriage. We didn’t want to go through the rigmarole.”
“I get it.” I smiled and clasped his shoulder. “Plan a party. Let the rest of us celebrate with you. It will go a long way towards re-establishing the peace, mate. ‘Sides, you still haven’t told Mum. You think I‘m brassed off? You’re the nitwit that’s never going to hear the end of it.”
Emma chimed in as she hooked Collier in a hug. “You are so dead, brother mine! D-E-A-D. I can’t wait to see the fireworks. Can I tell Mum? Please….” She drew out the word and I laughed.
“Come on Precious, let’s go. You have some engagements to cancel.”
Camille held my hand in comfortable silence as we walked back to the AIR Bright building, both lost in our thoughts. “I can’t believe all that happened. And you know what the best part was?”
I pulled her into my side and hooked a hand around her waist. “What’s that, love?”
“None of your friends grilled us about our relationship or the fact that I have a son!” She laughed. Leave it to my sweet girl to find the silver lining.
After I escorted her to her building, I tugged her to the side of the glass doors and twirled her around, planting her up against the wall. Then I laid my lips over hers. She yelped then moaned into my kiss. She was wet, sweet and tasted of summer, all lemon and iced tea. Her tongue dipped into my mouth and swept alongside mine, taking as much as she was giving. I tunneled a hand in her hair and one on her hip, gripping her tightly, holding her just where I wanted her. She couldn’t get away and I’d never let her.
After a few more slow pecks, her lips moved away and I chased them. “Nate, honey, I need to go to work. Hank has several things I need to cancel.” She breathed into my mouth as I took her lips once more. She didn’t seem in a hurry to get away. When we touched, I knew I held a power over her, the same power she held over me. It was all-encompassing and could make the grandest of plans disappear with one touch of her lips to mine.
“Two days and you and the little one are mine. All day. Maybe even all night.”