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
