“Everything will be fine,” Dr. Palmer reassured us. “Now, I’m quite excited to be the one to introduce both of you to our sweet little Lisa.” She smiled, and I could tell she was raptly changing the subject. “I think you will marvel at her strength, tenacity, and positivity. She is an amazing young woman.” She glanced down at her delicate, gold wristwatch. “But before we meet with her in a couple of minutes, do you have any questions for me? Again, Dr. Brandt is sorry he isn’t here, but let’s face it, he’s a bit boring, anyway.” She flashed a charming, mischievous smile, prompting a laugh from Jackson.“We really don’t have any questions,” I said. “I’m sure I’ll think of them at the worst possible time, like while Lisa is telling us about her successes in recovery.” “Always,” Dr. Palmer grinned.Out of nowhere, I felt a twinge of jealousy, wondering if this beautiful doctor and my ex-boyfriend—the player from hell—had ever engaged in a relationship.God help me. This was not the time
“Which side is Dr. Brandt going to operate on?” “The left,” Jackson answered.“It’s possible. Only Dr. Brandt can answer that question for you,” she answered him.“True. Was it hard, though? To go through with it or to go through rehabilitation?”I folded my arms together as Dr. Palmer and I sat on a nearby bench, listening to the two talk.The thought of Jackson having this surgery, going through painstaking recovery, and having potentially severe side effects terrified me to my core. I was a mother. Biology demanded that I do everything in my power to keep my child from harm. It would go against nature for me to feel anything other than fear in this situation, but I reminded myself that this wasn’t about me. This was about Jackson, and he didn’t seem scared. If anything, he seemed intrigued.“Lisa’s mother was a lot like you,” Dr. Palmer said. “At least that’s how the story goes. I’ve only been here for a year, and Lisa’s surgery was performed four years ago.”“Four years ago?” I sa
I was irritated again, but I knew it was just a flood of emotions taking over me. Still, Cameron could’ve been a little more forthcoming with information like that.“Dr. Brandt most likely knew that if he were, you would never have spoken to Lisa or given this a shot.” A curious expression crossed her face, “Do you call him Cam?”I nodded. “We went to college together.”“Oh, nice. That makes sense. That guy has a knack for getting into your head before you even know what’s happening.”“I take it you’ve dated, then?”Jesus Christ! Shut up! I thought, feeling like an idiot for blurting that out.“Oh, no. No,” she said with another laugh. “Though he is easy on the eyes, our relationship is very platonic.” She arched a playful eyebrow at me, most likely feeling sorry for me and adjusting her bedside manner to accommodate my stupid and immature comment. “Besides, he’s made it clear to nearly everyone at this hospital that he will not date anyone here.”“Oh, wow. Well, I guess that makes hi
“I know that drill all too well.” He crossed the room and pulled himself onto the OR table, sitting across from me. “It’s good to get that shit out of your head. You know, sometimes it can also be good for your sanity to bounce some of it off a brilliant doctor like me,” he teased. “Tell me, how the fuck did you lose a patient in surgery? I thought you were going to meet with the success story kid and your kid. I didn’t know you had surgery.”“Long story, but I was on standby for Novant’s surgical case today. The patient’s odds weren’t great, to begin with, but they were even worse not going in.”“Hardest cases, man,” he said, “How’s Novant handling it?”“Not sure. I bounced out of there after the surgery. I was hoping I could get ahold of Jessa and see how it went with her and her boy today.”“Your boy,” Jake teased, obviously still attached to my big ideas about winning back my ex and being more than a biological father to my son. “Or has that changed?”“Nothing’s changed,” I said.
Chapter NineteenJessaI pulled on my sweater, loving the West Coast weather more than I cared to admit. Well, Southern California’s coastal weather, anyway. There was virtually no humidity, just brisk temperatures and light, breezy air.It was quite a stark contrast from what I was used to in Manhattan during the late August months, which consisted of humid temperatures, and me begging for the sultry summer to end quickly. Fall in New York was my favorite time of year; not too hot and not too cold. That was the perfect weather to wear the sweater I was pulling on, and lucky me, in this part of the country, I got to wear it midsummer in the evening.It was the little things. And that’s what I was focusing on these days, the little things and finding joy in them. Like this silly brown cashmere sweater that absolutely did not go with the current season—and most certainly did not go with the fashion of Southern California—but it brought a smile to my face, and that’s all that mattered.S
“Ah, ah-ah,” I interrupted him. “I’m not done yet, Dr. Brandt.” I exhaled, my rage giving birth to some demon that had apparently been growing in me since Cameron left me years ago. My voice changed into some diabolical tone like I was possessed, and now, Cameron was about to hear everything I never knew I needed to say. “If running off to the next best thing is more important than helping my son, then I don’t give a fuck if you’re God’s gift to surgery, you have the most successful cases, or even if you have the mother fucking cure to cancer, I will not allow you to perform this life-altering surgery on my son.” The demonic voice that’d taken over me seemed to fade, but my anger wasn’t gone. “I’d like to offer you a suggestion: when you say you’re going to be there for a patient, be fucking there. It’ll serve you well to know that you can’t play with your patients’ minds like that and hurt them like you’re the very type to do.”“Anything else?” he said as if he were taking notes.“Ye
“I know without a shadow of a doubt that you would turn all this down. But I am reaching out to offer some help that may ease any fears that have arisen since meeting with Lisa yesterday.”I ran my hand over the top of my head and chewed on my bottom lip. I looked out the ocean window, knowing that this place gave good vibes, and if we were going to talk about this shit, we would all be comfortable opening up here. I just needed to be careful not to get too comfortable with Cam.“Fine. What time do you want us there?” I conceded.“Fish Tacos at my place at eight-thirty.” “We ate that last night,” I said with a smile.“Fine, then, chicken tacos?”“Bleh. You know I hate chicken.”He laughed. “Well, you’re fucking with me, so I’m fucking with you.” He laughed again. “Listen, I have to get back to meeting my patients in the office. It’s going to be carne asada, then.”“There you go ignoring—”“I had you scheduled to call first thing when I got to the office. I have my first patient at eig
“Tick-tock,” I ignored her ridiculous drunken remarks, not wanting to encourage anything else to come out of this woman’s mouth. “Seriously, please cover up.”“Oh, Cammy,” she squealed, tap dancing on my last nerve. Her tits bounced all around while she giggled and put on a display for everyone walking on the beach on the other side of our terraces.Glass surrounded her balcony, making any number of activities visible to anyone walking in front of her home.With my bamboo privacy fence—which I was currently wishing was ten feet tall instead of four feet—I couldn’t see if this lady had exposed everything for the peaceful beach walking community or if it was just the bikini top that she’d stripped off.“Oh, dear God.” I heard Jessa’s familiar voice from below and cringed. I wondered if I should duck and not reveal this was my place. I could call her and cancel or face the fact that my neighbor was a lunatic.“Fucking hell,” I growled, then glared at Linda. “Clothes on, now!”I turned of
“So, I texted her,” Cam said, shrugging at Collin and Elena. “I should’ve been pissed, I know.” He shook his head, “But I wasn’t. She was just so beautiful, laying there, naked polished body—”“Skip the details that would make us sinners blush,” Collin said. “You texted?”“Anyway, with profound love, I texted her, Marry me?” Cam said, acting emotional.All eyes were on me for my portion of the proposal lie.“Well, I was about to locate Jacks on the GPS tracker, but I saw Cam’s text come through, and I checked it first.”“Good damn thing because he might have smacked your bare ass while lying by you on the bed,” Elena said.“Right,” I smiled, “I read the text and knew in my heart the answer was yes, but I wanted to verify Jacks was with you guys and didn’t drive off looking for a party like teens do. So, I just hit the thumbs-up emoji, and that was it. We’re engaged.”“Oh, for the love of all fucks, hot and sweet. That is the biggest load of shit I’ve ever allowed anyone to go on about
He shook his head. “You finally had me serious in conversation, and now, we’re going to make fake laws about a damn emoji,” he said with a laugh, pulling up to Elena and Collin’s estate in the Hollywood Hills.“Okay,” I chuckled and laughed, “let’s let Collin, Elena, and Jacks decide whether we keep or ditch that emoji.”“What are you planning? God, do not tell Collin that that is how I ended things with you.”I smiled at him as we pulled up to the side of the house next to a bright orange Lamborghini. “Relax,” I said, getting out of the Bronco.“Relax,” he huffed, opening his door and walking over to me.“Damn,” Collin said, walking out of the front door as soon as we approached. “I trust everything is kosher between you two? I’m presumably looking at two flames reunited in the fiery combustion of love?”“Yeah, Dad,” Cameron mocked. “All is fair in love and war.”“I see it is,” he said.“Where’s Elena and Jacks?” Cam asked.“In the kitchen making pizza,” Collin said, turning to walk
Chapter Fifty-OneJessaCameron and I spent that weekend wrapped in each other’s arms until we couldn’t resist picking up Jacks and telling him that his parents would be getting married and we were going to become a family.“How do you think Jacks will take the news? I’m thinking he’ll at least dig settling down out here—you know, to finally pull off from this online schooling bullshit and start gaining friends at a new school,” Cam said.“Yes,” I answered with a smile, “I know he’ll be happy to learn he’s no longer going to need to do school remotely, now that his mom has made a decision to live in Southern California.”I was thankful that the school issue could at least be resolved. Since Jackson’s surgery, I wouldn’t settle down and force Jacks into a new school—especially with him going through rehab, and with me not too certain where I truly wanted to live.Even though the school system in New York worked well with us for him attending remotely like he’d been, I knew it was somet
I couldn’t resist this perfect woman any longer, so I leaned up and captured her breast in my mouth. She moaned as my teeth nipped at her nipple, hardening it even more. I licked underneath her breast, closing my lips around it. I rolled my tongue in circles, pressing against her nipple as Jessa’s hand came up into my hair, gripping and pulling it while her hips moved faster and faster, giving my cock precisely what it wanted.I moaned loudly against her hot flesh, knowing that this woman’s movements would make me come, and there was nothing I could do about that now. I wanted it. I wanted pleasure from my woman riding me hard and fast. Jessa gripped my shoulders, pushing me back so our eyes could meet.“Come,” she ordered, “I want your cum inside me.” She smiled seductively.My balls were tighter than fuck, ready to send my cum directly into her, but I didn’t want this sensation to end. The rippling pleasure from her moving made me numb to everything but her tight pussy and the boili
I needed more.His fingers dipped inside of me and searched greedily for my G-spot. My eyes rolled back in my head while my breath was stolen by gripping and fiery pleasure. I would have fallen to the floor, writhing in desire while the spasm continued to swarm and erupt through my body, but Cam had a steady grip on me.While my lips grew parched from panting through the intense orgasm, Cam turned me to face him. His moist lips captured mine, and his deep kiss swallowed me up effusively.I couldn’t gain my bearings. I couldn’t do anything but relish the sweet flavor of the lips and kiss I’d missed desperately for all these long months.“It’s been too fucking long, baby,” he said, cradling my naked body and returning his lips to mine.My head was spinning from when we walked into this house to when Cam slipped my dress off me and began working me over in ways I’d needed since the last time we were together.I couldn’t even focus on what he was doing to my body because I was so envelope
“So, you’re giving me a third chance?” I said, standing up and walking over to her. “For the first time in my life, I honestly don’t know what to do.”“Tell you what,” she said, pulling the napkin from her lap and placing it on the table, “take me home, and we can figure it out from there.”I helped her from her chair and paid for what we’d hardly nibbled on and drank at this dinner. I couldn’t get her out of here fast enough.I had no intention of ever losing her again, and I planned to prove that the second we walked through the door once we got to my place in Malibu.OceanofPDF.comChapter FiftyJessaWe couldn’t get to Cam’s place fast enough. After coming to the conclusion that he wanted me back through more vampire talk than I expected, I couldn’t wait for us to get out of there. I didn’t care about dinner at that point. I was damn hungry, but not for food.“Jacks is spending the night with Collin and Elena tonight,” I informed Cam as we walked up the steps to his beach house.M
Chapter F ty-NineCamWe walked into Darcy’s, and I was quickly reminded why I’d never taken a woman I was serious about to this place— the ghosts of one-night stands and ex-girlfriends seemed to lurk in every shadow.“Right this way, Dr. Brandt. It’s good to see you again.” The hostess smiled at me, her bronze eyes peering into my soul. She probably remembered me from the last time I was dumb enough to take a woman home from this place.I snatched Jessa’s hand protectively into mine and kept her close. I don’t know why I was feeling nervous. Who gave a shit if an ex showed up? It would suck, but not enough to park that concern in my head when I had this beautiful woman walking by my side.We were seated, and I ordered us a bottle of Screaming Eagle Cabernet, one of the finest wines from Napa Valley. Of course, I had to keep my game smooth, and my woman impressed, so what came out of my mouth after I ordered the wine I never expected.“So, when will you stop acting like Bella from Twi
“You’re letting Laney fuck you with a dildo in my house?” Jim said.“Hell, it seems like marriage can be quite adventurous,” Spence stood, “but not enough to tempt me.” He walked over and patted me on my shoulder. “Hang in there. She’ll come back. They always do,” he chuckled. “I’m out, guys. My driver is here, and I have the Bartholomew project to tidy up first thing tomorrow.”“When do you fly out to London?” Jim asked. “Those bastards at Green Gate are trying to come in hard on that deal, and I want them leveled. You’re the fucker who can get it done.”“I’m not drunk enough to listen to you boss my ass around while I’m not on the clock,” Spence said, and then he looked over at me. “Seriously, let her go for now and focus on your boy. This will work out. It’s refreshing to hear that someone wants to fix themselves for a change. Sex will probably be even better for it, too.”“Sex is always your end game and final thought,” I said. “Yep,” Spence said, disappearing through the side doo
Chapter F ty-SevenCamI walked Jessa out to her car, feeling that all hope for us getting back together was slipping farther away with each step I took. I wasn’t happy with the arrangement, but I had no say in it. I told her I would give her time to get things right for herself, and I truly meant that. Hell, I loved the woman; if I didn’t know that before, I knew that now.Before, I might’ve taken this rejection as a fuck you and walked out of her life forever. But something told me to give her the time and space and allow her to heal. I honestly had no idea what she needed to heal from, but it wasn’t my place to question her feelings.Jessa had always had a good head on her shoulders, so if something didn’t seem right to her, I trusted her instincts.It’s not that I didn’t have the fight in me to win her heart back; it was that I loved the woman so much that I was willing to honor her request and let her go.I just had to hope that whatever journey she was on would lead her back to