Sweet Surrender, Baby Surprise

Five

His freaking rules.

Talk about being hoisted by his own…whatever. Cameron punched his pillow, knowing once again that he wouldn’t get much sleep tonight. It was just as well, because he needed to spend some quality time mentally kicking himself. And he really needed to rethink a few things. Like those rules of his. It’s not that he would change them because, frankly, they worked. But he certainly wasn’t going to talk about them anymore. Especially not to a woman who might’ve been lying in his bed this very minute, were it not for him and his big mouth.

Screw the rules, he wanted Julia.

How could he convince her that he believed her? He should’ve told her immediately that he knew Jake was his son. He’d known it almost from the first minute he’d seen the handsome little kid. But hell, that wasn’t even Julia’s point, was it? He smacked the mattress in disgust.

Whatever her point was, he still wanted her. Rules be damned. But if he tried to tell her that, she would think he was just saying it to get into her pants. And while that may be true…no, damn it, it wasn’t.

He liked her. He liked her mind, and her sense of humor, and her integrity. Okay, he liked her pants, too, and everything inside them. Nothing wrong with that.

And besides, she was the mother of his child, so they’d be seeing each other at least once or twice a week for the foreseeable future. And since he’d be coming by to see Jake all the time anyway, why shouldn’t they have a…a what? A relationship? An understanding? A regularly scheduled booty call?

Sounded good to him.

Oh, right, he thought. Even Cameron was smart enough to know she would kick his ass into next week if he suggested that scenario.

But she wouldn’t keep him from seeing Jake. No way. Cameron would let her know in the morning they would need to work out a custody arrangement.

And now that he thought about it, he would have to make sure his house was baby-proofed. He made a mental note to call Housekeeping the next day and tell them to take care of it.

But just baby-proofing the house wouldn’t make it a home for Jake. He would have to transform one of the bedrooms into a room for the little guy. A bed shaped like a race car. A computer. And toys. A football.

He would put up a fence around the pool immediately, but he would also teach Jake to swim as soon as possible. His son would be a champion swimmer.

He would build a super-deluxe swing set on the side of the house, with a slide and monkey bars to play on. And Jake would need a dog. A big one.

Cameron was just beginning to doze off when it occurred to him that the thought of Jake visiting once every few weeks didn’t appeal at all. Maybe Julia and Jake should simply move into his sprawling home on the cliffs overlooking the bay. The place had six bedrooms. There was plenty of room for all of them and the kitchen was big enough for Julia’s baking stuff.

Whoa. In a flash, Cameron threw off the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. “Am I insane?”

What was he thinking? He wasn’t fit to be a father. And he had no business inviting Julia to move in with him. Hadn’t he been through this before? Had he forgotten about Martina?

Years ago, long after the fiasco with his high school girlfriend Wendy, he’d left the marines and gone to work with his brothers to start up their development company. Through business acquaintances he met the very attractive Martina Moran. He thought he’d learned his lesson where love and women were concerned, but once he met Martina, his good sense flew out the window. She came on strong, and almost as a test of his own will he began dating her.

Their relationship flourished and he thought he might be falling for her. Anxious to prove he’d grown as a man and was no longer subject to his father’s cruel legacy, he proposed, and Martina said yes. Cameron thought he might be able to finally relax and looked forward to many happy years of married life.

He had been young, stupid and oh, so wrong.

It turned out that Martina had been using Cameron to make another man jealous. Her scheme worked and that man, trust-fund baby Andrew Gray, had begged Martina to marry him. She walked out on Cameron as fast as her Jimmy Choo shoes could carry her.

Cameron had taken Martina’s betrayal as a message from the fates. His birthright could no longer be ignored and he had to force himself to accept that he was, indeed, a bad risk, a loser and irretrievably flawed. It was a hard lesson to learn, but it was for the best that he’d vowed never to give in to love again. It could end only in disaster.

He was older now, but was he any smarter? Could he actually make this work with Jake and Julia? Did he really have any choice in the matter? Jake was his son and Julia was Jake’s mother. He was determined to make it work. Julia would have to understand that it was all for Jake. As long as they both had Jake’s best interests in mind, everything would be fine.

He lay back down and as he drifted into sleep, a plan began to form in Cameron’s mind.

It was an effort just to slide the key card into the door slot, Julia admitted the following evening. She was exhausted. She hadn’t slept well the night before and she’d just spent one of the most grueling conference days ever. She was looking forward to a glass of wine and a long soak in the tub after she got Jake settled for the night.

But as she stepped into the foyer of the suite, she was instantly assailed by the sounds of controlled madness. Music was playing and people were laughing and talking. Was Cameron having a party? Where was Jake?

Julia had just spent ten long hours working the conference. She was not in the mood for a party. Could she possibly get away with sneaking straight through to the hall and disappearing into the back bedroom?

But that would be a spineless act of cowardice. Julia considered the alternatives and decided she was okay with that.

Before she could make her move, though, a woman about her age walked into the living room and spied Julia lurking in the foyer.

“You must be Julia,” she said with a smile. “Cameron’s told us all about you.”

And what was that supposed to mean? Julia wondered.

“Hello,” Julia said, trying not to eye the other woman with too much suspicion. Not only was she drop-dead gorgeous and tall, with thick brown hair and perfect skin, but she looked really nice and friendly.

Was Cameron dating her? Not that she would blame him; the woman was lovely. But did he have to rub Julia’s nose in it? Had he invited his friends over for a party? Julia was more convinced than ever that slinking off to the back bedroom was the way to go. She had no place here among Cameron’s friends.

At that moment Sally Duke marched into the living room. “Trish, where is-” She stopped when she saw Julia and cried, “Oh, she’s here!”

“Hi, Sally,” Julia said, now thoroughly confused.

“Come in, sweetie. We’ve completely invaded your territory and you must be beat after that long day.”

“That’s okay,” she said weakly.

“Come meet my boys and have a glass of wine. You’ve already met Adam’s wife, Trish.”

“Not exactly.” Julia turned and smiled much more warmly and extended her hand to shake the other woman’s. “Hi, Trish.”

Trish ignored the handshake, instead pulling her close and giving her a hug. “I’m so glad to meet you. Jake is precious. We’re all so lucky Cameron found you both.”

“Thank you. I’m happy to meet you, too.”

“I’m relatively new to the family, too,” she said, linking her arm through Julia’s. “Adam and I just got married a month ago.”

“Oh, how wonderful. Congratulations.”

“Thanks. We’re really happy.”

“Well, of course you are,” Sally said with a wink. “I wouldn’t have planned it any other way.”

They both laughed, then Trish glanced at Julia. She must’ve been wearing a look of sheer bewilderment because Trish quickly said, “It’s complicated.”

Sally laughed again. “But you’ll hear the whole story eventually. Come meet my sons.”

Sally grabbed Julia’s other arm and she and Trish led Julia through the dining room and up to the kitchen bar.

The first thing Julia noticed was that the spacious kitchen area was literally dwarfed by three big, handsome men, obviously Cameron and his brothers, who chatted and laughed with Sally’s girlfriends, Beatrice and Marjorie.

The next thing Julia noticed was that the largest of the brothers was holding her baby over his head as though Jake were a paper airplane about to be launched across the room. Jake screamed with laughter and excitement.

Julia, on the other hand, had to take some deep breaths in order to remain calm. This had to be Brandon who was holding Jake. Cameron had told her he used to be an NFL quarterback.

“I want to hold him,” the third brother said. By process of elimination, this was Adam. Without waiting for an okay from Cameron, Adam reached over and grabbed Jake mid-flight.

Jake cooed with delight.

“Hi, Jake,” Adam said, staring up at the baby. “Welcome to the family.”

Brandon reached up and tickled Jake’s stomach. “Hey there, kiddo. You’re pretty happy to be here, aren’t you?”

Jake giggled and his little legs bounced back and forth.

Brandon turned and thumped Cameron on the back. “He’s awesome.”

“Yeah, he is,” Cameron said, taking the baby from Adam. Just for a moment, he held Jake close to his chest, and Julia could almost see his heart on his sleeve.

The moment passed and Cameron swung the baby up above his head so his brothers could get another good look at him. Jake continued to smile and coo at the men, thrilled to be flying in the air. Cameron brought the boy down to eye level and with a note of pride, said, “Notice how handsome he is? Looks just like his father.”

“Aw, don’t insult him like that,” Brandon joked.

Adam laughed. “Yeah, this is a good-looking kid.”

“Funny, very funny,” Cameron said, and lifted his son up again.

“Dada!” Jake cried.

The room went silent. Julia watched the brothers exchange glances, then they all broke out in grins. Adam slapped Cameron’s back. “Congratulations, Dad.”

Cameron exhaled heavily. “Thanks, I guess.”

“Yeah, congrats,” Brandon said. “Can’t wait to meet the little woman.”

Trish coughed to get their attention. “The little woman?”

“Mama! Mama!” Jake cried. He waved his arms and kicked his legs as the three men slowly turned.

Julia had been marveling at the lovely camaraderie among the brothers and their willingness to bring Jake into the fold, but now she laughed at the abashed expressions on each of their faces. She reached out to pat Jake’s cheek as he bounced in Cameron’s arms. “Hi, punkin’. Are you having fun?”

The baby burbled and wriggled as Brandon shrugged. “Hey, I’m a big guy. Everyone looks little to me, not just women.”

“Nice try, Ace,” Adam drawled.

Ignoring him, Brandon thrust his hand toward Julia. “Hi, I’m Brandon, Cam’s much smarter and more handsome brother.”

Julia shook Brandon’s large hand. He was as big as a bear and, like his brothers, one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. He had shoulders as wide as the refrigerator and wavy, light brown hair an inch too long. He pushed his hair back, but several thick strands flopped onto his forehead, giving him an irresistible, bad boy look. Brandon looked powerful enough to snap a man in two with his bare hands, but he couldn’t have been more gentle with Jake.

Adam stepped forward. “Hello, Julia. I’m Adam Duke.”

She shook hands with the tallest and most serious of the three brothers. Adam was dark haired and sophisticated, with a strong jaw and piercing blue eyes that focused completely on her. Julia’s first thought as she shook his hand was that Trish was a very lucky woman indeed.

“Adam’s frightening the womenfolk again,” Brandon said, and picked up his beer. “Listen, Julia, if you get scared and need a hug, I’m your man.”

Julia laughed, and Trish rolled her eyes in amusement.

“Nobody’s hugging her but me,” Cameron muttered as he handed Julia a glass of crisp white wine. She smiled her thanks as his two brothers ribbed him.

Conversations overlapped as Cameron opened another bottle of wine. Everyone wanted to hold the baby, and Jake was perfectly happy to be passed around from one family member to the next. Not just the women, but Cameron’s brothers also demanded quality time with their new nephew.

Julia took a sip of the wine and felt her muscles and nerves relax. A half hour had passed, she realized, and instead of feeling worn out, she felt energized. She’d never been around such a boisterous, fun group. If this was what family was all about, she would love to be a part of it always.

The doorbell rang and Sally ran out to see who it was.

“That’ll be room service,” Cameron said in a low voice behind her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I invited everyone to stay for dinner.”

“I don’t mind a bit,” she said, turning to smile at him. “Your family is wonderful. You’re so lucky.”

“I like to think so,” he said, staring at her intently.

“I should help get things together,” she said, feeling her cheeks burning. Cameron was the only man who could make her blush simply by looking at her.

As she gathered utensils, plates and napkins, she sized up the three Duke men. Cameron’s brothers were both gorgeous, but Cameron eclipsed them both with his tall, leanly muscular body, clear green eyes and beautiful smile. And that adorable dimple in his cheek was like the cherry on top. No wonder she was always blushing when he was around.

As the room service crew worked swiftly to set up dinner, Julia settled Jake in his high chair, placing Cheerios and soft baby carrots on his tray for him to munch on while she warmed his dinner.

Then, to everyone’s delight, she whipped up a modified chocolate mousse by combining the remaining chocolate bars, whipping cream and sugar from last night and adding egg yolks and vanilla. Within ten minutes, dessert was chilling in the refrigerator and everyone sat down to eat.

All through dinner, they laughed and talked over each other, sharing lots of old family stories with Julia. One story would lead to another, and Julia couldn’t remember a time when she’d laughed so much.

After the dishes were removed, Cameron made coffee, and Julia served her chocolate mousse to rave reviews. She had to laugh because it was one of the simplest things she could’ve made.

Back at the table after clearing the dessert dishes, Julia felt a little twinge in her heart at how readily the Duke family and friends had welcomed her and Jake into their lives. She watched as Cameron finished giving Jake his bottle and raised him to his shoulder. He rubbed the baby’s back a few times and Jake favored him with a rousing belch. Everyone laughed and cheered.

Julia’s breath caught as Cameron squeezed her thigh under the table. “You having a good time?”

She gazed at him. “The best ever.”

These people, this moment, were exactly what Julia had dreamed about her entire life, she realized. It was the warm family circle she had always wanted to be a part of. Could it really be this easy for a dream to come true? Was she foolish to think she could honestly trust her heart to these people and this man?

Cameron had been watching her closely all evening. He didn’t want to crow too loudly, but his plan was working to perfection, even better than he could’ve envisioned.

Leaning closer to Julia, he said, “Walk with me outside for a few minutes?”

“I should put the baby to bed first,” she said.

“Oh, do you mind if we do it?” Trish asked, pushing away from the table. She stood and touched Adam’s shoulder. “We should practice, you know.”

Adam’s eyes widened as he stared up at Trish.

“Excuse me,” Brandon said, glancing back and forth at the two of them. “Do you two have an announcement to make?”

“I don’t know,” Adam said, his eyes narrowed on his wife. “Do we?”

She smiled innocently. “Of course not, but it never hurts to be prepared.”

Adam’s cheeks puffed out. Shaking his head, he stood and grabbed hold of Trish’s hand. “Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

Everyone laughed, and Cameron handed the baby to Trish. “He’s starting to fade into dreamland.”

“He’s so sweet,” Trish whispered, then looked at Julia. “We’ll be careful.”

“He’s pretty sturdy,” she teased, tucking Jake’s collar under his chin. “And he does love to get his diaper changed.”

“Yeah,” Cameron said with a laugh. “Good luck with that.”

He led her out to the living room and opened the sliding glass door. Julia stepped out onto the terrace and he followed her. The evening breeze lifted her wavy blond hair and she pulled her lightweight jacket tighter around her waist. Cameron squelched the urge to wrap her in his arms and shield her from harm.

It’s just a little wind, he thought, knowing she could take care of herself. But ever since he’d hatched his plan in the early hours of the morning, he’d been advancing, both mentally and physically, toward protective mode. He’d already called his housekeeping service to take care of the baby-proofing of his home. They’d also assured him they would have the swing set erected and ready to go within the week. Now he just needed to arrange for the baby’s room to be fixed up. He was hoping Julia would be amenable to helping him with that job. They could go shopping together. Women loved to go shopping, right?

“What a beautiful view,” she said, gripping the balcony rail as she stared north at the forest of towering redwood trees silhouetted against the night sky.

Cameron’s gaze was focused on her. “Yes, it is.”

Julia turned and saw that he was looking at her. It was too dark to see if she was blushing, but Cameron had no doubt her cheeks were pink. He wasn’t sure why that made him smile. He just knew he hadn’t met a woman capable of blushing in a long time.

“Are you having a good time tonight?” he asked, as he rested his hands next to hers on the railing.

“Yes,” she said, and her eyes twinkled in the moonlight. “Your family is just wonderful. I’m so grateful that they’ve welcomed Jake.”

“They’ve welcomed you, too, Julia.”

“I know,” she said, laughing softly. “They’re so kind. I’m thrilled that Jake will grow up surrounded by a warm and loving family.”

“Is it going to bother you to have us all clamoring to be with him?”

“Absolutely not,” she said firmly. “That’s the best thing in the world for him.”

“I’m glad you said that, because it’s something I’ve been thinking about all day.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m trying to figure out what’s best for Jake.”

She gazed up at him. “You are?”

“Yes,” he said, smiling down at her. Damn, she was a beautiful woman. Sometimes that realization snuck up and knocked him upside the head. “I want Jake to be a part of my life, Julia. I want the very best for him.”

She nodded warily. “I want that, too.”

“Good,” he said, pleased that his plan was working out so well. “Because I think you and I should get married.”