Chapter 9

Nine

SOREN

“ M erry Christmas.”

I pried one eye open and looked down at the beautiful goddess in my arms. My arms and legs were wrapped around her sweet, naked body.

“Hmm,” I mumbled before closing my eye again and tucking her in a little closer.

I was almost asleep again when I felt a sharp poke in my abs. “Go to sleep, Cammie,” I growled.

She poked me again, and I looked down at her with a reprimanding expression. “Are you trying to earn a spanking?”

Her face blushed red, and she stared at me in astonishment, but her blue orbs sparked with interest.

“We’ll revisit that later,” I told her with a smirk. “Now go back to sleep.”

“But it’s Christmas,” she insisted.

“I already got my present yesterday,” I mumbled, burying my face in the crook of her neck. “Half a dozen times.” I chuckled. “At least, that’s what we were at when I stopped counting.”

We’d spent all day yesterday fucking like rabbits. And a good portion of the night. I’d only stopped making her come to nap, stoke the fire, and make us food. We had to eat to keep up with our sex marathon.

“Didn’t you want to call your niece and nephew this morning?”

“Dammit. I forgot.” I gave her a teasing glare. “It’s all your fault.”

Cammie gasped. “Excuse me? Who demanded I come over and over without even letting me catch my breath?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, baby,” I said with a yawn. “I let you take a break. I even fed you.”

Cammie scoffed. “The five minutes it took you to tend to the fire was not a break. And I don’t recall finishing a single meal.”

“I do,” I remarked with a wicked grin.

“That’s because you ate me!” she argued, her lips forming an adorable pout.

“Are you complaining?”

She pressed her lips together, then laughed and shook her head. “Definitely not.”

The house phone rang, and I sighed, reluctantly letting go of my best Christmas present ever and climbing to my feet. I grabbed a pair of sweats from the couch and hopped over to the phone as I put them on.

Cammie laughed hysterically, and I tossed her a crooked grin before answering.

“Merry Christmas!” I exclaimed. “Ho! Ho! Ho!”

Two little voices broke out into giggles, and I grinned. “Mewy Cwismas, Uncle Sowen!” Owen shouted happily.

“Unca So! Kissmas!” Avery yelled, not about to be outdone by her big brother.

“How are my little munchkins?”

I glanced at Cammie and saw her watching me with a soft smile that I didn’t understand. Warmth spread through my chest, and I reached out, beckoning her to come to me.

Owen and Avery chatted excitedly about their Christmas morning, but I was only half listening.

Cammie stood, then wrapped a blanket around her before shuffling over to me. I curled my arm around her waist and pulled her down onto my lap. Then I hit the speaker button so she could hear their cute little voices telling about all the presents Santa brought them.

She grinned and clasped a hand over her heart. “ Too cute, ” she mouthed.

“Okay, kids,” Lulu broke in. “Breathe.”

I chuckled and turned Cammie so her back was against my chest and I could rest my chin on her shoulder. “Merry Christmas, Lulu.”

“Merry Christmas,” my sister replied softly. Something sounded off in her tone, and I worried she was pissed I’d slept late.

“I’m sorry I missed the morning shenanigans.”

“Don’t be. I’m sure you’ll experience many more of them.”

“What’s wrong?”

Lulu was quiet long enough for me to know she was about to lie to me.

“Nothing. I’m just tired. It was early, and the kids were more hyped up than usual.”

“While I’m sure that’s true, you aren’t telling me everything.”

Cammie attempted to get up, but I tightened my arm around her waist to keep her in place.

“You should have privacy for this conversation,” she whispered.

“What?” Lulu asked. “I didn’t hear you.”

“Cammie was just telling me we should have privacy for this conversation,” I replied.

Both women gasped, and I couldn’t blame them. I didn’t know what the fuck had come over me. Now I was going to have to explain to Lulu who Cammie was…and I couldn’t exactly tell my sister that Cammie was my Christmas fling. And Cammie would want to know why the hell I’d told my sister about her at all.

And I didn’t have an answer for either of them.

Liar…liar.

I fucking hated that stupid voice in my head.

Being dishonest with myself wasn’t my MO. So it seemed I needed to look at what I was really feeling and figure my shit out.

“Cammie? Who is Cammie?” Lulu squawked.

“Nobody,” Cammie interjected before I could say anything, and I leaned around her so she could see my scowl.

“I came out to check on your brother when he took a fall and got snowed in with him,” she finished explaining, ignoring me.

“She’s not nobody,” I growled.

Cammie and Lulu both said, “What?”

I answered them both at once. “I said, she’s not nobody. We aren’t exactly sure what we are to each other yet, but she’s definitely someone important to me.”

Pink dusted Cammie’s cheeks, and though there was fear in her ice-blue eyes, she also looked pleased.

“I’m scared, too,” I whispered in her ear. “But not enough to walk away from this.”

“Um…should I hang up?” Lulu asked, though it was clear from her tone that she didn’t want to.

It was tempting to say yes because I was feeling peckish again. And not for food.

But I wanted to find out what was bothering my sister. “Not until you tell me what you’re obviously trying not to.”

Lulu huffed. “You are so annoying.”

“Yeah, but I’m the bestest brother in the world. So spill.”

“Trent came by this morning.”

“What the fuck?” I shouted. Knowing my outburst wouldn’t help Lulu’s anxiety, I used my free hand to rub my temple and count to ten. Then I muttered, “I’m going to kill that motherfucker.”

At Cammie’s look of confusion, I whispered, “Asshole ex-husband. I’ll explain later.”

Her expression turned sad, and because I’d somehow come to know her very quickly, I knew she was wishing she could fix things and give my sister a hug. Which made my feelings for her even more complicated.

“It’s okay,” my sister sighed, turning my attention back to her situation.

“No, it’s not, Lulu,” I disagreed vehemently. “Let me guess, he brought extravagant presents that he paid for with the alimony money?”

She was silent for a few moments, then said, “Yeah.”

My eyes narrowed as I stared at the phone. “What else, Lulu?”

“Um…he took pictures with the kids, but it was obvious he wanted proof that I’m not giving them what they deserve or whatever other crap he twists it into.”

“And?” I prompted, knowing there was more. With Trent, the bullshit was endless.

“He hired a new lawyer, and they submitted a new custody proposal. He…dropped it off.”

“Please,” I groaned. “Please tell me he didn’t wrap it like a present.”

“Okay…I won’t.”

Cammie slapped her hand over her mouth to contain her horrified gasp.

“I’ll take care of it,” I declared, my tone indicating that this was not up for argument.

“Soren, don’t do anything stupid.”

“You really think I’d do anything that would jeopardize your case, Lulu?”

“No,” she whispered. “I just don’t want you to have to fight my battles for me. Or have you give up anything because I made a mess of my life.”

A tear slipped down Cammie’s cheek, and I wiped it away with my finger before resting my chin back on her shoulder while holding her closer.

“That’s what big brothers do, Lulu. Besides, making him suffer brings meaning to my life.”

Lulu giggled like I knew she would.

“Email me the papers, and as soon as we get rescued, I’ll handle it.”

“Okay. Love you.”

“Love you, too.” A smile curved my lips before I added, “You told me. You know what this means, don’t you? I wi—” She hung up before I could finish, making me laugh.

“Will she be okay?” Cammie asked softly.

“Yeah. There’s no way in hell I will ever let that fucker take my niece and nephew. But for now, I’m going to handle the lawyer shit.”

She raised her brow. “The lawyer?”

I nodded, then kissed her cheek before shifting her off my lap and onto her feet. “They should have been in court over this a long time ago, but every time Trent gets a new lawyer…they mysteriously quit.”

Cammie eyed me speculatively. “Why?”

I stood and guided her back to the blankets while I explained. “I’m not doing anything illegal, if that’s what you’re thinking. They just get a much better offer.”

“You’re paying them to drop him as a client?”

“Gold star of the lady,” I teased.

“You’d pay off a judge if you could, wouldn’t you?”

I shrugged. “I won’t lie to you. If I thought I could get away with it…”

Cammie faced me and placed the hand that wasn’t holding up her blanket on my cheek. “If it were Raven or Jake in this situation, I would too.” She dropped her hand, and her expression turned a little sheepish. “Except I’m not as practical and patient as you. I’d probably do it, and then we’d all be screwed.”

There was that fucking warmth in my chest again…

Cocking my head to the side, I studied her for a few beats. “I think you’re more grounded than you give yourself credit for, baby. You’d never do anything that had the potential to hurt your family.”

“I guess you’re right,” she admitted, looking at me with something in her eyes that should have made me ready to run for the hills.

But the feeling never came.

I turned her around and patted her ass. “Relax. I’m going to make us something to eat, then we can talk. I think we should get to know each other better.”

Cammie’s face brightened, and she smiled. “Okay. But I think it’s my turn to cook. Just let me get dressed?—”

“Forget it,” I drawled. “If cooking all of your meals is the price to keep you naked, I am one hundred percent on board.”

She giggled and shook her head, padding over to sit on the couch. “Then get to it. If you make it really worth it, I’ll give you a raise.”

My smile was wicked when I replied, “Baby, all you have to do is be in my thoughts to give me a raise…”

Her eyes dropped to my rapidly thickening cock, and she burst into giggles.

“If making you laugh hadn’t been my intention, I’d be worried that my dick amused you.”

She laughed even harder, and my smile felt like it was glued to my face as I headed to the kitchen.