A woman I’d never seen before skipped right up to Campbell and punched him in the arm. She was average height with two full sleeves and a winning smile. “Is this her? Took you long enough to introduce us.”
Campbell laughed. “Blaire, this is my aunt Vail.”
“Pleasure is all mine,” Vail said, shaking my hand. “Come meet Lori. She’s not as effusive as I am.”
“You mean, intrusive, darling,” Lori said. She was beautiful with flowing red hair and a yellow sundress.
She and Vail clearly belonged together.
“I did not,” Vail grumbled.
“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lori.”
“Blaire,” I said, shaking her hand.
“And this is Gregg,” Lori said.
Campbell cleared his throat. “My dad.”
Gregg Abbey wasn’t as tall as either of his sons, but he carried himself in a way that said he could still put them in their place. Even with the cane in his hand. Campbell had told me that he hated carrying it around, but it was necessary with his knee problems. I thought it made him look regal and refined. No one could look at him and think him weak.
“Nice to meet you, sir,” I said, offering him my hand.
He shot Campbell a look that I couldn’t interpret, but it made Campbell frown. Then, he smiled for me and shook my hand. “Hello, Blaire.”
“I am so glad to meet you all.”
“We wouldn’t miss my sister’s birthday,” Gregg said.
“And Jensen was nice enough to host,” Hollin said, elbowing his dad as he snuck into the conversation.
Gregg rolled his eyes. “He really didn’t have to.”
“Dad wanted to have the party at his house,” Hollin explained.
“I admit that the pool is a nice touch,” he said.
“So, you’re dating my favorite nephew, huh?” Vail asked.
Hollin gasped. “I’m not dating Blaire.”
Vail arched an eyebrow. “I didn’t say you were.”
Campbell shook his head. “You’re going to get yourself in trouble.”
“You know I love you all equally,” Vail said, holding her knuckles out to Hollin. As soon as he dabbed her, she added, “But Campbell brings me the good stuff.”
Hollin snorted. “Typical.”
“Can we not, Vail?” Gregg said, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then, he looked to me and said, “I promise we’re not always like this.”
“No. We’re normally worse,” Hollin said. “Nora isn’t around.”
“She’s the little instigator,” Vail agreed.
“And who do you think she learns it from?” Lori demanded.
“Hollin,” Campbell said at the same time Hollin said, “Campbell.”
And they both pointed at each other.
Their dad smiled genuinely at the pair of them. I didn’t see any of the animosity there that Campbell had made seem was a constant. He’d said that he’d been working on his relationship with his dad. And it was great to see them like this.
The only problem was every time his dad looked at me.
I wasn’t sure if Campbell saw it, and I had no intention of pointing it out if he missed it while he was joking around with his brother.
But one thing was clear: his dad was not pleased that I was dating his son.
25
Campbell
“Let’s top off your drink,” I told Blaire, pulling her away from my family.
We could be overwhelming. And though she was far from the kind of person to get overwhelmed—at least not in crowds of people she knew—meeting the family was a big deal. I’d always intended to keep it as short as possible. She knew everyone else here. She should enjoy herself. Not stick around and cater to my family.
“All right.” She smiled and waved at my family before heading back inside with me. “They’re nice.”
“They like you.”
She grinned. “Good.”
“And I like you,” I said, squeezing her hand.
“I sure hope so, considering how much time we’ve been spending in your bed.”
I grinned devilishly. “Well, it doesn’t just have to be a bed.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Oh?”
“Trust me?”
“Always.”
Instead of veering into the kitchen, I drew her away from the party. No one else was inside at this moment, as the kids were all eating too much sugar and playing in the pool. So, we entered the bathroom, closing and locking the door.
She laughed. “What are you doing?”
But I didn’t answer with words. I crowded into her space, pushed my hands up into her hair, and crushed our mouths together. She tasted sweet, a mix of the chocolate cake and vanilla buttercream icing. She was every bit as addictive as the sugar.
I walked her backward until her ass hit the countertop. She fisted her hands into my shirt, but she was only wearing her tiny white bikini. I could remove the entire thing off with the pull of two little strings. Just the thought had my cock lengthening in my pants.
“Fuck,” I groaned against her lips.
I lifted her up onto the countertop and pushed my way between her open legs. She moaned softly as I rubbed hard against her. I smothered the noise with another hard kiss. I couldn’t get enough of her.