The Stubborn Suitor, Book 3 (The Stubborn Suitor #3)(3)

And yet, here he was. In her drive way. In fact, she didn’t even have to look up in order to know that he was tapping on her window. As much as Cami wanted to remain there, like an ostrich with its head buried in the sand, she still needed to call her mother and go collect her daughter. And so she raised her head and looked at Drew.

Over the last two weeks, she’d been able to convince herself that he wasn’t nearly as good looking as she’d remembered. She’d told herself she was exaggerating his sex appeal out of desire to be with someone. But now, staring into his large, whiskey colored eyes, she knew how wrong she’d been.

Drew was easily the most handsome man she’d ever seen, with dark, disheveled hair and deep sparkling eyes. He smiled at her, revealing the dimples she’d been trying to make herself forget. He was bending down in front of the driver’s side window, waiting for her to open the door. Not ready to relinquish the bit of steel between them, she rolled down the window instead.

“Hi,” he said, crouching down so that his face was the same height as hers.

Cami tried not to shudder at the sound of his voice—so deep and rich that it sent a tingle of longing through her. She’d remembered thinking, when they’d first met, that the voice reminded her of butter. Now it just reminded her of sex.

“Hi,” she replied, trying to steer her mind away from that direction.

“Car trouble?” he asked, still smiling.

It was making her frustrated, that confident, joyous smirk. Cami was feeling anything but joyous at the moment.

“What do you think?” she snapped. To her frustration, it did nothing to erase the smile on Drew’s face. In fact, he only grinned wider. “I’m glad you find this funny. I, on the other hand, am screwed. I’m supposed to pick up Madison in fifteen minutes. I’m going to have to call my mom and by the time she shows up, we’ll be late to Ken’s house. God knows he won’t let us forget it… He’ll probably use it to his advantage. And…oh God, I have no clue how I’m going to pay for this.”

It wasn’t until a sob escaped that Cami realized she was crying. She looked up, expecting to see the smile still spread across Drew’s lips. Instead, there was a look of distress on his face and compassion in his amber eyes.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I’m just really happy to see you. I’ve missed you a lot. I’m not trying to make light of the situation.”

The confession made Cami hitch her breath. She felt like a bushel of butterflies had been released in her stomach. Drew hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her! She focused on the problem at hand to keep a stupid grin of her own from spreading across her face. She still needed to figure out the Madison situation, after all. Plus, she’d already decided that she and Drew were over.

“It’s fine. But, as you can see, I’m busy. So, if you’d please excuse me, I need to go inside—because I forgot my phone—and call my mom to come and get me.”

Without waiting for Drew to move out of the way, she unlatched her door, purposefully opening it into him and striking his leg.

“Cami,” Drew called, finally stepping away from the car but quickly following her towards the house. “Cami, wait.”

She tried to shut the house door in his face, but Drew put his arm out, easily preventing it from closing. Cami couldn’t help but notice the ripple of muscle revealed beneath his short-sleeved t-shirt. She hadn’t even noticed what he was wearing—she’d been too distracted by the car and surprised to see him.

But now that she noticed, she couldn’t look away. He was wearing well-fitting jeans and a shirt that hugged his chest in just the right way—especially as he flexed to hold the door open. She’d never seen him so dressed down and she had to admit that he looked damn good.

“I don’t have time for this,” she said, purposefully making herself look away.

“You’re right,” Drew agreed, smiling down at her again. “You don’t have time to argue with me right now. You need to go pick up your daughter, and you need to do it now. So, put Madison’s car seat in the back of my car, and let’s go.”

“What?” Cami asked, shocked. It took her a moment to realize what he was implying. “No! That is a horrible idea!”

“Why? Do you have a better one? Wait for your mom and be late?”

“Yes…it’s my only option,” Cami replied stubbornly.

“Why?”

“You know I don’t let Madison fraternize with the men I’m dating. Or have dated.” Cami emphasized the past tense to remind Drew—and herself—exactly where they stood as a couple.

“Fraternize?” Drew asked. “She’s a three-year-old. She doesn’t even know what that word means, much less how to do it.” The smile once again slipped from his face as his voice grew serious. “Listen, I know we have a lot to talk about. I know that there are things we need to work through. But right now, you need to pick up your daughter—and not be late doing it—and I am your only option. We don’t have to tell Madison who I am. She most likely won’t even remember me tomorrow. And if she does, we can worry about it then. Right now, we need to go.”

Cami stood in the doorway for a moment, biting her lip and debating her options. Drew had taken his hand off the door, giving her the ability to slam it in his face. But then she’d have to call her mom and wait for her to get here. If she left with Drew within the next five minutes, she wouldn’t be too late. Plus, she couldn’t help but think about the way Drew had talked about their relationship in the present tense. To him, at least, things weren’t over. Cami didn’t know why that made her feel so giddy inside.