Page 42 of Be Mine Forever

“Aw, you saved that for me.” He ran a thumb across her bottom lip. “Now to bed.”

“You’re coming with?”

For a moment, the fight going on inside of him showed on his face. Then he relaxed, steered her to the back steps. He gave her a subtle nudge, pulling her into his side and resting his hand on her hip.

“I’m coming with.”

He paused halfway up the steps and pressed her against the wall. He kissed her, licking into the wet heat of her mouth, sliding his hands down to palm her butt. He pulled her up onto her toes, feeding her the words she’d been hungry for. For years.

“And, Jo, the answer is yes. I do want to be your boyfriend.”

Chapter Fourteen

Only a few kisses.

Jo hasn’t slept with him.

They’re just friends.

Cam rolled the words around, but they pinged off the jealous walls of his mind like spiked marbles. Seeing Jo standing in the empty conference room so close to Peter drew his hands into fists at his sides. Wrapped barbed wire around his chest. Drove nails into his eyes until they bled red.

If it was just Jo he had to worry about, he wouldn’t be worried at all. But there was Peter. Kind, compassionate, dependable Peter, with his gentle hand on Jo’s shoulder. A concerned look on his face. And love in his eyes every time he looked at Jo.

Peter might have accepted defeat gracefully on the sidewalk last night, but Cam didn’t buy it. Peter wasn’t giving up. He was probably just biding his time. Probably thinking Jo would wise up and get over Cam. Probably thinking a guy like Cam would inevitably screw up a good thing with a good girl like Jo.

He was probably right.

Peter’s blue eyes, always soft when they rested on Jo, hardened and held when they spotted Cam in the doorway. If this was a stare-off, Peter was in trouble. Cam had lost his flinch reflex long ago. He learned as a kid how to look with a steady stare on the heinous. A pair of baby blue eyes wouldn’t undo him.

“Hey, Cam.” Peter gave Jo’s shoulder one last squeeze before stepping away.

Jo turned toward the door where Cam stood, her face telling him all he needed to know. Peter might make sense to anyone looking in. He might be Jo’s perfect match on paper, but he didn’t put that look on her face. Like the universe had coalesced into one man—like the galaxy was in front of her and was hers to explore. How couldheput that look on her face? In her eyes? Cam’s own mother had treated him like yesterday’s garbage, butthiswoman looked at him like that? Life had beaten him down more than once trying to dislodge his pride and capsize his dignity. But that look in Jo’s eyes—that humbled him.

And even humbled, he still had something to prove. He could have walked over to them, drawn Jo close to his side, and rubbed his right to hold her all up in Peter’s face. Instead, he did something he knew Peter would understand. He held his ground at the door and waited for the pull between him and Jo to work on her. Sometimes he wished he couldn’t read people so well, that his childhood hadn’t taught him to live on high alert and to use the clues on people’s faces to survive, but it had, and right now it served him well. He watched need gather in Jo’s eyes and want soften her mouth. And she came to him. Left Peter and came to him, hand already stretched in his direction.

“Hey.” She wove her fingers between his and stepped so close their chests touched. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He snared Peter’s eyes over Jo’s head to make sure he’d gotten the message.She’s mine. Touch her and I’ll fuck you up.

Peter watched Jo with Cam, then blinked and dropped his gaze to the floor. His shoulders slumped an inch, and Cam almost felt sorry for the guy. Almost.

He knew what it was like to be second choice. Hell, he’d been his ownwife’ssecond choice, but he had always been first with Jo.

“I had a meeting with Bash and Shaundra.” His hand claimed the curve of her waist and he kissed her forehead. “Just stuff for the exhibit.”

“It’s going well?” Jo ran a thumb over his wrist, a caress more subtle than the one in her eyes.

Jo’s eyes belied the banal words she was saying. Her eyes told him she didn’t want to talk. She wanted to kiss him, but not in front of Peter. Need slammed Cam’s heart against his chest. He needed to kiss her, too. To enfold her. To consume her and be consumed, and if Peter didn’t leave soon, he would get more than he’d bargained for.

“Yeah, so far.” Cam looked past the desire on her face and saw the strain. “Tough meeting?”

He ran his thumb across one high cheekbone. She closed her eyes and pressed into his palm, simply nodding.

“Yeah. Some board members don’t understand why we’re matching funds for middle- and lower-income couples. Adoption is expensive, and it would take forever for some of those families to get that kind of money. Shockingly, I wasn’t exactly patient with the board.” She turned in Peter’s direction, a small smile working its way onto her tired face. “Peter kept me calm and convinced them. Thanks again.”

Peter slid his iPad under one arm and pushed the other hand into the pocket of his slacks, looking debonair. Cam didn’t do debonair or man-about-town. He knew he was a wild animal who had escaped his cage, and he was enjoying the freedom while it lasted. Cam wanted no part of debonair.

“Teamwork.” Peter took the few steps that carried him to the door, looking back at the two of them. “I’ll see you in the morning, then.”

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