Ruining Mr. Perfect (The McCauley Brothers) (12 page)

She narrowed her eyes on his wallet before glaring
through
him. “How about you kiss my ass and we’ll call it a night?” She sneered and gave him a baleful once-over before stalking out of the house. To her credit, she didn’t slam the door. He heard the purr of an engine as she backed out of the drive, then she gunned it down the street.

Mike ripped the bow tie off his neck and flung it to the floor. “Well, fuck.”

***

Vanessa couldn’t stop smiling for an entire week. The people at work, all but Josh, gave her a wide berth, scared of her good mood. Her roommates continued to tease her about what getting laid could do for a girl’s disposition. Yet they were both much worse than Vanessa. Maddie still sang Flynn’s praises while Abby thought the sun rose and fell on Brody and his messy dog.

She’d confided to Cameron that she liked Hyde now, but she refused to let the others know she’d come to appreciate the mongrel Abby sometimes brought to the house. And by mongrel, she meant the dog, not Brody.

Grinning at her private joke, she checked her calendar and realized she had a date with Cameron at his mother’s the following night. Beth had taken to spending time with her sons and their fiancées individually. Cameron’s turn would be tomorrow, and she’d invited
his
girlfriend
—Vanessa—as well.

Still giddy about being Cameron’s girlfriend and not minding at all, she finished her run around the neighborhood, since Seattle had a dry evening for once, and returned to the house. Inside, Brody and Flynn sat arguing in the kitchen, loud enough to wake the neighbor.

Of Maddie and Abby, she saw no sign.

Enjoying her well-earned sweat from a hellacious five-mile run, she tugged her ponytail tighter and joined the testosterone in the kitchen.

As soon as she entered, both men glanced up at her and grew quiet.

“Seems to me like I only saw one pair of shoes by the front door,” she commented mildly.

To her satisfaction, Brody’s face darkened but he hastened by her to take off his shoes.

Flynn chuckled. “You’re good, no question. I can see how you have my little brother wrapped around your finger.”

It annoyed her that they never seemed to give Cameron the credit he deserved. “Oh? Because if I’m not mistaken, you dance to Maddie’s tune awfully easily. Didn’t she tie you up and shove a ball gag in your mouth not so long ago?” He turned a lovely red.

Brody entered in time to overhear and laughed long and loud. “Jesus. She’s got you pegged.”

“Please.” Flynn scowled. “You’re one to talk. Maddie told me it’s embarrassing. Abby says
jump
and you beg to know how high. Pussy.”

“
I’m
a pussy? Yeah right. Didn’t you serenade your redhead for V-Day?” Brody scoffed.

Flynn responded with another taunt.

Pleased they’d turned on each other so easily, Vanessa hummed as she finished her water and then fixed herself a nice salad. After a moment of silence, she glanced up to see both men studying her. “What?”

“You sure seem happy.” Brody smiled, all innocence. “Nice to see you not so, ah…”

“Tense,” Flynn supplied.

“Yeah, tense. Abby told me they’re working you ragged at the office.”

“It’s tax season, but I like my job. And speaking of jobs… It’s kind of a chore to entertain you two after the long day I’ve had. Where are my roommates? Or did they finally annoy you into burying their bodies out back? I’m only asking because if you’re not careful, Hyde will dig them up and walk around with leg bones in that black hole of a mouth, outing you to the police before you can say boo.”

They just stared at her, wide-eyed.

She sat across from them at the kitchen table and munched on her salad. She’d gotten to like both men very much, appreciating their honesty and love for her extended family—Abby and Maddie. Roommates, sisters in heart, and despite Maddie’s overly dramatic aptitude for dealing with life, sadly, a genetic relation.

“You really are one scary woman,” Brody said.

She smiled. “Thanks. That means a lot coming from a man like you.”

He frowned, but before she could add something else obnoxious, the front door opened to admit the chatter of excitable women.

“Oh my gosh.” Maddie entered the kitchen, breathing hard. “Flynn, you are never going to believe this.”

Vanessa frowned. “What happened?”

Maddie and Abby glanced at each other before sitting down at the table with them. They placed a paper bag and a carton of coffee in the center.

“Honey, what’s wrong?” Flynn asked. His voice turned gentle when he spoke with Maddie. The love was no act.

Brody grabbed Abby’s hand and kissed the back of it. “Yeah. Spill. What’s up?”

Abby cleared her throat. “We went to get coffee at your parents’ favorite place.” A pause. “We saw your dad there.”

Vanessa studied her, and then she just knew. “Uh-oh.”

Flynn frowned. “What?”

“Flynn,” Maddie said softly. “Your dad was smiling and, well,
flirting
with Amelia. The woman behind the counter?”

“She’s a barista…” Abby trailed off as Flynn swore, Brody sighed, and the guys seemed to deflate right in front of her.

Vanessa decided she needed to lighten the mood in the kitchen. Because if her friends tried to interfere, she had no doubt they’d screw everything up. “Come on, guys. Would your dad really flirt, in public, in a place he knows his sons and future daughters-in-law frequent?”

Flynn perked up. “Probably not.”

“Unless he’s thinking with his dick,” Brody muttered. Abby socked him in the arm, and he rubbed it. “Ow. Sorry, but men can be assholes. You all know it.”

“Yes,” Vanessa agreed. “But James is an intelligent man, correct? Maybe he was just being nice.” She gave her cousin the eye.

It took her a minute, but Maddie nodded. “Oh. Right. You know, Abby, we might have misread the situation. If you think about it, he smiled at us too. He didn’t look guilty or anything. I think he would have if we’d caught him being overly friendly.”

Abby frowned. “Really? Because—”

Vanessa kicked her under the table and frowned.

Abby glared at her but must have realized it best to keep quiet about the truth.

“Now don’t you two feel
better
?” Vanessa emphasized to Flynn and Brody.

Abby sighed. “Oh hell. I didn’t mean to stir gossip, guys. Forget I said anything. Now I’m not sure what I saw. I just miss him with your mom. I’m not used to seeing him around other women without Beth there beside him.”

Brody pulled her into his lap. Vanessa hated herself for noticing, but damn, they really did look good together. Why the hell did she continue to discern these things? Now she was seeing hearts and romance all over the place.

Had to be Cameron’s influence. Understanding this, the old Vanessa would have cut short their relationship and gotten some distance. But the new her liked the closeness of this group, and in particular, her association with Cameron. She missed his presence, even though she knew he’d had to cancel plans with her tonight due to a meeting with a new client
she’d
recommended to him.

Determined to stop mooning over Cameron and help the man and his brothers, she changed the subject. “Now that that’s settled—”

“It is?” Abby asked.

“Why don’t you guys tell me what you had planned for tonight’s double date?”

Flynn gave her an odd look, then shrugged. “Not much.” With a sly wink her way, he added, “Too bad genius boy is working or all six of us could have gone out together.”

“Oh, what fun,” Brody drawled. “Gee, what could we have done? A wine tasting? Maybe an art show? I know. A poetry reading.”

He and Flynn snickered, and she let them tease about Cameron’s taste in entertainment. She smiled to herself, knowing how she’d have spent the evening. Wrapped around her studly financier.

“Excuse me.” Abby frowned. “How is a poetry reading a bad thing?”

Maddie glanced at her own fingers. “I don’t know about you guys, but I wouldn’t mind going to get my nails done. We have some time before that movie you wanted to see later.”

“Oh hell.” Flynn groaned. “Maddie, you don’t take your fiancé with you to paint your nails.”

“That’s too bad.” She made a sad face. “Because there’s this lingerie place a few doors down, and I thought we could swing by after and pick out a few—”

“I’m in. Let’s go.” Brody stood with Abby in his arms and darted down the hallway.

Abby laughed and ordered him to put her down.

“So easy,” Maddie snickered, and Flynn grinned with her.

“Isn’t he?”

“I meant you.” She rolled her eyes and said to Vanessa, “It’s like once you divert the blood flow from the big head to the little head, they can’t focus.”

“Nothing little about my heads, Maddie.” Flynn leered.

“Ew. Get out of here, you sexed-up pervs.” Vanessa shooed them out of the kitchen, mentally congratulating herself for lightening the mood.

Then she resolved to get down and dirty and figure out once and for all why Beth and James were on the outs. It was the least she could do for Cameron, a man she was coming to appreciate more than was healthy…for them both.

Sitting next to her
boyfriend
, Vanessa wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin Beth had laid out. Like Cameron, his mother had set the table with candles and a bouquet of flowers. But the feel at her dinner was less about romance and more about class. Vanessa could see where Cameron had inherited his fine taste and ability to act with dignity and decorum.

“Beth, this chicken is wonderful.” She smiled.

Beth beamed. “It’s one of my favorite recipes. You should have Cam cook it for you sometime.”

“He’s quite the chef,” she agreed. “I, sadly, can barely boil water.”

“No kidding,” Cam muttered. At her glare, he smiled widely. “Yet your presence is all I need to sweeten the meal.”

“Gimme a break.”

Beth laughed. “That was bad, Cam. Just a bit over the top.”

“Hey, Mom. Cut me some slack. I’m trying.” He winked at Vanessa. His openness about their relationship in front of his mother made her feel special. They’d been in each other’s pockets all week long, and she had yet to be tired of him.

She kept waiting for him to annoy her, or for her to freeze him out. But the sex continued to get hotter, and their time together more exciting and enjoyable. It baffled her. She’d never lasted this long with any man before. To top that off, technically, she’d known Cam for an entire year. Still, they remained friends.

“Let me get started on the dishes,” Beth said with a smile and left the table with a few plates.

Cam’s cell phone rang. He frowned and took it from his pocket, then sighed. “Sorry. I need to take this. It’s Hope.”

Vanessa nodded. She liked that he wanted to bring his cousin into the business. “I’ll help your mom in the kitchen.”

He answered, “Hey, Hope.” Then he kissed Vanessa on the cheek and left the dining room to go into the living area, where she heard him ask, “So what’s this about the lock?”

Vanessa joined Beth in the kitchen. “You are one heck of a cook.” She put a hand on Beth’s shoulder.

The woman’s hands lay buried in the soapy water. “Thank you, Vanessa. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

“I like you, Beth. So I’m just going to ask. What the hell happened with you and your husband?”

Beth blinked. “I, uh, what’s that?”

“Everyone’s dancing around it. There’s a rumor James has a thing for some chick at the coffee shop.” Bluntness was Vanessa’s most effective tool. “And you act like either a whipped puppy or a mute statue whenever anyone brings up his name. So what’s up?”

“Whipped puppy?”

“Hey, I call ’em like I see ’em. If he screwed around on you, why are you taking it lying down? Go get a makeover, get a date, and live a little.”

“I…” The rage left her between one blink and the next. “Makeover? What’s wrong with the way I look?”

“Nothing if you want to be Grandma for the rest of your life.” Vanessa, Maddie, and Abby had discussed Beth in detail. Maddie’s expertise with clothing and design notwithstanding, even Vanessa had seen that Beth needed a wake-up call. “Beth, you’re beautiful.”

“I’m fifty-six years old.”

“Congratulations. Abby is twenty-six and still thinks clogs are fashionable. Age is not an excuse to dress dowdy.”

“
Dowdy?
” Good. The woman looked riled.

“I’m just saying that with some highlights to accent the silver in your dark hair, and some fitted clothing, like that dress you and Maddie bought—yeah, she showed it to me—you’d be a stunner. If James is out trying to score a chick and can’t see the hot one in front of his face, his loss. Get out there and live a little. If anything, make him so jealous he can’t see straight. I can tell you from personal experience that revenge can be very, very satisfying.”

Beth straightened and started to smile. “Hmm. I hadn’t thought about that.” Her smile faded. “The woman he likes. I think she’s a lot younger.”

“And stupid if she thinks she can compare to you. I just don’t get it. All I’ve heard from the guys is how great you and James are together. How did it go wrong?”

Beth frowned. “I don’t know. We used to do everything together. Then I retired from my job as a secretary. Twenty years working for the college and suddenly I was just another homemaker.”

“And mother of four stubborn men. Don’t forget that.”

Beth snorted. “As if I could. I guess…maybe I lost some of my identity when I finished my job. I don’t know. James never acted like he appreciated my work anyway. I thought he’d be happier when I stayed home. Instead of being together, he put in more hours at work. I got lonely. Then I started going out with my friends from the college. Lunches, sometimes dinners. I tried to get him to go with me, but he didn’t want to.”

“So you pulled away. He pulled away. Then this?”

She looked baffled. “It’s the oddest thing. It’s like we went from full in love to blah to nothing in seconds. I can’t put my finger on it, but we just weren’t
there
anymore. You know?”

Vanessa nodded, though she’d always been able to pinpoint when a relationship went sour.

Beth continued. It was as if once she’d started talking, she couldn’t stop. “James didn’t want to walk with me, go out with me, spend time with me. Anytime I tried to get him to eat healthier or take care of him, he’d snipe at me.”

“Doesn’t sound fair.”

“No. It isn’t.” Beth glared. “When I begged him to talk about it or go to therapy, he shut down. So I did too.” She glanced over her shoulder, then whispered, “We stopped having sex months ago. That’s when our relationship really went downhill.”

McCauleys had sex in their fifties and sixties. Check. “That’s got to hurt. That lack of intimacy.” Or so the talk shows always said.

“Yes.” Beth looked sad again. “I had no passion for him, this stranger I lived with. Then to know he’d been with that younger woman…”

“They had sex?” Vanessa asked bluntly.

Beth frowned. “I don’t know. He said they didn’t but that he had
feelings
.” She sneered. “What about
my
damn feelings? What about all the time I spent caring for him, for this family? I wanted to work longer, you know. I quit to make him happy.”

“Oh.”

“And then he treats me like dirt. Without any reason! I never deserved that.”

“No.”

“That man.” She punched the soapy water, and bubbles went flying.

Cameron walked into the kitchen with a smile on his face that disappeared as he looked at them. “Hey…Mom?”

Beth snorted. “I’m done being a victim. Thank you, dear.” She leaned close and kissed Vanessa on the cheek. “I’m going to think about what you said. A lot.” She beamed at Cameron, and he looked puzzled. “Now let’s have dessert.”

An hour later, after they returned to her house, Cameron asked her, “What the hell did you say to my mother?”

Vanessa shrugged. “Only that she needs to update her look. I mean, your mom is very pretty, but she’s dressing like she’s eighty.”

“You think?” He frowned.

“I like Beth. If she feels better about herself, her confidence will have a positive effect on her and everyone around her, right?”

“I guess.” He didn’t seem sure, and she didn’t think it wise to tell him that Beth had plans to knock James on his ass. Cameron probably wouldn’t thank her for her much-needed advice.

“Now what did you have in mind? You sleeping over? Or do you have to ask your mom for permission first?”

“Funny.” He drew her in for a kiss. “As much as I’d love to stay, I have an early appointment in the morning. Apparently the key jammed in the lock so Hope couldn’t get in tonight. I’m meeting a locksmith early tomorrow.”

“Too bad.”

He kissed her again. And again. “But I’m sure I could be persuaded to stick around for a little longer.”

Vanessa’s heart raced. They hadn’t spent much time at her place. Normally at his condo or out about town, they’d seen movies, had dinner, played cards. Had sex. But here, in her sanctuary, she wanted him to stay. Despite the potential of her roommates returning at any moment, she wanted to have Cameron in her bed, surrounded by her things. Before, his presence might have felt like an invasion. She believed in keeping her private life private. But now, with her new
boyfriend
…

“You want to come upstairs?” She swallowed hard and tried to make light of what should have been no big deal. “See my etchings?”

He stared into her eyes and brushed her hair aside. “I’d love to. I’d also love to spend the night, but I do need to get back.”

She nodded, secretly relieved he would be going afterward. Their closeness at times worried her. Because she was letting him into her life in a way she’d never let anyone else. He felt like a stable, almost permanent fixture. And now, having him in her room? Around her things? Making memories of Cameron in her bed?

“Lead on, sexy.” He kissed her once more, then nudged her to the stairway.

She told herself to stop acting like a drama queen and walked purposefully to her room. She locked the door behind them, then slammed him up against the wall and kissed the breath out of him.

He groaned and started to fight back when she pinned his wrists to the wall. “Oh shit. Go ahead. Your turn.”

He was always saying things like that, as if he had a mental tally of who got to be on top. But so close, feeling so much as she always did around him, she let it go and devoured him.

Between kissing and touching, she removed her clothes while he ripped off his shirt and lowered his pants and underwear. He’d gotten them down to his upper thighs before she knelt in front of him and took him deeply to the back of her throat.

“Christ, Vanessa. You’re way too good at this.” He gripped her by the hair and pumped into her mouth, his expression one of awe and desire. “I want to come inside you. With you squeezing me tight.”

She sucked him harder, wanting to see him lose control. Needing to know she owned this moment to give order to the chaos of emotion shattering her.

“
No.
Not without you,” he uttered through a clenched jaw. He tugged her hair and pulled away, then lifted her in his arms and pinned her against the wall. In seconds, he had her legs wrapped around his waist as he slammed inside her. “Oh yeah. God, come around me.”

She moaned and gripped his powerful shoulders as he slammed into her. Punishing strokes that showed his urgency and increased her desire. Cameron without his careful limits turned her on and made her feel special, powerful.
She
caused him to lose himself in her. And she reveled in it. Especially because he brought her pleasure, made her forget herself as she climbed to orgasm.

“You’re so hard,” she moaned.

“For you. God, I’m going to fill you up. So much.” He jerked his hips and ground against her clit.

She cried out and came, clenching him tightly as her world exploded.

“Yes, oh yeah.” He thrust hard and stilled, shaking as he poured into her.

From downstairs the door opened, and she heard her roommates talking with each other. But she didn’t care if they knew Cameron was with her. In fact, she wanted them to know. To put her claim on the man coming to mean so much to her.

“You make me crazy.” Cameron kissed her gently. “If I had the strength, I’d do it all over again.”

“Yeah,” she sighed and kissed him back, running her fingers through his hair. “You’re not bad at this sex thing.”

He grinned, his blue eyes deep and dark. “I try. But it’s good we keep me in practice.”

She chuckled and caressed his neck, enjoying his shiver. “Ticklish?”

“Not there. It just feels so good.” He squeezed her ass, and she realized he still held her in place. “You feel good.”

“You’re a lot stronger than you look. I can’t believe you’re holding me up.”

“Thanks,” he said drily. “But the wall has most of your gargantuan weight.”

She smacked him on the arm. “You’re not supposed to tell a woman she weighs a lot.”

“Hey, truth is truth. Besides, muscle weighs more than fat.”

“Technically, that’s not true. Because—”

“The only softness you have settled in all the right places,” he said over her and rubbed his chest against her breasts. “You know, if I hang around long enough, I’m sure we could go again.”

She licked her lips. “I’m game. But Maddie and Abby are downstairs. Do we really want them to hear you moaning my name?”

“Please. You’re the one always crying, ‘Cam. God, Cam. In me,
yes
,’” he ended in falsetto.

She slapped a hand over his mouth, suddenly not wanting anyone to intrude on their time together. “Shush.”

His wicked grin amused her. “Embarrassed? Is my Amazon shy?”

Whenever he referred to her as his, she got a funny feeling in the pit of her stomach. A deeper sense of belonging she wanted desperately to be true.

“Oh shut up, studly. Now put your… Well, I’d say put your clothes back on, but you only managed to lower your pants and underwear. How decadent.”

“Only you would use a word like
decadent
after sex. And yeah, my dick is the only thing hanging out of my pants and still buried inside you. Decadent applies. So does heaven on earth.”

They grinned at each other, then he withdrew and grabbed a T-shirt from the floor to stem the mess between her legs.

He nodded, his eyes dreamy. “Have I told you how much I love coming inside you?”

“Just about every day.”

“Good. Because it’s true.” He looked as if he wanted to say more, then footsteps sounded on the stairs. “I guess I should head back. We’re on for a run tomorrow evening? Say, seven?”

“You know it.” She quickly threw on a bra and a pair of sweats and walked him downstairs. They didn’t pass her roommates, who must have gone into their rooms. “Thanks for tonight. I had a great time.”

He ran his hand over her hair again and cupped her cheek. “Me too.” He gave her a brief kiss. “See you tomorrow. Oh, and don’t think I bought that explanation of what you said to my mom. The woman looked ready to kill the dishes. I’ll get the rest out of you.”

“Dream on.”

“I intend to.” He chucked her chin, then left whistling.

She smiled and closed the door, so totally smitten and enjoying the moment before reason returned and she thought about where this future might lead her. Letting herself ease back into the real world, she turned to head down the hall to the kitchen and saw her roommates staring at her from the stairs.