Final Offer (Dreamland Billionaires #3) by Lauren Asher

This is the reason I’m willing to wait for Cal. Because love like that—the unconditional kind that comes straight from the heart—isn’t easy to find. I would know after searching for it and failing miserably since he left.

“Thank you!” Cami throws herself into Cal’s arms.

Cal blinks twice at my smile before returning my grin with one of his own. Before I know it, he is swooping me into his arms too, smushing me against Cami. The added weight throws him off-balance and the three of us crash against the carpet, with him taking the brunt of the weight. Cami giggling between us makes both Cal and me both laugh too.

Cami wiggles free and takes off to claim her bedroom. Cal’s arms remain wrapped around me and adjust my weight so I lie on top of him. I suck in a breath as his hand runs down my spine, leaving sparks behind.

His hand pauses on the small of my back. “I want to make the two of you laugh like that for the rest of our lives.”

A tingle spreads through me, starting at my cheeks and heading toward my toes. He cups my cheek and drags me closer to his face.

“Cal…” I warn. “What about Cami?”

The squeak of a mattress and the steady thump of someone jumping makes him smile.

“I think she’s a bit busy at the moment.” His thumb brushes my bottom lip.

“Still.”

He removes his hand, taking his warmth with him. “I dare you to kiss me.”

I blink. “What?”

“You heard me. Either kiss me or be forced into giving up a secret.” The low rumble of his voice makes my lower belly clench.

“That’s not fair.” My voice cracks. Dares have always been a weakness of mine, right after the man who instigated them in the first place.

He tugs my chin closer. “Truth or dare? Choose carefully.”

I bite down on my lip. “I’ve got a lot of dares to make up for. Fifteen, to be exact, according to my last tally count.” The piece of wood on the dock might be long gone, but the memory lives on in my head.

“At this rate you’ll never catch up to me.”

“Only because you’re a daredevil.”

He grins. “And you’re a coward.”

Coward? I’ll show him.

I rise to Cal’s challenge and kiss him. Our lips mold together, the zap of energy sparking between us. He sucks in a breath as I trace the curve of his bottom lip with the tip of my tongue. The sound travels straight toward my clit.

My entire body is overwhelmed by the taste and smell of him, turning the experience into sensory overload. I try to place what the feeling in my chest is, but Cal doesn’t let me get distracted for long as he cups the back of my neck.

Control slips from my grasp as Cal dominates. The world I know shifts as Cal becomes my center of gravity, grounding me to him.

“Mommy and Cal, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G.”

Cal and I break apart. Both our eyes are wide as we take each other in. His lips are as swollen as his dick pressing against my stomach.

“First comes love. Then comes marriage. Then comes Cami in a Dreamland carriage!” She throws herself on top of me, squishing me against Cal’s chest.

So much for not getting caught.

“Are you and Cal getting married?”

The comb I was using to brush Cami’s wet hair slips out of my hand. “Umm.”

“Can I have a sister?” Her smile expands until it takes over half her face.

Shit. Shit. Shit. I knew Cami would have questions, but things are escalating far too fast for me to keep up with.

I reach for the comb and place it on top of Cami’s king-sized mattress. “Cal and I aren’t getting married.” My tongue suddenly feels heavy.

“Why not?”

“Because not everyone who likes each other gets married.” And because I have no idea if we will ever get to a place where that is even remotely possible.

Don’t be so negative.

Hard not to be when pessimism is practically a default setting for me on some days.

“So, you do like him?” She punctuates her question with a few air kisses, making me laugh.

“Of course.”

“Me too.” She grins.

“You do?” Her answer doesn’t surprise me, but it’s nice to get confirmation, especially after everything that happened with Victor.

“Yes. He’s nicer than Victor. He listens to me and likes to ask me questions and doesn’t make me feel like I bother him.” The confession rushes out of her.

I try my hardest to keep my emotions in check. It’s nearly impossible, especially with Cami bringing up Victor. It’s my fault she was ever put in a situation where a man would treat her as anything less than a princess.

Never again.

I tuck a strand of wet hair behind her ear. “I think he’s a lot nicer than Victor too.”

“And he makes you laugh and smile.”

My brows rise. “I’ve always laughed and smiled.”

“Yeah, but you do it a lot more now.”

I’m at a loss for words. It’s such a simple observation on Cami’s part, but it is one that makes my entire chest ache.

Cami pops the bubble of emotion building in my chest with a random question, proving that six-year-old kids truly have the attention span of a puppy.

“Can I have a bedtime story now?”