Page 68 of Flawless

“Like?”

Wow, he really was determined to get inside my head. And I was willing to let him in. This was still new for me.

“Having someone there to read you bedtime stories, sing you lullabies, and knowing they’d still be there when you woke up.”

His arms tightened around me, but he didn’t comment.

“Having someone to pack your lunch, go to parent-teacher meetings or concerts—” It was hard to relive all the little things that set me apart from all the other kids in school, but I wouldn’t hide from the lessons that shaped me. “Take you to the doctor when you’re sick, make dinner.” It felt hard to get enough air into my lungs as anxiety tightened its grip, but I forced myself to add, “There are a million little things.”

“I know.” His fingertip was grazing my shoulder, trailing down my arm, when he said, “And I want to be there for every one of those little things, Ry. I don’t want to be a part-time dad. I don’t think I can do that.”

I wouldn’t expect him to be. That wouldn’t be fair to him or our baby.

“I’m still in love with you,” I admitted. “It’s impossible to just turn that off. But I can’t play house with you for the sake of our baby. That wouldn’t be right.”

“No, but we could have a place here, somewhere in Tennessee. Maybe outside of the city. And I could keep my place until the end of my term. It’s only three more years. Our little one wouldn’t even be in school yet, so travelling back and forth with them wouldn’t be that big of a deal. It’s a quick flight, and the drive isn’t brutal.”

He made it sound so easy, but was it possible to blend our lives so seamlessly, with a baby in the mix?

“I meant what I said. If I have to resign, I will⁠—”

“No, I can’t let you do that. You made a commitment, and you’re the kind of man who honours his commitments.” I tipped my head back to kiss him. “That’s why I love you.”

He closed his eyes. “I love you too, Rylee. I know we said we’d take our time figuring this thing out, and I’m determined to do that. But you need to know I want to be with you, more than anything.”

I kissed his chest, absorbing the moment. It felt like contentment, security, love, and possibility. “I want it all with you too,” I admitted. “And that’s kind of scary, because I’m not sure I can have it all. A lot of people in my business fail at relationships because this career demands a lot. And it’s not fair to expect partners and families to have to sacrifice so much so an artist, like me, can live their dream.”

“You wouldn’t be you without your music.” He was running his fingers through my soft curls now, massaging my scalp, but it looked like he was lost in his thoughts when he said, “I want our kids to see what hard work and tenacity looks like, firsthand. What’s possible when you chase your dreams and make sacrifices.”

Having a man who got me the way Cam did was a blessing I never expected.

“You said kids, plural,” I teased. “That means you’d want more than one?”

He chuckled. “Hell, I’d love a houseful, to be honest. But I don’t want to scare you away.”

The quivers in my belly felt like excitement, not fear.

“I have a feeling, once I look into our baby’s eyes for the first time, I’ll be so in love, I’ll be anxious to do it all over again.”

I already loved them so much, and felt so protective, it was a little shocking. Why hadn’t my mama felt that way about me? Why hadn’t she been able to love me with all she had and want to protect me at all costs?

“You’re killing me here,” he whispered in my ear. “I don’t want to take it slow. I want to slip a ring on your finger and exchange our vows before our baby’s born. God, Rylee, that’s all I want. We’ll figure the rest out. I just love you so much and⁠—”

I pressed my lips to his, needing to halt the words that were tempting me to go all in with him. I needed time. To think. To process. To plan. And to be sure. Because I couldn’t afford to make a mistake when so much was on the line.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Cameron

I’d been back at work a week, but everything felt different now. I’d try to concentrate, but my mind kept drifting back to Rylee. Our baby. Wanting to be with her, to share every moment of her pregnancy. The doctor’s appointments. The cravings. Even the mood swings and nausea. I just wanted to be there for her. And it was killing me that I couldn’t.

I had a meeting in twenty minutes, but when my cell phone buzzed and I saw Austin’s name pop up on the screen, I answered it. “Hey, man. What’s up?”

He laughed. “Just checking up on you, since my soon-to-be wife dropped that little bomb on you. Holdin’ it together, Daddy?”

Austin had texted since I’d heard the news, but it was good to hear his voice. And just that word, Daddy, made me feel like I’d won the lottery.

“All good, brother.”