Ruining Mr. Perfect (The McCauley Brothers) Read online

  Mike nodded. “For a very special girl. My favorite girl in the world.” He wore a black suit—complete with bow tie—that highlighted his powerful build and brought out the bright blue in his eyes—eyes that smiled at her.

  My special, special son. So handsome. Just waiting for the right woman to… Favorite girl? “What?”

  Mike gave her a hug. He lifted her off her feet and chuckled, ignoring Colin’s laughter and her breathless pleas to be put down.

  He finally set her on her feet. “Okay, Mom. Time for us to go.”

  “Go? But I’m watching Colin while you go on your date.”

  The back door opened, and in moments Vanessa entered the living room with Cam trailing behind her. Both of them smiled at her. Such a handsome couple. If things went as she hoped, she might just get a marriage to balance her inevitable separation. She took a quick grip on her emotions and forced herself not to cry.

  Yes, Cameron and Vanessa. A new beginning. Then she’d just have her oldest boy to handle. The most difficult of them all.

  “Here are our sitters.” Mike nodded. “Thanks, guys.”

  “No problem.” Cam grinned.

  “No,” Colin moaned. “Not him.” He pointed at Cam and made shooting sounds. “He’s no fun. And she’s a girl.”

  “Thanks, Captain Obvious,” Vanessa said drily. She turned to Beth. “Have fun on your date.”

  “What date?”

  When Cam handed Mike a bouquet of flowers he’d apparently been hiding behind his back, she didn’t know what to think. Because Mike suddenly held them out to her.

  “Mom?” Mike said in a deep voice, sounding so much like his father it hurt. “I need a date tonight. As embarrassing as it is to be a thirty-three-year-old single man on a date with his mom, it is Valentine’s Day. And you’re pretty available.”

  Vanessa chuckled. “Oh, smooth, Mike. Like but-tah.”

  Cam snickered.

  Mike glared at them. “Hey, I’m talking. Shut it, you two.” He cleared his throat and turned back to Beth. “Well? We have plans. Time to get you home and into that pretty blue dress you and Maddie bought together on Monday. Come on, woman. We have a dinner reservation at seven.”

  Beth couldn’t help it. She teared up. “You’re so thoughtful. All of you.” She smiled and wiped her eyes, feeling so loved despite her circumstances. The man who should have been here wasn’t. But the boys she’d raised to be fine men had stepped in for their mother. “Oh my goodness. I’ll have to take a shower. I need to get home and dressed. I have to do my hair!”

  Mike raised his gaze to the ceiling, as if asking for divine providence. “Ma, that’s what I’m saying. Come on. We have plans.” He nodded to Cam. “You have my number if you need me.”

  Cam waved him on. “Yeah, yeah.” Moving to Beth, her youngest smiled and gave her a big hug and a kiss. He smelled like expensive cologne and wore nice jeans and a sweater. Casual yet dressed up…for Vanessa.

  She hid a smile. “Happy Valentine’s Day, sweetie.” She kissed him back, then hugged Vanessa and gave Colin a peck on the cheek.

  The little scamp wore a smile too wide for his little face. No doubt prodded to be nice by Mike when she hadn’t been looking.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day to you too, Grandma.” Then in a less pretentious tone he added, “I love you.”

  She leaned down and whispered in a loud voice, “There’s a box of chocolates waiting for you on your bed. You didn’t think I’d forget to find a treat for my favorite sweetheart, did you?”

  He hugged her and gave her a sloppy kiss before hooting and tearing down the hallway.

  Mike frowned. “What—”

  “I’m betting you don’t want to know.” Vanessa cut Mike off before he could get started on the importance of not buying his son more sugar. “We got the kid. Go have fun.”

  Mike sighed and crooked his elbow. “Mom? Shall we?”

  “I think we shall.” Beth took his arm and walked off with her son, her hurt lessening at the idea of not spending Valentine’s Day with that sorry husband of hers, and realizing that life did indeed go on without James McCauley by her side.

  ***

  Cam had been trying not to look at his watch while his brother took his damn time getting their mother out of the house and into his truck. They drove away just as a black ’69 GTO pulled into Mike’s drive.

  Behind him in the living room, Vanessa chattered with Colin about his newly found chocolates. She showed him how to press the bottom of each chocolate to determine its flavor, thus hiding obvious smush marks when Colin found the ones he didn’t want so he could give them away. Clever girl.

  The doorbell chimed, and Cam answered with undue haste.

  “Hel-lo?” Del stood with her hand raised to ring the bell again.

  “Hey.”

  “Del!” Colin dashed past Cam and hugged his hero fiercely. Ever since she’d fixed a tire when Colin and Abby had been on the way to soccer practice a few months ago, Del could do no wrong in Colin’s adoring eyes. This despite her obvious gender and his dislike of girls. Problem was, Mike could be fussy about who he let hang with his kid. And, Cam personally thought, big brother had a thing about Del’s fine ass. Because he sure had paid attention to it when the woman bent over to bowl not so long ago.

  “Hey, kiddo. How’s tricks?”

  “Tricks?” Colin pulled away. “I have tricks. Lots of ’em. Ubie showed me a bunch. Got a quarter?”

  Vanessa snorted. She advised Del, “Only give him the money you won’t mind never seeing again. Kid’s a con man. He’s good though.”

  “I always say you should put a hundred and ten percent into everything you do.” Del nodded. Tonight she wore punk-looking braids that still managed to make her look attractive. Cam could see why Mike had fixated on her.

  “So kid, you got plans for tonight?” she asked Colin. “’Cause I’m thinking some cards or cartoons would be fun. Or maybe a monster movie?”

  Colin looked from her to Cam and Vanessa.

  “Wait. Why are you here?” Vanessa asked.

  “Del, you have my number,” Cam said, realizing he sounded just like Mike. “Call if you have problems. We’ll be downtown at my place. Near Eighth and Olive. Food and drinks are in the kitchen with pizza on the way.”

  “Yes.” Colin pumped his arms in celebration. Sad that the boy was more excited to see a woman than his own uncle, but hey. At least Colin seemed happy about the change in sitters.

  “I really appreciate this,” Cam thanked her again.

  She shrugged. “Sure. Why not? Not like I had anything better to do.” She glanced at Colin and smirked. “Valentine’s Day is so gross. All that kissing. And boys. Blech.”

  “Yeah, so gross.” Colin bobbed his head, and Cam had the notion the kid would agree to anything she said.

  “Wait.” Vanessa tugged his arm. “So we’re dumping the scam artist with Muscles McGee?”

  Del raised a brow at the nickname.

  “Ah, yes.” Cam took Vanessa by the arm and gently pulled her to the back door before she could offend Del into leaving. “Time to go. I have an evening planned.”

  Vanessa blinked but said nothing, nor did she protest his lead.

  Over his shoulder, he saw Del give him a thumbs-up, which Colin promptly imitated with a wide, toothy grin.

  “Game on,” he murmured as they walked to his car and got in.

  “What’s that?” Vanessa buckled up and stared at him, her blue eyes narrowed in thought, and no doubt in challenge.

  “Happy Valentine’s Day, Vanessa.” He leaned over to kiss her, then fastened his seatbelt and started the car. Fingers, toes, and every other vital body part hypothetically crossed that he’d make a memory tonight neither would soon forget.

  Chapter 9

  Vanessa didn’t know how he’d done it, but Camer
on had managed to outflank her into a genuine Valentine’s Day date. Granted, she could have said no at any time, but he’d stoked her curiosity. He’d arranged for a sitter so that they could be together. Half of her secretly hoped they’d get to that mind-blowing sex again. The other half wondered if he’d screw things up between them. Men tended to do that with her. A lot.

  So she sat back and let his competency at the wheel lull her into a dreamy lassitude, her head full of what she hoped tonight might entail. The building he took her to turned out to be a surprise.

  “We’re eating here?” The Hyatt downtown was a snazzy place.

  “Kind of.” He parked inside the garage and led her to an elevator. They rode several flights up to his floor, then exited. “I live here.”

  “Not too shabby, McCauley.” Okay, color her impressed. She’d known Cameron made a nice living. But this…wow. She’d once priced these condos in an attempt to dream big, once the money in her investments reached its cap. These units above the Hyatt had a nice price tag attached to the many amenities and views of the city. Amenities… She frowned. “Hey, don’t you have an exercise room here?”

  He shrugged. “It’s normally too crowded. Not that convenient to have it on hand and never get to use any equipment.”

  “I guess.” She followed him down the hall.

  “Here we are.” He unlocked his door and ushered her inside.

  She walked in and looked around, nodding. “Yep. This is you.” Urban, tasteful furnishings. He apparently favored a Scandinavian style, with lighter woods and a modern feel to the place. Though neutral in tone, the space had a comforting, homey vibe. Not a chrome-and-glass kind of guy, Cameron had a sense of style, apparent in his day-to-day wear. “I have to ask. Are you sure you weren’t adopted? Because I’ve seen your brothers’ homes.”

  He laughed and drew her along for a tour. They moved through the open dining and living space to one side of the condo. There they found a den and bedroom—where his father’s clothes lay haphazardly all over the place.

  She felt for him as he shook his head and closed the door to contain the chaos inside.

  “Your dad isn’t here?”

  “Nope. He’s spending the night elsewhere.”

  “Oh.” Elsewhere? “Awkward.”

  Cameron shook his head. “With my aunt and uncle, not his new mistress. Apparently, his relationship, and I quote, ‘is not like that.’”

  “Then what is it like?” She could almost hear her roommates telling her to drop the painful subject, but curiosity won out over polite convention.

  “Who the hell knows?” He snorted. “The good news is that we’re getting along now. Of course, we never talked about why we weren’t getting along before, but that’s the James McCauley way.”

  “Typical. No offense, but most men are idiots when it comes to emotions.”

  “You got that right.”

  They grinned at each other, and she wondered that she could feel so at ease yet stimulated by a man.

  He continued through the roomy unit to the other side and showed her an amazing media room, as well as his bedroom. “If you’re good, I might let you study my ceiling. From flat on your back on the bed.” He wiggled his brows and ushered her to the kitchen.

  She loved his sense of humor. “Dream on.”

  “Oh, I do. A lot.” He leered at her. “Mostly of you naked and on your knees. Sometimes doing my taxes, other times…not.”

  She chuckled. “Ooh. Naughty work fantasies. Love it.”

  “Now sit and prepare to be amazed.” He handed her a glass of wine. She sat—out of the way at the large counter over the sink which served as a dinette—and watched him take things out of his refrigerator and put them into the oven he’d turned on.

  “Small space, but the flow is terrific.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “All stainless-steel appliances, state-of-the-art electronics, hardwoods, you name it. I’m never leaving this place. I figure they can bury me in the media room.” He chuckled.

  “What about kids?” As soon as she asked it, she inwardly cringed. Talk about personal. He might get the wrong idea, like maybe she wanted to make said kids with him.

  “What about them? I have a spare bedroom and a den, which could always work as a nursery if needed. At some point in my life, I figure I’ll have kids. Just not yet.”

  She let out a quiet sigh of relief that he hadn’t read anything unintended in her words.

  “What about you?” he asked and puttered with the makings for a salad. “Oh, and before you ask, yes. Everything is organic or grass fed—the steaks—and completely gluten free. This isn’t my first rodeo.”

  She lifted her wine in a toast. “Amen to that. Do you know how refreshing it is not to have to defend my choice to eat healthy? Jesus, it gets old.”

  “Trust me. You’ve met my family. You know my pain.”

  She nodded.

  “So, kids?”

  No dodging the question, apparently. “I don’t know. My childhood was less than stellar. My parents weren’t abusive, but not loving in any normal kind of way. I think my dad thought if I understood science, he’d done his job as a parent.”

  “Your mom?”

  “She was just as bad, but with math. The theoretical stuff I didn’t care for, but I admit to loving statistics and probabilities. Must be genetic.” She shrugged and finished her glass.

  Cam, on the spot, poured her another.

  “Thanks. This is good.”

  “It’s a nice blend. A friend of mine recommended it. He’s always cluing me in to new stuff.”

  “I’ll make a note.” She stared at her glass. “I guess I never thought much about kids until we moved next door to Mike.” A surprise she’d just admitted to them both. “Colin’s so cute. Mike’s doing such a great job with the delinquent.”

  Cam snorted a laugh and dumped salad ingredients into a bowl. Plain white dishware. No frills, classy yet practical. Just like the man himself.

  “Maddie’s mother had her way too young,” Vanessa continued. “My mother used to prodigiously warn me to keep my legs closed throughout high school and college.”

  “Touching.”

  She raised her gaze to him and grinned. “Yeah, but it worked. Seeing my Aunt Michelle struggle to raise Maddie opened my eyes. I lost my virginity in college, mainly because I was curious.”

  “Was it any good?”

  “Hell no.”

  He frowned. “Sadly, it never seems to be for the girl. My first time I nearly lost my mind. So incredible. Totally not the same as your own hand.”

  “I’m sure.” She felt overheated, and by the sly look on his face, he knew it. “So anyway,” she said, preferring a discussion about children over the thought of him pleasuring himself. Because if she jumped him right now, she’d prove she had no self-control. “I like sex. I’m responsible, financially solvent, and yes, the thought of making another little Vanessa speaks to my biological imperative to add to the human race. But now? I’m not ready yet.”

  “I see.”

  She frowned. “Are you laughing at me?”

  “I don’t know that I’ve ever heard a woman refer to getting pregnant as speaking to her biological imperative. We’re not the Borg, you know. Affection can enter into it.”

  “How would you know? Maybe this is all a virtual dream, and your robotic self has been programmed to make you think you’re human.”

  “Hmm. Interesting.”

  They delved into a lively discussion about science fiction versus fantasy, perception and reality. Before Vanessa knew it, she was seated at the dining table and she’d finished a second glass of wine.

  He’d put out candles and flowers while they talked, and she had to admit he’d really set the mood for Valentine’s Day.

  “You did a great job.” She nodded at the plate
of angus filet with arugula salad and a baked squash casserole that he placed in front of her.

  He grabbed himself a full plate as well and sat across from her. “Thank you. I hope the candles and flowers are okay. They frame you with a romantic light.” He winked. “Of course, when Flynn saw me in the store buying them, he called me an idiot. Said that you wouldn’t appreciate the roses. Cliché, I know. But I like the smell.”

  “Flynn’s a moron. I love them.” She wanted to kick him for teasing Cameron, who’d gone out of his way to be nice. “Besides, I happen to know he bought Maddie a full bouquet of them, and gave her a stupid little card with some schmaltzy, cutesy poetry on it. Embarrassing.”

  Cameron laughed. “Yeah. They all give me crap for being the sensitive one, but who do you think they go to when they strike out with their girlfriends? Cam, that’s who.”

  She smiled. “Well, I might not be the go-to girl for romantic advice, but trust me, when my roomies need a way to figure out tough problems, I’m the answer-man. So to speak.”

  “See? Competence kills.”

  They shook their heads and commiserated over being so efficient. It was so nice to talk to someone who understood her. Even appreciated her. She watched Cameron eat and even liked the way he cut his food. Oh boy. Her appreciation for the man had grown from a stupid crush to like to deepening affection. She felt it taking hold but had no idea what to do about it. Then she figured, what the hell? It was Valentine’s Day. No need to worry about feeling lovey-dovey. The season brought it on. But surely to reward him, she might have to make that fantasy of his come true later. The one where she didn’t do his taxes for him…on her knees.

  ***

  Cam had guessed correctly on the flowers and candles but resolved to not show her the card he’d bought for her. The chocolates… He still had no idea what to do about them.

  They finished their dinner agreeably arguing about the merits of Star Trek versus Star Wars, and she cleared the dishes with him. He didn’t ask. She didn’t offer. They just worked together.

  Man, he had it bad. Hearing her mention she’d lost her virginity out of curiosity hadn’t turned him off. Instead, he’d felt an insane jealousy for the boy who’d first had her. And he wanted to go visit her parents and give them a stern lecture about how to properly love a child. Then he’d kick their asses. His rational sense seemed to have deserted him as he stared at the play of candlelight over her features, her laughing blue eyes, her full lips parted in a smile. God, she was so sexy. He kept remembering how amazing it had felt when he’d taken her in the shower.