"Nate does. Family is important to the Stern men and little Ty is the next generation, so he needs to be included."

Becca hadn't realized how much she'd deprived Ty of. She hadn't just kept him from a father but also from uncles. And in a family as close as the Sterns she knew that Nate and Justin wouldn't look too favorably on her actions.

"Do they know that I just told you?" she asked. Then put her fork down. "Of course they do. What did they say?"

"That I needed to watch my back and they'd support me in whatever course of action I decided to take."

She shook her head. "Course of action?"

Cam leaned back in his chair and looked her straight in the eye. "If I decided to pursue sole custody and take Ty from you."

She wrapped her arms around her son. "Would you do that?"

"No. Ty needs you too much for me to do that. But we had bad experiences with our mother...well, I've already told you about her. It makes them distrust you as much as I do."

"I've already said I was sorry."

"I know. You asked me what they thought of the situation," he said.

"I did, didn't I? I'm just not used to having any family. I didn't think about the fact that you have brothers."

"And I'm getting sisters-in-law, too. Our family is growing a lot, Becca."

"Our family?"

"I meant the Sterns," he said. Cam's phone rang, and he left the terrace to take the call.

She felt left out of something that she hadn't realized she'd wanted to be a part of until this moment. She sat there with Ty on her lap reflecting on how desperately she wanted Cam to be in her family.

Then again, she was going to be thrown into the Stern clan full force this weekend, and she knew she'd better be prepared to deal with hostility and a lot of personal questions. She thought about it for a long minute. Was Cam worth that? Was the chance to make her dream family into a real one worth being grilled by his brothers?

She'd have to wait and see.

Seven.

Becca arrived at Luna Azul exactly at noon on Friday. She was still glowing after Cam had sent her a beautiful bouquet of flowers yesterday to celebrate the acceptance of her final design for her hotel project in Maui. She'd finished the job and her clients were very happy.

Cam was the first man she was romantically involved with to send her flowers. It was silly to let her heart melt over it, but it had meant the world to her.

Little gestures like this made it easier every day to overlook the autocratic way he had dictated her move to Miami.

The Florida sun was shining down on her; it was a beautiful April day. Just the kind of day that made her want to skip work and head to the beach or, if she'd been a different type of woman, plan some romantic surprise for Cam. But she had been avoiding any additional intimacy since the night they'd made love.

She stepped inside the club and paused under the blue night-sky Chihuly installation, remembering the last time she'd been here. She shivered a little and reminded herself not to lose her head around Cam the way she had the first time.

"Becca, welcome back to Luna Azul."

His deep, rich voice wrapped around her senses like a warm breeze on a cold day. She turned toward him and forgot to breathe. Though she'd just seen him this morning when they got Ty dressed, it might as well have been a lifetime ago. He had that kind of effect on her.

Cam's light brown hair was thick and disheveled, his features strong. He had that stubborn jaw and those big blue eyes that he shared with her sweet baby boy. He was tall and looked a bit leaner since she'd reunited with him in New York.

"Thank you, Cam." She smiled at him. She wasn't going to let him know how deeply he affected her. But it was too late-he already knew.

He walked over and leaned in to hug her, but she quickly and awkwardly held her hand out for him to shake instead. She didn't think she could handle a hug from him right now. She was trying desperately to be confident and calm and not let her emotions shine through.

But what she really wanted was to run into his arms. To wrap herself in him and just rest her head on his chest. And that wasn't going to happen. She couldn't let what she felt for Cam make her weak. She had to be strong for herself and for Ty.

She didn't want to get too used to having his arms around her, too used to his embrace. It was why she'd spent the last two days in her office buried in work. She didn't want to admit that she wanted him.

"This was a mistake," she said out loud.

He arched one eyebrow at her. "Already. We've hardly said h.e.l.lo."

"Trust me on this. I've got to go," she turned on her heel, prepared to beat a hasty retreat, but he stopped her.

His big warm hand rested on her shoulder, and his body pressed against her back. She melted. That was the only word for what was happening inside her body. Every part of her was enervated and quivered when he lowered his head and spoke directly in her ear.

"Don't go. We are starting over, remember? I'm not going to let you back out on this now. We made a deal."

She turned to face him and realized her error. His face was so close to hers that she was staring into those big blue eyes. His minty breath was washing over her lips, and it was all she could do not to lean over and kiss him.

She stepped back and stumbled. "I can't pretend that we are just doing business together and that you are just another client."

"I'm not asking you to," he said. "I think we made a good start the other night at rebuilding our relationship."

"I do, too. And thank you again for the flowers," she said, finding her equilibrium as her panic eased. "You didn't have to do that."

"Yes, I did."

She was touched. And realized that Cam might be seriously trying to make things work between them. She was, too. And she had to remember that. But all she could think about was his broad shoulders and that the last time they'd been this close, he'd kissed her socks off.

"Come upstairs to my office and we can talk."

She shook her head. "I don't think that is a good idea. You were going to show me the marketplace."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. I can't trust myself alone with you," she said.

He gave her a wicked smile. "Perfect."

"Ha. I came down here to work. I don't want to lose perspective and wake up two days later naked with you."

"I do."

"Cam. I can't do that this time."

"I know we're parents and both busy professionals. But you have been distant the last few days."

"I am worried about facing your family," she said, swallowing hard.

He arched one eyebrow at her again. He was the only person she knew who did that. It was arrogant and right now felt a bit condescending. "There is nothing to worry about. You and I are doing what we can to figure out how to be the best parents to Ty."

He was so wrong, but for this moment she wanted to believe him. He held his hand out to her and she took it. He led her up the stairs past the rooftop club to a large office tucked behind some rehearsal halls. His name was on a bra.s.s plate on the wall. Once they were inside, he closed the door.

"Where is Ty?"

"I left him with his nanny," she said. In the end, she'd needed Jasmine, Selena's cousin. She'd liked the woman, too. She was young and used to being around kids.

"I guess you are wanting to say thank-you to me for finding her?" Cam asked.

"I guess so," she said.

"I think you owe me something for finding the nanny and averting a problem before it arose."

"Like what?"

"A kiss."

"A kiss? I thought we said none of that stuff," she said. "Unless I'm in the mood."

"This is just a thank-you between lovers," he said.

She licked her lips. She wanted to feel his mouth on hers and his tongue thrusting deep in her mouth. She knew the way he kissed. Loved the way his mouth moved over hers and she wanted to experience that again.

"Don't say things like that," she said.

"Why not?" he asked. "Before you say anything else, I want my kiss."

He walked over to her and pulled her into his arms. She knew she should put up some resistance, but she felt safe. As if the past wouldn't hurt them and as if all of her secret dreams were going to come true.

Becca stopped thinking as Cam's mouth moved over hers. He was everything she wanted.

He lifted her onto his desk and raised his head. "That would be a nice kiss if I'd helped you out with something small, but this is a nanny, Becca. I'm giving you the freedom to make your business bigger. I think I need more than just that little kiss."

He was in a good mood, she realized. He was teasing her and playing with her in a way that she knew would make it easier for them to actually build a bond together.

She wanted to argue, but the truth was she also really wanted this. She relaxed and let the material of her skirt slide a little higher on her thighs.

"Come here," she said.

He gave her a wicked grin before taking his first step toward her. He put his hands on her knees and slowly caressed his way up her thighs until the skirt was bunched at her waist. She glanced down and felt a shiver of delight go through her at the sight of his big, tanned hands on her slim, white thighs.

His thumbs stroked both of her legs toward the very center of her, and she felt herself moisten. She shifted on the desk, bringing her hips forward, trying to tease him into touching her where she needed it most. But he kept his touch light and thumbs teasingly close to her feminine mound.

She reached out and loosened his tie.

"No, leave it. I want to be dressed while you are almost naked," he said.

"I'm not almost naked." She squirmed. It did turn her on to have his hands on her while he was fully dressed.

"You will be. Unb.u.t.ton your blouse," he said.

She reached for the b.u.t.tons and undid them slowly. His hands moved in circles on the insides of her thighs, and each time she undid a b.u.t.ton his thumb brushed over her hot, moist core. By the time all of the b.u.t.tons were undone and her shirt hung open on her shoulders, she was hungry for more of him.

"Beautiful," he said.

She glanced down at her own body. Her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were encased in a pretty, cream-colored lace-and-satin bra. The demi cups revealed the full white globes of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Cam moved one of his hands from her waist and tugged at the right cup of her bra until her nipple popped out. She watched his finger move around her areola as his other hand moved in the same circle on her intimate flesh.

"Cam..."

He slipped one finger under the crotch of her panties and his finger rubbed along her lips. He traced the flesh with his large, blunt finger. And surprised a moan out of her when he pinched her nipple.

The two sensations were too much. She felt everything in her starting to tighten. Her skin was flushed, her heart beating stronger and she needed his mouth on her.

She reached for his shoulders and drew him closer to her. He leaned down until his lips brushed over hers. She opened her mouth and felt the hot exhalation of his breath in hers. Then the tip of his tongue touched hers just as the tip of his finger found her opening. He slipped it inside and then back out.

His other hand kept circling her nipple, and she felt the delicate sc.r.a.pe of his fingernail over her as he rubbed his finger up and down.

She moaned and shifted her legs farther apart. "I need more."

He shook his head, his lips rubbing over hers. "This is all you get right now. I want to keep you right here on the edge of desire."

"Why?" she asked, shifting around, trying to make his finger on her intimate flesh touch her harder. She was so close to coming. It would take the barest brush of his fingertip to send her over the edge.

He moved his mouth along her cheek until he reached her ear. "Because I've been like this since I left your house."

He took her hand and brought it to the front of his pants. He was hard, so she stroked her fingers up and down him and then found the tip of his erection through his trousers.

She circled that tip with her fingers until she found the tab to his zipper and slowly lowered it. She reached in to the opening slit of his boxers and pulled him through it. His flesh was hot and hard in her hand, and he moaned her name as she gripped him.

He continued to cup her between her legs, rubbing along the spot she needed him to, but he wouldn't bring her any closer to a climax. His mouth moved along the side of her neck. She felt the teasing edge of his teeth along that sensitive spot where her neck and shoulder met, and then he bit her so gently that goose b.u.mps spread down her arm and chest, tightening both of her nipples.

He moved lower, teasing her with his mouth. With his tongue he traced the edge where the fabric cups of her bra met her flesh, and the first touch of his tongue on her nipple made moisture pool between her legs.

"Like that?" he asked. His voice was low and husky and arousing. It made her feel very powerful and s.e.xy to be able to elicit a reaction from him.