Page 48 of Dr. Brandt

“It doesn’t matter whether you know Jackson’s personality or whatever the hell you’re looking for. What matters is the fact that he must do the surgery either way. He’s virtually fucked.”

Cameron stared at me sympathetically, then his lips parted into the sexiest smile, “Virtually fucked?”

“You heard me.”

“Loud and clear. Well, shit,” he rubbed his hand over mine, and I felt a spark of tingling sensations underneath his perfectly manicured fingertips. “Let’s hope to God he’s got more of my optimistic personality than yours because if that kid’s got a lot of you and not me, he is fucked.”

“You’re such an asshole sometimes.”

“He’s my kid too, Jessa. I mean, biologically. As I was talking with him tonight, I felt something insane, like some fatherly bonding.”

“Good grief,” I couldn’t resist running my hand along the sharp line of his jaw, “you’re adorable, Cameron Brandt. I love you.”

Oh fuck, I did not just say that out loud!

Worst of all, I said it with sincerity and tears in my eyes.

Cameron’s expression showed that all bets were off, and my ex just heard what I think he’d wanted to hear since we first saw each other at that resort.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jessa

“No, I mean, I love that you’re helping Jackson.”

Cam studied me with the most adorable, humorous expression. “No, that’s not what you meant,” he pressed with a look of curiosity.

“Um, yeah.” I stared at him. “Yeah, it’s exactly what I meant.”

“No,” Cameron insisted. “We weren’t even discussing me helping Jackson when you dropped that hot potato in my lap.”

I rose, getting flustered, “I didn’t mean to say—”

“Didn’t mean to say what you meant?” he said, standing up with me.

“Cameron, I’m not doing this with you.” I shook my head like I was trying to shake the crazy out of my system. “I won’t let you hurt me again. I promised myself that I would never go down this road again with you, charming, hero doctor or not.”

He reached for my arm, which I instantly pulled away from him, “Hear me out.”

“Hear you out? Hear you out?” I stepped further back, the anger resurfacing from the day he messaged me to break it off. “No, Cam, I will not hear you out. In fact, I tried to question you after I thought your break-up message was a damn joke. And you know what I got in return?”

“Jessica,” he pressed.

“Don’t Jessica me, Cameron,” I said, knowing my gaze was icy. “Do you know there is only one emoji in all of the fucking emojis that I despise more than anything?”

“No, but I should be happy to know you’ve taken your anger for me out on an emoji instead.”

I folded my arms. “The thumbs up emoji,” I said. “I hate that emoji because of you. So, yeah, you and that damned emoji. So I guess I hate you both equally.”

Cameron covered his smile. I hated when he was on the verge of laughter and trying to conceal it without breaking eye contact. This stupid expression is why I had a handsome son sleeping on Cam’s sofa.

“I don’t mean to be a stickler here, but I think back then, they were called emoticons,” he said as seriously as he could.

“Seriously?”

“Well, fuck,” he said. “I don’t know about the emoji, but I would at least like to try to win your heart back.”

“It’s like I put all this energy into a response, and all I get is a fucking thumbs up? How goddamn rude can someone be? I’d rather get the middle finger emoji.”

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