The Texan's Contract Marriage - By Sara Orwig Page 0,31

in the family.”

“Where’s Stephanie?”

“I’m here,” she said from the shadows, coming into the hallway. “I heard you accepted.”

“I’ll go out with him tomorrow night and we’ll call our parents to make the official announcement.”

Ashley walked to Camille to hug her lightly. “I’ll pray this works out.”

“It has to be good for everyone. We’re not losing Noah and he’s gaining a dad and we’re all improving financially.”

“That’s an understatement,” Stephanie said. “I think sleep has gone for tonight for all three of us. While you go change, Ashley and I will get some hot chocolate. We can hear your plans and maybe help you with some.”

“Thanks, Steph,” Camille said, smiling at her sister and thankful that Stephanie was beginning to accept Marek and the situation. “I’ll need help with plans. We’re aiming for a wedding in about three weeks. He’ll pay for everything, he said. I think our whole family will be all for this. If they aren’t, Marek will win them over.”

“I think you’re right. That first night I didn’t think I ever wanted to see him again. Now I can’t help but feel like this may benefit Noah and everyone else. Hurry and change so we can talk,” Stephanie said.

“Sure,” Camille replied and left the room. As she changed, all she could think about was his kiss that had set her heart pounding. It had been sexy, hot and had made her want more. Had Marek felt anything?

*

At home Marek shed his coat and tie and unbuttoned his shirt as he went to the desk in his bedroom. He thought about Noah, remembering holding him and looking into his lively eyes. He already loved the baby, and he could imagine how Camille must feel.

He remembered holding her in his arms tonight when they kissed. He dropped his pen and leaned back to think about her. Her kiss had shaken him because it had stirred him. For the first time since his loss, he had stopped feeling numb. Numbness had been replaced by desire, lust really. That had given him a shock. Because of her kiss, he had no doubt that they could have a successful physical relationship. Would this marriage work? He had been so positive with her, but deep down he now had as many unanswered questions as she did.

The question startled him because up until tonight he had thought about going into this marriage only as something that would revolve around Noah. After their kiss tonight, that expectation had flown away. There would be a physical relationship between them. He was sure of it, and he already wanted it.

Would he fall in love with her? He shook his head even though he wasn’t talking to anyone. He wouldn’t love again. He was as certain of that as ever. But lust was another thing. Could she handle that? As swiftly as the question rose in his mind, the knowledge that she could reassured him. She was tied to only two things: Noah and her career. Since she didn’t want to fall in love, she would be guarding against it as much as he.

He had thought he was in no hurry to rush into an intimate relationship, but her kiss had changed that. Desire was palpable, strong, a torment. With a deep breath, he picked up his pen and began to list what he needed to do in the next few days.

In minutes he again was thinking back to kissing her tonight. For a few moments he was lost in a fantasy about making love to her, holding her close. With an effort he tried to get back to things he needed to do.

He would be with her tomorrow night to make plans together and to tell their families. They could get on Skype and it would be almost like being together. His gaze fell on his brother’s picture, and he picked up the snapshot. Kern had his cocky grin and stood beside his favorite horse.

“Brother, I wish you could see your son. He’s a great little kid. He’s happy all the time and a good baby, but he has a little look in his eyes like you had plenty of times. He’s going to be like you,” Marek said quietly, getting a knot in his throat and wishing Kern had lived to see Noah. “At least you knew about him. I imagine you were planning to marry Camille and you probably had absolutely no doubt whatsoever that you could talk her into it. Kern, I’m sorry for the