The Texan's Contract Marriage - By Sara Orwig Page 0,60
to her. “I believe I can say the same thing. Mine is better now, Camille.”
“That’s the nicest possible thing you could say,” she whispered.
“I mean it.” He wished he could be alone with her because he wanted to say more, but this wasn’t the time. He glanced away. Across the aisle, Ashley was buried in her brochures and books and Noah slept, unaware his life changed by the day now.
Marek ran his thumb lightly across Camille’s knuckles, placing her hand on his thigh and putting his hand over hers as he sat back and gazed out the window. “We’ll be there soon.”
She had brought about the impossible in his life, something he thought he would never again experience. He wanted to scoop her up now and kiss her and it took all his control to sit and try to think clearly about when he could possibly first be alone with her.
*
That night Camille and Marek got Noah bathed and in his pajamas and Camille took him back to the family room to rock him to sleep.
Still marveling how much his life had changed, Marek sat watching them while the women talked softly. Camille’s hair spread over one shoulder with the sleeping baby on the other. She was beautiful, and she had filled a void in his heart.
He studied her solemnly. Already, his relationship with her had gone where he never thought it would. He had never even considered the possibility that he would care for her to the extent his heart would be touched. She wasn’t the woman to get involved with. Her heart was taken by her career. Would it be possible to get her to give up her career for a full, family-centered life? Already, he was deeply involved with her, and he wanted to be.
She stood and cradled the sleeping baby in her arms. Ashley jumped up. “I’ll take him to bed. I’m turning in, anyway,” she said, taking Noah as Marek stood. Camille brushed a kiss on the top of his head.
“’Night, Marek, ’night, Camille,” Ashley said, leaving with Noah sleeping against her shoulder.
“So you’ve seen the ranch and spent a few days here now,” Marek said, sitting close to Camille as she sat again on the sofa. “What would you like to remodel? Redecorate? Change?”
“I’m checking into the names of decorators you gave me about the nursery. I definitely want to change that whole suite so it looks as if it belongs to a little boy. I also need a music room. Other than that, I’m fine for now. I don’t want to come in and change everything.”
“The way you’ve changed me,” he said, moving closer to her where he could wind his fingers in her hair. “I’m not the same person I was when I met you. I’m happy, Camille. So happy with you.”
She leaned forward to brush his lips lightly with hers. His hand tangled in her hair, and he kissed her hard.
When she leaned away, she gasped for breath. “Maybe we should go back to discussing redecorating.”
“Do what you want. End of discussion. This is much more interesting,” he said, moving closer to slip his arm around her waist and kiss her.
She leaned forward to kiss him in return.
He released her. “Ashley’s gone to bed. We can talk in our room. Let’s go,” he said, standing and holding out his hand. She took his hand to stroll through the house with him while he switched off indoor lights.
“I told you my schedule involved going to Saint Louis in September to see my family after I finish performing in August in Santa Fe. I’ll amend that slightly. I’ll come back here for two weeks and then go to Saint Louis for one.”
“I can’t argue with that,” Marek replied.
When they stepped into his bedroom suite and he closed the door, he reached out to draw her against his chest. “I’ve wanted you in my arms all evening,” he said in a husky voice, leaning closer to kiss her, thoughts of the future gone.
*
The following week they returned to Dallas and she threw herself into practice and lessons the majority of her waking hours to get ready for her upcoming performance of La Traviata.
Marek stayed in Dallas, dismayed by the amount of work she put into her practice. He heard her sing scales and exercises, but he left early to go to his office and returned in the evening to stay out of the way. He wouldn’t have realized the full extent of her efforts