The Texan's Contract Marriage - By Sara Orwig Page 0,61

except he phoned her during the day, avoiding the hours he knew she spent in rehearsal. Sometimes he would only to talk to her briefly, and then she would return to practice her voice lesson, or go over her lesson in getting her Italian correct for the performance. She also worked out each day and they began to work out at 6:00 a.m. together, just so he could see her during her waking hours. After seven in the evening was the only time she let go and played with Noah. Finally after everyone else had gone to bed, she would go with Marek to their bedroom. They made love for hours into the night the first two nights, but by the third, after making love, she fell into an exhausted sleep and he knew he should not wake her again, but let her have the rest she needed. By Thursday, he went back to the ranch to stay out of her way and not be a distraction because each day she poured herself more into her work.

As he twisted wire, working on mending a fence, he realized he was standing, staring into the distance, his thoughts totally focused on Camille. His heart thudded and he found it difficult to breathe. He was in love with Camille when he had been certain such a thing could never happen. He had lusted after her, admired her, seduced her, laughed with her, shared Noah with her, but he hadn’t expected to fall in love with her.

From what she had told him, she was getting back to a normal routine, which meant she would not have as much time for him as she had been giving him through the wedding and right after. Had he gotten himself into a situation where he would only experience more hurt? He couldn’t ask her to give up her career and be a rancher’s wife. He couldn’t give up the ranch and go back to city life and work in an office on a daily routine. They had agreed that sometimes he would travel with her, which would be good, but he couldn’t do that all the time. He couldn’t imagine spending his life following her from town to town. And he hated the separations. He missed her anytime that he was away from her now. How had she so ingrained herself in his heart?

Thinking about being with her, he had to admit it was love he felt. He didn’t even know how long he had been in love with his wife. Maybe since their honeymoon. That’s when she had broken through the barriers around his heart. He just hadn’t realized how thoroughly she had. He hadn’t recognized or stopped to think about his own feelings. Maybe it had even been before their honeymoon, a gradual thing that he hadn’t recognized as it had been happening. A miracle for him.

He loved her. Totally, completely. And if he loved her, he wanted her in his life, not this piecemeal seeing each other between her voice lessons and, soon, her performances and trips home to her family. He wanted her in his life just as he had wanted Noah in his life. Each night he had missed her more than ever. Now, he sat thinking about how he could ask her to give up her career. He hated the absences, but he hated hurting her more. How could he ask her to give up what she’d worked so hard to achieve?

He had lost one love. Had he set himself up for another devastating heartbreak?

On the weekend he returned to Dallas. Ashley had flown home again, and Camille had agreed to let Ginny keep Noah Friday and Saturday nights and have him home with Marek Sunday night before Marek returned to the ranch.

Between Camille’s full schedule in Dallas and their separation when he was at the ranch, he wondered about their future. As she succeeded in her career, she would probably be busier than she was now. Could he deal with that?

Monday, the last week of May, he stayed in Dallas and told Camille he was going to his office. As soon as the stores opened, he called his jeweler and talked briefly before leaving for the jewelry store.

It was after six when Camille finished her daily routine and showered, dressing for dinner in black silk slacks and a matching sleeveless top.

Marek played with Noah in the room that had become a temporary nursery until the redecorating was finished. Seated cross-legged