The Texan's Contract Marriage (14 page)

Pleasure flared in his expression, and he kissed her long and deeply. In seconds, caressing began and the conversation was temporarily over.

*

When they were finally back in bed, in each other’s arms, Marek faced her and brushed long strands of hair away from her face. “When do you want to move to my bedroom? Tonight?”

She laughed. “I think I am ‘in.’ Perhaps it will be easier when I move to the ranch.”

“Fine with me,” he said, looking contented. “I like this. It’ll be better. You’ll see.”

“I don’t believe you heard any argument from me,” she said, amused by his remarks.

He looked startled and then smiled faintly. “That’s good. We’re in agreement. Noah will like it, too.”

She laughed. “Noah wouldn’t care if we camped out at separate ends of your ranch.”

Marek had to grin. “Maybe not, but he will have fun being with both of us at the same time.”

“I’ll agree with you there, too.”

“This is good, Camille. Very good.”

“Don’t sound so surprised,” she said, finger combing his dark hair away from his face.

“I am surprised. I never expected to find happiness in this marriage, much less to have it happen so swiftly.”

Her heart skipped a beat again, and more pleasure filled her. “I’m glad. Some of it has surprised me. We took some risks.”

He gave her a piercing look and then his expression changed as his gaze shifted to her mouth. He leaned down to kiss her and pull her closer.

It was dawn when she lay in his arms with her head against his shoulder and their bodies pressed close. She looked at him and saw the steady rise and fall of his chest. For the first time in her life she was in love. She was more deeply in love with him each day. In so many ways, he captured her love, her heart, her respect, giving her joy and excitement. She expected him to be a wonderful dad for Noah.

Where was she headed with him? She hadn’t been able to prevent falling in love. How much could she steal his affections and bind his heart to hers? If she did, could she cope with the love of a man shared with pursuit of a career?

*

Through the days while they were alone at the house, they made love often with neither of them leaving the house for anything. When Ginny called, Camille longed to have Noah home again. Since Ginny and the girls sounded so overjoyed to have him, she would not do anything to cut his visit short. Once when they finished the call, Marek turned to her.

“You’ve given them the most blessed gift. They love Noah, and you can hear how happy they are to have him visit. I know it’s hard for you because you’re not accustomed to being separated. Thank you,” he said with so much sincerity, she was touched.

“I’m glad they love him. It’s good for him to get to know his new family. I want him loved by all his family.”

His gaze lowered to her mouth and he leaned closer. His kiss ended their conversation.

*

Late the next morning, Marek stepped out of bed. “Don’t go away. We need to talk business and I’ll be right back.”

Mystified, she sat up and pulled a sheet beneath her arms.

Shortly he returned with papers under his arm and a tray with glasses of orange juice and cups of coffee.

She laughed. “Marek, it’s almost noon and you’re bringing breakfast in bed.”

“Not a complete breakfast, but a partial one.” He handed her the tray. “Hold everything while I get back beside you.” He sat and took a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice to place on a bedside table. “You can put yours next to your side of the bed.”

“Thank you,” she said, sipping the orange juice after she had placed the steaming coffee on the table. “What on earth do we have to do?”

“We have to childproof my ranch house fast.”

She laughed. “He isn’t walking yet.”

“I want to be ready when he does. I want you to look at some designs and you can help pick one out. We need gates on some of the doors and where there are steps. I want a play area for Noah with a slide and swings.”

She laughed. “Marek, wait until he walks. He can get something like that for Christmas.”

“I might want to swing him. Babies like to swing.”

“In little baby swings. Let’s look at the brochures.”

For the next hour they pored over plans and brochures and talked about decorators and builders. Finally Marek took all the pamphlets and notes and dropped them over the side of the bed to the floor.

“Good. We’ll pick something out and I can have it installed so it’ll be in place when we get there. “I want to get the ranch house so it’s safe and comfortable for you and Noah because I want you to love it the way I do.”

She looked at him and he turned to study her. “What?” he asked.

“You’re turning into a great daddy. I’m amazed.”

“What did you think I was, some kind of ogre?”

“Of course not, but you knew nothing about kids and he’s not your baby actually—”

Placing one finger on her lips, Marek silenced her.

“He’s my baby now, Camille. I love him already. I want to start the adoption procedure as soon as we possibly can, and my attorney has been getting it lined up. I’ll be Noah’s dad and I want his last name legally changed to Rangel.” He put his arm around her shoulders. “We’ll be a real family.”

“That’s fine with me,” she answered. “That’s what I expected from what you have already said.”

They gazed into each other’s eyes, and her heart began to beat faster as the air thickened and desire blazed again.

He placed his hand lightly on one side of her face. “This is so damn good. I never dreamed it would be like this,” he whispered, before his mouth crushed hers and she forgot about fences and swings.

*

Monday they flew to the ranch on one of Marek’s jets. As she looked below, Camille marveled at the changes in her life. She was more in love than ever with Marek, a love that grew daily, and he didn’t have a clue. He sat beside her, dressed in a Western long-sleeve cotton shirt, tight jeans, a hand-tooled leather belt and Western boots, looking every inch the handsome, rugged cowboy. It was as foreign to her way of life as someone from another planet. Even so, right now, she longed to reach out and touch him, to hold his hand or even just flirt with him, but they weren’t alone.

She had chased stardom all her life. Now she pursued a man’s love. Marek had so much to give—and she wanted to give to him. His hurts would heal if he would open his heart and let in love.

She looked at her sleeping baby in his carrier, which was buckled securely. Noah wore a pale blue jumper and white shirt and she thought he looked adorable and angelic. Noah was blissfully unaware of where he was going or how his life had changed. He definitely had taken to Marek, and it was mutual. She had been astounded to discover how much Marek cared for Noah.

Wrapped in her own world, Ashley sat reading college brochures. Camille was happy for her whole family as they changed their lives and began to do what they wanted. Her mother would retire from teaching after the coming year and then she could spend more time with Noah. Now her brother could afford college easily. When they had last talked, Stephanie had bought a condo in Saint Louis and was acquiring new furniture.

Camille glanced out the window, looking at the sprawling land below. Her future was difficult to imagine in so many ways. Her attention returned to Marek. He was changing, but to what extent? He turned to look at her and arched one dark eyebrow.

“What?” he asked.

“Just wondering what you’re thinking?”

“Thinking about you mostly, but I’ve been going over ranch finances,” he said, putting away the papers in his lap. “Looks as if Ashley’s getting prepared to enroll. I’m not going to have to change my schedule on looking for a new nanny, am I?”

“No, we won’t. You won’t be getting one on your own, either. She’s trying to work out a way to take classes online and then go for those short, intense classes so she can continue as nanny until Noah gets older.”

He glanced at Ashley, who was concentrating on her reading. “I’m sure you’d feel better if she stayed on longer.”

“I would. I’m trying to stay out of it and let her make her own decision without any pressure from me. She came up with this plan on her own. Of course, I’m delighted because he’s so little. When he’s gets bigger and can talk, I’ll feel better about hiring a nanny and letting her go. My parents wish they could spend more time with Noah, but they both work full-time.”

“That will change for your mom. You’ll be able to afford to help them.”

“We have so many changes in our lives.”

“I hope you like the ranch and life there. To me, it’s the best place on earth.”

“I won’t know until I try,” she said, but it was difficult to imagine the life awaiting her.

“I told Zeb to fly over the ranch so you can see it from the air.”

“I’ll tell Ashley. That will be fun to see,” she said, turning to her sister.

When Marek finally told her they were flying over the ranch, she and Ashley both turned to the windows. Marek leaned close, his shoulder touching hers. “I think you can tell the main house where I live.”

“There’s a town below.”

“No, that’s the ranch.”

“Ashley, Marek said the ranch is below,” Camille said, unable to take her eyes off the structures spread below. “You have a palace. It’s huge, and there’s an enormous swimming pool. Why all the homes near your house?”

“For staff. Jess has one.”

“This isn’t what I imagined at all,” Camille said, astounded at everything she saw below. “You have your own small town.”

“Not quite,” he said, laughing. “It’s home and I love it. I’m going to love having you in it.”

She smiled at him, happy about his statement.

The plane headed south and she sat back, astonished by what she had seen.

“All of that belongs to you?” Ashley asked, looking dismayed.

“Yes, it does. You’ll like it, Ashley. You’ll see.”

They landed in town and then climbed into a waiting limo for the drive to the ranch, which took almost as long as the flight had taken.

They sped along a deserted gray ribbon of highway, passing land covered with feathery mesquite bent from the prevailing south winds. Green cacti sprouted across the land beneath the mesquite.

The moment the ranch house loomed in sight, Camille’s breath stopped and she gazed out the window. Stunned, she looked at a one-story palatial home that looked far bigger from the ground than it had from the air. “My heavens,” she gasped softly, turning to look again at the powerful rancher she had married.

Nine

T
he ranch house and other structures spread in all directions with wings built on the mansion. The ranch revealed Marek’s power and wealth far more than the Dallas home, which had been lavish, comfortable and well-appointed. This was a town with an enormous home at the center.

When she glanced at Marek, he looked back at her with his eyebrows arching. “What?” he asked.

“More than ever, your ranch is an indication of your immense wealth,” she said. She didn’t add power, but she shuddered slightly, reminded again how easily he could take her to court now to get custody of Noah. By marrying Marek, she had given him far more control over her baby.

Smiling at her, he reached over to take her hand. “Stop looking at me as if I’d just grown fangs. I’m the same person and, basically, a cowboy. All the buildings serve ranch purposes or are homes for my staff and the cowboys who work for me.”

“It’s an enormous compound.”

“It seems large because you’re unaccustomed to it. The first thing I’d like to show you is our bedroom,” he said, desire plain in the depths of his dark eyes.

“That may have to wait until later,” she answered, a breathlessness coming into her voice along with eager anticipation. His innuendo was plain. He was beginning to flirt more, making more innuendos. Subtle changes in him were surfacing and she wondered about their significance. Were his feelings shifting, too?

He held her hand and she glanced down, looking at their entwined fingers. More and more he casually hugged her, held her hand, touched her. He spent time with her when he was home. How important was she in his life? And there was also the persistent worry: if he ever fell in love, could she cope with a commitment that would complicate her career? It was a small problem next to how much she wanted his love. She was confident if there was mutual love, she could work through the complications.

They went through another tall iron gate, this one closed with a code to punch to open the gate. In minutes the limo rolled through and shortly they approached the main house, a sprawling stucco structure with north and south wings.

The yard had a tall, ornate iron fence surrounding well-kept grounds with tall shade trees and beds of colorful spring flowers. Red, pink and purple crepe myrtle bushes flanked the front porch that ran the length of the house. In front of the house was a pond with three fountains.

They circled the house, driving around and passing a corral with a large barn. Beyond it were rows of stables and another corral. Buildings and houses could be seen farther to the north. Beyond the well-kept yard the land returned to the wild mesquite and cacti she had seen on the drive from the airport.

When she had told Ashley she would move into his bedroom, her sister had arched her eyebrows. “Is that what you want?”

“Yes, it is,” Camille answered.

“You’re in love with him,” Ashley said.

“How’d you know?” Camille asked her, surprised. “Does it show?”

“I know because I’m your sister. I don’t think it’s obvious otherwise. I don’t think Stephanie ever noticed.”

“Stephanie hasn’t been around as much as you have.”

“No, but I’ve known for a while. Since you came back from your honeymoon.”

“I think before that,” Camille admitted.

“I don’t blame you. He’s a great guy, Camille, and I hope he doesn’t break your heart because he was so deeply in love with his late fiancée.”

“I know. You can’t control the feelings in your heart for someone.”

“Try to take care of yourself.”

“I have Noah to love—that keeps me from hurting too badly over anything else. I have my career. That will always take my thoughts off my private life,” Camille answered, doubting if her career would be enough.

“I just pray you aren’t hurt. He seems to have his heart completely locked away.”

“I can’t undo what I feel at this point.”

“Well, as I said, just take care of yourself.”

Camille gazed out the limo window. Would Marek cause her heartbreak?

When they parked to go inside, Ashley carried Noah. At the door, Marek picked up Camille. “Welcome home, Camille,” he said in a husky voice. Her heart thudded. If only he meant what he said! She held him and gazed into dark eyes as he smiled at her and then carried her over the threshold into an entryway. It was filled with hooks holding rain slickers, two tall hat racks holding broad-brimmed Western hats, boots lined neatly on the floor. He set her down.

“Come meet the staff, namely, my great cook and the man who manages this place. I doubt if the others are around at this hour.”

Marek took Noah from Ashley, and they entered a large kitchen that held stainless steel appliances and had an adjoining sitting room and an informal dining area with a brick fireplace filling one corner.

A black-haired man in a white apron smiled at them. “Ladies, I want you to meet Hector Galban,” Marek said. “Hector, meet my wife, Mrs. Rangel, her sister, Miss Avanole. This is Noah,” Marek said, turning the baby to show him to the cook.

Camille smiled and said hello to a compact man who looked more like he should be working with cattle on the ranch than in the kitchen cooking for a living. Barrel-chested with thick black curls, Hector greeted each one of them. They chatted a moment and then entered a wide hallway with a polished plank floor. Another man in black trousers and white shirt appeared.

“This is Cletus Byrne, who is my house manager and butler when I need one,” Marek said, making introductions.

Camille greeted another man who looked as if he should work out on the ranch instead of in Marek’s house. He was broad-shouldered and tall with sandy hair and a quiet manner.

“Cletus will get your things. We have a temporary nursery set up in a large bedroom where Ashley can stay with Noah. Let’s get settled and then I’ll give you a tour of the house,” Marek said, carrying Noah as they walked toward the front and down the wide hallway filled with oil paintings of Western art. In the wide entrance, a brass candelabra caught the afternoon sunlight streaming through tall windows that flanked the front door.

“Marek, this is a beautiful home,” Camille said. “Not exactly what I expected.”

“I can imagine,” he replied with amusement in his voice.

He took them to the temporary rooms for Ashley and Noah. “The master bedroom is at the end of the hallway, so you won’t be far away. When we take the complete tour of the house, both of you can look at bedrooms and select where you want Noah’s room. There will be a nursery with an adjoining playroom and a suite for Ashley.”

They walked into a bedroom and sitting room filled with afternoon sunshine. Camille wandered through it, looking at the white furniture and the adjoining bathroom, which was enormous.

“This is beautiful,” Camille said. “You’ve already got it ready for Noah. Maybe I should cancel the decorator.”

“Not at all. I want a place fixed with Noah in mind. This already existed and it’s not a nursery, not even a bedroom for a young boy. You’ve been planning and you and Ashley have talked about what you want with the decorator. We’ll have him out here this week and get this moving.”

“This is a wonderful place for Noah,” Ashley said, circling the room that had been turned into a temporary playroom.

“Good. It’ll have to do for the time being. I’ll show you where we’ll be,” he said, taking Camille’s arm.

Ashley turned. “You two go ahead. I’m going to change Noah and then I’ll join you,” she said.

Camille turned to go with Marek. When they were alone in his suite, she turned to him. “I think Ashley wanted to give us a moment to ourselves.”

“That’s fine with me,” Marek replied. “I’d prefer the rest of the day and tonight,” he said, placing his hands on her waist.

She smiled. “You’ll have to wait.”

“You can’t imagine how reluctantly,” he said, giving her another hot look that made her sizzle.

“If you wait, you’ll appreciate me more,” she added in a sultry voice, stepping away from him.

He inhaled deeply. “If I ‘appreciate’ you more, I’ll go up in flames. You keep that up and I’m going to lose my self-control.”

“Maybe I’m trying to keep ‘that’ up.”

“Camille,” he said in a husky voice, reaching for her again.

She smiled and walked away. “Ashley will join us soon. Now show me your bedroom.”

He stared at her a moment in silence, desire burning in his gaze. “Our room,” he said as if reminding himself. “You can also get the decorator and change our rooms however you like,” he said. “All I ask on that is let me see the changes. I have an office of sorts in one corner and some things I still want to keep in there.”

“Of course. I’m not changing anything in your room at this point. I won’t without telling you, either.”

When she stepped into the large sitting room, he pulled her to one side of the door. “Ashley hasn’t come and you started this. We have a minute and we’re married anyway,” he said, embracing her and leaning down to kiss her. While her heartbeat jumped, she held him to kiss him in return.

“Welcome home, Mrs. Rangel,” Marek whispered, framing her face with his hands. “Camille, you and Noah are the best possible things that could have happened. This marriage is great. Far more than I expected.”

“I agree,” she whispered, her heart racing over his declaration. How easy it would be to tell him she loved him, but she wouldn’t, not until he made a declaration, if that ever happened. He was far from falling in love yet, but she had hope as long as they were happy together and he wanted to be with her and make love with her.

“Marek, Ashley really will join us in a minute,” Camille said, stepping away from him but wanting to close the door and stay in the bedroom with him the rest of the night, which was impossible.

She looked around the rooms where she would now live. Like everything else, Marek’s suite was appealing. The floors gleamed with polish and thick area rugs were centered in the sitting room and adjoining bedroom. The furniture was covered in navy leather with fruitwood and she saw his corner office held a rolltop desk that looked antique. One wall was filled with shelves of books, pictures, trophies, a collection of memorabilia. She crossed the room to pick up a picture of Marek and Kern. Both had Western hats pushed to the backs of their heads. Both were in boots, jeans and Western shirts. They casually had arms around each other’s shoulders. A horse stood behind them, its head by Kern’s shoulder.

“This is a good picture,” she said.

Marek crossed the room and smiled. “Kern had just won that horse from me in a bet and he was delighted. It was worth losing to see him so ridiculously happy. He loved that roan and wanted it from the day I got it.” Marek laughed and shook his head. “That was a fun time. One of the good memories.”

He glanced at the shelf as she replaced the picture next to one of Jillian.

He picked up the picture to fold the back and lay it flat on the shelf. “I’ll put away Jillian’s pictures.”

“You don’t need to,” Camille said, turning to him. “I truly don’t mind. You loved her and you were going to marry her. I’ll feel better because I imagine you like to see them.”

“That’s past and gone. I don’t need the pictures to remember her and I can look at them if I want. I’ll put them away. It’ll probably help me to move on.”

She didn’t think he would have done any such thing before their wedding and honeymoon. He was changing, coming out of the shell, but how much would he open his heart in the future?

She walked around the room and roamed into the masculine bedroom, with a bed that had an old-fashioned high headboard and navy-and-white pillows and comforter.

“This room looks like you.”

“You can change this however you want as long it isn’t pink or purple. I can’t do purple or pink.”

She grinned. “Aw, shucks, imagine that,” she said, teasing him, unable to imagine Marek sprawled in a pink bed.

They heard Ashley and went out to find her in the sitting room. She held out Noah and Camille took him.

“Give him to me and we’ll have a quick tour,” Marek said.

Marek showed them the gym, with an indoor pool of pale blue tiles with white Corinthian columns on each side. Next they went to the entertainment room. “Both of you—this is your home, too, now. Ashley, you and Camille both feel free to use these rooms, the gym, the entertainment center, the kitchen, the pool, anything you want whenever you want, middle of the night or whatever. This is your home now,” he repeated, gazing at Camille.

“Thank you,” Camille said.

“Come on, we’ll continue this tour,” he said. By the time they stepped outside on a patio that was as big as the central part of the house, Camille wondered if she would ever find her way around. She stopped and looked around at the outdoor living area stocked with what looked like indoor furniture with a well-equipped kitchen. Beyond the chairs and furniture and outdoor rooms was a fenced area with a cabana, a dazzling pool that had slides and fountains and beds of flowers and palm trees.

To one side of the yard was another waterfall, as well as a fish and lily pond that was equally gorgeous.

There was a play area with a portable fence already set up for Noah. It was large enough for adults so Ashley took Noah from Marek. Holding the baby she stepped into it with him and set him down, giving him his toys. She sat near him, playing with him.

Marek declared happy hour and served everyone the drink of her choice. When they all had drinks, Ashley lifted her daiquiri. She sat in the fenced area on a blanket with Noah beside her and toys spread in front of him. Rising to her feet, she said, “Here’s to the best brother-in-law ever, besides being the only one I have,” she added, smiling at Marek. “Thank you for coming into our lives. Noah will thank you a few years from now.”

Marek stood and crossed to her, leaning over the plastic fence to touch his glass to hers. “I’ll drink to that,” he said, turning back to Camille to toast her glass as well. She sipped, looking over the rim of her glass at him and wanting to be alone with him. His dark eyes held her gaze, conveying a sensual promise for later that night.

Marek’s cell phone rang, and he excused himself to answer it.