Under the Redwood Tree by Elizabeth Goddard

Author:Elizabeth Goddard
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2013-01-21T05:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

Relieved to see he’d returned, Camille took a deep breath, trying to slow her racing heart. “Why are you sitting in the dark?” She reached for the light switch.

“Don’t,” he said, his voice throaty. “Leave the light off.”

“Why?”

He rose from the chair and moved toward her. Was he still upset with her? “What are you doing?”

He came closer, silent. A shaft of moonlight flashed across his war-torn face. When he was less than a foot from her, he stopped. Even in the darkness, his presence overwhelmed her, made her light headed. The scent of his cologne mingled with leather.

“In the darkness, you can’t see my scar. In the darkness, we’re the same.”

Camille’s eyes welled. Trembling, she slid her hand to her throat. “Romeo,” she whispered, “I never meant to hurt you.”

“I know.” He cupped her cheeks with his hands.

Camille savored his touch. Why was he being so tender? Didn’t he hate her?

His face was mere inches from hers now. “You wanted to paint a portrait as a tribute to me. I understand that now. And. . .I’m honored.”

Then Romeo’s lips were on hers. Camille felt the emotion pouring from him, all the way to her toes. She slid her hands over his muscular chest, his broad shoulders, and up around his neck.

She could linger in Romeo’s kiss, in his presence, forever. . . .

She sensed when he began to ease from the kiss—her lips already missed his tenderness.

Breathless, he pressed his forehead to hers. “Beautiful Camille, I’ve wanted to do that since the moment I met you.”

“And what took you so long?”

“Because I wasn’t sure. I didn’t know how you felt.”

Camille leaned forward and kissed him lightly. “And now that you do, why did you stop?”

Romeo sighed and drew away from her, if only a little. “Because you’re a very passionate woman. I. . .I had to stop.”

She pressed her head against his chest, loving the way she felt in his arms.

“And now is the time for you to show me the painting.”

Camille pushed away from him to look in his eyes, but in the darkness, she couldn’t see much at all. He was right. She couldn’t see the scar and in a way, they were the same. She could pretend he was perfect. But did she want to?

“Romeo, I wanted to tell you. I tried to tell you, but there was never a good time, and then your mother. . .” Oops.

“My mother what?”

Romeo moved to the wall and flipped the lights on. “My mother what?”

Camille sagged. She always ruined everything. “She’s right, you know. She told me how hurt you were over losing your fiancée. She reminded me that I have plans to leave. Romeo, she doesn’t want to see you hurt again.”

“She’s not big on letting me make my own choices.” Romeo paced, clearly irritated. “She has no right to interfere.”

“What about what you said? That you want to be a good son.”

“I came here with that intention, yes.” Romeo closed the distance between them and took Camille’s hands, bringing them to his lips.

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