“Is that why you were outside last?”
“Yes. I scattered the petals over the place where we had our first…encounter. Then I lay down. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“You looked like an angel, when I found you.” Cameron stroked her cheek. “Your hair was fanned out on the grass, and your face was glimmering in the moonlight.”
“You make me feel beautiful, Cam.”
“You are beautiful. The most beautiful woman alive.”
“I think you’re biased.” She ran her fingers through his silky hair.
“Hardly. Any man would agree with me.”
“Not the duke. He has eyes only for Lily.”
“He’d better. I’ll pummel any man who looks at you the way I do.”
“Cam…”
“Yes, sweetheart?”
Did she dare ask the question? “If you love me that much, how could you have let Evan have me?”
“It was the most difficult thing I ever had to do, Rose.” He moved away from her slightly, almost imperceptibly, but she felt it. “The thought of him touching you, of any man touching you that wasn’t me… I can’t bear to think of it. Don’t make me go back to that place. Please.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you.” She stroked his arm lightly.
“I didn’t feel I had a choice at the time. I was shortsighted. I’m sorry.”
“You’ve already explained all of that. You don’t need to go through it again.”
“Tell me then. If you truly thought I was gone from your life, why didn’t you accept Xavier? You had feelings for him, didn’t you?”
“Yes, I did,” she said. “I cared for him as a good friend. And to be honest, I had thought to accept him after you… Well, there’s no other way to say it. After you jilted me.”
Cameron winced. “God, I’m sorry.”
“It’s all right.” She kissed his mouth. “But I didn’t love him. And he didn’t love me. Still, I might have accepted him except for one thing.”
“What is that?”
“Well, his father and my aunt are getting married. They met twenty years ago and fell in love. But both were in loveless marriages to others, so they weren’t free to be together. I didn’t want the same thing to happen to me or to Evan.”
“Did he take it well?”
“He seemed to. I think he was just as glad that I said no.”
Cameron toyed with her nipple. “I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s true. We’re on good terms. He’s going to be my stepcousin soon anyway, so he will always be in our lives.”
Cameron grimaced a bit. “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“It’s a fact, Cam. Neither of us can change it. My aunt and his father are very much in love.”
“Then I suppose I shall have to tolerate him.”
“He’s a very nice person, Cam. I think the two of you could be friends.”