“Slowly, sweetheart,” he said. “I’ll love you all night long.”
“Will you, Cam?”
“I like it when you call me Cam,” he said. “It sounds almost like we’re….”
“What?”
“I don’t know. Married, I guess. But that can never be.”
“Are you saying…that you…” Rose gulped as her heart thumped wildly.
“I’m saying that I love you, Rose. God help me, but I do.”
“Oh, Cam…”
“I can’t fight it any longer. The constant battle drains me. It’s like trying not to eat or sleep.” He smoothed her hair lovingly. “I’ve never said that to a woman before.”
She caressed his cheek. “You’ve given me a precious gift,” she said. “I don’t—”
“Shh,” he said. “You don’t have to say it back, sweetheart. I just wanted you to know.”
“I want to say it back. But I’m frightened. What if we can never be together? And what am I going to tell Evan?”
“Xavier? I tell you I love you and you mention Xavier?” Cameron shook his head and moved away from her.
“Don’t pull away from me. Please. I didn’t mean to anger you. I…do love you. I do.” She pulled him to her. “My God, it felt good to say it. It felt right.”
“Yes, it did.” He kissed her throat. “I’m not going to share you, Rose.”
“You won’t have to. We’ll figure something out. But we don’t have to work it all out tonight. Tonight is for us. Let’s not worry about anyone else. I just want to be with you. It’s all I’ve thought about for weeks.”
Cameron slowly unbuttoned Rose’s nightdress. He eased it over her shoulders and pulled it down and off of her body, until she was naked. “You’re so lovely, sweet Rose. So very beautiful.”
Rose shivered. “The candle, Cam.”
“No. I want to see you.”
“But—”
“I want to know every inch of you, and I want you to know every inch of me. The candlelight—it makes your skin glow.”
He lowered his head and kissed her, coaxing her lips open with the soft caress of his tongue. He nibbled on her lips, kissed her deeply. He brushed his lips over her cheeks, to her ear, and gently caressed it, pushing his tongue into the shallow cove.
“Oh, Cam…” She quivered, and energy surged between her legs.
He nibbled her neck and chest. “So beautiful, Rose. Your nipples are as dark pink as your sweet lips.”
His words made her shiver, her every nerve on edge. He licked her nipples and they tightened into hard buds. Then he nipped at them, harder and harder, until her insides nearly imploded. She arched off the bed, entwining her fingers through his hair and holding him to her as he pleasured her breasts.
“Do you like that?”
“Oh, yes. It’s wonderful.”
“Then I know you’ll like what’s coming next.” Cameron left her breasts and kissed and licked her abdomen, tickling her navel. When he reached her triangle of honey curls, she squirmed. He was going to see her private parts! Quickly she placed a hand over herself.
“Don’t, sweetheart,” he said.
“But you don’t want to look at that.”