Chapter Thirteen
Cameron had another fabulous memory of kissing Kaytlyn, but now it would be even harder to keep his distance. He’d held everything in his arms, knew the incredible rush of kissing her and hoping for even more, and it had once again been ripped away from him by his own stupid self-declared mandate. Sometimes when he thought about that night, he let himself wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t stopped kissing her. Then he had to hurry somewhere private, drop to his knees, and pray for help and forgiveness.
They got through Thanksgiving dinner. Kaytlyn looked incredibly beautiful next to Tyler at the large dining table. They sat down and ate with all the staff members who didn’t have family close by. Kaytlyn talked and laughed with Tyler and those seated close to her, and she only gave Cameron a few longing glances. Cameron spent much of the meal studying the people at the table, and it was hard to imagine that any of them could betray Kaytlyn to Jessica.
The staff decorated the house in Christmas lights, greenery, and red and silver decorations. He lost track of how many Christmas trees and wreaths they had. Snow covered the valley, and icicles hung from rafters. Christmas cheer and warmth were spreading everywhere, but Cameron couldn’t share it with the one person who would make it all mean something. He wished his heart was made of ice colder than the wind chill outside.
He’d started with the chant of two more weeks, but then it became ten more days, nine more days, eight more days. On day seven and counting, Larry texted them both to meet him in Kaytlyn’s office immediately.
Cameron left the security center in the basement and climbed the stairs. Kaytlyn was descending the stairs from above. He stopped on the landing and just stared at her. Luckily, there weren’t any household staff in the foyer at the moment, so he could drink in his fill of her beauty set against the greenery draping the thick wooden railings.
She saw him watching and smiled. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“You look as beautiful as ever.” He grinned, his heart thumping wildly. Could he just kiss her once today? Maybe once each day until the trial would sustain him. But no, he’d committed to showing she was engaged to Tyler, because there might be house staff who were still loyal to Jessica. He wanted it to look real, and he really wanted to get through it.
She reached the bottom step and put a hand over her abdomen. Her pale blue sweater hugged her curves perfectly, and when she paired it with fitted jeans and high heels, she looked classy and irresistible. They stood only ten feet apart, but it might as well have been a mile for all the good it did him. Yet Cameron still felt close to her emotionally. These battles they’d been through, against Jessica and against their own desires, had made them stronger and more in love. Now if he could only last seven more days.
The doorbell rang, and Kaytlyn jumped. “Oh!” It was so cute how it surprised her and how invested she’d been in him.
Beau, one of his security guys, hurried into the foyer but stopped when he saw the two of them. “Oh. Hey, boss.”
“I’ll get the door,” Cameron told him. “It’s for us.”
“Thank you.” Beau tilted his chin up and left again, back to monitoring the property from the security rooms in the basement. Cameron loved this sprawling mansion and the staff had a familial feel, but when he and Kaytlyn got married and he knew she and the baby were safe from Jessica and Peter, he might talk to her about dismissing most of the staff or maybe even buying a small rambler, just for the two of them and their baby.
Cameron forced himself to stop staring at Kaytlyn and dreaming of being married to her. He turned to the door, checking his phone and the security cameras to make sure it really was Larry before swinging it wide.
Larry burst through the front door in a flurry of cold air and a huge smile. “Get in the office, get in the office,” he demanded.
Cameron turned to Kaytlyn with an arched brow. “I think he means us.”
Kaytlyn giggled so appealingly that Cameron wanted to kiss her. Wait, that was nothing new; Cameron always wanted to kiss her.
Larry rushed into the office and yanked his laptop and then a bunch of papers out of his shoulder bag. Cameron waited for Kaytlyn to cross the foyer. He shouldn’t have done it, but he let himself put his hand on the small of her back. Contentment and desire rose quickly in him. Kaytlyn smiled sweetly up at him and murmured for only him to hear, “I’ve missed you horribly.”
“Nowhere near as bad as I’ve missed you,” he whispered back.
She bit at her lip and said, “Nope, I’ve got you beat. I’ve missed you, like, five hundred times as much.”
Cameron was about ready to press her into the wall and show her exactly how much he’d missed her when Larry interrupted, “Come on, you two, get in here! This is amazing news!”
Cameron was skeptical. The only amazing news he wanted was that he could take her to that island and marry her. Today. He escorted her to her desk chair, and she sat down. He stood beside her and forced himself to look at Larry. The man was practically glowing with excitement.
“They asked for a settlement,” Larry blurted out.
“Come again?” Cameron asked. They’d heard no indication that Jessica and Peter were even interested in a settlement.
Larry nodded. “Yes, it’s incredible. Judge Peterson just called me. She met separately with them and their lawyer. They want fifty million for Peter’s campaign and they want to look like the most benevolent people anybody has ever seen.” He hooted, holding up the papers that must have been the settlement. “This is a dream come true.”
“I don’t care about the money.” Kaytlyn stood quickly. “What about my baby?” She cradled her stomach.
Larry grinned happily. “That’s where their fake benevolence comes in. They’ve signed away their rights to the baby.”
Kaytlyn’s breath popped out loud enough he could hear it. Her hands were trembling as she touched the papers Larry was holding. “We pay them fifty million and they drop all the lawsuits and charges?” Her voice dropped and had a catch in it. “They have no right to my baby … ever?”
“Yes! Yes, Kaytlyn! Can you believe it?”
Kaytlyn let out a happy cry and clasped her hands together.
Cameron was ready to celebrate with them but something felt fishy. He’d wondered all along if it was only about the money and if they’d sign off on the baby for it, but why the fifty million that had set Jessica off that fateful night? She hadn’t wanted Kaytlyn to have even fifty million of her inheritance money, or the foundation, and now she was willing to walk for that same amount?
“Do they have any clue what Jacob was worth?” The last number Cameron had seen was four point eight billion. Who just walked away from that with a fifty-million-dollar settlement? Especially if they were crazy enough to think they deserved it all like Jessica did. He highly doubted she was rational enough to worry that she wouldn’t win.
“I know! But Peter’s career is too important to him and think of the positive publicity they’ll get for walking away and especially for giving Kaytlyn the baby. Imagine all the credit they will claim for allowing the foundation to continue, at great sacrifice to themselves. Honestly I don’t care about their motivation, I’ve received all the paperwork.” Larry shook the papers again. “I’ll need you to sign and get me a check to hand to them. And it’s done.” He beamed. “You two have done it. You’re finally free.”
Cameron leaned into the chair that Kaytlyn had been sitting in. Free. Free to … His strength returned in a rush, and he didn’t care what Jessica’s motivations were, only that they were free. He whipped to face Kaytlyn, and she threw herself against him. Cameron swept her off her feet, swinging her around as she laughed; then he set her down and proceeded to kiss her, showing her how horribly he’d missed her and promising they wouldn’t be apart again.
“All right, you two, I need the signatures and the check.”
Cameron reluctantly released her. “To be continued,” he said in a low voice.
; “That better be a promise,” she shot back.
“Oh, it is.”
Kaytlyn could not believe their good luck. Fifty million might sound like a huge settlement, but it was nothing compared to the resources Jacob had bestowed upon her. To have Jessica and Peter give her the baby and walk away for so little was the golden ticket. No, having them walk away at all was more than she’d hoped.
Even more important to her, her baby was safe from their schemes and from legal battles. She was finally free to be with Cameron. They signed the papers and walked Larry to the front door with a check in hand. Kaytlyn’s smile was so big it hurt her cheeks.
Cameron shut the door behind Larry and turned to her. The plan had worked, and now they could be together. He had an almost wicked gleam in his blue eyes as he approached her. “Finally,” Cameron murmured. She was waiting for him to sweep her off her feet and kiss her, but instead he reached for her left hand and slid the engagement ring off of it. Then he took her hand and walked her into the office. Tossing the ring on the desk, he said, “We’ll donate that to charity.”
“Sounds good,” she laughed, but the anticipation of him kissing her was crowding out everything else.
Cameron dropped onto one knee and reached for both of her hands. “Kayt …” He smiled so tenderly. “I love you. Will you please put me out of my misery and marry me?”
She tilted her head as if considering it. “I’ll think about it.”
His eyes widened. “Kayt. Please. I can’t stand being without you anymore.”
Kaytlyn smiled and leaned down, giving him a soft kiss. “If you promise to elope, I’ll marry you as soon as possible.”
“Yes!” Cameron let out a roar that shocked her and made her laugh. He leapt to his feet and lifted her up above his head. “Yes!” Lowering her, he pulled her in tight and sealed the proposal with a lingering kiss. With his mouth still so close, she could feel the word as he breathed, “Today?”
Kaytlyn laughed. “How about tomorrow?”
Cameron groaned. “You need a dress, right? Oh, and we definitely need to go shopping for a ring.”
She loved the idea of shopping with him, and she could hardly wait to wear his ring. “And I have a doctor’s appointment at nine tomorrow morning. Probably should get his clearance before we leave for, where was it? Aruba?”
“Actually, I’ve been researching, and Grand Cayman has no waiting period.” He pumped his eyebrows. “So I’ve been in contact with the Ritz-Carlton on Seven Mile Beach. The wedding planner and I are on pretty good terms.”
“Are you serious?” Kaytlyn could not believe her tough, military man was on standby with a wedding planner.
“Yeah. Nessa has got everything ready from the suite for our honeymoon—” He smiled even more broadly. “—to the intimate wedding and dinner. Do you care if I invite my parents? I know that’s not really eloping, but my mom has gone through so much with three deployments and me rarely making it home to visit. I’d love for them to be part of it.”
Kaytlyn felt a pang. “Of course. I can’t wait to meet them. Cam, we can wait longer than a day and invite anyone you want.”
He shook his head. “I just want you. Maybe we’ll let Tyler come as our security.” He winked. “Make him feel some of the misery I’ve felt watching you sit by him and touch his hand.”
“Oh, Cam.” She hated that he had been in misery, but she had been as well. “I don’t think it would be that hard on Tyler. He doesn’t love me.”
“He’d better not,” Cameron growled. He pulled her in and gave her a very thorough kiss.
Kaytlyn’s world was lit with joy as he manipulated her mouth with his. The way he’d said “finally” a few minutes ago rushed over her again. Finally, they were free to be together, without any strings, guilt, or worries.
He pulled back and his eyes slid over her. “No one could ever love you like I do.”
“That is for sure.”
He kissed her again, but then his eyes looked troubled as he said, “Wait. Who do you want at the wedding? We went to your hometown and didn’t even go see your parents because I was so stirred up and frustrated. Kayt, I’m sorry. Let’s fly there tomorrow after the doctor and shopping. Invite them to the wedding, or at the very least I need to get your father’s permission.” He shook his head. “I’ve waited so long and did all the research for the honeymoon, but I’m doing it all wrong. I don’t even have your father’s permission.”
Kaytlyn felt a burst of nausea like the morning sickness was back, but that was silly; she was five months along now and hadn’t had morning sickness in almost two. She tried not to think about the heartbreak of her family too often, but she wanted to steal her mom and youngest sister from her father’s clutches. She looked down and admitted, “I don’t know how they’ll treat us, Cam.”
“Your parents?”
She broke away and sat down in her office chair. “I told you the story of how Jacob found me at Perry’s Restaurant ten years ago?”
“Yeah. On one of our hikes before you got sick.”
She nodded, remembering. She’d really enjoyed those hikes and just talking with Cameron. It had been a hard time, because he’d obviously held himself back while she’d been married to Jacob, but she’d still loved getting to know him. “I didn’t tell you about why I left home at eighteen and never went back.”
“You told me you just wanted to escape the valley you’d grown up in.”
“I actually loved Lonepeak Valley, but my dad was emotionally abusive and ultra-controlling. One of my sisters was driven to drugs and alcohol, the one in the pictures you saw. My younger sister and mom are like puppets and work night and day to try to keep my dad happy.”
Cameron’s eyes were wide. “Kayt. And look how amazing you turned out. I had no idea.”
“Being close to Jacob is the only reason I have any confidence and ability.”
“We owe Jacob a lot, but I think your confidence and ability is inherent.”
“Thank you.” She studied her hands for a second, then said, “Jacob and I tried to visit my parents and youngest sister a few years ago. My father was horrible, claimed Jacob and I were in a twisted relationship and said so many awful things. Jacob walked away.” She gave him an appraising look. “I think you’d snap him in half.”
“Hey.” Cameron held his hands up. “I like to make threats and follow through with those threats when it’s deserved, but I wouldn’t go after your father because he called me names.”
Kaytlyn swallowed. “What if he called me names?”
His eyebrows rose and his jaw got tight. “That I couldn’t tolerate.”
Lifting her hands, she said, “So I don’t know that asking for my hand is the best idea.”
“We’ll send a nice card and a wedding picture.”
Kaytlyn laughed in relief.
Cameron sat on the edge of the desk next to her and took her hand. “Maybe we should try, though. They are your parents, and I really would like to go about this the right way, get their blessing, invite them. If they choose to not want to be part of our lives, that’s their loss.”
Kaytlyn smiled up at him. He was amazing, and she was done worrying about how her parents would react. They’d deal with that tomorrow, and maybe she’d get the chance to ask Krysta to leave with her again. “So what do you want to do right now?” she asked. Their whole lives were in front of them, and she had some pretty good ideas of what she’d like to do now.
Cameron walked over to the office door and firmly shut it. As he returned to where she sat, his smile grew broader, and Kaytlyn loved seeing this carefree, happy side of him. He scooped her out of the chair, holding her against his chest; then he sat in the chair and grinned down at her. “So first I plan on kissing you for a long, long time.”
“I guess I could tolerate that,” she teased.
“Tolerate?” His eyebrows shot up, and then his blue eyes narrowed. “I’ll have you begging for more.”
Kaytlyn already was, bu
t she didn’t admit it. “I’ll decide.”
With a chuckle, he bent his head and took his time, almost teasing her with soft, light kisses, drawing back each time before she could extend the kiss and holding her so she couldn’t get what she wanted.
Kaytlyn needed more, needed her warrior to take complete control. “If you’re going to kiss me, kiss me,” she demanded, panting for air.
“Begging?” he asked.
“Yes!”
Cameron grinned, and then he complied. His mouth came down on hers with all the passion and fire she knew he reserved only for her. She’d throw her pride out the window and beg for these kisses every day. Happiness filled her as she realized that now she could. Their fight was over, her baby was theirs, and they could kiss and hold each other all day long if they wanted to. Kaytlyn definitely, definitely wanted to.
Chapter Fourteen
Kaytlyn was groggy the next morning, as she and Cameron had stayed up late, holding each other close, kissing, talking, and dreaming. She hurried to deal with some fires with work, get ready for her doctor’s appointment at nine a.m., and pack a bag. They were taking the jet and flying first to Colorado and then on to Grand Cayman, after they went shopping for a ring and a dress.
She was just zipping up her suitcase, with ten minutes to spare before they needed to leave, when there was a soft rap on her bedroom door. “Come in,” she called from the closet.
Cameron walked in with a tray as she hurried into the bedroom from her closet, tugging the suitcase behind her. The tray had tea and toast on it.
She grinned. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to drink ginger tea again in my life.”
He chuckled. “Well, lucky for you, this is raspberry leaf tea. Cathy said it helps with the pregnancy and is even good for labor.”
“Well, I’m not even close to worrying about that.”
He winked. “When it happens, I’ll be right here holding your hand.”
Kaytlyn glanced sharply at him. “Will you?”
Her Loyal Protector: A Strong Family Romance Companion Novel Page 11
