Sweet Surrender, Baby Surprise

Eight

That evening, Sally took the baby and all his baby necessities to her room for Jake’s first sleepover. For Sally, it was an adventure. For Julia, it was an excuse to worry.

Cameron ordered champagne to go with some of the hors d’oeuvres they’d brought back from the wedding ceremony. Julia changed out of her white dress and into something cozier while Cameron poured the champagne.

As she walked into the living room, she stopped abruptly. “Did your mother take the wet wipes with her?”

“I don’t-”

“I’d better check.” She turned and ran back to the bedroom, then returned after a few seconds. “I guess she got them.”

“Julia, relax,” Cameron urged, and handed her a fresh glass of champagne.

“You’re right, I’m being silly.” She took a sip and started to sit down on the couch, then jumped up. “Oh, no. I forgot to give her the brush for washing out the bottles.”

“Sweetheart, my mother is not going to wash baby bottles.”

“Oh, God, of course not. What was I thinking?” She took another sip of the champagne, then sighed. “I guess I just miss him.”

Feeling relaxed, Cameron leaned his elbow on the mantel. “Hey, at least you’ve had him around for the past nine months. How do you think I feel? I just…”

He cut himself off as he saw Julia’s eyes narrow in on him like a heat-seeking missile. He wondered if it was possible to snatch the words back, but it was too late. She turned on him like a rabid dog. “So you still blame me for keeping him from you?”

“No, I don’t,” he insisted with a firm shake of his head.

She walked right over and smacked his arm. “All it would’ve taken was one lousy phone call, but you were too damn proud to give an inch.”

“You’re right, sweetheart. But at the time, it seemed like you were a little obsessed.”

She stopped in her tracks and turned on him. “Obsessed? I was not obsessed. I was-” she flailed her arms, trying to find the right word “-I was driven.”

He realized they’d never truly discussed all her emails or his blatant disregard of them. Tonight didn’t seem like the most opportune time to delve into it, but the subject wasn’t going to go away. “Look, you sent me four emails in one day, Julia. I’d call that a little obsessive.”

She folded her arms tightly across her chest. “So you actually saw my emails.”

“Yes, I saw them,” he said reasonably. “I opened the first one where you demanded that I call you. And I almost picked up the phone, but then I noticed you’d sent three more in rapid succession and I figured you were a little, you know.”

“Obsessed,” she said pointedly, and continued her pacing.

He shrugged. “I guess. But that’s all in the past. Let’s forget about it and enjoy the evening.”

But she wasn’t ready to let it go. He was troubled that she was no longer fuming but instead looked a bit forlorn. “I was pregnant and alone, Cameron. Nobody would’ve blamed me for being a little obsessed.”

“I don’t blame you,” he said. “I’m just explaining how I felt at the time. In hindsight, I wish I’d called you, but back then, I was being cautious.”

“Oh, because so many women are obsessed over you?”

He wasn’t about to explain to his lovely new wife that there actually had been a few dangerously obsessed women over the years. Right now, Julia was venturing into perilous territory and Cameron didn’t see a safe way out.

“Look Julia, you’re upset and-”

“You’re darned right I’m upset.”

“Then let’s sit down and talk about-”

“Never mind, Cameron,” she said, pacing away from him, then whirling around. “I’m sorry, but I can’t do this right now. I need some time to think. I- I’m sorry.” She turned and ran down the hall to the second bedroom where she went inside and closed the door.

“That did not go as planned,” he muttered, staring down the hall, almost not believing what had just happened. He’d screwed things up royally. He wasn’t sure how, he just knew this was his fault.

The fact was, they were married now. They shouldn’t be fighting, they should be having sex. Rubbing his forehead in frustration, he walked to the wet bar and poured himself a healthy shot of Scotch. Holding the glass up, he toasted himself. “You’re a knucklehead.” The whiskey burned all the way down his throat. And so did the realization that he’d hurt her.

But she’d caught him off guard. He was so used to Julia being reasonable and smart and funny, he hadn’t recognized the signs. She’d worked night and day to put together the wedding. And she’d been worried about the baby. He didn’t realize how worried, so he hadn’t helped matters one bit.

Fortified by several more generous slugs of Scotch, he flopped down on the living room couch, thinking he’d watch the football game. But he dozed off before he ever had a chance to switch on the television.

Something was pounding against his head. Had he really had that much to drink last night?

“Dada!”

Cameron opened one groggy eye and saw a blurry-looking Jake, up close, smacking his little hand against Cameron’s forehead.

“Hey, buddy,” Cameron whispered, grabbing his hand. “Let’s use our indoor voice, okay?”

“Dada,” Jake cried in excitement, then bobbled and plopped back on his well-padded butt.

Cameron’s vision began to clear and he could now see Julia standing a few feet away, her arms folded across her chest, shaking her head at him.

“Don’t yell,” Cameron said in surrender. “I know I’m a slug and deserve your wrath, but I want you to be happy and I want us to be together. I apologize for everything. Can we start this whole thing over?”

She smiled, enjoying the moment. “I’d like that.”

That night, Cameron was determined to seduce his wife. This time, he did everything right. The baby was off to spend the night with Sally again, he’d stocked up on more champagne and ordered a small platter of appetizers. And there was Julia.

Sitting on the couch, he framed her face with his hands and gazed into her eyes. “Forgive me, Julia.”

“Of course,” she said simply.

“I don’t really want to get too far into it,” he said, “but I’ve lived with anger in my life. Let’s make a pact never to go to bed angry again.”

She searched his face and must’ve found whatever it was she was looking for, because she nodded. “It’s a deal.”

“Good.” He kissed her. Then he reached inside his pocket. “I have something for you. A token of my feelings for you, as well as my gratitude, and…well. Here.”

He pulled out a slim blue box and handed her the gift.

“No.” She stared at the box, then looked at him, her forehead creased with concern. “I didn’t get you anything.”

He chuckled. “Honey, I already got the best end of the deal. I got you and Jake.”

She carefully unwrapped the baby-blue jeweler’s box and opened the lid. Inside was an exquisite diamond necklace. In shock, she whispered, “Oh, Cameron, it’s gorgeous. But…why?”

“Because I wanted to give you a little something to remember this evening. Now let me put it on you.”

“It’s hardly ‘a little something,’” she murmured, but held her hair up as he slipped the necklace around her neck and fastened it.

He kissed the back of her neck, then she turned to show him how it looked. “It’s perfect. Just like you.”

She smiled as she ran her fingers hesitantly over the necklace. “You shouldn’t have done it, but thank you.”

He poured champagne, then they made slow, easy love on the couch. Afterward, they moved to the bedroom and started all over again.

Much later, they were both too wide awake to sleep, so they talked for another hour. Cameron asked her questions about her pregnancy and Jake’s birth. She told him about the baby’s milestones. He wondered about their nanny and she told him all about the older woman who took such good care of Jake. They talked about her bakery and her schedule these days.

He asked her why she specialized in cupcakes at her bakery. She shrugged, told him that people liked cupcakes, then changed the subject, asking him how it was to grow up with two brothers. He regaled her with Sally Duke stories. Cameron found himself laughing more than he ever thought he could.

The laughter turned to kisses and they ended up making love again.

The next morning, they shared a quiet breakfast on the terrace, wearing matching robes. He was pleased that she still wore the diamond necklace.

“Do you want more coffee?” he asked, lifting the carafe.

“Yes, please.” She glanced around, a puzzled frown on her face. “Is that water running?”

He listened, then grinned. “It’s the waterfall.”

“You have a waterfall?” Standing, she walked to the balcony railing and looked out at the resort grounds. “Is it by the beach?”

“Not exactly.” He joined her at the railing and pointed out a large, thick copse of trees and shrubbery next to a rocky mound halfway across the expanse. “It’s a pool. Very private. We rent it out for parties occasionally, but we don’t advertise it. It’s part of an underground spring, so the water is naturally warm. I had a grotto built around the pool, with a waterfall. It’s pretty nice.”

She sighed. “It sounds wonderful.”

“It’s secluded and romantic.” He wrapped his arms around her. “Maybe we’ll check it out before we leave.”

“I have only two days left of my conference, so we’ll have to…oh, my God.”

“What is it?”

Her eyes showed a spark of fear. “What day is this?”

“Tuesday.”

“Cupcakes,” she cried. “I have to bake cupcakes.” She slid the terrace door open, then stopped and shook her finger at him. “You distracted me.”

“I hope to God I distracted you,” he muttered, following her into the suite.

“Oh, you know what I mean.” She circled the kitchen, opening cupboards and slamming drawers. “The demonstration is today at two o’clock. I have to start baking now.”

“Why don’t I just send my assistant to the store to buy a few dozen cupcakes?”

She stared at him, her mouth agape in horror. She waved him off as she raced down the hall. “You don’t get it.”

“Babe, relax,” he said, strolling after her. “I can help.”

She stopped abruptly. “Very funny, Cameron.”

“Hey, I’m a good cook,” he insisted, scowling as he trailed her into the master bathroom. “Ask anyone. I’ll pit my chili recipe against anyone’s, any day of the week.”

“Your chili recipe?” she said. “Cute.”

“Okay, those are fighting words.” His eyes narrowed as she ignored him, whipped off her bathrobe and stepped into the steaming rush of water.

“So maybe we’ll fight later,” he muttered, then threw off his robe and followed her into the warm shower.

The kitchen bar became an assembly line with all three of Julia’s professional-strength mixers arranged side by side.

On another counter, she’d lined up all the ingredients she would need, as well as the bowls, spoons, measuring cups and spatulas she would use to blend everything together.

Cameron had called Sally to ask if she could keep the baby for a few more hours while he and Julia baked cupcakes. Sally and her girlfriends were thrilled. Jake could sit in his bouncer while the women played canasta by the pool.

“Okay, let’s get this show on the road,” Cameron said, all business as he tied a cook’s apron around his waist. “How much flour do you need?”

“Baking is slightly different than cooking,” Julia said warily. “I won’t be offended if you just want to sit at the bar and offer moral support.”

“You’re kidding, right?

She sighed. “Okay. We’ll need three cups of flour in each of those three large glass bowls.”

“Fine.” He reached for one of the glass measuring cups and the bag of flour.

“Oh, use this plastic cup, not the glass one.”

“What’s the difference?”

She held up the two different measuring cups. “One’s for liquids and one’s for solids. You can fill this one to the top and level it off.” She demonstrated how to level it off using the thin, straight handle of the spatula.

Cameron considered that, then nodded.

Twenty minutes later, Cameron had flour in his hair and egg on his shirt. He’d spilled sugar on the floor and had to sweep it up. His apron was smeared with chocolate splotches and butter stains.

Julia’s apron was spotless and she hummed a perky tune as she briskly washed the bowls and utensils. What was wrong with this picture? Cameron shoved the broom into the utility closet as Julia turned the water off and dried her hands.

“As soon as the third batch is in the oven, I’ll start the frosting.” She dried one of the large bowls in preparation for the next step. “Maybe you can add the sprinkles at the end.”

“Sprinkles?” He slammed the closet shut. “Now that’s just demeaning.”

Julia laughed. “You’re so wrong. Sprinkles are a critical part of the operation.”

“I’ll show you a critical part,” he said with a growl as he grabbed her from behind.

Her protest landed somewhere between a scream and a giggle. Then her eyes flared as Cameron managed to ease her blouse off, then handily relieved her of her blue jeans.

“What have you done?” she asked, glancing down at her pristine apron, which was all that remained of her clothing. It was still tied neatly at her waist. “How did you do that?”

He waved his hands. “Magic.” Scanning her from head to toe, he said, “Very nice. Now turn around.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, backing away from him.

He ripped his apron off and unbuttoned his shirt as he stalked her. Her back hit the kitchen wall as the oven timer buzzed.

“Perfect timing,” she said, and made a sideways move toward the oven.

Cameron held her in place. “Stay right there.” He pulled the second batch of cupcakes out of the oven and placed them on a rack, then slipped the third batch in and set the timer for fifteen minutes.

“I have to start the frosting now,” she said.

“Not yet.” He pulled her close and turned to switch places with her, so now his back was against the wall. He slipped his hands under her apron and clutched her exposed backside, shaping it with both of his hands. “This is what every guy watching your baking demonstrations has been fantasizing all week.”

“Don’t be silly-oh,” she said, her protest fading as he cupped her bottom and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around his waist and moaned as she sank onto his rigid length. “Oh, Cameron.”

“I told you I knew my way around the kitchen.”

Julia’s conference ended two days later. Cameron enlisted the help of most of the bellman staff to load up two cars with suitcases, Julia’s kitchen equipment and the baby’s gear. Then they caravanned back to Dunsmuir Bay.

Cameron pulled into the tree-lined driveway that led to his two-story, Craftsman-style home overlooking the cliffs and parked his Porsche next to the three-car garage. He jogged to Julia’s minivan, slid opened the back door and stepped into the car to take Jake out of his car seat.

“We’re home, buddy,” he whispered as Julia gathered her purse and keys and climbed down from the driver’s seat. “Hope you like it here.”

Holding the baby, Cameron led Julia to the carved-oak door leading into his home. She stopped and gazed out at the wide lawn that rolled all the way to the cliffs overlooking Dunsmuir Bay.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, shielding the sun from her eyes.

“Yeah, it is,” he said, staring at her as the baby bounced in his arms.

Julia felt her cheeks heat up from his intense gaze. She swallowed self-consciously. “I think we’ll be very happy here.”

“Good,” he said, and kissed her. “Let’s go inside.”

“Okay.”

Cameron swung the front door open, then stopped, blocking the entryway.

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Everything’s perfect,” he assured her, “but I want to do this right. You hold Jake, okay?”

Julia grabbed hold of the baby, then Cameron bent and lifted both her and the baby into his arms and carried them into his home. Once inside, he kissed her again. “Welcome home.”

“Thank you,” she whispered. “You can put us down now.”

“Oh, yeah.” He grinned and kissed her one last time, then gave the baby’s forehead a smooch before letting them go.

As Cameron placed the baby in his rolling bouncy chair, Julia gazed around, taking in the large living area. Peg-and-groove hardwood floors spanned the length of the room from the front door to the wide wall of glass on the opposite side. The ultra-modern kitchen was open to the room and the vaulted ceiling rose up two floors, making the space feel even bigger. Along one wall, the wide staircase led to the second floor.

Spacious rugs covered the living room area where several chairs and sofas were arranged to create a number of conversation areas. A river-stone hearth and fireplace was built into one wall, lending the room a warm, cozy feel despite its massive size.

“My housekeeper had everything baby-proofed, but we’ll go through and double-check to make sure everything’s extra safe for Jake.”

“It’s beautiful, Cameron,” she said, making a beeline for the opposite end of the space where the dining room connected to the kitchen. She was curious to see where she would spend much of her time every day.

In the dining room, she stared through the thick glass wall at the ocean. There were whitecaps on the water today and sailboats dotted the horizon. “Spectacular.”

“And the view from the kitchen is just as nice.”

“Nice?” she said, smiling as she checked out the fabulous views. The kitchen walls were painted a dark gold, maybe too dark for her taste, but that could be changed. “It’s gorgeous. And huge. I can watch the waves crash while I bake. This place is a showcase.”

He laughed. “Is that a genteel way of saying it’s not exactly comfortable?”

“Are you kidding?” she asked, her eyes wide. “It’s very comfortable. It’s a real home.”

“I like to think so.” He glanced around the kitchen. “I spend most of my time in here or out by the pool. There’s a den upstairs where I like to watch TV, although sometimes I’ll use the set in the living room.” He was rambling, she realized. Was he nervous? “Anyway, I hope you’ll feel at home here.”

“I already do.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and laid her head against his shoulder. After a moment, she leaned back and added, “Although it’s awfully clean.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Again that doesn’t sound like a compliment.”

“Oh, it is,” she said laughing. “I’m just so used to the clutter of my old place. It’s up in the hills and it’s big and old. I love your home much more.” Because you’re here, she thought. And because this was a real home, not a mausoleum. She looked around some more, then grimaced. “I just hope you know what you’re getting yourself into. With Jake here, your lovely clean home will deteriorate into a jumbled mass of toys and clutter.”

“I can’t wait,” he insisted, and followed her back into the living room as she explored the space. “It’ll be fun.”

“No, I mean it,” she said, strolling over to run her hand along the back of the dark gray sectional. “He’s like a tornado.”

“This place can handle it,” Cameron said. “And if you don’t like anything, we’ll get rid of it. I want you both to be happy and comfortable here. Believe me, I’m not tied to anything in this room.”

She sighed. “I hope not, because Jake’s stuff seems to multiply and take over rooms. It’s scary.”

Cameron laughed. “It’s okay, Julia. It’ll be an improvement from the way it is now.”

She glanced around as the baby began to bounce and wiggle. “You mean, neat and clean?”

“Too neat and clean,” he clarified. “I’m glad Jake’s here to liven things up.”

She shrugged and watched as the baby rolled and bounced his way across the Persian carpet. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“That was a waste of three days,” Brandon muttered as he slid into the back seat of the limousine and slammed the door shut.

Adam took off his sunglasses and slipped them in his pocket. “The first two days were worthwhile. It was just today that sucked.”

“True,” Cameron said with a nod. “But now we know who we’re dealing with.”

“Yeah,” Brandon said. “Idiots.”

The head of one of their subsidiaries, Jeremy Gray, had set up the meeting in Delaware earlier that morning, thinking the two companies might find enough common ground for a merger. It hadn’t worked out, to say the least.

“I’m scheduling a meeting with Jeremy first thing tomorrow morning,” Adam said, pulling out his cell phone. “I want to know what the hell he was thinking, setting this up. That group won’t be ready to take their operation nationwide for another two years.”

“If ever,” Brandon added.

The rest of the drive from the airport was made in relative silence. Cameron was dropped off first and after grabbing his suitcase from the trunk, he thanked their driver and told his brothers he would see them in the morning.

He was tired but happy to be home. He’d always enjoyed traveling for business, but this time he had to admit he was beat. More than that, he’d actually missed his new family. It had been disconcerting to find himself in the middle of a business meeting, checking the time and wondering what Julia and Jake were doing right at that moment. He refused to read too much into his feelings, though, chalking it up to the fact that the newness of being part of a family hadn’t worn off yet.

Stepping inside the house, he paused for a moment and listened for their voices. Then he took the stairs two at a time and found Julia in Jake’s room, putting the baby to bed for the night. She whispered sweet nothings and rubbed Jake’s stomach for a minute before winding up the colorful wizard mobile over his bed and wishing him sweet dreams.

Cameron leaned against the doorjamb, taking in the warm, homey scene. When Julia spied him, she let out a muted cry, then raced over and pulled him out into the hall where she wrapped herself around him. “I’m so glad you’re home.”

“Me, too.” He breathed in the sultry scent of her.

“Do you want dinner?” she asked.

“No, I had something earlier at the airport. But I could go for a beer. Then bed.”

They walked downstairs arm in arm. “What have you been up to while I was gone?”

“You’ll see in a minute,” she said, her tone lighthearted.

In the kitchen, he headed for the refrigerator, then stopped. He glanced around the room. It took him a few seconds before he realized what was different. “You painted my kitchen. And where’s my refrigerator?”

She smiled brightly. “It’s just a few shades lighter than it was, but it makes a nice change, don’t you think? And your refrigerator is in the garage. We can still use it for storing drinks and frozen foods, but mine was practically brand-new and it’s so much bigger and laid out better. I didn’t think you’d mind.”

He opened the new refrigerator to look for a bottle of beer. It took a minute before he found them stacked neatly along the door. He twisted the cap off and took a long drink. “You could’ve asked me.”

Her smile dimmed. “It was a spur-of-the-moment decision. I guess I should’ve warned you, I make them sometimes. And you weren’t here.”

“You could’ve called.”

“I didn’t want to bother you while you were in meetings.” She sniffed. “Besides, you made it clear you’d be too busy to talk much.”

“We talked last night,” he pointed out. “You could’ve told me then.”

Her lips compressed in a tight frown. “We were discussing other things. I forgot.”

Oh yeah, he thought, recalling the conversation. They’d had phone sex. He took another sip of beer, then muttered, “Well, next time let me know.”

“Fine.”

She sounded annoyed. Join the club, he thought, and tossed the bottle cap in the trash can, which she’d moved to the opposite side of the room, closer to the service porch. Irritated now, he said, “Look, just ask me before you make changes to my house.”

“And here I thought it was our house now,” she said as she wiped off Jake’s high chair. “My mistake.”

“I didn’t mean it like that.”

“No? Well, it sounded like that.”

“Sorry, but I’ve had a long, frustrating day.”

“And I haven’t?”

“That’s not my point.”

“Oh, did you have a point?”

Yeah, she was definitely annoyed. But so was he. “I’m just saying that this is the kind of decision we should both have a hand in making.”

“Fine.” She threw the sponge down. “I’ll call the painters and have them change it back to the way it was. Then we’ll discuss it.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Oh, now I’m being ridiculous?”

“Well, you’re not making much sense,” he said. “I’m just saying it’s important for us to-”

“I’ll tell you what’s important,” she said, wagging her finger in his face. “Me. That’s what. I’m important. And my work space is important. Call me a temperamental artist, but I need to enjoy the space I work in. And that means the kitchen. Your refrigerator wasn’t efficient and the color of this room was too dark for me. I didn’t feel creative, I didn’t feel like it was mine. It sounds stupid, but it’s true. So I changed the color and made it mine. Now I can work here. That’s the bottom line. So live with it.”

“I’m trying to live with it, Julia,” he said, wrapping his hand around her finger to stop her from jabbing at him. “But don’t expect me to roll over and let you change everything that’s mine, just because you…” He hesitated.

“Oh, don’t stop now,” she said, inches from his face.

But he had to stop. Everything that’s mine, he’d just said. Damn. She was right. His house was their house now. And she needed to feel comfortable here. He’d get used to the new refrigerator. And why did he care what color the kitchen walls were? He didn’t, but Julia did. And looking around, he could see that it actually did look better, lighter, brighter in here now.

Besides, her scent was driving him nuts. Why were they fighting? He couldn’t remember, but one thing was for certain. He was a fool to start a fight when he’d been traveling for seventy-two hours straight.

“Why don’t you put stickers on anything that’s yours,” she continued angrily. “Never mind, we’ll just assume everything’s yours.”

He moved a half inch closer and took a deep breath. “You smell like flowers. And lemons.”

“Don’t change the subject,” she chided, then added defensively, “I made lemonade.”

His eyes narrowed in on her. “I like lemonade.”

He had her cornered against the chrome door of the ultra-modern refrigerator. She tried to edge sideways. “I’m going to bed.”

“Not yet.” He held her shoulders to keep her close. “You forgot something.”

“What?”

“This,” he said, and kissed her, his mouth taking hers in a rush of heat and an explosion of taste and need.

When she groaned, he lifted her up onto the counter. Sliding his hands up the insides of her thighs, he spread her legs. Then he pulled her closer to the edge and knelt before her.

“Cameron,” she whispered.

“Shh,” he said, then kissed the inside of her knee and moved higher, to her thighs, first one side, then the other. Hearing her moan in pleasure, he used his tongue to part her sensitive folds and plunged deeply. Her wild cry satisfied his masculine pride as he delved deeper, pressing his lips to her, sliding his mouth and tongue against her slick center, licking and suckling.

She was intoxicating. He couldn’t get enough of her. When she screamed his name, he didn’t wait a second longer. He stood and, watching her closely, unfastened his jeans, shoving them down his legs. Her eyes flashed at the sight of his impressive erection.

“Come to me,” he said, lifting her up and onto his stiff length and slowly lowering her until he filled her completely.

Her lusty sigh pushed him to the limit, but he forced himself to go slowly. At first. But she was so hot, so tight, so ready, that he began pumping into her with an urgency that brought him close to the edge of his control. Moments later, she cried out and he fused his lips to hers as he drove himself to join her in a climax so intense, he had to wonder if they might both go up in flames.

They leaned against the kitchen counter, holding on to each other like drunken sailors. Cameron wasn’t ready to let her go just yet. He vaguely remembered fighting about something, but now it seemed nothing more than a prelude to some of the best sex he’d ever had.

“I might regret asking,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder as she lazily stroked his back. “But I need to know what you’re thinking right now.”

He looked around, then met her gaze. “I was thinking I really like the new paint job.”

After the kitchen confrontation and its pleasurable aftermath, Cameron and Julia settled into a routine. He was amazed at how easily the three of them were adjusting to life together in his home.

Even though there were staff bakers at her store doing the yeoman’s work of making the products she sold every day, Julia liked to bake her signature delicacies at home. She was up early every morning, kneading and mixing and baking and frosting, so Cameron got into the habit of joining her.

“Almost like a real marriage,” he muttered, and caught himself wincing at the words. This wasn’t what he’d had in mind when they entered into this arrangement.

He hadn’t counted on caring about her so much.

And it was getting more and more difficult to keep from letting his feelings show.

“I can’t believe my kid likes carrots for breakfast,” Cameron said, looking baffled as he fed Jake another spoonful of pureed carrots.

“He likes everything.” Julia poured herself another cup of coffee.

“Yeah, but carrots? Go figure.” He loaded another bit of carrot mixture onto Jake’s spoon, then turned as a thought occurred. “Maybe we should start a vegetable garden.”

“Good idea,” she murmured. Her eyes widened. “A vegetable garden? With carrots. Oh, my God, carrots and carrots.” She grabbed the pad and pen by the telephone and scribbled a note.

“Well, we could have other stuff, too.” Cameron shrugged as he lifted the spoon up in the air and made like an airplane toward Jake’s mouth. “Cucumbers, tomatoes, lettuce, maybe some different kinds of peppers.”

She put down the pen and sat forward. “No, carats, like diamonds and rubies. And carrots. And tomatoes and cucumbers. A garden. For kids. And a museum for the diamonds and the art and, oh, everything. That’s it.”

“That’s what?”

She jumped up and planted a kiss on Cameron’s lips. “You’re brilliant.”

“I’ve always thought so,” he said, flashing her a look of puzzled amusement as she ran out of the room.

Upstairs in the room Cameron had reconfigured to be her home office, Julia powered up her computer and began to write out a short proposal for the Parrish Trust board of directors.

She had always planned to open her family home to the public one day. It was too big, too magnificent and too full of her parents’ rare and beautiful art, furnishings and books to keep to herself. But she’d also wanted to leave her own mark, provide something memorable, something different, something important to people. To children.

It sounded simplistic that a vegetable garden might be that important mark, but Julia loved the idea. It would bring children to Glen Haven Farm. Of course, this wouldn’t be a simple vegetable garden. It would be huge, a community garden with terraced beds. There would be animals, maybe a petting zoo, definitely a barn, classrooms, field trips, picnics, fun. While children had fun in the garden, their parents could tour the Parrish Museum and Library.

She spent most of the morning brainstorming her idea before enlisting Cameron’s help to pull it all together.

He sat quietly while she made her presentation. When she asked for his thoughts and reactions, the first thing he said was, “Why?”

“Why?” she repeated. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I get the garden idea. But why would you want to turn your home into a museum?”

Confused at first, she eventually understood his question. “You’ve never been to my home.”

He shook his head. “Not yet.”

She’d used a moving company to transport the bits of furniture, clothing and personal items she and Jake had needed when they moved into Cameron’s home. It had all been arranged in a day and Cameron had been at work the whole time. She’d never taken him up to her house, so of course he had no idea what it looked like.

She leaned back and gazed up at him. “If you have an extra few hours today, I’d love to show you where I grew up.”

“I’d like that, too,” he said, kissing the soft skin of her neck. “A little later.” Then he took hold of her hand and led her upstairs.

Three weeks later, on a breezy Saturday afternoon, Cameron held Jake in his arms as he and Julia stood on the smooth stone steps in front of Glen Haven Farm, Julia’s family home-or, as she liked to call it, the Mausoleum.

To call the place a farm was patently absurd, Cameron thought, since the elegant residence and finely manicured grounds had been designed and built in the grand style of a Regency estate.

The home itself was a three-story mansion with four separate wings extending out from what Julia called the central gallery. Gallery was the perfect word for it. There was priceless artwork everywhere, paintings on every wall, costly porcelain and silver pieces on every surface, and stately antique furniture in every room.

Julia’s brainstorm had been spot on, Cameron thought now. The place was made to be a museum. But that wasn’t what had excited her. No, she’d been trying to find a way to bring children to the house. Artwork wouldn’t do it, but a huge vegetable garden would. Kids could grow and harvest their own vegetables and have fun while they learned some healthy lessons. Julia had whipped up a business plan in no time flat and scheduled a trustees’ meeting to go over her ideas.

On Cameron’s first tour of the place a few weeks earlier, Julia had mentioned casually that the main residence was more than thirty thousand square feet. The lawns, gardens, pools, rare trees, bowered rose garden and other botanical delights comprised ninety acres of prime real estate overlooking Dunsmuir Bay.

With Sally Duke as his adoptive mother, Cameron had grown up with money and luxury, but this was something else. To be honest, Cameron couldn’t help thinking that this amazing house, with its massive grounds and stunning views, would make one hell of a Duke resort.

But this was Julia’s show, and it was now show-time.

“Thank you for being here with me,” she whispered to Cameron as they watched a stretch limousine wind its way up the long driveway.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he said. As he dipped down to kiss her cheek, he added, “I’ve got your back.”

The limo driver parked and four older men in dark suits climbed out. As they approached, Julia grabbed Cameron’s hand. He could feel the nervous energy coursing through her.

Why his strong, independent wife felt she needed backup was a mystery to him. After all, this was her home, her decision. Not only that, but it was her money, her heritage. So who cared what these fat cats thought? Apparently, Julia did.

As the four men came closer, Julia smiled and patted Jake’s butt for luck, then strolled over to greet the trustees. Cameron handed the baby over to the nanny, who took Jake inside. Then he followed Julia and greeted two of the lawyers he recognized from past business deals around town.

“So, Duke,” said Dave Saunders, an overfed blowhard Cameron had never liked, “why aren’t you turning this place into one of your fancy hotels?”

“Who says I’m not?” he said pleasantly.

The four men exchanged glances and Cameron earned a skeptical look from Julia. He winked at her as if to urge her not to take any of this too seriously.

So these were the four almighty trustees Julia believed were in charge of her destiny. No wonder she thought she needed backup.

After the introductions were made, Julia led the entire group across the wide lawn to the first of many spots on the property for which she had plans.

As a light breeze stirred the leaves, the men stopped to gaze up at what looked like a smaller version of the ancient Greek Acropolis built into the hillside.

One of the men chuckled. “Ah, the famous Glen Haven Folly.”

“Seems a waste of good real estate,” Saunders mused.

“And money,” a third man added with a significant nod to the others.

“My father had it built for me when I studied ancient Greece in third grade,” Julia explained briefly.

One of the men sniffed. Another muttered, “Must be nice.”

Cameron stifled the urge to smack the guy upside his head.

Julia ignored the sarcasm and pointed forward. “Now we continue along this path to the western end of the meadow.”

As they passed an old wrought-iron gate built into an ivy-covered stone wall, Cameron stopped to look through the gateway. He hadn’t noticed it on his first visit. Inside the thick wall, row after row of tall hedges were aligned in a circular pattern that covered a wide stretch of green lawn. Intrigued, he took another, closer look.

“Whoa, is that a maze?”

Julia stopped and turned. “Yes.”

“That’s incredible,” he exclaimed. “You grew up with a maze in your backyard?”

She glanced over her shoulder and saw that the four men had stopped to wait for them.

“Now what?” said Harold Greer, the oldest trustee.

Cameron smiled. “We’ll just be a minute, gentlemen.”

Glaring at Cameron, Julia said, “Yes, it’s a maze.”

He pulled her closer to the gate and peered through. “This is amazing. Is there anything in the middle?”

She sighed. “A life-size chess set.”

Cameron turned. “You’ve got a life-size chess set in the middle of the maze?”

“That’s right,” she said defensively.

“With life-size chess pieces? Like French royalty or something?”

“Or something,” she said through clenched teeth.

“French royalty, they wish,” one of the other trustees muttered.

“It’s shrubbery, Duke,” Dave Saunders said with a sneer. “Get over it.”

Greer sighed. “Miss Parrish, is this going to take all day?”

Julia cringed. “I’m so sorry, Mr. Greer.”

Cameron’s eyes narrowed. From her tone and the surreptitious looks she’d been sending the tight-assed trustees for the past half hour, this wasn’t the first time she’d felt the need to either defend or recoil from her late parents’ supposed profligate style. And right then he wished she’d never set up this meeting. He wanted to sweep her up and carry her away from their hypercritical opinions and high-handedness.

In his years of dealing with these kinds of guys, Cameron had learned not to take them too seriously, especially when he was the one holding the purse strings. But Julia had grown up under the control of people like these men. They’d been in charge, running her life, making decisions. As strong as he knew her to be, she’d clearly never stood up to these men before. No wonder she was nervous.

“Excuse us for just a moment, gentlemen,” he said, then took hold of her hand and pulled her away, back around the bend of the thick wall.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she asked in a furious whisper.

After checking to make sure they were far enough away not to be overheard by the trustees, Cameron said, “Why are you trying so hard to impress these guys?”

“Their opinions are important.”

“They work for you,” he said, pointing at her. “They should be trying to impress you so they keep their jobs, but they’re not. What’s going on here?”

Her chest rose and fell slowly. “It’s not that simple, Cameron.”

“It is that simple,” he said. “These guys have no say over your decisions.”

She shifted uncomfortably. “Yes, but they’ve worked for my family trust for years. If they think I’m spending money unwisely…”

“You’re not,” he insisted.

“And you’re not helping,” she added irately, folding her arms across her chest. “Going on and on about the maze and the stupid chess set. What was that all about? I need you to focus.”

“Trust me, I’m completely focused on the thought of chasing you naked through that maze.”

“Cameron.” Flustered, she peered around to see if he’d been overheard. “I’m trying to be professional here. These guys have never thought of me as anything but a frivolous trust-fund baby. Maybe I don’t need their support exactly, but I would like to have their respect.”

“Respect?” He frowned. It hadn’t ever occurred to him that his wife wouldn’t be respected anywhere she went. And that thought just pissed him off. “Okay, I’m going to share some insider information that I think will put everything into perspective for you.”

She scowled. “Oh, this should be good.”

“I don’t offer this sort of strategy to everyone, you know.”

“Just get on with it.” She tapped her foot. “They’re waiting for us.”

“Let them wait,” he said, then lowered his voice. “I’ve known Dave Saunders for years. I went to college with him and I’ve done business deals with his firm. If he has two drinks, he starts taking his clothes off and dancing. The guy’s got a gut on him that won’t quit, and he’s a bad dancer. Overbite, little fist pumps, the whole deal.”

She smothered a laugh. “Stop it.”

“I’m serious here. Just do me a favor-the next time he dismisses your opinion or makes you feel less than amazing, I want you to picture him in his baggy underwear, doing the hully gully. It’s not pretty. Will you promise me you’ll do that?”

“I hope it never comes to that,” she said solemnly as she tried to suppress another giggle.

“I hope not, too. But this is a tried-and-true business strategy. You’ll thank me for it later.”

She gazed at him, then gave him a quick hug. “Thank you.”

“No problem.” He jerked his head toward the trustees. “Go give ’em hell.”

Taking a deep breath, she said, “I suppose you’re going to want to check out the maze after this.”

His eyebrows shot up. “You know I am.”

She cocked her head to look up at him. “And I bet you’d never get lost in a maze, would you?”

“Not a chance.”

“I didn’t think so.” She paused, then her eyes glittered with determination. “So he’s got the overbite going and everything?”

“Oh, yeah.”

With a quick nod, she said, “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

“Like I said, I’ve got your back.”

Cameron watched as she composed herself, then turned and rejoined the trustees. She had once told him that she refused to play the poor little rich girl, but Cameron hadn’t known the half of it. She’d come from one of the richest families in the state, but she’d grown up lonely and starved for affection, living on a massive estate with no one to talk to but the hired help.

And she’d had to deal with snot-nosed lawyers like these guys her whole life. Men who thought they knew more than she did about everything. But they couldn’t be more wrong.

As Julia showed the trustees where she planned to plant the half-acre vegetable garden and the spot she thought would be perfect for a barn and petting zoo, Cameron realized he was going to have a good time watching her prove just how wrong they could be.

It had been several weeks since the meeting with the trustees. Julia had turned the museum plans over to a project management company, and while she still kept an eye on things at Glen Haven Farm, she was finally able to return to her early-morning baking schedule. The nanny showed up every morning in time for Julia and Cameron to go off to work. Some days, Cameron worked in his office at home, and on those days, Julia came home early and gave the nanny the afternoon off.

One afternoon, Julia arrived to find the house empty. It was sunny and warm, so she followed her instincts and walked through the kitchen to the sliding door that led out to the patio. Sure enough, her two men were in the pool.

Cameron was holding on to Jake who was wrapped securely in a bright yellow life jacket decorated with cartoon characters.

“Ready?” Cameron asked.

“Da-da-da-da!” Jake blubbered excitedly.

“One, two, three,” Cameron shouted, then bounced Jake on the water, causing a wave to form and splash against his daddy. Jake shrieked with laughter.

Julia laughed, too. The wave was tiny, but Cameron pretended to be drenched in water to make Jake laugh. Her two men looked so adorable together, her heart was in danger of melting.

Was it possible to be more in love than she already was?

“Oh, no,” she whispered. Her knees were suddenly weak, so she backed up and slid into the nearest patio chair. Her eyes began to tear up. It was just the bright sunlight, she thought. There was no way she could possibly be in love with Cameron Duke.

Oh, of course, she loved him. That was inevitable. But she couldn’t be in love with him. That would ruin everything.

Dear God, how could she be so stupid? Staring at Cameron playing with Jake in the pool, she had to admit to herself that it wasn’t all that hard.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she retorted aloud. That was lust, pure and simple, and nothing more. The man was capable of turning her on with a wink of his eye. Didn’t mean she was in love with him.

Hadn’t she worked all this out at the wedding? All they had was a marriage of convenience. Falling in love was not convenient. It wasn’t part of the plan.

So why was her heart beating so fast? Why were her knees so weak? Maybe she was coming down with the flu. Anything but the alternative.

Jake’s little screams of delight kept her anchored as her mind spun out of control. She needed to reel it back in, now. Because it couldn’t work. Cameron would never reciprocate her feelings, so why would she endanger their relationship by insisting that he do just that?

She wouldn’t. Even if it meant lying through her teeth, she would never admit that she was in love with her husband. And didn’t that sound absurd?

“I’m going to make lemonade,” she said, waving to Cameron and Jake before going inside. As she cut lemons and began to squeeze out the juice, she watched through the window as Jake giggled at Cameron’s antics. He really was the best father, she thought.

She recalled the diamond necklace Cameron had given her while they were still at the hotel, to thank her for agreeing to marry him. Then the night they’d moved into his house, he’d slipped a matching diamond bracelet on her wrist.

Was it dangerous to read anything into the fact that he gave her lovely gifts whenever wonderful things happened in his life? It had already occurred to her that this wasn’t about the jewelry. It had to be something more than just a gesture. His gifts always seemed to come from a warm, loving place within him. Within his heart. Was it Cameron’s way of telling her he loved her?

“Oh, there you go again,” she said irately, pounding half a lemon onto the juicer and squeezing it to within an inch of its life. “Snap out of it.”

Cameron Duke took care of what was his. She was his wife; Jake was his son. Cameron would do whatever it took to keep them healthy and happy. He would protect them with his life and make them feel as if they were the most important people in the world. Which made him all the more special to her. If that meant she was a sap, so be it.

Julia sighed as she added sugar and stirred it into the mixture of water and juice. Was it any wonder that she’d fallen in love with the man? Now she would just have to keep that realization hidden deep within her heart so that Cameron would never learn the truth. Because Cameron Duke would never allow love to be a part of his plan.