Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
I t was early and Cameron had been awake for over an hour, but he didn’t want to disturb Sam. With the stress she was under, this time was hers to rest and rejuvenate while he lay there feeling like the biggest jerk on the planet. He’d tried to tell her. Honestly, he wanted her to know everything before he made love to her, but she didn’t want to listen.
Now he didn’t know what to do.
As soon as they got back to the ranch, he was going to call his cousin Tucker. Hopefully the man had his report and could give him some advice, then he was going to talk to Edward and tell him he needed to tell his family now. That they would go no further until he told everyone, including Sam.
Though he wanted to tell her this morning and right now, so there were no secrets between them. Yet it was Edward’s place to tell his mother and sister how bad things were and that they had to sell.
He knew it would break Sam’s heart. He also knew she was going to be mad as hell at him.
What had he been thinking last night to let her convince him to have sex with him? He wasn’t often tempted by women, but Samantha, when those big brown eyes gazed at him, he wanted to give her the world. And when she’d touched his chest last night, he’d been lost. Totally and utterly lost to the sensations she evoked in him.
The urge to protect and help her was overwhelming, but it was best if he just walked away. He didn’t want to hurt her.
The memory of his great-great-great-great-grandmother at his cousin Jacob’s wedding came to mind, her voice resounding through the hall that he was next. No, no, no. He was a long way from Texas and he had sworn not to get involved with a woman or marry until his business was making a profit.
Glancing at Samantha, her blonde hair spread across the pillow, he couldn’t help but like her spunk. The way she was so doggedly determined to save her family’s ranch. The way last night she expressed her need and let him know that she wanted him.
But she wasn’t the one for him. No matter what his matchmaking ghostly grandmother thought, he wasn’t getting married.
The memory of the broken condom came to mind and he hoped and prayed they had not created a baby last night. As much as he wanted children eventually, this was not the time.
And yet, they had made love twice more last night. The deed was already done and they’d made the decision that it was not the right time of the month to create a baby.
With a sigh, he pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head. The wind no longer howled and light was starting to come through the window.
They both needed to get back to the house. Samantha had a wedding party to make certain was still going as planned and Cameron wanted to find Edward and kick his ass. That’s what he wanted to do, but he would play nice and let the man know that unless he came clean to his family, there would never be a deal.
Samantha stirred beside him and wrapped her long limbs around him. Damn! She had no idea what she did to him and he hoped she never learned because he would be a goner for certain if she realized the power she had over him.
“Hmm,” she said with a sigh.
“Good morning, sleepy head,” he said.
“What time is it?”
“It’s after six,” he said.
She rose onto one elbow and gazed at him. Suddenly he saw fear and doubt and all the things that told him she regretted sleeping with him.
“We’ve got to get back,” she said.
Pulling her down to him, he gazed at her. “I’m not sorry about what happened between us last night. And I don’t want you to be either.”
She looked down and licked her lips.
“Last night was wonderful,” he said. “Don’t ruin it with regrets.”
Her brown eyes lightened and she nodded. “You’re right. It was exactly what I needed.”
God, he wanted to do her again, but they were pushing their limits. They had no more condoms and she was not on the pill. They couldn’t risk it, because then they would be stuck and he never wanted to regret creating a child. He wanted his wife to love him and not think of him as being a necessity.
She kissed him gently on the lips. “Come on, let’s get back to reality.”
He pulled her to him and kissed her hard. Kissed her like he wanted to take her again and again, and he did. But when they returned, she would learn the truth and then she would hate him.
When he released her, she looked dazed. “Thank you for last night. I enjoyed every minute.”
“Me too,” she said and then rose from the bed. “Time to get back to Bridezilla.”
He laughed. “That’s a perfect description for her.”
Rising, they both quickly dressed. Samantha pulled the sheets from the bed and carried them with her.
“I’ll have one of the hands bring out more sheets for this cabin and also restock the wood.”
They poured water on the coals and then he braced himself to go out into the cold once again.
“It’s stopped snowing,” she said. “That means they’ll be looking for us. Come on, let’s go.”
Opening the door, he looked back inside the cabin one last time. This place would always be special to him. Because it was here that Samantha took the lead and they spent the night in each other’s arms. This was when she liked him. Because once she learned the truth, she would hate him. And that hurt.
It took them about ten minutes to saddle their horses and then they were on their way back to the main house. The snow was deep. In many places, it came up to the horses’ chests.
The sun would peek through the clouds occasionally and when they rode beneath a tree, the snow would fall on them. He’d never experienced anything like this before. The world was a white wonderland of snow and the sun made it glisten and sparkle.
But it was cold. Damn cold and he worried that the horses’ feet would get too cold.
“Will the horses get frostbite?” he asked.
“It’s possible, especially on their ears and if they have a penis,” she said with a laugh. “Also around the skin that connects to the hooves. But as soon as we reach the barn, these babies are getting extra feed, warm water, and a heated towel wrapped around their feet.”
These were the kinds of things this Texas boy had no idea how to treat. And he never wanted any animals he owned to be mistreated or harmed in any way.
“During the weather like this, it’s best if they are always kept in the barn,” she said. “Unfortunately, we need them to get us home.”
When they reached the pasture that led to the house, he could see a group of men on horseback.
“They were about to come looking for us,” she said.
Her brother Edward was not among them and that just infuriated Cameron even more. Samantha was his sister. Did he not care about her?
Or was he so into himself that no one else mattered?
Oh, how he wanted to take him out to the barn and beat the crap out of him, but that wouldn’t make the situation any better, and he doubted he could reach Edward.
When they rode up in the pasture, there was a huge greeting of applause.
“Samantha,” an older woman cried as she ran toward her.
“Mom,” she said as she stepped out of her saddle. “I’m all right.”
“Dear God, I’ve been worried sick. You were gone and Edward never came home last night. Thank God, you’re all right.”
Edward had not come home? That was interesting. Had he gotten stuck somewhere like they had or was he too busy playing cards? Had that call yesterday been to let him know of a big game coming up?
Her mother clung to her. “I was so worried. We were just about to ride out in search of you.”
“Sorry for worrying you, Mom, but the storm was so bad, we made the decision to stay in that line shack out in the north section. Our cell phones didn’t work.”
Her mother stared at her and then she glanced at Cameron. She gave him a stern glance. “Do I need to get my shotgun?”
The men standing there watching, snickered.
“Mom,” she cried.
“I’ve been wanting you to date and this young man seems awfully nice,” she said.
“No, Mother, you do not need your shotgun,” she said.
Her mother pulled her to her. “Come in the house. I’m sure you’re frozen. You too, Cameron. I’ll have them fix you up a nice big breakfast and some hot coffee. You both must be starving.”
He stepped out of the saddle and followed them to the house.
An employee took the horses’ reins.
Her mother reached back and pulled him up beside her. “I’m so glad the two of you are safe. Young man, thank you for taking care of my Sam.”
“Ma’am, your daughter rescued me. I’d be out there frozen in some pasture if it wasn’t for her.”
The older woman pulled them into the house. “Emily,” she called.
The young woman came to the door. “Thank goodness you found them.”
“Can you fix them something special for breakfast? I know they must be starving.”
“Right on it,” the woman said and hurried back to the kitchen.
Right now, Cameron wanted to escape, take a shower, and speak to his cousin. But that would have to wait.
“Sit down,” the woman commanded. “Tell me what happened.”
For the next five minutes, Sam gave her mother a rundown on how they ended up at the line shack. Cameron didn’t say a word for fear that somehow she’d figure out what really happened between the two of them.
When glancing at Sam, he felt like he was gazing at her with his feelings in his eyes. One look and he feared her mother would realize that he cared for this woman deeply. And even that surprised him.
Now was not the time, and she was going to hate him before this was all over.
“Cameron, tell me about your ranch and your family,” her mother said just as Emily placed in front of them eggs Benedict.
His favorite.
For the next ten minutes, he told her mother all about the Burnett Dude Ranch, leaving out the part about how his share of the ranch had made him a billionaire and how he’d started his own business. And his matchmaking great-great-great-great-grandmother ghost.
Could Samantha be the woman she was referring to at Justin’s wedding?
That was mind-boggling at the least.
Finally, the woman seemed to relax and even gazed at him with approval in her eyes. If only she knew the truth, she would hate him as well.
And right now, he was beginning to hate Edward for putting him in this awkward situation.
Finally, after he’d eaten every crumb on his plate and drank all his coffee, he gazed at the two women.
“I’m sorry, ladies, but I think I’m going to go to my room, take a shower, and make some phone calls.”
He needed to get everything he could ready so he could decide if he wanted to make Edward an offer or just escape. Then he wanted to pack his bags and be ready for the Burnett plane to take him back to Texas.
The idea of never seeing Samantha again left him feeling sad, but she was going to hate him when she learned the truth.
“Of course,” Sam said. “In fact, that sounds like a lovely idea.”
Just then he heard screaming and knew immediately that once again Bridezilla was on the warpath and she was yelling Samantha’s name at the top of her lungs.
“Samantha, where are you? This has got to be changed,” she said, barging into the dining room.
He watched as Samantha tensed and then she smiled. “Francesca, how can I help you?”
He had to get out of here now or he would lose his temper if the woman mistreated Sam. Just seeing the stress reappear on her face had him tensing.
“Sam, I’ll see you later,” he said and she nodded. It was then that he caught her mother gazing at him, and she smiled a knowing grin.
The older woman was a smart cookie.
“Cameron, come dine with us tonight. I’d like to get to know you better.”
“Mama, we have the rehearsal dinner tonight. We’re going to be busy,” she said.
Oh no. He didn’t know if he could do that and yet, how could he refuse her mother?
“Can I get a rain check,” he said.
Her mother smiled at him. “Sure. Just don’t wait too long. I would really like to get to know you.”
He smiled at the older woman and then he hurried away.
As soon as he reached his room, he plugged in his dead phone and immediately it started beeping. He had five messages from Tucker saying call him now.
Dialing the number, he sank down on the bed and feared what he would soon learn.