Chapter 15
“I had fun today, Dre.”
Léandre turned from the stove when Camille entered the kitchen.
They had spent most of the day outside skiing and now, after getting cleaned up, they were winding down to enjoy the soup he had cooked that morning.
She had stayed in her room behind closed doors a good thirty minutes longer than he had, and he figured that instead of a shower, a bubble bath in the huge whirlpool tub had been her preference.
“So did I,” he said, thinking she looked good, even with her hair pulled up atop her head in one of those messy-looking buns.
She had changed into a pair of loose-fitting jogging pants and a sweatshirt that advertised his production company.
And she had a pair of thick socks on her feet.
They were perfect for outdoors, but here, inside, with the furnace putting out a nice degree of heat, as well as the blaze in the fireplace, they seemed out of place.
“Your feet are cold?”
She looked up from where she had been reading one of the magazines on the counter. “Why do you ask?”
Was she blushing? Why? “Because you’re wearing socks when it’s nice and warm in here.”
She shrugged. “I guess after being outside skiing all day, my feet haven’t fully thawed out.”
He nodded, understanding. “I’ve got just the thing for that. I’ll give it to you after dinner. Are you ready to eat?”
“Sure,” she said, closing the magazine and coming to sit down at the table.
Although the cabin had a huge dining room, he had decided after her first day that he preferred that they eat at the smaller table in the kitchen.
That way, they weren’t seated so far from each other that he couldn’t inhale her scent.
Even when they were in their teens, he’d loved the way she smelled.
Especially in the evenings, after a bath.
“Need help with anything?” she asked.
“Nope, I got this. But if you’d like, you can set the table.”
“I don’t like, but I’ll do it anyway.”
He threw his head back and laughed. He’d forgotten that she had attended Mrs. Lenora’s etiquette school like other kids who lived on their block.
Nobody liked the lessons, but all of them learned how to deal with them.
Only one person rebelled—Camille LeGraff.
She’d complain that it didn’t make sense for silverware to be placed a certain way, when nobody cared once they began eating.
He had agreed but would never confront Mrs. Lenora about it the way Cam had.
And their arguments had made those boring lessons a little easier to take.
To this day, his three older brothers adored Cam, mainly for that reason. Mrs. Lenora often spent most of their class time arguing with Camille. Before you knew it, their thirty-minute etiquette sessions were over, and they could go back outside to play.
“Hey, I’m not Mrs. Lenora. Don’t complain, just do it.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” she said, grinning, then giving him a fake salute.
Léandre realized he had made a mistake when she entered the kitchen to get plates and silverware from the cabinets.
The huge kitchen suddenly seemed small and intimate.
He stared at her. Her loose-fitting jogging pants suddenly transformed into the sexiest clothing possible when she reached up to open the cabinet door, and the material stretched across her delectable-looking backside.
She turned and caught him staring. “Something’s wrong?”
There was no way he would tell her that he’d been checking out her ass. “No. I was just wondering if you need my help. I’m a lot taller than you.”
She frowned. “Don’t rub it in. How many years have you listened to me complain about not being taller? I’m 5’6, and I always wanted to be 5’8. That was the standard height for models, and you probably remember how badly I wanted to be one.”
“Of course, I remember. After all, I’m your best friend…although for the past three years, I’ve had to compete against Desiree.”
She threw her head back and laughed, and the sound did something to him. It made every cell in his body come alive. “I can’t wait to tell Desiree you said that. You sound jealous.”
“I was for a while, but then I discovered I liked Desiree. Your friendship with her and your friendship with me are different. With her, it’s a girl thing and with me—”
“It’s a guy thing?” she interrupted to ask.
He decided not to lie. Holding her gaze for a moment, he said, “No. It’s not a guy thing.”
“Oh.”
He saw the questioning look in her eyes, but he wasn’t ready to tell her what she meant to him just yet, so he changed the subject. “Speaking of Rae, how is she adjusting to living in America?”
“She’s okay. I think she’s met a guy she likes.”
“Already? That’s fast. She’s only been there a few months.”
“I guess not everybody drags their feet when they see someone they want.”
He nodded, accepting the rebuke. She was right. “I guess not. If she’s happy, then I’m happy. I like her a lot. And not just because she’s one of your best friends. She’s a good person.”
“She definitely is. I am blessed to have both of you in my life, Dre.”
It was time to go for broke. Drawing in a deep breath, he said, “We’ve been friends for a long time, Cam. But I’m starting to think that’s not enough. Is there another role that I could play in your life? Maybe one that brings us even closer?”
***
Camille leaned against the counter for support. He’d asked. She couldn’t believe it. A few days ago, when she mentioned she was getting cold feet, Rae told her to warm them up, which was why she was wearing the socks. They were subliminal motivation, urging her to go for what she wanted.
Before dinner, she’d wondered if Dre had noticed the chemistry between them. And now, it looked like she had her answer.
Being together on the slopes had helped.
He’d had to help her get reacquainted with skiing, so he’d had to touch her a lot, making sure she placed her hips and thighs in the right position as she skied, and that her equipment was sized perfectly to fit her.
Each time they had touched, a little ball of need had burst to life at the pit of her stomach.
When she had walked into the kitchen to help with dinner, she’d been aware not only of his good looks, but also the stunning male power and strength he managed to radiate. She’d seen it before, but now, alone in the kitchen, it hit her hard.
“Cam?”
He was waiting for her answer, and she turned to look back at him. Even now, a crackle of energy was passing between them, hot and raw.
“I don’t want to lose our friendship, Dre. And I’m so afraid I might, if I give you a truthful answer.”
“That will never happen, Cam. You will always mean everything to me.”
Everything? She drew in a deep breath, knowing his definition of everything might not be the same as hers.
But still, since he had asked, she would answer.
Holding his gaze, she said, “Yes, Dre, for years I’ve wanted you to play another role in my life.
I’ve had countless dreams about it. That one day you wouldn’t be just my best friend, but also my boyfriend, lover, fiancé, husband, and the father of my children.
I could see us together, you working on your plays, me doing my therapy work, and the two of us raising a family.
And in my dreams, we would live happily ever after… because I’ve loved you forever.”
Releasing a deep breath, she swiped at the tears that threatened to fall. She’d put her heart out there. Would he crush her dreams? “I sound pretty pathetic, don’t I?”
He slowly crossed the kitchen, walking over to her with an unreadable expression on his face, and took her hand. “You don’t sound pathetic at all. Because that would make me pathetic, too.”
“Pathetic, too? Why?”
He drew in a deep breath. “I have something to give you, and it’s something I should have given you years ago.”
Camille lifted a curious brow. “What is it?”
“Wait right here, and I’ll go get it.”
She watched him walk off to head in the direction of his bedroom. He returned moments later carrying what looked like a journal. This is what Kassie asked you to give me.”
“A journal?” she asked, accepting it from him.
“It’s more than that, Cam. Since I was in high school, I have been recording things in it. Namely, poems I would write to you.”
She blinked in surprise. “You wrote me poems?”
“Yes,” he said, chuckling. Quite often, in fact. Kassie discovered it under my bed when I left for college. One day she questioned me about it. That’s when I admitted to her how much I loved you and had loved you forever.”
She broke eye contact with him to open the book. The first poem was titled Camille. She silently read it and fought back tears. It was so beautiful, and knowing he had written it for her touched her deeply, making her realize the depth of his love. “You do love me, too,” she said softly, amazed.
“Yes, I do love you, too, Cam. And not just as a best friend. But I was too afraid to ask for more, for the same reason you were. I didn’t want to do anything to risk the close friendship we have.” A smile touched his lips. “I love you, Camille Jaclyn McGraff.”
Tears she couldn’t hold back streamed down her face, and she couldn’t swipe them away fast enough.
He took the journal from her to place on the counter before leaning in to lick them away.
He then pulled her into his arms and held her.
The way she had always wanted to be held by him.
Not as a best friend but as someone more.
He was holding her close as if he never intended to let her go.
The way his body was pressed against hers made her aware of every inch of him.
She was taking him all in, his scent, the heat of his skin…
He pulled back slightly to gaze down at her, and the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know.
Why hadn’t she taken the time to look that closely before?
“I love you, Camille. There’s never been anyone but you. I read an article that said a kiss on the forehead symbolized deep love and affection, and I’ve kissed you on the forehead ever since.”
She shook her head. “I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t want to tell you how I felt for fear of losing our friendship. I had no idea that you had those same fears.”
“Rae must have read that same article because she mentioned something about that to me. But I didn’t want to get my hopes up.”
“Now you know. Now we know. Moving forward, we will speak our feelings out loud. “I love you.”
“And I love you, Dre.”
Smiling, he leaned in to kiss her. And all was well with her world.
***
The moment their lips touched, Léandre was overcome with happiness. Camille loved him the way he loved her, and they would have a future together. It would be different, but they had a good base to build on. Kassie had been right all along.
The kind of kiss they were now sharing meant everything.
It was what he had dreamed of for so many years.
She smelled like honeysuckle, and tasted of the mint tea she enjoyed drinking every morning.
Their tongues tangled, arousing him more than any kiss ever had.
It felt like a welcome-home kind of kiss, and he knew immediately that that was where he was—home.
When he heard her moan, he deepened the kiss, loving the very essence of her taste and the heat of desire they were both sharing.
It had taken years, but this was what was meant to be.
He was putting everything he had into this, kissing her with his entire heart, body, and soul.
When she moaned again, he groaned in response.
Breaking off the kiss, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close to his heart.
“I love you so much, Cam,” he whispered close to her ear before tracing it with his tongue.
He had to say the words again, needing her to understand how much he meant them.
And he would tell her every single day. He placed a feather-like kiss on her forehead, and she sighed, now knowing what it meant.
She tightened her arms around his neck and whispered. “And I love you, Dre. For always. I can’t wait to read the rest of my poems.”
“And you will, but not now.” Sweeping her into his arms, he headed for his bedroom.