Chapter 26
CAMILLE
My flight’s delayed three times before I finally leave New York.
I decided to change my flight and return a day earlier after Lizzy finally answered one of my calls.
She apologized for everything she said, but when she told me she called Adam and talked to him, I cried.
With newfound hope, all I want to do was go home so I can talk to him.
With all these delays, I won’t land in Kalispell until after nine.
By the time I get to my car and drive home, it'll be too late to go see him.
So much for an earlier arrival.
I’ll have to wait until tomorrow. But tomorrow is Tuesday, and I have no clue what his work schedule looks like. If everything with my house continued as planned while I was gone, it should be done. He’ll have no reason to be at my house to manage the job.
Every fear that invaded my thoughts this week comes rushing back. What if he doesn’t want to talk to me? He never responded to my texts, and he ignored all my calls. Then he left town for a week without telling me. What if he changed his mind?
I wouldn’t blame him. How could he love someone as messed up and damaged as me? He’s had his fair share of heartbreak. Why would he risk more for a broken woman?
I had too many questions sparked by doubt and no answers.
But the one thing that has haunted me the most since he told me he loves me is that I can’t give him what he always wanted—kids of his own.
He didn’t flinch when I told him I couldn’t have more kids the first night we spent together, but that was before our hearts were involved.
I can give him a family—it’ll just look different than what he always wanted.
I hope it’ll be enough.
I’ve been driving myself mad all week with these thoughts, and I can’t do a damn thing to make them go away. I can’t fix anything until I speak to Adam.
Thanks to Mother Nature and this severe thunderstorm over New York City, that’s going to have to wait.
My flight lands in Kalispell at 9:30 pm. By the time I retrieve my luggage from baggage claim and make it to my car, it’s after ten. I’m exhausted and want nothing more than to crawl in bed and sleep until this ache in my chest goes away.
The drive home goes by in a blur. I don’t remember most of it and when I pull into my driveway, I’m a bit taken aback by my lack of focus. But I make it home safely and that’s all that really matters.
I’m even more taken aback when I see Adam’s truck parked in my driveway. My heart rate picks up and a high pitch ringing fills my ears.
He’s here.
I can hardly breathe as I step out of my car and collect my luggage. Whatever tiredness I felt before is gone. All I can think about is finding Adam and fixing this distance between us.
I open the front door and the only light on is the light above the kitchen stove.
“Adam,” I call out, but he doesn’t respond.
A rustling noise drags my attention to the stairs.
Leaving my luggage in the foyer, I follow the sound.
My legs feel like they’re weighted down with lead as I slowly ascend the stairway.
I’m more nervous than I’ve ever been in my life.
When I reach the landing, I squeeze my eyes shut trying like hell to convince myself that him being here is a good sign.
I let out a long breath and head toward my lit bedroom. I can see shadows moving around within the room, but I can’t see him. It has to be him.
Please, God. Let it be him.
I reach the threshold of my room and clap my hands to my mouth to stifle my gasp. I knew exactly what I wanted for every room of this chalet except the master suite. Adam and I had discussed lots of different design options, but I couldn’t decide which direction I wanted to go.
Somehow, he figured that out from all my notes because my room is the most beautiful room I’ve ever seen.
The walls are painted a pale, subtle green.
All my furniture is the same dark mahogany wood, but my bedding is updated to a white comforter with pale green vines swirling along the edge and matching pale green throw pillows.
The wood floors have been stripped and now match the dark stain we applied to the rest of the house.
Beneath the bed is a large area rug that almost reminds me of a calm grassy field.
The artwork on the walls are calming paintings of mountain scenes. They look like views of the mountains that surround my home. Everything about the room exudes the exact feeling I told Adam I wanted in my private space.
I step into the room and make my way to the bathroom entrance.
Adam is standing with his back to me on the opposite side of the room.
Gone is the old, half rotted wood furnishings, outdated tub and cracked shower.
My bathroom looks like something I’d find in a luxury spa.
The walls are painted a slightly darker shade of green than the bedroom.
The old jacuzzi tub is replaced with a sleek, modern tub with a waterfall faucet—exactly what I wanted.
The flooring is a white tile with dark green accents throughout.
But it's the shower that really grabs my attention.
It expands along the full length of the back wall with frameless glass doors. The tile is a similar white marble with faint green swirls throughout but smaller in size. It's the tile I was leaning toward but couldn’t quite commit. Seeing it in my bathroom confirms it's perfect.
The same calming touches and artwork adorn my bathroom as well. Adam took all of our conversations and extracted the perfect design.
It’s perfect in every way.
Just like him.
Adam turns around, and the look of surprise on his face tells me he wasn’t expecting to see me.
“You’re home.” The words leave his lips as a whisper.
I nod. “I decided to come back a day early. I would’ve been here sooner, but my flight was delayed.”
He swallows and rubs his hand on the back of his neck. He’s nervous. I smile, hoping that sends the right message. He has no reason to be nervous.
“This is … Wow. I can’t even find the words to express how amazing this looks.” I glance around the bathroom again before shifting my gaze to him.
“I’m just adding some finishing touches. I wanted to get this done for you before you got home. I thought I had until tomorrow.”
We stand in silence, staring at each other, until things start to feel uncomfortable.
There’s so much I want to say, yet I can’t get a single word to come out.
He’s the first to break eye contact and end our silence.
“I hope you like what I’ve done and aren’t upset with me for doing this while you were gone. I’ll change everything you don’t like.”
“I love it. It's everything I wanted and couldn’t express. I don’t know how you figured this out from my ramblings, but you did.”
He smiles, adjusts the white lilies in the vase beside him and starts toward me. “You’ve gotta be tired. I’ll get out of your way so you can get some rest.”
“Please don’t—”
“Camille.” The quiet way he says my name brings tears to my eyes. It's like he’s already accepted that I’m gone. “It’s okay. You don’t need to say anything. We’ll talk after you’ve had some rest.”
“I don’t want to rest. I came home early to see you.
I was so upset my flight was delayed. I need to get this out now and explain why I was upset last Friday.
” He stuffs his hands in his jean pockets revealing a hint of his abs beneath his t-shirt.
Heat passes over his eyes as he catches me raking mine over his body.
I’ve missed him in more ways than one. I open my mouth to continue, but he speaks first.
“Lizzy called me. She told me what she said.” A sadness flashes in his eyes but it vanishes quickly. I hate that her words hurt him.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you. I knew she was hurting because of her dad.”
“I know. She explained that. We talked about it, and we’re good.” He takes a step toward me but still maintains some distance. “Are you okay?”
Tears threaten to escape, and I swallow hard. “No. She avoided me all week, which she’s never done. We finally talked yesterday. So we’re good now. But I need to fix us.” I choke on the words.
Adam is beside me with his hands on my arms before I can take my next breath. He’s so close I can smell his pine scent.
I don’t think. I don’t hold back. And I don’t worry for another second what he feels about me. I wrap my arms around his neck and let my tears fall.
He pulls me close, gently rubbing my back. “Please don’t cry. It nearly broke me seeing you cry last week. I don’t think I can handle it again.”
“I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I should’ve talked to you instead of pushing you away.”
“Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have given up so easily. I let my past pain get in the way of making a rational decision. If only I waited for you to calm down, we could’ve avoided all of this. Assuming you still want me around.”
I jerk my head up, surprised he’d even suggest otherwise. “Of course, I want you around. I’ve been worried this entire time that you didn’t want me anymore. That you decided you were wrong and didn’t love me.”
“No, not at all. I love you very much, Cami.” He brushes his lips across mine and it's the best thing I’ve felt in days.
“I’ve been such a fool. I didn’t get your text message until I was in Chicago.
I didn’t respond because I was afraid you were going to tell me this was over.
When I returned, you were gone, and I couldn’t fix this.
All I’ve wanted to do since Friday is fix this. ”
“You were in Chicago?”
“Yeah. For that mountain resort project. It’s mine.”
I smile and cup his cheeks before I press my lips to his.
It's a hard and fast kiss, but enough to let him know I mean what I’m about to say.
“That’s wonderful, and I’m so proud of you.
I love you, Adam. I should have told you last week when you said it to me, but I was scared.
I never want to be scared like that again.
You’ve opened my heart in a way I never thought it could again. I will always love you for that.”
His gaze turns feral as he slides his hand around my neck and claims my lips. His mouth is all-consuming as his tongue sweeps across my own, deepening the kiss. Every bit of doubt and worry I struggled with all week is gone. There’s only us, and the love we share.
He slowly backs me up against the wall and rolls his hips. His erection presses against my lower stomach, making me moan.
“I’m gonna make love to you again and again until I prove to you just how much I love you. When I’m done, you’ll never doubt my love for you.”
“Yes. Please.” I barely get the words out before his mouth is on mine again. There’s a possessiveness to the way he’s kissing me, and I love it. I crave being owned by him. I need it. I want it.
He releases my lips and slowly kisses along my jawline and down my neck. His beard is rough against my skin, and it sends waves of excitement through my body.
He sucks my earlobe into his mouth and lightly nibbles on it. “You’re mine, Cami. Please say you’re mine. I need to hear you say it.”
“I’m yours, and you’re mine. Promise me we’ll never walk away mad or upset at each other again.”
He steps back from me, and I immediately miss the warmth of his body. He holds his eyes on mine as he lifts my shirt off over my head. “I promise,” he says right before he takes my mouth again.
He unclasps my bra, sliding the straps down my arms revealing my chest to him. His mouth is on my breasts, sucking and nipping at me until I feel like I’m going to explode with pleasure. His hands and mouth are everywhere, worshiping my body.
He undoes the button on my slacks and pulls them down with my panties.
Once I’m completely naked, he steps back and admires me with a grin.
He doesn’t take his eyes off mine as he undresses himself.
His hard body makes me ache even more for him.
And when he takes me into his arms and lifts me onto him, I cry out.
With my back pressed against the wall, he fills me completely.
He stills, giving us both a chance to adjust to his presence inside me.
When he starts to move, it's intense and hard and slow. I wrap my legs around him, digging my heels into his lower back. He increases his speed, and my body reacts quickly. He’s so hard and he fills me so completely that I can’t help but lose control.
I explode around him, my orgasm hitting me fast. That only makes him move faster and harder into me, dragging out my release.
I feel him get harder as I come around him—my body further feeding his excitement—but he doesn’t come with me. He holds me tight against him and carries me into the bedroom. When he lays me on the bed, he resumes his thrusting into me.
He makes good on his promise. He makes love to me half the night, only breaking once to get us both something to drink. He dragged four orgasms out of me to his two. We fell asleep naked and tangled together when we were both too spent to continue.
I finally found my new place in this world—safely tucked into Adam's arms.