Shoulda Been a Cowboy (Rough Riders #7)(91)

She forced a hoarse, “Why?” through her dry throat.


Cam’s eyes searched hers. “Because I hoped if you were around me every day as my wife you’d fall in love with me, given the chance. Don’t you understand? I’m not the one who always does the right thing, princess. You are. You’re the one who’s selfless, taking on a grieving boy and a handicapped man all in one fell swoop.”


“Cam—”


“Let me finish. I fell in love with you so goddamned hard and fast my ass is still sore. The thing is, I fought it from the first time I set eyes on you, which is partially why I tried to just stay friends with you.”


“Partially?”


“The other part was I didn’t think you could handle my sexual needs. Boy was I ever wrong.” He smiled cagily. “Then you told me what you needed in bed and gave me everything I’d dreamed of—and more—in return. The night you called my bluff, refusing to let me hide my body from you, I knew you were meant to be mine.


“You fill a part of me that’s been empty since before I lost my damn leg. For the first time in my life I feel like a whole man. Not because you accept my handicap, but because you accept me. All of me.” Cam’s hand shook as his knuckle drifted down the side of her face. “You own my soul, Domini. You are my heart.”


Domini studied his handsome, serious face for a long time, mustering her courage, because her next confession would be the hardest one.


“Say something,” he insisted.


“I’m sorry. All this time we’ve been together, I demanded something from you that I wasn’t prepared to give in return. I’ve given you my body without hesitation, but not my…” Emotion engulfed her.


“Sweet Jesus, Domini, baby, why are you crying?”


“Because I’m an idiot. I tried to protect my heart from you, but it’s safe with you, isn’t it?”


“Yes, baby, it’s safe with me. I’ll always keep it safe.”


“I love you. I think I’ve always loved you.”


Then his mouth was on hers. Kissing her with sweetness and tenderness so rare for him. Her tears fell with each gentle glide of his lips, with each heartbeat, with each shared breath. When she broke the kiss to whisper, “You make me feel whole too,” he clutched her like he’d never let her go.


After he’d squeezed the breath out of her, he laughed. Hard.


“What?”


“Did you really think I’d trade you in for a model that wasn’t missing parts?” He swept her hair behind her ear. “I’m missing parts. That hasn’t mattered to you, has it?”


“No.”


“Then why would you think it’d matter to me? I married you for real, for keeps, forever. I want to spend the rest of my life loving you, not making babies with you.”


“You’re too good to be true.”


“Nah. Just crazy about my wife.” Cam kissed her again. “Besides, if we ever get a handle on how to parent the kid we’ve already got, and if we decide we want more, we can adopt. After what we’ve seen the world over…we both know—you probably better than anyone—that there are kids all over the world who need a home.”


“You want to adopt Anton?”


“Yes. I know you’re surprised.”


“That’s putting it mildly.”


“It’s taken me time to adjust. Maybe you should’ve kept me in the loop as far as what legal steps you were taking alone, with the help of Ginger Paulson, on lining up Anton’s adoption.”


Her face flamed. “You knew?”


“Only because I saw her bill on your desk at Dewey’s. Were you going to tell me?”


“Maybe. Probably. I guess I wanted to see if you’d change your mind.”


“Princess, I’m damn stubborn. Once I set my mind to something, I don’t change it. Since you’ve been sick and I’ve been hanging out with Anton I had an epiphany of sorts. I realized I really like the kid. I also understood that for the last two months I tried to get along with Anton for your sake. That’s unfair, not only to you, but to me, and most of all to Anton.


“It’s scary shit being entrusted with the care of a child, but you’ve bucked up to the challenge so can I. Anton deserves better than my half-assed attempt at being a father figure. He needs a real father and I intend to be one to him if he’ll let me.”


Domini closed her eyes. She was half afraid if she reopened them she’d find this was all some kind of cruel dream. One of those where everything she’d ever wanted was within her grasp and as soon as she reached for it, it’d vanish into mist and she’d wake up.


“Domini? Say something.”


“Am I dreaming?”


“No baby, this is as real as it gets.”


Chapter Twenty-Four


Everything Domini said, everything that’d come out, gave Cam an unbelievable sense of relief their marriage was real—and finally on the right track. When Domini insisted on helping his mother clean up, he’d been grateful for a few moments alone. Not that it’d last long. Sure enough he heard, “Cam?”