Page 79 of Her Faithful Protector

“I thought I was just a glorified thug that Uncle Sam pays to do their dirty work,” he teased.

“Never say that!” Camilla said in a horrified voice. “Don’t you dare.”

Nic laughed.

“I’m serious, Nic, don’t even say that in jest.”

He held up his hands. “Okay, I promise.”

“As for our relationship building, I’ve been getting to know you too. You’re one amazing man. Watching you cook blackberry cobbler and then taking it over to Mimi and Alice was a great day. I learned a lot about you.”

Nic flushed. He’d been worried when he’d left Alice and Camilla alone while he’d played with Mimi in the backyard. “What do you mean you learned a lot about me?”

“There’s too much to go into,” she waved her hand then she rested it on his chest. “You have such a good heart, Nic.”

“I see a man who found a way to get me into counseling when I needed it. A man who sees to my physical needs when I’m in pain. A man who cares deeply for his cousin and her child. Your generosity of spirit overwhelms me.”

Nic held her gaze even though it was hard under all that praise. “I love how we play together too. I love how you’re smarter than me.”

Nic snorted, “how in the hell am I smarter than a genius?”

“You see things about people that I miss. Even small things like that waitress at the restaurant. You knew to ask her about her baby because you saw a little bit of spit-up on her shoulder. You got her talking and smiling when she was clearly dead on her feet.”

“It’s part of my job to notice things.”

“Yeah sure. I’m buying that.” Camilla rolled her eyes. “Anyway, I’ve definitely gotten to know you, and I’m dazzled by you.”

She paused, then cleared her throat.

“Let me be as clear as possible, okay?”

He nodded. Waiting.

“I love you. I love you now and I loved you then. And if I’m totally honest with myself I think I’ve loved you all the time in between.”

He froze, then clasped her hand where it was still resting on his chest.

“I love you more than words can say, Cami. My heart beats because yours does.” He couldn’t help the rasp in his voice.

She gave him a slow, sultry smile. “Does that mean we can make love now?”

He ran the back of his knuckles down her jaw. “Oh honey, the things I’m going to do to you,” he whispered.

Nic bent down and picked her up, enjoying her little squeak of surprise. He was careful of her injured shoulder, already considering how he was going to make love to her without causing her any pain.

He didn’t let her down until they were in front of his bed. Then he indulged in another heady kiss, a kiss that only Cami could provide. It was like water in the desert. She slid her hand underneath his t-shirt and he shuddered with pleasure. In the meantime, he worked down the zipper of her dress. The only time he pulled back from the kiss was to help get her arms out of the straps.

“I’ve got to tell you that there has been a huge upside to your shoulder injury,” Nic said as he lowered her dress down past her hips.

“What’s that?”

“You never wear a bra.”

“I know, even when the nurse was here in the beginning to help me into one I didn’t put it on. I can’t unhook it at night, so it’s easier to go without.”

Nic brushed her breasts with the tips of his fingers and her nipples hardened. “I’ve had hundreds of fantasies of these breasts in the four weeks you’ve been here.”

“Hundreds, huh?”