The Texan's Contract Marriage

Eleven

When Marek met her at the airport, as arranged earlier, they took Noah to Ginny’s before going to Marek’s Dallas house.

Struggling to wait to hold and kiss her, Marek finally placed his hands on her waist and took another long look at her, relishing every moment of having her with him. In a clinging, low-cut black dress that ended above her knees, she looked breathtaking. Her hair was pinned up on the sides, hanging free in the back. While it was gorgeous, he longed to take it down. Take down her hair, kiss her, seduce her and spend the rest of the day and night in bed making love.

“You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed you,” he said, kissing her passionately.

Minutes later, she leaned away to frame his face with her hands. “You haven’t seemed as happy lately. I didn’t want to talk about it over the phone. I wanted to wait until we were together.”

“I couldn’t be happier now that you’re in my arms,” he whispered, kissing her throat.

“Marek, listen a minute.” He raised his head to focus on her.

“You asked me some time ago to scale back my career, and I told you I couldn’t. Things haven’t been quite the same between us since.”

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about that. You were meant to share your talent. I love you and I’ll settle for the time I can have with you.”

“You mean that?” she asked, her eyes growing huge.

“I mean it. Even if it’s just a little of your time. I love you. I need you in my life. I need to know that I have your love.”

Smiling, with a sparkle coming to her blue eyes, she kissed him passionately again. His hands wound in her hair as he kissed her in return, and then his arm circled her waist to hold her tightly.

She finally leaned away. “That thrills me, that you are willing to make such a sacrifice for me.”

“You don’t know how much I love you,” he said, desire a smoldering fire in him.

“Marek, while we were apart, I gave thought to what I want to do. You think my life should be opera. I’m not the only singer—not even remotely. As your wife, my earnings no longer are part of this.”

“That’s beside the point.”

“Not when my family needed my help and I had to count on my voice. I still want success in opera. Specifically, I want the lead in an opera at the Metropolitan. I want the lead at La Scala.”

“You should be the lead both places,” he said, his voice thickening. He could inhale the scent of her perfume, feel her narrow waist beneath his hands. They stood with only inches separating them. “I also want the love of the man I love,” she said in a throaty voice as tears filled her eyes. “I want Noah to have a family. I want him to have two siblings. I want a family.”

“I want you to have both,” Marek whispered. “I want you to have it all. Everything possible to make you happy.”

“I love you,” she said, gazing solemnly at him. “Listen a moment. Here’s my plan.” Her voice strengthened, and she poked his chest with her forefinger as if she needed to get his attention. “Give me three years. I’m only twenty-five. For the next three years put up with the separations and the inconveniences and let me pursue my career totally. In three years, I will retire. Noah will still be in preschool, a little boy, not too old for siblings.”

“In three—”

“Do not interrupt until I’m through,” she said, startling him. “I will want to give it up in three years. I’ve thought this through carefully. I know you thought you had our marriage all mapped out and it would work and then it didn’t. I’m sure that I don’t want to pursue my career for years. I want my family. I want your love. I love you and I’m not giving you up just because you’re shocked by my talent and think I should give up everything for my career. Occasionally in your life, you’re wrong. Can you give me three years if I give you the rest?”

Stunned, he stared at her while he thought about what she proposed.

“Marek, for heaven’s sake. I love you,” she cried, standing on tiptoe to kiss him.

Marek’s resistance to her kiss disappeared. His arms locked tightly around her and he kissed her, letting go all the longing he had bottled up since hearing her perform. As if a dam had burst, desire poured over him, making him shake with urgency. He wanted her desperately and everything else vanished.

Oblivious of her hands moving over him, he unzipped her dress. She fumbled with his shirt and he yanked it off, popping buttons and sending them flying while she shook out of her dress and let it fall.

In minutes he picked her up to love her while they kissed and her long legs were locked around him. She was soft, a flame burning away all hurt. He loved her wildly, wanting to hold her forever in his arms.

When she finally clung to him, relaxing against him, he let her slide to put her feet on the floor. She glanced up.

“I think you’ve already given me your answer. Right?”

*

That night in his bed, he held her close as he toyed with long locks of her raven hair. “We’ll follow your plan, Camille,” he said. “In three years, you may change—”

She placed her fingers lightly on his mouth while she shook her head. “No. I adore Noah. I want a family. I love you and want your love. With the money you have, I can continue to have voice lessons and sing in local events in Dallas or Houston or even New Mexico, maybe once a year or less. We’ll see, but I’m sure I will not continue with this all-consuming career that takes everything.”

“You don’t have to talk me into it. For better or worse, I’m accepting your idea,” he said happily.

Smiling, she rolled over to trail feather kisses on his cheek and jaw, down over his shoulder. “If I get my wish about the Met and La Scala in less than three years, we can move up that timetable.”

He laughed, a deep rumbling sound that vibrated in his chest. “Wait a minute.”

Turning, he opened a drawer in a bedside table. He settled back to take her right hand in his.

“Camille, you’ve given me my full life back. You’ve given me Noah. You’ve given me love. Your wedding ring was a token of our contract and agreement to marry for Noah. This ring is a token of my gratitude and all my love,” he said in a husky voice. He dropped a small package in her lap.

She blinked and looked up at him, seeing warmth and love in his eyes. Her heart thudded over his declaration. Tearing away wrappings, she opened her gift. With a racing pulse, she raised the lid to see a dazzling diamond ring.

“Marek, it’s beautiful,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck. “I am overjoyed.”

He smiled at her. “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you happy.”

“Including coming to Budapest part of the time with me, even though I’ll be busy.”

“Including going to Hungary part of the time,” he answered, smiling with her. “Whatever I can do to keep your love, keep you happy, keep you and Noah in my life however much or little that turns out to be.”

Joy shook her and tears of happiness spilled. Before he could say anything more, she kissed him, knowing his love and being a family for Noah was what she wanted more than all else.