Janelle Denison: Too Wilde to Tame

Reaching across the table, Amelia placed her hand over Mia's. "Oh, honey, I never meant to make you feel that way."

"The thing is, you never did. It was all me." Accepting the blame that was her burden to bear, Mia curled her fingers over Amelia's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "Then, as the years passed and I realized you weren't the wicked stepmother I'd imagined you to be, by then I was so certain you wouldn't love me because I'd been such an awful, disruptive child. I certainly didn't give you any reason to love me."

Mia's voice cracked with emotion, and she exhaled a trembling breath before continuing. "So it became easier and safer for me to keep my distance from you emotionally, than risking the kind of hurt and pain I'd gone through when I lost my mother. That was something I never wanted to experience again."

Amelia waved her hand between them. "First of all, I've always loved you and your brothers as if you all were my own. Even when you were an awful, disruptive child," she said with a gentle, maternal grin. Then she grew serious. "Your father and I decided not to have any children together because I was perfectly content with the four of you. But I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss not having a close mother-daughter type of relationship with you. Then again, I never wanted you to think I was trying to take your mother's place, so I took my cues from you."

And they'd been angry, selfish cues, Mia knew. "We've both missed out on so much. Is it too late to ask for your forgiveness, with the hope that maybe we can start out fresh and new from this point on?" This time, there were no fears or insecurities about opening herself up emotionally to Amelia. Mia was coming to realize that without risk, there was no gain.

"I'd like that very much." Moisture dampened Amelia's eyes-tears based in pure joy. She leaned toward Mia and wrapped her in a warm, tight hug. "All I ever wanted was for you to be happy, Mia."

Closing her eyes, Mia absorbed Amelia's embrace. Such a simple gesture that meant so much. Finally, they pulled apart and a smile played at the corners of Mia's mouth when she thought of how far she'd come in the past few weeks-and where she was headed. The confidence she felt was amazing and exhilarating. So was the inner peace filling her as a result of her visit with Amelia today.

"For the first time in my life, I'm very happy," Mia said and knew she meant every word.

Amelia's soft brown gaze searched Mia's expression. "Does it have anything to do with Cameron?"

Unsure where Amelia's question had stemmed from, Mia treaded cautiously, not quiet sure what she willing to reveal just yet. "What makes you ask that?"

"The night of the gallery show Joel made mention that he hoped things worked out between the two of you," Amelia said as she folded her arms on the table.

Mia was shocked to learn that Joel knew about her relationship with Cameron. She was even more stunned that her sometimes-overbearing brother hadn't said anything directly to her about it. Maybe, hopefully, her brothers were learning that she needed to stand on her own two feet and no longer needed them to shelter and protect her.

"I have to say, I agree with Joel," Amelia went on. "Cameron is a good man, and I could see by the way he watched you from afar that night that he cares for you very much."

Actually, Cameron loved her, Mia thought, reveling in the knowledge that such an incredible man wanted her . And there was no doubt in Mia's mind that she loved him as well. It had just taken her a little bit longer to embrace the emotion, to believe in it, to know it was lasting and true.

"Well, I'm finally in the right place, mentally and emotionally, to give my all to a relationship with Cameron," Mia said, thinking just how far she'd come in just a few short weeks. "There were some things I needed to take care of and do on my own first." Like going public with her stained-glass art and mending her relationship with Amelia. "And now, I'm ready to be the kind of woman Cameron needs in his life."

"So what are you waiting for?" Amelia encouraged her, as only a mother could do. "Go and tell him how you feel."

Mia planned to. Because she'd learned just how precious an emotion like love was, and she wouldn't take it, or Cameron, for granted ever again.

THE last person Cameron expected to find when he opened his front door was Mia. But there she was, looking like she'd just stepped from the dreams that consumed him on a nightly basis. Dreams of Mia, and what could have been.

She looked like a vision with her silky black hair tousled around her beautiful face and her soft gray eyes staring at him expectantly. Hopefully . She didn't try to hide the emotions in her gaze, the open vulnerability. But he also saw something else in her anxious expression. Real and candid feelings he dared to believe were meant for him.

A tremulous smile eased up the corners of her mouth. "Can I come in?"

He shook his head to clear it. To be sure she wasn't some kind of apparition. When she didn't disappear, he stepped back to let her enter. "Uh, yeah, sure."

He led the way into the living room and then turned to face her. "So what brings you by?"

"This, for starters." She stepped toward him and held out a long, flat package wrapped in dark blue paper. "It's for you."

If a part of him had been secretly hoping for an undying declaration of love, he'd been sorely mistaken. He glanced from the gift back up to Mia's face. She was biting her bottom lip, looking so endearing and tempting he ached to slide his fingers into her hair, pull her sweet mouth to his, and kiss her senseless.

He reined in the urge, because he'd yet to figure out her motives for visiting and the present she'd brought with her. Was it a parting gift or a token of her affection? "I don't remember it being my birthday."

"It doesn't need to be," she said and pushed it into his hands so he was forced to take the package from her. "Not for this. Open it, and you'll see."

His curiosity was definitely peaked. Sitting down on the couch, he tore the paper off the box and then lifted the lid. Because of the size of the package he had a good idea of what might be inside, and as he peeled back layers of tissue paper he discovered his assumption was correct. She'd given him one of her stained-glass designs. It was a piece he hadn't seen at her gallery show.

At first glance, he saw a striking, abstract pattern, one that was complex and intense, with vivid, brilliant colors that seemed to shimmer and glow with a life of its own. But it didn't take him long to see beyond that initial design, to the erotic image of a man and woman in a sensual, carnal embrace. The passion and emotion between the couple was nearly tangible, more so than he'd ever seen in any of her other stained-glass designs.

"I sketched that design after our first night together," she told him.

Which explained the chemistry and sexual tension radiating from the couple. While he understood that the man and woman in the picture represented the two of them, Cameron still had no idea why she'd given it to him. So he took a guess. "What is this? A souvenir of our time together?"

She was standing a few feet away, and she shifted on her sandaled feet, suddenly looking nervous and uncertain. "No, that picture is how I see our future. You and me, together."

His heart started pounding in his chest, but he wasn't about to assume anything. "You want an affair?"

She laughed lightly and shook her head. "I was thinking more along the lines of a real relationship. Going on real dates. No sneaking around my family or yours. Hand-holding in public."

Oh, he definitely liked the way that sounded, but her enthusiasm and turnaround seemed almost too good to be true. Especially after how they'd parted ways.