Judy Christenberry - Guarding Camille

“Yes, of course,” Camille responded, “though, since he just ate, he’ll probably go right back to sleep.”

“We can only hope,” Jake muttered, and received a glare from Camille for his efforts.

Anna smirked at her brother before saying to Camille, “We’ll take your baby and go upstairs so some people won’t bother us.”

Her words didn’t seem to affect Jake. His attention was focused on the road.

“What, or should I say who, are you looking for?” Anna asked.

“Max. He’s going to stay here while I run into town.”

Anna looked at her brother, a glimmer in her eye. “I’m sure you’re going to give him a piece of your mind for showing up so late.”

Jake ignored his sister’s teasing. “There he is!” he exclaimed a moment later. As he headed for the door, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll see you later, Camille.”

She stared after him, missing him already, feeling a little unsure on her own. After all, he’d been with her almost constantly these past months.

When she turned to find Anna and Shelby studying her curiously, she shrugged. “Shall we go upstairs? I don’t want to keep you any longer than necessary.” That wasn’t quite true, though. Female companionship, especially with these two charming women, was a welcome change.

“Don’t be silly,” Anna said. “We’re delighted to meet Jake’s mystery woman.”

“I’m just a job for Jake,” she hurriedly said, and followed the other two up the stairs.

Camille knew they’d carried in a lot of clothes, but she was stunned by the amount. Anna had brought a selection of casual clothes besides the dressier items. A linen jumper with several different silk T-shirts to be worn underneath was her favorite item.

“I love this.”

“You have good taste,” Anna assured her. “It looks terrific on you.”

Shelby laid out several pairs of walking shorts. “You must’ve been hot lately in the clothes you have. It was much colder when you arrived.”

“Yes. I had no idea I’d be in hiding so long,” Camille confessed.

“Have you been bored?” Anna asked. “I don’t think I could stand to be trapped in one place.”

Camille thought back to the lonely days and nights. Jake hadn’t been much of a conversationalist, though toward the end of her pregnancy, he’d opened up a bit more.

Then, when he’d gone into the delivery room with her, helping her through that difficult time, she’d thought they’d drawn closer. But she could sense he was pulling away again.

“I read a lot. And we have a television and VCR. Jake got us movies to watch.” Though most of them she’d watched alone.

“Well, tomorrow night you’ll get to socialize a little,” Anna said. “Which brings us to what you’ll wear at Mom’s. Shall I show you my favorite?”

Camille nodded, and Anna unzipped a garment bag and pulled out a cocktail dress in pale leaf green. Its empire style relieved Camille’s concern about her waistline, which hadn’t quite shrunk to its pre-pregnancy trimness, and the frothy chiffon skirt gave the dress a certain grace and elegance.

Camille gasped. “How beautiful!”

“It will be perfect on you,” Anna assured her.

Camille picked up the dress and gasped again. “But—but it’s a designer dress!”

“Don’t you like it? It’s beautifully simple, such great lines,” Anna enthused.

“Yes, it’s wonderful…but expensive,” Camille said, frowning.

“Oh, don’t worry. After I talked to you and Jake, Mom called. She was afraid you’d have nothing to wear. She wants the gown to be a gift from her.”

Nothing could have pointed out more clearly to Camille how far apart her world and Jake’s were than his sister’s casual attitude toward a designer gown. “There’s no reason for her to pay for my dress.”

Shelby chuckled. “Yes, there is. She figures she owes you for bringing Jake home.”

JAKE WAS BACK in a suit and tie. And tense.

When he’d met with the FBI team the day before, while Camille tried on her new clothes, they’d assured him Eckart was staying well underground.

“He may even have left the area,” Steve Parks, the team leader, said.

“No, he hasn’t,” Jake disagreed firmly.

“You’ve heard something?”

“No. But I know how the man thinks. He considers Camille to be his property. He won’t rest until he has her in his control.”

Even worse, Jake believed Eckart was filled with anger and revenge because he’d been bested by his ex-wife. His macho image had been damaged. He wouldn’t rest until he had Camille under his power again. And heaven help Camille—and Jamie—if that happened.

“Come on, Jake. She’s just a woman, not Cleopatra. No man’s going to blow his entire life for a woman who doesn’t want him.”

Jake sent a steely stare Steve’s way. “Stay alert. He’ll turn up.”

Now he waited for Camille to appear so they could drive to his mother’s house. He wasn’t comfortable about the drive there. Once they arrived and he had Camille inside, he’d feel a lot better.

He suspected Camille would, too. Ever since he left her at Garrett’s house yesterday, she’d behaved differently. More withdrawn, quieter.

He should be pleased. After all, he’d rebuffed her early attempts at conversation. He’d ignored her offerings of friendship. For six months, he’d resisted her. And now that he wanted her to talk to him, she refused.

“Camille? Are you ready?” He checked his watch again. He definitely wanted them to arrive at his mother’s early. There would be a crowd, since his family was large. His mother and father had had five children of their own plus his adopted siblings, R.J. and Anna. Then there were the four Lords, and Jake’s cousin Connor and his fiancée.

And Harrison Smith.

Strange man. He’d come to town to check out Maitland Maternity Clinic as a possible place for his first grandchild’s entry into the world. Not an unusual occurrence. The hospital’s reputation drew the rich and the famous and extended far beyond the Texas border.

But something about Harrison Smith bothered him.

He’d stayed too long, and his interest seemed focused on the Maitlands themselves, rather than the clinic.

“I’m ready,” Camille said softly.

Jake looked up, still lost in thought, and was completely unprepared for the vision facing him.

His breath caught in his throat, and he thought he was going to pass out.

Dissolving into coughs, he bent over.

“Are you all right?” Camille asked, concern in her voice.

He straightened and looked at her again. Man, he was in trouble. He hadn’t seen her in anything sexy before.

And she was right about her breasts.

The gown she wore was a halter top in some kind of shimmery green material that made her eyes look huge. It hugged her breasts and then floated around her legs, emphasizing every move she made.

Her silky blond hair, shoulder length when they’d first come to Texas, was longer now, but she’d swept it up on top of her head, revealing an elegant neck that made his mouth water.

“Jake?” Camille prompted.

“I’m fine. You look—very nice,” he said, hoping she wasn’t aware of the reaction those tame words hid.

“Thank you. It’s exciting to wear new clothes. Anna even brought some things for Jamie. See, he’s wearing a new sleeper.” She gestured to the baby carrier where she’d strapped in her son.

“Very nice. We’d better hurry. Here, put these on.” He held out a white shirt, a tie and a jacket.

Camille stared at him. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No.” This was part of his plan to protect Camille. “You’re going in disguise.”

She took a step back. “But, Jake—my dress.”