The next morning, Deanna called Cam and made arrangements to modify their plans for the evening. At first, he sounded disappointed that the movie wouldn't work. Then, when she explained the situation, he seemed pleased. And a little quiet. Deanna wondered if she'd just surprised him or stepped out of line. At this point in time, she wasn't sure.
Cam appeared promptly that evening, and Deanna opened the door with a grin. Over the course of the day, she realized how intimate the dinner would be. After all, she did most of the cooking. But, she also reasoned that Marissa would be there. All thoughts of Marissa fled, and every doubt she'd had about that evening rose to mind when she saw Cam standing on the porch of her home. He wore jeans, a snug t-shirt, and that bomber jacket from a few nights ago. His dog tags weren't under his shirt this time, and she liked the different look.
He turned and grinned at her. "Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah." Deanna let him inside, watching how he studied her home. "I'm just a little out of my element."
He whirled from his study of the living room. "Because of me?"
"Because of the entire situation." She headed for the kitchen, leaving the decision to follow her up to him. "I mean, my brother came home last night and told me that he thinks he's in love." She picked up a knife and stared at it. "My brother!"
Cam grinned at her again. "Yeah, I can see where that would be a little weird. But, imagine tonight from his point of view. He probably feels the same way about me."
Deanna flushed. "I haven't told him I'm in love." She glanced at him as she began chopping onions. "I'm not even sure what this is, yet."
He slipped off his jacket and dropped it over one of the dining chairs. Then, he grabbed the second cutting board propped behind the knife block and pulled out another knife. "This?" He swiped the garlic she'd peeled but hadn't had a chance to chop. As he began to expertly chop it, he leaned close enough to whisper in her ear, "This is dinner. Don't rush it."
She looked at him, trying to breathe with his face so close to her own. "I wasn't."
They stood like that for a moment, and then Danny cleared his throat behind them. Deanna flushed again, and Cam grinned at her before dropping the knife to shake her brother's hand. She continued to chop the onions as Cam returned to working on the garlic. Why did she have to respond this way to him? What was it about him, besides the brilliant blue eyes, that affected her heart so strongly that she forgot how to breathe?
Marissa arrived before the potatoes and green beans she'd planned had finished cooking. Danny, who manned the grill in the back yard, rushed through the house, drawing an amused chuckle from Cam. He leaned toward Deanna. "I see what you mean."
Vindicated, Deanna stirred the green beans and eyed the salad taking shape. "Should we rush them?"
Cam leaned back, peeking around the wall in that trained military way. After a moment, he looked back at her. "Nah. Let's give them some time."
After a few moments of quiet, she heard Danny explaining that his sister's boyfriend was also joining them for dinner. Cam's head came up suddenly. "Boyfriend?"
"Sorry." Deanna mentally prepared to strangle her brother. "He's the one that said it. Not me."
Cam thought about that for a moment. "I like it."
Deanna stared at him. She still stood with her knife poised over the tomatoes when Danny led Marissa around the corner. Rather than admitting that Cam had shocked her, she set down the knife and wiped her hands on a towel.
Danny made the introductions. "This is my sister, Deanna. And this is Cam Mitchell." He floundered momentarily. "Meet Marissa Richman."
Marissa shook hands with both of them and motioned toward Cam. "So you two are dating?"
"What? No." He sent Deanna a conspiratorial wink. "We've been seeing each other for about a week and haven't yet decided what this is."
Deanna let out a sigh of relief at that statement. "And, I hate to drag Danny away from you, but the steaks are going to burn."
Danny cursed under his breath and ran out the door, drawing a laugh from Cam and Marissa. Deanna opened her mouth to offer the other woman a drink, but Marissa followed Danny out the door. Cam took that moment to invade her space again. "So, are we going to decide what this is?"
She stared at him, not wanting to disappoint him but not ready to fully commit to another relationship. "I don't know, Cam. You're leaving in another week, and I'm not sure it's wise to start anything right now."
"I don't know that I have a choice in that." He took the knife from her hand and set it aside. "I mean, this is all unexpected, but I'm not sure I can let things go so easily. Sometimes, your heart decides something before your mind catches up."
She let out a deep breath. "I know what you mean. And I understand. I'm feeling the same thing. But it's only been a few days, and I don't want to jump into something I'm not ready to be in."
"So long as you realize that I'm an impatient man." He smiled at her. "I'll wait, but only for so long. Then, I might try to make it an order."
Danny returned a few minutes later with the steaks a little worse for the wear and a grinning Marissa in tow. Deanna finished tossing the salad while Cam set helped set the table. By the time they sat down to eat, the tension from introductions had faded. Marissa clearly adored Danny, and Deanna's heart settled as she watched the two of them. They were clearly head over heels, and she suddenly wanted her brother to know that she'd be okay. With Cam nudging her elbow and flirting openly with her, she thought she just might have found something worth the risk.
After they ate, Marissa and Danny insisted on helping them clean the kitchen. Deanna finally demanded that they leave the kitchen after she tripped over them for the third time. Cam laughed softly as they left and looked at her. "He's got it bad."
"I know." She smiled, feeling somewhat starry-eyed after watching her brother. "He makes me think."
They finished loading the dishwasher and wiping the counters. Deanna marveled at the level of comfort between the two of them and wondered if that should indicate something. She refused to dwell on the matter, however, and enjoyed having Cam with her. As they walked from the kitchen into the living room, he slipped an arm around her shoulders.
Danny and Marissa sat on the love seat facing the kitchen, leaving the couch for Deanna and Cam. They spoke quietly, their faces only a few inches apart. Deanna almost nudged Cam out the front door when Marissa noticed them. She straightened marginally and grinned. "Danny tells me you play the guitar as well."
Cam moved away from her slightly as he stared in surprise. "Really?"
"Yeah," Deanna hedged, "not as well as Danny does."
Marissa grinned at her. "I'd love to hear it." She glanced between the two men. "If that's okay."
"Fine with me." Cam sat on the end of the couch nearest the unused fireplace. "Go on, girl. Let's hear something." He sounded so intrigued that she couldn't say no. Instead, she went to her room and grabbed the acoustic guitar she kept on a stand in there. Danny's guitars lined a wall in his room, but he kept his favorite Fender Strat in the living room, next to her digital piano. Hoping he'd rescue her and add in a really cool solo, she grabbed her tuner and a pick and returned to the living room. Settling into the couch next to Cam, she decided that she'd do the best she could.
Seeing Danny move to grab his Strat, she patiently tuned her guitar and began strumming the opening chords to a blues ballad. The music took over a moment later, and she managed to forget about Cam, Marissa, and the pressure in the room. For those few minutes, the music reigned. When she reached the chorus of the song, Danny added in a few touches with his electric guitar, coming in strong with a showy solo intended to impress his girlfriend. And it did. By the time the song ended, Marissa stared at him with adoration covering her face. Deanna decided that, if Danny didn't propose to this girl, she'd kill him.
oOo
Cam let his arm rest on the back of the leather couch, enjoying this glimpse into Deanna's life. Dinner had been fun, and he'd enjoyed the light conversation they shared before the meal. He meant what he said, however. He had a feeling his heart had already chosen his course of action.
Deanna fairly glowed as she played the guitar. He watched her, amazed at the change in her face. Her fingers flew over the fret board, clearly on par with her brother's more showy style. Her music, however, was only an extension of herself.
As the song ended, Cam rubbed his eyes. He'd come here tonight, planning to keep things light and fun. He didn't come here to debate the future of their relationship-or if they even had anything more than a brief attraction to each other. Seeing Deanna in her home, surrounded by things familiar to her, changed all that. The large living room with the breathtaking landscape over the brick fireplace, the white kitchen with touches of color, and the obvious love of music displayed in the instruments and sheet music carelessly scattered around the tables revealed more of Deanna Chandry than she probably intended. And he liked what he saw. This was a woman with stability.
After playing two more songs, Danny set his guitar aside and asked Marissa if she'd like a tour of the greenhouse. Marissa agreed readily, and Cam watched them go with an amused smile. In another month, he'd probably look the same way when Deanna entered the room. If he didn't look that way already.
After her brother disappeared, Deanna returned her guitar to the room where she kept it and walked back into the living room. Rather than sitting on the love seat across from him, like he expected, she dropped onto the couch and leaned into his side. Cam chuckled again and let his arm rest across her shoulders. "Better?"
"Yeah." She drew in a deep breath and let it out, seeming to draw strength from him. "Sorry. I just wasn't ready to see him like that."
"Hey, no need to apologize." The thought that he could calm her emotions sent something like a shock through him. He shifted and stood up. "Come on."
She frowned. "You want to see the greenhouse, too?"
"Oh, Lord, no!" He grabbed her hands and pulled her to her feet. "Let's take a walk. Watch the sunset. You don't look like you'll be in the mood for a movie tonight."
Deanna quickly found her phone and sent a text to her brother letting him know where she'd gone. Then, she followed him out the front door. Cam realized that he'd left his jacket inside but decided to ignore it. New Mexico was too hot to wear it anyway. Instead, he took Deanna's hand in his own and smiled when she laced her fingers with his.
They walked for a while, content to enjoy the profound silence of the desert. The Chandry twins lived between two towns, and the wind blowing through the mesquite whistled slightly. The sun began to set, and the high clouds took on a gilded look. Cam watched the orange glow set Deanna's hair on fire and knew he couldn't go back. He was falling in love with this woman and couldn't do a single thing about it. All concerns about a whirlwind romance faded in that moment, and he decided that, no matter how long it took, he'd find a way to make his career and their relationship work.
As they walked back to the house, the hair on Cam's neck stood on end. He glanced at Deanna, but she showed no signs of apprehension. Rather than speaking to her, he looked around. Who would be watching them in the middle of the desert? Was anyone even watching them? He'd felt this way before, and things always ended badly.
Not seeing anyone, he tightened his hold on Deanna's hand and led her to her front door. After she went through in front of him, he turned to survey the street. All was quiet. A stray car passed, the driver distracted as she talked on the cell phone. Nothing else appeared out of the ordinary. Deciding that he didn't quite know how to relax, Cam entered the house and closed the door. His decisions about his relationship with Deanna stood. Now, if he could figure out why New Mexico made him so jumpy, he'd be a happy camper.
oOo
Alyssa turned onto the highway, content with her evening's work. Oh, things could have gone better. She'd followed Cameron from his hotel room, and he'd been so distracted with his little date that he hadn't noticed her. Yet. But, in time, he'd come running to her arms.
She dropped the cell phone into her lap and smiled dreamily, staring at the picture taped onto the dashboard of her car. Cameron looked divine as he stared out into the night. She was sure he'd seen her flash, but she couldn't resist the picture. Just as he'd moved to close the drapes in his hotel room, he had smiled ever so slightly. That smile set her heart to racing. She couldn't get enough of it. She made several copies of the picture and set them up in her home, office, and car. To anyone who asked, it was a friend. But she knew better. That picture of Cameron provided a reminder of what she'd feel when she had his complete attention. The thought of seeing him stare at her with those blue eyes bright with longing and desire warmed her and made her flush.
A car behind her honked, and Alyssa jumped as she stepped on the gas pedal. Perhaps putting the picture of Cameron on her dashboard had been a bad idea. But, when she arrived home, she couldn't bring herself to remove it.
~TBC
