Page 54 of Billionaire Lumberjack's Bargain

The baby kicks against my palm, and I jerk my head up, meeting her gaze again.

“The baby reacts when you talk.” A tiny smile forms on her lips. “She knows you…”

Fucking hell.

I curl my palm tighter against her, fighting the need to pull her fully against me and crush my mouth to hers. “I’m worried about you and the baby and what’s coming.”

“Winter? The delivery? Or the fact that people are trying to take the mountain from you?”

Shit.

She definitely overheard our conversation that night.

“How much did you hear?”

Her lips twist. “Enough. And I’m sorry for eavesdropping—”

“No, you aren’t.”

A little sigh slips from her. “Okay, I’m not. But if that important conversation you need to have with Pops had been about me, I didn’t want you to be taking on something that you couldn’t or that you shouldn’t…”

“Isn’t that for me to decide, not you?”

She shakes her head. “Not when you just admitted that you’ll never concede weakness or admit defeat. Can you really handle getting both homesteads prepped? Can you really ensure you and Pops are ready when you’re spending so much time up here with us?”

I slide my free hand to her cheek, brushing the stray strand of hair away. “I’m exactly where I want to be, Camille.”

The words are true.

Truer than even I knew they were the second they left my lips.

In only a few short months, I’ve grown attached to that little boy and something far worse to this woman in front of me who’s been through so much, who’s taken on too much, who doesn’t need the added complication of my unwanted affection for her.

But she doesn’t back away as I lean in closer.

Her shoulders press against the wall in the tight space, and I cage her in with my hands on either side of her head.

“Dalton, what are you doing?”

Something so damn stupid.

“I told you, apologizing.”

Her hands slide up over my chest, and the warmth of her palms pressed over my heart permeates deep into my skin. “This doesn’t seem like apologizing. In fact, you just reiterated exactly what you said at the dinner table about me.”

I looked down at her, so small, yet so strong, so damn resilient. “You’re right, I did. But there’s something else I need to say, and I can’t have you running away while I try to do it.”

* * *

CAMILLE

My entire body trembles and heats under Dalton’s intense green gaze. He searches my face for something—maybe the objection Ishouldbe making—then steps in even closer, until the heat of his body radiates into mine. His rock-hard stomach brushes against my belly in a way that sends a little flutter through my stomach, or maybe it’s the baby moving again.

I don’t even know anymore.

Things have taken such a quick turn that it feels like the whole world is spinning wildly around me while I try to find some stable footing.

Only a few minutes ago, I was so angry at him. Pissed that he pointed out something I’ve always known about myself and that Dave loved to point out during our seven years together.

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