Married Yet still a Virgin

Chapter 13 (Continued)

"Three hundred guests Mother? What part of small and intimate did you not get?" Michael asked looking at his mother in frustration. They had flown down to Florida to see about the final stages of the wedding which was only two weeks away. He had hesitated about Camille flying down until he was sure she could make the trip. he admit he had gotten paranoid where she was concerned and even the nausea she was going through had him concerned. She had been through too much and he was going to do his best to shield her from the harder things in life.

"Darling as soon as they heard you were getting married the questions came and I could not very well invite some and leave out the others," Adele told him smoothly. She had seen the way he placed his hand protectively over his fiance's hand and knew he was going to have a very hard time letting go. "Camille go on in the suite and get some rest while I sort things out with Michael."

Camille got to her feet and Michael held onto her hand. "Michael it's okay. I am just goign to sleep for a little bit."

"I will be right here," he lifted her hand and placed it against his jaw and closed his eyes at the touch of her skin. They were staying at his place but had come straight over to his parents from the airport.

Adele waited until Camille had left the room and closed the doors behind her before she spoke. "You are going to run yourself ragged trying to protect her," his mother said as she went to pour the tea that had been brought into the room by a maid. "Chamomile?"

"I prefer coffee." It was a little past ten and they had eaten on the plane. he went to pour himself some and sat across from her. "She has been through too much and I am going to make sure she does not go through too much more."

"You are in love with her and your soul is tied up with hers, I get that." she sipped her tea and looked at her handsome in speculation. "Your father and I went through a very rough patch right before I was pregnant with you. He was involved in a plane crash and could not be found for several days." she smiled as his eyes pinned hers. "I was a young wife and we had just started the company. I could not hear anything and I died a thousand deaths thinking that I had lost him. When he was found with a broken leg and gashes on his skin I was relieved but then it was touch and go for a moment. When he recovered and came home I became clingy and needy, not wanting him to go anywhere without me. I almost drove him away and I realized just in time that even if I was with him I could not stop bad things from happening. I had to have faith that he was going to come back to me."

"Is that your roundabout way of telling me that I am holding on to Camille too tight?" he asked with raised brows.

"You are bright."

"I am not used to feeling like this Mother. She is the woman I love with my all and I am scared. I thought I had lost her to another man and I was trying to cope with that and then I heard about what happened and i had hope again. When she had the accident I thought I had lost her again and I felt as if my life was over. I cannot go through that again." he emptied his coffee cup. I never knew that I could love someone the way I love her. It is like she is wrapped around me. i feel her all the time." he looked at his mother. "Is that weird?"

"It's unbelievably wonderful and rare love and you need to treasure it darling. I feel the same way about your father." she went and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Give her some space to breathe though."

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Michael stood at the foot of the bed and watched as she slept. He had finished talking to his mother and she had persuaded them to stay for dinner and he had accepted. She was sound asleep. It had been two weeks since the horrible accident and he had gone to the office but he had kept calling her and driving her crazy with his concern. She was lying on her side with her thick dark hair spread over the pillows. She had not changed out of the denims and sweater she had worn but had only taken off her shoes. He pushed back her hair gently and his touch lingered. He had told his mother the truth. he loved her so much that it was almost overwhelming! He could not see his life without her and for the rest of their lives he was going to show her!

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He gave her a bath when they got back to his place after dinner with his parents. 

"Are you going to keep spoiling me like this?" she asked him softly as he ran the sponge over her body. He was behind her and she leaned against him closing her eyes as he bathed her.

"Who is spoiling?" he asked her softly dipping the sponge down and venturing towards her pubic area. "This is just regular treatment. You have a problem with that?"

"No," she twisted her head to look at him and his blue eyes met hers. "You have to allow me to go outside without you Michael."
"You went outside when we were at my parents and I watched you from the living room."

"Michael."

He sighed. "Yea I know but give me some time to let go slowly."

"Okay." she took his hand and placed it on her flat stomach. Very soon she would be big with his child and she was looking forward to it. "Your child is growing inside me and I find it so amazing that I don't know what to say."

"Neither do I." his hand trembled slightly as he spread his fingers over her skin.

"Can we talk about what I am going to do after we get married?"

"What do you mean?"
"I want to work Michael."

"When you were a trauma nurse you work odd hours and would be on your feet the entire time."

"They give breaks at the hospital Michael." she teased but he did not respond.

"You don not have to work." he took a deep breath. "I am worth millions and I am the only heir to my parents' fortune."

She twisted her head to look at him and his expression was sheepish.

"I already know that." she surprised him by saying. "I recognized your name and I kind of figured out you were not a pauper from this place and the place in New York and plus that spread your parents own. That does not matter to me Michael, I am independent and have always been. I am a nurse and I love what I do."

"Then we have a problem because I refuse to have my wife working those hours and being exposed to everything in a hospital," he told her stubbornly.

"Michael-"

"No Camille it is not like you need the money." he said tightly.

"You are being unreasonable." she said heatedly.

"I am being unreasonable?" the water had gotten cold and he eased away from her and stood up reaching fro a towel. He stepped out and pulled her up wrapping the towel around her bringing them closer to each other. His eyes raked her face and the wet hair curling on her shoulders. "I love you with every fiber of my being and I want to give you everything I have. I know I am being overprotective now but I am scared Camille and i will be scared for a while because of all that's happened. I know you are independent and I get that but I want you to stay put for a little bit."

She stared up at him for a moment and felt the solidness of his damp flesh and the beating of his heart. He had been there for her through everything  and had dropped everything to be with her whenever she needed him. "Okay," she whispered. "I love you too Michael but I am not going to let fear steal away the joy of my loving you."

He bent his head and kissed her thoroughly causing her to cling to him tightly. he lifted his head and rubbed her skin vigorously. "My love is overpowering but please bear with me. I promise never to cause you to doubt me or have any need to fear me. This is new and I am trying to get used to it. Bear with me."

"I will." she clasped her hands around his neck. "I feel for ice cream and pickles." he wrinkled his nose and she laughed. 

"Anything you say, no matter how disgusting it sounds."