by Marie Jermy
Samantha laughed. She loaded a CD into the player and they worked to the classical strains of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons. She hummed. He grinned like the Cheshire Cat and blew her kisses every time he handed her a book. She didn’t want him to blow kisses at her, she’d rather he put his lips on hers and kiss her senseless. They’d just finished the fifth box and were on the sixth and last when Daniel expressed surprise at something.
“Hey, what’s this?” he asked, pulling a large sheaf of papers from the box. He unfolded them and laid them flat on the floor. “These are architectural drawings.” He looked up. “You building a house or something, baby?”
She cast her eyes downward. “It’s a dream of mine.”
“Hey, don’t go all shy on me. I’m interested. Tell me about your dream.”
“Well…” Samantha sat down next to the unfolded plans, a tingling sense of delight developing in her stomach at the thought of sharing her dream with the man she loved. “I love children, Daniel. It’s my nature. Mona loves her animals. I love children of any age, be they babies, preschool, teenagers.” Her tone grew excited as she spoke. “My dream, and it’s one that Mona shares, is to build a house for disadvantaged children, kind of like a summer camp. Somewhere they can come and feel safe and valued.
“Mona says with some of the older children, if they’re interested, she can set up a scholarship fund for them to study veterinary medicine. Then Rex had the idea to include disabled children, too.” She smiled and tapped a finger on the drawings. “These are the alterations to the vets’ house—”
Daniel followed her finger to the name of the architect who’d drawn the plans. “Jack Raven?” he interrupted. “Mark’s father?”
“Jack’s a nice man. Dad would disagree, though. Some long-standing and silly feud dating back to when Jack and his wife, Lindsay, first moved to the town. Mom threw a party to welcome them, and Dad…Well, you know there’s a twenty-three-year age gap between my parents?”
He nodded. “It’s the same with my parents. Well, not quite the same. There’s a fifteen-year gap between mine.”
Samantha continued. “Mom and Dad had only been married a few weeks, and Dad felt insecure.”
“Your dad, insecure? Apart from mine, oh, and your brothers, your dad is the most confident man I know.”
She smiled. “Yes, he is. But at that time, he wasn’t. He began to think the age gap was too much, that people would judge them, ask what Mom saw in him. Silly, really. Mom has never looked at another man. She adores Dad, and vice versa.”
“So what happened with Jack?”
“Dad caught him flirting with Mom and clocked him one.” At that, Daniel burst into laughter. His mirth was infectious and soon Samantha joined in. “I told you it was silly,” she said once she’d caught her breath.
“Like, totally.” Daniel took Samantha’s hands in his. “So getting back to your dream. Tell me more.” He nodded to the drawings. “You said these are alterations to the vets’ house.”
“Yes. Mona and I were going to buy the house. But when Greg Stephens, who owns the practice, retired to Florida, he became friends with Rex, and not only did he offer Rex the chance to buy him out of the practice, but gave the house to him as well. Peeved Mona off no end.”
He chuckled. “I bet it did.”
Samantha laughed as she recalled her sister’s mood at the time. “Some of the things Mona did to make Rex move out were outrageous. ‘Operation Accommodation’ she’d called it. But Rex wouldn’t budge. Then after I was attacked, he found out why Mona wanted him out of the house, and he offered to help. Like I said, it was his idea to include disabled children. He also suggested that instead of altering the accommodation at the vets’, we should build a separate house on the land. There’s certainly plenty of space, and—What?” she asked as Daniel’s delicious mouth broke into a wide grin.
“Oh, nothing.”
“No. Come on. What?”
“It’s just that you’re squeaking with excitement.” He released her hands and tenderly cupped her face in his palms. “The moment you started talking about your dream, you glowed with happiness. I like seeing you happy. The home, it’s really going to happen, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
“In that case, like Rex, I’ll be happy to help. Do you want money? A donation or something?”
“That’s very kind, Daniel. But like Mona told Rex, and I do agree with her, this is our dream. Mine and Mona’s. But you can help out on something, though.”
“Name it.”
“That’s just it. A name. What to call the home. I’m drawing a complete blank on that at the moment.”
“Okay. I’ll put my thinking cap on.”
Samantha laughed when Daniel donned an imaginary hat. He then relaxed back on his elbows, looking devilishly hot with his eyes aglow and his delicious mouth crooked into a warm smile. He was the epitome of the “Happy Ever After” she knew he was.
“Anything else you want me to do?” he asked.
It was probably an innocent question directed more to the subject of the children’s home, but Samantha couldn’t resist. He’d told her she was in charge, and he’d shown her he had complete control, so why not indulge a little? “Yes. Kiss me.”
Chapter 6
Over the ensuing days, Daniel and Samantha spent every waking moment together. They went hiking. They went horse riding. One evening, they joined Ramona and Rex on a double date, enjoying a meal at Rendezvous Restaurant that was rich in good food and wine, conversation, and laughter.
They kissed and cuddled. They touched each other’s bodies using their hands and mouths—well, his chest and her breasts, anyway. He always asked for her consent first, though, and always stopped when she asked him to.
They also talked about anything and everything. She told him more about her plans to open a children’s home, and the fact she had thrown her sleeping pills in the trash because her nightmares had ceased. He told her about his job.
However, there were several topics that weren’t discussed. Daniel remained silent on the fact he was Sam Carrick’s half brother and that he was in love with Samantha. They were taking the relationship at her pace, and he didn’t want to screw it up by jumping the gun.
Late one afternoon, they returned to Silver Creek after a shopping trip in Helena. Daniel had actually enjoyed their time shopping, but only because he didn’t want to be anywhere else other than beside Samantha and the eye-popping, black, spaghetti-strap dress she wore. They were wandering down Main Street, their arms around each other’s waists, when he felt her stiffen. He didn’t exactly need to be a genius to work out why she stiffened, either. Walking toward them, a sneer stretched across his tanned face, was none other than Mark Raven.
“Well, well, well, look who we have here. Hiya, Sam. How ya doin’?”
They both ignored Raven and went to walk around him, but he stuck out a hand and grabbed Samantha’s wrist.
“C’mon, sweetheart, don’t be like that.”
“Let her go,” Daniel growled, his anger mounting with each passing second. His hands curled into fists, ready to thump Raven across the street if he didn’t comply. Raven didn’t. Daniel raised his fist, thought better of it, and instead grabbed Raven around the throat and pushed him back against the wall of the boarded-up storefront behind them. “Are you hard of hearing, jerk? I said let her go.”
Raven released his grip on Samantha and raised his hands in a submissive gesture. His eyes then lit up in recognition, and his sneer widened. “Why, it’s little ol’ Dan Ferris. Don’t tell me you two are an item?” He laughed out loud. “Let me give you a piece of advice, Dan. Stay well clear of her. She’s nothing but a cock-tease.”
Like his sister Jessica, Daniel possessed the same fuse-box temper, and it sparked. He tightened his grip on Raven’s throat and raised his other hand, intent on thumping the bastard’s head through the wall, but Samantha stepped in and laid a calming hand on his fist, bringing it down to his side.<
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“Daniel, don’t. He’s not worth it.”
“You’re right,” he agreed, smiling at her. He faced Raven again and angled his head with a mocking tilt. “A cock-tease, hey? Since you don’t have a cock, how do you know?”
Giving Raven one final shove in the throat, Daniel then wrapped a possessive arm around Samantha, and they ambled off toward CC’s Coffee Shop. Once they were outside the door, he put his other arm around her, pulling her close. “Are you okay?” he asked, gently nibbling her ear.
Her breathy yes had his heart racing and his cock hardening.
“Oh, baby, you can tease my cock anytime.” The words slipped out before he could stop them, and he kicked himself hard when he felt her still in his arms. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“Don’t be silly.” She smiled at him and quite brazenly moved her hand down from his shoulder and pinched his ass. “Can I tease other parts of you, too?”
He kissed her mouth then. He kissed her from the heart, pouring everything into it, his love for her, his desire for her, his fantasies about her, everything. And damn if she didn’t kiss him back with the same level of passion.
Daniel never wanted to stop, and neither did Samantha, but somebody with a really bad cough interrupted them.
“Did you know that causing an obstruction is an offense? Not to mention behaving indecently in a public place. I should arrest you two.”
Samantha peered up over Daniel’s shoulder and stuck her tongue out at Matt.
“Insulting a police officer… Hmm, now that’s another offense. The same goes with loitering.”
“So is harassment,” Daniel said good-naturedly, turning around and facing Matt. Matt sported a mischievous grin. The sort of grin that made Daniel wonder if Matt was serious about arresting them. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Add bribery to your growing list of offenses by buying me a cappuccino and I’ll let you off.” Matt laughed and ducked inside the shop before they could take a swing at him with the shopping bag Samantha carried. “So what was all that about with Raven?” he asked once he was seated and there was a cappuccino sitting on the table in front of him.
“Just him being a jerk,” Daniel said. “And nothing I couldn’t handle.” He took a sip of his own coffee, an espresso, stretched his legs out, and put his free arm along the back of the sofa he and Samantha were sitting on, his fingers brushing against her shoulder.
“That, I could see.” Matt drummed his fingers on his hat that lay on the arm of the chair he sat in. “Next time, call me, and I’ll arrest him. He’s got conditions with his bail. He’s not supposed to be within fifty feet of Sammy, let alone be touching her. Did he hurt you?”
“No,” Samantha replied.
She edged closer to Daniel and put her hand on his thigh. He breathed a kiss on her temple and whispered, “Tease me,” in her ear.
Matt rolled his eyes and indicated the shopping bag by Samantha’s feet. “Been buying clothes, I see. Get anything for me?”
She snorted. “Not likely. You want any clothes, you can buy them yourself. I don’t see why you don’t like shopping. Both Dad and Ross love it.”
“Yeah, well, Dad needs to have his brains tested,” Matt said. “And as for Ross, he’ll do anything Jessica tells him to. Which I suppose boils down to the same thing.”
Daniel grinned. “You need a woman,” he told Matt, his work colleague and friend Darcy Forbes instantly coming to mind. He’d never been tempted to date her himself. Matt, however, would suit her down to the ground, even if she could be the “Queen of Frost” when it came to relationships with men, either as friends or as lovers. Not that that she didn’t have good reason. Her last boyfriend had been a real psycho.
“So long as she’s only interested in having hot sex and not getting me to go shopping with her, I’m in agreement with you. It’s been at least a week since I’ve had—What?” Matt asked as he ducked to avoid the amaretto biscuit Samantha lobbed at him.
“I don’t wish to hear about your sexual escapades.”
“Why not? You’ve been parading yours in front of my face.”
She started to protest, but shut up when she noticed just where her hand had come to rest—right on Daniel’s groin. Daniel smiled at the pink that colored her cheeks. His smile slipped when she snatched her hand away.
Matt grinned and, placing his hat on his head, rose to his feet. “And on that note I think I’d better get back out on duty. Laters, you two.”
“Much later,” Daniel murmured. He winked at Samantha and placed her hand back on his groin. “Don’t be embarrassed. I’m not.”
“Somehow I didn’t think you would be.” She gave his cock a gentle squeeze before removing her hand again, much to his disappointment. “What do you want to do tonight?”
“As long as I’m with you, I don’t mind. What takes your fancy?”
“I thought we could stay at home and watch a DVD. I think we’ve got some popcorn. What do you think of How the West Was Won?”
He frowned. “The western? Okay, I’m game, but I wouldn’t have thought it was to your tastes.”
“Yes, well, James Stewart, George Peppard, and Richard Widmark all starring in the same movie?” She fanned herself with her hand. “Phew, I’m in absolute heaven. I simply adore handsome heroes, and I’ve always had a crush on those three actors. I’ve not dented your macho pride, have I?”
He shrugged with mock despondency. “I s’pose I can always lust over, er…”
“Debbie Reynolds,” she offered when he faltered for a name.
“Yeah, her. What about Matt?”
“We’ll lock and bolt the door on him.”
Daniel laughed out loud and wrapped his arms around Samantha, pulling her closer to him. He nuzzled her neck and breathed in her subtle scent. “Why, Miss Anderson, I do believe you’re showing a decidedly naughty side.”
“No, it’s just the only person I want to share my popcorn with is you.”
“Ah, sweet.”
“Actually, I prefer it salty.”
“I wasn’t talking about the popcorn.”
“I know. And stop doing that.” She giggled when he once again licked the sensitive spot behind her ear. Giving him a gentle shove, she wriggled out of his arms and stood up. “Come round about eight?”
He cocked his brows in surprise. “What, you’re leaving me?”
“I’m sure you can manage not seeing me for a couple of hours. Besides, you need a shower.” She laughed when he made an over-the-top show of smelling his armpits and keeling over on the sofa. “Idiot!” she said, bending down for her shopping bag and to give him a kiss on the lips. “See you at eight.”
“Don’t even think about changing out of that dress for tonight.” Then, once Samantha had left the shop, the teasing grin disappeared, and Daniel became serious. “I love you, baby.”
* * * *
Sharp on eight, Daniel arrived at Samantha’s house. He was squeaky clean, having just spent the last hour in the shower. Not because he was dirty—well, his mind was—but because Samantha in her black, spaghetti-strap dress had given him a permanent hard-on all day and he needed some sort of release. So if cleanliness was next to godliness, then he should be up there in heaven right beside the main man himself.
Before he even raised his hand to knock, the door opened and Samantha huffed out, her luminous, emerald-green eyes flashing a certain kind of fire that had his heart thumping and his cock hardening. He seriously began to regret telling her not to change the dress.
“Change of plans,” she snapped even before he could open his mouth. “Matt has parked himself in front of the TV and is refusing to budge. Apparently he wants to watch the LA Galaxy game.”
“Soccer?” he asked, instantly placing the name of the team Samantha spoke of. Soccer, or football as his mother, Scarlett, called it, was the only sport she would watch. She’d been born in Chelsea, a borough of London, England, and supported Chelsea Football Club and more
recently, the New York Red Bulls. Daniel had to admit because of his mother’s enthusiasm, he’d taken a liking to the sport himself. Still, he frowned. “I didn’t know Matt was a fan.”
“He isn’t. Honestly, I could—”
He silenced her by placing his fingers over her mouth. “Shhhh, it’s okay. We’ll do something else.” He smiled and looked upward. The full moon gave him an idea. “Let’s take a walk to the lake. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it with a full moon. And I promise not to turn into a werewolf.”
She returned his smile, linked her arm through his, and they took a slow walk to Silver Creek Lake, situated behind her parents’ house. The crunch of the gravel on the path beneath their feet, the chirping crickets, and the occasional hoot were the only sounds breaking up the still air.
They stopped in the clearing where the picnic benches were located. Daniel gave Samantha a reassuring hug and then walked down to the lake’s edge, marveling at the silvery glow that the moon cast over the water and surrounding trees. He inhaled deeply, the scent of pine trees reminding him of spending Christmas with his parents and his sister in New York. It aggrieved him that he had missed out on the last one because after completing some geological survey in Iceland, he couldn’t fly home, as the airport had made the rare decision to close due to extreme temperatures.
“Do you know,” he said over his shoulder, “I’ve seen some breathtaking sights in my travels, but nothing beats the beauty of this place.”
Daniel turned away from the lake and wandered back over to Samantha. She was now sitting on the edge of one of the tables. She looked happy and relaxed, so he parted her legs slightly and stood between them, his mouth claiming hers in a passionate kiss. They stared into each other’s eyes as their tongues mated.
His desire beginning to build, Daniel left her mouth and nibbled along her jawline to her earlobe. Giving the secret spot behind her ear a quick flick, making her shiver but shiver in a nice way, he tongued down her neck, along her collarbone, back again to the other side, then to the hollow of her throat. He inhaled deeply. “I’ve been trying to place your perfume. And do you know what? You smell like the roses from my mom’s garden.”