by A. C. Arthur
“Kris and I are going to head up now, as well,” Landry said, breaking Gary from the trance he’d been in. “I’m a little tired.”
He watched Samantha reach for her wineglass, then think better of it—possibly after realizing that Malayka was drunk—and set the glass down again. She’d let her hands fall to her lap at that point and now looked at Landry.
“You’re a really bad liar,” Sam replied to her sister-in-law.
Landry shrugged and gave Sam a smile as Kris went over to kiss his sister on the forehead.
“See me before you fly out,” Kris said to Gary, who nodded his agreement.
Landry actually gave him a conspiratorial wink as she walked out and Gary couldn’t help but smile at her. He liked the new princess of Grand Serenity. He liked her a lot and was glad that his friend had found such a down-to-earth and special lady to spend his life with. He could feel that way and not resent the fact that his attempt at happy-ever-after hadn’t gone so well.
“I’m sure this is all very funny to you,” Sam said when they were in the large formal dining room alone.
The table was huge, way too long and too pristine to be the place where a family had their dinner every night. He was used to the old oak table his father had built when he was sixteen. It still sat in the kitchen at Gary’s house today, serving its only purpose of holding each one of the meals he enjoyed when he was back home in Cambridge.
“Actually, it’s not,” he replied and sat back in his chair. “Your father is going to have to deal with her drinking before it gets out of hand like it has before.”
“What? Wait. Malayka had a drinking problem in the past? How do you know this?” she asked, her attention cleverly averted from his previous smile and the fact that he’d said he was going to Baltimore with her.
Gary wanted to give himself a pat on the back.
“I’ve done my homework on her. Two years ago she was picked up for a DWI in Washington, DC. No charges were ever brought against her, that’s probably why it didn’t show up in the background check that Kris did before she came here.”
“If it doesn’t show up on a background check, how do you know?”
He shrugged. “I have ways of finding out things.”
She sat back in her chair as well, and stared at him. “When did you find out about my past with Miguel?”
He hadn’t expected that question at all. Judging from the way she carried herself, Gary had been willing to bet money on the fact that the last person in this world Samantha ever wanted to talk about again was Miguel Lopata.
“The week before I arrived here,” he replied. There was no sense in lying. Besides, if there was one thing Gary despised, it was dishonesty. He’d had enough of that to last him a lifetime.
She was angry. Or was she embarrassed? Her lips had closed tightly, her arms stiffening at her sides. But she never broke eye contact, never wanted to show anyone that she could be touched by what they said or thought.
“Is that your job?” she asked him, her voice just a notch lower than it had been before.
“My job is to know all the players, not just the target,” he told her. “I compile a full picture before taking any action.”
She began shaking her head slowly. “No wonder you weren’t shocked when I kissed you. Not one moment’s hesitation. You just went right along with it. Probably because after seeing those pictures and reading that article you classified me as the Prowling Princess, as well.”
Her words ticked him off instantly.
“Don’t insult me,” he said through clenched teeth. “I’ve never been anything but respectful to you, so don’t mask your embarrassment over a situation you had no control over with rude and callous remarks toward me.”
“Callous? You want to talk callousness?” she asked as she leaned forward and flattened her palms on the table.
“You’re the one who suggested this fake affair and then slept with me, on more than one occasion I might add, when you were supposed to be working for my family. You poked around in my past, made yourself comfortable coming in and out of my room when you pleased, hijacking my car and making plans for me. You didn’t give a damn what I might have been feeling about our situation, or how I was going to react when you just packed your bags and left. I guess I was just part of the assignment!”
She shot up out of the chair, pushing it back with her legs so fast it fell to the floor.
Gary did not yell even though he was feeling pretty agitated by this point. She was accusing him of something ridiculous. He would never manipulate a woman, for any purpose. So to suggest that he’d taken advantage of their situation, or even planned to toy with her emotions, was simply ludicrous.
“Everything we did was consensual,” he reminded her. “You wanted. I wanted. We did it. Period.”
“You knew things about me before I even knew your name. You didn’t tell me you were hired to kill someone. And, dammit, you made me feel like...you opened...I mean—” She clamped her mouth shut and made a sound that was more animalistic than coherent and Gary slowly came to his feet.
“Again, nothing happened between us that we did not both want and agree to. This was not my intention,” he told her. “I haven’t thought about committing to a woman since my divorce, so believe me when I say I’m just as thrown off by this as you are.”
She was shaking her head again.
“I realize now that there’s more here than either of us anticipated. So maybe we should take a deep breath and talk about this like the consenting adults that we are.”
“No,” she answered immediately. “It’s too late. I mean, it’s not even necessary. You’re right, I consented. I knew and I should have protected myself better.”
She lifted her hands and pushed her hair back behind her ears. After a deep breath she said, “But it’s done, so we just need to move forward. Your job for my family isn’t done. I understand that.”
Now her hands ran down the front of her dress and fisted at her sides.
“I’ll be ready to leave for the airport by noon tomorrow,” she said stiffly before turning to walk out of the room.
“You’re not a quitter,” he said before she could make a fast exit. “You’ve been in hiding since Lopata pulled that stupid stunt three years ago. When are you going to decide he doesn’t deserve that victory?”
She waited a few seconds, during which time Gary wasn’t certain she would even reply. But finally she turned back to him, hands clasped calmly in front of her. She looked at him directly, those proud shoulders squared as she began to speak.
“You know nothing about me,” she said slowly. “I don’t care how much research you did. You have no idea who I am or what I’m capable of. Let’s just leave it at that.”
No, Gary decided when she’d walked away, leaving him alone in the elegantly decorated dining room. He would not leave it at that, regardless of what she’d just said.
Chapter 16
Baltimore, Maryland
USA
The Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins Hospital was proud to stand with Samantha, the goodwill ambassador of Grand Serenity Island, to announce their collaborative effort to treat, inspire, instruct and empower young ladies on an array of medical issues on a global platform.
It had been Sam’s work with the Bella Club that had made her a perfect fit with the institute. For years, Sam had worked with the young ladies of Grand Serenity, teaching, guiding and being a hands-on mentor to the group. It was the one thing she felt proud of because it had been her project from the start, instead of picking up where her mother left off.
GirlPower International was commemorated with Samantha and the director of the institute’s Global Outreach shaking hands.
Sam had worn a soft pink pantsuit with a simple white blouse to symbolize her femininit
y, as well as her power. Her jewelry was an understated brushed-silver necklace and matching earrings. On her right ring finger was the sterling silver and yellow diamond ring her father had given her for her sixteenth birthday. It was the princess version of the royal insignia ring that her brothers and father wore.
As she’d stepped out of the limousine an hour and a half ago she’d held a pink clutch in her hand and slipped on pink-framed, large-lens sunglasses. Her shoes were Badgley Mischka blossom-pink, satin-silk pumps and her hair was flat-ironed straight as a bone, hanging well past her shoulders. She exuded confidence and intelligence and she looked like a million bucks.
Now, leaving the beautifully constructed facility in Baltimore, Sam had once again slipped onto the backseat of the limousine. She dropped her purse beside her and let her head lay back against the headrest.
“You did good,” Gary said from across the seat.
He hadn’t left her side all day. They’d landed earlier that morning and while she’d checked into a hotel room to change and prepare for the meeting, he had been in the adjoining room, with the door between them ajar. He’d walked beside her every step of the way and stood just a few feet behind her as she’d stepped up to the podium for the ceremony. Even if she hadn’t seen him, hadn’t picked up the scent of his cologne, Sam would have known he was there.
Gary Montgomery had an authoritative and domineering presence. It cloaked him like a blanket, resting easily on his broad shoulders. When he spoke, people naturally listened and, to Sam’s surprise, obeyed. He supervised the newly hired security detail for her trip to America with a stern yet respectful tone. Each member of the detail was ex-military, which is probably why they so easily fell in line with Gary’s command. Still, it had been intriguing to watch him give orders and direct everyone, down to Lucie who had traveled with her, on what they should do and when.
“Thank you,” she said without looking at him.
She took a deep breath and released it slowly, determined to stop thinking of him in any capacity.
“What time is the flight out?” she asked after a few moments of silence.
“Two of the guards will accompany Lucie back to the island later this evening,” he replied.
It took her a second to realize he’d only said Lucie and then Sam did turn her head to him. “Just Lucie?”
“Yes,” he replied.
He turned to look at her, as well. Both their eyes were hidden by sunglasses. Where she had a very professional, feminine look today, Gary was the slick bodyguard. His suit was black and expertly fitted to his muscular frame. His shirt, crisp and white. His tie, blue. His shoes, shiny black tie-ups. In his left ear was a clear hearing device with the squiggly cord resting behind his ear and a thinner cord going down into the collar of his shirt. He wore no jewelry. His hair was close cut, wavy on top. His goatee was trimmed neatly. She liked this look on him.
“I want to show you something before you return to the island,” he told her. “It’s an hour and a half ride, and if you’re ready to leave when we’re done, I’ll arrange for the plane to come back and pick you up.”
She didn’t know what to say to that but finally asked, “What do you want to show me?”
His hands lay flat on his thighs as he gave a slight nod of his head. “Just something that I think you’ll enjoy. Call it an outing,” he said when he saw she’d been about to comment once more. “Because I know you like to have a title for everything that goes into your itinerary book.”
Sam sighed as she thought of the itinerary app she had on her tablet. It synced her schedule with the calendar system Kris had implemented for the royal family, while offering a private setting for her personal appointments, as well.
“There’s nothing wrong with being organized,” she told him.
“No, nothing at all wrong with it,” he replied. “Just saying that now you have a title for what we’re going to do for the rest of the day.”
“I need to go back to the hotel to change,” she informed him.
“I’ve taken care of it,” he replied.
“Have you taken care of everything?”
“I tried,” he told her with a half smile.
It was a very sexy half smile, but Sam didn’t want to acknowledge that. She looked out the window.
“Is this an outing I will enjoy?”
“We’re both going to enjoy it.”
Something in his tone had Sam clasping her thighs tightly together. It had been weeks since he’d touched her, or kissed her, or held her in his arms. She’d tried pleasuring herself when the need became too intense, but it hadn’t worked. The edge of desire was still there. As long as he stayed close, Sam was afraid it would remain. For that reason she prayed this little outing would involve a public place and a lot of people, or the resolve she’d been trying to rebuild would be shot completely to hell.
* * *
It was nothing like she’d expected, Sam thought as she walked through the front door.
Maybe she should have suspected this because when the door to the limousine had opened, she’d stepped out onto a dirt road. That road had given way to a stone pathway leading in two directions. One stopped at a wood-planked dock that stretched a few feet out onto a magnificent river. There were two boats there: a large, older one and a smaller, faster-looking vessel. But the river was really what caught her breath. Where Sam was used to looking out to the gorgeous turquoise-blue sea and seeing nothing but water on the horizon, here the water appeared darker and not as calm. Lush green grass formed the banks as opposed to dazzling white sand, and not a far distance across the water was more grass and more houses. Boat slips and boats. People actually sailing along the river. All of it gave a communal feel that Sam hadn’t been used to.
Turning in the direction that Gary had already begun to travel, Sam walked along the stone path, noting that the dirt had given way to thick, perfect, green grass. Her pink peep-toe pumps seemed woefully out of place as she moved onto stone steps and made her way up to the porch of the most picturesque little cabin she’d ever seen. Well, okay, it wasn’t actually little. There were two stories and a gable roof. Part of the porch—toward the left end—was screened. This part, where the massive wood door and full-length side windows were, was open, with two welcoming rockers on each side.
His parents, she thought immediately. They would have sat here to watch the sun set over the river. No matter how hard Sam tried to fend against it, the thought warmed her heart.
“I figured you’d want to change clothes. So I had Lucie pack your bags and they were delivered while we were in Baltimore,” Gary said as he unlocked the door to let them inside.
Sam stepped in, her heels clicking loudly on the wood floors before she turned to him and asked, “Where are we now?”
“Cambridge, Maryland,” he replied after closing and locking the door. “It’s on Maryland’s eastern shore.”
She nodded. “You grew up here.”
“I grew up a little closer to town. I bought this place a few years ago after my father passed away.” He began moving as if he didn’t want to stay too long on that subject.
“There’s a guest room on this level and two more bedrooms upstairs. You just head straight through the living room, down that hallway, and you’ll see the room. There’s also a bathroom down there. I’m going to go upstairs to change.”
Sam looked around as he spoke.
The center of the room was anchored with a huge stone fireplace that looked straight out of the Colonial era. The ceilings were beamed with thick log rafters. The walls were a subtle contrast, smooth and painted a shade that reminded Sam of coffee with way too much cream. On a glance the walls could have been construed as plain, but the wide baseboards and dark wood trim matched the tone of the beams, bringing them back to life. The furniture was a combination of leather and wood, a
nd big plump pillows in another dull beige tone that worked well with large masculine chairs and dark chocolate leather upholstery.
“Um, where are we going?” she asked when she found herself getting too caught up in the décor. “I mean, I need to know what type of outfit I should change into.”
He was nearing a set of stairs that looked as if logs had simply been cut in two and nailed together. It was a rustic look that for some reason appealed to her.
“Dress casually,” he told her. Then he looked her up and down. “Well, as casually as a princess can.”
If he hadn’t smiled after the remark Sam might have bristled. On a sigh she realized she was ready to bite at whatever Gary said or did lately. It was the pain that still lingered. The pain of her own stupidity, she concluded. This was not personal. There was no happy-ever-after for her. She’d accepted it before and there was no reason she couldn’t wrap her mind around it once again. Except that Sam was growing tired of living that way.
Still, she didn’t think any longer on Gary’s princess remark. Instead she walked in the direction he’d told her, finding the guest bedroom and her suitcases neatly placed near the bed. A queen-size bed made entirely of wood, with drawers beneath the thick mattresses and a multicolored quilt on top sat in the middle of the room. She smiled at the huge windows that opened up to what she figured was the back of the house. Tall trees, more grass, ambience. She stood at the window for a few seconds, taking it all in.
There was a serenity to this place, to its surroundings. A quiet type of informality that she envied. The palace was nothing like this. It was big and beautiful, elegant, formal and sometimes colder than an Alaskan winter. Here there was warmth. Not just from the outside temperature—she was used to that. No, there was something else, a sort of welcoming feel that she’d experienced the moment her heels had made contact with the dirt road.
Oh, well, she thought with another sigh, better to get the outing over with so she could return to her real life. Sam opened her suitcase and found the most casual outfit she’d thought to pack. This wasn’t supposed to be a long trip, but Sam had learned long ago to always pack more than she needed.