by Sable Hunter
Ryder felt like she was in the midst of a storm. Waves of complete joy crashed against a seawall of complete despair. Could she throw away a chance at happiness just because she couldn’t have it all? A glass half full or emptiness. Guilt swamped her. Who was she to call a chance with Samson Duke half a cup? He was worth everything. With him, her cup would overflow. Tucking the hurt of Gideon’s rejection into a secret place, she understood his admission had opened the floodgates of opportunity for her and Samson. “Yes. I want to be with you.”
Total relief buoyed Samson’s soul. “You won’t be sorry. I promise you, you’ll never be sorry.”
“Ryder! Come quick! The baby’s here! Both of them!”
“Two!” A smile came to their faces when they heard Pepper yelling out the door. Ryder threw her arms around Samson’s neck and hugged him. “I know I won’t be sorry. I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings.”
“Good. Now, let’s go see what the stork brought tonight.”
Taking her by the hand, Samson led her back into the hospital to greet the newest additions to her family.
Inside, they hurried down the hall to assemble with the rest of the McCoy clan in front of a large glass window, peering at Tennessee, who stood with a baby in each arm, beaming. Two heads of dark hair peeped out of pink blankets. “Twins!” Ryder exclaimed.
“Yes, apparently, Molly knew there were two babies all along. The doctor helped her keep Ten in the dark as a surprise. That’s why she always slipped off to the ultrasound visits alone,” Philip explained as the watched the happy scene.
“And they are both girls!” Ryder was so amazed; she just couldn’t keep from shaking her head in disbelief.
“Yay! Two more for our team!” Cato pumped her fist in the air, ignoring Heath’s smirk.
“What’s their names?” Pepper asked Tennessee through the glass.
The proud father spoke to the nurse, then came around the side and out to join his family. He went straight to his father, filling the old man’s lap with two tiny girls. “McCoys, meet Ava and Ella.”
Over the next few minutes, everyone in the room admired Molly and Ten’s babies. The girls took turns looking in on Molly and Ryder managed to get one photo of the happy parents with their twin daughters.
Gradually, things calmed down and they started to realize an extra was sharing the moment with them. Heath made his way to Samson. “Duke.” He held out his hand. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
Samson shook Heath’s hand. “I came to see Ryder.”
Heath folded his arms over his chest. “What you had to say was so important, it couldn’t wait for good daylight?”
Samson stood nose to nose with Heath – as big, as tall, as powerful. “No, it couldn’t wait. I’m going to be keeping company with your sister.”
Ryder blushed at the old-fashioned way Samson stated his claim to her.
“Oh, really. And here I was thinking you’d come to keep company with me.” Heath’s voice was friendly, but there was an underlying edge, a hint of a warning to his tone.
Samson didn’t blink. “As business partners, I always welcome an opportunity to pass a little time with you.” He leaned in nearer to Heath. “But I don’t really have a desire to date you.”
“Good thing, this hunk’s taken,” Cato inserted, linking her arm to Heath’s. “Come on, darling, leave Ryder’s beau alone. You’ve got your hands full with me. I think I might be pregnant too.”
Cato’s announcement turned Heath’s head, completely monopolizing his attention. “Pregnant?”
“Yea, let’s go home and make sure.” She led her husband away from Ryder and Cato, his mouth open and his mind blown.
“You’ve got quite a family, Princess.”
Samson captured both of her wrists in his hands and Ryder felt a thrill shoot through her. “I want you to meet my daddy.”
Allowing her to pull him along, Samson followed to where the patriarch of the McCoy clan was observing his family with his nurse at his side. He wasn’t surprised to find the old man’s eyes were following their progress across the room.
“Daddy, Olivia, this is my friend, Samson Duke. Samson this is Christian McCoy and Olivia Danvers.”
“Hello, Ma’am and Sir.” Samson greeted them, kissing Olivia’s hand, then squatting next to Christian’s wheelchair. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. McCoy. I am looking forward to getting to know you well.”
Christian eyed Samson with a stoic expression. “I know who you are, you’re OuterLimits, aren’t you?”
“Yes, sir. OuterLimits belongs to my brother, Gideon, and me.”
At the mention of Gideon, Ryder felt her heart stutter. She missed him. Even though she was more than happy to have worked things out with Samson, knowing Gideon wasn’t in the picture made her feel like she was putting together a puzzle and a critical piece was missing. Stop it, she told herself. Look at what you have. If this is going to work, you’ll have to accept Gideon in the role he wants to play. It wasn’t like they’d never see him; he wasn’t gone forever. But before he returned, Ryder knew she’d have to school her heart and emotions to view him in a different light.
“Are you dating my daughter?”
“Yes, sir. I am.”
“Are your intentions honorable?” Ryder gasped at the same time Olivia whacked Christian on the shoulder. Leave it to her father to go right to the crux of things, no pussy-footing around.
“Strictly honorable, sir. I would do anything for your daughter.”
Hearing the words from Samson’s lips caused Ryder to sway on her feet.
Samson caught Ryder to him.
“I’m counting on you to take care of her, if not you’ll answer to me.” Christian folded his hands in his lap.
“If he doesn’t take care of her, he’ll answer to all of us.”
Ryder jerked her head around to see Heath, who’d spoken, standing next to Philip, Jaxson, and Tennessee.
Samson symbolically stepped in front of Ryder, shielding her from everyone in the room. “I expect nothing less from you and your family, Heath. But from now on, I’ll stand between Ryder and anything that might cause her pain.”
No one in the room missed Samson’s message. He wouldn’t put up with anyone hurting Ryder – not a stranger, not himself, and not her family.
“Now, if you’ll excuse us, I think I’ll drive Ryder home. Are you ready, sweetheart?”
The question seemed momentous.
“Yes.” She was ready for whatever the future would bring.
Or…at least she hoped so.
Giving everyone in her family a kiss, Ryder left the hospital with Samson Duke.
CHAPTER SEVEN
“What happens next?” Ryder asked Samson as they headed north from Austin back toward Falconhead and Highlands.
The Lamborghini ate up the miles, a streak of blue lightning streaking across the Texas Hill Country highway. “I’d love to take you home with me,” Samson murmured, holding her hand in his, rubbing his thumb across the soft flesh of Ryder’s palm.
“I would like that too.”
Samson steeled himself to be strong. “But that’s not how we’re going to play it. Since we’re going to be a traditional couple, we’re going to do things in the traditional way.
Ryder smiled. “Sounds boring.”
Her comment made Samson throw back his head and laugh. “I will make keeping the excitement level high enough to please you as a personal challenge.”
Ryder laid her head on his arm. “I don’t doubt it, but I was just teasing you. Just being with you is going to be excitement enough.”
“Just wait until you hear my plans. I intend to sweep you off your feet.” As he was preparing to tell Ryder what he had in store for them, Samson felt a familiar warm flash in his mind. Gideon. For a microsecond, he tried to mentally grab onto the sensation, needing to feel something of his brother’s presence. How was he doing? The realization that this was the first glimpse of a connection since
he left hit Samson hard.
“Tell me,” Ryder urged.
“Well…tonight, I’m going to give you the best goodnight kiss at your door you’ve ever received.”
His teasing tone made her giggle. “That won’t be hard to do. I haven’t received very many. Usually the light is on and one of my brothers is sitting inside with a deer rifle across his knee.”
Now it was Samson’s turn to smile in amusement. “I’ll keep that in mind. Good thing we’re going to beat them home.”
“What else?”
“Tomorrow, if you’re not busy, I thought we’d go for a little ride in my helicopter, then take a spin on my boat.”
“I’ve never ridden in a helicopter.” She looked forward to that. “Instead of your fishing boat, do you want to take Heath’s houseboat on the lake? We could float downstream and check out more of the eagles’ nests.”
“Oh, I’m not talking about a boat on the lake.” He brought her hand to his lips. “I’m talking about my yacht. How does a moonlight sail off Galveston Island sound?”
“Heavenly.” Ryder sighed.
“This weekend we’ll fly to New York for dinner and if you want, we’ll plan a trip to Paris soon.” Maybe they could meet up with Gideon, but he didn’t want to mention that just yet. If they were going to go this alone, he wanted time to get them used to being without him. Samson shook his head, even thinking about embarking on this grand venture with Ryder, yet without Gideon, was difficult. Not that being with Ryder wouldn’t be amazing and life-changing, the culmination of his dreams – but he always thought he’d be sharing those dreams with his brother.
“I need to tell you something, Samson.”
“What’s that?” he asked, not sure if he wanted to know.
“I’m happy just being with you, we don’t have to fly all the way across the country or sail across the ocean. I’d be just as happy going to the movies with you.”
“I know you would,” Samson said, pulling beneath the Highlands gate. “And that’s one of the reasons I…can’t stop thinking about you.”
“Me either.”
Samson swallowed hard. He’d almost said that he loved her. An overwhelming sense of rightness and ultimate panic crashed together in his head like two runaway steam engines meeting head to head on the same track. Too soon. He knew it was too soon, but the words were on the tip of his tongue. He bit them back, he didn’t want to scare Ryder off.
Zing!
He felt another warm flash in his brain. Gideon was reacting to his feelings, but he couldn’t read his brother’s response. A sudden urge to talk to him came over Samson. He resolved to do just that when he returned to Falconhead.
Parking in the circular drive, he helped Ryder out of the car, strolling up to her door – hand in hand. “The sun will be up soon. You need to get some sleep.”
“I’ll try,” Ryder murmured, so aware of Samson’s big body touching hers that she trembled. “It’s going to be hard, I’ll probably dream about you.”
Samson groaned. “Don’t say that word.”
“What? Dream?”
“No. Hard. I’m so hard for you.” He lowered his mouth and pressed it to hers in a kiss that he fully intended to be gentle and of short duration. But something happened…
She pressed herself to him, as if she wanted to verify her claim. She went up on tiptoe, clasping him around the neck and began to move against him – wild and hot. Nothing in Samson’s imaginings prepared him for Ryder’s passion. To his immense satisfaction, she took control, lowering her hands to his chest and pushing him back against the door. Her lips never relinquished his for a moment. She kissed him with a fierce, feminine hunger that delighted him to his very soul. This time, Samson surrendered, letting her take everything she wanted and giving her everything he had.
When she withdrew her lips from his, letting them slide down his jaw to his neck, he sucked in a harsh breath – then gasped when she bit him. “My God, I am the luckiest fuckin’ man in the world,” he growled. “You’re going to burn me alive, aren’t you?”
Ryder blinked at his whispered words. She’d been operating on instinct and need. “I’m going to try.” Her breathing was shallow and fast. “You know what?”
“What?” He brushed a lock of hair off her face.
“I’m standing on the front porch of the house I’ve lived in with my family for years.” She gave him a sweet smile. “But being in your arms, it’s like coming home.”
Samson shut his eyes. Nothing she could’ve said would’ve made him feel any better. “I’m glad. You know why?”
“Why?” She nestled against him and he clasped her close.
“Because I feel exactly the same way.
* * *
Just as Samson promised, the next few days were a whirlwind of surprises and fantastic dates. If she thought he paid her a lot of attention when he’d been trying to change her mind about him, that was nothing compared to this. The only difference was the absence of Gideon. Ryder knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t not think of him. Even though her time with Samson was perfection, the things they did incredible – she was still conscious of it being just the two of them…instead of three.
Stop! she told herself. Gideon made his decision, and even if he hadn’t – this was the only reason she and Samson were together. If Gideon hadn’t…
A sharp and painful thought lanced through her mid-section.
What if?
“Hey, are you having a good time?”
Samson’s voice broke through her train of thought.
“Of course I am.” She looked up as he came down the aisle from visiting the pilot in the cockpit. They were on their way home from a wonderful weekend in New York City, where they’d stayed in the penthouse suite of the Langham Hotel. The view from their window had been the iconic Empire State Building. He’d treated her to every luxury imaginable, buying her new outfits, escorting Ryder to the finest restaurants, and treating her to several premiers on Broadway. She’d never had a better time in her life.
Unless it was the week before, when – as he’d promised – Samson whisked her off on his private helicopter to his and Gideon’s yacht, The Gemini. A one hundred sixty-four foot Sunseeker luxury vessel where they’d spent five sun-filled days sailing from Galveston to Padre Island. They had swum in the surf, snorkeled in the depths, and sunbathed on the deck. Nothing Ryder could imagine wanting had been lacking. She’d been pampered, petted, and spoiled – given everything Samson could even imagine her wanting.
Except one thing.
On both romantic trips, in all the time they’d stayed together, even though they’d spent hours in one another’s arms – kissing, necking, petting – whatever you wanted to call it – they hadn’t made love.
Not because she didn’t want to.
To be honest, Ryder wasn’t sure why they were waiting.
“We’ll be landing at Austin Bergstrom in about ten minutes,” Samson informed her as he settled down beside her in the reclining Captain’s seat of his private plane. “I suspect you’re tired. Why don’t I take you home so you can check on your new nieces and tomorrow you can fly with me to Florida? I’ve got a little business down there you might be interested in.”
“Me?” Ryder couldn’t imagine. “I’m not sure what you mean. That’s not to say I’m not interested in everything you and Gideon do.”
Ryder almost covered her mouth – almost. Samson’s brother’s name seemed to come so easily to her lips. When would she stop thinking of them as a set? Guilt tightened her chest, a knot formed in her throat.
Sensing her discomfort, Samson set her mind at ease. “Stop it. I don’t expect you to ignore Gideon or what you felt for him. I love my brother. Our situation, while it may not be what I anticipated, will always include him.” He held out his hand for her to grasp, and she did. “Don’t worry, we’ll work out the dynamics as we go along. So, how about Florida? Can I tempt you to join me in a quick trip to the Sunshine State? We’ll
only be gone one night.”
“I wouldn’t miss it,” she assured him. “I look forward to going on any business trip with you.” The one thing she wasn’t looking forward to was facing her brothers. When she’d returned from the trip to Galveston, Heath had given her the third degree and she’d had to remind him – again - that she was over twenty-one. After her older brother almost wore a hole in the rug, pacing back and forth, Ryder relented and confessed that she and Samson hadn’t been alone on the yacht AND she’d slept in her own cabin. Since she never lied to her brother, and he knew it, Heath took her at her word, calming down a bit.
While they were coming in for a landing, Ryder stared out the window at the fluffy clouds, realizing how her life had changed. Still…she didn’t think she could rest until she asked the question that was bothering her. She had faith in Samson, but to ease her own mind, she wanted to hear what he had to say. “Samson, why haven’t we made love?”
If Samson hadn’t been buckled up, he’d have fallen out of his seat. He heard her question, but he also heard what she didn’t say. For a split second, he wondered if he were reading Ryder’s mind. Probably not. His date was drawing the same conclusion that any feminine mind would. “I want to make love with you, Ryder. I fully intend to make love with you.”
“When the time is right,” she finished for him, putting just a tad of resignation in her voice.
“Princess, look at me.” He leaned over far enough so that his massive shoulders were mostly on her side of the seat. “This is too important to rush. I want you to know how highly I value you. We’re not having an affair; we’re embarking on an adventure that I hope will last a lifetime.”