by Amy Woods
“But first—dress shopping!” Shiloh squealed.
Lucy reached behind her and grabbed one of the decorative cushions, then fired the first blow of what became an epic pillow fight.
* * *
The night of the gala, Sam pulled his rental truck into Lucy’s driveway, switching off the engine. He didn’t open the door, knowing that if he did, Thor would jump straight into his lap, ruining his rented tuxedo in a heartbeat. He laughed to himself at the sight of the dog’s tail thumping on the ground outside his door. Thor let out a slow whine and Sam shouted to the dog that he would be just a minute.
He pulled down the visor, opening the little mirror there, and took one last look at his tie. He wanted to look perfect for Lucy. He couldn’t wait to see her in her dress. Not that he didn’t love her normal look, but she was the kind of woman that had an understated beauty. He knew that when she dressed up, she would be absolutely stunning, and he felt his body responding at the mere thought.
He reminded himself that he needed to take it slow, although his actions in the past few hours proved that he was doing anything but. First, he’d made phone calls to all of his restaurant managers, telling them that they would have to fend for themselves for a while. They were used to doing that. Sam only got around to each one every once in a while, but he reassured them that he trusted them, that things were in their hands, and to call him if anything came up that required immediate intervention.
Then, he made an even more dangerous call. This time to a Realtor.
He knew it was a crazy move, that it was risky at this point, but he was growing to love Peach Leaf. As soon as he had a chance, he was going to tell Lucy that he was Shiloh’s dad, and he would make sure she knew that he wasn’t going anywhere.
Then the ball would be in Lucy’s court. He knew what he wanted, but he wasn’t going to force her to make any kind of commitment that she wasn’t ready for. He knew he was jumping in with both feet, without a thought to how the water would be when he landed in it, but the past week had meant more to him than the entirety of his life up to then. The kiss he’d shared with Lucy just sealed the deal.
He was reluctant to put any labels on it, but he knew what was happening. He knew it because it was a feeling unlike any other he’d ever had. He’d been with a lot of women, but never, not even once, had he wanted to jump in the way he did with Lucy. He was ready to give her his all and he could only hope that she felt the same way. He knew it was a lot to put stock in, but if that kiss told him anything, it was that she was on the same page. He had felt the hunger in it, had felt her need for him to give her more. And tonight he would.
He ran a hand through his hair one last time, thinking about their shopping trip together that day. He wasn’t too interested in shopping most of the time, even for himself, but he’d had so much fun that day that he’d almost forgotten that the three of them were looking for dresses for the girls—something he normally wouldn’t be a part of.
His girls, as he was beginning to think of them.
He knew he was throwing caution to the wind, but somehow he no longer cared. It was time to go all in, and he was ready. He opened the truck door holding out a hand filled with biscuits that he picked up for the dog, thanking his lucky stars when Thor took them and carried them over to the porch to eat instead of hurling himself onto Sam’s rented tux. Sam took a deep breath and pushed Lucy’s doorbell button.
Here goes.
He adjusted his coat as he waited for her to come to the door, steadying himself, knowing that her beauty was likely to knock him on his ass.
He wasn’t wrong.
When she opened the door, it was as if sunshine flooded out. He took her in from head to toe, memorizing every inch, not wanting to miss anything. Her curly red hair was drawn into a simple updo with a few strands falling here and there. From what he could tell, she wore very little makeup, but her eyes shone like emeralds against the backdrop of her ivory skin. The apples of her high cheekbones were pink as though the sun had kissed them. He paused when his gaze wandered over her berry lips, which begged for his mouth, but there was more to be savored, so he kept going, running down the length of her, noticing the way her golden dress hugged every curve to perfection. The dress was somehow modest, but sexy, too. It outlined every inch of her body, leaving plenty to the imagination, but suggesting that what was underneath would be well worth the exploration.
And, oh, did he plan on exploring.
“Hi,” she said shyly. Sam pulled his eyes back up to her face, and it was even more beautiful now, covered in her smile.
“Hi, gorgeous.” They stood there staring at each other like two teenagers on their first date. Finally, Thor brushed past Sam’s legs to get inside the house, and he pulled his head back down from the clouds.
You do have somewhere to be, doofus, Sam reminded himself.
He hated to break the moment, since he was enjoying the way Lucy ogled him as well, but the sooner they got the gala over with, the sooner he could have her all to himself.
He’d asked Tessa a favor, and she’d happily acquiesced, arranging for Lucy’s friend Paige to take Shiloh to the school dance after she ran it by Lucy first. Paige was going to chaperone anyway, and then Shiloh was going to go home and spend the night at her best friend’s, whose mom was picking up both girls from the dance.
He commended himself on his expert planning, knowing that was what it would take to get Lucy alone. The woman was so selfless that it never would’ve occurred to her to send her niece away for the night. Sam loved having Shiloh around, had become completely enamored of his daughter, but it was about damn time that he got a little closer to Lucy.
He knew that once he could touch her, run his hands over every inch of her body and make love to her in the way that she deserved, that she would truly understand the way he felt about her. Once she knew that for certain—knew that he was ready to give her all of himself—he could risk telling her the truth. Surely she felt the same way. Surely she was falling for him as hard as he was for her.
“Can I come in?” he asked, and Lucy slapped a hand to her forehead.
“Of course,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking, standing here like an idiot.”
“It’s okay. You can look at me like that as long as you want to.”
He was pleased when her cheeks turned a darker shade of pink. She opened the door wider and turned to head down the hallway, giving him a spectacular view of her backside. Whereas the front of the gown was modest, the back was just flat-out stunning, the fabric forming a deep V that opened all the way to the very bottom of her waist. The urge to reach out and run a finger all the way from the nape of her neck to the top of her bottom was almost impossible to bear, so Sam took the safe route and looked down at his feet.
“Let me just grab my bag, and I’ll be ready to go.”
Sam nearly coughed at her words.
He was ready to go, too. Right now.
It would take everything he had to make it through the evening first.
* * *
The Lonestar Observatory’s fund-raising gala was an annual event, yet it still had the power to take Lucy’s breath away each year when she saw the outdoor patio set up for the party. It was like something out of a dream. The deck was covered in pergolas, each of them draped with strand upon strand of tiny twinkling lights. Tall vases filled with flowers were dotted here and there. And then there was the night sky.
It was the most beautiful decoration of all, unobscured by city lights. Peach Leaf was the closest town, and even it was a few miles away; because it was so small, its lights barely made an impact on the vast darkness, illuminating the starlight against the pitch black. Out here, Lucy could revel in the thousands of stars she could see with her naked eye. In her opinion, not even the finest ballroom could compete.
When they’d arrived, she introduced Sam to her friends, all of the staff that he hadn’t yet met during the workday. She had been nervous about h
ow she would introduce them, and he had taken over for her when she stumbled, presenting himself simply as her friend. The word was comfortable, and it seemed the best fit for now, but hearing him say it just affirmed what she had already known.
She did not want to be just Sam’s friend. She wanted so much more. If only she could work up the courage to tell him. Maybe tonight was the night. It was a magical setting, and Sam looked thrilled to be on her arm, so maybe she would be able to find the words to let him know she wanted more of those kisses.
She felt him behind her back before she could see him, his presence heating her body from the inside out. When she turned and saw him standing there, holding out a flute of sparkling pink champagne, his appearance took her breath away all over again.
God, he is gorgeous.
“I have to tell you, Lucy, I’ve been to a lot of events in my time, for the restaurants and everything, but I’ve never seen anything like this. It is truly amazing.”
Lucy took a sip of the champagne, enjoying the sensation of the bubbles that jumped up to tease her nose. “Well, I wish I could take credit, but I didn’t do any of this. After the initial planning, and a couple of phone calls, it’s all Tessa, so I’ll let her know you’re a fan.”
Sam gently removed the glass of champagne from Lucy’s hand and set it on the deck rail, his fingers grazing hers in a way that set off tiny sparks underneath her skin.
A thought interrupted the sensation. If just touching him did that to her, and if just kissing him nearly knocked her off her feet, what would it be like to have his naked body next to hers, to have him all to herself, to have those hands running across every crevice, every curve? She closed her eyes, imagining his hands on her—everywhere. She wished she had her champagne back because her mouth was suddenly devoid of all moisture.
“What I’m a fan of, Lucy...is you. I’ve been wanting to tell you that for days now.”
Lucy couldn’t have answered if her life depended on it. She made an effort to swallow, but it was futile. There was no getting around the lump wedged in her throat—a lump she was fairly certain was her heart.
“I know we’ve only known each other for a week—”
“Less than a week,” Lucy interrupted, holding up a finger to correct him, finally able to form words like a normal person. Unfortunately the ones she’d found sounded ridiculous.
Sam grinned. “Less than a week, then,” he said. “But sometimes that’s enough.”
“Enough for what?” she asked.
“Enough to know when something special is happening.” He watched her face as she processed what he was saying. “And something special is definitely happening here, Lucy. I can feel it every time you’re around me. I know it’s very soon, but...what I’m trying to say is...I really, really enjoy your company.”
It was her turn to smile. He was completely adorable—sexy as hell, too—but also insanely adorable. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, to hold him close so that there was no chance of his escape, and she would have...if she’d been able to move. But every muscle in her body was frozen in place, locked in the spell of his eyes, his body, the words coming out of his enticing mouth.
He took both of her hands and tugged her away from the deck’s railing, pulling her gently toward the center before she had a chance to protest. As a slow, beautiful song began, Sam started to move expertly across the dance floor, leading her with such confidence that she didn’t even have to guess what to do with her own two clumsy feet.
So, he was a dancer, too. Apparently there was nothing that this man couldn’t do. As the song continued, he pulled her ever closer to him, and she was lost in the light scent of his cologne, and the masculine-smelling soap underneath. She could feel his heart pounding against his chest, the steady rhythm setting her own pulse on fire. Knowing that he wanted her this way gave Lucy a high like nothing else.
How could someone so handsome, so kind, so generous and so obviously enamored with her niece, be so interested in someone like her? It wasn’t that she didn’t see her own merit. She knew what she looked like, and she was...kind of cute. She was smart, strong and hardworking, and she could see those things about herself. What surprised her about Sam’s interest in her was that she made such a concerted effort to go unnoticed, to blend into the background, so that she never had to be afraid of getting too involved...of getting hurt. Somehow, Sam had noticed her anyway. Of all the people in the world, he had picked her out, had chosen to get to know her. That in itself made her feel more special than she ever had before in her entire lifetime.
Her nerves stood on edge when he lowered his mouth to her ear, skimming it with his lips. Every time he touched her, it set off a craving for more contact. She was becoming addicted to him, and she wondered if they could ever be close enough to satisfy her. At the same time, though, in the back of her mind was the slightest worry.
If he left now, after she’d sunk so deep into him, would she be able to survive without him? She was beginning to crave him like water, like air, and the more she needed him, the more vulnerable she was to the pain of his absence. But she didn’t have a choice.
She was falling in love with him, and that was that.
She had thought she’d been in love with Jeremy, but she had never been certain. Whenever Tessa had asked her, Lucy had skirted the question, never able to come up with a sufficient answer. The truth, she knew now, was that she hadn’t. She hadn’t loved Jeremy. She had wanted to, but he had never been the right person for her. Thank goodness he had turned her down when she’d asked him to move in with her.
The speed at which she was falling for Sam scared her, but at the same time, she knew exactly what it was, and as long as he was here, there was nothing to be afraid of. How sweet it would be to just let go, to stop worrying so much—to just give herself to him. Maybe, for once in her life, she should just trust her instincts. She should just trust that which she felt about Sam was reliable.
She made a decision then. Whatever happened that night would be up to Sam. She was tired of being the one in charge all the time, tired of being the responsible person. For tonight, she would just let go and let him do all the thinking. If he was going to leave, if he was going to hurt her, then it would be his decision. She didn’t want to think about how she would recover from that—not now.
Tonight was for her, and she would take it.
Sam moved away from her ear, and he reached down to kiss her neck. The motion was so soft and so gentle that for a second Lucy thought maybe she imagined it. But in the next second, his mouth was on hers, and he was kissing her, gently but deeply, in front of everyone at the event. Lucy closed her eyes, let herself dive into the feeling of his lips on hers. Time seemed to stop for a long moment and when she opened her eyes again, she noticed that several gazes were trained on her and Sam. For once in her life, though, it didn’t bother her, not a single bit. She ran her tongue over her lips, letting the taste of Sam sink in as she smiled to herself.
“If you disagree,” Sam said, “feel free to let me know, but I think we’ve been here long enough to please everyone. What do you say?”
“You’re not wrong,” Lucy said. “Just let me grab my purse and say goodbye to Tessa and we can get out of here.”
“Deal,” Sam said, but as she turned to leave he laid a hand on her elbow. “But don’t be too long.” Lucy bit her lip and nodded. Sam tickled the inside of her elbow before releasing her. She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked away, and she loved every second of it.
After she grabbed her purse, she looked around for Tessa and found her best friend chatting up a guy at the open bar. Tessa looked over his shoulder and winked when she saw Lucy.
Some things never change.
Tessa excused herself and she and Lucy walked a few feet away.
“I’m bringing Sam home with me tonight,” Lucy said, her statement causing Tessa’s eyes to expand as wide as the moon above them.
She reached out and grabbed both of Luc
y’s hands and squealed like a little girl. “Are you sure you’re good with this?” Tessa asked.
Lucy almost choked on her disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Aren’t you the one who practically shoved me into this guy’s arms? Don’t start backtracking on me now.”
Tessa shook her head. “Oh, no, girl, I am not backtracking at all. I think this is the best decision you made all year. It’s just that I love you, and I want to make sure that you’re okay.”
Lucy’s heart swelled at Tessa’s sincerity, and she wrapped her friend in a bear hug, pressing their cheeks together, not caring whether or not she destroyed their makeup.
“Thanks,” Lucy said, “but I agree with you. This is definitely the best thing I’ve done in a while. It’s the only thing I’ve done for me in a while. I need this, and I know what I’m doing.”
“Well, get the hell out of here, then.” Tessa pulled out of the hug and shooed Lucy away. “Go on now.”
Lucy reached over and gave Tessa’s arm a little squeeze. Before she looked away, even though the idea was crazy, she was pretty sure she saw a tear in her best friend’s eye.
* * *
Half an hour later, Lucy and Sam were back on her front porch.
Her nerves got the best of her as she fumbled with her keys at the door. When she finally got it unlocked and led him inside, the darkness in the house startled her. It had been so long since she had been in the house alone, much less with a man. The newness of the situation gave her a thrill. She knew she should probably feel nervous, should probably be worrying about how she would look when he removed her clothes. What would he see when he peeled off the layers and got down to the heart of her?
It had been so long since she’d let a man near her bare body that she had forgotten to be self-conscious about it until right then. She expected to feel that way now, but for some reason, all she sensed was a mind-blowing desire to be touched, held, kissed by this man. There wasn’t even a trace of trepidation. All she felt was need.
After they let Thor out and then managed to tempt him into his dog bed with a few biscuits, Lucy led Sam down the hallway and into her room.