Deep in a Texan's Heart

by Sara Orwig

  Other members and guests walked through the center, greeted by some of the women members.

  “They have the door to the outside,” Lila noticed.

  “That’s all. The playground hasn’t been started,” Sam said, looking through a window.

  “This is wonderful in here.” She smiled at him. “I guess I’m more excited about it than you.”

  “I think it’s great and they’re a little ahead of schedule. They need to raise more money to finish—Gil will talk about that briefly tonight.”

  “I hope they can. Surely they’ll be able to with this group, unless too many oppose it still.”

  Sam merely smiled at her and she wondered if he hoped they had difficulty raising the money.

  “I’m so impressed.” She turned to walk back through the center while Sam followed her into the hall, switching off lights and leaving open the door.

  “I hear music somewhere. Let’s go dance,” he said.

  In minutes they were dancing to a fast number and she moved around Sam, glad to let go and have fun, relieved to dance after a grueling two weeks and the emotional upheaval of Thursday night.

  She watched Sam dance, twisting his narrow hips, making sexy moves, and she remembered his long legs entangled with hers after loving. She ached with wanting him. She loved him, but she intended to get over her feelings for him.

  She watched him, moved with him. Desire simmered, heating her, making her think about lovemaking.

  Later, in a slow dance, Sam held her close. “I missed you these past two weeks. I don’t want you to go off like that again.”

  “Sorry, but we’ve settled all this. We go our separate ways and we’ll both be happier and better off. You’ll see,” she said, wishing she could feel certain that’s what would happen.

  “I wish I could keep you here,” he said.

  Startled, she looked up at him and shook her head. “That’s out of the question. I go back to my California life.”

  “This is good, Lila,” he said softly, slow-dancing with her, holding her against him, and for a few minutes she closed her eyes and stopped thinking about when they would part.

  As they danced in the large ballroom, the music stopped. Gil Addison called for order. “Welcome,” he said, and received applause and cheers in return.

  He motioned for quiet. “This is our end-of-summer party, although I don’t think the weather knows it’s the end of summer in Royal because it’s still mighty hot. We have a big evening planned with games, hot dogs, burgers and prizes.” He paused for applause and cheers. “And lots of cold beer and dancing.” There was more applause.

  “As all of you know, I’m sure, we’ve voted in a new child-care center, which has progressed nicely.” He waited again while applause rose until he waved his hand and quiet resumed.

  “We recently had a break-in and the alarm system was tampered with, causing a temporary setback in meeting the construction deadline. So far, no word on the identity of the person who tampered with the system, which brings me to an announcement. That catastrophe had not been budgeted. Also, a playground was suggested and voted in earlier this month. We need to raise funds for all of this. Any donations will be happily accepted. You can leave them in the office, with the staff or give them to me.”

  “Gil,” Sam called out, startling Lila. “I want to make a donation.” He looked down at her. “C’mon, honey. Come with me, because I’m doing this for you,” he whispered.

  Surprised, she let him take her hand and she followed as they went up steps and crossed the small stage to Gil.

  Sam pulled a piece of paper out of his pocket. “I want to make a donation for the child-care center.”

  “Sam Gordon is making the first donation for the center,” Gil announced, waving Sam’s check as the audience cheered and applauded. Raising his hand for quiet, Gil glanced down to read Sam’s check. Wide-eyed, he looked at Sam. “You’re sure?” he asked in a hushed tone.

  “Very,” Sam replied, smiling at Lila, and her curiosity grew while she braced for another of Sam’s surprises.

  Gil looked at the crowd and waved the check. “Folks, we have a generous donor who heartily supports the Texas Cattleman’s Club’s new child-care center. Sam Gordon donates one million dollars for the child-care center,” Gil yelled, and the crowd broke into thunderous applause and cheers.

  Stunned, Lila stared at him. “Sam…” she said.

  “That’s for you, Lila,” he said quietly, while the noise of the crowd nearly drowned out what he said to her. She stared at him as people jostled her. They swarmed around him to shake his hand and Lila got separated from him. She stepped back out of the way as people continued thanking him for his generous donation.

  Smiling and laughing, he shook their hands. Some people hung back in silence on the fringe of the crowd, some bunching in small groups, and she recognized them and realized it was the men who had opposed the center so strongly, although she didn’t see her dad in any of the groups and then he was there beside her with her mother at his side.

  “That was a confounded-big donation Sam made tonight,” Beau said. “Mom said she thinks Sam did that to please you.” Beau had to raise his voice because of all the people nearby clustered around Sam who were still talking to him.

  “Lila, what’s going on with you two?” her father shouted over the noise. “Sam sends truckloads of flowers and makes this whopping donation to a cause he doesn’t even like—”

  “Isn’t it great?” she asked, laughing and looking at her mother, who hugged her. “Dad, you’re going to be a grandfather. We can talk about it tomorrow when I’m home.”

  “I’m what?” Beau said, blinking and staring openmouthed in one of the rare moments in her life when her father was speechless. He glanced at Barbara, who smiled and nodded. She leaned forward to hug Lila again and whisper in her ear.

  “You picked a crazy time to tell him. Right now he can’t say much of anything to you and it’ll give him time to adjust to the idea a little. I don’t mind fielding questions.”

  “Thanks, Mom.”

  “Be good to Sam. You have one million reasons to, for the sake of the child-care center and the children who will be in it. And for your own good.”

  “I’m flabbergasted. In a lifetime, I would never have guessed Sam Gordon would do any such thing.”

  “Nor would I, but I told you, Sam’s a good man. Lila, for a million, he has to be crazy in love,” she said in Lila’s ear because the noise around them was still chaotic.

  Lila stared at her mother and then turned to hug her dad, who squinted at her. “Damnation. I’m going to be a grandfather?” he shouted.

  “That’s right,” she said loudly, smiling broadly. “You may be glad for this center someday. Now, I need to go speak to Sam.”

  “Lila,” Beau snapped, beginning to pull himself together. His face flushed and he narrowed his eyes. “Lila—” he began again, but before he could say another word, she laughed, waved at him and moved through the crowd. The band began to play again and she glanced up to see Sam looking her way. People were still shaking his hand and talking to him.

  Finally, he was there in front of her. Before she could hug him or thank him, he grabbed her arm. “Let’s go,” he said, and moved ahead to lead the way to the nearest door.

  In minutes they were in the car, driving toward Pine Valley. She unfastened her seat belt to hug Sam’s neck.

  “Hey, Lila,” he said, laughing and pulling over to
the curb.

  “Thank you, Sam Gordon. I’m speechless and awed and sorry I ever doubted you.”

  “Buckle up again and we’ll talk when we’re in a better place.”

  She sat back and fastened her seat belt. “Sam, that is the most wonderful thing. I’m thrilled and I know everyone who wants the center is, also. That will pay off the debt on the center and do the things we still need to have done.”

  “I did that for you, Lila. The money should take care of everything, and what’s left can go for more supplies for the kids. Whatever they need.”

  “I can’t believe you did that.”

  “We’ll talk about my reasons when we get to my place.”

  “I’ll warn you now—in that crowd I finally told my dad that I’m pregnant.”

  “You what?” Sam snapped, frowning and glancing at her. “Maybe I better pull over again.”

  “No, you keep driving. I want to get to your house. As for Dad, I didn’t tell him who the father is. Not yet.”

  “He can figure that one out. He’s probably gone home to get his shotgun.”

  She smiled, feeling better, but she was beginning to face reality again and in spite of his donation, she would still tell Sam goodbye tonight. “Actually, for one of the rare moments in my life, my dad was speechless. I told him in that crowd and he just stared at me with his mouth hanging open. Mom thought it was funny. She said she would answer his questions.”

  “Your mom is a good sport.”

  “Yes, she is, to put up with my dad all these years.”

  “I can’t believe you did that. He’ll know now why I’ve sent you so many flowers.”

  “Oh, yes, he will, but he can’t really do anything about it.”

  “Damn, Lila, what a time to tell him. He’s probably looking for me now.”

  “I thought it the perfect time to tell him. He was very impressed by your donation, and Mom told him you did that for me, so he was trying to absorb that bit of information.”

  Sam shook his head as he drove. The drive to his house seemed interminable, but eventually they arrived and soon she walked into an empty hallway while Sam switched on lights.

  “Finally,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck and standing on tiptoe. “You did that for me,” she said. “Sam, thank you.” She looked into his blue eyes and saw desire as he looked at her mouth.

  “Lila, I’ve wanted you more than you can possibly imagine,” he whispered, and leaned down to kiss her.

  The moment his lips touched hers, all thought fled. She forgot the donation, her resolutions about getting over her feelings for Sam and everything else that evening. Sam wrapped an arm tightly around her waist and pulled her close against him, leaning over so she had to cling to him.

  Her hips thrust against him. She hugged him tightly, kissing him with all the pent-up longing that seemed to burst into flames within her. Excitement made her tremble as she held him and kissed him.

  Desire enveloped her, sweeping away thought, logic—everything except a need to hold and love him. She began to twist free the buttons on his shirt, her fingers fumbling the task in her haste. She felt his hands on her clothes and then cool air on her bare shoulders.

  As they shed clothes, he walked her backward along the hall. Finally, he picked her up and carried her to a downstairs bedroom, setting her on her feet and switching on a small lamp that shed a pale glow on them. She kicked off her shoes as he did the same and then she reached for him, walking into his arms. He held her away a moment to look at her before he began to shower kisses over her, his hands caressing her.

  She moaned softly with pleasure, trailing her fingers over his hard muscles, tangling them in his chest hair. “Sam, I want you.”

  He framed her face with his hands and she opened her eyes to look at him, starting to lean forward to kiss him again, but he stopped her.

  “Lila, I want to say this when you know it’s not in a moment of passion where I’m not thinking about what I’m telling you,” he whispered. “I’m focused, coherent and absolutely certain. Darlin’, I love you. I need you in my life.”

  His words were another stunning surprise. Searching his face, she gazed into his wide eyes, which held desire and tenderness, a look that melted her heart. “Oh, Sam,” she whispered.

  “I love you, darlin’,” he repeated.

  “Oh, my love,” she whispered. “What will we do?” she asked, wanting his love yet knowing it would complicate their lives and a future together was impossible. “I can’t, Sam—”

  He silenced her, kissing her passionately while his hands roamed over her, caressing her, stirring desire. Clinging to him, she kissed him, pouring out all the love she felt for him.

  “We’ll love again, long and slow, but this time, Lila, I can’t wait,” he whispered, and picked her up. Looking into his eyes, she wrapped her long legs around him while he lowered her to his thick rod, entering her slowly.

  Gasping with pleasure and need, Lila held him tightly, closing her eyes and drowning in sensation. He eased slowly into her and then his thrusts were faster. Clinging to his broad shoulders, wrapped around him and still not close enough, she moved with him as need built swiftly.

  “I love you, Sam,” she whispered without thinking about it, immersed totally in awareness of his body with hers, driven to seek satisfaction.

  She moved faster, finally crying out with a release that carried her into blinding rapture.

  “Ahh, Sam. I love you,” she whispered again, scattering light kisses on his face. She held him tightly until finally he set her on her feet and then kissed her gently as he held her in his arms.

  Sam carried her to a bathroom and they showered together between long kisses. After they had dried, he disappeared and came back with two robes, handing a white one to her while he pulled on a navy.

  He picked her up to walk to a sofa in a family area and sat with her on his lap. She gazed into his incredible blue eyes and kissed him softly. “I love you, Sam.”

  “Lila, that’s the very best news of all. I love you, too, darlin’. I made that donation for you, Lila. I voted against the children’s center and I didn’t want it, but I wouldn’t do anything to stop it. If you want it, darlin’, then I suppose I want it.”

  “That’s the sweetest thing I ever heard. You don’t have to want something because I do and the donation was the most wonderful gift,” she said, laughing and hugging him. “I’m still shocked.”

  “Lila, will you marry me?” he asked.

  Her smile faded as she looked into his eyes while having a dull ache in her heart. “Some things haven’t changed. I don’t want to give up my career and come back to Royal. I love you with all my heart, but I can’t do that. At least not at this point in my life. I may change my mind later.”

  He kissed her lightly and then looked into her eyes. “You don’t have to come back to Royal. We’ll work something out. I’d rather have part of you than none of you.”

  “You’ll live in Royal and I’ll live in California? Do you really think that will work?”

  “I’m working on it, Lila,” he said, suddenly becoming solemn. “I’ve thought about Roddy’s talk. He wants to hire me to build his house. He would have contacts. He said he had a film project he would like to hire me for. That’s a big start. I can open a branch in L.A.”

  She felt as if she couldn’t breathe and her head spun. “You would do that for me?” she asked, staring at him. “You do love me,” she
whispered.

  “Yes, I do. And yes, I would do that for you. I want to be with you. I have money invested and saved up and we inherited Dad’s money—”

  Flinging her arms around his neck, she let out a shriek that stopped his words. Smiling, he brushed her hair away from her face. “Lila, you’re part of my life. I just want to be with you. Darlin’, you captured my heart completely.”

  Tears of joy filled her eyes. “Sam, that is the most wonderful thing you could say or do.” She showered kisses on his face, running her hands across his shoulders. “What about your brother?”

  “I don’t think we’ll take him with us,” Sam replied with a twinkle in his eyes.

  “You know what I mean. What about leaving Josh?”

  “Josh can run the business here. We each go our own ways and we can fly back and forth whenever we want because we each have our own plane. There’s no problem there for me. If one develops, I’ll tell you. But, darlin’, I want to be where you want to be.”

  She kissed him and then leaned back. “I love you, love you, love you,” she said between kisses. “I’m so happy. Yes, I’ll marry you.”

  “You will?” he asked, grinning suddenly. “Wahoo!” he threw back his head and yelled, making her laugh. “Darlin’, I’m the happiest man on earth at this moment. Hooray!” he shouted. He stood up to take a step away and stopped abruptly. He placed one hand on her waist and reached into the pocket of his robe. “Hold out your hand. I have something for you.”