by Soraya Lane
“Were you leaving without even coming over to say hello?”
Sam released his fingers from the tight grip of his palms. “Yeah. Didn’t want to, ah, interrupt you.”
“Nate,” Nate suddenly said, holding out his hand. “It’s been a long time. How are you, Mia?”
“Hey, Nate, it’s good to see you,” Mia said, clasping his hand and leaning in to kiss his cheek. Sam felt the now-familiar clench of his jaw and tightening across his mouth return. Seeing her touch her lips to Nate’s face was about to send him over the edge for no sensible reason.
They stood awkwardly for a moment before Mia spoke again. “Would you like to join us for a drink?”
“No,” Sam said, realizing how hastily he’d replied when Nate kicked him. Dammit.
“I’m heading home. I’ve got two baby girls to see and I’ve missed them like hell these past couple days.” Nate chuckled. “I’m looking forward to cuddling them on their night feed, so I’m off. Good to see you again.”
“Oh, how sweet,” Mia said, grinning. “Well, it was nice to see you again, too.”
Sam nodded, seeing how easily Nate was charming Mia. He definitely deserved a black goddamn eye for flirting with her like that.
“Sam, do you have a minute?” Mia asked, her voice lower now, fingers brushing his arm, her big blue eyes trained on his and making him soften.
“Yeah, sure.” Sam waved to Nate. “See you on Sunday. Drive safe.”
Nate held up his hand and walked off, giving him a long, hard look first. Sam knew that look was a warning; he clearly didn’t want to hear about any shit going down after he’d left.
“Everything okay?” Sam asked, knowing his voice sounded gruff as he stared back down at Mia.
“Everything was okay. Until you stormed off this afternoon like I’d done something to offend you. What’s wrong?”
He suppressed a groan. Talking about his feelings was not something he excelled at. In fact, he had zero interest in discussing anything to do with how he felt about Mia or almost anything else.
“Sam?”
“Look, I wasn’t expecting you to be all dolled up and heading out on a date when I came by, that’s all. You took me by surprise.”
“So we’re good now? There’s nothing—”
He refused to let her finish, cringing as he held up his hand. “We’re good. Of course we’re good,” he mumbled. “Now you head back to your date, and I’ll head off home.”
“Sam!”
The look on her face told him he wasn’t getting let off the hook so easily. “What Mia? What the hell do you want from me?” he fumed. “Walk your pretty little ass back to your date and get on with your evening.”
“Why are you being such an asshole?” she asked, glaring at him, her eyes like saucers and making him feel like shit all over again.
“Because you look fucking beautiful and I hate seeing you out with that preppy prick, okay? That’s why I’m being an asshole.”
Fuck! Now he’d come out and said it, and he wished to hell he could rewind and stop the words coming out his mouth.
“Wow,” she whispered, still staring at him.
“Yeah, wow. Can I go now?”
She slowly shook her head, catching her lower lip between her teeth. He was about to point to her date, even glanced across and saw the guy propped up against the bar, staring into his drink. He almost felt sorry for him.
“Mia, I need to go,” he said, muttering the words as she leaned into him, her palm against his chest as she moved closer.
He knew what he should have done. He should have pushed her back, gently told her no and walked the hell out of the bar as he intended to do. But he didn’t.
“You really think I look beautiful tonight?” she asked, her voice breathy, eyes focused on his mouth as she spoke.
“Hell yeah I do,” he murmured back, wondering how a woman as wealthy and stunning as Mia could seem so genuinely surprised at a compliment like that.
She closed the distance then, quickly, like she wasn’t sure what to do and had just thought to hell with it. Her lips met his fast, and he crushed his mouth to hers as she stepped in against him, her breasts to his chest.
Sam kissed her back; he had no choice. He’d thought about kissing her again ever since the first time, and it felt even better than he remembered. She tasted like the champagne she’d been drinking, her breath sweet against his as he wrapped one arm around her, holding her tight, his hand to the small of her back.
Mia’s arm snaked around his neck, warm against his skin as she opened her mouth and touched his tongue with hers, her lips so soft, her body so snug to his. He wanted nothing more than to scoop her up and get the hell out of the bar and somewhere quieter, but he doubted that was an option right now.
“Wow,” she whispered against his lips as she finally pulled back. Sam claimed one last kiss, one final brush of his lips against hers before slowly releasing her.
Mia’s cheeks were flushed as she looked up at him, and he heard his own ragged breath as her gaze dropped to his mouth then made its way back to his eyes.
“I’d call more girls beautiful if that’s the response I got every time,” he teased, unable to help himself.
“I’d better go,” she said, looking embarrassed as she glanced back toward the bar. Sam almost felt guilty about what he’d done, but every time he’d glanced at the guy she was with, he’d been on his phone. He doubted he’d even have seen it. “You sure you don’t want to come over for a drink?”
He laughed. “Yeah, I think it’s best I don’t. You know, since you’re on a date with another guy and I just kissed the hell out of you.”
Mia smiled. “Actually, I’d say it was me kissing the hell out of you, but I’ll let that one slide.” She laughed. “And he’s been way more interested in work than me all night.”
She reached for his hand and he caught her palm, holding it for a second and looking into her eyes.
“You really do look beautiful tonight, Mia. Really, stunningly beautiful. And if the guy you’re with is more interested in his phone than you? I’d say he’s a damn fool.”
Her smile lit up her entire face.
“You know, you don’t look so bad yourself.”
She gave him one last, hard-to-read look before disappearing, and he was left wondering what kind of rocks-for-brains idiot he was for letting her walk away.
The sensible kind, he reasoned with himself. He couldn’t get involved with Mia. She was beautiful, intelligent and an accomplished rider. She should have been everything he’d ever wanted. Only she wasn’t. Because he couldn’t do relationships, not anymore. He’d seen his mother walk out on his dad, and them, and then his own girlfriend, fiancée, the woman he’d promised to marry, had gone and ripped his heart out. He couldn’t trust again, and that meant he wasn’t looking for anything serious, and he knew that Mia wouldn’t be the kind of girl to do a no-strings-attached affair.
He squared his shoulders and walked out of the bar. The cooler night air was like a soft punch to the face as he headed for his vehicle.
There was no wedding, brood of children or white picket fence in his future, and not even Mia Ford could tempt him to change his mind about that. He was a horseman, that’s what his life was, and he was going to live his career and enjoy his ranch. Alone.
He could be the world’s coolest uncle, he could have casual flings with beautiful women, and he could enjoy every goddamn minute of his life.
Blue wagged his tail, jumping out of the driver’s seat when he opened the door and moving aside for him. Sam dropped his hand to his dog’s head and smiled down at him.
“You’re the closest thing I’ll ever have to a wife, ain’t that right, gorgeous?” he muttered to the dog, wishing he could push away the image of Mia standing in front of him, lips plump and pink from being kissed, her eyes so vivid they were like staring at a perfect blue sky.
Blue jumped up and licked his face and Sam laughed. At least he had his do
g. It wasn’t much of a consolation, but it was something.
Chapter 10
MIA stretched out but kept her eyes shut tight. The sun was bathing her in warmth, and she wasn’t ready to kick the covers off and give up her snuggly spot on her bed. She pulled the covers up higher, basking in the delicious moment between asleep and awake, wondering if she should just go back to sleep instead of getting up so early.
Buzz buzz, buzz buzz.
She reached across to her side table for her phone, forced to open an eye when she didn’t manage to clasp it. Who would be calling or texting her so early in the morning?
She saw it was indeed a text message, actually three of them. Snuggling back down, heart starting to race in anticipation, she unlocked her phone and scanned the messages.
Had a great night, would love to see you again before I fly out. Any chance of round two? T
Mia groaned. Seriously, Trent wanted to see her again? He’d spent more time texting and replying to emails. She got being busy with work, but it had really started to get on her nerves. He seemed like a nice enough guy, but he wasn’t for her.
I was thinking dinner again. Or drinks. Pick you up again?
She sunk deeper into her pillows. Not a chance. She was pleased she’d said yes to going out, but there was no round two. Mia shut her eyes, seeing Sam’s face, remembering his lips on hers, how his mouth had tasted, the slightly rough brush of his stubble against her top lip that had made the whole thing feel even sexier. She sighed. Maybe Trent would have been more her type if she hadn’t already met the delicious Sam Mendes.
She looked at her phone again. Message number three was from Kat, which meant that none of them was from Sam. She wasn’t sure what she’d been expecting, but she had only bothered to reach for the phone so soon after waking because of him.
Mia stayed in bed, pleased she hadn’t drunk too much the night before. Three glasses had been plenty, because she hated having to work her horses with a hangover. Hours out in the hot Texas sun, wearing a riding helmet, was enough to give her a headache by the end of the day without adding alcohol into the mix.
She scanned the news, checked her messages again, then had a quick look on Instagram before finally rising and walking out to her kitchen in her PJ’s. Mia opened the fridge, got out some fruit and started chopping, before pulling out a bowl and emptying some homemade muesli into it. She finished making her breakfast, topped it with some yoghurt and then curled up on her sofa, staring out at the view as she ate.
When she’d built this house, it had been for her own sanity, and it had remained her own little oasis away from the main part of the ranch. She loved the land, land that had been in her mother’s family for generations, even though most people who didn’t know their history would think her father had purchased it. He wasn’t the only one who’d contributed to their billion-dollar family fortune. It was the connection to her mother that was most special to her, and when she watched the landscape through her huge glass windows, she could imagine her riding past in the distance. Her mother had always worn her long hair out, and she’d loved riding bareback, and Mia was certain that was why she’d always been so balanced in the saddle. She’d started riding with her mother when she was young, holding on tight as they’d gone for big rides over their land, until she’d started to ride her first pony, Bubble, alongside her. Even now, she could jump a fence with as much ease bareback as she could with a saddle on.
She finished eating her muesli but didn’t move until a soft knock startled her. No one usually bothered her here, especially not in the morning. Her father respected her space and understood that she liked her privacy, and as well as she could recall, she was certain none of her siblings were home visiting. She hadn’t seen Angelina in weeks, since she’d last come home for a quick weekend vacation, and Cody hadn’t visited in months. Not that her brothers would bother knocking first, they weren’t anywhere near polite enough for that, and Ange would have just called out before letting herself in.
She stood, tugging her loose fitting tank top down and checking her shorts weren’t riding up too high. The knock sounded out again, a bit louder this time.
“Coming!” she called out.
It only took her a moment to move through her living space toward the front door, and she saw Sam standing there through the glass. It was the only downside to having a house with so much glass on every exterior wall; visitors could see in and she had nowhere to hide.
“Hey,” she said when she opened the door, leaning against the heavy timber, conscious of the fact that he was fully dressed and she was wearing only enough clothing to cover her boobs and butt.
He looked down, clearly taking in her bare legs. She knew her stomach was just showing but she refused the urge to tug her top back down for fear that it might then expose way too much of her breasts. She wasn’t exactly used to anyone seeing her in what she slept in.
“Hey,” he finally said in reply. It had probably only been seconds, but she felt like she’d been standing there forever with him staring at her.
“You, ah…” she fumbled over the words, not sure what she was even trying to say or what she wanted to say. Because all she could look at was his mouth and all she could think about was kissing him again. Mouths fused, bodies pressed tight, inhaling the masculine, delicious smell and feel of the man she couldn’t stop thinking about.
Sam didn’t say anything, but everything about the way he was looking at her changed. He looked predatory, the darkness of his eyes and the gentle upturn of his mouth as he suddenly stormed the distance between them exciting her as much as it terrified her.
It took him four, maybe five strides to close the gap, eyes never leaving hers as he cupped her body against his and walked her back against the wall. Mia gasped, the wall cool against her skin, the softness of his plaid shirt brushing against her skin and making her want to move closer into him instead. But then his knee moved between her legs and she realized the shirt was the only soft thing about him. Sam pinned her back, one hand on her hip, the other grazing her face as he brought his mouth down and kissed her. Hard. This was like last night reigniting all over again, his lips unrelenting, his touch firm. She happily gave in to him, wishing she had the courage to push him back and lead him brazenly by the hand down the hall to her bedroom. But she didn’t.
Instead she let him lead, let him take control. She surrendered to his touch, gasping when his fingers brushed the bare skin on her hip, his leg even harder against her as she pushed against him and moved closer, drinking him in, unable to get enough of him.
She was being roughed up in her own house, and loving every second of it.
Mia snuck her hands between them, pushing at him, desperate to feel his skin against her fingers. Their lips were moist, meshed together, moving in time, and she wanted more of him.
“No,” he rasped, pulling back the moment she tugged at his shirt.
Mia didn’t listen to him, pushing against him again, mouth searching out his, not ready to stop. There was no way he was going to leave her like this, and he wasn’t the only one who knew how to take charge.
“Mia,” he said softly, hands on her shoulders as he held her back.
Why was he stopping? “No,” she disagreed, scooping her arms around his neck and smiling as she stared at his lips and then pulled him down. She didn’t exactly have to force him to dip his head; one tug and he was groaning and moving to meet her, his mouth rapidly finding hers again. This time his kisses were slower, matching her pace, teasing her and slowly, softly brushing back and forth. It felt even sexier than before, her whole body tingling in anticipation as his palms rested on her hips, fingers curled into her skin.
When he finally pulled back again, she was breathless. She gave him a little push, hands sliding down his chest when she finally released them from his neck.
“Well, that was a nice way to start the morning,” she whispered.
Sam slowly let go of her, but his eyes never left hers.
She grinned, embarrassed but flattered. “Actually, no.” She didn’t tell him it was because no one had really ever seen what she wore to bed. “Anyone ever told you what soft lips you have?”
He laughed. “Lips of silk, heart of steel.”
She didn’t for a moment believe the heart of steel part, but she didn’t bother correcting him.
“I just came by to let you know I was here.”
Mia was still catching her breath, unable to resist smiling at his wry words. “Hmm, I think you managed that.”
They stood for a moment, the heat between them almost in need of a fire crew to put it out. She studied him, indulged in really looking at his face, more brazenly probably than she’d ever done before. There was something about him, something about the way he looked at her or spoke to her or treated her. She just didn’t know what exactly it was.
“You need to get dressed.”
“I don’t usually ride in my PJ’s, so there was no chance of me coming out like this.”
“It’s not your riding that I’m worried about,” he muttered.
She flushed, enjoying the burst of heat that ignited deep in her belly and rose like a wildfire across her skin. “Why are you really here?” she asked, then laughed at her own question when he gave an innocent shrug before backing up a few paces and leaning against the door jamb. “Oh, I get it. You were here early to check that my date hadn’t stayed over.”
Sam’s smile was replaced with a face that was impossibly difficult to read. “Why would I do that?”
She shrugged. “No idea. But he’s not, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
“Good,” he replied. “Now are we going to work the stallion together or are we going to trade jibes while you minx around in your sexy little sleep outfit?”
Mia’s mouth twisted up into a smile even though she fought hard to hide her satisfaction. “Yeah, we’re going to work the stallion,” she said, moving closer to him. She stood on tip-toes, palms to his chest as she grazed a kiss to his cheek. She stayed still, lips still against his skin, waiting for him to move. A thrill ran through her, a shiver down her spine, when he didn’t.