Tessa smiled wishing it were that simple. "Could I have a coffee to go?"
She watched Connie pour coffee into a Styrofoam cup, put a lid on it, and hand it to her. Tessa paid her, left the diner, and climbed into her vehicle to drive the short distance to the hospital, and a long day of appointments.
Later that night, Tessa walked into her bedroom planning to go to sleep. She was tired but not sleepy. It was close to midnight and she hadn't talked to Sam since she’d seen him that morning. She moved slowly to the window and gazed down at the street. It had started raining earlier and the street had taken on an eerie look. Main Street was empty, but the streetlights glowed and reflected off the dark pavement. The rain moved through the light in a downpour.
Her breath caught when she saw a figure standing under a lamppost. The person seemed to be looking up at her window. She blinked quickly and the figure was no longer there. Was she imagining things again? A nervous shiver crawled through her so she quickly changed into her lounge pants and T-shirt then crawled between the sheets.
Her bed seemed overly large because she already missed sleeping with Sam after only two nights of being in his arms. Tessa didn't think she'd fall asleep but the stress of the day finally caught up to her, and she drifted off to sleep. When she woke up later screaming, she sat straight up quickly glancing around the room. Reaching over, she turned on the bedside lamp to see that the room was empty.
Tessa placed her hands over her face rubbing the sleep from her eyes and the fear from her pounding chest then looked at the clock—it was almost two. Her thoughts went to Sam who had to be sound asleep but she needed to hear his voice. Reaching for her cell phone, she dialed his number before she lost her nerve.
"Sheriff Garrett," he said in the way of answering even though his voice sounded rough and sexy from sleep.
"Sam," Tessa whispered.
"Tessa, what is it?" Sam's voice sounded concerned but now wide-awake.
"I…I miss you, Sam." She choked back tears.
"I miss you too, Tessa. Why are you still up at this time of night?"
"I had a bad dream and now I'm too scared to go back to sleep. I wish you were here with me."
"I asked you to stay here…remember?" His huff came over the phone reminding her of her own decision not to stay.
"Yes. Maybe I shouldn't be so stubborn. Next time I won’t be." She sighed. "Sam, do you think everyone in town thinks like Gwendolyn Barnes? I mean…you know…that I broke you and Sandy up.”
“If they’re all so blind as to believe that old busybody, that’s their problem. You don’t believe her, right?” Sam asked then paused, waiting for her answer.
Tessa took a deep breath. “Of course not but…is…well…is marriage something you see for your future?”
Sam didn’t answer right away and she thought that maybe she’d said the wrong thing. Leave it to her to ruin things without trying.
“Marriage…marriage is a big step…for anyone, but I suppose someday…if the right woman came along and she wanted it too, I suppose it could be,” Sam answered. “If the right woman came along…I’d want her to be mine and all mine. Does that answer your question?”
“Yeah…it does. Thanks Sam. I’m okay now. I just needed to hear your voice. Goodnight, Sam. Thanks for listening. I feel better now."
"Goodnight, baby."
She heard him yawn just before he hung up and she immediately missed him again.
Tessa smiled as she put her phone on the nightstand, turned out the light, and laid back against the pillows. Pulling the covers up to her neck, she thought about the figure on the street and Sam’s words. He would want her to be his and only his. Now she didn’t know what to do. Telling him the truth could end something good and the idea of that scared her. She closed her eyes trying to make sense of what to do and promptly fell back asleep.
After a night of tossing and turning, Tessa rolled out of bed at six in the morning and entered her bathroom to shower. Pulling her hair up into its usual ponytail while still damp, she dressed quickly, applied her make-up, and then ran down the stairs after locking her door. She wanted to grab some breakfast at the diner but when she reached her SUV, she stopped mid-stride. Groaning when she saw the flat tire, she pulled her cell phone from her pocket, and dialed the local garage. Thank goodness, they were open but only just. They told her someone would be there within thirty minutes, which gave her just enough time to walk over to the diner, get some coffee and a bagel or something, then meet the repair guy back here. Her first appointment might have to wait a bit but she’d let Jodi know so she could tell them.
Returning from the diner, Tessa leaned against the car and waited. Ten minutes passed when she saw a sheriff’s unit coming down the street. Straightening up, she watched it pull in behind her car. Her heart began beating double time as the door opened and Sam stepped out. Tessa knew at that moment he was coming to mean a lot to her in just a short time. She grinned as she watched him fold his arms and lean against his SUV. He had those damn sunglasses on and if she ever got the chance, she was going to throw them away. Nothing should hide those beautiful eyes.
"Don't tell me you don't know how to change a tire, Doctor McGuire." Sam tilted his head while a smirk played around his beautiful kissable lips.
Tessa shrugged. "All right, I won't tell you."
Sam shook his head and strolled toward her, stopping close to her. She tilted her head back to gaze up at him. Her eyes roamed over his gorgeous face and landed on those sexy lips and pure instinct drove her to her toes to kiss him. She felt him grin against her lips.
"Good morning, Sheriff," she murmured, feeling his hands go to her waist.
"Good morning, Doc," Sam said against her mouth. "Why are you standing out here with a flat tire?"
Tessa stepped back. "The garage is sending someone to change it. I need it fixed in case I have to take a call.” She smiled. “I may live above the hospital but I still need my SUV.”
Sam's eyebrows rose above his sunglasses. "You're serious? You really don't know how to change a tire?"
"Nope." Tessa tried not to smile.
Sam grinned at her. “Call them back and cancel. I'll change it."
Of course, he would change it. Men love to show a woman how macho they are.
"Thank you." While Sam went about working on changing the tire, she called the garage and canceled the repair request. When he was done, he put the flat tire in the back of her SUV and wiped his hands on a rag.
"You do realize you owe me now, right?" Sam's mouth twitched as he fought what she suspected was a smug smile of satisfaction.
Tessa gasped. "That's why you changed it for me…payback." Moving closer to him, she put her hand around the back of his neck. "Okay then…just what do I owe you…Sheriff?"
Sam glanced away and then back to her. "I'm sure I can come up with something." With a sly sexy grin, he jerked her to him and kissed her. His tongue slowly moved deep into her mouth. Tessa groaned as she ran her other hand up his chest and around his neck and plastered her body to his. They sprang apart when a car went by blowing the horn.
Tessa laughed softly, reached up, and took his sunglasses off.
"I hate when you wear these. I love seeing those baby blues," she said teasing him.
Sam's mouth flattened as he gazed back at her. "Can I have those back, please?"
Tessa shook her head, making Sam frown. "Only if you promise to take them off when you're around me…please."
Sam stared at her for a few seconds. "No problem, darlin’."
Tessa handed the glasses back to him. "I'm looking forward to paying you back for helping me…Sheriff."
Sam blew out a laugh. "Not as much as I am." He kissed her quickly. "I have to run. I'm sure Betty Lou will have the entire town out looking for me if I don't get back to the office soon. Tonight?"
Tessa stood on her toes and kissed him. "Yes."
Sam gave her a nod then put his glasses back on as well as his hat, and then cli
mbed into his vehicle, giving her a wave as he drove off. Tessa walked around the building to go to work with a huge grin on her face.
****
Entering the station by the back door, Sam walked into his office and took his hat off, hanging it on the hall tree, and strolled around his desk. As soon as he took a seat, Betty Lou filled the doorway. Sam mentally groaned as he ran his hand down his face.
"What is it, Betty Lou?" he asked looking up at her.
Betty Lou had a huge grin on her face. "You and Tessa, huh?"
Sam was sure his mouth dropped open. "Jesus Christ, Betty Lou…I just left her."
"Don't you swear at me, Sam Garrett," Betty Lou scolded and folded her arms across her ample chest.
"How the hell…heck, did you find out?"
Betty Lou snorted. "This is Clifton, for heaven's sake. It was all over town when you kissed her at the diner yesterday then again this morning after you changed her tire."
Sam groaned. "People around here need to get a life and stay out of mine."
"Aww, Sam. Everyone thinks it's great. Tessa's a wonderful woman and you're such a good man." She laughed. "It’s about time. You deserve each other."
Sam muttered and grabbed some paperwork. When she didn’t leave, he glared up at her. "Was there something else, Betty Lou?"
Shaking her head, she cackled as she left his office and headed for her desk. Sam leaned back in his chair, spun it around, and gazed out the window. He looked toward the animal hospital and knew Tessa was in there. His lips rose in a grin as he remembered her kissing him first this morning.
****
Later that day in her apartment, after long hours of taking care of animals and dealing with their owners, Tessa was getting ready to take a shower when there was a knock on her door. Glancing to the door, she hesitated then walked slowly to it and peered through the peephole. Relief rushed over her and made her smile when she saw Sam standing there. Opening the door, she stared at him hiding her smile of delight.
“Hi, sweetheart,” he murmured.
Tessa grinned and reached up to take his sunglasses off. “Hello, Sheriff. What can I do for you?”
Sam smirked. “You have no idea.” His gaze ran over her. “Can I come in? We have a debt to discuss.”
“I thought we were going to discuss it tonight?” Tessa nibbled on her bottom lip as she opened the door wider for him to step in.
Sam strode through the doorway and stood by her couch. “Come here, Tessa.”
Shivering at the sound of his deep sexy tone, Tessa walked to him and stopped within inches of him then gazed up at him. “I’m here, Sheriff.”
Sam gripped her hips and pulled her to him. She could feel his hard cock through his jeans. “Do you feel what you do to me?”
“Sam…” Tessa moaned leaning in.
“God, Tessa. You have me in the palm of your hand.” He lowered his head and kissed her. His tongue moved into her mouth making her groan against his caress. She threw her arms around his neck and he backed her up to the sofa. “I want you so much…so very much. Kiss me, Tessa,” Sam whispered against her lips.
“You are such an amazing man,” she whispered in his ear. “I was planning to take a shower. Care to join me?”
Sam groaned as if in pain. “Yes.”
He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. Sam set her on her feet and cupped her face in his hands, pressing his lips to hers as his hands moved down her shoulders to her waist and the bottom of her T-shirt. Sam pulled it off over her head and kissed her, taking her mouth roughly. Tessa’s hands went to the buttons on his khaki shirt but her fingers were having trouble with them. She started to laugh, making Sam pull back from her and raise an eyebrow.
“I can’t get these damn buttons undone.” Tessa chuckled.
Sam laughed and pushed her hands out of the way. He reached behind him and pulled the shirt off over his head, not bothering with the buttons. Tessa then lifted his T-shirt off over his head and ran her hands over his pecs before slipping her fingers down along his rippled stomach to the snap of his jeans, reveling in the way he sucked in his breath as she did. Looking up into his eyes, she unsnapped them and lowered the zipper slowly. Sam groaned.
“You’re killing me,” he growled.
“I’m just unzipping your jeans, Sheriff,” Tessa said innocently.
“Just unzipping my jeans—yeah, that’s it.” He took a deep breath. “You’re touching me, Tessa, and that about kills me every time I feel your hands on me.”
Tessa stood on her toes and kissed him. “You say the sexiest things, Sam.”
“I’m not trying to be sexy, for God’s sake, Tessa. I’m just saying what you do to me.”
Tessa ran her hands around his waist. “You just have no idea how sexy you are, Sam Garrett.”
“I don’t know if I will ever get enough of you, Tessa. You’re so beautiful.”
Stepping back from him, she removed her jeans then her bra, and slowly lowered her panties and stood naked in front of him. She watched as he closed his eyes as if he couldn’t take looking at her. When he opened his eyes, she gasped at the heat in them. Tessa moved to the shower and turned it on. With what she hoped was a sultry glance over her shoulder, she stepped into it. As she lathered up the soap, she watched as Sam finished undressing and she was so excited to have him, she moaned. He stepped in behind her and took the soap from her. Lathering up his hands, he slowly ran them over her back, on down to the dip above her ass. His hands ran over the cheeks of her ass and then encircled her waist. Sam dipped his hand to her mound. Tessa’s head went back against his shoulder. His mouth ran along her collarbone sending shivers of pleasure over her skin.
“Sam…please,” she pleaded with a long moan.
“Please, what? I told you before I could please you. I have, haven’t I, Tessa?”
“Oh God yes…you have, Sam.”
His breath came across her ear. “I want to please you again, Tessa.”
Tessa moaned. “Yes…Sam, please…” She gasped when his hand moved between her legs and he rubbed a finger between her folds.
“God, you’re so wet, Tessa.”
“For you, Sam…only for you,” she whispered, then groaned when he moved his hand behind her and slipped it between her legs to her very core. He inserted a finger deep inside her. Tessa bucked against him as his other hand moved over her clitoris while he moved his lips along her collarbone. She clenched her legs around his hands.
“Sam…” She placed her hands on the shower wall and leaned forward as Sam’s hands worked their magic. Her orgasm hit her hard so that she groaned out his name as wave after wave of pleasure crashed over her then she cried out again as she came again. Tessa fell back against him, her hands going up into his hair.
“That was amazing.” She spun around and wrapped her hand around his hard cock. Moving her hand up and down the length, she watched as Sam closed his eyes and pumped into her hand. He wrapped his hand around hers and opened his eyes.
“Tessa,” he whispered her name making her shiver. She continued moving her hand up and down his hard length. Sam’s hand tightened around hers guiding her and making him groan.
Watching him close his eyes in pleasure, she slowly stroked him and moved her thumb over the tip feeling a slick drop of moisture. She continued to pump her hand as she pressed her lips to his. Sam moaned into her mouth.
“You’re close, Sam,” she murmured against his lips.
“I want to be inside you,” he groaned.
“Not this time. Let me do this for you.” Tessa pressed her lips to his and kissed him with all the passion she had for this wonderful man. Her tongue entered his mouth. Sam pumped his hips against her hand as their lips clung together. As he grew harder in her hand, she kneaded his balls with her other hand until a groan tore from his throat and he turned from her coming against the shower wall. He took deep breaths then looked at her.
“Damn, you didn’t have to do that.”
�
�I wanted to. You do it for me,” she said against his lips.
Sam leaned down to kiss her then yelled and jumped back. The water had gone cold. Tessa giggled. She was behind him so the cold water hit only him. Sam grabbed her and turned her around making her squeal when the icy water hit her. Sam chuckled.
“Sam Garrett, that’s not funny,” Tessa growled.
Sam pulled her to him. “That’s Sheriff Sam Garrett.”
Tessa laughed, pushed away from him, and stepped from the shower. “I’ll get you back for that.”
Sam grinned. “Looking forward to it, angel.”
Chapter Nine
September had arrived, turning leaves red and gold and bringing cooler nights. Sam and Tessa had been seeing each other nearly every weekend since late July. This evening they lay in the back of his old pickup truck on a blanket, out in a pasture, staring up at the stars, and Tessa thought life couldn’t get any better.
“They are so beautiful. There’s so many of them,” Tessa said in awe of the night sky filled with sparkling pinpoints of light.
“Thousands, maybe more. I love coming up here and just laying here looking up at them.” Sam clasped his hands behind his head.
“How many women have you brought up here for star-gazing?”
“Only you. I never bring women to my home.”
Tessa laid her head on his shoulder. “You brought me here.”
“Yes. You aren’t like the other women, Tessa. You have to know that by now.”
Tessa bit her lip. Tell him! Her inner voice seemed to scream at her nearly every day but dear God, she couldn’t. Not yet. When? She wished she knew when the time was right. He was such a traditional man that it terrified her to think of his being disappointed in her. They’d been seeing each other almost two months now and all she’d managed to do was deceive him. He was going to hate her when he found out the truth about her, and he would—eventually. There was no way she could keep this a secret much longer—not from a man like Sam. They were getting too close and she was falling in love with him. She blinked her eyes quickly. It was all going to fall apart and it would be no one’s fault but hers.
Sam Men of Clifton, Montana Book 7 Page 11