Until I Kissed You

by Nicole Vidal

  “I can do that.”

  “Thanks, Scar.”

  “Happy looks good on you, Savi.”

  “Thanks.” I pull my sister in for a tight hug and lead her back to the living room.

  We discuss the changes with Christoph and Finn before they leave for Scarlett’s shift. She agreed to call me with her choice late next week. I’m intrigued that Finn opted for the night shift. Although, I see the way she gazes at him and her slip up about his looks earlier. Then we turn our attention to Maia.

  “Thank you for coming. I appreciate it. Did Jacob give you information about how it works for Savannah and Emme?” Sam asks.

  “Briefly, but I’m fine with hearing your perspective.”

  “Generally, you’ll escort Savannah to the office in the morning and back home as well. Until yesterday, she lived across town. Now it will be the three of us in the morning. I work from home in the afternoons. Occasionally, Savannah stays at the office. Your priorities are Savannah and Emme. As I discussed with Jacob, I’m not the story; they are. Emme’s maternal grandmother cares for her in the mornings. If Maria-Luisa wants to go out with Emme, she’ll let you know. I’ll provide your contact information tomorrow morning.”

  “Okay. What time do you leave for the office? Will you be going out later today?”

  “We leave about eight. No, we’re staying in for the rest of the day.”

  “Thank you, Maia.”

  As she leaves, Sam brings Emme to her room for a nap. I head into the kitchen and start pulling out ingredients.

  When he returns, Sam asks, “What’s buzzing around in your head?”

  “Huh?”

  “What are you doing?”

  “Oh, I bake when I’m upset or sorting things out in my head.” I preheat the oven and start measuring the necessary ingredients.

  “What are you upset about?”

  “I’m sorting, not upset.” I drop the flour and spices in the bowl and whip them into a batter.

  “When did you make up your mind about Maine?”

  “Yesterday when I had to leave with Cruz. I don’t want that for Emme.”

  “What about you?”

  I hear the concern in his voice like I would choose to move for Emme only. “Sam, I was honest with you. I don’t want to have security, but I will if it’s necessary. Emme shouldn’t need it from birth. It’s unfair to her. If leaving the city will remove it as a necessity, then we should move.” I scoop the batter into the pan and slide it into the oven.

  When I finish closing the door, Sam lifts me into his arms, setting me on the counter.

  “Savannah, I lo—”

  “Sir, your brother and Miss Waterman are here.”

  Sam’s forehead drops against mine. “Thank you, Jimmy. Please send them up,” Sam replies.

  I love you, Sam. I have been waiting for the right time to tell you.

  Chapter 36

  Samson

  Each day she takes up more space in my defrosting heart. She would move out of the city for my daughter. She’s more than I could ever hope for, not only for me, but for Emme as well. I love her. I need to tell her.

  “Hey, guys. We weren’t expecting you. Is everything okay?”

  “Hey. Sorry to drop in, but Caro wanted an Emme fix, and we ran into Dad at the patisserie this morning.”

  We all hug one another. Once she greets everyone, Caro scoops Emme up and plays peek-a-boo with her.

  “It’s no problem. You’re welcome anytime,” I add quickly to avoid any miscommunication.

  “What smells good, Savannah, because I know Sam didn’t bake anything?”

  Savannah laughs. I love that sound.

  “Gingerbread bars. My choices were limited by the ingredients we have on hand.”

  “Smells amazing. What do you mean we?” Auggie asks.

  Savannah lifts her head toward mine. “I moved in yesterday.”

  “That’s great!”

  The timer sounds, and Savannah moves back into the kitchen to check her dessert. Auggie is right. It smells delicious.

  After Savannah sets it to cool on the wire rack, Auggie moves closer.

  “That looks amazing. I might need to steal the recipe.”

  “Stop! You’re a talented chef. I literally threw together some ingredients to sort through some things in my head.”

  “I’ll be the judge of that when it cools. I bet it’s tasty.”

  “I doubt it.” Savannah smiles and wraps her arm around my waist.

  “What did Dad say?” I ask. While I’m sure Caro wanted to see Emme, the information about our father is likely more interesting.

  “We were already at the restaurant when he arrived with David Cobble.”

  “Why would Dad meet with the family attorney in a public place?” I wonder aloud.

  “Probably to avoid a scene from Margaux. Once we finished, we approached their table in the back of the restaurant. After a short chat, Dad informed me he’s filing for divorce in the next few weeks. He warned that we should be extra vigilant regarding Margaux.”

  Nodding my head, I say, “That makes sense.”

  “Is your offer with Cash still open?”

  It takes me a minute to figure out what he means. He means adding his money to the pooled trust fund. “Yes, of course.”

  “What do you need from me?” Auggie asks, but his attention is focused on Caro and Emme.

  “I’ll email you a list of what we need later tonight.” I quickly change my mind. “Instead, let’s get it now.” I kiss Savannah softly and leave with Auggie.

  “You have the list printed out?” Auggie asks, gazing out the large window overlooking the city.

  “No. You should tell her how you feel.”

  “Caro doesn’t want to date me. She’s made that abundantly clear.”

  “When is the last time the two of you had a genuine conversation about your relationship?”

  Auggie drags his hands through his hair. He’s in love with her; he doesn’t realize it yet. “About a year ago, we discussed it again. She reminds me repeatedly she isn’t interested in ruining our friendship, even if the sex might be magnificent. Her words.”

  “Until Savannah, I wouldn’t claim to know more about love than anyone else. However, it took me too long to ask her to the gala and even longer for an actual date. You need to tell Caro how you really feel. You might be surprised when you get a different answer.”

  “Do you know something I don’t?” he asks as if Caro has confided in me and I broke her trust.

  “No, only my observations and some things both of you have said to me in passing. I’m suggesting you consider it. Neither of you have dated anyone else, yet you aren’t dating each other.”

  “Fair enough. I’ll think about it. Let’s discuss you. Savannah moving in is a big deal. Got anything else planned for her?”

  “I was planning on telling everyone soon anyway. We’re moving out of the city in the next few months, likely near Billie and Cash.”

  “Good for you. It’ll be better for Emme,” Auggie adds.

  “True. Savannah only has personal security because I asked her. She’s doing it for me. If we leave the city, no one will need it any longer. I want them to have the best life they can. Cash and Billie are much happier. I want that for my family too.”

  “Good for you.”

  “Thanks.”

  “I may need to leave the city too considering I can’t build the way I want here.”

  “That’s a big change from your original plans, isn’t it?”

  “Yes. It may not be feasible. I’m still working out the details.”

  “Let me know if Cash or I can help in anyway.”

  “Thanks. Let’s check out that dessert your woman made. I need to get my judging hat on.”

  Laughing, I follow Auggie to the kitchen. Savannah and Caro are giggling like schoolgirls sharing secrets. They probably are.

  “Ready to dish out your creation, Savannah?” Auggie asks to stifle t
heir conversation.

  “Yes, Chef.”

  Everyone laughs and grabs a chair at the island. Caro secures Emme into her chair and moves it onto the large island. Savannah plates four squares of her creation. It looks delicious.

  I hear her inhale as Auggie lifts the bar to his mouth.

  “Savannah, this is fantastic! Soft, great texture, the right amount of ginger and molasses. I absolutely want the recipe.”

  Her face reddens. “Thank you, Auggie.”

  “He isn’t lying. This is delish. You could easily pass this off as something he made,” Caro adds.

  “Thank you.”

  She takes the seat next to me and leans into my side. I press my lips to her temple and pull the rest of the pan closer for a second serving. We spend another hour chatting with Auggie and Caro before they leave.

  “Will you come sit with me for a minute before Emme needs to eat again? I want to get your input on something.”

  Savannah drops the drying towel on the counter and joins me on the couch.

  “What does your dream house look like?”

  “Wow, just going big, huh?”

  “I want to know what you must have.”

  “Sam, I truly don’t need anything spectacular. Just what everyone needs: a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, office, and a decent-size yard. I’m still in awe of my closet. The fact that the bedroom has two closets is still insane to me. Why?”

  “I want to setup some showings on the weekend. Griffin helped Kelly, Peter, and Cash find their homes. I need to give him a starting point.”

  “Whatever you limit yourself to will be more than I would have ever dreamed would be where I get to live.”

  “Cara mia, I want you to be happy.”

  “I am. It won’t matter where we live.”

  I pull her lips to mine and tell her with my lips that I love her even though I haven’t been able to say the words yet. Although I’m not overly religious, it’s as if a god created my perfect partner without any input from me.

  Once we feed Emme and put her to bed, I plan to lavish every inch of Savannah’s curves with my mouth until she begs. About an hour later, I find Savannah naked in our bed waiting for me. She’s perfection, simply perfection.

  Chapter 37

  Savannah

  This week has been hectic. Even though our schedule is settled, the fact that Sam wants to leave early on Friday decreases the time we have in the office. Perhaps it’s my own concerns, but I feel as if I’m not as diligent as I was before we were dating. Plus, I need to address the payroll error.

  “Sam, my direct deposit was wrong this morning.”

  “No, it wasn’t.”

  “It was too much.”

  “Savannah, you have been working here for more than a year. Your probationary period is over, so your salary increased. Did you forget?”

  “I did forget, but there’s still no way that number is correct.” I show him the deposit memo for my account.

  “Oh. Well, that’s a week early.”

  “Please explain.”

  “Here, review this and then it’ll make sense. I planned to give it to you tomorrow.”

  The top of the document has the words Partnership Agreement in bold font across the top.

  “Are you out of your mind? It’s too soon.”

  “It absolutely is not too soon. The average time for full broker and partnership in a firm this size is two years. You ran this office on your own while I was handling Marisol’s accident and learning about Emerson. You earned this.”

  “I’m floored. Thank you. Can I take you to dinner tonight to celebrate?”

  “Part of me wants to say absolutely not, because I’m a traditional kind of guy. However that won’t work for an independent woman such as yourself. I would be honored to have dinner with you tonight.”

  “I’ll take care of everything. Now get back to work.” I smirk at him before signing the bottom of the agreement.

  Hours later, Maia arrives to escort me home. Sam left at one to relieve Maria-Luisa.

  “Hi, Maia. I need to pack my bag.”

  “No problem.” Maia takes a seat in the small waiting area of the office.

  “All set. Any issues today?” I hope the press contingent is small outside of my home.

  “No issues that I’m aware of. Maria-Luisa and I took Emme for a walk around the park for a bit. We came back quickly due to the temperature.”

  “Good. Are you joining us in Maine, or is Jacob sending someone to meet us there?” I slide into the back seat and Maia joins me.

  “I believe Jacob is meeting you there. He needs to do a preliminary security assessment on any house you may choose. I’m pretty sure Sam sent him the options and he eliminated one for security reasons.”

  “Okay.”

  Maia escorts me upstairs. “Will you be going out this evening?”

  “No, we’re staying in. Thank you, Maia. Are you escorting us to the airport?”

  “Yes.”

  Sam breezes into the room with Emme in his arms. He leans down and kisses me softly.

  “Hi, babe. What time are we leaving for the airport tomorrow?”

  “I hope to leave here by seven. Will that be a problem, Maia?”

  “Not at all. I’ll be here. Have a nice evening.” Maia presses the call button on the elevator.

  “You too.”

  Once she leaves, Sam kisses me more thoroughly. “I thought we were going out, partner?”

  “I decided to have dinner here. It’ll arrive in about an hour. Did you really want to go out tonight?”

  “No. Doesn’t matter to me.”

  Exactly an hour later, our dinner arrives. I take the bags and plate the food as instructed. My plan was to go to Auggie’s restaurant tonight, but it’s closed for a private party. Technically, it isn’t Auggie’s restaurant but where he works for now. However, Auggie agreed to send dinner over.

  “Isn’t that where Auggie works?”

  “Yes. He cooked dinner. I wanted to eat there, but there were no open tables. Not even for you. Something about a private party.”

  “I prefer to be alone with you anyway.” Sam raises his glass of red wine in my direction. “To you, my love.”

  Heat builds in my cheeks. “Thank you.”

  Per usual, Auggie has outdone himself with his food. I hope he’s able to capture his dream of owning his own restaurant. His dishes certainly should be enjoyed by as many people as possible. After eating, we pack our bags and fall into bed early.

  We have the cutest alarm clock. Emme has been eating and sleeping well. She eats near one and wakes about five. At five on the nose, Emme’s sweet wails wake me from a sound sleep. I roll to sitting and find Sam isn’t in bed anymore.

  I wrap my robe around me, grab Emme’s bottle, and lift her from her crib. With a dry diaper, I return to the living room and feed her. About halfway through her feeding, Sam returns from the gym.

  “Sorry. I was trying to get back up here fast enough.” He walks over, kissing us both.

  “It’s fine. She’s almost done. I’ll dress her and then get ready.”

  We are making strides culling the time it takes for all of us to get from waking to walking out the door.

  The flight to Maine is as smooth as the last time. I’m insanely excited to search for a home with Sam and Emme. Our first stop is the Perk.

  “Hi, Savannah. Sam. Nice to see you again.”

  “You too, Kelsey.”

  “Would you like to stick with your order from your last visit?” Kelsey is an amazing businesswoman. She recalls our order. Another reason smaller towns are amazing.

  “I would. Sam?”

  “I’m sorry, what?”

  “Would you like the same as last time?” I set my hand on his forearm, drawing his attention back to the room.

  “Yes. Thank you.”

  Kelsey hurries away to make our coffees.

  “Where did you go?”

  “I was checking out our s
urroundings. It’s only the three of us here, at least until the showings.”

  “Isn’t the whole purpose of moving so we don’t need Blackthorne with us?”

  “Yes. I’m used to one of them being here with the two of you. I’m adjusting.”

  Kelsey returns with our coffee and pastries.

  “Thank you, Kelsey.”

  “You’re welcome. Have a wonderful day.”

  We exit the store, cross the street, and sit on a bench facing the ocean.

  “What time are we meeting Griffin?” I scoot closer to Sam on the bench. It’s a tad colder than I expected.

  “We have about thirty minutes before we need to drive to the first property.”

  I return my gaze to the ocean and Kelsey’s tasty scone. Her shop will be dangerous for my waistline.

  Chapter 38

  Samson

  “Sam?”

  I turn to my left and don’t see the person calling me. As I look right, I see Billie walking toward us.

  “Hey, Billie.” Rising, I wrap my tiny sister into a huge hug. Then she hugs Savannah.

  “Hi, guys! I wasn’t expecting you until late afternoon.” Billie lowers the hood of Emme’s stroller and stares at her niece.

  “Griffin was able to get us some appointments during the day, so we came earlier. We have three today and one tomorrow morning.”

  “Griff is great! Well, Kelly and Peter rave about him. Even though he helped Peter find our house, I’ve never met him. Good luck. I have to open the store. I’ll see you later. Whenever you’re done, Peter is working from home today.”

  Billie rushes off to So Elegant, and we head to the car. Jacob is waiting with another man who I assume is Griffin on the porch of the first house. Since she agreed to move, I’ve tried to get her to tell me what she wants, but I failed. Ideally I’ll be able to tell from her reactions which house she prefers.

  “Good morning, Jacob.” I extend my hand to him.

  “Sam. Savannah. Nice to see you again. This is Griffin. I’ve worked with him before with your brother and the Barnetts. I believe he assisted Peter with your sister’s house as well.”