Sam hadn't experienced it yet, but felt she was about to if things didn't turn around. Her face fell.
“Jeez, I'm sorry—that was thoughtless of me to say. I just don't know who I am if I'm not a part of that world. All I want is to make art that people love, and I haven’t in a while. It's not about money.”
Sam nodded, conceding. She climbed the steps to meet Jake at the door. “I get it.”
Jake pushed the massive arts and crafts style door open. “We're not that different you and me,” he said, wrapping his fingers around her hand. “The only difference is the scenery...Now get in here before you get hypothermia again. I don't want to have to resort to the sleeping bag tonight...even if I did enjoy it.” His eyes twinkled as he laughed and Sam squeezed his hand back as she followed him inside.
* * * *
The water in the rain shower was hot and felt like salve on Sam's cold, aching body. Jake had located a new toothbrush and some toiletries from a fancy hotel for her to use before he left for the kitchen to make their meal. As the shower washed off the filth and marks from the past forty-eight hours, Sam began to feel less like a helpless victim and more like the strong, determined woman she knew she was.
If she really thought about it, things were not all going wrong. Sure, her business was in trouble and she was broke, but she had a good chance to change all that soon. And she'd met someone—who drove through a blizzard just to keep her warm. That was definitely something.
Sam stepped out into the steam-filled room and wiped her hand over the mirror. Standing before her own reflection, she looked upon her softer body more appreciatively than before. She was not the lithe athlete of her college days without an ounce of fat on her body, but her body was suppler than it had ever been and her curves were appealing somehow. Her mind jumped back to the night before and she remembered how she fit perfectly against Jake's body as they pressed themselves together for warmth. The memory made her body tingle.
She found a comb and ran it through her wet hair and then applied some lip-gloss she'd found in her pocket. On the sink counter, she noticed a neat stack of folded clothes. Jake must've left them there while she was showering. He'd placed a note on top that said: These are my assistant's clothes. Hope they fit.
Sam glanced back to her dirty clothes in a heap on the floor. They were covered in dirt and possibly smelly after working all day. She took a deep breath and hoped that Jake's assistant wasn't a size zero.
* * * *
Jake looked up from the sizzling pan. Sam walked into the kitchen and sat down at the breakfast bar across from him. Her hair was wet, she wore no makeup, and she was dressed simply in a pair of snug gray sweatpants and a white tank top borrowed from Theresa, but Jake had never seen anything so beautiful. This is what our life would look like together, he thought.
“Feel better?” he asked.
Sam smiled as she snatched a piece of cheese from the cutting board. “That was just what I needed. Thanks.”
“Want some wine?” Jake got out two glasses and filled them with a red he'd already opened. He passed her one and then took several long gulps from his own. “I meant to ask you earlier, but I guess I kind of chickened out...”
Sam cocked her head to the side. “What?”
Jake looked down at the pan he was tending. “Do you want to stay here? You know, tonight, or however long you need?”
Sam realized Jake was actually nervous asking her this. He was so together—gorgeous and successful, living in this amazing place. He always seemed so self-assured, and she always felt like such a disaster around him. Now he was the one who felt insecure—it was strangely comforting.
“You'd have your own room, of course,” Jake added quickly.
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Well, in that case...I think I would like to stay here.” She took a sip of the wine. It was delicious, and so was the man in front of her. She gestured at their surroundings, “It's kind of a tough sell against a shack in the woods with no heat, but I like the company.”
Jake was around the counter and before her in an instant. He took her head in his hands and kissed her hungrily. Sam met his intensity and pressed herself tightly against him. He lifted her up to the counter and she wrapped her legs around him while they kissed. The excitement Sam felt building in her core threatened to take over, but Jake pulled away for a moment, allowing them both to regain control. He whispered, “I was hoping you'd say that.” His eyes drifted over her shoulder. “I'm burning our dinner.”
* * * *
After a delicious, slightly overcooked meal, during which they had talked about growing up in a city and the wilderness, their crazy families and dream vacations, Jake and Sam took to the swing on the upstairs deck. Jake brought the remainder of the bottle of merlot and a warm cashmere blanket. It was much milder than the previous night thanks to a warm front that was passing through, but they still huddled together beneath the blanket to stave off the cold. It was a clear night and millions of stars twinkled from far off galaxies.
Sam rested her head against Jake's strong chest as she stared off into the distance. Her breathing matched the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Just being with a man had never felt this natural, even so she was still nervous.
“Do you miss New York?”
“Not right now,” Jake said. He smoothed her hair with his fingertips as they swayed gently on the swing. “Sometimes I miss being a part of that world. But at the moment, I feel like I'm in the right place.”
“You'll go back there once you make your comeback?” Sam's voice was quiet.
“That was the plan.”
Sam hated that she was overanalyzing Jake's choice of words, finding hope in his use of the past tense when he talked about moving away, but she didn't want to start a relationship with someone who was planning on leaving in a few weeks. She'd already been left behind this year, and she wasn't prepared to go through that again. A terrible thought crossed her mind—she didn't want Jake to win the contest. Not that this was a new thought: she of course wanted, no needed, to win herself, but she'd never wanted him to lose. She could see how important getting back into the art world was to him. But maybe if he didn't do well, he would stay. She lifted her chin to look at Jake. He must've sensed her concern, because he added, “Now I don't know. We don't get nights like this in New York.” He gazed up at the stars overhead.
“You mean the constellations? They are pretty amazing. I used to know all their names when I was a kid.”
He looked back at her and his eyes met hers. He shook his head, a small smile forming at the corner of his mouth. “I meant you.” Jake reached his arms around Sam and pulled her onto his lap. His eyes fixed on hers. Sam's face was serious as she returned his gaze.
“Is all this real?”
Jake looked over her face and nodded. Then he kissed her cheek tenderly. “Did that feel real?”
“Mm hmm.”
He kissed her other cheek. “How about that?”
“Yes,” she breathed.
Then he brushed his lips against hers before pressing them against hers in a slow sensual kiss that awakened every inch of her body and made it ache for his touch.
“It's real, Sam. I promise it is.” He slid his hand underneath her knees and easily lifted her up into his arms. He brought her into his room and laid her gently down on his massive bed. The room was lit only by the roaring fire in the fireplace. Jake pressed a button and quiet music began playing from the stereo system.
Sam stared at the twinkling stars through the skylight; then suddenly Jake was above her, his face full of desire. Sam's breathing quickened. She wanted him too, more now even than last night. She felt so close to him, and every fiber of her being wanted to give itself over to him. But she was terrified of being hurt again. She was strong, but she was a realist. She knew her limitations. She couldn't handle another disaster. Jake was closing the distance between them, but Sam sat up abruptly. Jake rose to meet her eyes.
“Don't break my heart,�
�� she whispered.
“I won't, Sam. I’m never going to hurt you.”
At that, Sam reached down and grasped the fabric of the tank top she was wearing and pulled it up over her head as she stood. Then she stepped out of the sweat pants. Jake's eyes moved as he took in the sight of her before him—the beautiful roundness of her breasts, the curve of her waist, and the profile of her soft buttocks highlighted by the moonlight. She was silent as she reached for him, pulling him to his feet to remove his clothes.
His naked body was strong and sinewy, like an athlete, and Sam trembled with anticipation for the feel of his touch on her skin. Jake's hands found Sam's hips and he pulled her to him, grazing his lips over her neck and then lower over her collarbone. A soft moan escaped Sam's lips. Together, they slowly descended onto the soft bed. Sam's heart pounded in her chest, as Jake lay beside her, running his fingers in slow circles around her navel.
“I think I'm falling in love with you,” Jake whispered. His hands and mouth gently caressed every inch of Sam’s body, until she felt like she was on the edge of a cliff about to take flight into the star-filled galaxy. Jake’s eyes asked her permission and she nodded slowly while she bit her lip expectantly. Jake reached for his nightstand drawer and a few moments later, he lowered his body down onto hers.
They made love tenderly then, with soft touches and quiet groans of pleasure, their lips and mouths and flesh melding into one. They stared into each other’s eyes as they moved slowly together, waves of ecstatic tension washing over them, until they both climaxed at the same time, their bodies exploding with pleasure, and budding love. They fell flat on the bed in a tangle of arms and legs and dewy naked skin. Jake raised a hand to push a damp curl of flame-colored hair from Sam's flushed face. She rolled over so that her body was pressed on top of his, her hazel eyes looking straight into his very depths.
Somehow, all the doubt had disappeared. In this moment, Sam forgot all about her problems. Nothing, not a mountain of bills, a dead truck or an empty barn where a school should be troubled her in Jake's arms. This was real. And right now, it was all that mattered. She felt a sensation she hadn't experienced in some time--her heart was actually full of hope. She leaned in so close that her lips brushed Jake’s ear as she spoke. “I'm falling for you too, Jake Pane.”
Chapter Eight
Sam enjoyed the perfect cup of coffee and a melt-in-your-mouth buttery croissant on the deck while Jake slept inside. She watched the sun come up in a blaze of fire over the mountain. As hard as she tried, she couldn't get her mouth to relax out of a smile. For one thing, she hadn't slept this late in months—it was nearly ten a.m. when the first sliver of light woke her, due to the skewed sunrise and sunset times of Alaska's seasons.
She and Jake had stayed awake late into the night talking and making love—it had been without contest the most amazing night of her life. Sam was physically more satisfied than she had ever been, and at the same time, she felt a sense of optimism that she hadn't thought she was capable of. She knew it had to be Jake. He'd come into her life at exactly the right moment. And even though it seemed like a ridiculous thing for a woman of thirty-four years to think, she had a distinct feeling that they were meant to be. But she reasoned there was nothing like falling in love to make you feel like a teenager again.
“Hey, beautiful.” Jake's voice was still full of sleep. He stood in the doorway wrapped in the cashmere blanket they'd laid under the night before. “Come back to bed.” He extended a hand.
Sam shook her head. She wanted nothing more than to crawl back under Jake's silky sheets into his arms, but she still had a contest to win—now more than ever. “It's almost eleven. I really need to get the details in before we lose daylight—and that,” she glanced at her watch, “gives me about four hours.”
“Alright then. I know better than to keep you from working. Give me a minute to throw on some clothes.” He disappeared and then reappeared a few minutes later dressed in his work clothes, and looking more gorgeous than ever.
* * * *
On the drive over, Jake held Sam's hand when he wasn't shifting gears. He couldn't bear to not touch her for more than a few moments. He'd been with plenty of women before; at one point in his heyday, he'd even had his own art-groupies, but none of them compared to Sam. She was so strong, but also soft and feminine. Totally vulnerable. It made her so beautiful, and completely different from anyone else he'd been with. When she gave herself to him, his heart actually raced. Even now driving in the truck, he was filled with a hunger for her that was so strong he could barely breathe.
Jake wasn't looking forward to being a football field away from Sam today while they worked finishing their competition pieces, and he was overwhelmed with ambivalence about the contest now that he had developed such strong feelings for her. A triumph would definitely be his ticket back to New York, and that was all he'd wanted for months, but now he thought what that would really mean: financial ruin for Sam and maybe even heartbreak for them both.
But he couldn't just quit. He planned on doing the only thing he could do, make something special for Sam—a piece that she'd love and cherish, one that would win her heart, and if it won more than that, well—he'd just have to cross that bridge when the time came. As the miles elapsed, they were quiet, but still connected; their eyes met more often than was probably safe for driving. On the dash, Jake’s phone buzzed.
“Hey T.”
“You missed your appointment with the owners at Lakeside. You're unbelievable—how could you forget?”
“That was intentional. Let's talk about it later.”
“Fine. I can't wait to hear why you blew them off. I worked pretty hard to get you that lead.”
“Why don't you swing by the contest site? Let's say an hour...we can talk about it then.”
Jake held the phone up. “Sorry. That was Theresa, my assistant. She's mad.” He shook his head, laughing.
“That's funny?” Sam asked.
“She's always mad.”
Jake negotiated into a tight parking spot in the full lot. He handed the keys to Sam. “In case you finish first. Or whatever.”
“Seriously...keys to the Jeep? Are you sure?”
“And the house.”
Sam turned the keys over in her hand. “Okay then,” she said, and dropped them into her pocket. “Don't wait up, Honey.” She flashed a huge grin before she strode away with a little more spring in her step than usual.
Beyond the split-rail fence, Sam's works glittered in the sun, beckoning her. She walked over to her site, stepping over her banner that had fallen overnight. It almost looked like someone had trampled it, but Sam put the thought away and focused on finding her hand carving implements. She pulled her waves back into a tight ponytail, selected a sharp pointy tool from her leather folder and set to work revealing the faces and details of her skaters. It was painstaking work—the folds of the woman's skirt alone took her two hours. At one point, Polly stopped by.
“Oh, you're an angel!” Sam exclaimed when she saw the thermos and restaurant to-go box in Polly's mitten-clad hands.
They sat together on a bench, and Sam ate the sandwich quickly. She guzzled the hot cider like a lumberjack.
“It looks amazing, Sam,” Polly said. “I'd say I can't believe you did all this by yourself, but I know you too well. You're a super woman. You're going to win.”
“I don't know,” Sam said between gulps. “I've still got a ways to go.”
“Well, I'll let you get back to it.”
“Thanks for the sustenance.”
“Do you need a ride tonight when you finish up here? You can come over to the restaurant...I'll feed you again.”
Sam pulled the keys out her pocket. “I've got transportation, thank you.” She smiled, lifting her eyebrows playfully.
“I knew something was up! Whose keys are those?”
Sam glanced sideways to avoid Polly’s scrutiny. Polly whacked her on the arm.
“Jake Pane!” she shouted
accusingly. “Those are Jake Pane's keys?”
Sam nodded, her eyes crinkling. “He's pretty great,” she said quietly.
“Don't get me wrong, I'm stoked that you are so happy, and that I don't have to drive your butt all over town. But I'm confused. I thought he was your sworn enemy.”
“It was a misunderstanding. He wasn't actively pursuing my clients. They came to him.”
“Okay...” Polly said slowly. “So he gave you his car?”
Sam nodded avoiding Polly's questioning eyes.
“Are you staying with him?”
Sam nodded again. She felt her face grow warm with embarrassment. Polly grabbed Sam's chin and turned it toward her.
“Sam McLeod, I have known you since we were seven. Now you stop holding back on me! You like this guy, don't you? Oh my gosh, did you sleep with him? Why am I even asking...it's so obvious. You're practically glowing, you little scamp.” Polly popped to her feet. “What a turn of events. I love it!”
Polly hugged Sam tightly, pressing her friend's face into her thick chocolate braid. “I'm so happy for you, Sam. I've been waiting for something really great to happen to you. You deserve everything, I hope he deserves you.”
“Thanks, Pol.” Sam reached down and picked up her tool set. “Back to work.”
* * * *
Jake brushed the ice snow off his hands and looked over his work with satisfaction. Sam had had a positive effect on him in just one night. He was confident that this was his best work to date—a complete departure from anything he'd created before. From behind him, Theresa cleared her throat.
“Ready to tell me why you skipped the meeting I set up with the Thomases?” she snapped.
“Where did you get all these new clients for me?” Jake asked.
“Just contacts. Most of them reached out to me.”
“Nothing shady?” he demanded.
“No—not at all.”
“Well, I'm not meeting with the Thomases. And no more working contacts for me out here.”
Theresa threw her hands up in the air. “Okay...” she said, her voice defensive, “You know, you need this competition and those contacts too, if you want to get back to New York and start making us money again, Jake. Don't forget the plan.”
Frozen: A Winter Romance Anthology Page 44
