by C. M. Steele
“I’m coming,” I snarl as I pick up the phone. “We saw you at the gate.”
“Okay get your ass out here. We tried to stall, but Mom is being ridiculous.”
“I’m coming now.” I rush out of her place and down the stairs just in time to meet them as they walk up the steps to Doc and Sophia’s house.
“About damn time.” My brother pulls me in for a hug.
“Whatever.”
“So are you going to sneak around like a thief in the night forever?” Boomer asks. I’m sure he doesn’t like that we’re keeping this from Doc.
“No. Sammie wants us to wait until tomorrow.”
“Okay. We’ll keep our mouths shut until then,” my father says.
Doc comes to open the door and the second he does, my mother shouts, “Merry Christmas!”
We barrel into the house. My brother lags, and that pisses me off because I’m supposed to be waiting for Sammie, not him.
“Merry Christmas.” Doc gives Mom a hug and then shakes everyone else’s hands.
Crystal sneaks past all of us to give him a squeeze before asking, “Where’s Sophia? Still sleeping?”
Boomer pulls her back to his side, making us laugh. “No, she’s in the shower. We weren’t expecting you for another hour or two.”
“Mom thought Sophia would need a hand with breakfast,” I blurt out. They just wanted more time to see me unnerved.
“Thanks, but I planned on keeping Sophia out of the kitchen. My sister should be here soon to help me cook.” Just thinking about Sammie makes my dick hard, and I’m anxious for her to get her ass over here. We’ve been apart just a few minutes, but we’ve missed so much time together and hearing her love for me makes me afraid of losing it. “Please come all the way in.”
“How is her hand?” Mr. Miller asks.
“It’s healing nicely. There doesn’t seem to be any nerve damage, just a very good cut.”
“As pretty as glass ornaments can be, I hate that the shards are thin. She still had a couple embedded when she came to the office,” Sammie says, entering just as Mike is about to close the door. He smiles at her, and I can’t control the jealousy that rips through my chest, causing a growl, and Doc notices. Sammie acts like I’m not there, walking past me to her brother. “Sorry I couldn’t stay with her yesterday. The theater is crazy at this time. Today is going to be busy.”
“Are you working today?” I ask. My fists clench because she didn’t say shit about working today.
She rolls her eyes at me, which is going to get her in trouble, and throws her arms around her brother for a quick embrace. “Merry Christmas, bro.”
“Yes, I am. It’s Christmas Day. Three new movies are opening today.”
“Normally we both work, so we do something the day after,” Doc adds. Not that I give a fuck about what he does. “But from now on, I’ll be taking a vacation around the holidays.”
“Sophia,” my mom calls out as Sophia comes into the room.
She’s wearing a white tee with Christmas-colored letters that say, My 1st Christmas as Mrs. Simmons.
“Oh, I love that shirt, dear. It’s so cute,” my mother says. Mike and I roll our eyes as Doc and Sophia kiss. I don’t need to see him practically mauling my sister while I have to stay away from my future wife.
“Thanks. Sammie made it for me.” My head twists to look at my woman.
“Wow, you’re talented.” My mom already loves Sammie. This is just another reason.
A blush crosses Sammie’s face, and she bites her bottom lip. I want to kiss the fuck out of her. She needs something like that for us, too. “It’s nothing. Just something I do for fun.”
“I like it,” Mike says. The bastard must have a death wish. I give him a warning glare.
Chapter Twelve
Sammie
“Stop it.” Danny glares at me with his arms crossed, leaning his hip on the counter, making his broad chest look even larger and sexier. It’s annoying how hot he is even when he’s pissed at me.
“Stop what?” he asks.
I pull the bacon and the hash browns out of the fridge. “Stop looking at me like you’re mad,” I tell him as I set them on the prep area.
He scoffs, “Well, I am. What do you want me to say?”
“You should say, ‘I understand you’re a boss and that sometimes you have things to do.’”
“It’s not that, Sammie. When the fuck were you going to tell me?”
I bite my lip and dip my chin to my chest. “I thought I did.”
“Liar. You know damn well you didn’t.”
I face him with tears in my eyes. “Okay. I didn’t want you to try to stop me from going in. I swear it’s only for a few hours.”
He closes the distance and slides his arm around my waist while his hand comes up and cups my chin. “I’m never going to hold you back. I think we still have a lot to understand. Or better yet, you need to learn to trust that I’ll always want the best for you. Now, how can I help?”
“Just relax and hang out with my brother.”
“I don’t want to be around him. I want to be around you.”
“Daniel, leave the poor girl alone. We have some work to do so we can all eat.” His mother shoos him out of the kitchen, but not before he steals a kiss from me.
“When they love, they love hard. Oh goodness. I shouldn’t have said that.” She blanches as if I wasn’t supposed to know that he loves me.
“Don’t worry. He’s already told me.”
“Good. Now let’s feed them so you can get to work and get back before Daniel loses his mind. He’s spent the past three months pacing like a caged beast.”
“Yeah, because of the surgery.” I wish I’d known that he wanted me by his side then. Hell, I’m sorry that I didn’t learn about the surgery sooner, but they kept it a secret and I couldn’t bring myself to ask about him because I was afraid to hear something I didn’t want to learn.
“Yes and no. He couldn’t wait to see you, and he also didn’t want to come to you with a serious injury. I’m guessing it’s because he can’t keep his hands off you.”
I blush because his mother has no shame or embarrassment, but I haven’t gotten to that point in my life. “Relax. I’ll leave it alone, but I’m so happy that he’s found you. Daniel is so much like his father.” She sighs and sticks the biscuits in the oven. I’m almost done with all the bacon and sausage for the biscuits and gravy. I see the giant box of pancake mix on the counter, and it makes me smile. Maybe that will be a memory I never forget.
Twenty minutes later, we have the breakfast feast complete. The men come in and take the large serving platters, bringing them to the dining room where Sophia’s set up the plates and silverware.
Danny sits next to me and I pretend not to be thrilled, but I miss him like crazy. I just don’t want my brother and him fighting. I’m pretty sure Danny would pummel my brother with his MMA skills, and that would be terrible for us. I want them to be friends. After all, my brother’s a great man, and Danny’s proving to be the same.
It’s time for me to go, and it takes everything in me to walk out of the house. I’ve never felt this conflicted about going to work, but I never had a man like Danny waiting for me. I’m there in record time, and it’s packed like I expected. We’re only showing movies until six, and it’s already one.
Elvin is off today, but he’s here anyway. “What are you doing here?”
“I assumed that you’d be calling in or something.” The flippant way he says that strikes a nerve, and I’m ready to bite his head off.
It’s Christmas Day, and instead of being wrapped up in the arms of the only man I’ve ever loved, I’m here dealing with his prissy ass. “Have I ever?”
“No, but with that player you’ve got, I expected him to keep you busy.”
“Elvin. I don’t want to be a bitch, but if you want to keep your job, stay out of my personal life. Merry Christmas, by the way.” I walk past him and into my office. Why is he all int
erested in my relationship with Danny?
I print out my checklist and then head out into the lobby to run through the stations. As always, this place runs like a well-oiled machine. My phone beeps, and it’s a text from Danny. I miss you, Vixen. Santa still has a present for you to unwrap.
My pussy clenches, thinking about what he has in store for me when I get home. I close my eyes for a moment and smile to myself.
I can’t wait. I love you, Danny.
A second later, my phone rings. “Hello,” I whisper, walking back into my office and locking the door.
“I love you, Samantha. I wanted you to hear me tell you. I promise to tell you every day for the rest of our lives.”
“Promises, promises.” I’m glib in my response because I’m nervous and scared, so it’s better to be dismissive rather than disappointed. I’m about to sit in my chair when there’s a knock at my office door, so I say to him, “I’ll call you back. Someone is looking for me.” I hang up and open the door to see Daniel standing there with a smile and lunch in his hand.
“Surprise.” He’s just what I needed. I throw my arms around his neck and taste his lips. Danny growls and carries me into the room, kicking the door shut behind him. I moan, and he spins me around, pinning me against the metal surface.
“Fuck, I missed you, too.” We kiss for another minute before he pulls back.
“You need to eat, and we need to talk.” I’m almost afraid of what he has to say. My stomach does flips as I stand there staring at him, and I’m sure that I won’t be able to get a bite down. Please tell me this isn’t going to be some crazy I love you, but I have to leave you nonsense.
He cups my chin and tugs it, so I look into his eyes. “Relax. I have no idea what that brain of yours has cooked up, but I’m not going anywhere without you. There’s something important I wanted to tell you, so you sit and eat the burger and fries I picked up before they’re ice.”
I do as he says, and despite my earlier assumption, the smell of the fries causes my stomach to beg for food. As I scarf down a couple of fries while sitting in my chair, I wait for whatever he has to say. He sighs and says, “I’m going to announce my retirement next week.”
“Retirement?”
“Yeah. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time and well, I have plenty of money in investments and in the bank to live a great life. The decision itself was a no-brainer. I just thought you should know before I tell the whole world.”
“Wow, is it because of your shoulder?”
“Yes. The damage isn’t going to get better and I’m not getting any younger.”
“You act like you’re old.” I’m thrilled that he’s not fighting anymore, but I know it’s been something he’s loved his whole life. I don’t want to be too giddy, so I hide my enthusiasm.
“I’m twenty-eight, so I’m pretty young, but my body makes that decision for me.”
Nodding, I add, “I’m glad you’re not going to fight anymore, but I have to ask. Are you going to miss it?”
“I’m sure that I’ll miss pieces of it, but my heart’s not been into it for a long time. I’ve been going through the motions. I have options, so don’t ever worry about money.”
“I’m not. I make a lot here, but…”
A knock at the door interrupts me. “Yes,” I call out.
“We need you in the lobby. A customer wants to talk to the manager,” Elvin says.
“I’m coming right now. Excuse me.” He follows behind me as I approach the guest by the concession stand. It’s Christmas, so I hope it’s not a big deal, but you never know.
“Hello, I’m the manager, Samantha Morris. How can I help you?”
“I am not pleased with the service. I asked for no butter in my popcorn and there’s butter in it.” This is going to be a long day. Daniel stays by my side the entire time as I attempt to explain that it’s only popped in the oil and lightly salted. Unwilling to argue, I give the woman a refund and she takes it with a huff. I can feel Daniel’s tension easing when the woman is gone, but I can tell he wanted to say something.
“Calm down. How about I meet you at my place later?”
“I’ll be there.” He bends down and kisses my cheek before walking out. Now that he’s gone, I know the hours are going to drag.
Chapter Thirteen
Daniel
I’m glad she gave me the code to the gate so that Doc doesn’t see me on it yet. I promised Sammie I’d wait, so I will hold her to it. I start dinner, making a perfect pork tenderloin with roasted red potatoes and stuffing. The table is set with the one present I brought for her in the center. It’s not really a Christmas gift, but it’s kind of a tradition. If she says yes, it’ll be a true present for me.
As she walks through the door, I hear an audible gasp. “You made me dinner?” She comes into the kitchen to see I’ve set the plates up on the long wooden table she has.
“Merry Christmas.”
She flings her arms around me, kissing me wildly until I pull back. “Merry Christmas, Danny.”
“Sit, my love,” I say, pulling out a chair for her.
Sammie presses her hands to her lips, shaking her head. “I can’t believe you did all this.”
“Vixen, you worked hard all day, and it’s Christmas. I wanted to make it special.”
“So far you’ve been wonderful, and everything has been special. Until I met my brother and his friends, I never thought a man could be honorable, sweet, strong, and kind. Then I met you and I was terrified that you could never be like that, but you’re so much more. I love you so much, Daniel.”
Unable to take my eyes off her, I stare in silence at her beauty. I love her so much that I would do anything to see that smile on her face for a lifetime.
“What is this?” she asks, picking up the small box. I pull out her seat and drop to one knee.
“I love you, Samantha. Since the moment we met, I knew you’re all I ever wanted. I’ve longed for the day to have you say you love me. It’s all I ever could hope for. My sweet love, will you marry me?”
“Yes. Of course, Danny. I love you and want to be your wife.” As soon as I slide the ring on her finger, she throws herself into my arms. The food is forgotten as I toss her onto the floor and climb over her, kissing her lips and down. The night could not be any better.
****
As soon as the sun is up, I’m in the kitchen getting ready to have coffee and then head over to Doc and Sophia’s place to talk to him about Sammie and me. We had another long night of worshiping each other, and I need some energy to deal with him.
The coffee just finished when I hear Doc call out for his sister. Sammie’s in the shower and getting ready for work, so she can’t hear him.
I’m about to go out and meet him when he walks into the kitchen and barks out, “What the fuck are you doing in my sister’s place?”
“Just the guy I was looking for,” I say, having my coffee. I’m only in my joggers, so he knows damn well what we’ve been doing here.
“Why? To get back at me?”
“Calm your ass down. I don’t want to fight with you. Sammie would kill me.”
“Sammie? You’re fucking my sister.”
“I’m in love with your sister. She knows it, and now you know it, too.”
“You hardly know her.”
“Ha. That’s rich, coming from you. I actually know a lot more about your sister than either of you two thinks.”
“I doubt that.”
“I know she rides every week on Williams’s Ranch. I know that she loves banana splits and that she works hard to make you proud even if she doesn’t admit it. And there’s something from her past that made her unable to trust in my love and fidelity. If she didn’t have a shining example of love from you and your friends, she would probably never understand what she means to me.”
“If you hurt her, there will be nowhere you can hide.” I laugh because that’s the line we used on him.
“I’m glad we understand ea
ch other.” He extends his hand, and I shake it. “Damn, I wish Sammie gave me her trust that easily.”
“I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve seen that look. Now, when are you marrying my sister?”
“Whenever she wants.” His eyes move to something behind me. I turn around to see Sammie with her eyes watering. Panic and dread shoot through my veins. I’m quick to get to her side because I need to take away the pain that caused those tears. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Nothing at all.” She cracks a genuine smile that eases the tension pulsing through me. “What brings you over here this early?”
He waves the Coffee-Mate bottle. “I came to steal some creamer. Apparently, we’re out, and we need our coffee.”
Sammie giggles. The sound goes straight to my balls. It might not be the right time to get hard in front of her brother.
“Go ahead and take it. I’ve got another bottle in the back of the fridge.”
Doc nods and takes the container. “I’ll see you both later. I have to tell Sophia. She’s going to do cartwheels,” he says as he walks out the door.
Sammie tenses up in my arms. “Relax. They love you, and so will Sophia.”
“I know. It’s just that I feel like this is all a dream I’m going to wake up from soon. I’m so glad you and my brother didn’t go at each other.”
“Me too. I’m not afraid of him, but you know damn well that I spent my career fighting people.”
“I know. He may be tough, but you’re a skilled fighter.” She pauses, turning to me and says, “Wait. Something just struck me. How did you know about my riding? Did Boomer or Crystal keep tabs on me for you?”
“I may have kept my distance, but I had eyes on you.”
“What? Oh my goodness. That woman…the one Cowboy snarls at?”
“Yep. She’s a PI, but she quit after he caught her. I figured she went back to work for another client.”
“Nope. She’s still in town. I’m surprised she hasn’t left yet. They fight like cats and dogs.”
“Yeah, not my problem. The only problem I have is a sexy little Vixen who is going to blame me when she’s late for work.”
