by J. S. Scott
Fuck! That wasn’t what I wanted, but it was what needed to happen. Brooke had me rattled, but she had too many secrets, and wanted to play too many games. I’d stopped doing that shit a long time ago. I valued truth and honesty, something she obviously wasn’t ready to give.
She was evasive as hell sometimes, and that alone should be enough to deflate my swollen dick to inactivity.
Unfortunately, my cock didn’t seem to care about her integrity. It had a mind all its own.
“I’m sorry, Liam. I shouldn’t have said anything,” Brooke apologized quietly.
“Forget it. It’s not important. It’s time to open.”
I watched as she scurried out to the serving area, dropped the condiments on the tables, then fished in the pocket of her jeans for the key.
Brooke had worked for me for months, but I still hadn’t figured her out. Her past was sketchy, but she’d had good references from California. Hell, she was even some kind of family friend to Evan Sinclair, and when he’d asked me if I needed a good waitress, I hadn’t hesitated to give the woman a job.
Her boyfriend had only visited a couple of times from California, some rich bastard who’d flown in on his private plane just like the Sinclairs.
She had a filthy-rich boyfriend.
Her family was friends with Evan Sinclair.
And Brooke was here in Amesport working as a waitress?
Somehow, none of the facts added up. Not that I had a hell of a lot more information on Brooke, but considering what I knew, I had to assume she came from a wealthy family. What in the hell was she doing here?
I took a big breath, then let it out, trying to see some kind of reason through my anger.
Something wasn’t right. I’d felt it for months, but I’d been too busy fighting my desire to screw Brooke.
Time to start asking questions.
I didn’t think Evan would ever put me into a bad situation, but the elusive bastard probably wouldn’t have a problem hiding some of the truth if he thought it was necessary.
My eyes shot to Brooke as she turned around after unlocking the door, her eyes meeting mine in some kind of silent appeal for understanding.
My chest ached as I saw the wistfulness in her gaze, and I quickly moved away from the window as our first customer entered the building.
I went back to work, but I’d get the answers I wanted, or Brooke was going to have to go. I was at my breaking point.
Either I’d find out what she was hiding or we’d part ways soon.
Very soon!
CHAPTER 29
XANDER
Maybe this was a bad idea!
I wrestled with the bow tie of my tuxedo as I stared into the mirror, seeing nothing except my scars. That’s what I was . . . a nicely dressed guy with a less-than-perfect mug.
The trip to New York had been uneventful so far. Luckily, everything went well for Tessa, and I had no doubt she and Micah were intimately celebrating this evening. As usual, Micah had been a mess, but Tessa’s joy made him get over his nerves in a hurry.
Liam, Julian, and I were headed back to Maine the day after tomorrow, but Micah and Tessa were staying for a week or so to make sure all was well with the implants.
We’d spent all day with my brothers and Liam, but tonight . . . that was for Samantha.
“I had to pick a fancy restaurant,” I admonished out loud as I turned away from the mirror. My main objective was to look good and treat Sam as well as she deserved.
Honestly, I loved the fact that she was down-to-earth and didn’t expect me to act like a rich guy with an attitude. Truth was, I didn’t remember the last time I’d worn a tuxedo. Probably at one of the fancy engagements in California. It wasn’t really my style, but I wanted to look good for her.
I strode out of the bedroom, knowing I looked as presentable as I was going to look. There was only so much I could do with myself and my scars, so I was going to have to be satisfied.
I looked around the living area of the penthouse, assumed Sam was still getting ready in the extra bedroom, then went and poured myself a Coke.
Jesus! I was actually nervous. I felt like a high-school dude waiting for his prom date. Maybe worse. This night was important to me. I wanted to pull Samantha outside of her pragmatic world and make her play with me. She was ultraresponsible, and I knew she’d been sweating over the book she was writing. Thankfully, her bad dreams had ended, but she deserved the best night I could give her.
We were rapidly approaching the end of summer. The Labor Day Fair was only a little more than a week away. That scared the shit out of me, and I wondered what was going to happen once the summer was officially over.
We’d agreed to reevaluate then.
Maybe she’d leave.
Maybe she wouldn’t.
Oh, hell. She had to stay. Anything less than keeping her in Amesport with me full-time was an unacceptable solution. Samantha had become as necessary to my existence as breathing, and I wouldn’t survive without her. The dark cloud that had loomed over my head for so damn long had lifted, replaced by her light.
So no . . . hell, no . . . her leaving me wasn’t going to happen.
“Xander?” Samantha’s voice wafted through the living room.
I turned around, but I froze in place as I gaped at her in a formal cocktail dress, her hair down and curling around her shoulders, and her face way more made up than I was used to.
Her dress was a deep red, a silky material that hugged her curves. I knew instantly that she wasn’t wearing a bra. That hadn’t changed. The dress was only attached at one shoulder, and it left the other completely bare. Her heels matched her ensemble, and she was carrying a tiny black clutch.
Her dress hit below her knees, but it didn’t matter. Sam was still so damn sexy that I was instantly hard.
“You’re beautiful,” I said in a husky voice. There was no way I could find the words to describe how I felt when I looked at Samantha, so I didn’t even try.
“Thanks,” she answered. “I don’t really dress up. I hope I look okay for wherever we’re going. I can’t believe you’re wearing a tux.”
I shrugged. “I told you to go get a dress. Fair is fair.”
She strolled up to me and planted a tender kiss on my mouth. “I’ll have the handsomest date in New York,” she replied sweetly. “You look amazing.”
“Even with the scars?” I asked before I could stop myself. Jesus, I hated it when I started to sound like a pathetic loser.
I inhaled her intoxicating scent as she answered, “You always look gorgeous to me.”
Well, damn. Just hearing Samantha say that was worth every agonizing moment I had to spend in formal wear. Not to mention the appreciative look on her face as she thoroughly checked me out. For some reason, Sam really didn’t seem to think my scars were bad or unsightly. She found me attractive, and really, that was all that fucking mattered.
“Where are we going?” she asked as she took the glass of soda out of my hand and helped herself to a sip.
“I told you it’s a surprise,” I said with a grin. “At least we aren’t eating pizza inside these four walls tonight.”
“I didn’t mind that, Xander.”
“I minded,” I said, snagging my soda back from her so I could take a gulp. “But I’ll make up for that tonight.”
“I really hope this adventure includes food. I’m starving.”
We were going to one of the best restaurants in New York, but I simply answered, “It does. Are you ready?”
She smiled and nodded eagerly, and my heart dropped to my feet. She was intrigued by any kind of adventure. Probably because her life hadn’t been all that entertaining. She’d spent years getting through school, and had been the unlucky victim of so much tragedy.
I was determined all that was going to change.
She swept through the door elegantly as I opened it, then waited for me as I locked up. I took her hand and led her to the elevator, still feeling as nervous as a guy on his
first date.
Maybe because I’ve never had a date as important as Sam.
She stopped as we left the elevator and entered the still-humid evening air. “Are we catching a cab?” she asked, confused.
I grinned at her. “Seriously? You’re going out with a billionaire, sweetheart. Your ride is right in front of you.”
I watched as she gaped at the stretch limo parked at the curb. “We’re riding in that?”
The chauffeur opened the back door for her, and was waiting patiently for her to enter.
I nodded my head at the sleek black automobile. “Get in.”
I actually went ahead of her and slid across the seat, waiting for her to enter. “Sam. Come on. We’ll miss our reservations,” I called from the vehicle.
She stepped in carefully and looked around. “Is this the party bus?” she asked in a joking tone.
It was a big car. There were forward- and backward-facing seats, and a minibar full of anything a rider might want.
I caught her hand and pulled her down onto the leather forward-facing seat with me. “Don’t knock it until you try it,” I warned. “It’s pretty damn nice not having to drive or take public transit here.”
“I can imagine. I’ve just never had that luxury. I’m starting to feel like Cinderella.”
I leaned closer to her and mumbled, “I hate to tell you, baby, but I’m no woman’s Prince Charming.”
She turned to me with a frown. “Stop doing that.”
“What?”
“Talking about yourself like you aren’t the most handsome, exciting man a woman could dream about going out with. This is my dream date, and I pick you to take me,” she said haughtily. “It wouldn’t be this exciting if I wasn’t with you. You are my Prince Charming for the night. This date is already spectacular because I’m on it with you.”
I looked at the earnest light in her eyes and I couldn’t deny that she really was happy to be with me. “Okay. I’ll stop,” I said gruffly.
Sam made me feel like I was ten feet tall, and I sure as hell didn’t mind the confidence boost. I’d been a cocky bastard before my parents had been killed. It was part of my personality I really wanted back again.
“Good. Now tell me where we’re going,” she requested.
“Dinner for now,” I answered as the limo got moving.
“And later?”
“Be patient,” I said with a chuckle. Sam was so damn excited that it made me see this whole experience through her eyes. She wasn’t used to limos and fine restaurants. But she should be. Personally, I took all of that for granted since I’d been rich since the day I was born. Seeing things from her perspective was a lot more fun.
She leaned against me with a sigh, and I quickly wrapped my arms around her, caressing the smooth skin of her bare shoulder. “This dress is a cock tease,” I accused.
“It’s perfectly nice,” she argued. “It’s not short and revealing. I thought it was elegant. You don’t like it?”
“Oh, I love it. It hugs those sexy curves of yours beautifully, and it’s obvious you’re not wearing a bra. And don’t tell me you don’t have enough to care about supporting them. I’ve seen them. They’re perfect. And the dress is subtle, but it makes a guy wonder about what you’re wearing underneath. It’s a tease. That’s a lot more seductive than being obvious.”
“I’m glad you like it,” she answered in a sultry voice meant to turn me on.
“I’ll love it even more when I take it off you tonight,” I answered mischievously.
“Are you going to tie me up with your tie?” she questioned in a breathless voice.
Aw, fuck! She was playing so unfair. My dick was already clamoring to get out of my pants.
“If you don’t behave, I might,” I warned.
“That just makes me want to be naughty,” she shot back at me.
I shook my head, not knowing what to do with a woman like her. Yeah, sometimes I liked to play dominance games, but I was getting to the point where it just didn’t matter how I fucked her. It just mattered that I did.
“I’ll think about it later,” I answered more nonchalantly than I felt.
She didn’t reply. Instead, she reached out and grasped my hand and entwined our fingers together in a trusting gesture that slammed me in the gut.
“I wish I could offer you a champagne toast to start our night,” I pondered. “Actually, I can. But I’d have to stick to water.”
“It doesn’t matter,” she murmured. “I’m not much of a drinker. And I’m enjoying the ride right now.”
I was savoring the moment myself, even though the ride wasn’t sexual. Truth was, I just liked having Samantha beside me.
“We’re here,” I announced as the car pulled to the curb.
The chauffeur was there immediately to open the door, and I steadied Sam in her high heels as she stepped out. Once we were both on the street, she looked at me in surprise.
“It’s a shopping mall,” she said.
I took her hand. “Let’s go.”
We walked through the door and took the escalator, and I have to admit it felt a little bit strange to be going through a mall in a tuxedo. But we were at the restaurant soon enough.
“Oh, God. We actually have reservations at Per Se?” Sam said in an awed voice. “Xander, it’s expensive. It’s one of the best restaurants in the world.”
I urged her into the eatery. “I think I can afford it,” I whispered in her ear as we were greeted immediately, and then shown to a table with some amazing views of Central Park and Columbus Circle.
We settled on the tasting menu, and Sam refused the wine, asking instead for water and a nonalcoholic beverage.
The atmosphere was quiet and intimate, but my date seemed more interested in the view. “This is so fantastic. I lived in New York for years, and I’ve never been here.”
“You’re here now. What do you think?”
She turned her gaze back to me. “I think you’re the sweetest, most thoughtful man I’ve ever known,” she answered earnestly.
I shrugged. “It’s not a big deal. I’ve actually been here before.”
“That isn’t the point. It’s a treat for me.”
“You need some guy to spoil the shit out of you. I plan on being that man, Sam.”
She smiled at me. “You’re doing a terrific job so far. I realize you can afford this place, but I never could. And I can’t wait to taste the food.”
I grinned. Trust Samantha to not be concerned with who was here, and if she saw anybody recognizable. The restaurant was the place to see and be seen. Really, she did just want the food.
Throughout the long meal, I had the pleasure of watching her as she tried each dish, closing her eyes and moaning over most of them.
By the time we were done, all I wanted was to strip her naked and hear her make that enticingly satisfied sound for me.
We refused dessert because we were both stuffed. “Nothing would compare with that wild-blueberry cake, anyway,” I said with a smile.
Samantha had done a hell of a job on the confection, and we’d ended up taking some of it to Julian’s place because Kristin had wanted to try it. It didn’t go to my brother’s house without protest. If I’d had my way, I would have kept every piece.
“It was the recipe,” she said as she dabbed her luscious mouth with a pristine napkin. “The ingredients were perfect.”
I settled the check and we took our time getting back outside again.
“That was one of the most incredible things that has ever happened to me,” she pronounced as our limo pulled up. “Are we off to the penthouse now?”
“Not hardly,” I said smugly as I reached into the inside pocket of my tux. “Unless you want to skip this.”
She snatched the tickets from my hand. “Oh, my God. Xander! Did you really manage to get tickets for Hamilton? I can’t believe it!”
Watching her stroke the tickets reverently almost made me jealous. But I got over it soon enough as tears st
arted leaking from her eyes. “Don’t cry,” I insisted. “It was supposed to make you happy.”
“I am happy,” she answered. “I’m just surprised.”
“I want to make all of your dreams come true, Samantha,” I admitted honestly.
She threw her arms around me and hugged me tightly, and I breathed in her essence and savored the softness of her body that fit so damn perfectly against mine. “You didn’t have to do everything in one night.”
“You have a lot more dreams than just New York,” I reminded her.
“This is exciting enough,” she answered as she finally let me go so we could get into the car.
Dinner and a show were nothing. What I really wanted was to show Samantha the world, and I wanted to see it through her eyes.
I clenched my fists as I got into the car, refusing to believe that I’d never have that chance.
Samantha was going to stay with me. She just didn’t know it yet.
CHAPTER 30
SAMANTHA
I gazed in awe at the lights of New York from the top of the Empire State Building. It was getting late, and it was the perfect way to end the surreal evening that I’d just spent with Xander.
His arms were wrapped around my waist from behind, and I rested my head on his shoulder, wishing I could stay like this forever.
The musical had been magical, and when he’d hauled me up here just to see the views, I’d never been more entranced with his charisma.
He was a romantic, even though I was pretty sure he’d deny it. The whole evening had been planned just to please me, and I think that was what choked me up the most about this whole experience.
Getting dinner reservations and those theater tickets had taken some planning. I could tell he hated the tux, and I’d seen him put a finger underneath the starched collar occasionally in an effort to loosen it a bit, but I was pretty sure it hadn’t helped.
