I reach up and untangle his costume from the sling I made earlier, and slide the sleeve off his bad arm. He winces and grits his teeth as I try to move as gently as possible. I steal another look at his face and my heart thumps again. I could tell he was good-looking under his makeup, but I had no idea. His eyes are a piercing blue and his features are manly and defined. There’s a hint of stubble across his jaw, and his lips are full and pink. I try to ignore the beating of my heart when I remember the look he gave me as I wiped off his makeup.
“There,” I say as his arm finally comes free. I drop the sleeve and gasp as the costume drops towards his feet. He makes a noise and tries to grab the fabric as it falls. I look away, but not before I see his polka-dot boxer briefs. He tries to catch the costume before it falls and finally hikes it up above his hips. If I was blushing before, I’m definitely as red as a tomato now.
“Sorry,” he says. I glance back at him and shake my head. The smile is starting to creep over my lips and I lift my eyes to his. My cheeks are still on fire and his eyes are sparkling.
“Do you always wear polka-dot boxer briefs or is that part of the Clown Club regulations?”
He laughs and his whole face brightens. He looks back at me and shakes his head. “That’s just personal preference.”
I chew my lip as I try to stop from smiling, hoping my cheeks aren’t as red as they feel. I reach over to his t-shirt and hold it up. “You need help with this?”
“Please,” he says. “Look, I’m sorry. I really appreciate this.”
“Its nothing. To be honest, it’s better than being in a house with ten screaming children.” Way, way better than that.
I bunch the t-shirt and help him put his head through the neck hole. He pulls his good arm through it and we both look at the sling and t-shirt slung across his shoulder.
“This isn’t going to work,” I say. Dean laughs. He lifts his arm and I pull the t-shirt off him again. My chest just brushes against his and my fingers run over the skin of his arm. My heart thumps again and I shake my head to try to control myself. The flame between my legs is making my knees weak.
“Here,” I say, sliding the sling off his arm. We move slowly, putting the shirt on over his injured arm first, and then moving to the rest of his body. My fingers brush the skin on his shoulder again and that familiar shot of electricity pulses through my arm. My whole body feels like it’s a few degrees warmer than it was a few minutes ago.
Finally, his shirt is on and the sling is back on his arm. He grins and my whole body melts. I wish he’d stop being so handsome. I’d be able to function a lot better in this situation if I didn’t feel like my panties were soaking through every time he looked at me.
“I think I can manage the shorts,” he says. I nod
“I’ll wait up here,” I say, gesturing to the front of the car. I grab my purse from the front seat and lean against the hood. Within a couple minutes I hear the trunk closing and Dean appears beside me, looking nothing like he did an hour ago. In regular clothes, I can see how strong and athletic his body is. His t-shirt is stretched over his broad chest, and his shorts show off his defined legs. He grins at me.
“Hope that wasn’t too traumatic for you.”
“I’ll live,” I say with a smile. I nod to the hospital doors and we start walking side by side.
“You don’t have to come in with me,” he says. “I can manage from here.”
“I’ll wait until you’re signed in and we know what’s going on. If you need any paperwork or anything I can help you get it.”
He moves his hand to my elbow and my heart thumps once again. I glance up at his face and see his features soften. He shakes his head slowly and opens his lips as if to speak. He closes them again and glances towards the hospital.
“Thank you,” he finally says in a low voice. “It’s not often that someone is so kind.”
“I’m from a small town,” I say with a smile, elbowing him gently on his good side. “I haven’t been ruined by the big city yet.”
“I don’t think anything could ruin you,” he growls before flicking his eyes in my direction. My core starts burning and the space between my legs starts to pulse. I don’t know what to say, so I just blush and look away. We walk through the sliding glass doors and into the hospital
My heart is still beating hard by the time we walk up to the reception desk. The nurse talks and asks questions and soon we’re being shepherded to a waiting area. I follow her lead, but all I can hear is a buzzing in my ear and all I can feel is the warmth of Dean’s body next to mine. Finally we sit down in the waiting room’s hard plastic chairs and I try to steady my heartbeat.
“Thank you, Sam, really,” he says.
I laugh and hold up a finger. “What did I say in the car when we started driving here?”
“I know, I know,” he says with a grin. “I just want you to know how much I appreciate your help.”
All I can do is stare into those bright blue eyes. My voice is gone and there’s a lump in my throat. I smile and Dean smiles back. He leans back in his chair and lets out all the air from his lungs..
“Well, if you insist on being here, you might as well tell me about yourself.”
Chapter 7 – Dean
I love hearing Sam laugh. It’s like she’s surprised whenever she does, and the surprise of her own laugh makes her laugh even more.
“Don’t be so enthusiastic,” she says with a grin. “You sure sound like you want to get to know me.” I glance at her and smile. If only she knew how badly I want to get to know her.
“Is Sam short for Samantha?” I ask.
“Yeah. I’m from a small town in Virginia, just up here visiting my friend Jess. She’s the one with the twins,” she explains.
“She’s the one with the dangerous son, you mean.”
“That’s the one,” she laughs. “We’ve known each other for years and she offered to let me stay with her for a while.”
I frown, wondering what she means. Did she need somewhere to stay or is she just visiting?
“So are you in town for long?”
“I’m not sure,” she says, settling back into her seat. “I needed a change. I’ll see how it goes.”
“I know what you mean. I started doing this clown gig about a year ago when I was just sick to the teeth of the corporate world. Change is good.”
“Do you like it?”
“The clown job? Yeah, I love it. I get such a buzz of making the kids laugh.”
She nods. “I worked with kids too. They have a way of making you feel like a superhero just for existing,” she laughs. “So you like kids?”
“Love them. I thought I’d have a few of my own by now, but that doesn’t seem to be in the cards for me.”
“No?” she asks. I turn towards her and frown.
“How did this turn into my life’s story? I thought we were talking about you. All I know is your name and where you’re from.”
She laughs and my heart jumps again. “Isn’t that enough?”
I shake my head. “Not nearly enough.”
She looks at me curiously and shrugs. “Well, if I told you I was getting a divorce, would you believe me?”
I frown and study her face. Her eyes are steady, staring at me and watching my reaction. I shake my head. “How is that possible? You seem so young.”
She sighs. “I know. These things happen, I guess. I just have to sign the papers and then it’s all over.”
“Was it… was it mutual?” Are you still hung up on him?
“It was mutual in the sense that he wanted to fuck other people,” she says. The venom in her voice surprises me, and all I do is nod in response. I understand completely. I wish I couldn’t relate as well as I can. She shakes her head.
“I shouldn’t be telling you this. We got so serious all of a sudden. I’m just in New York to try something new. I got in last night and so far it’s been quite the experience,” she s
ays, sweeping her hand across the waiting room. I laugh.
“Don’t wait here with me. It could be hours,” I say. I want you to wait with me though. “Here, take my number. Let me take you out for dinner. As a thank you.” She opens her mouth and I laugh. “If I can’t say thank you at least let me show it.”
Sam looks at me and tilts her head to the side. The corners of her lips lift up and she nods before pulling out her cell phone. “Sure,” she says. “Why not.”
I put my phone number in her phone and press ‘call’. “Got it,” I say, slipping my phone back in my pocket. We look at each other for a few moments and then Sam takes a deep breath. She sits back in her chair and turns to look at me. It’s almost like we’re stuck in a trance studying each other’s faces. Finally she takes another breath and smiles.
“I should probably get back. Let me know how it goes here, and if you need anything. You going to be OK to get home?”
“Yeah, I’ll be fine,” I say. “You go enjoy the rest of your weekend. You’ve done more than enough for me today.”
She smiles and stands up, slinging her purse over her shoulder. I stand up as well and we stand awkwardly in front of each other. It almost feels like I’m supposed to kiss her – or maybe that’s just what I want to do. Finally she chuckles and puts her hand on my shoulder. She lifts her head up and places a soft kiss on my cheek. That sweet floral perfume hits my nostrils again and I inhale deeply, letting my free arm graze against her side. She pulls away and smiles at me.
“I’ll see you later,” she says. “Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too,” I say. My heart pulls at me as I watch her walk away. It’s not until she turns the corner and is out of view that I slump back down in my chair. Somehow the room feels colder and darker now, and the chair seems harder than it was five minutes ago. I look at the place where Sam disappeared around the corner and shake my head. I wasn’t expecting to meet a woman like that today.
Chapter 8 – Samantha
My head is spinning when I walk back out the sliding glass doors. I glance over at the nearby taxi rank and shake my head. Might as well take the subway back to Jess’s place and explore this city a little bit. I’m in no rush to get back to the house anyways.
I check my phone for directions and head down the street, following the little blue line on the screen. I slip my phone back in my pocket and sigh. My heart feels lighter than it has in days. I haven’t thought of Ronnie in hours.
Ronnie.
As soon as his name pops into my mind, a chill goes down my spine. The hurt is still raw. If I think of him too long, the heartache starts to sink into my bones. Every time I think of him it’s like rubbing salt on the wound. It stings. My face falls and my brows knit together as I keep walking towards the subway station.
Should I be going out on a date with a guy I just met? I’m not even divorced yet! That blue folder is still laying on top of the dresser in my room where I left it last night. I square my shoulders. I feel more ready to sign them than I did yesterday. If I’m honest, I feel more ready to sign those papers now than I did a couple hours ago.
Dean’s body paints itself in my mind’s eye. I remember the way his skin felt when my fingertips brushed against his shoulder, and the way his whole body rippled with muscles. Every time he looked at me I felt like blushing, and every time he spoke it sent vibrations through my chest.
I make it to the subway steps and head down. For a few minutes, I think about nothing except where I’m going and which train to get on. As soon as the subway gets to the platform and I slide inside, I find a seat and think of Dean again.
My heart hasn’t beat that hard in ages. I think of his little polka-dot boxer briefs and the way his cock was outlined. Is it just me or was he a little bit hard? My cheeks start to blush at the thought of it. I shake my head to dispel the thoughts. Of course he wasn’t hard. That’s a bit presumptuous of me to think that I could turn him on by just being next to him.
I’m just horny and alone and heartbroken and he’s the first man that’s given me any attention since Ronnie, that’s all.
Still, when I think about the look that Dean gave me when I was wiping his face, somehow it feels like a little bit more than passing flirtation.
Before I know it, the subway is sliding into the station and I jump up to get off. I make my way up the stairs and spin around at the top to get my bearings. I glance at my phone and nod slowly, heading off in the direction of Jess’s house.
I don’t know what to think. I let my feet take me back to her house and climb the steps slowly. I slip in the front door, trying not to make too much noise. Footsteps come down the hallway and Jess appears.
“Sam! I was starting to wonder where you were. Did you make it to the hospital ok? How much was the cab? Is Clifford OK?”
It takes me a second to realise she means Dean. I nod. “I took the subway back. It was fine,” I say. It was great, actually. “I left before they saw him but it’s probably broken.”
“Oh gosh,” Jess says, shaking her head. “I’m going to have to call the company and send a card. Matt is in his room. Apparently he hit him right in the crotch with the baseball bat, Owen saw everything.”
I grin. “Disaster.”
“Tell me about it,” Jess says over her shoulder as we walk back towards the kitchen. “I have some spaghetti made if you want any?”
“Sounds great.” I grab a plate and help myself to some food as Jess putters around the kitchen. I watch her and laugh. “I never knew you’d be the domestic type. You used to be the party animal!”
“Well, twins will do that to you,” she says with a wry smile. “I hardly have a minute to myself.”
“Sit and eat with me,” I say. Jess glances at me and smiles.
“Ok,” she nods. When we’re both sitting down she looks at me and shakes her head. “You’re in a very good mood. What happened?”
“Nothing,” I say, spinning my fork to get a big bite of pasta. “I might have a date though, so don’t worry about the apology card.”
Jess’s jaw drops and she lets out a laugh. “What!”
I shrug. “I don’t know how it happened. He’s really nice! And funny.”
“Clifford the Clown is taking you out,” she laughs. “Good for you,” Jess says with a satisfied nod. “That’s exactly what you should be doing.”
There’s a pang in my chest but I ignore it. “You should see him without that costume on,” I say with a smile. “He looks even better.”
“Jesus, Sam, you didn’t…?”
“No! God, no. He just changed out of his costume before going to the hospital.” For some reason I don’t want to tell her about helping him change. I don’t want to tell her about wiping his face or seeing his bare chest and boxer briefs. I want those moments to stay locked away inside me. Saying them out loud feels like it would somehow cheapen them.
“Right,” Jess says, shaking her head. “I was thinking that would be out of character for you.”
“Also, he has a broken arm,” I say with a laugh. A twin appears in the doorway completely naked, with water trailing all behind her. Jess jumps up and wraps Michelle in her arms, carrying her back down the hallway. I shake my head and finish my food in silence before washing my dishes and heading to my room.
I close the door and lean against it, grateful for a bit of quiet. The blue folder is still sitting on top of the dresser, exactly where I left it last night. I narrow my eyes and walk towards it. I fling the folder open and look at the dozen little yellow tabs on all the sheets, all waiting for my signature.
There’s a pen in my purse somewhere, so I rummage around until I find it. I take it out, pulling the cap off in a quick movement. I flick through the pages, signing and initialing where I’m supposed to. My heart is thumping and by the time I get to the last page, my eyes are starting to get blurry. I take the yellow envelope at the back of the files and stuff the papers inside. It’s alre
ady stamped and addressed, so I lick the flap and seal it shut. I can’t see anything from the tears in my eyes, so I sit down on my bed. The pen drops to the floor and I put my head in my hands as I let the tears flow from my eyes.
I cry for a few minutes before sniffling and wiping my face. I sit up a bit straighter and square my shoulders, glancing at the folder. With a deep breath, I get up and wipe the last tear away from my eye.
It’s done. The papers are signed, and now they just need to be dropped in a mailbox.
I’m as good as divorced.
Chapter 9 – Dean
“There you go,” the nurse says as she smooths my shirt back down over my shoulder. “All done. Just stop by reception on your way out and you’re free to go!”
“Thanks,” I say absent-mindedly. Ever since Sam left the hospital, the day has dragged on endlessly.
The cast is bright white and heavy on my arm. They’ve given me a real sling, handing the old tea towel back to me. I glance at the rag and wonder if I should give it back to Sam or not. I stuff it in my pocket and head towards the hospital reception.
Before I get there, my phone starts vibrating in my pocket. My heart jumps and I wonder if Sam is calling me already. I pull out my phone from my pocket and duck over to an empty waiting room.
Of course she isn’t calling me.
“Mother,” I say as I answer the phone.
“Dean. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” I say as I glance down at my cast. “I’m ok.”
“Good. I thought about our conversation yesterday and I wanted to apologise.” Apologise? My mother is apologising?
“Ok…” I answer slowly.
“Are you free for dinner tonight? We’ve had the chef prepare a roast with all the trimmings. Your favourite.”
“Tonight? Can we do another night, during the week maybe?” I hate how whiney I sound. My mother always brings out the worst in me.
“No, honey, your father will be out of town. Do you have plans tonight?”
Knocked Up by the Billionaire's Son: A Secret Baby Romance Page 3
