She released my shirt, patting the wrinkled fabric. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“As am I.”
She paused before she went to see Chloe.
“Oh, I need the restaurant information to leave the babysitter. Just in case.”
“I thought you might be a little anxious about leaving Chloe alone, so I made a reservation at DeGarmo’s across the street. Great food and close in case.”
She laid a hand on my arm. “That was incredibly thoughtful.”
I ran a hand through my hair self-consciously. “I have to admit, my reasons were selfish.”
She furrowed her brow. “Selfish?”
“The day I asked you out, you said that it would be the first time you’ve left her alone since your, ah, husband left. I didn’t want you worried and distracted.”
She chuckled at my confession. “It does make me feel better, to be honest.”
I lifted her hand and kissed it. “Good. Now, go see what Chloe needs, and once your sitter arrives, we’ll go.”
There was a knock on the door, and I tilted my head toward the sound. “I’ll get that if you want.”
“Perfect.”
Sam relaxed back in her chair, idly spinning her wineglass. “It’s so nice here.”
I sipped my wine, enjoying the heady flavor and the chance to spend time with the beautiful woman across from me. I had been pleased when I’d opened Sam’s apartment door to find the superintendent’s wife, Bonnie, on the other side. I got along well with her and her husband, Ray, and knew Chloe would be in good hands. She winked as she came in, her hands filled with a bag of games and a plate of cookies for her and the “wee one,” as she called Chloe.
She had Chloe so busy with a puzzle when we left, she barely acknowledged us walking out the door. Chloe waved her hand, peering intently at the puzzle as she munched on a cookie. I knew it gave Sam some ease, knowing Chloe wasn’t upset with her leaving.
“It’s great,” I agreed. “Comfortable and good food, without being pretentious.”
I had held her hand on the short walk to the restaurant and stole a fast kiss or two in the elevator. She seemed to enjoy my touches, which made me happy. We had perused the menu then decided on an appetizer and two main courses, which we planned to share since neither of us could make up our mind. Our conversation had been continuous and relaxed as we drank our wine and ate our salads.
“You mentioned you work from home as a book editor?” I asked.
She swallowed a bite of her salad and nodded. “Yes.”
“That must be interesting.”
“It is. I love reading, and it puts my education to use. Today’s methods are always changing, but the fundamentals of proper English are still the same. I take a lot of online courses to keep up-to-date with the ever-changing face of publishing, and I love doing it. I get to work, have a career, and still be home with Chloe.”
“Have you been doing it a long time?”
“I started in a smaller position when I got out of school. I moved up, and when I found out I was pregnant with Chloe, they offered me a remote position. It was perfect—a job I could do from home.”
I hated to ask but had to. “How did your husband feel about it?”
She made a face and took a sip of wine. “He would have preferred it if I edited nonfiction work, but that wasn’t where my heart was. He was always embarrassed by my work. He thought the books I worked on were silly and inane.”
He sounded like a pompous ass, but I refrained from saying so.
“What genre do you work on?” I asked, curious.
“Historical fiction.”
“Like lords and dukes?”
“Yes.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “With ravishing rakes and all that?”
A grin tugged on her lips. “Yes.”
“Maybe you could send me a link to one of the books, and I can read it.”
“Really? You would read a historical romance?”
“Why not? I like to read. I’d like to read something you worked on.”
“Wow. Alan could barely stand the fact that I was somehow involved. He never read anything. Or talked about what I did. He called it my ‘little hobby.’” She shook her head. “I hated that, and we argued over it a lot.”
“I’m not Alan.”
She shook her head. “No…no, you are most certainly not. What you are, Dr. Ian, is most certainly unexpected.”
I liked being unexpected to Sam.
I sat back, regarding her. “You know, if you ever need to…verify a scene—make sure it’s on the ‘up-and-up,’ so to speak, I’m your man. I can ravish with the best of them if needed.”
The waiter appeared, placing a bubbling dish in front of us. “Your stuffed shrimp.” He removed our salad plates, leaving us alone again.
Sam looked at me as she reached for the spoon and slid some shrimp onto my plate.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” she murmured.
“You do that.”
“That was amazing.”
I grinned at Sam, leaning over and wiping a small trace of chocolate off the corner of her lips. Partway through dinner, I had given in to the draw and moved from my side of the booth over next to Sam. We had shared from our plates, fed each other, held hands, kissed a few more times. I liked touching her. She, it seemed, liked it when I did so. It was a relaxing, enjoyable dinner—until dessert arrived. That was when I discovered another side to Sam.
She was addicted to chocolate. And she hated sharing, even though she had insisted she was full and couldn’t eat dessert. When the double chocolate brownie with hot fudge sauce I ordered arrived at the table, she became possessive and growly. I had to fight for every bite.
It was adorable.
“It was my dessert,” I reminded her as I licked the chocolate off my thumb. “You said you were too full.”
“You’re the one who moved close enough to tempt me.”
I hunched closer to her, eyeing her full, sweet mouth. “Can I tempt you with anything else?”
She surprised me by cupping my face and pressing her mouth to mine. With a low groan, I slid my hand around the nape of her neck and kissed her back. She tasted of the chocolate we shared, the wine she sipped, and simply of Sam.
It was an intoxicating combination. She was intoxicating.
I knew the waiter had slipped the tab on the table. I ignored him. I kissed Sam until she was breathless. Until I was breathless.
I leaned my forehead to hers. “You are addictive.”
She sighed, her breath washing over my skin. “You are dangerous.”
I kissed the end of her nose before drawing back. I reached for the tab, sliding my credit card into the folder.
“But good, yeah?”
She tilted her head. “Yeah. Good.”
“Then we’re golden.”
I laughed at her confused expression. “My mom says that all the time. It means we’re good.”
“I like it.”
I signed the bill.
“Next time is my treat,” she insisted.
“I asked you out. I paid.” My mother had raised a gentleman, even if my thoughts toward Sam were definitely not those of one at the moment.
“Then I’m taking you out next week. On me—since I asked.”
I had to laugh. “Okay.” Then I frowned. “So, I can’t see you until next week?”
She smiled at my words. “What are you doing tomorrow?”
I grinned. “Day off.”
“Then I’d like to make you dinner. If you’d be interested in having a meal with Chloe and me.”
“I would love that.” I pulled her from the booth. “Let me lay it on the line, Sam. Any time you want to give me with you, I’ll take. Coffee. A visit in the hall. Dropping by the hospital for a milkshake. You name it, and if I can, I’ll be there.”
Our eyes locked, my words surprising even me. But I knew. Friends who date wasn’t going to work for us. Somehow, I knew how importan
t Sam and Chloe were going to be to me. And I wasn’t playing games with her.
“Okay,” she breathed out.
“Come on, I’ll take you home.”
She looked up at me, her beautiful eyes wide. “Will you come in for a while?”
“Absolutely.”
When we arrived back at the apartment, Bonnie told us Chloe had been an angel. Then she left wishing us a “Good night,” with a subtle wink.
I followed Sam down the hall and watched as she checked on Chloe. It was a girly room filled with pink and lace, with lots of stuffed animals around, although I was amused to see Stitch was still the one she held tight as she slept. Sam tucked her in and bent low to kiss her forehead. I peeked into the room across the hall, bookcases lining one wall and a desk with a pile of manuscripts stacked up on it facing the window. There was another chair with an ottoman, and I could picture Sam curled up in it, editing or reading.
Sam appeared by my side. “My office,” she murmured.
“I figured. Looks well used.”
She laughed. “It is.”
She indicated the end of the hall. “That’s my room.”
I cleared my throat. “Maybe you should show me that another time, Sammy-girl.”
“Sammy-girl?” She wrinkled her nose. “No one has ever called me that.”
“Good. My special name. You are far too pretty to be a Sam.”
A second later, her arms were wrapped around my neck and her mouth on mine. With a low groan, I hauled her up my chest and kissed her with everything I had. I loved how she felt in my arms. How she fit against me. How she tasted. The scent of her perfume. The heat of her skin. I wanted more of all of it.
“The sweet things you say drive me crazy,” she whispered against my mouth. “You make me feel as if I matter. As if you see me.”
“I do.”
She eased back, still holding me. “Alan and I were over a long time before he left us. He changed after we got married. Money and power became his priorities.” She sighed. “Everyone thought I was devastated when he left, but to be honest, I was relieved. We didn’t work anymore, and I hated the way he ignored us.”
“I’m sorry,” I offered.
“I’ve been invisible for a long time,” she confessed.
“Not to me. I see everything about you. And I like all of it.”
“And Chloe?”
“I adore her. Both of you.”
She blinked in the dim light of the hallway. “I think-I think we’re going to adore you too.”
“Good. Then we’re on the same page.”
Her expression was bright. “Yes, Dr. Taylor, I think we are.”
Chloe’s laughter rang out loud and clear as I pushed her on the swings. I had shown up early for dinner—five hours early—and taken the girls for a walk in the park while whatever Sam was making for supper cooked. Her apartment smelled amazing, the air heavy and rich with aromatic herbs and meat. My mouth watered. My apartment usually smelled of pizza or Chinese—cooking and I were not friends, although I could rustle up scrambled eggs pretty well.
“More, Dr. Ian! More!”
I smiled as I gave her another push, watching as her little legs pumped steadily to keep swinging. Sam stood on the other side of the swing, making funny faces at Chloe as she whizzed over her. Sam looked happy and relaxed, not at all upset about me arriving early and taking them to the park. She had looked delighted when she opened the door, greeting me with a fast kiss I had wanted to deepen and explore, but Chloe had appeared too quickly.
It had taken everything in me to leave Sam the night before, and I was pleased to see she seemed to feel the same way. It boded well for our relationship.
Twenty minutes later, we were in the park and eating ice cream. Then Chloe begged me to help her on the swings, and I was powerless to resist those big brown eyes and sweet voice. Stitch was clutched against the chains, squished, but I assumed, enjoying the ride.
Six weeks ago, if anyone had told me my day off would be spent this way, I would have scoffed at them. But there was nowhere else I wanted to be. The sun, the laughter, and the smiles of these two girls made my chest warm.
Chloe slowed, dragging her feet along the dirt to stop the swing, then ran for the slide. Sam and I followed, and I caught Chloe at the bottom a few times before she decided it was sandbox time. She raced toward another little girl she knew, and we headed to a bench close by. I made a detour to the little kiosk set up in the shade, buying some water for Chloe and an iced cappuccino for Sam and me to share. I sat beside her, lacing our fingers together as we watched Chloe and sipped the iced coffee treat.
“This is so good,” Sam observed. “Different.”
“Best kiosk in the park. He makes it with chocolate milk if you ask,” I explained. “I always get it that way.”
“My new favorite.”
I leaned back, snagging my straw and taking a long sip from the cup. “Funny, I have a new favorite today too.”
She looked at me, her brow furrowed. “Oh?”
I pressed my mouth to her cheek, nuzzling the sun-warmed skin. “You.”
She blinked, smiled, then dropped her gaze for a moment. When she lifted her eyes back to mine, hers were bright and happy. “You say the nicest things.”
“I’m simply stating the truth. It took all my restraint not to show up at your door when I woke up at six.”
“You could have watched cartoons with Chloe.”
I grinned. “I’ll keep that in mind next time.” I grazed her cheek again. “Not sure I’d be able to resist sliding into bed with you though for a little snuggle,” I teased.
She surprised me by turning her head and pressing her lips to mine. “I might let you.”
“Is that a fact?”
“You’re hard to resist, Ian.”
I bent my head and took another sip of our shared beverage. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
Hours later, I carried Chloe back to the apartment, her head resting on my chest, one arm flung over my shoulder. She’d worn herself out playing and sat beside me on the bench, sipping her water and falling asleep. In the apartment, Sam stripped off her shoes and socks, then covered her with a light blanket once I laid her on her bed. We sat on Sam’s balcony, enjoying the late afternoon breeze.
“Dinner smells incredible. I don’t get many home-cooked meals.”
“You don’t cook?”
“I can, but not particularly well or with much enthusiasm. I make great scrambled eggs and toast. I eat a lot of cereal or takeout, and a lot of cafeteria food.”
She made a face, and I chuckled. “It’s pretty good. They have a salad bar and decent sandwiches.”
“You can’t just eat that.”
“My mom comes to visit sometimes and fills my freezer. I try to eke those out to last a while.”
“Your mom doesn’t live here?”
“No, after my dad passed, she moved in with my sister in Ottawa. She comes to visit every few months or so, and when I can, I go see her.” I glanced at her. “You?”
“My parents live in North York. We see them regularly. I stayed with them when Alan first walked out, but once I found my feet, I moved here,” she explained. “They live in a retirement village and are very active. They enjoy their life there.”
I nodded in understanding.
I leaned back in my chair. “I was thinking maybe I could take you and Chloe to the zoo next weekend?”
“Oh, she’d like that.”
I lifted her hand and kissed it. “And I think you were going to ask me out?”
She grinned. “I thought I might. What is your schedule?”
“It’s a good rotation right now. I’m days all week. I’m working Saturday to cover a shift for a friend, then I have a couple days off. It’s usually four on, three off, although I rarely seem to get the full three.”
“You do nights?”
“Yeah. And some split shifts.” I lifted a shoulder in apology. “Sometimes it’s crazy.”
She lifted one shoulder in understanding. “I understand. But I think, maybe, Ian Taylor, you might be worth the crazy.”
I shifted closer and caught her mouth with mine. “I hope so, Sam. Because I’m crazy about you already.”
She didn’t say anything, but the way she returned my kiss spoke volumes.
I stepped into the elevator, rubbing at my temples. It had been a long and difficult week. I had been covering shifts, working extra, and barely home. I hadn’t seen Sam at all and had to make do with a few calls and video chats with her. In the month we’d been seeing each other, this was the longest we’d gone without physical contact. She’d been more than understanding, but I missed her and Chloe terribly.
I’d gotten used to coffee with her in the evenings, having her drop by the hospital for lunch, sharing quiet moments in the early morning before I left for a shift. I missed Chloe’s giggle and the way her face would light up when she saw me. Snuggling her on the sofa if she heard my voice and trotted down the hall in the evening.
I missed kissing Sam on the sofa. Feeling her in my arms. Talking to her about everything and nothing. Teasing her about one of her books.
We’d grown incredibly close, even though we had yet to move further into intimacy. I knew she was hesitant about that step, and I was being patient, even when sometimes I had trouble controlling myself. When she was ready, I was right there with her.
The elevator door opened, and as I walked down the hall, I saw a note on my door. I was already smiling as I reached for it, knowing it was from Sam. She often left me little notes and, at times, treats on my counter inside, or dinner in the fridge. I had given her a key, telling her to feel free to come and go as she wanted. I liked knowing she had been in my space. Opening the door and smelling the trace of her perfume lingering in the air. She had given me a key to her place as well, but I only used it when invited.
I opened the note and spun on my heel, heading back to the elevator.
Mom and Dad have Chloe until dinner. Come see me.
A few times, I had slipped upstairs in the early hours of dawn. I would sleep with Sam beside me, resting deeper than I thought possible. I always left before Chloe got up, but the short time I was there made the rest of my day bearable.
Happily Ever After Collection Page 12
