Amelia (12 page)

“You’ll stay won’t you?”

“I’m homeless. Of course I’ll stay.” She smiled up at him as she propped herself up on her elbows. “And tell me this luxury place of yours comes with food. You worked up an appetite in me.” She rolled to face him. “And I could use some food.”

He let the groan in his throat rattle out. “I could find you some food. Something tells me we could both use some energy.”

Her eyes narrowed in a seductive wanting. “It’s been awhile since I’ve had sex. I could go a few more times,” she offered.

“I’ll bet you’ve got me beat. I might wear you out. It’s been a very long time for me.”

Amelia rolled him to his back and straddled him. As she looked down, her hair curtaining her face, she ran her hands over his chest.

“How long?”

He blinked hard. “You really want to know that?”

“I think you’ve gotten a good grasp on the fact I’m not some petty and jealous woman.”

“Oh I had a good grasp,” he said as he gave her thighs a squeeze and she wiggled on top him.

“Seriously. How long.”

Sam winced. “Do I get my man card pulled if I tell you it’s been over a year—maybe more?”

Her lips tightened. “I won’t pull your man card, but I don’t believe you either.”

He pushed her off of him and rolled her to her back. “Why?”

“Men don’t go that long.”

“Some believe if you have sex it means more than—well than just sex.”

Her eyes widened. “This is more than just sex?”

Sam brushed her hair from her face and made sure he was looking her in the eye. “Yes.”

She bit down on her lip and nodded. “Food. You promised me food.”

Sam nipped her lip with a kiss and climbed from the bed. He held a hand out to her and pulled her to her feet. “I’ll feed you, but you can’t change.”

“Pardon me?”

“You have to stay just like this,” he said gazing at her perfect nakedness. “It’s a deal breaker.”

She shrugged and walked out of the bedroom.

Sam took a moment to let the rapid beat of his heart settle. To him it would always be more than just sex. Now he just had to convince her. At least she wasn’t going away anytime soon. He’d have time.

He let out a breath. No woman had ever done this to him—ever made him feel this alive. It wasn’t right that she’d only lost her husband and he’d been so obsessed with her he’d already taken her to bed.

What did that say about him?

He’d seen spouses do it before. It was a moment of weakness—a moving on before the true power of the grief hit. He’d always despised men who moved in on that weakness and now here he was—that man.

“Are you coming down?” Amelia called from the kitchen.

“Yeah, be right down.”

He just had to wrap his mind around what he’d just done. The threat that his license could be pulled now for crossing the line wore heavy on his mind. Knowing the threat of what Amelia could do to him wore heavy on his heart.

Noise rattled from the kitchen. Cupboard doors being opened and closed. When he walked in she was standing there with the glow of the refrigerator light illuminating her naked body. She hadn’t covered up. He bit back his smile, but it was there.

“What are you looking for?” he asked as he stood admiring.

“Food. You don’t have any.”

He rubbed the stubble on his cheeks. “You’re right. Do I have milk?”

She pulled out a half of a gallon, smelled it, and nodded. “Yeah. That’s all.”

“I have cereal. I’ll buy you lunch later. After a nap.”

He moved to the cupboard and pulled down two bowls and then retrieved two spoons from a drawer.

Sam set them on the table and moved to another cupboard.

“I have Raisin Bran, Cap’n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, and Frosted Flakes.”

A laugh burst from her and he turned. “Really? This is what a big time lawyer eats for breakfast?”

“I’m not big time.”

“You’re a professional.”

“Kid at heart?”

She moved to him and quickly pressed her naked body against his. “Nothing about you says kid.” She moved her lips against his. “Nothing.”

She stepped back and examined her choices in the cupboard. “My mom would never let us have any of these. But when she was deployed we had our share.” She smiled. “I’ll be having some Frosted Flakes.”

“I think that would be my choice too.”

She gave him a wink, reached for the box, and headed back to the table.

They’d dined on cereal, had sex one more time, and then taken a long nap wrapped in each other’s arms. When they’d awakened—they had sex once more, then took a long, hot shower.

Amelia was in post-stress heaven. However, she couldn’t help but wonder if Sam thought she might be some shameless hussy. After all, she’d just buried her husband. Ex-husband. Lying, cheating, piece of crap husband. Solid soldier husband who saved the lives of a dozen men with the selfless act of dying for his country.

That part always got her.

She’d tossed on the clothes she’d traveled in and ran out to the street to get her clothes from her Blazer.

“Oh, Dear Lord!”

She heard him from the street and turned to see a bare chested Sam, in jeans and a pair of flip-flops, standing on the porch.

“A ‘69?”

She looked at her beat up Blazer, but as she looked back at him he was already walking toward the mustang on the back of the trailer.

“It’s beautiful.” He walked beside the trailer and looked at the car.

To her it was a car. An old car. Something that certainly shouldn’t have cost Adam what it had, but Adam was a man of impulse. That would explain picking women up at bars, taking them home, and marrying three of them.

She realized she was grinding her teeth and unlocked her jaw as Sam climbed up onto the trailer.

“How many miles?”

Amelia shrugged. “I have no idea. We have to sell it. This is the car loan.”

“This? That car loan is nearly seventy thousand dollars. I was expecting a gold plated Hummer.”

“I don’t know cars. I know how to kick the crap out of you in one if you pull any funny business. But I seriously don’t care about cars.”

“It’s in mint condition. Minus the amount of boxes shoved in it.” He gave her a look that said that might have been a mistake. But again—she didn’t care.

“Seventy grand and it’s yours.”

After opening the door to the Blazer she pulled a duffle bag out of the front seat and swung it over her shoulder.

She noticed him wince at the price, but then she’d seen the flash of
maybe
in his eyes.

“It would look nice in your driveway for now though. Especially since I don’t have anywhere to park it.”

He nodded. “Sure. That’s not a problem.” He looked away from the car and back at her. “Did you tell Penelope and Vivian you were back in town?”

“No.” She wasn’t used to having to report to people. “How am I going to explain that I stayed here?”

“Right.” He raked his hands through his sandy hair leaving trails where his fingers had gone. “I suppose we should get you a hotel room tonight and return your trailer.”

“Sounds horrible.” She walked toward him. “But yes. That is exactly what we should do.”

Once more Sam drove to Oklahoma City and they returned the rental trailer. After the morning they’d had he figured they were in need of steak. So he found a steak house and they had a late lunch away from prying eyes.

“What do you suppose Adam’s father wants to say to us?” she asked as she filled her mouth with a bite of steak stacked with a bite of potato.

Sam shrugged. “I’m assuming he wants to wrap his head around three wives.”

“One wife. Two women with children.”

Sam wiped his mouth. “It’s all strange. But I’m an optimist. I think this is going to work out for the three of you. You’re staying is giving those two some hope.”

Amelia picked up her water and took a sip. “I think they could use that. I could use that,” she said nearly under her breath.

He reached his hand across the table and covered hers. “You’re going to tell them about us, aren’t you? I can’t keep hiding my feelings for you and eating in the city.”

Her hand tensed under his and she slid it away. “When the time is right. We have a lot to think about first.”

Sam nodded, retracted his hand, and cut off a piece of steak. He shoved it in his mouth.

Patience. A lawyer had patience. But damnit, he didn’t want to hide.

He chewed on the piece of meat and thought. It had only been a week. One week. How stupid of him to have moved things along like he had.

He swallowed. Okay, she’d come to him. She’d been rolled up in those sheets as much as he had. But to her it was sex. To him it was a whole lot more.

Patience, he reminded himself one more time. It would all work out.

Chapter Fourteen

The Mustang had been parked in Sam’s driveway and most of the boxes had been stored in his garage. She’d owe him for that.

Amelia settled herself on her bed, pillows propped up behind her, and an old Friends episode on the TV. She pressed Penelope’s phone number and listened to the ring.

“Hello?” The kind and innocent voice answered and Amelia swallowed hard. She knew she was about to bust out a slew of lies.

“Hey, how’s it going?”

“Oh, we’re doing very well together. Vivian taught me how to make meatballs. Do you know how to do that? I’ve never cooked. Well nothing more than something that comes in a box.”

Amelia let out a small laugh. The woman was unlike any she’d ever known.

“I’m glad it worked out. I just wanted to tell you I’m back in town. I got a hotel room for a few weeks. Sam says the lead on the town house is good, but we can’t move in for a few weeks.”

“Oh. Well, Vivian said I could stay here too. With her and the girls as long as I needed.”

Amelia turned off the TV and sat up. “She did? And you’re okay with that?”

She could hear a door close and Penelope’s breath grew deeper as though she’d been walking. “I think she needs a friend. I don’t think she has any.”

“So you’re bonding?”

“Yes,” she said softly. “Adam’s parents, well, his mother isn’t too nice to Vivian. His dad is okay.”

“What about her parents?”

“They live in Washington. Seattle. I guess she grew up in Parson’s Gulch, but when she married Adam and moved away with him after his first deployment they moved.”

“And he brought her back here?”

“I guess. She doesn’t like to talk about it too much. I don’t think she and Adam had a real good relationship.”

Amelia thought that was obvious.

“If things are good, then I think you should stay with her. Did Sam tell you about meeting with his parents tomorrow?” she asked as she reclined back on the bed.

“I think it’s just his dad. I hope it’s just his dad. His mom scares me. I’m glad I’d never met them. I certainly don’t think I would have married him.”

The thought made Amelia stifle a laugh. “If you need me I’m here, okay?”

“Sure. I’ll see you in the office tomorrow.”

“Okay.” Amelia hung up the phone.

It was petty of her to be so protective of Penelope—especially with Vivian. But there just was something that bothered Amelia about Vivian. She couldn’t pin point it. She was nasty mean on Monday and by Wednesday was making them dinner. People didn’t usually drop their barriers like that.

Then the thought struck her and she sat back up. What if the two of them were plotting against her? What if…

She actually laughed out loud. How stupid was that? Who cared? She didn’t have anything more than they did. In fact she had the liability of that stupid car in Sam’s driveway—not them.

Amelia had never been
girlie.
She’d never cared to be friends with other girls and she certainly would never have cared if they were spending time together without her. So why was she so worried about Vivian and Penelope?

It was petty. She was being stupid.

She clicked the TV back on and relaxed. But something still nagged at her and then she knew what it was. What if Penelope told Vivian about her and Sam? That would ruin Sam. Now she was a bit more understanding of her feelings.

She let out a breath. Good. It wasn’t all estrogen based. That she could deal with.

~*~

It was already freaking hot, Sam thought as he made sure the conference room was ready for anything. He had boxes of tissue for crying women. He had extra bottles of water in the refrigerator and a carafe of coffee already filled with another pot brewing.

Leave it to his mother to need a day to shop before she moved—she had to choose this day.

Penelope and Vivian walked through the door together. He’d have to admit to himself it wasn’t a sight he thought he’d ever see. The two of them smiling, together. Okay, the weekend together must have done them some good.

“Good morning, Sam,” Vivian said and he made himself smile. The woman still scared him.

Penelope simply smiled then drew in a breath. “Good morning. Is your mother here?”

“She took the day off to shop. I expect you’ll be fine. Other than this morning’s meeting, we don’t have too much going on today.”

She nodded nervously. “I’ll put my stuff in my desk and get the room set up.”

“I already did that.” He walked toward her. “Are you okay?”

“She’s been throwing up all morning,” Vivian said and the snide tone was back. Sam decided that made him more comfortable.

“The baby?” he asked softly.

“Some.” Penelope rested her hand on her stomach. “The rest is nerves. I don’t want his parents to hate me. And we didn’t tell them who we were the other night. They probably want to sue us.”

“They have nothing to sue you for.”

She nodded with his answer, but it didn’t change the fact that looking at her made him nervous.

“Where’s Amelia?” Vivian asked looking around the office.

“I’m sure she’ll be here soon. I haven’t talked to her,” Sam said with a clear conscience. He hadn’t talked to her since she checked into the hotel room and they’d made love on her bed one more time.