JAGGED EDGE: A BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE (ALPHA MALE) (4 page)

Chapter Five

Sammi

The aroma of waffles, sausage, and bacon wafted out onto the lawn as she approached her parents’ home. Her stomach grumbled as she rang the doorbell. She’d waited longer than normal to get a bite to eat, because she knew her mom would overdo it like she usually did and cook enough for a small army.

Mom answered the door wearing an old sweater and loose fitting pants. There were streaks of flour on her face from baking, so she must’ve made a dessert too.

“Hey baby,” she said and gave her a hug.

“Hey, Mom.”

“Come on up, you’re just in time.”

“I always know when to show up, when the food’s right on the table.”

“That you do.”

Her parents’ house was two stories in a much nicer development than Sammi’s, but she wouldn’t complain; she lived in a fairly decent suburb. Her father, also her boss, ran a CPA company, and also sold CPA training materials. They’d always been fairly well off, thankfully.

They drifted closer to the tantalizing scent. Sammi’s mouth watered as she took her seat at the dining room table. When she saw her mom getting the plates ready, she stood up to help, but she told her to sit.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it. You sit.”

“Where’s Dad?”

“He’s out playing golf.”

“Oh…” That was strange. Usually Mom wouldn’t invite her over without Dad being there for a big meal like this.

And she seemed quiet, too. Sammi usually ate at her parents’ house every few weeks. This meeting came at an awkward time.

It struck her as kind of odd before, but she’d been down about Tony’s intrusion, so she decided to go without thinking about it too much. Now she wondered what was wrong.

“Is everything okay?” she asked.

“Oh yes, why? What’s up?” Mom crooked her head as she put down the plate of sausage and bacon.

“I guess I’m being paranoid.”

Mom shrugged. “Okay…is everything fine with you?”

Sammi grabbed for a piece of bacon. She took a bite and groaned as her mom put down the waffles. She didn’t want to bring up Jag. Her mother wouldn’t go for it. She’d always warned Sammi about him. Ever since they started hanging out, she told her she needed to “be careful about that boy.” Now her predictions seemed to come true.

And after being hounded and put down by her ex over Jag, she really didn’t want another scolding. Instead, she stuffed herself silly with the mounds of food her mom gave her.

“I’m good, Mom. Come and sit down and eat.”

“Just getting the drinks. Then I’ll come and sit.”

“Iced tea. Homemade.”

“Lovely,” Sammi said. “You really outdo yourself every time. It’s not a contest.”

“You’re my only daughter. I can spoil you every now and again.”

They sat and ate, but Sammi noticed Mom glancing at her every now and again, studying her.
She knows Jag’s back.
Her dad was best friends with Jag’s father, both of whom played high school football together, so it was possible they talked on the phone and he mentioned it.

She avoided the subject. Soon she leaned back and rubbed her stomach.

“Let’s go sit on the couch,” her mom invited.

As they sat in the living room, the TV on silent, Mom brought out a brochure of the next cruise they would be going on. This one would be taking them to Puerto Rico. Sammi didn’t really have much time to travel, or the money, but she dreamed of a long trip around Europe.

Mom jumped for the TV remote to turn up the volume. “The afternoon news is on. I wanted to see this.”

Sammi raised her eyebrows at her mom’s strange behavior. “What did you want to see?”

They watched through the beginning where they outlined their top news. After a story on a house fire, they moved onto a big spot that started off with the “One Million Dollar Redrock Preserve Donation.”

Her heart leapt into her throat. She rubbed her neck as she watched the scene play out, her ears buzzing so loudly she barely heard the reporter.

But she saw the name on the bottom of the check. It was hers. Unless there was another Sammy Jo Kingston, but she didn’t think so.

Mom got up and thrust her hands on her hips. “Mind telling me where you got all that money to donate?”

Sammi started chuckling. She couldn’t help it.

“It’s not funny. Tell me what’s going on.”

She wagged her finger and Sammi’s nervousness caught up to her. She sat there in stunned silence while trying to come up with a good excuse.

Of course, Jag had done it. One million dollars for the preserve to help defend it…wow, so that meant it would probably be saved. It wouldn’t become public land after all. He saved those animals! All of that life.

Mom snapped her fingers. “Hey, I’m talking to you. Where’d you go?” But she lightened up when she realized this was the first time Sammi heard the news.

“It must’ve been Jag.”

“So you were hanging around with Perry? Since when?”

Mom refused to call him Jag.

“Since a few days ago. He came in to see his family.”

“Uh huh,” she stated, not amused, her eyebrows furrowed. “And why did he give one million dollars to this charity in your name?”

“That part
I
don’t even understand.”

She swept her hair to the side. She let out a deep sigh before throwing herself down onto the recliner. Mom didn’t look happy.

“You look more worried than me,” Sammi said.

“What else is new? I
should
be worried about you if it involves Perry. That boy doesn’t stick around for long, and he’s not serious. I don’t want to see you hurt.”

“He’s not serious about me, is that what you’re saying?”

“I’m saying the only thing he’s serious about is himself.”

Anger pushed to the surface again. She shook her head and tried to fight it. But everyone kept telling her the same thing—Jag’s not good. Jag should never be trusted.

Sammi crossed to the other side of the room. “I don’t want to hear it. You don’t really know him.”

“I know enough. He was like that when he was younger, and I can’t imagine he’s changed much now that I’ve see this on the news!”

She started to shake with anger and sadness. Then her mom drew near, patting her on the shoulder. When she didn’t respond, she squeezed her in a heartwarming hug.

“I’m sorry, honey. I just don’t want to see you hurt, you know that.”

“I know,” Sammi said softly. “Thank you for that, but he’s done something incredibly generous for the preserve.”

She wanted to add,
I know Jag, and he’s not a bad person.
But after this exhausting week, she’d been filled with doubt.

“He kissed me.”

Mom took her by the shoulders. Sammi braced herself to be admonished, but she only witnessed a hint of sympathy.

“He didn’t try to kiss you before?”

“No,” she said, laughing now. “That’s the first time.”

“I thought he would’ve already tried. And what else did he try to do?”

Try to kiss her a second time, but she refused him, and this wasn’t something she wanted to discuss with Mom. “I’m not sure why he’s interested in me now. What do I have that other rich, beautiful girls don’t? And why are you grilling me? I’m a grown woman!”

“Don’t be silly, Sammi. You’re a beautiful, smart, funny girl. I doubt a man like Jag is thinking about dating a girl for money.”

Leading her back over to the couch, she went to refill her tea.

“It’s not you that’s the problem. You deserve anyone you want. It’s Perry that I’m worried about.”

As Sammi rested back on the couch, the report of her million-dollar donation was mentioned again, but she didn’t smile this time.

Jag
would
be a problem. It might be smarter to stay away from him, but could she?

She really doubted it.

Jag

As soon as the plane touched back down in Virginia, he texted Sammi. He was back home, and he didn’t intend to leave until he put a ring on Sammi Jo’s finger.

The time apart didn’t stop that clock ticking away, counting down the deadline for him to be married. It only made the ticking louder, only made his need for her stronger. The night before he’d needed to take a pill to sleep soundly. He was tied up inside.

Jag: I’m back home. I’ll drive over to your place, cool? I want to talk to you in person.

Sammi: Sure, what’s up?

Jag: Nothing serious. I thought it’d be better if you heard it from me.

That wasn’t the whole reason. He wanted to look upon her again. The adrenaline junkie in him wanted to be close to her again.

He picked up his ride from the garage, a fast car with a powerful engine. Thirty minutes later he was in Sammi’s neighborhood. He pulled up alongside her car just as she was getting out.

“Hey, Jag.”

“Hey, Sammi. Where are you coming from?”

She wore a sundress that fit her curves spectacularly. Jag undressed her with his eyes. He imagined running his tongue down her ample breasts, right on down between her thighs as he squeezed her plump ass. Fuck, he wanted her so badly. It was maddening.

“I had brunch with my mom. You know I think I might be more hung over from her food than from that night of drinks.”

Jag laughed and went to hug her. The hug was an attempt at being friendly.

He didn’t squeeze her as much as he wanted, and he definitely wouldn’t be grabbing a handful of that much-too-grabbable ass. And he certainly wouldn’t be kissing her right away. Or throwing her over his shoulders like a caveman either.

Don’t be a caveman. Be a gentleman, Jag.
The whole plane ride, he swore to himself that he would be.

“This is better to say in person,” he said.

“Oh?” Sammi tilted her head and pouted her lips.

Jag remained in control, for now. “Let’s do this right. I’ll take you out. We’ll go into the city to a restaurant I heard about. It’ll be a real date.”

“Sure, what restaurant? Or is it a surprise?”

“It’s called Capri. You’ll love it. It used to be a prohibition era bar, but they converted it into a restaurant with a wine cellar.”

“Ooh, that does sound like something I’d love.” She clapped, her smile spreading wide. A lightheartedness touched his heart that he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

“I know you’ll love it. Is seven a good time to pick you up?”

“Oh yes, that’s perfect.” Sammi’s smile didn’t falter. He loved that.

Jag would keep making her happy, finding new ways to see that smile. Why had he been so opposed to marriage before? Sammi was the clear choice. An excitement, an optimism followed him wherever he went now, like the first days of starting his company. He felt brand new again. Any of the pressures waiting for him with Jagged Edge fell to the wayside.

“Great, I’ll—”

“Wait, don’t go yet.” Sammi grabbed his arm.

“Huh?”

“What should I wear? A dress? Will it be a fancy restaurant?”

“Yes, you could wear the one you wore to the function. If you want to wear the black dress again, that’d be fine with me. I enjoyed that.”

“Okay.” She blushed. “I have another dress I can surprise you with.”

They went their separate ways. Sammi was excited, as was Jag, who would be imagining her in every sort of dress imaginable. At the end, he noticed hesitation as they said goodbye, as if she wanted to hug him again but feared rejection.

Jag wouldn’t be making a move until they’d had an excellent date. She deserved that, and so much more.

There were still five hours until he needed to get ready, so Jag worked out, pumping weights in the hotel’s gym. A surge in testosterone hit him as he showered himself off. His muscles were pumped and jacked, and he felt better than ever…

And so did his cock. He ignored it as it stood straight in the shower while he imagined stripping Sammi out of that dress she would surprise him with.

It wasn’t going to work. If he didn’t jerk off, he would be all over her during dinner. He leaned over, one hand on the shower wall, the other gripping his throbbing, swollen dick. Stroking himself slowly, he relished the sensitivity.

Man, he really
needed
to fuck her. Pouring shower gel over his fingers, he began to lubricate himself, stroking from the bottom of his full balls all the way to the tip. He imagined kissing her again, her tongue wrapping around his, and then his cock lurched as he felt that same grooving down the shaft.

Imagining Sammi on her knees, sucking on him, his sensitivity shot through the roof. Jag groaned. And he never groaned when jerking off, not until the very end.

Jag always lasted far too long with women. He felt numb, not connecting with them enough. But when he imagined Sammi Jo bending over in the shower, his fingers grasping her curvy hips and then thrusting even lower so he could sink his cock deep, he knew he’d come in record time.

“Oh, fuck,” he groaned again. His abs burned and slowing his strokes, he neared his climax.

Gasping, muscles clenching, he came, imagining himself buried deep in Sammi Jo.

Jag slapped both hands on the wall as he caught his breath.

He’d never come so quickly before, unless he counted the first time he’d jerked himself to release as a teen. Heat began to flow to his cheeks as he imagined how quickly he would lose it with her.

It was smart of him, actually, to jerk off before his date. It wasn’t like it took a rocket scientist, but if he didn’t take care of business, he wouldn’t last a second with Sammi Jo. This was new to him.

He dried his hair, shaved, and got into his suit.

Once done, he peered down at his cock again.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

His pants tented. He was hard again. “I’m not going to get through the night.” Jag laughed at himself, but managed to corral the horny demon that Sammi Jo unleashed. He waited out the long ten minutes until he could leave to pick up his date.

It might’ve been fucked up, but he kept asking himself:
at what point would it be okay to propose to her?

They’d only been together a week. But he’d never been more sure of anything in his life.

The only question was if he could convince Sammi that he meant it. Tonight, he planned on doing just that.