Kinkade, Lea - I Got a Feelin' [The Chisholms of Texas 2] (Siren Publishing Classic) (4 page)

Samantha had been scouring both the Internet and the Corpus Christi paper for several weeks looking for a new business to invest in so she could earn a living. She had taken a part-time job at a local fast-food restaurant so she would have some money coming in to pay her bills. One evening Samantha was going through the business opportunities section of the Corpus Christi newspaper when she saw it. At first, she couldn’t believe it was true. Once she realized what she was reading, she grabbed her phone and quickly dialed the number listed.

Business Opportunity.
Opportunity to buy in, at a controlling share, to a well-established floral shop. Must be willing to relocate to Deseo, Texas, which is approximately 70 miles southwest of Corpus Christi, Texas. This small city is unique and flourishing. Please, only serious offers need respond.

The advertisement ended with a woman’s name and contact phone number. She got voicemail. Samantha was sure her voice shook as she left a message that she had seen the advertisement in the Corpus Christi newspaper and was interested in talking to the owner about buying into the shop. She explained she was an experienced florist and was currently living in Corpus Christi. She left her cell phone number asking that the owner return her phone call as soon as possible.

The next day Celia Bach had called at five in the afternoon. Celia and Samantha had talked for nearly three hours, and Samantha had made plans to visit Deseo and Bach Florists the following day as she had the next two days off. On the off chance that the discussions would go well and she would need another day to talk with Celia, Samantha made reservations at a new bed-and-breakfast on the edge of Deseo that Celia had recommended.

When she drove back to Corpus Christi from her visit two days later, she had a signed letter of intent to buy a seventy-five percent interest in Bach Florists in her purse. Celia’s lawyer would draft the official contract. Although Samantha felt that this was just a formality, her experiences over the years had taught her not to take anything for granted, and she waited impatiently for the signed contract from the attorney.

Now, here she sat nearly two months later in a new city with a new business. Things were looking up. As part of the deal to become majority owner of the flower shop, Samantha had also negotiated to control the apartment above Bach Florists. It was a decent, two-bedroom apartment, and Samantha had decided to live there herself. The previous renter was getting married and had given notice that he would be out of the apartment by the time Samantha moved to town. Once the paperwork was signed, she’d only had to wait a couple of weeks.

Samantha’s thoughts drifted back to the delicious Ryan Chisholm. He was handsome as all get-out. Maybe being his girlfriend with benefits wouldn’t be a bad thing if she went into it with her eyes wide open. She hadn’t let a man get close to her since J.T. To be honest, she missed sex. She missed the closeness of being in a relationship with a man. She knew Ryan would be experienced and know how to treat a woman. He had that air about him. Samantha had heard things about Ryan and his brother, Ryder. Although it appeared they had dated nearly every woman in town between the ages of twenty-one and thirty-five, nobody really had a bad thing to say about either Chisholm. They were talked about like they were little scamps rather than men who fucked women for a few weeks and then told them good-bye.

Samantha had noticed that all the Chisholm brothers were tall, dark, and handsome as all get-out. Except for some facial hair, and tattoos, they all looked enough alike to be multiples. They had skin the color of rich caramel that didn’t come solely from exposure to the sun. Samantha had met their mother, Cassie Chisholm, and knew they had Native American blood in them through her. She hadn’t met Alex Chisholm, their father, but she would bet he had Hispanic blood on his side of the family. Each of the brothers had high cheekbones and strong chins that hinted at this ancestry. They were all around six feet three and had lean muscled bodies. Oh, and they had these luscious lips and the most beautiful green eyes she’d ever seen on a man. Several of the brothers sported facial hair. Ryan was not the only one that sported a closely trimmed goatee. Samantha was a sucker for a man with a goatee.

In short, Ryan Chisholm was dark and steamy and looked at her with a sexual interest he didn’t even try to disguise. Samantha had been surprised when her dormant libido had woken up with a roar at the unmistakable interest he showed in her. It had definitely taken a liking to the man. That is, if her tightened nipples and the clenching of her pussy, whenever she even thought about the man, was any indication.

After Samantha closed up the shop and got up to her apartment, she sat in front of the television watching the news and eating leftovers. Thinking back on her day, Ryan Chisholm’s face and body popped into her mind. She couldn’t get her reaction to him out of her mind. He had to be the most handsome man she had ever met. And he was interested in her. She sat quietly for a while, watching television and lost in her own thoughts, trying to decide if she was interested in starting something with him. He certainly affected her in a physical sense, but he was from a rich family, so that lessened the attraction. Still, if she knew going in that whatever happened between them was based solely on sex, what could it hurt if she went out with him? Ryan Chisholm was chasing after her. Now, she just had to decide whether she was going to let him catch her or not.

Samantha knew from experience that rich men couldn’t be trusted for the long haul unless the woman was some society debutante, which Samantha definitely was not. Samantha was damaged goods. Her mother’s actions had made her tainted, and no man with a prestigious family would want her long-term. She wondered if it wasn’t time to take what she wanted in life, and to hell with happily ever after. The only person she could really count on was herself. The next time she got involved with a man, she would keep her heart out of the mix, and she would be the one to leave. Maybe that man should be Ryan Chisholm.

Chapter 4

Each day that week, Ryan sought her out at lunchtime under the big oak tree in the park. He always made sure she was okay with him joining her before he walked over to Mancini’s Bakery for the lunch special. He flirted shamelessly with her and kept asking her when she was going to put him out of his misery and go out on a date with him. They never seemed to have a problem finding things to talk about and had even had some heated discussions about religion and politics.

On Friday, Ryan again showed up at her oak tree to join her for lunch. Her eyes were drawn to his luscious ass and thighs as he strode away from her toward Mancini’s Bakery. Oh, Lord. The muscles in his back were so well defined through that thin T-shirt. His tush was pretty spectacular, too. He was long, lean, and hard bodied.
Mmm. Mmm
. He looked back and he caught her ogling his ass and smiled a shit-eating grin before turning his attention back to where he was walking.

Samantha fanned her face with her hand. Surely it wasn’t that hot outside. She felt like she was burning up. Still red-faced, she pulled out her Kindle and continued reading a new erotic novel she had downloaded last night. After about ten minutes, Samantha decided not to wait anymore and got out her chicken-salad sandwich and a bag of barbecue chips. Samantha was just taking the first bite of her sandwich when Ryan strolled back up.

“Sorry, darlin’,” he apologized. “They were super busy.” He sat down next to her and pulled out a turkey sandwich.

* * * *

Ryan was enthralled. He had never been so attracted to a woman in his life. Sure, Samantha was beautiful to look at. It was hard to miss. She was built like a freakin’ Barbie doll. High, firm breasts, small waist, and hips that flared just right. Legs long enough to wrap around his waist as he fucked her. Her face was beautiful, with full lips just waiting to be kissed. Her eyes were mostly blue with a touch of violet in them. She had high cheekbones and a dainty nose and chin. Her long blonde hair was the color of corn silk and it hung in waves down to the top of her delectable, tight ass. Her skin sported a golden glow. He sensed an innate goodness to her and a sort of innocence in the way she talked. Shit! Was he a poet now? If he didn’t know any better, he’d say he was falling for the woman.

Things had been this way since he had met her that first night at the club. He hadn’t called Sheila and hadn’t been with a woman since he and Samantha had started having lunch together. Maybe that was the reason that Samantha was getting to him. He hadn’t had any real desire for another woman since he had met her. Maybe he just needed to get laid again.

He should call up Sheila tonight and see if she was up for a little horizontal action. Sheila knew the score and didn’t ask him for more than he had to give. He wasn’t ready to settle down yet. Sure, he wanted what his brothers Xander and Levi had someday, but he was still sowing his wild oats. He wasn’t looking for forever, and he saw Samantha as a forever kind of girl. He’d call Sheila and things would get back to normal. Yeah, right. He couldn’t get Samantha Michaels out of his head.

“Thanks for having lunch with me, darlin’,” Ryan drawled as he stood up to walk her back to the flower shop. He still had time to make it into Chaps & Spurs and get the paperwork finished that he needed to get done before things started hopping at the club. He thanked Samantha for lunch and the company, trying to keep his eyes off her considerable assets.

“Good-bye, Ryan. Thanks for the company,” replied Samantha softly. Ryan wondered at the hunger he thought he glimpsed in her eyes and was heartened by it. Maybe getting closer to Samantha wouldn’t be as difficult as he had believed it was going to be.

* * * *

Samantha allowed Ryan to escort her back to the shop so that she could pick up her purse. She was taking the afternoon off to check out some of the downtown shops. There was one in particular she really wanted to visit. It was called Body Boutique and carried scented lotions, soaps, and shampoos. Samantha loved scented lotions and things like that, but she’d never really had the money to spend on them before.

Once she walked into the shop, she was assailed by a dozen heavenly scents. She immediately started smelling each of the wide variety of fragrances. Samantha quickly found that a scent called Midnight Pomegranate was her favorite. She tried others but kept coming back to that one. Samantha was surprised to see that they not only had lotions but shampoos, conditioners, and shower gels as well as other soaps. Splurging, she bought one of each of the products in the Midnight Pomegranate.

As she was leaving, Jordan and Jessie walked into the store laughing. Once they saw Samantha, she was immediately enveloped in hugs.

“How has your week been?” asked Jordan.

“Busy,” replied Samantha. “Good, but busy.”

“We’re still on for tonight, right?” Jessie looked at her sternly, like she expected Samantha to try to bow out of the evening’s festivities.

“Yes, I’ll see you at 7:00 p.m. I’m looking forward to it.”

“We are, too. See you tonight, Samantha,” said Jordan as they moved away from the door to the shop so that another customer could enter. Waving good-bye, Samantha left the shop and headed home. She really was looking forward to tonight. Okay. Okay. What she was really looking forward to was seeing Ryan and possibly dancing with him.

Samantha entered Chaps & Spurs a little after 7:00 p.m. and immediately saw Jessie waving frantically from a large table across the room near the dance floor. It was the same table they had sat at last Friday. Samantha remembered all of the women from the week before, said hello to each of them, and found a seat.

As they were getting settled, a waitress came around to get the drink orders from the table. Most of the women ordered beer, but a few ordered wine coolers. Jordan, now nearly six-months pregnant, ordered Perrier with lemon. Samantha ordered her usual. A shot of Jameson and a Diet Coke. Samantha’s drink of choice was influenced by her old friend and mentor, Sandy. It had been Sandy’s drink of choice, and Samantha had spent many a night at Sandy’s house sipping on Jameson as they talked for hours.

“Looks like you’re being sized up on both sides of the aisle, Samantha,” said Jordan, giving her new friend a wicked smile.

“What are you talking about?” asked Samantha.

“You’ve got the men looking at you with cow eyes and the women looking like they want to scratch your eyes out,” laughed Jessie.

“What’s that all about?” she asked as she looked around the bar and saw that Jessie’s comments were true. She didn’t know why the men were watching her so closely. She had dressed fairly conservatively by wearing a pair of jeans and a royal-blue blouse. The blouse buttoned up the front and showed just a hint of her full breasts at the neckline and ended just an inch shy of her low-slung jeans. She wore a pair of high-heeled ankle boots and had her hair pulled back from her face with a blue hair band that matched her blouse. Must be the fact that she was new that drew their attention.

“Well, to the men you’re fresh meat. To the women, you’re competition,” drawled Taylor.

“Competition? Competition for what? I haven’t even danced with anyone yet.”

“And there you have it. ‘Yet’ being the operative word.” Jessie smiled. “Don’t let it bother you, Samantha. The men are looking because you’re a beautiful woman. The women are staring because their men are looking, or they see you as a threat with the men who aren’t already taken.”