Protective Instincts (28 page)

Actually, she'd kinda looked forward to those.

Sam pulled her against his chest. "I want to go to sleep at night with you in my arms. I want to awake every morning with you in my bed. I want to smell your scent on my pillow, on my skin from being so close to you. I want to grow old with you, to look after you and have your love."

"Sam, I'd have done anything to keep you safe and alive. I made promises to God, I prayed. I thought I could walk away. You give orders and I don't follow orders. We argue all the time --"

"Darlin', I wouldn't love you so much if you were a following-orders kind of woman. I just have to try to keep you safe. I love making up. If I didn't have my son outside waiting, I'd show you why we need to get married. I'd call your father to ask for your hand, but he already gave me his blessing before we came back here."

"You what?"

"Your family is grateful to me," He dodged a pretend punch. "And my family loves you. My son asks that we wait 'til school is out so his teacher won't be his step-mom."

"I think we can arrange that." Brit stood, then took his hand to pull him up.

"Is that a yes?" Sam kissed her before she could answer. "I'll take it as one." He kissed her again.

Monster raced back and forth from his mistress to the door and back. "I think he's trying to tell us something." Brit followed her pet to the door in time to see Sean raise his hand to knock on the screen.

"Hi, Ms. Roberts. I'm sorry about what happened to you while I was gone. I wish I'd been here to help."

"Hi, Sean, I'm glad you were safely away from here. I caused your father enough worry."

"Uh, ma'am, have you said yes to my dad yet? The doctor said dad should go straight home and rest." Sean fidgeted. "If you haven't said yes, could you get on with it. He'll convince you, anyway. I know him."

Sam was at her side. His good hand rested on her shoulder. "She's gonna marry us."

"I didn't say yes."

"Sure you did. Don't you remember?" He turned her to face him. "I love you. But I need to take more pain medication and rest." He winced. "Come by to see me tomorrow? Don't make me come get you. We need to set dates, shop for rings, plan a honeymoon, decide where to live, and get the mothers together."

Brit smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

* * * *

Sam awoke as the sun painted his room a pale pink. It sneaked under his blinds and woke him to a beautiful day. He heard Sean moving around quietly. He'd soon leave for school and Sam could have the house to himself when Brit came by. Her principal had insisted she take a couple of more days off before returning to school from Spring break.

His shoulder and chest burned. Soon the woman he loved would be here. He dozed for an hour, but his excitement wouldn't let him sleep the day away.

The pain caused by Douglas Drake would go away, but his love for Brit would be with him forever.

By the time Sam heard the knock on his front door he was as nervous as a boy on his first date. This morning no threat hung over her head or his.

Sam almost forgot to check the peephole on his door. Her beauty took his breath away. When he opened the door, the need to touch her was stronger than his need to breathe.

He pulled her into a one armed embrace. The hairs on the back of his neck rose. He felt lightheaded, as though a fist clutched his heart and squeezed gently.

Could he have a premonition coming on? Looking at the woman in his arms, he could swear he felt an extra heartbeat. Somehow, he knew. This might be the first of many
good
premonitions. He hadn't noticed a good one before. Maybe he hadn't been paying attention.

She would make a wonderful mother. Should he tell her what he felt or wait for her to learn by conventional methods? He'd enjoy his information for a while. The wonderful secret nestled in his heart.

"Let's talk about a wedding. I'm in the mood to get married soon, really soon."

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mary has been a storyteller for as long as she can remember.  She made up stories for the other children and created the details for their "play like" or "let's pretend" games. Sometimes the details were so real they scared Mary.

Mary was born in Augusta, Georgia to two eighteen-year olds. Her daddy, a young Mississippi man, was stationed at Camp Gordon and fell in love with a young girl selling flowers. 

Mary graduated from Mercer University where her mama worked in the library. Her mama started working there when Mary's daddy went to college to become a preacher and a teacher. Mary taught language arts for 15 years, perfect for her BA in English.  Her M.Ed in Counseling served her well during her years as a school counselor and as a teacher, later.

Now she tutors, teaches writers, and edits. Her inner English teacher loves the editing part. Mary helped her husband photograph hundreds of weddings. Her daughter doesn't read Mary's books. Something about "TMI".