Seducing Sam (20 page)

“If you’re not wearing them, no.” 
He winked.

She laughed again, the sound
slipping through him like warm water.  Man, her laugh just made him feel so
happy, her sparkling eyes and quick wit.  He could hardly wait until they made
love again, to hold her naked in his arms to explore at his leisure, to taste
and touch and kiss and-

“What is that?” Carly interrupted
his daydream.

“Huh?”

“Near the daisies.”  She stiffened. 
“Oh, wow.  Is that a goanna?”

“Um…yeah.”  Too late for doubts
now.  “I bought you a little something. I hope you like it.”  He started to
lead her across the garden.

“You bought me a goanna?”

“It’s not alive.”

“Not stuffed, either,” Ed added
helpfully.

Ignoring him, Sam drew Carly to a
stop beside the statue.  “This is for you.”

She stared at it in silence.

Sam started fidgeting and glanced
at Ed.

Ed just raised his eyebrows and watched
in interest.

Kneeling down, Carly reached out
to touch the statue’s head.  “Gosh.”

‘Gosh’? Was ‘gosh’ good?  Clearing
his throat, Sam hunkered down on the other side of the goanna.  Damn, he should
have gone for flowers. 
Damn!

“I don’t know what to say.”  She
looked up at him.  “A goanna statue.  No one has ever given me a statue
before.”

Now he felt stupid.  “I just…I
thought…ah, I should have gotten you flowers.”  He sighed.  “I’m sorry, honey,
this was a dumb-”

“Are you insane?”  With a grin of
delight, Carly rose up onto her knees and flung herself across the statue at
him, winding her arms around his neck.  “I love it!”

Catching her against him, he
looked down into her sparkling eyes.  “Are you sure?  Because I can change it.”

“Don’t you dare!  Sam, it’s
awesome
!”

At the genuine happiness on her
face, Sam’s doubts fled.  “That’s exactly what I thought.”

“I thought flowers, myself,” Ed
offered.

“Anyone can give flowers.”  Carly
hugged Sam.  “But a statue is special.  Sam, thank you.”  Drawing back, she
caught his face between her hands and kissed him.

One little kiss and it nearly
knocked his sneakers off.  One little kiss and his blood started sizzling.  He
kissed her back with a whole lot of enthusiasm.  By the time she pulled back,
they were both breathing a little heavily.

“Yeah,” Ed said from behind him. 
“Just remember that’s my niece you’re sucking face with, Sam.”

Blushing, Carly braced one hand on
the goanna’s head and stood up.  “Shut up, Ed.”

“Oh, that’s nice.”

Sam stood as well.  Taking his
glasses off, he wiped them on his tank top and grinned at Carly.  “You steamed
up my glasses.”

She laughed.  Stepping over the
statue, she placed one hand on his arm and stood on tip toe.

Obligingly, and with his heart
starting to hammer all over again, Sam bent down for her kiss.  Unfortunately,
it was quick.

“Thanks so much, Sam.  I love it.”

Before she could step back, he
placed his mouth at her ear.  “Really?’

“Mmmm.”

“Then how about coming to my place
later and you can thank me properly?”

Pulling her head back, she looked
at him.  “Properly?  Just what do you mean by ‘properly’?”

“Depends on what you think I
mean.”

“I’m thinking…I’m not sure what
I’m thinking.”

“Take a guess.”

“You want me to cook you a cake?”

“That’s not even funny.”

Ed snorted a laugh.

Reaching out, Carly patted his
cheek and grinned.  “Poor baby.  Ed’s going out tonight-”

“Don’t expect me home,” Ed
interrupted.  “Charlie and I are…you know.”  He elbowed the air and leered.

“You weren’t actually invited to
my dinner,” she said.

“Oh, that hurts.”

“I’m sure Charlie will kiss it all
better.”

“Just save me some of whatever
you’re cooking.”  Ed rubbed his flat belly.  “You’re in for a treat, Sam. 
Carly cooks fit for a king.”

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t
proud of my cooking.”  She smiled up at Sam.  “That’s a big flaw in my
character.  I admit it.”

“Not if you share it.”  Sam
winked.  “You’re cooking and your flaws.  All of them.  Actually, you better
show me your flaws up close and personal.”

She laughed, but there was a
slight shadow in her eyes.  It was fleeting, quickly hidden when she turned
away, but he knew he’d seen it.

Wondering, he looked at Ed, but he
was too busy gawking at something across the road.  “What the hell…?  What’s
your damned cat doing to my dog?”

Pretty much anything was possible
with SJ.  Alarmed, Sam swung around to look across the road to his house.

Ed was already moving and Sam,
unable to see properly, shoved his glasses back on.  Everything came into focus
and his eyebrows shot up.

Was he seeing correctly?  Crusher
was so small, he could be mistaken.

Huggie was sitting on the steps
looking totally unconcerned.  Did he even know what was happening?

His long legs quickly overtaking
Ed, Sam crossed the road and ran up his garden path to the veranda, where he
stopped and gaped at the swing chair.  This was not happening.

Ed came to a halt beside him.  “Hells
bells.  What is this?”

“I have no idea,” Sam replied.

Huggie grunted.

“That’s all you can say?” Ed
demanded.

The big bikie shrugged.

Adjusting his glasses on his nose,
Sam looked in wonder at SJ and Crusher.  The tiny dog was pinned down on his
back on the swing chair with SJ on top of him.  The big ginger cat was washing his
face enthusiastically.

“SJ?” Sam queried, unable to
believe his eyes.  “What are you doing?”

“Licking Ed’s dog.” Carly came up
on Sam’s other side, amusement clear in her voice.  “Probably going to clean
him before he eats him.  Aren’t cats notoriously clean?”

Automatically, Sam slipped his arm
around her waist, drawing her against his side.

“That’s not funny,” Ed retorted.

“You should see it from my point
of view,” she replied.  “I’m laughing on the inside.”

Crusher’s slightly bulging eyes
were round as saucers.  Frozen in place, he could only lie there helplessly while
the big cat washed his face.  SJ’s purring was loud and rusty.

“Crusher was in your care, Huggie,”
Ed accused.  “Why did you give him to the cat?  What happened, man?”

“I introduced them,” Huggie
answered.  “Thought SJ was going to eat him, but he had a change of heart. 
Crusher was near on shitting himself, tail all tucked up under him while SJ
sniffed him, and then SJ grabbed him by the scruff and carted him up onto the
swing chair.”

Ed’s eyes widened.  “He scruffed
Crusher?”

Carly started laughing.

Dropping a kiss on top of her
glossy hair, Sam grinned as he watched SJ.  “I think my cat has adopted him.”

“I think my dog is shitting
himself.  He’s going to have a heart attack, or at the very least lose his
eyeballs.  They’re almost popping out of his head.”

“This is what happens when you own
a dinky dog.”  Carly leaned her head against Sam’s shoulder.  “SJ wouldn’t have
been able to scruff him if he were a Rotty.”

“Poor thing.  Come here, man.”  Ed
went up the steps and approached the swing chair, only to stop when SJ looked
up at him and growled.  “Holy shit.”

Crusher’s eyes bugged even more.

“Sam, come and rescue my dog.”

“Wouldn’t worry about it,” Huggie
said.  “He’s all right.  Cat’ll look after him.”

“You stay out of it.   This is
your fault.”

“Better licking him than eating
him.”

“Sam!”

Laughing, Sam walked up the steps
and over to SJ, who growled warningly at him.

“Man, that cat is going to eat
you, too.”  Ed looked warily at the big ginger tom.  “What are you going to
do?”

“This.”  Ignoring SJ’s threats,
Sam simply picked him up and held him in one arm, where SJ dangled, still
growling but not scratching or fighting.

Crusher sucked in a deep breath
and rolled over.

“Poor little tyke.”  Ed gathered
the tiny dog in his hand and protectively cradled him against his chest.  “Poor
little bugger.  Scared stiff.”

“He’s a bikie’s dog, remember?” 
Hands in the pockets of her navy blue culottes, Carly watched in amusement.

Sam snuggled SJ close to him. 
“And SJ is a nurse’s cat, so he needs lots of love and care.  Bikie dogs are
tough.”

Huggie rolled his eyes.

“Don’t make fun of Crusher.” Ed
patted the tiny dog’s head.  “Even killer dogs have feelings.”

“What about SJ’s feelings?  He’s
Crusher’s adopted Dad now,” Carly pointed out.  “You shouldn’t separate a
family.”

Ed pointed one oil-stained finger
at her.  “You stay out of it, missy.”

“Just stating the facts, sir.”

“The fact is that you’ll get my
boot up your bum if you keep this up.”

“You’re wearing thongs.  Just
thought I should point that out.”

“I don’t wear them all the time.”

“And I’ll break your foot if you
even try it,” Sam said mildly.  “Just thought I should point
that
out.”

“My hero.”  Carly batted her
eyelashes at him.  “Just for that I’m making you chocolate mousse for dessert.”

“I’ll take whatever you give me.” 
And he certainly didn’t mean dessert.  Just the sight of her standing there, eyes
dancing with amusement, teasing and pretty and so damned luscious he could lick
her like an ice cream, and he was ready to beg for more than just dessert.

In fact, he wanted her for
dessert.  Make that entrée, main and dessert.  Eat her right up.  And do it all
over again.  And again.  And make that one more time.

There was no doubt she caught his
meaning.  Whether it had something to do with the way he looked at her, he
wasn’t sure, but when she blushed so sweetly it was all he could do not to kick
his two new friends off his property and drag her inside for much more
interesting, nefarious activities.

Yeah, he’d agreed to go slow with
their relationship, but he couldn’t help the way he felt, his desires reflected
in both his words, tone
and
his body.  His shaft was sure in agreement,
stiffening behind his shorts in anticipation.

Down, boy, down
. Taking a
deep breath, he schooled his features into an easy smile.

“I need to take Crusher home.”  Ed
jumped off the veranda.  “Settle his nerves with some doggie choc treats.”

“I’ll come with you. I need to
have a shower.”  Carly looked at Sam.  “I was serious about dinner.  Are you
free tonight?’

Hell, yes
.  “Looking
forward to it.  Suit and tie?”

“T-shirt and shorts.”

“My favourite style.”  He rubbed
under SJ’s chin, making the big cat purr.  “Wild horses couldn’t keep me away.”

“See you at six thirty.”

Huggie heaved himself up off the
veranda step and ambled down the garden path behind Carly and Ed.

Sam looked down at SJ.  “Do you
have an emotional issue we need to talk about?”

Six thirty on the dot, Sam was
ringing the old fashioned bell.  SJ was fed and happily snoozing under Sam’s
doona on the bed, the sun was just starting to get low on the horizon, and Sam
was ready to eat.  Both Carly and dinner.

Especially Carly.

When she opened the door, he
didn’t bother with greetings, just stepped right in, gathered her into his arms
and kissed her senseless, pulling her so hard against him that no way could
even a pin fit in-between them.

“Oh God,” he said when he finally
released her.  “I needed that.”

Straightening her bodice, of which
he’d somehow managed to undo a couple of buttons – he didn’t even remember
doing it, talk about being dexterous – Carly licked her lips.  “Yum.”

That just made him hot all over
again, and he reached for her.

Laughing, she backed away. 
“Uh-uh.  Dinner first, remember?”

He sighed.

Following her to the kitchen, he
watched her hips sway under the gauzy, gently swinging skirt and sniffed the
air.  The sight of Carly and the smell of roast lamb was an interesting mix. 
He fully meant to enjoy both.

Walking into the kitchen, he
looked at the dining table.  In the centre was set a scented candle already
burning so that the scent of roses filled the air.

“Take a seat,” Carly invited.

“How about I get the drinks
instead?  Considering you cooked, I can at least pour.”

“You’ll get no arguments from
me.”  She nodded towards the ‘fridge.  “There’s water, Diet Coke, a jug of iced
coffee made fresh, and I think Ed has a can of lemonade in there as well.  Or
you can have coffee or tea.”  She paused.  “Um…sorry, I don’t have wine.  We
don’t actually drink it, so I didn’t think to buy any.”

“No worries.” Sam opened the
‘fridge.  “I’m not much of a drinker of alcohol.  I do, however, have a
weakness for iced coffee.”  He winked.  “And home made is my favourite.”

Smiling, she returned to the
stove.

By the time she set the dishes on
the table, Sam was comfortably sitting, his mouth watering at the sight of the
roasted food.

“Okay,” he said, “I may just have
to marry you for your cooking.”

“Nice to know where your
priorities lie.”  Laughing, she sat down.

“Man can’t work on an empty
stomach.”  He held the platter out to her.  “Ladies first.”

“Charmer.”

“So, how’s Crusher?” Sam queried,
forking potatoes onto his plate.

“Recuperating in Ed’s room.  He’s
curled up in his basket with a toy bunny.”  Spooning out beans, she looked at
Sam out of twinkling eyes.  “How about SJ?”

“We had a chat about his emotional
issues, he assured me he had none, scoffed down a bowl of tuna to prove it, and
has gone to my bed with tuna breath.”  Cutting into the slice of roast lamb,
Sam swiped it through the gravy.  “Could have knocked me over with a feather
when I saw him washing Crusher, but there you go.  The world is full of surprises.”