Wife by Wednesday (16 page)

“Need a hand getting on?” Blake asked her.

The chestnut horse eyed her suspiciously as she approached. After a couple of pets, the mare managed a snort as if to say, whatever.

“I might need a leg up.”

Blake cupped his hands for her use for leverage. After a couple of tries, she was on the back of the horse with reins in hand.

Like a seasoned rider, Blake mounted in one clean swoop, his back rod straight as he led them from the stable and out into the fresh air.

“So what is this horse’s name?” Samantha asked as they led the horses across the wide-open space behind Albany Hall.

“I think it’s Maggie.”

“And yours?”

“Blaze.”

Tilting her head back, Samantha laughed. “Maggie sounds slow and Blaze sounds fast.”

Blake winked at her. “Exactly.”

“I told you I knew how to ride. No need to put me on the grandmother in the barn.” Maggie tossed her head back, causing both Blake and Samantha to chuckle.

“I don’t think she liked that,” he suggested. “You told me you hadn’t ridden in quite a while. I wouldn’t want to be responsible for a broken anything if you’re thrown.”

Sam stretched over the neck of her horse and patted the coat behind Maggie’s ear. “You won’t throw me, will you?”

“She wouldn’t dare.”

Samantha considered kicking the horse into something faster than a walk, but didn’t have any idea where they were headed.

“When was the last time you rode?” Blake asked.

“Before…” She let the word hang there for a moment. As if Blake would know its meaning. For many years, everything in her life was either before the fall of her family, or after.

Samantha noticed Blake watching her patiently. “Before my father went to prison. Before my mother’s death. Before Dan. Before
Jordan
’s suicide attempt. Jordan and I used to ride all the time.” The memory of her sister on a horse made her smile.

“Who’s Dan?”

Had she said his name? “Dan was the snake I dated in college.”

“There’s a story behind that.”

Blake didn’t press her for answers. Maybe that was why she didn’t have a problem opening up to him. “Dan dated me to learn more about my father. He worked for the Feds.”

Blake’s expression turned to stone. “He slept with you to get to your dad?”

The anger in his voice put a smile on her face. It was so nice to have someone see it her way. “Slept with me, told me he loved me. Women aren’t the only ones who lie to get what they want.”

“That must have hurt.”

She remembered those days, the pain, the deception. “I guess you know now why I have a hard time trusting people.”

“I should be honored that you trust me.”

“Damn right.” She laughed and sent him a wink. They weren’t out on this beautiful day to walk though her past.

Blake brought his horse closer to hers, reached for her hand, and brought the back of it to his lips for a small kiss.

Her heart lunged in her chest and cracked wide open. Try as she might, she couldn’t help but compare her feelings for him to the man she once claimed to love. The two didn’t belong on the same planet.

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, changing the subject.

Blake slid a glance over his shoulder, a smirk played on his lips. “You don’t do surprises very well, do you?”

“I do… it’s just… okay, no. I don’t do surprises. Where are we going?”

Blake pointed to a patch of trees about a mile away. “There’s a cottage by a stream where I thought we’d enjoy a quiet lunch.”

Samantha allowed her shoulders to slump and a silly grin to grace her lips. “That’s sweet.”

“That’s me, Mr. Sweet.”

He was being sarcastic, but she thought title worked. “Just beyond those trees, huh?”

“Yep.” He kept his horse at a walk. His thighs hugged the flanks of the animal he rode and drew Samantha’s gaze to him once again. Blake’s strong profile, and broad shoulders that tapered to his perfect behind made her mouth water. The thought of the cottage, with privacy, popped in her mind.

“How long will it take us to get there?”

“Half an hour at most.”

“Hmmm.” Then, without warning, Samantha kicked Maggie and held on as the horse lurched ahead.

“Sam?” Blake was calling her name behind her.

She fixed her knees into the horse and held on tight until Maggie had found a nice comfortable pace of her run.

Hardly a few seconds passed when Blake overtook her. The frown on his face dissipated when he saw her smile as he passed. Instead of forcing them to a stop, he let Blaze take the lead and Maggie followed.

Cool air coursed through Samantha’s hair, pulling it out of the clip she’d used to hold it back. The landscape buzzed past, but not so quickly that she didn’t manage to scent the lavender blooming, or the fresh grass under the horses’ hooves. This she could get used to. The freedom of riding away from life’s worries, the big outdoors to escape into.

They cleared the open space in five minutes and had to slow the horses to pick their way through the trees. Seemed both Maggie and Samantha were in need of catching their breath. “That was wonderful.”

Blake’s grey eyes caught hers and held. For the first time in days, he looked relaxed and carefree. For a moment, she thought he was going to say something, but he lowered his eyes and pulled on the reins to move Blaze deeper into the woods.

“It’s so beautiful here. And quiet.”

“When I was a kid, I used to take a horse out here all the time to escape my father.”

“Was he so bad?” Seemed her husband and his father had the worst of relationships, but Blake hadn’t really elaborated.

“I wasn’t him.”

“And that’s what he wanted, a miniature him?”

Blake nodded.

Samantha wanted to ask more questions, but Blake moved his horse in front of hers as the path narrowed. Soon the sound of water sounded over the horses.

When the trees opened up to reveal the stream, Samantha knew why Blake chose this place to get away. Crystal-clear water cascaded down rocks and dipped around fallen branches and trees. Moss and grass grew along the banks of the stream, which made her envision Blake as a little boy sitting by the water’s edge tossing rocks.

“Is this still on your land?”

“It is. The estate is over five hundred acres. But this is the most beautiful location on it.”

“It’s amazing, Blake.”

The path opened to a small meadow with a cottage sitting on one end. Once they cleared the trees, Blake swung off his horse. “We’ll let them drink before we hitch them.”

Samantha slid to the ground with wobbly legs. But the energy felt good, refreshing. As the horses drank from the stream she asked, “How often is this cottage used?”

“Not often. For a time, I was the only one who came out here. I think Gwen used to escape here after I moved away.”

“I’ll have to ask her.”

Blake led the horses to a post and tied them with enough rope to allow them to graze. “Let me show you inside.”

Samantha took his hand, enjoying the warmth of his fingers circling hers, and walked beside him up the few steps to the cabin porch.

The door swung open with a tiny nudge. “You don’t lock it?”

“No need.”

As she stepped inside, Samantha’s breath caught in her throat.

In the center of the room was a table set for two. Linen napkins, beautiful china, and crystal goblets were waiting for them to enjoy. A bucket stood to the side with wine chilling inside. Large silver trays were covered with food. “Oh, Blake, this is lovely.”

“You like?”

She turned to him and wove a hand around his waist. Looking up into his eyes, she smiled and tipped her lips to his. “I love it.”

Blake accepted her lips for a brief kiss, but when she started to pull away, he held her close and moved his head to the side. Her kiss of gratitude swiftly moved from ‘thank you’ to ‘more.’

The feel of his hands roaming down her back brought a moan from deep inside her chest. Everywhere he touched heated instantly. Whenever they made love, it seemed they couldn’t touch enough. Blake nibbled at her lip as his hand reached for her breast. “I’m an awful person,” he said between kisses.

Her head fell back, already lost. “Why do you say that?”

He backed her into the room and kicked the door close behind them. “We haven’t even eaten, and I’m already crawling all over you.”

Laughing, she kicked her shoes free and peeled away at his sweater “Are you saying we were only supposed to eat?”

Blake helped her with his shirt by flinging it across the room. “Eat first, then make love. That was the plan.”

Licking her way across his collarbone and down to one taut nipple, she laughed. “Make love, then eat…” she nibbled a path to his other side. “Then make love again.”

Tugging her clothes free, Blake kept backing her away from the food to the only bedroom in the cottage. Samantha hardly glimpsed the lace curtains that framed the window, or the patterned quilt covering the mattress before Blake pressed her under his frame.

“You feel so good,” she told him, loving the weight of him on her.

“Yes, you do.” His fingers managed to unclasp her bra and toss it aside in seconds. His lips claimed her nipple as he laved up one side, circled her dusky tip, and nipped. “Tastes like spring,” he whispered before shifting his attention to the other side. He took his time with slow, even strokes of his tongue. Samantha writhed with pleasure. Traveling down her tight stomach, he peeled away her pants, kissing a path over her hip and down her thigh.

They’d always giving into the need for penetration when they’d made love, but already Samantha felt this time would be different, slower, and just as satisfying. The soft pad of Blake’s thumb traced up her thighs after her pants were on the floor. He hooked a finger under her panties and petted the sensitive skin at her hip. “I think,” he said, blowing a heated breath above her flesh, “that my nourishment will come before and after we eat what’s in the other room.”

A tinge of vulnerability shot through her. For all her talk, and ease with Blake in the bedroom, having a man kiss the sensitive flesh between her legs wasn’t something she’d experienced before.

“What is it?” Blake asked, his chin dangerously close to her damp panties, his eyes narrowed in concern.

“I-I’ve not.” Darn, she wasn’t a virgin, but in this she was. “No one has ever,” she let her gaze drift to her mound before returning to him.

Recognition flecked in his eyes and a soft smile spread over his lips. “Never?”

She gave a quick shake of her head.

He lowered his lips to kiss the skin below her belly button, his eyes never left hers. “I like that.”

With his three simple words, she let the vulnerability go and relaxed into Blake’s masterful arms. His tongue sought her flesh as he removed the scrap of material between her thighs. He pressed hot, open-mouthed kisses around her core until her thighs opened to give him room. Blake kissed, licked, and moaned over her until her will nearly snapped with the want of more. When his lips connected with the most sensitive spot on her body, Samantha nearly leapt from the bed. Blake kept her anchored, his tongue swirling around her, chasing, and coaxing tiny building spasms deep inside her body. The intensity of her pending release was like nothing she’d experienced before. He took her to the edge, drew back, and had her clutching his shoulders tight.

He was teasing her, teaching her to crave this from him, and all she could do was beg for more. “Please.”

With a flick of his tongue and a gentle suck, Samantha welled over and cried out her release. Her body trembled as she rode the sensation to the very end.

When Samantha felt it was safe to open her eyes, she found Blake smiling over her. His broad hands ran the length of her body as he waited for her attention.

“You’re sinful,” she uttered, her voice low and throaty.

He placed a delicate kiss on her lips. “You’re sexy. Now that I’ve tasted you, I’m going to want more.”

Her hand feathered over his hip, surprised to see he’d managed to free himself of his clothes. Not being of the mind to take and not give, Samantha offered a grin before pushing Blake on his back to have a taste of him. Following his example, she traced his hip, first with her fingers then with her tongue. The salty musk of his skin tantalized her taste buds until her mouth watered.

“Should I be worried?” he hissed as she let her cheek graze his erection.

“What?” she asked, pretending innocence with her tone. “I’ve seen movies.” She hadn’t but she wanted to keep him guessing. In this, she had a brief encounter. Then there were the books she’d read once in a while.

Seems tens of authors must have some idea how this worked.

“But…”

Samantha drew him into the deep, warm cavern of her mouth.

“Sweet lord.” Blake moaned, his hips tilting forward, asking for more.

Samantha smiled over him, lapping, tasting, and desiring his pleasure nearly as much as her own. The musky scent of his skin and sex filled her as she brought him to the very edge of release before pulling back. She would have continued, but Blake gently forced her away. “Too much.”