Page 65 of Securing Samantha
“No Whiskey. At some point we need to sit down and explain to him you’re his dad,” she softly told him.
The kids ran down the stairs as Kassie called them for dinner. Whiskey held out the chair for her, she sat down, and he took the seat beside her. Her body stayed on alert by his presence, distracting her from the food. She picked at it.
Whiskey leaned over, “Are you feeling all right, lass? You barely touched dinner or the wine.” His mouth thinned and his eyes narrowed as he scanned her face for discomfort.
“It’s nothing,” she murmured as her eyes met his.
He placed a hand on her forehead. “Your face is flushed, and you’ve barely eaten. Maybe Kassie or Doc should check you out. You don’t want to come down with something at Christmas,” he suggested.
“It’s probably jet lag. I feel like I’m on a plane every week. I’m not complaining about our arrangement,” she hastened to assure him. “I’ve traveled a bit for business too and I think it’s all catching up to me.”
Whiskey let it go. Kassie sent the kids upstairs for baths while Chase cleaned the kitchen with Whiskey. LJ took a shower in the guest bathroom in the room she occupied, while Emma took hers upstairs.
Chase and Kassie changed into scrubs. Kassie pulled her hair up in a loose bun. “Everything’s done. They need a bedtime book read to them and lights out,” Kassie instructed.
“We can handle it,” Samantha laughed.
Whiskey tossed Em around one shoulder and lugged LJ by the hip. “I’m the mighty giant O’Neil and I claim it’s my choice for books and we’ll read from the dictionary.”
The kids protested loudly as they laughed. “Well maybe if you find me a good story, I might be persuaded to change my mind.” He relented.
The kids ran into Em’s room and within a minute they picked out two books. Samantha climbed the stairs and watched as he wiggled his way inside the fort. He brought the characters in the story to life. His voice changed with each personality, making the kids laugh. Her heart lurched watching him with the kids. Did she make a hasty decision to move to New York? The scene before her gave her a glimpse of the life she dreamed of with her husband before their lives blew up. A sadness seeped into her soul at the missed opportunity of raising their family together. She shook her head. Whiskey seemed content with his new life without her. By the time he finished the last story, Em slung her arm over one of her best friend’s shoulders and they fell asleep together. She held the blanket while he made his way out of the cave.
He put his finger to his lips as they cracked the door and snuck down the stairs. He poured her a glass of wine and gestured for her to have a seat. It hit her they were alone, and she took the chair next to the fireplace while he sat on the couch. She licked her lips nervously as his knees almost touched hers. He held a glass of water in his hand as he pulled coasters from the table and placed one for each of their drinks.
His elbows rested on his knees.
“I want to talk to you about our arrangement. I’ve experimented with different types of therapy. I’m attending group meetings in Seattle and at Chase’s facility. I improved on identifying a majority of my triggers. I sold the house in town and purchased another. I’d like to take LJ there with me this week. If I have any issues or you aren’t comfortable with me spending time alone with our son, I’ll abide by your wishes. It’s important we agree on things and work together as a team.”
Samantha stared at him. Taking in his words. As a married couple they rarely fought. Shortly after their wedding, a small fight escalated into a screaming match between the two of them. Whiskey picked her up and they laid on the bed. She remembered how he held her hand and wiped her angry tears away. “I don’t want to fight you, lass. We made a vow to love each other, and we need to work as a team through everything. Will you help me?” From that moment on they worked together to solve any conflicts.
“I appreciate you letting me know and don’t see any issues with it. I assume Kassie or Chase knew you planned to talk to me about it and if they held any concerned feelings about the matter, I’d know by now. Promise me, if you need help, you’ll reach out to me or the team.”
Whiskey took her hand. His thumb stroked along the side, and he covered it with his other hand. “I promise if I need help, I’ll ask for it. We’ll work together and give our son a life he can be proud of.”
She smiled. He’d come far over the last few weeks. She wondered what caused the drastic change in him. He left her penthouse a broken man and it killed her to watch him walk away. The pain they both experienced cut each of them differently. Maybe the separation helped him bloom. Whatever it was, she hoped he would continue.
“I best be going. Hope is past her bedtime and then it takes me a devil of a time to get her outside to use the bathroom.” He made a gesture, and the pup came running in his direction. Samantha walked him to the door.
Whiskey stopped. He turned to face her and leaned in. Her hand automatically came out and she placed it on his chest as her eyes closed of their own accord. She felt his breath on her ear as he kissed her cheek and murmured, “Goodnight, Samantha.”
Her hand slid slowly down his chest, and she wondered if he felt the same electric energy pulling them together. If he did, he didn’t show it.
She closed the door and locked it. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes, thinking about what could’ve been. Would they have found their way to Serenity? Leo brought her here after her dad’s death. She started a new life without him. Now he started one without her.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Early the next morning, Whiskey picked up his son. LJ barely kissed her goodbye as Whiskey announced he was taking him to his new house. LJ bounced with excitement.
Whiskey texted her early in the morning and asked if she wanted to join him and LJ for Christmas in two days. She politely refused. Whiskey needed the time to bond with their son and she didn’t think Bryan would appreciate it if her plan veered to her spending time with Whiskey. They put off discussing a commitment, but from the remarks made before she left New York, she knew he planned to ask if she wanted to start a relationship with him. Up until now, they flirted and kept things casual, but she knew he waited for a sign from her to take it to the next level.
Was she ready? Bryan worked out and stayed in excellent shape, he kissed wonderfully, and always remained a gentleman. He took things slow for her and her son’s sake. He included LJ in their plans when he planned dates. If she attended a business dinner, he always gave her advanced notice to allow time for childcare arrangements. The two nannies worked well, and LJ seemed to get along with them. But they didn’t take the place of the small village on Serenity Mountain who took care of each other’s kids. Even the older generations banded together and helped. Victoria and Ivan worried her at first, but she soon realized they acted as a third set of grandparents to all the kids.
She waved goodbye from the porch while Whiskey backed down the driveway. She smiled as Michael and Lizzy pulled up. He helped her from the car. Lizzy dazzled in a red sweater and jeans. Her short pixie cut grew out some, falling below her ears. She hugged her when she landed on the porch.
Samantha drew her away to get a good eyeful of her before asking, “How are you?”
“It’s Christmas, I’m excited and blessed to spend it with my friends and Michael. Let’s not dwell on it today. Let’s have fun.” Lizzy squeezed her hand as she went inside.