Page 10 of Not-So Real Breakup
“Let me talk to him,” Landon demanded.
I handed the phone to James, who flashed me a confident smile before saying, “Hey, Landon. Thanks for sending Samantha down instead of coming yourself. At least I don’t have to stare at your ugly mug while we figure out this mess.”
I wasn’t sure how Landon replied, but James seemed to take pleasure in pushing his buttons. “Yeah, I know she’s your sister. But from what I see, she’s all grown up and definitely not so little anymore.”
He lifted his finger and strode to the other side of the room, speaking too low for me to hear what was said. I twisted my fingers together until he came back and handed me the phone with a grin. “Don’t worry about your brother. Landon and I are on the same page now.”
7
JAMES
As pissed as I was about the inspection violations, I couldn’t help being a little grateful because it meant I didn’t have to convince Samantha to stay longer. And while Landon wasn’t exactly happy with the situation, at least we’d come to an understanding.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Bardot?” he’d snapped after I made my comment about his ugly mug. “She’s my little sister!”
It probably hadn’t been the smartest reply, reminding him that Samantha was a woman and a fucking sexy one at that.
“You don’t take women to your Winnetka home,” he’d growled. “So what the fuck is going on between you two?”
I’d held up a finger to Samantha and walked across the room so I could talk to Landon in private.
“I’m only going to say this once,” I’d replied in a steel voice. “Samantha is mine. What happens between us is our business and no one else’s. However, because you are my friend and I respect the hell out of you, I’m going to share my intentions. I knew that Samantha was my future the moment I saw her, just as you did with Zoe.” I’d known that comparing our situation with his and his wife’s would make it harder for him to object. “I’m going to marry her, have a family with her, and grow old with her.”
Landon had been silent, so I’d forged ahead. “You don’t have to like it, you can hate me all you want, but I’m warning you right now, Heath, you better keep that shit to yourself. If you ever make Samantha feel like she has to choose between us and her family, I will make Zoe a widow. Is that clear?”
Again, Landon had been quiet so long it had become a little awkward. Eventually, he’d sighed, but when he’d spoken, I could hear respect in his tone. “I don’t want Samantha to feel torn in opposite directions. I love my sister and want her to be happy. So let’s get two things straight. One, Samantha and I will be having our own talk. If she doesn’t love you and doesn’t want to stay with you, then all bets are off, and I reserve the right to bring her home without your interference.”
Since I couldn’t agree to that, I hadn’t said anything, letting him infer my agreement.
“Second,” he’d continued. “If you hurt my little sister, there won’t be enough of you left to identify after I’m done.”
“Understood.” If she were my sister, I would have made the same threat.
“One last thing.” He’d paused, but I’d simply waited for him to finish rather than interrupting. “As far as I’m concerned, Samantha will always be my innocent little sister. Don’t burst that fucking bubble by pawing all over her in front of me.” I’d practically heard him shudder, and a chuckle had escaped my mouth.
“No promises, friend.”
“Fucking hell.” I’d heard him grunt as I hung up.
I stole a peek at Samantha and felt a sense of contentment as my eyes roamed over her sleeping form. Unfortunately, the shitstorm created by the inspection report had forced us to return to my office and work until after the sun had gone down. I’d been anxious to get my girl home, and with every new thing that came up, every phone call, every email, my mood had plummeted.
Now, with every mile that brought us closer to home, I felt the stress of the day melting away, leaving peace that I knew I’d only ever feel in Samantha’s presence. She’d impressed the hell out of me today and seeing her turn into a confident, savvy businesswoman had turned me on more than I expected.
She’d fallen asleep barely ten minutes after I hit the open road just past the city. I knew she was exhausted and I should let her rest, but I was barely hanging on. If I didn’t make Samantha mine really fucking soon, I would lose my ever-loving mind.
I breathed a sigh of relief when I hit the button for the garage and pulled my car inside.
After quietly exiting the vehicle, I went around to her side and opened the door. Crouching down, I gently unbuckled her, then scooped her into my arms. Then I carried her down the hall to the primary suite and laid her on the bed. She stirred a little when I removed her shoes and tenderly kissed her forehead but settled back down immediately.
If I lay down with her, I wouldn’t be able to leave her alone, so I changed into a pair of sleep pants and padded to my office. Just before I stepped inside, I remembered her suitcase and went to retrieve it. I took it into our bedroom and set it in the closet. For a moment, I considered finding her a pair of pajamas in case she woke up and wanted to change out of her work clothes. Ultimately, I decided that if she wasn’t sleeping naked in our bed, she would at least be wrapped up in me. So I lifted her suitcase onto a shelf I knew she couldn’t reach, then dug out one of my old University of Chicago T-shirts and laid it at the foot of the bed.
I threw on a black T-shirt, then tried to work for a while, but I couldn’t keep my mind from straying to the woman sleeping in the next room. A glance at the clock told me it was just after eight when I realized we’d never eaten dinner. I decided to fix us something that could be eaten cold in case she woke up hungry.
Food wasn’t the answer to satisfying my particular hunger, but what I needed wasn’t on the menu at the moment.
I was fixing a cold pasta salad when I heard a rustle and looked up to see a vision of perfection. Samantha’s expression was sleepy, and her blond curls hung down her back and floated around her like a halo. She’d changed into my T-shirt, and while the hem fell to her knees, it showed enough leg for me to salivate. The neck was too big as well and dipped off one shoulder, showing off a pink bra strap that perfectly matched the color of the blouse she’d been wearing earlier.
“I’m sorry I fell asleep,” she murmured as she shuffled into the kitchen.