“You know what I mean. Miss Leona is exhausted with Hollywood. She’s just chillin’ waiting for grandchildren, waiting forRory’s Warchecks to roll in. And my dad—he’s great, but he’s really focused on his own shit now. And he should be, but you were right. I am in a unique position.”
“Listen, it’s scary to go for what you want,” Amanda said.
“It is.” There was more, something just on the tip of his tongue. She could tell, but instead of confessing whatever was on his mind, he turned back to the fancy dashboard and started the car. Amanda took that as her cue to put on her seat belt. Maybe he’d tell her when he was ready. Maybe she’d tell him how much she was starting to like him when things felt a little less scary for her.
They chatted about random bits of nothing as they drove back to the ranch. He told her about the time he tried to sneak into Claim Jumpers as a teen.
“This whole valley knows my whole family and I thought I could just walk in there and order a Tecate.”
“What happened?”
“They called my dad and had him come pick me up. He made me sit there while he threw back a good five beers, just chatting it the fuck up with the bartender and the high school football coach. Then he made me drive his drunk ass home. I washot.”
“You didn’t walk out as soon as you saw the football coach?” Amanda asked as they pulled up to the front of the lodge. Sam stopped just beyond the valet and turned the car off.
“I didn’t know it was him. I didn’t go to Charming High. I didn’t go to high school.”
“Oh I’m sorry. I forgot you mentioned you—”
“No, it’s fine. I got my GED. But I started doing stunts when I was like twelve and I got cast onDude Ranch Summer Campwhen I was fifteen. Anyway I didn’t go to Charming High like Zach and Jesse did. There was a different coach when Jesse played. I had no clue who the new guy was. Anyway. I’m legal now and my dad isn’t here to stop me.”
“Thank God.”
“Come on. Let me walk you to your room.”
Amanda climbed out of the car and took Sam’s hand as he came around and met her at the entrance to the lodge. When they reached her room, she forced herself not to ask him to stay.
“So what time are you picking me up for our super-sexy romantic date tonight?” she said.
“Eight sound good?”
“Eight sounds perfect. I might order a little room service snack before we go. Eight’s a little late for me to have dinner.”
“Are you kidding? Jesse and I are gonna Greco-Roman wrestle each other for the rest of that corn bread sometime in the next hour. If you’re hungry, girl, eat. And if you’re still hungry the wings at Claim Jumpers are pretty damn good.”
“Oh, this date is gonna involve wings? Cupid knows what I like.”
Sam let out the sexiest laugh before he closed the distance between them. Amanda leaned up and pressed her lips to his, sighing into his mouth as his lips parted and his tongue just barely brushed hers. Her body had had the sense to tell her pussy to chill when he was touching her throughout their late brunch, but enough was enough. She felt her body swell with arousal as she pressed closer, running her hands up his strong chest as his hands smoothed their way down to her lower back.
After a few long moments though she forced herself to break their kiss. They couldn’t spend the afternoon fucking. Well, they could, but that wasn’t what she wanted. Well, it was, but not how she wanted it. She forced her gaze to his plaid shirt. Looking up at those deep brown eyes and that cowboy hat was a little too dangerous. Not that drawing her thumb across his nipple was the safest move either, but that didn’t stop her.
“Maybe you can plan to spend the night over here tonight, if you can get away with that. I don’t want Miss Leona thinking I’m some kind of hussy.”
“Oh, no. Your hussiness needs to be our little secret,” Sam said, gripping her ass with both hands. The action spread her ass and her lips apart. She bit her lip to keep from making a noise. She leaned up and kissed him again before she stepped back against the door. Her body missed the heat of him instantly.
“Yeah, stay over tonight. I didn’t bring any sexy lingerie, but I have this T-shirt with some Nakia fan art andStar Warspajama pants that will really melt your butter.”
“Damn, girl. You know what I like.”
“I’ll see you at eight.”
“Okay.” Sam tipped his hat in her direction, then headed back down the hall.
Amanda waited until he turned the corner before she keyed into her room. Inside she collapsed on the bed and buried her face in her pillow. How had this happened? She just wanted to get out of town for a moment. She didn’t mean to meet Sam’s whole family and she definitely hadn’t planned on spending Valentine’s Day with him in any sort of a romantical sense.
Amanda rolled over and grabbed her purse. She had to text her mom and let her know that Miss Leona was a living goddess in real life. As soon as her screen lit up she saw several missed texts and calls from Dru.
Call Lux and get me and the girls a table tonight.