private farewell to Samantha, but there was plenty of time to get to the bottom of that mystery later. Right now, there was nowhere else he wanted to be but next to his little fox.
Chapter 11
Jason wasn’t sure if it was the lack of Samantha’s warm body pressed against him or his own internal clock that woke him after only an hour and a half of rest. Whatever woke him, he was furious to discover Samantha was not only not in his bed, but not in his house at all.
Jason stormed out of his house and jumped into his car. His anger grew the closer he drew to the bookstore. He rushed inside, determined to find Samantha. How dare she leave him after the scare he’d had this morning? A scare she had put him through. He stopped short when he saw Laurie making coffee behind the bar. Panic started to set in after he realized Samantha wasn’t there.
Where could she have gone? He didn’t think she would take off again. Even in his anger, Jason hadn’t forgotten how happy she’d been to see him earlier, or how she had clung to him almost desperately. Samantha had had a scare today, too, and he couldn’t picture her taking off on her own again anytime soon.
“Laurie, have you seen Samantha?” Jason bit out, walking to the counter. He resented having to admit he’d lost his mate for the second time in twenty-four hours. It was his job to make sure Samantha was safe and cared for.
“No, but I thought I heard the shower running upstairs a few minutes ago,” Laurie responded.
“Thanks,” Jason choked out. Why hadn’t she showered at his house? Jason was fed up with all the uncertainty he was feeling. It was time to lay his cards on the table and tell her that he wanted her as his mate. That he never wanted to spend another night without her. That he wanted her to move in with him and be his partner for life.
Tonight , he decided. He’d cook her dinner, set a romantic scene and ask her to spend her life with him. He would spend every moment of his life thanking whatever force had brought her to him…if she said yes.
Jason turned around, intent on planning his seduction, when a tall woman barreled into him, almost tackling him to the ground. He grunted at the impact, his arms automatically closing around the woman and preventing them from falling over.
“You’re losing your touch, old man, we almost fell over,” the woman said as he righted them. He looked into familiar hazel eyes. He couldn’t help but return her smile as he pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.
* * * *
Samantha rushed out of her apartment after taking a hurried shower and changing out of the clothes Cody had loaned her. She had hated leaving Jason’s bed after she woke up safe and secure in his embrace, but she knew she had to get to work. She felt bad enough about getting lost this morning. Missing more work wasn’t an option.
Samantha wasn’t exactly a morning person, but she could easily see it becoming her favorite time of day if she got to wake up in Jason’s arms every morning. She had such a sense of comfort there; she felt cherished for the first time in her life. Briefly worrying she might be projecting her wants and desires onto the situation, Samantha decided there was no harm in a little fantasy. She was already in love with the man. If her heart was going to be broken in the end anyway, she might as well throw her hopes into the mix, too.
Simply allowing herself to hope lifted Samantha’s spirits. She hadn’t hoped for anything since she was a little girl. She’d almost forgotten how hope’s warm glow felt like a blanket wrapping her in its embrace and telling her everything was going to be all right. The world seemed to have taken on new life.
Feeling even lighter of heart than she had when she’d left Cody’s house with Jason, Samantha walked through the door of Books and Crannies, only to feel her heart shatter and fall to her feet in pieces. The scene before her had the same effect as a bucket of cold water.
So
Chapter 11
Jason wasn’t sure if it was the lack of Samantha’s warm body pressed against him or his own internal clock that woke him after only an hour and a half of rest. Whatever woke him, he was furious to discover Samantha was not only not in his bed, but not in his house at all.
Jason stormed out of his house and jumped into his car. His anger grew the closer he drew to the bookstore. He rushed inside, determined to find Samantha. How dare she leave him after the scare he’d had this morning? A scare she had put him through. He stopped short when he saw Laurie making coffee behind the bar. Panic started to set in after he realized Samantha wasn’t there.
Where could she have gone? He didn’t think she would take off again. Even in his anger, Jason hadn’t forgotten how happy she’d been to see him earlier, or how she had clung to him almost desperately. Samantha had had a scare today, too, and he couldn’t picture her taking off on her own again anytime soon.
“Laurie, have you seen Samantha?” Jason bit out, walking to the counter. He resented having to admit he’d lost his mate for the second time in twenty-four hours. It was his job to make sure Samantha was safe and cared for.
“No, but I thought I heard the shower running upstairs a few minutes ago,” Laurie responded.
“Thanks,” Jason choked out. Why hadn’t she showered at his house? Jason was fed up with all the uncertainty he was feeling. It was time to lay his cards on the table and tell her that he wanted her as his mate. That he never wanted to spend another night without her. That he wanted her to move in with him and be his partner for life.
Tonight , he decided. He’d cook her dinner, set a romantic scene and ask her to spend her life with him. He would spend every moment of his life thanking whatever force had brought her to him…if she said yes.
Jason turned around, intent on planning his seduction, when a tall woman barreled into him, almost tackling him to the ground. He grunted at the impact, his arms automatically closing around the woman and preventing them from falling over.
“You’re losing your touch, old man, we almost fell over,” the woman said as he righted them. He looked into familiar hazel eyes. He couldn’t help but return her smile as he pulled her into his arms for a tight hug.
* * * *
Samantha rushed out of her apartment after taking a hurried shower and changing out of the clothes Cody had loaned her. She had hated leaving Jason’s bed after she woke up safe and secure in his embrace, but she knew she had to get to work. She felt bad enough about getting lost this morning. Missing more work wasn’t an option.
Samantha wasn’t exactly a morning person, but she could easily see it becoming her favorite time of day if she got to wake up in Jason’s arms every morning. She had such a sense of comfort there; she felt cherished for the first time in her life. Briefly worrying she might be projecting her wants and desires onto the situation, Samantha decided there was no harm in a little fantasy. She was already in love with the man. If her heart was going to be broken in the end anyway, she might as well throw her hopes into the mix, too.
Simply allowing herself to hope lifted Samantha’s spirits. She hadn’t hoped for anything since she was a little girl. She’d almost forgotten how hope’s warm glow felt like a blanket wrapping her in its embrace and telling her everything was going to be all right. The world seemed to have taken on new life.
Feeling even lighter of heart than she had when she’d left Cody’s house with Jason, Samantha walked through the door of Books and Crannies, only to feel her heart shatter and fall to her feet in pieces. The scene before her had the same effect as a bucket of cold water.
So
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