his. “I can’t live like that again.”
She held her breath as he walked over to brush a light kiss upon her lips.
“In twenty-one years of marriage, I was never unfaithful, and I never laid a hand on her.” He pulled her closer for another light kiss. “I’ve been with the same company for twenty years, lived in the same house for the same amount of time. I’m steady as a slab of granite. I love kids, and I promise that neither you, nor your kids will ever have to be afraid of me.”
Carrie sighed as Sam left a trail of gentle kisses along her jaw line.
“I’m no stud. My hair is thinning, my mid-section isn’t. I live a dull life and I don’t have a lot of money to spare.” He shifted and continued kissing the other side of her jaw. “If you’re looking for non-stop excitement and someone to buy you a lot of gifts, I’m not your man, but I’d find other ways to spoil you.”
One side of his lip curled adorably alongside his dimple as she lifted one curious brow.
“Ah, the lady wants to know how I’d spoil her,” he mused. “Okay...let’s negotiate.”
Sam rattled off a list she’d never again have to do for herself, from car maintenance to yard work, to bringing her coffee in bed and letting her have control of the remote. “I’ll buy your favorite perfume for your birthdays, and never give you silk bikinis rolled up like a rose for Valentine’s Day.”
“It was nylon, not even silk.”
“Neither, then.” He placed his hands on her waist and pulled her even closer. “Besides,” he added, “J.C. says we look good together.”
Carrie gazed up into his eyes. “He does?”
“Yep,” he said, lowering his head for another kiss.
She placed both hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push. “Have you been talking to people about me?”
“J.C. spoke up one day and told me I should ask you out because we make a good-looking pair,” he explained. “That’s all.”
I always said I wanted someone tall. She thought how wonderful it would be to have a life without worry, without the constant existence of stress and strain on a relationship. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to trust again? It would be so easy to tell him she wanted him in her life. But not quite yet. She stepped away and stared out at the compound’s rain soaked parking lot. “I need to go before the skies open up again.”
“You be careful going home, Carrie.”
She adjusted her shoulder strap as he pushed the door open for her. “You too, Sam.”
Sam reached out and gently took hold of her arm to stop her before she walked through the door. “Listen, if you have to see your ex, make sure you’re never alone with him.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Don’t let him talk you into anything.”
Carrie froze in her tracks as a low rumble of thunder echoed ominously in the distance. She gazed out at the gathering of black clouds and suddenly felt the dreariness of the rain sodden surroundings creep into her soul. “What kind of anything are you talking about?”
Sam closed his eyes and sighed. “Never mind.”
Carrie turned slowly to face him. “Are you afraid I’ll sleep with him?”
Sam’s tone turned defensive. “I only meant that he might try to talk you into taking him back. You said he could be persuasive.”
Carrie tried to remain calm, told herself not to over-react. “Dave could persuade the old me to do a lot of stupid things, Sam. But I’m stronger now. I can handle him.”
“I sure as hell hope so. I just don’t want anything like that to happen before—”
“Before what ?”
“ Well, before you, before we ...” Sam stammered then clammed up.
“You mean before I’ve slept with you ?” Carried waited for him to correct her...hoped...prayed she’d assumed wrong. Her heart sank when he remained silent. Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, she turned and ran out into the rain.
CHAPTER 8
Sam watched as Carrie started her car then drove out of the parking
She held her breath as he walked over to brush a light kiss upon her lips.
“In twenty-one years of marriage, I was never unfaithful, and I never laid a hand on her.” He pulled her closer for another light kiss. “I’ve been with the same company for twenty years, lived in the same house for the same amount of time. I’m steady as a slab of granite. I love kids, and I promise that neither you, nor your kids will ever have to be afraid of me.”
Carrie sighed as Sam left a trail of gentle kisses along her jaw line.
“I’m no stud. My hair is thinning, my mid-section isn’t. I live a dull life and I don’t have a lot of money to spare.” He shifted and continued kissing the other side of her jaw. “If you’re looking for non-stop excitement and someone to buy you a lot of gifts, I’m not your man, but I’d find other ways to spoil you.”
One side of his lip curled adorably alongside his dimple as she lifted one curious brow.
“Ah, the lady wants to know how I’d spoil her,” he mused. “Okay...let’s negotiate.”
Sam rattled off a list she’d never again have to do for herself, from car maintenance to yard work, to bringing her coffee in bed and letting her have control of the remote. “I’ll buy your favorite perfume for your birthdays, and never give you silk bikinis rolled up like a rose for Valentine’s Day.”
“It was nylon, not even silk.”
“Neither, then.” He placed his hands on her waist and pulled her even closer. “Besides,” he added, “J.C. says we look good together.”
Carrie gazed up into his eyes. “He does?”
“Yep,” he said, lowering his head for another kiss.
She placed both hands on his chest and gave him a gentle push. “Have you been talking to people about me?”
“J.C. spoke up one day and told me I should ask you out because we make a good-looking pair,” he explained. “That’s all.”
I always said I wanted someone tall. She thought how wonderful it would be to have a life without worry, without the constant existence of stress and strain on a relationship. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to trust again? It would be so easy to tell him she wanted him in her life. But not quite yet. She stepped away and stared out at the compound’s rain soaked parking lot. “I need to go before the skies open up again.”
“You be careful going home, Carrie.”
She adjusted her shoulder strap as he pushed the door open for her. “You too, Sam.”
Sam reached out and gently took hold of her arm to stop her before she walked through the door. “Listen, if you have to see your ex, make sure you’re never alone with him.”
“I’ll be careful.”
“Don’t let him talk you into anything.”
Carrie froze in her tracks as a low rumble of thunder echoed ominously in the distance. She gazed out at the gathering of black clouds and suddenly felt the dreariness of the rain sodden surroundings creep into her soul. “What kind of anything are you talking about?”
Sam closed his eyes and sighed. “Never mind.”
Carrie turned slowly to face him. “Are you afraid I’ll sleep with him?”
Sam’s tone turned defensive. “I only meant that he might try to talk you into taking him back. You said he could be persuasive.”
Carrie tried to remain calm, told herself not to over-react. “Dave could persuade the old me to do a lot of stupid things, Sam. But I’m stronger now. I can handle him.”
“I sure as hell hope so. I just don’t want anything like that to happen before—”
“Before what ?”
“ Well, before you, before we ...” Sam stammered then clammed up.
“You mean before I’ve slept with you ?” Carried waited for him to correct her...hoped...prayed she’d assumed wrong. Her heart sank when he remained silent. Unable to speak past the lump in her throat, she turned and ran out into the rain.
CHAPTER 8
Sam watched as Carrie started her car then drove out of the parking
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