of interest anymore, he didn’t see the harm in inviting her along for lunch.
“Samuel? What’s going on? You’re blushing.”
“I am not blushing. It’s warm in the car without the air on.”
“Uh huh. I’m walking into a trap, aren’t I?”
“A trap? No. Into something? Yes.”
“What?”
Even more wariness entered her tone and Samuel was man enough to allow himself to feel chagrin. He propped open the driver’s side door and stuck one foot outside, sitting half in and half out of the car. He’d at least have a quick escape for a few seconds before Samantha chased him down.
He glanced at her. “At this very moment, there is a woman inside that house that my mother has invited over with the express purpose of trying to marry me off.”
Silence filled the space between them for several heartbeats. Then, Samantha burst out laughing. Samuel couldn’t help but stare at her. He wanted to ask what she found so humorous, but didn’t. He was content to wait. Hell, he was content to stay outside in the car for as long as possible.
After a few moments, Samantha calmed down. She wiped her eyes with her fingertips and took a couple of deep breaths.
“Better?” he asked. “Got it all out now?”
Her lips quirked in a bit of a smile. “I think so. Let me get this straight. Your mother is trying to find you a wife?”
“Yes.”
“Any particular type of woman she’s looking for?”
“High society. Pure bred debutante. Wealthy. From a political family, if possible.”
“Uh huh.”
It was his turn to be wary now. “What?”
“Nothing. I…” Samantha didn’t look at him, but pulled down the visor and checked herself in the mirror. “And how many women have you passed on?”
“All of them.”
“Which is how many?”
Samuel leveled a look at her. “Why does it matter?” She shrugged, but didn’t drop her gaze from his.
“I don’t know. I’m curious.”
“Half a dozen, maybe.”
“I’m not going to fit her criteria,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Nope.”
“Is that why I’m here? To show her who you do want?” Samantha was never one to mince words with him. It was one of the traits he admired about her. It was one of the things that drew him toward her rather than away from her.
“Yes.”
She nodded and opened her own door. “Let’s go then.”
“Just like that?”
“Yep. No use letting my sticky buns melt out here in the sun more than they already have. And if there’s a high society babe inside the house, I want to meet her. See how I measure up.”
Samuel shook his head. “Oh lord. I get the feeling this was a bad idea, after all.”
Samantha’s laughter followed him out of the car and around the hood. They hadn’t taken two steps before the door to the house opened and his mother stepped into view.
“Samuel! You’re here. And… You’ve brought someone.” Her smile had been bright, almost to the point of warm and welcoming, but as she took in Samantha at his side, her smile faltered slightly.
“Of course, I’m here.” There’d never been any doubt that he would be. Brandt had issued the warning.
“Wow. She’s beautiful,” Samantha whispered. “That’s your mom?”
“Yes.”
Samuel tried to see her as Samantha did. Bitsy Worthington was as beautiful as ever. He had to admire the work the doctors had done to keep her looking half her age and maybe even a little bit younger than him.
Bitsy stood her ground on the stone steps above them and watched unblinking as Samuel escorted Samantha up to meet her.
“You should have let us know you’d be bringing a…friend.”
Samuel smiled smoothly. “It would’ve ruined the surprise, Mother.”
“Perhaps so.”
Samuel leaned forward and kissed the smooth as silk cheek she offered. “Mother, allow me to introduce Samantha Dawson.”
Bitsy offered her best smile, even if it looked a little brittle around the edges and didn’t reach her eyes. “Lovely to meet you, dear.”
“Likewise, Mrs.
“Samuel? What’s going on? You’re blushing.”
“I am not blushing. It’s warm in the car without the air on.”
“Uh huh. I’m walking into a trap, aren’t I?”
“A trap? No. Into something? Yes.”
“What?”
Even more wariness entered her tone and Samuel was man enough to allow himself to feel chagrin. He propped open the driver’s side door and stuck one foot outside, sitting half in and half out of the car. He’d at least have a quick escape for a few seconds before Samantha chased him down.
He glanced at her. “At this very moment, there is a woman inside that house that my mother has invited over with the express purpose of trying to marry me off.”
Silence filled the space between them for several heartbeats. Then, Samantha burst out laughing. Samuel couldn’t help but stare at her. He wanted to ask what she found so humorous, but didn’t. He was content to wait. Hell, he was content to stay outside in the car for as long as possible.
After a few moments, Samantha calmed down. She wiped her eyes with her fingertips and took a couple of deep breaths.
“Better?” he asked. “Got it all out now?”
Her lips quirked in a bit of a smile. “I think so. Let me get this straight. Your mother is trying to find you a wife?”
“Yes.”
“Any particular type of woman she’s looking for?”
“High society. Pure bred debutante. Wealthy. From a political family, if possible.”
“Uh huh.”
It was his turn to be wary now. “What?”
“Nothing. I…” Samantha didn’t look at him, but pulled down the visor and checked herself in the mirror. “And how many women have you passed on?”
“All of them.”
“Which is how many?”
Samuel leveled a look at her. “Why does it matter?” She shrugged, but didn’t drop her gaze from his.
“I don’t know. I’m curious.”
“Half a dozen, maybe.”
“I’m not going to fit her criteria,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Nope.”
“Is that why I’m here? To show her who you do want?” Samantha was never one to mince words with him. It was one of the traits he admired about her. It was one of the things that drew him toward her rather than away from her.
“Yes.”
She nodded and opened her own door. “Let’s go then.”
“Just like that?”
“Yep. No use letting my sticky buns melt out here in the sun more than they already have. And if there’s a high society babe inside the house, I want to meet her. See how I measure up.”
Samuel shook his head. “Oh lord. I get the feeling this was a bad idea, after all.”
Samantha’s laughter followed him out of the car and around the hood. They hadn’t taken two steps before the door to the house opened and his mother stepped into view.
“Samuel! You’re here. And… You’ve brought someone.” Her smile had been bright, almost to the point of warm and welcoming, but as she took in Samantha at his side, her smile faltered slightly.
“Of course, I’m here.” There’d never been any doubt that he would be. Brandt had issued the warning.
“Wow. She’s beautiful,” Samantha whispered. “That’s your mom?”
“Yes.”
Samuel tried to see her as Samantha did. Bitsy Worthington was as beautiful as ever. He had to admire the work the doctors had done to keep her looking half her age and maybe even a little bit younger than him.
Bitsy stood her ground on the stone steps above them and watched unblinking as Samuel escorted Samantha up to meet her.
“You should have let us know you’d be bringing a…friend.”
Samuel smiled smoothly. “It would’ve ruined the surprise, Mother.”
“Perhaps so.”
Samuel leaned forward and kissed the smooth as silk cheek she offered. “Mother, allow me to introduce Samantha Dawson.”
Bitsy offered her best smile, even if it looked a little brittle around the edges and didn’t reach her eyes. “Lovely to meet you, dear.”
“Likewise, Mrs.
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