Page 23 of Securing Samantha

He spared Samantha and his son the pain of knowing the man he had become. He forced himself to push them from his mind. He followed Amanda’s directions as they drove the few blocks to her home. He helped her out of the truck, and she led him to her apartment.

He stood in the entry way as she flung her coat on the back of a kitchen chair. She made her way to the kitchen and pulled a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet and two glasses. She motioned for him to join her on the couch.

“How about whiskey for my Whiskey?” she giggled as she poured some in his glass and then hers. He cringed at her joke. He loved the sound of Whiskey and Sunshine…

“What do you do for a living?” he asked. He didn’t really care but attempted to make small talk. She smiled as she leaned in and kissed him. He opened his mouth and gripped her hips as she maneuvered herself to straddle his lap. He closed his eyes as her mouth began to explore. She nibbled his neck as she started unbuttoning his shirt. She raised up and gave him a siren’s smile as she parted his shirt. Her eyes widened at his scarred chest.

“Holy shit,” she whispered. “You’re the real deal.”

He pulled her body closer and captured her mouth to shut her up. His body reacted to the woman squirming up and down on his lap. Yet his mind rebelled as he forced it to stay blank. When she moved from his mouth and down the side of his face, her breath hit his ear as she whispered something softly. Whiskey didn’t hear what she said as his mind transported back …

He stood in the entryway of their home. He smelled the faint lavender scent as Samantha ran toward him and he pulled her tightly to his chest. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, “Hello, Sunshine.”

Samantha’s face appeared before him. Instead of her usual response, he saw the tears rolling from her cheek as she whispered something. He pulled away and concentrated on what she said.

“I only shine for you, Liam. Wherever you are, watch the sunrise. Know I always burn bright lighting your way back home to me.”

He lifted Amanda from his lap, earning her protest.

“Hey, what’s going on?” she asked.

He swiped his forehead. LJ’s little face appeared “Mom says he was braver than anybody she knows…”

“I can’t do this.” He got up and grabbed his jacket and closed the door. What did he do? Was Samantha right in saying he didn’t try? No. He worked on it every day. He refused to share his pain with her. He walked to his truck and headed back to Serenity. He pulled up to his cabin and walked through it. He felt restless as if his body suddenly came to life and he didn’t know what to do. Maybe tomorrow he’ll find Samantha and explain himself. Apologize for hurting her. Maybe ask the team to tell him more about his wife and son. It appeared he didn’t know them anymore than he knew himself.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Becky cast a worried glance in her direction. “Are you sure you don’t want me to finish off the rest of the afternoon?”

“No. I must be catching a cold,” she lied. “I need to catch up on a few things.” She didn’t bother to raise her head as Becky left.

She picked up her phone. She scrolled through the names until Bryan’s name popped up. She hit the dial button, and he answered on the first ring.

“Hello, Ms. O’Neil” His smooth voice came over the phone.

“Hello. I called to inform you the contracts are signed and sealed. I wanted to know if your offer for me to visit New York still needed negotiating?” she asked.

Bryan fell silent for a moment before his upbeat voice came over the line, “I believe it’s written into the contract.”

She held the phone to her ear as she searched for something else to say.

“Shall I make reservations for you, your husband and LJ?” he inquired.

“No. LJ and I will be coming alone. I might ask Becky if she would like to come to babysit. LJ won’t last through a plant tour,” she told him.

“Send me her name for the ticket. When do you want me to make the reservations?” Bryan asked.

“As soon as you can arrange it. I feel the need for a change,” she told him.

“I can have you flying out in the morning. Will you stay until Sunday? I know we discussed three days, but five days will allow me to go over every process with you since you insisted on approving all the companies we purchase the ingredients from,” he teased. “Will your husband mind you staying longer?”

Samantha swallowed and blinked the tears away. “No. In fact we’re getting divorced. I’ll ask Becky and get back to you,” she told him.

“I look forward to seeing you.” He disconnected the call.

She shot a text to Becky.

I need to fly to New York for business. Wanted to know if you might want to tag along and babysit LJ?

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