Page 27 of Finding Her Leading Man

He brought her fingertips to his lips as his other hand touched the side of her hip. It was the lightest pressure, but her heart rate soared. His warm breath grazed across the back of her hand.

“Not a chance.” He dropped her hand and stepped away. Her fingers tingled from his kiss. “I have some things I need to work on for Grayson’s contract. I’ll start working on the song after that. Let’s try those two and see how they turn out unless you’d rather go out with me. I’ll push it all aside for a night with you.”

She took a step backward toward the door. “No.” It felt inevitable now. “Not yet.”

He slipped his hands into his pockets, bracing his legs apart, looking like he had complete control while her nerves were shaking inside. “But one day, you will?”

Samantha swallowed.

Be honest.

“I think so.” She turned and left before she gave up and said, “yes.” The man had slowly seduced her into agreeing. God, she hadn’t even planned on that. The touches, looks, had all piled on her until she couldn’t stand the pressure.

But agreeing didn’t give her the panic attack she’d expected. The rush through her system was anticipation.

* * *

Trevor recognizedher voice before he saw his mom. Her laugh was distinct. A little high-pitched. A little forced. She’d shown up after all. Addie’s bridal shower was in two days. His hope that she’d only show for the day and then leave was in vain. He knew better than to think his mom would leave them alone for long. Not with the event of her year a few weeks away.

He walked into the front sitting room of the bed and breakfast. Amelia Johnson stood there, her arm around Addie’s waist and a sweet, polite smile on her soft pink lips. Grayson nodded his head at whatever she said. She liked Grayson even if they didn’t agree with his career choice.

“Trevor!” Her soft brown eyes lit up. Even though it complicated the hell out of everything to have her in town, deep down, he still enjoyed seeing her.

“Mom. Hi.” He walked over and kissed her on her soft cheek. “You made it.”

“I just couldn’t stay away from you and Addie any longer. I had to be here to help. My flight out is the day after the bridal shower, so I have plenty of time to spend with you both. And, of course, Grayson.”

Addie smiled, fake, and full of teeth. “And she wants us to go to dinner tonight with her.”

“I can do that.”

“With Samantha,” Addie added.

Ah. That might be a problem. They’d not talked about the dating situation since the conversation at the diner. He’d purposefully avoided it. Talking and planning might scare her into backing out. He needed her to do this.

For Addie.

“I’m not sure if her schedule—”

“There she is! I recognized her from before. Samantha,” his mom called, waving her hand in the air. Samantha paused in the doorway of the bed and breakfast, her purse over her shoulder and still dressed in the jeans and solid red T-shirt she’d worn to work at the diner. Her expression was a little deer-in-the-headlights. Frozen.

Maybe he should have reminded her.

“Did you warn her?” Grayson mumbled, shifting closer to Trevor. “Your mom will freak out if she thinks you lied to her.”

“Yes, I warned her.” He had, but that didn’t mean she’d play along. One word from her lips and she could destroy Addie’s wedding. He took a step in her direction. “Hi…honey.” He added the endearment with caution. For all he knew, Jasper had called her that.

She didn’t act shocked. Instead, she pushed her hair away from her face and smiled. “Hey,babe. What’s going on?”

He motioned to his mom. “This is my mother, Amelia Johnson.” He added at the last moment, “surprise,” in a deadpan voice.

His mom held her arms out wide, and before Samantha could even attempt to run away, she hugged Samantha. “It’s so nice to meet you.” She pulled away. “You’re even prettier in person. And so nice and tall. I cannot wait to sit down and get to know everything about you.”

“Thank you. I just came from the diner, so I need to go take a shower.” Samantha patted his mom’s hand that still rested on her arm. “I thought you weren’t due in until the bridal shower tomorrow.”

“I wanted to check on the wedding details and gave myself an extra day. It’s sweet of you to sing for Addie while she walks down the aisle. I hope Trevor showed you my list of song suggestions.” His mom looked at him, eyebrows raised in such a familiar way that he chuckled.

“Yes, I did,” Trevor said, saving Samantha the need to lie. “We’re still working through the details and picking out something that will be amazing.”

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