Page 24 of Designing Samantha's Love

Gray shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. “I didn’t think you would get dressed.”

Sam looked at him and said, “Well, I can’t walk around an old building naked—that’s just wrong—and with your son, no less.”

“I just wanted to enjoy looking at you a bit more. I’m selfish like that.”

She giggled and sat at the counter as he slid a freshly poured cup of coffee toward her.

“I decided to play hooky with you. So, if you don’t mind, I would like to go with you. I want to see what you see and what you think you can make beautiful again.”

He walked around the counter and kissed her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

“That sounds like a great plan. I hope your boss isn’t a jerk or you might get into trouble.”

She giggled and picked up her cup of coffee. “Don’t talk about my boss that way,” he said as he winked. “Do you mind if I turn some music on?”

“Of course not. I love music, and besides, it’s your house.”

“Yes, but I want you to love being here with me,” he said as he stepped into the living room and turned on the stereo.

Sam smiled and sipped her coffee while Gray called Jax and told him the plan.

Finishing his phone call, he told her about the building as they made breakfast together. She enjoyed watching him cook; and dang, he wasn’t hard on the eyes either. She cut celery for their omelet as he whisked the eggs. The butterflies in her tummy took flight again as she marveled at this situation. She glanced his way, smiling at his hair, still slightly rumpled from sleeping, yet she liked the way he looked in the morning, especially knowing he’d slept alongside her last night.

They ate breakfast and cleaned up the dishes. Sam followed Gray to the bedroom so he could change clothes.

She sat on the edge of the bed, her feet hanging free as he pulled clean clothes from his drawers. He walked into the bathroom and turned on the water, and she turned to stare out the windows at the lush landscape.

Listening absently as the water splashed and changed its tune, the soft music piped through the house serenading her with a Josh Groban love song. She slid from the bed and walked to the leather chairs in the windows, and sat sideways in one of them, inhaling the smell of leather. It seemed the smile was permanently fixed on her face.

The water turned off, and the towel and clothing rustled as she watched two birds swooping and diving outside, then a gray squirrel skittered across the lawn and shot up a tree, his bushy tail swishing.

“You make me happy, Sam.”

She turned to see Gray standing at his dresser, his arms at his sides, perfectly fitted jeans fit over his form nicely, a black, long-sleeved T-shirt stretched across his chest and tucked in, showing off his waistline. A shiver slid down her body as his fresh scent wafted to her nose. “You make me happy, too. Thank you.”

He chuckled and stepped toward her, his eyes catching sight of the playing wildlife in his yard.

“Those two go at it every morning,” he said watching the birds flitting around.

She smiled. “They seem perfectly choreographed.” She stood and stepped toward him.

“I would like to run home and put on some makeup and change clothes. Do you mind?”

“Of course not. If you want to run now, I’ll do a bit of work and be over in about an hour.”

Sam smiled. “That’ll be great, thank you. I’ll leave the garage door open for you so you can let yourself in.”

She kissed Gray and waved as she stepped out the door. Starting her car, the giggles erupted as the music played Kid Rock. She was looking forward to today.

She jumped in the shower as soon as she got home. She dressed casually in jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt, just as Gray had and pulled a sweater from her closet before walking out to the living room. There he stood, admiring the pictures on her mantle.

She stepped up next to him and pointed out her children and grandchildren in the photographs. They chatted for a few moments before she stepped back and saw his boots.

“Those look like Harley-Davidson boots. Do you ride?”

The smile that curved his lips nearly took her breath away. “You look beautiful, Sam.”

Then he stood back a step and smiled.

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