Amelia (11 page)

“No,” he said quickly. “My treat.”

With that he was out the door and she was alone in her own home—but it didn’t feel like home anymore.

She looked around. Most of Adam had been removed before he’d deployed, after she’d found out he was married. But on the mantel was one picture. It was taken on the beach in Florida. Her chest pained and she rubbed between her breasts to make the pain she felt there go away. She now knew that while she was celebrating a new life wrapped in the arms of her husband, his wife was home giving birth to a baby girl.

Her stomach rolled and for a moment she thought she’d be sick.

Amelia reached up and lowered the frame so it was facing down. She didn’t want to think about him anymore—but that wasn’t going to happen.

She began cleaning out her belongings and putting her clothes into suitcases. She sorted out Adam’s clothes. There wasn’t much there. Before she left, she’d arrange to have a charity come pick them up.

Carson had returned with boxes and a pizza, which Amelia ate four pieces of and they each had a beer.

“Guess I was hungry,” she said as she finished the crust of the last bite.

“Mourning can do that, ma’am.”

So could anger, she thought.

She and Carson packed away everything into the boxes he’d brought. By the door were four bags of
items
to donate, which had belonged to Adam, as well as three bags of trash.

“What pieces of furniture did you want to discuss buying for your place?”

“Anything, ma’am. I don’t have much at all.”

She nodded and looked around. She hadn’t had much either. A bed. A dresser. The couch, chair and coffee table, and the small two-person kitchen table. It wasn’t until that moment she realized how minimal her life had been. Her thoughts went to Vivian’s house—the inside of the house. The personal effects. Pictures of her children. Flowers in a vase. There was nothing personal here at all and never had been.

“I’ll make you a solid deal,” she said tying off another trash bag. “You showed up here under no pretense to help a widow clear out her things. The only connection we have was Adam. But you’re a kind hearted man. I can tell that.”

“Sergeant Monroe was a great man, ma’am. It’s an honor to do this.”

She swallowed hard. There was no need to burst the man’s thoughts of someone he seemed to care for. “Well, I appreciate it. And I’ll tell you what. You help me tomorrow load up the car and the boxes and all the furniture is yours.”

His eye widened. “Ma’am?”

“I’m serious. I’m moving in…” she stopped and took a breath. “With some friends. I don’t need all of this.”

“Ma’am, thank you, Ma’am.”

She smiled. “Come back in the morning. Around ten. We’ll load up.”

He nodded, thanked her and hurried out the door.

Now all she had to do was get a trailer.

A few phone calls and she was headed to a rental place to pick up a car hauler. Without the furniture all she had were suitcases and boxes. She and Carson could fill her truck and the Mustang with everything to get her moved. That might cut costs a little. She wouldn’t need an enclosed trailer.

Once she’d driven away with the empty trailer she closed her accounts at the bank and headed to the martial arts school where she’d taught self-defense for years. The owner was certainly sad to see her go, but not surprised.

“Parson’s Gulch? I’ve never even heard of it.”

“It’s a speck on a map, but just outside Oklahoma City. So really, it’s not so small. There’s a Walmart.”

He laughed. “Well then, you’re set.” In a very gentle move he rested his hand on hers. “I’m sorry about your husband. He was a fine man.”

She thanked him and left. If one more person told her how fine he was she might break someone’s nose. It was time to get out of Atlanta.

That night she sat in her quiet, empty, boxed-up condo and just stared at the picture of her and Adam on their honeymoon. In his eyes there wasn’t even the hint that something was amiss. How could he have just dismissed his family like that?

Her cell phone buzzed next to her and she looked at the screen.

I have no idea what to have for dinner. All my meals lately have been with you.

She laughed at Sam’s humor.

Sam. She rested her head back on the couch. What an interesting man. Smart. Sexy. Interested.

She set the picture of her and Adam on the coffee table and picked up her phone.

I hadn’t thought of dinner until right now. I guess I’m having left over pizza,
she replied.

Then the phone rang in her hand.

“I think I’ll have leftover pizza too,” Sam’s sexy voice breezed through the phone. “I figured I’d call and we could have it together.”

“I’d like that.”

She walked to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. There was one slice of pizza left. It was a good thing she wasn’t really too hungry.

“So how are things going?” Sam asked obviously with his mouth full.

Amelia pulled a piece of pepperoni off of her slice and popped it into her mouth.

“I gave away all the furniture. Boxed up all my things. Threw away all of Adam’s. Closed out my accounts and quit my job. I guess you could say it’s been productive.”

“You did all that today?”

“I had some help from a young private who thinks the world of Adam.”

She could hear the low hum from Sam. “Did you sock him in the gut?”

She laughed. “I thought about it.”

She took a bite of the cold pizza, set it on the counter, and then went back to the refrigerator for a beer.

“This isn’t home,” she said softly as she leaned against the counter and opened the bottle. “This never was home.”

“Do you think you’ll find that here?” His voice broke and she smiled.

“Oddly enough I feel more at home there than anywhere. Even with his two other wives.”

“Don’t forget your in-laws.”

She choked out a laugh. “Never even considered them.”

“Well you might want to. They’ve asked for a meeting.”

She pulled from her beer and swallowed it down slow. “Why?”

“They’re a little confused.”

“They haven’t been giving Vivian a hard time have they?” She stood up straight. “They haven’t gone after Penelope have they?” Her tone had risen in defense of the younger blonde she’d befriended.

“No.” His voice was soft and she relaxed back against the counter. “Adam’s father contacted me, after Vivian gave him my information. He says his wife is very out of sorts after Adam’s death and he doesn’t want her going after Vivian and tearing into her.”

“Doesn’t sound like a very good relationship.”

“With Adam’s mother and Vivian or between his parents?”

“Either.”

Sam chuckled. “I get that too.”

“So Monday?”

“Yeah, Monday. Around ten.”

She thought about it. Perhaps she’d better get a job in Sam’s office too. She sure was spending a lot of time there.

She heard her text message chime in her ear. Pulling the phone back she laughed.

“You’re texting me while I’m talking to you?”

“I sent you my address. We have dinner plans on Sunday. I didn’t want you to forget.”

Amelia closed her eyes and breathed in the moment. “I couldn’t forget.”

“Just come by when you get into town. Oh, and I talked to my friend about the townhouse. It’ll be up for rent in two weeks.”

She let out a low hum.

“Vivian and Penelope are doing okay. Or did for one night. I can help you get a hotel room for a few weeks. You could sleep in my office. Or you could…”

“I’ll work it out,” she cut him off. She wasn’t going to let him offer up her moving in again. Seeing each other was one thing. Knowing she was sure as hell going to be sleeping with him Sunday night—or she’d lose her mind—was another. Moving in with him was a mistake. She was tired of making mistakes.

“Okay, then,” he said, but she could hear the hurt in his voice.

“Carson and I will have everything packed up by tomorrow, then I’ll head out.”

“Carson?” She heard him choke on the name.

“The private who I gave all my furniture to. It’s a good thing Adam still had friends around here.”

“Right.” There was a pause and she took another sip of her beer before she heard Sam let out a long breath. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

“I’ll be there.” She felt as though she had to end with that promise because she wasn’t sure he understood she’d be there. At this point she’d give anything to be with Sam, next to Sam, or under Sam rather than standing in her empty condo surrounded by lies.

Carson had arrived with another friend, another man who thought the world of Adam. They loaded all the furniture into Carson’s truck and the truck of the friend. Then they helped Amelia load up the car, fill it and her truck with boxes. She knew she was giving him all the furniture, but she bought them each a six pack too.

As she drove away from Atlanta, around one o’clock, with her life in boxes and Adam’s car she’d have to sell, she let out a long and satisfying breath.

A quick text to Sam that she’d arrive very early Sunday morning and she was on her way to a new life. New friends. New career. New man. The last thought gave her chills. She just hoped he was as good a man as she thought he was. Or someone
was
going to end up with a broken nose.

~*~

It was still dark when Amelia pulled up in front of the townhouse on the far west side of Parson’s Gulch around three in the morning. She was glad there weren’t many cars on the street as the trailer on the back of her poor Blazer was taking up considerable space.

The neighborhood was quiet. She liked the peacefulness. She looked up toward the sky. The stars were so bright she felt as though she could reach up and grab one. The moon was just setting and in another hour the sun would be rising on what she hoped would be a beautiful Sunday morning.

“Are you planning on hanging out here in the street?” Sam’s voice washed over her even though it was soft as if not to wake the neighbors.

“I wasn’t sure about coming this early. I thought about just sleeping in the truck.”

“Don’t ever say that again.” She could see the white of his teeth flash against the dark of the early morning.

“This is a wonderful place.” She watched him walking toward her.

He was dressed casually in an old T-shirt and a pair of jeans. She thought he was sexy in his suit with his glasses on, but this topped it. His hair was rumpled and she knew he’d fallen asleep waiting for her and she didn’t blame him.

As he grew near she could feel heat growing in her belly. In the glow of the streetlight and starlight his eyes focused in on hers. His lips parted as he moved right to her, wrapped an arm around her waist and wrapped his other hand into her hair.

His mouth came down on hers and that heat in her belly exploded through her entire body.

She braced her body against his, wrapping her arms around his neck, and deepening the kiss which had her head spinning.

Sam’s hand slid down her back then both of his hands grasped her bottom and gave her another boost against his body. She let out a sensual grunt from her throat without leaving his lips and pulled him even closer.

“You want to do this?” he asked his lips still working against hers. “Please tell me you want to do this.”

Amelia trailed a kiss down his throat and to his ear. “I haven’t thought of anything else. Get me inside.”

Sam hoisted her to his hips and carried her up the front steps as she continued trailing kisses across his mouth, cheeks, and neck.

When they reached the front door he pressed her to it. “Open it. Hurry.”

She moved her mouth back to his and reached for the door handle behind her. When the door opened he nearly toppled them both inside, but with a stagger he caught them and she kicked the door closed behind them.

Sam turned them so that her back was pressed up against the door and his body was pressed against her.

She could feel every hard muscle under his shirt tense as he lowered her to her feet.

Her hands went to work tugging and lifting his T-shirt over his head. For a moment she scanned a look over his naked skin. Though she was used to men with bulging biceps and cut abs, the fine toned lines of Sam’s body were welcoming—unthreatening.

His hands moved under her shirt. His fingers skimmed her skin sending tingles down her spine all the way to her toes. Never—and she knew it had been never—had she wanted a man this bad.

Sam pulled her T-shirt over her head and let it drop to the floor as his mouth opened to hers, engulfing her moans.

The cold door pressed against her bare skin as Sam’s lips pressed against her collar bone.

“My room,” he moved his lips to her ear. “We have to…” His hands began working on the button of her jeans. “My room.”

Amelia pressed her hands against Sam’s firm chest and gave him a push back. She scooped her hair back and moved past him.

“Upstairs?”

“Um, yeah. First door on the right.”

She was halfway up the stairs when she turned back to him. “C’mon. I can’t hold out much longer,” she said.

Hunger flashed in his eyes as he hurried up behind her, scooped her up, and carried her into his bedroom.

Chapter Thirteen

Sam rolled onto his back. He swallowed hard trying to moisten his throat and suck in as much air as possible.

Amelia lay next to him panting for her own breath. Her skin was slicked with sweat and it glistened in the moonlight.

“Oh…God. That…was…”

“Freaking amazing,” she finished his thought. “God damned, freaking amazing.”

Sam chuckled. “I’ve never had it described like that.”

“Trust me.” She panted again. “A very accurate description.”

Sam rolled to his side and looked down at her. She was perfect. Strong, toned, strong—he’d already thought that. But damn, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever known. He ran a finger down her body, between her slickened breasts.