Bound by Blood (Cauld Ane Series) (14 page)

CHAPTER NINE

SAMANTHA’S HEART SLAMMED against her chest. She wiped her hands on her hips and tried not to dash toward the door.

Did he really just say that?

“Samantha?” Kade made his way to her and took her hand. “Don’t run. I know you want to, but I’m asking you to trust me.”

She nodded, her heart calming again. “I know you are. I’m just not sure what to make of it. I’ve known you for less than two days, and you’re telling me you want to pursue a relationship with me. It’s all a bit much.”

“Perhaps, but you feel the same, don’t you?”

“I feel
something
. I just haven’t figured out what it is. I’m not sure if it’s insanity or not.”

“Well, if you’re crazy, then so am I. Why don’t we aim for the sanatorium together?” He smiled and kissed her palm. “Will you give us a chance?”

Of course I will. I’m already half in love with you as it is. How about we just get married tonight and I’ll be happy to have your baby too?

She shrugged. “I guess.”

Kade laughed and leaned down to kiss her cheek. “I plan to kiss you properly before our evening’s over. Think about that while we eat…I know I won’t be able to think of anything else.”

Let’s skip the wedding and just get to the baby-making.

Samantha shuddered. “You are impossible.”

“We could always have dessert first.”

She pulled her hand from his. “Kade, stop it. I can’t think straight when you’re doing that.”

“Doing what?” he asked innocently.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “Being all sexy and…and…cute.”

“Ah, so you think I’m sexy.” He leaned down. “And cute.”

His lips covered hers and she didn’t quite know what hit her. He pulled her close and she felt the hair band loosen and fall away. Then his fingers were tangled in her hair, and she didn’t think about anything after that.

She grasped his shirt to keep from falling and her hands seemed to move of their own accord. She slid them up his back; his muscles were like granite under his soft cotton shirt.

The irksome sound of beeping permeated Samantha’s psyche and she groaned.

Kade broke the kiss but had the forethought of mind to keep her firmly in his arms. If he hadn’t, she would have melted to the floor.

“That would be the pasta,” he said as he stroked her cheek. “Can I let you go?”

She nodded. He released her and made his way to the stove.

Samantha stood watching him, momentarily stunned. The boy could kiss. She didn’t know what she’d been expecting, but she’d never felt like that with any of her past boyfriends…not that there were many…but she’d thought they were pretty great. Sadly, her experience was obviously lacking, and now she knew she’d never settle for anything less than mind-blowing. Kade Gunnach had just ruined it for any other man she might ever think to date in the future.

“Samantha?” She blinked up at Kade. His eyes sparkled with mischief as he grinned at her. “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”

“It was okay, I guess,” she joked. “You?”

He laughed. “I have never experienced anything like that, to be honest.”

She bit her lip. “Me neither.”

“Are you hungry?”

“Probably.”

He took her hand and ran his finger over her knuckles. “Why don’t we eat and then we can hash some of this confusion out?”

Unable to fully form a coherent sentence, she nodded and helped him carry plates to the table. If anyone had asked her how the food was, Samantha wouldn’t have been able to tell them. What she did put on her plate only got pushed around, and she barely tasted anything she managed to eat.

“This isn’t really working, is it?” Kade moved his plate away and rose to his feet.

Sam shook her head.

He held his hand out to her and she took it. He led her into the living room and pulled her onto the sofa next to him. “What’s going through your mind, love?” he asked.

“Too much to explain.”

Kade smiled. “There’s no rush, Samantha. We’ll go at your pace. I’m not going anywhere; I just ask that you don’t either.”

She assumed her favorite position, cross-legged with her back against the sofa arm, and sighed. “I can’t go anywhere. I signed a contract, remember?”

“I’ll tear the damn thing up if it will make it easier for you.”

“You really would, wouldn’t you?”

He laid his hand on her knee and turned to face her. “I’d do anything to make this easier for you.”

She placed her hand over his. “I believe you, and I’m not going anywhere. You just need to know something.”

“What’s that?”

“If you break my heart, Pepper will hunt you down and do some permanent damage. Don’t think she hasn’t done it before.”

Kade laughed and pulled her onto his lap. She was so shocked by the action she let out a quiet squeak.

“I have no intention of breaking your heart. I just hope you don’t break mine,” he said.

She reached up and smoothed the worry from his forehead. “I promise I won’t.”

He kissed her and Samantha looped her arm around his neck as he pulled her closer. She broke the kiss and dropped her head onto his shoulder. “You need to stop. I don’t know if I can take much more.”

“Aye,” he said gruffly.

She scooted off his lap, but stayed close, and he kept an arm around her. He kissed her forehead and they spent the rest of the evening sharing things about their lives that had nothing to do with their instant bond and unusually deep emotions. When Sam could barely keep her eyes open, she put some distance between them.

“I really should go home and get to bed,” she said. “I need to run tomorrow before work.”

Kade raised an eyebrow. “Do you want me to run with you?”

“I’d love you to join me sometime, but I have a feeling I’m going to need to work some things out alone.”

“If you change your mind, call me.”

“Okay.” Sam frowned. “I’m sorry about dinner.”

Kade smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll bring the leftovers to the office tomorrow and you can join me for lunch.”

She grinned. “Oh, I can, can I?”

“If you’re lucky.”

She rose to her feet and stretched. “What about the wine?”

“It’ll be here waiting for dinner tomorrow.”

“We’re having lunch
and
dinner tomorrow, huh?”

Kade stood and wrapped his arms around her, running his hand across her back. “And every day after that, I hope.”

She pushed him away gently. “Again, you need to stop doing that or I’ll never make it home.”

He sighed. “Are you saying my evil plan is thwarted?”

“Yes…definitely.”

“All right, I’ll walk you to your door.”

“All six feet of hallway,” she joked.

“I have to make up for my lack of gentlemanly behavior earlier.”

“When weren’t you gentlemanly?”

“I should have collected you.”

“Oh, right. Yes. You should have.” Samantha chuckled. “Don’t think you’re getting off that easily.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Come on. If we don’t go now, I won’t be able to say goodnight.”

Samantha nodded and led him from the apartment.

* * *

The next morning, spurred on by the desperate need for a distraction, Samantha headed out for her run. Granted, she didn’t manage the full six miles she’d set for herself, but four miles nearly did her in, so she headed back to her apartment hoping a shower would wake her up.

Alan smiled as he held the door open for her. “Good morning, Dr. Moore.”

“Hi, Alan. Hey, if I have a few things delivered here, will Jon have time to bring them up to my place today?”

His expression darkened, but he recovered quickly. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll be happy to deliver whatever you need.”

“Thanks.”

“Ma’am.”

Sam continued to her apartment and got ready for work. She didn’t run into Kade in the hallway or the lobby, which made her a little sad. As she entered the Gunnach building, her heart began to race and she felt anger, thick and heavy in the air. Instead of heading to the lab, she pressed the button to take her to Kade’s office.

Stepping out of the elevator, Sam felt a little sick. She took a deep breath and headed toward Anna’s desk. It was empty, so she walked down the hall and knocked on Kade’s door, even though she doubted anyone could hear her with all the yelling going on in there. She pushed in and stood frozen. Kade and Brodie were engaged in some form of heated discussion. Payton sat at the table, and she looked as though she’d been crying. Connall stood sentry, appearing to be waiting to break something up.

“What’s happening?” Sam pushed the door closed, having to raise her voice over Kade and Brodie.

“Shite!” Kade snapped and ran his hands through his hair. “I’m sorry, lass.”

Sam frowned. “Why are you so mad? What’s going on? And why is Payton upset?”

Brodie’s face reddened, and he slammed his fist into the wall, then yanked the door open and stalked out of Kade’s office. Payton’s hands shook as she wrung the handkerchief in her hand.

“I’m so sorry, Sam,” Payton said, tears streaming down her face.

“It’s not your fault,” Connall said.

“It
is
my fault.”

“It’s not!” Kade snapped, and Payton jumped.

Instinctively, Sam closed the distance between herself and Kade and laid a hand on his arm. His ire began to calm and he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Thank you.”

“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?” she pressed.

“It’s taken care of,” Kade said. “Nothing you need concern yourself with.”

“Except that Payton is crying and Brodie’s pissed and your heart is still racing,” Sam pointed out. She sent a pleading look to Connall and asked, “Will you
please
fill me in?”

Connall looked at Kade, who gave him a slight nod. “We had to let Alan’s son go.”

“Jon?”

“Aye,” Connall said. “He has been indiscreet.”

Payton groaned. “I should be the one losing my job. It’s my fault.”

Sam let out a frustrated grunt. “What happened? Why did you let Jon go?”

“I had to drop a few things off yesterday, including your wine, and Jon was there to help me. We started chatting.” Payton sniffed, tears starting again. “I guess he said something later to Shannon. But I shouldn’t have said anything to him to begin with, and now that poor boy is jobless.”

“That ‘poor boy’ got a bloody good severance and recommendation, Payton, and he knew better,” Kade snapped.

Connall held his hand out to Payton. “I think we should let Kade and Sam talk. Let’s go find Brodie, eh?”

She gave a reluctant nod and rose to her feet. “I’m really sorry, my…um…Dr. Gunnach.”

“It’s not your fault, lass.” Kade’s expression softened. “I’ll come see you later this morning.”

She nodded and followed Connall out of the office.

Kade laid his hand over Sam’s. “I’m sorry you got caught in that.”

“I still don’t understand what happened,” she said. “People should be allowed to have conversations, Kade. You can’t fire them for sharing information.”

He took a deep breath and led her to the table by the window. “Have a seat.”

Sam sat down and he did the same.

“Jon wasn’t fired for having a conversation, Samantha. He was fired because he gave someone he shouldn’t have private information. There’s a difference.”

“That someone was Shannon.”

“Aye. Outside of you and me, Payton was the only one who knew you and I were having dinner together, and only because I’d asked her to do a few things in order to prepare for the evening.”

“Why ask Payton? Isn’t Anna your assistant?”

“Aye. But she’s also Shannon’s aunt.”

“Oh,” Sam said and leaned back in the chair.

“I trust Payton implicitly. She’s one of the few. Shannon knows this, so somehow she made a plan with Jon, probably offering something she shouldn’t have, in order to get information about our plans. I figured that out when you told me about your conversation with Shannon. Jon is young and easily fooled by a bonny lass, and today he learned a valuable lesson.”

“So Payton feels responsible because she told Jon what was happening.”

Kade shook his head. “That’s the thing. She didn’t. She was quite vague, however, Shannon put two and two together and made an educated guess. She was trying to upset you yesterday.” He reached over the table and took Sam’s hand. “I may have taken a woman to breakfast, but I’ve never cooked dinner for one. You’re the first. I don’t have an M.O. as Shannon tried to make you believe, because I’ve never felt this way about anyone.”

A shiver stole up Sam’s spine. “Oh.”

“I’ll make sure Payton is all right. She’s invaluable to me and not just as an employee. I’ll fix it with her.”