Drawn To You (Taking Chances #3) (8 page)

“You need more practical shoes. For your well-being and those around you.”

“And give up these gorgeous babies?” Not to mention, the opportunity to fall in his arms again?
She licked her lips and saw his pupils dilate. “No, thanks.”

He finally dropped his arms. “I may not be here to catch you next time.”

“I’ll take my chances.” And that was what she chose to do. It was time to take her chances and do what she’d been wanting to do ever since they reunited.

She slid her palms from his broad chest to his shoulders and rested them there for a moment. Her breathing grew shallow as she walked the fingers of her right hand up his neck and ran them through the thick hair at his nape. His light brown eyes darkened with intensity and his hands were at her waist again, pressing their bodies close. Closing her eyes, she reached up to kiss him. Her lips had barely brushed his when he turned away.

“Sam, stop.” The words came out harsher than Lucas intended. He watched her eyes open, and humiliation cast a shadow on her beautiful features.

She snatched her purse off the tile floor and ran out the door.

“Sammie!” He slumped against the doorframe and ran a hand over his face.
What am I doing?

His eyes followed her as she ran to her car parked at the curb. The hem of her white dress flew up around her knees, reminding him of a flag waving in the wind. The concept of surrender though didn’t exist in Sam’s world. Just like the dress, she could not be tamed. Her rebellious side showed itself even more in the bold slit that ran down the center of her back. Why anyone would spend money on clothing that didn’t provide adequate coverage was beyond him. It was hardly practical, but practicality aside, he had to admit she looked good. So good that he had almost kissed her back.

He had wanted to. He was human after all, and what man wouldn’t be tempted to respond to Sam’s advances? Knowing she wanted him felt like the first time he had fired a gun: exhilarating, yet frightening. So much power existed in his hands when he held that deadly weapon, power triggered by an instinct to protect himself and others. And it was his instinct for protecting Lucy that made him resist her. He couldn’t care for her after what he learned about her tonight. But that didn’t lessen the guilt he felt over rejecting her.

She would never admit it, but he knew she was hurt. As expected, her hurt manifested itself in anger. She was emptying her purse onto the car’s hood with such force that the contents made
clanging
sounds on impact. One item, a long black tube, began rolling away from her. Standing on one foot, she leaned over the hood to reach it before it fell into the street. She hopped up in a last ditch effort to grab it and landed back down on the heel of her sandal. Her ankle rolled onto its side, and she cried out in pain.

Lucas was out the door and running down the driveway, watching her fall as if in slow motion. He caught her with one arm around her back before she hit the concrete. Placing his other arm behind her knees, he quickly scooped her up.

The moment seemed surreal, holding Sam in his arms as the sky above them turned into mesmerizing streaks of pink and orange. Adrenaline continued to pump through his veins, causing him to hold her close. Their eyes met, and the softness he saw in hers, that unfamiliar look of vulnerability, made him love her even more. Without a second thought, he placed his mouth on hers. He heard Sam gasp before she encircled her arms around his neck. She returned his kiss with more passion than he thought possible.

After a long while, they parted, both breathless and quiet.

Sam smiled and spoke first. “You said you wouldn’t be here to catch me next time.”

“I changed my mind,” Lucas chuckled softly. “You don’t mind, do you?”

Shaking her head emphatically, she cupped his face and kissed him again. When she pulled back, she whispered against his lips, “Not at all.”

Neither did Lucas. Because for the first time in a long time, he was letting his heart do the leading, and he was more than happy to follow.

SEVEN

Sam snuggled the newborn close to her chest and breathed in deeply. The pure baby scent filled her senses, and she couldn’t help but sigh. This evening, with all of its surprises, couldn’t be turning out any better. The giddy feelings swirling inside her body made her smile again. That kiss had been amazing, so amazing that she almost forgot the searing pain in her ankle.

“You seem happy.” Her sister eyed her suspiciously.

“Of course I’m happy. I’m a proud auntie to another little girl, and a sneaky one at that.” Stroking the baby’s soft cheek, she cooed, “All this time I thought I was getting another nephew and you show up. We’re going to have so much fun together. I’m the fun aunt, you know.”

“You hate hospitals and you have a twisted ankle. I thought you’d be complaining about how much pain you’re in, but you’re smiling. What kind of meds did they give you downstairs?”

“How is it possible that you’re lying in a hospital bed and you still sound like a doctor?” Shifting in her seat, she reached forward to adjust the ice pack laying across her left ankle, which was propped up on the edge of Melanie’s bed. “They didn’t give me anything. The nurse said to keep it elevated and iced, which I’m doing. I’m just distracted by this cutie pie.”

Melanie’s expression softened. “She is cute, isn’t she? I think she might look the most Asian out of the three of them. Her hair’s the darkest.”

Sam lifted the pink knit cap on her niece’s head to reveal a tuft of dark brown hair. “True. But her complexion is pretty fair. If you’re trying to give Ma a Chinese-looking grandkid, I think you’ll need to try again.”

Melanie sighed. “I told her with almost a billion and a half Chinese people in the world, we’re not going to die out anytime soon. But you know, Ma. Once she gets an idea in her mind—”

“It’s stuck there like super glue,” Sam finished. “She’s determined to marry me off this year. She called every day this week to read me the classifieds in the Chinese paper. The best one so far has been: Serious engineer seeks special lady friend. All blood types welcome.”

“At least she didn’t place an ad for you.”

Sam’s face heated. “Don’t you dare give her any ideas!”

“With her help, you might be the one to save our people,” Melanie joked. “Too bad you prefer non-Asian men.”

“I may be reconsidering my stance.”

“You are? What changed your mind?”

Before Sam could speak, there was a gentle knock on the door. It opened slowly and a blond head popped in. “Mel? Ben said I could come in.”

“Sure, Ash, come meet your new niece.”

Melanie’s sister-in-law walked in with a bright smile. “Hi, Sam, long time no see.” She gave Sam a quick hug before turning her attention to the baby in her arms. “I can’t believe it’s a girl. Oh, she’s beautiful.”

“She smells amazing, too.” Sam lifted her up to Ashlynn. “Wanna hold her?”

Ashlynn took the baby and sat down on the bed. She did a double-take when she spotted Sam’s bruised foot. “Ouch! What happened to your ankle?”

“Just had a little incident trying to save my favorite mascara. It hurts like hel—heck, but I’ll survive. I won’t be able to wear heels for a while though.”

“Flats aren’t so bad. Unless you have tall friends, then it gets to be a pain in the neck, literally,” Ashlynn grinned. “Speaking of, I met your friend in the waiting room. He seems nice.”

“Friend?” Melanie asked. “What friend?”

“The tall, Asian one Ben’s grilling.”

Sam rolled her eyes at the thought of her easygoing brother-in-law who taught high school math interrogating a police officer. “You’re kidding, right?”

“Don’t worry, Jeremy’s being their buffer. This is one of those times his negotiation skills come in handy outside the office.”

“That’s sweet of your hubby to do that, but Lucas is as squeaky clean as they come. He’s a cop, for crying out loud.”

Ashlynn’s eyes widened. “He is? He must not like doughnuts ‘cause he’s in really good shape.” Her cheeks reddened. “Not that I was looking.”

“No worries,” Sam laughed. “We all know your heart belongs to your knight in shining armor. He actually prefers muffins, but his daughter likes doughnuts.”

“Wait, a cop with a daughter?” Melanie interrupted. “Who are you talking about?”

“Remember the cop who pulled me over a few weeks ago? It turns out he’s the dad of one of my students.”

“The guy from high school? Where’s his wife?”

“She passed away from cancer a year ago.”

“That’s so sad,” Ashlynn frowned. “How old is his daughter?”

“She’s four going on fourteen,” Sam grinned, “and I’m her new best friend.”

An amused look crossed Melanie’s face. “I see what’s going on. I thought you weren’t interested in dating a widower.”

“We’re not dating. He’s a friend.”

“A
friend
?” Melanie nodded knowingly. “What kind of friend is he?”

“An amazing one,” Sam bragged. “The kind that’s sweet enough to bail me out of debt, feed me dinner every night, and kisses really well.”

Ashlynn gasped. “You guys have kissed?”

“Yup.” She recalled the way Lucas’s mouth met hers, hesitantly at first, just like their first kiss a decade ago. But when the kiss deepened with more heat and pressure, she could tell that the boy she had fallen for had grown into a confident and passionate man. And he was still in love with her.

“Sam, I hope you don’t kiss all your male friends,” Melanie sighed. “The way you describe him makes him sounds like—what’s that saying people use? A sweet daddy?”

Ashlynn winced. “I think you mean sugar daddy?”

“Yes, a sugar daddy. Have you wondered why he treats you so well?”

Sam straightened in her chair, gripping the armrests so tightly that the metal bands of her chunky statement rings pressed into her skin. Her sister had some nerve! Was it so hard to imagine that a man could appreciate her for who she was on the inside and not just for her looks? Certainly she didn’t rely on her appearance or charms that much, did she? “Why wouldn’t he be nice to me? We go way back and his daughter’s my student. Friends help each other out. It’s as simple as that.” Seeing the baby stirring in Ashlynn’s arms, she lowered her volume. “Lucas is not my sugar daddy. I can’t believe you’d even suggest that.”

“I don’t know what to think. The man lost his wife not too long ago. Maybe he’s lonely. Have you talked about your intentions? About the future?”

Sam gritted her teeth. So much for enjoying the moment. Why did Mel have to spoil her good mood? “We kissed for the first time tonight. There’s not much to analyze. It was the right moment and we both wanted to. You’re thinking too much.”

“You should think more. Relationships only work when both sides are on one page. I don’t want you to get hurt again.”

“I know, I know,” Sam nodded. Childbirth wasn’t the only reason for the weariness in her sister’s bloodshot eyes. Melanie had been the only one she confided in about her heartbreak in Paris. She knew she was trying to prevent her from falling for the wrong guy again. But that mistake had been seven years ago and she had learned her lesson. For starters, there was no other woman in the picture this time. And Lucas was a better man than Jacques ever was. “Lucas is different. He’s dependable and trustworthy. He’s a great dad.”

Ashlynn smiled. “You like him a lot, don’t you?”

“Yeah. A lot more than I care to admit.”

A piercing cry interrupted their conversation. Ashlynn rose to rock the baby squirming in her arms.

Melanie sat up. “It’s feeding time. Here, I’ll take her.”

Sam reached for the pair of crutches leaning against the wall behind her and struggled to a standing position. “That’s my cue to leave.”

“I was just going to ask for a volunteer to change her diaper.”

“What can I say? I’ve got amazing timing and a bum foot, so I’m gonna have to take a rain check. Anyway, Lucas needs to drive me home to get my spare keys and take me back to his place to get my car.”

Melanie shook her head in disbelief. “You locked yourself out of your car again?”

“It’s been an eventful night.” Sam leaned over to catch one last whiff of baby scent. “Bye, sweetie. I’ll come visit when you guys are home.”

“Be careful driving, Sam. And don’t forget to keep your foot elevated. Not at the same time, of course.”

“Yes, Doctor.”

Ashlynn held the door open for Sam. “I’ll pray for you and your friend. I have faith God can work things out for you.”

“Thanks, Ash. I’m glad someone does.”

- - -

“Watch your head.” Lucas waited for Sam to slide into the passenger seat of his car before shutting the door. He took her crutches and placed them in the trunk, then walked to the driver’s side. Taking his place behind the wheel, he turned to Sam. “Are you comfortable?”

“As good as I can be. I can’t wait to go home and crash. At least I have the whole weekend to rest up.” Leaning back in her seat, she rested her bare foot on the dashboard. “This isn’t illegal, is it?”

Lucas swallowed hard as the hem of Sam’s dress inched dangerously up her leg. It was becoming more clear that he couldn’t think straight in her presence, which explained how he had ended up kissing her earlier. He didn’t regret the kiss, but he was afraid of what it had awakened in him. He said a quick prayer and dropped his gaze. “You really shouldn’t,” he insisted for Sam’s sake as much as his own. “It’s not illegal, but it’s not safe either. If the airbag deployed, you’d be badly hurt.”

“Oh, good point. I didn’t think of that.” Yawning, Sam put her leg down. “Could you turn on the heat? I get cold when I’m tired and right now, I’ve got goose bumps all over my body.”

Lucas reached into the backseat for one of his Milpitas P.D. sweatshirts and tossed it to her. “Here, this should help.” If it didn’t help her, it would at least help him. The less attractive she looked, the better.

“Thanks.” Sam slipped the sweatshirt over her head and removed the elastic tie holding her hair up. “Ah, much better.”

Fortunately, the car’s interior light shut off the next second, blanketing them in darkness. He started the engine and turned up the heater. He plugged in the address she had given him into the GPS mounted on the dashboard and exited the hospital parking lot. “Let’s get you home.”