Goddess Rising (71 page)

“I can’t believe you got this,” she murmured.

“You’re the love of my life, Sammy,” Wes replied easily. “The rest is just a foregone conclusion.”

They heard the characteristic rumble of Chris’s truck pulling into the parking lot as they finished dressing. Sam, always practical and not prone to fits of nostalgia, insisted it was foolish for Wes to take her to Houston only to have to turn around and go back to Austin the same day. Chris was headed home to Galveston for the summer anyway—it was an easy detour to just drop her and Rita off at the U.S. Navy department there, she reasoned.

Wes only conceded after she agreed he’d be the one to pick her up when they returned—a compromise Sam had readily agreed to. For all her pragmatism, Wes suspected that Sam didn’t want to board the ship feeling emotional, needing the time and distance to get focused. And he knew seeing her leave would tear him up too, so when Chris and Rita knocked at the door, he put on an easy smile, for her and for himself, knowing he’d have to get used to this ache.

“Man, you pack a lot of shit,” Rita joked as she spotted Sam’s single bag.

“It’s heavy, too,” Sam joked.

Rita rolled her eyes as Chris glanced around her place, his expression a little forlorn. “Can’t believe you’re throwing me over for a girl,” he said mournfully, looking at the stack of boxes Wes had already hauled over from their place earlier in the week.

Wes just laughed, slapping him on the back. “Like you wouldn’t do the same thing?”

“Sammy, you ever ask me to move in with you and it’s an automatic yes,” Chris told her, wagging his brows as Wes rolled his eyes.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Sam winked. She moved to pick up her rucksack, but Wes beat her to it.

“Give me a last chance to be a gentleman, babe,” he told her, looping his new Nikon around his neck.

She leveled him with a look. “We both know you’re no gentleman, Wesley Elliott.”

“That’s not true, darlin,” he protested as Chris and Rita shuffled out. “You know I always let you come first,” he whispered into her ear.

Sam blushed fiercely, and Wes just grinned, following her out to Chris’s truck, tucking her rucksack in the flatbed next to Rita and Chris’s bags.

Chris turned to clasp Wes’s hand and slap his back. “You comin’ to Galveston this summer for a visit? Mom’s already asking.”

“Sure thing,” Wes nodded. “I’ll visit before Sammy gets back.”

Chris nodded at him before spinning his keys around his finger as he moved toward the driver’s side. Rita high-fived Wes before giving him a quick hug.

“You’d better keep it in your pants while she’s gone,
cabrón
,” she told him with a saucy wink. “Or I’ll find you and cut it off.”

Wes smirked, rolling his eyes. “Always with the threats, Rita. One of these days, you’ll admit you love me.”

“Doubtful,” she sassed, blowing him a kiss before she opened the passenger door to the truck’s cab.

Sam slipped her arms around his middle, smiling up at him. “You gonna be all right?”

“I’m going to have to be.” Wes tucked a finger under her chin, tilting her head up to meet his gaze. “It’s you and me, Sammy. No matter where we are—that doesn’t change.”

“Promise?” she asked.

“No matter where you go, no matter what you do, you’re it for me, Sammy,” Wes promised. “You’re my muse, remember?” He kissed her until Chris honked and Rita cat-called, adding something filthy in Spanish.

Sam ran her hand down Wes’s face one last time before stepping back.

“Go conquer the world, darlin’,” Wes called out to her. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

She smiled over her shoulder at him, the sun radiant behind her. Wes held up his Nikon and snapped the shot before she could react. He knew he’d remember that moment for the rest of his life. Right up there with the first time he ever saw her, midnight hair whipping in the wind as she crossed the quad and into his life—his lover, his best friend, his cool goddess of a girl…

Corporate Runaway. Novelist. Wanderer. Bourbon Drinker.

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Find out what happens to Samantha and Wes when they’re all grown up…

Anyone who has ever written a novel understands no author is an island and producing any good work is a team effort. Special thanks to my editing team, Brenda Errichiello and Dave Bruce for their phenomenal talent, feedback and help in realizing the vision. Thank you to Regina Wamba for another amazing cover and to Paul Salvette and the crew at BB Books for taking all my messy manuscripts and whipping the into line.

Thank you to friends and family—the original Lawless crew—for your support!

But most of all, a sincere and heartfelt
thank you
to the fans of the series… all you marvelous readers who praise the stories and rage for another!

And last but not least to the
Lawless Launch Crew
for making this book launch amazing: Sarah, Shraddha, Madeleine, Diana, Naneen, Connie, Erin, Karoline, Susan B, Jayne, Daisy, Joanne, Ann, Michele, Julie, Amber, Linda, Jacqueline, Regina, Katarina, Margaret, Jackie, Karen, Aimee, Sylvie, Elizabeth, Tia, Laura, Cheryl, Carlee, Oharryo, Janie, Mona, Victoria, Mimi, Dawn, Mary, Joyce, Fran, Yvonne, Donna, Angela, Joan, Karen, Paula, Suzy, John, Wendy, Paula, Dodie, Paul, Sangtip, Raine, Stephanie, Neil, Jeanne, Susan, Glenda, Sarah, Melissa, Maryann, Karla, LeeRaye, Catherine, Wendy, Shari, Dawn, Amanda, Bev, Cassandra, Allison, Ellen, Bridgette, Mary C., Teresa, Lynette, Pam, Mary, Barb, Sandy, Gary, Erik, Janice, Robin, Marilyn, Mazzro, Jane, Roy, Courtney, Candice, Andree, Lesa, Lana, Laurunda, Richard, Pee, Carol, Lee, Marcie, Jennifer, Merissa, Karen, Lisa, Tina, Christy, Veronica, Romy, Caleen, Jimmie, Tina, Amy, Lynn, Ginny, Natalie, Marsha, Sandi, Stephen, Helen, and Pamela H.

This book, like all the others—are for you!

Many close to me know that I was a bit anxious about writing a Coming of Age/New Adult story given my limited knowledge of the genre. I was given an extensive recommended reading list by friends and fans. I have to say a few of these authors really blew my mind. I have no affiliation with these authors or their publishing companies—I just thought they wrote some seriously fantastic stuff, and because I’m a voracious reader, I love sharing insanely good reads.

If you haven’t consumed these amazing books already, I highly recommend:

•    
Left Drowning
by Jessica Park

•    
How to Kill a Rock Star
by Tiffanie DeBartolo

•    
The Opportunist
by Tarryn Fisher

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On Every Street
by Karina Halle

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Reason to Breathe
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