and do, so how can you consider if the investment will be successful?”
“Get over it. You’re going to need all of that and more but the rest will come as you start to find buyers for whatever it is you plan to sell. That’s about all I know of your venture, but I’m sure it’s going to be pretty amazing.”
“No, it isn’t right,” she said.
“I’m not taking it back but I’ll help you figure out how to spend it if that’s what will help you get over the amount.”
She bit her lower lip, considering what she was about to say carefully. “What if I fail, Sam?”
“You won’t.”
She eyed him warily. “Why are you so sure about that? You could lose a lot of money if I don’t do this correctly.”
He sighed and pulled her closer so she was standing between his legs. “Chloe, have a little faith in yourself and in me. I’m going to help you every step of the way. If you think someone’s cheating you, come to me. I guarantee that someone has tried just about every scam in the books on me and I’ve seen through it. You’re going to be okay.”
When his hands moved up her arms, she shivered in response. “Sam?”
“Why are you afraid of me, Chloe?” he said softly, gently kissing her forehead, her ear, her cheek. “Talk to me. Explain this to me.”
Chloe loved what he was doing to her. She felt safe, secure and yet trembly all at the same time. And her legs weren’t able to get her away. “You’re too much,” she finally said.
“Too much what?” he asked, his hand skimming her back, both hands resting on her hips and pulling her closer.
“Too much everything,” she answered, leaning against him, putting her hands on his chest. “You make me feel too much.” It wasn’t the main reason, but it was a part of it and something she was able to admit to him without humiliation.
“And this is a bad thing?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She closed her eyes as he bent his head to kiss her neck. She lifted up on her toes to give him better access. “Because I don’t feel it from anyone else,” she finally admitted, no longer able to resist him. Her eyes were closed and her hands fisted against his chest. Her breath was caught in her throat as she waited for him to find another spot. When he didn’t move, she finally opened her eyes and looked up at him.
Sam couldn’t believe what she’d just told him. She was afraid of what he made her feel because she’d never experienced it with another man? “Chloe, are you telling me that you’ve never…”
She put her fingers over his mouth to stop him. “No. I’ve never been with a man.” She stepped away from him and took a deep breath. “And now that I’m completely humiliated, I think I’ll head home and bury myself with my shame.”
Sam couldn’t believe what she’d said. And by the time his mind started working again, she was already out the door. With a curse, he rushed through the house, shouting her name. He finally folund her, but she was beside her car and getting in, tears streaming down her cheeks as she fought to get the car door unlocked.
Ripping open the front door, he hurried outside, desperate to get to her before she left. “Chloe stop!”
But she didn’t. She only hurried faster. And before he could get down the damn steps, she was pulling away, tearing down the driveway like someone was about to kill her. Or trap her, which he would have done.
Storming back into the house, he grabbed his keys and went after her, determined to talk to her and get out the whole story. There was definitely more to her statement than what she’d said.
Sam drove over to her house as if he was being chased by the furies, which might actually be the case since he was so furious and confused. What she’d said just didn’t make sense and he thought she might be confused with what he had actually been asking her. And for some reason, he suspected that it was extremely important that the issue be cleared up.
When he arrived at her house, there wasn’t anyone there and it looked like no one had been there for a while. He thought about waiting for her, but he didn’t think he could stand still for that long.
He drove over to the stable, she wasn’t there either. Where else she