The Tycoon's Tender Triumph Page 0,46
that, he shuffled into the kitchen on his crutches, leaving Sam to cool down and decide how he was going to deal with the woman he loved.
Chloe was helping to dish out four portions of chili with sour cream, grated cheese and chopped onions when Sam walked in to join them for dinner. He watched the three people he loved more than anything in the world and came to a decision.
After Jim asked the blessing for the food, Sam waited two heartbeats before he made his announcement. “Chloe and I are getting married.”
He only heard one spoon clatter to the table and knew who had caused the jumble. Looking up, sure enough, Chloe was staring at him like he was crazy while Jim and Jessy simply passed the basket of biscuits, acting like he’d just announced that he was going to get the tires rotated on all the ranch trucks.
“Good for you,” Jim said and started buttering his still warm biscuit, popping a chunk into his mouth.
“’Bout time,” Jessy mumbled and put a biscuit on Chloe’s plate, passing the basket on to Sam.
Sam looked across the table and winked at Chloe, then sampled his chili, complimenting Jessy on a perfect bowl of the spicy stew.
Conversation pinged across the table, wedding dates were discussed and it was settled that they would be married in the back of the house in April, when the weather was just starting to warm up but wouldn’t be too hot.
Sam kept glancing at Chloe, but the only reaction he could see was the shaking of her fingers as she spooned the chili into her mouth. He wondered if she even realized how spicy it was, but she just kept on eating.
After the meal, Jessy shooed everyone out of her kitchen but Jim plopped himself on a bar stool to finish his coffee. Sam took Chloe’s hand and led her into the great room, determined to have it out with the little woman who had twisted him into knots for the last two days.
“Okay, let’s hear it.”
“Hear what?” she asked, staring at the middle of his chest.
“Aren’t you going to argue with me?” he demanded, hands on his hips and bracing himself for her yelling at his highhandedness.
She shook her head and looked up at him, then placed her hand on his stomach, her fingers moving across the muscles underneath the shirt. “I’m really sorry you were worried about me. It won’t happen again.”
“Damn right it won’t,” he agreed. “You’re going to wake me up before you leave every morning.’
She laughed softly. “Am I?” She stepped closer, her face pressing against his chest while her fingers moved upwards. When she accidentally rubbed across his flat nipple and heard his intake of breath, her hand paused, then moved back again, gaining the same reaction.
Sam’s hand came up to stop her teasing and he pulled her head back by pulling on her hair. “Yes!”
“Am I going to be close enough to wake you up tomorrow morning?” she asked, then turned her head, biting his nipple gently just like he’d done to her last night.
“Dammit Chloe! Stop that,” he said and pulled her head back.
“Why?” she asked, looking at him innocently, meanwhile, her now free hand moved downward, sliding down his stomach, and lower.
When he tried to move out of her way, she laughed and shook her head. “Sam, where is your bedroom?”
Sam wasn’t immune to her lovely eyes, or the sensuous smile she gave him. “Woman, you’re driving me crazy,” he growled a moment before he swung her up into his arms and carried her up the stairs, kicking his bedroom door shut behind him.
Back in the kitchen, Jessy opened a bottle of beer and placed it in front of Jim, then opened one herself and sat down next to her. “Think they’ll finally figure it out?” she asked him as they clinked bottles.
Jim shook his head and took a long swig of the beer. “They’ve certainly mucked it up this long. You’d think they’d figure it out eventually.”
Jessy nodded sagely. “Judging by the silence coming from the other room, I guess they’re getting closer.”
“Doesn’t mean they won’t muck it up again. Any ideas on how to stop them from being stupid this time around?”
Jessy sighed and shook her head. “The wedding announcement was a step in the right direction.”
Chapter 6
Chloe rolled over and looked out the strange window, sighing with happiness. She hadn’t realized how miserable she’d been until now. She’d been too tied up trying to avoid