River of Love(15)
“Up?” she asked, following Sam’s mother through a set of doors and into the kitchen, then through a heavy steel door and up a flight of stairs.
“To the roof.” His mother lowered her voice and whispered, “Sam’s gone all out. I’ve never seen him so excited. I’m glad you showed up after all.”
Faith felt like she was in a dream, floating from one thing to the next, with happiness and nervousness sprinkled like fairy dust. Everyone seemed so surprised at Sam’s efforts, and she was right there with them. But nothing prepared her for the hug his mother gave her at the top of the stairs.
“Have fun, and, Faith?”
“Yes?” She held her breath, waiting for the shoe to drop, to hear something like, Don’t let him fool you. This is Sam, after all.
“Please don’t break my boy’s heart. He’s tough as nails, but he’s also sweet as sugar.” She patted Faith’s cheek, like her own mother had done a million times, and descended the stairs, leaving Faith to stare at the door.
Just beyond the door was Sam.
Tough as nails and sweet as sugar, Sam. He’d gone all out. The man who didn’t date and said he didn’t cheat. The man who believed nothing lasted forever. The man who’d talked with her on the beach for an hour last night and had gone to a world of trouble to get her here. Sam, the man she dreamed about, fantasized about, and now was so confused over she didn’t know whether she should open the door or run away.
She looked down the stairs. It would be easy to walk back down and out to her car. Much easier than facing the emotions storming inside her and the passion she was trying to pretend didn’t exist. But easy was boring, wasn’t it? Maybe she didn’t like easy after all, because she liked Sam.
Turning back to the door, she gathered her courage and pushed it open.
White lights illuminated a waist-high brick railing that ran around the edge of the roof. Faith stepped outside, holding the door open as she took in the table set for two, complete with a red tablecloth, linen napkins, a bottle of wine, and several dishes covered with shiny metal covers. Three beautiful candles sat in the center of the table, flickering in the breeze. Sam sat with his back to her, playing his guitar as he looked out over the ocean. She listened for a moment to the peaceful melody flowing from his fingertips, and when she stepped closer, the door slipped from her hand, clanking loudly against the frame.
Sam turned, heat filling his dark eyes as he rose to his feet, looking devilishly handsome in his jeans and tight black shirt. He set his guitar against the railing. Music drifted up from the patio below, providing a sexy backdrop to Sam, who was moving fluidly toward her. How could that much harnessed power appear graceful and virile at the same time?
“Faith.” Her name slid off his tongue smooth as velvet as he took her hand.
His touch brought an unusual sense of safety, as it had last night, taking her by surprise.
His lips curved up in a warm smile. “I’m glad you came.”
Her body felt electric and liquefied at once as too many sensations collided inside her. In a few short days he’d shown her more parts of himself than some people had in a year.
“I’m glad I came, too.”
Chapter Nine
SAM BRUSHED HIS thumb over the back of Faith’s hand, unable to take his eyes off of her and hyperaware of the heat sizzling between them.
“You look even more beautiful than I thought you would.”
A rosy blush flushed her cheeks. “I can’t believe you bought me clothes.”
“I was worried you wouldn’t agree to meeting me without changing after work. And then I worried that if you went home to change you’d rethink coming at all, and I’d be left alone up here, missing you.” He leaned in to kiss her cheek, soaking in her soft, feminine, inviting scent.
She inhaled a sharp breath as his lips brushed over her skin.
“I thought about getting you jeans or a dress,” he admitted. “But when I think of you, I see comfort, sweetness, and your alluring confidence, and that’s hotter than form-fitting jeans or a short skirt could ever be.”
Her eyes widened a little. “You see all of that when you think of me?”
“That’s only a fraction of what I see. I never realized how personal clothing was until I was standing in the store trying to figure out what you would be most comfortable in. I knew you’d look great in anything, but it wasn’t about that.”
“You went to a lot of trouble.” She rubbed her fingers over her name on the hoodie.
He’d called in a favor to have the sweatshirt monogrammed so quickly, but seeing her in it, looking sinfully sweet and incredibly sexy, made it worthwhile. Something had come over him this afternoon as he went from location to location, setting up signs and making arrangements. All that time he’d been trying to keep his distance from her, protecting her from himself, because after all, even his own brother thought she needed protecting from him. A few weeks before the wedding he’d noticed a change in himself. Meaningless connections no longer held his interest, but Faith? She was on his mind day and night, regardless of how hard he tried to push thoughts of her away. Today he let himself examine those feelings more closely and realized it was Faith all along. She’d gotten to him, and because he’d been so determined to stay away, he hadn’t allowed himself to see it. Now he was no longer willing to ignore the one thing that felt right or the one person who made him feel things he never thought he would. He not only wanted to prove he wasn’t the guy she—and everyone else—thought he was, but he wanted to go above and beyond. He knew he wanted more than a good time with Faith, and now he wanted her to want that, too.
“Actually, I don’t think I went to nearly enough trouble.” He stepped closer and took her hand in his. Reflections of the lights sparkled in her eyes as they walked by the table. All the trouble he’d gone to had been worth it just to see her magnificent smile.
“It’s like our own private tower. You didn’t have to do all of this.”
“Actually, I did.” He poured them each a glass of wine. “You turned me down flat when I asked you out like a normal guy.”
“You’re not a normal guy, Sam. You’re my boss’s brother and you’re everything I’m scared of.”
He lifted his glass in a toast, hoping she’d move past her fears. “To imperfect matches.”
She smiled. “I cannot believe I’m toasting to that.”
They touched glasses, and as Faith drank her wine, Sam drank her in.
“No man has ever bought me clothes before. Well, except my father, but he doesn’t count.”
“Then I’m privileged to be the first. It’s only appropriate, seeing as you’re my first real date.” Before she could knock down the idea of this being a date, he took her in his arms and said, “Dance with me.”
Her brow furrowed as her arms came around his waist.
Sam lifted her hands to his neck. “I like this better. We’re closer.” He gazed into her eyes as they moved in a slow, sensual rhythm.
“We’re dancing,” she said softly. “On a rooftop with lights and music and candlelight. Sam, this might be the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.” She smiled up at him, but he sensed she was still on the fence about them.
“You said you were worth more than a rerun of what every other girl in the Harbor had done with me. I’ve never bought any of them clothes, or sent them on a mission to find me, or brought them to my parents’ brewery. Just you, sweet one.”
She blushed and pressed her forehead to his chest. “You called me ‘sweet one.’”
He laughed. “Yeah, I did.”
“I can’t help it. I have to ask.” Her face turned serious. “Do you call all your girls that?”
He knew his reputation had bothered her, but he hadn’t realized how it infiltrated her every thought. All he could do was answer honestly. “No, Faith. And I don’t have ‘girls.’”
She nodded, brows still furrowed. “What if I hadn’t shown up tonight?”
“That would have totally sucked, and think of how much hell I’d have caught from Nate after Jewel told him what I’d done.”
She laughed, and he was glad to see her guard come down a little.
“Did you have any more naked men in your office this afternoon?” He loved the flash of embarrassment that lit up her eyes, but just as quickly, she blinked it away.
“You weren’t naked, but thankfully no.”
She licked her lips, making him want to follow the path of her tongue with his own, but he promised himself they’d take things slow. He was determined to prove to her that he wasn’t after only one thing—but the more he tried not to think about it, the more he noticed their thighs brushing, the press of her breasts against his chest.
“You’re looking at me like I’m naked,” she said just above a whisper.
“Am I? I’m sorry.” He twirled her around, and she laughed, a sweet, musical sound that he wanted to hear more of.
She came back to him, wrapping her arms around his neck, and said, “No you’re not.”
“I am sorry if it makes you uncomfortable, but I can’t help looking at you. You’re gorgeous.”