Chapter 13
Thirteen
T hat damn kiss. It had been all Sam could think about all night. Of course, he hadn’t told John and Abby that when he showed up on their porch, or Daisy when he called her to find out if she could bring up a batch of her brownies to Evie in the morning.
Sitting next to her on the couch, touching her belly and feeling the baby move, had felt special. Like he needed to freeze that moment in time, because that would forever be the moment that things changed between them.
“I’m going to be out with Zeke and Derrick this morning, and then I have to run into town this afternoon.” Sam grumbled as Evie walked into the office. He didn’t miss the opportunity to look her over. Her cheeks were rosy, and she smiled as she walked to her desk. Good. She was feeling better. “Did you eat this morning?”
“Yes. I did.” He leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest as he watched her look at the stack of file boxes he’d brought in for her to start looking through. “What is all this?”
“It’s the last of the records from the past few years. Figured I’d bring them in here so you didn’t try to grab them by yourself.”
“Not that. What’s all this ?” She pointed to the basket filled with snacks on the shelf behind her desk and the mini fridge he’d stocked with juice and fruit after he left her apartment.
“Someone needs to make sure you are eating.”
“Lots of pregnant women have a hard time eating, Sam. It’s not a new or special thing.”
“Yeah, well, all those women aren’t you. This is important to me, Evie.” He forced himself to tidy the papers on his desk, instead of reading the emotions on her face, or accidentally spilling his guts about how she was actually important to him. “There are pickles in the fridge and emergency peanut butter in the bottom drawer of your desk, in case that’s all Jellybean wants to eat.”
“When did you have the time to…”
“After I left your apartment. I went over to John and Abby’s to grab the fridge, and called Daisy to ask what some good snacks were to have on hand. Oh, she’s going to stop by this afternoon and drop off a batch of brownies. Then I drove into Rogersville last night to the twenty-four hour grocery store and got some of the snacks I’ve seen you eating.”
Her brown eyes went wider than he’d ever seen before. “You didn’t have to do all this.”
He just shrugged. “I don’t sleep much anymore. It wasn’t a big deal.”
“It’s a very big deal to me. Thank you. I can take care of myself, though.”
“Just because you can, Bluebell, doesn’t mean you should have to. I hate that I have to go. But I expect to see a dent in those snacks when I get back this afternoon. I wouldn’t be upset if you saved a brownie for me, though.”
She eyed the basket, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth and Sam had to stop himself from rushing across the room to pull it free.
“Hey, either one of you ever see anyone on the ranch who shouldn’t be here?”
Zeke’s head whipped up from the post he was shoving in the ground. “What do you mean?”
“Just, have you ever seen someone here, like a delivery guy, or a supplier, and maybe they seemed out of place?”
“Is there a problem we need to know about?” Derrick asked.
“I don’t fucking know, that’s why I’m asking.”
“Well, I haven’t seen anything like that.” Zeke offered. “If I had, and they were acting shady, the gunshot would be your first clue.”
“Okay. If either of you notice something, come tell me right away.”
Derrick and Zeke exchanged some sort of concerned look between the two of them, and nodded.
“Sure thing, Boss. You worried about Sylvie’s safety? Or Evie’s?”
“The ranch is safe, guys. It’s not about that.”
“We don’t need to be on high alert like after Abby was attacked?”
“No.”
“Be a little more cryptic, Boss.”
“Shut it, Zeke.” Derrick elbowed him in the side.
“Hey, Evie!”
Daisy walked into the office with Grace right behind her. That was a nice surprise. “I got a panicked phone call from Sam last night and thought I was going to have to rush over here.”
She set a covered plate on the corner of her desk. “Brownies. Eat them all before Sam comes to hog them. He’s not pregnant, so don’t feel bad telling him they are all for you and the baby.”
Evie laughed. “He shouldn’t have bothered you. I just had a hard time eating anything yesterday and got a little dizzy.”
“I was like that with Jack.” Grace smoothed her hand over her belly as she sat down. “Of course, living with my abusive ex through almost nine months of pregnancy was probably the culprit of that.”
“Grace! I’m so sorry.” Evie’s heart broke for her friend.
She waved her hand. “It’s not something I like to think about. But these damn hormones keep making me relive it because I’m so happy being with Jackson this time. He missed out on nearly everything with Jack’s pregnancy because of me.”
“He wouldn’t be happy to hear you talking like that.” Daisy reached out and covered Grace’s hand with her own.
“That’s why it’s a good thing this is girl talk and whatever we say to each other is protected under the sanctity of that.”
“And on that note,” Daisy turned to Evie. “What’s going on? Do you need someone to go with you to the doctor’s to ask about some anti-nausea medicine? Can we go with you to Rogersville? They have a bigger grocery store, and I know for a fact they stock some great ginger candies that got me through my nauseous phase with Sunny.”
Evie’s eyes dropped to the corner of her desk, where a bag of ginger candies laid open. She’d been snacking on the treats all morning.
“Oh,” Daisy laughed. “I see Sam wasted no time stocking up. ”
“I can’t believe he called you last night. I’m mortified.”
“He cares about you,” Grace smiled. “And so do we. I know we’re new friends, but that doesn’t mean we won’t band together to help however we can.”
Evie’s cell pinged with a notification. Not even the ginger candies could stop her stomach from souring in that moment, knowing without a doubt what she’d see as soon as she turned her phone over.
“Everything okay?” Grace asked.
Shit. She obviously hadn’t hidden her reaction very well.
“It’s fine. Just someone from Wisconsin.”
“How can you know that before you even look?”
“I was expecting it.”
She hoped that saying it that way would convey that she was fine, but both women looked at her unconvinced.
“Can I get you guys something to drink?”
“Oh, we can’t stay long. I have to pick Jack up from Nellie and Tom’s…. That’s Jackson and John’s parents.”
“And then,” Daisy interrupted, “we have to get our bridesmaid dresses tailored.”
“I literally don’t fit into mine with the bump, but I’ll have a newborn by the time the wedding gets here and I have no idea how to gauge where I’ll be shape wise by then.”
“And my boobs are shrinking now that Sunny is starting to wean from breastfeeding. I’m terrified I’m going to have to stuff my bra like I did back in fifth grade just to look nice for John and Abby’s big day.”
“I’m sure you both will look beautiful. Abby is lucky to have you guys stand by her side at her wedding.”
“Well, like we mentioned, once you’re in our group, you’re stuck with us for life.”
“It’s true,” Grace agreed.
“Speaking of that, Emma reminded me to mention that we are all getting together next week. I was going to have Sam force you to come, but now that we’re here chatting, I can be the one to force you.”
Evie laughed. “No forcing necessary. I’d love to.”
“Good. I’ll verify the details with Emma and Abby and I’ll let you know.”
“Just be ready,” Grace laughed. “Things tend to get out of hand one way or another when we all go out.”
Sam stood in the doorway to the office with the surprise he’d picked out for Evie tucked under his arm. He heard her phone go off, and watched as she picked it up.
Her shoulders stiffened and her mouth popped open in…shock? What the hell was going on?
“I didn’t think you’d still be down here.” Sam pushed off the door frame. “Everything went okay today?”
Evie’s eyes jumped to his and for a second he wanted to run to her, the fear so strong in her gaze. But it was gone just as quickly as he’d seen it. She smiled, setting her phone down and stretching as she moved her chair back away from her computer.
“I was able to get a lot of information transferred into the computer program, but nothing stood out as suspicious.”
“What ledgers did you do?”
“First quarter from three years ago.”
“Okay. I’ll look over it tomorrow.”
“Of course. Is there anything else you need before I head out for the day? I’m planning on taking that tray of brownies up to my apartment and eating every last one until I’m so full I need a nap.”
Sam chuckled, a tickle spreading through his chest. He was excited his snack plan seemed to be working.
“Um, yeah. Actually just one thing.” He walked to her desk and handed her the larger of two boxes he was holding. “I just wanted to give you this.”
“What? What is it?”
“Open it and see.”
Evie lifted the lid off the box, gently placing it on the floor, and eagerly removed the tissue paper at the top. Her eyes lit up the second they landed on the pair of cowboy boots he’d picked out for her after his doctor’s appointment.
“Sam! These are beautiful, but I can’t accept them.”
“Why not? Don’t you like them?”
“I do. They’re gorgeous. I’ve never had a pair of cowboy boots before.”
“I know. I remember you saying it after our walk. These might not be bluebells ,” he teased. “But I figured bluebonnets would do.”
“Why would you get these for me?” she asked, running her fingers over the delicate embroidery.
“I have a lot of making up to do for how I treated you before, Evie. This is just the beginning.” Sam took the boot from her hand and dropped to his knees in front of her.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Making sure they fit.”
“You don’t have to?—”
“Were you, or were you not, just complaining earlier about having trouble putting your sneakers on? Like I’m going to risk something happening to you just to try these on.” Sam held out his hand. “Foot please, Cinderella.”
Evie tucked a strand of loose hair behind her ear as she extended her leg towards him. In one swift motion, her old shoe was gone. And in the next second, he was sliding the silky, cool leather up her calf.
“How does that feel?” he asked, his tongue sneaking out to lick along his bottom lip. They way they formed right to the curve of her calf had his gaze tracing to the top of the boot and then continuing up her legs.
“Incredible.” Her eyes slid across her desk to the smaller box. “What’s in there?”
“Oh, um. It’s something for you… well, technically for Jellybean.”
“Can I open it?”
“Of course.” Sam handed the little box to Evie. He watched her eyes mist over.
“You got her a pair of boots like mine?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “They probably won’t fit her until she’s seven or eight, but I thought one day you could wear them and take pictures in a bluebonnet field together.”
“Sam, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for me. Thank you.”
He reached out and took hold of her hand, gently running his thumb over hers. “I’m glad you like them. Now, we have to figure out where we’re going to go to test your pair out.”
“I’ll just wear them upstairs to my apartment. I can already tell they’re going to be comfortable.”
“That’s not what I meant. We need to go somewhere to break them in. I was thinking tonight.”
“Tonight what?”
He smiled. “Evie, would you go on a date with me?
“To break in my boots?”
“To spend some time together outside of work.”
“Oh.” She hesitated. “You want to date your employee?”
Sam laughed. “I think I need to make two things clear right now. No, I don’t want to date my employee.”
Her face fell and her head tipped down, until he captured her chin between his thumb and pointer finger and raised it back up.
“I’m not attracted to Zeke or Derrick. In fact, they are as far away from my type as you could get. ”
“But I?—”
“You’re not my employee, Evie. Sebastian pays your salary. He ultimately determines your employment here.”
“Fine, you’re my supervisor then.”
“I don’t know. The way you came in here like a tornado, pulling everything apart only to put it back together in a way that makes life so much easier… I think we might be on equal footing.”
“But things are already complicated for me, and I don’t want to risk this job just because my pregnancy hormones are going crazy and you’re being so sweet to me and smell so damn good all the time.”
Her cheeks turned bright red as she clamped her hand over her mouth.
“Oh God,” she whimpered. “Please forget I said that.”
“No can do, beautiful,” he chuckled. “As a man who is very attracted to you, I’d very much like to take you out and hold your hand in public.”
“You’re attracted to me?”
Sam sat against the edge of the desk and leaned into her space, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“I can’t stop thinking about kissing you.”
He saw this instant her mind started to picture the very same kiss that had been consuming his every thought since he walked out of her apartment. Her pupils blew out, eyelids growing heavy, and her breathing softened ever so slightly. It was only when her skin started to take on the shade of a ripe tomato under the July sky that he began to get concerned.
“Evie? You okay?”
“Y-yes.”
“You look a little overheated.”
“I think I am.”
He reached to the nape of her neck and gathered her hair, leaning in to blow his breath across her flushed skin.
“Maybe you should take off this little sweater you’re wearing.”
“Sam…”
“Come on, Bluebell. Humor me. I’ve already lost a year off my life watching you faint in your apartment. I don’t want to see that happen again.”
“ Almost faint,” she protested.
His hands moved to the collar of the light sweater she was wearing. He slid his fingers beneath the fabric and Evie’s skin pebbled beneath his touch.
Her head tipped back as she exposed her neck to him. Sam watched as her eyes closed and her breath hitched. Her pulse fluttered rapidly beneath the thin skin.
He pressed a kiss over her heartbeat, giving himself a mental fist pump at the soft moan he pulled from Evie. Sam pulled the material down her arms and tossed her sweater over her chair. Then he slid his hands under her arms and lifted her up onto the desk.
The smallest gasp fell from between her lips, but that only fueled the frenzied energy growing between them. Sam pushed her knees apart with his thigh, stepping right between them until her belly pressed into the bottom of his stomach.
His hands lifted to cup Evie’s cheeks. “I’m going to kiss you now, Bluebell. You tell me to stop and I will. But I’ve been wanting to do this properly since the damn day you drove onto the ranch for the first time. That small kiss last night nearly killed me. So tell me now, quickly, before I make a fool out of myself.”
Her bright blue eyes went wide. “Kiss me, Cowboy. Please…”
That’s all he needed. Sam’s lips crushed against hers before his tongue pressed out, seeking entrance to her mouth. His hands slid down her body as he felt her arch into him. Her mouth opened, allowing him to explore their connection deeper. She tasted like ginger and chocolate, and he wanted to do a million backflips to celebrate his snack idea working.
He began to pull away, surprised when her teeth possessively nipped at his bottom lip.
“Say yes to our date,” he whispered. “We don’t even need to call it that. Just two people sharing some time together, if that makes you feel more comfortable.”
She reached up, threading her fingers around his collar and pulled his mouth down to hers.
“So is that a yes?”
She nodded. “It’s a date.”