THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
The Day They Met By Samantha Lucas
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
The Day They Met By Samantha Lucas
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The Day They Met Copyright© 2008 Samantha Lucas ISBN: 978‐1‐60088‐237‐1 Cover Artist: Sable Grey Editor: Melanie Noto All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Cobblestone Press, LLC www.cobblestone‐press.com
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
Dedication In this story, Jack and Emma meet at the animal shelter in Orange County, California. I am very familiar with this shelter, as I’ve probably adopted at least fifty animals from it. I know there are many problems in this world, but I ask you to not forget the animals. Some statistics say that as many as fifty‐six percent of dogs and seventy‐one percent of cats brought into shelters are euthanized each year. I want to dedicate this book to all the volunteers and organizations that are effortlessly trying to reduce these numbers—and I ask that the next time you want to add a pet to your family, please start at your local shelter. Thank you. I hope you enjoy Jack and Emma’s story.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
Chapter One Is a life lived without passion worth living? His back to the crowded ballroom, Jack Sinclaire rolled his shoulders against the constraints of his tux. Passion—yes, or no? The question thundered repeatedly through his mind. Sighing out of either frustration or surrender—he wasn’t sure which—to the fact he wasn’t ever going to know the answer to that question, he switched his focus to the sparkling liquid that fizzed inside his glass. Champagne was a fascinating substance, when one stopped to think about it. Served at quaint grand openings, family celebrations, and weddings, obviously. Even at functions like this one—a charity ball Jack had spent the past six months planning, down to every minute detail. Then being Jack, he immediately cut a check from his personal account for double what the event cost. It embarrassed him to spend so much money on a party under the guise of helping the less fortunate, but it was what was expected of him, so giving the charity an extra donation cut some of his guilt. Not sure where he stood on the answer to the passion question, one thing he did believe as he stood swirling the contents of his crystal flute, considering all the places champagne would be served tonight around the world, was that the sparkling wine was not biased. A brand and flavor
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS could be found for every budget, social class, and event. No matter what one’s circumstances, there was a champagne to match. Tipping the glass to his lips, Jack let the cool liquid slide down his throat the way only expensive champagne could, and found it tasteless. He wasn’t surprised. In fact, when he turned and looked around the ballroom, which was crowded with people he’d known for years, some all his life, he realized sadly that the music had lost its melody. The twinkling lights held no romance, and the chattering guests were no more than faceless drones. He’d lost his passion, and he knew exactly, to the minute, when it had happened. Placing his empty flute on a passing tray, he considered taking another, but the idea seemed futile. The next glass would be just as tasteless as the last. With a flick of his wrist, he waved off the waiter, then strolled casually through the milling crowd, skirting the side of the room, hoping to avoid...well, everybody. His restlessness was becoming a constant companion, one he was learning to ignore, but tonight it acted like a jealous wife, refusing to settle for anything less than his complete attention. So he did what any tired husband would do. He patronized it. His wandering came to an end in front of the room’s crowning glory, a series of two‐story, leaded‐glass windows heavily draped in silk and lace, pulled back to reveal the windows’ ornate arches. He stood there with his back to the room, the country club’s immaculate lawn stretched out before him. Even though the hour was late and the sun had long since set, the grounds were lit in such a way that he could still make out shapes, shadows, and the area’s overall grace. Wishing the evening would end, he ran his fingers through his close‐cropped hair, which he wore these days slicked back from his face in a severe manner, and noticed that even with the use of carefully applied gels it was beginning to curl. He made a mental note to make an appointment with his stylist in the morning. Facing the ballroom, he deliberately crossed his arms over his chest in what he hoped was an obvious sign flashing in neon that screamed, Stay Away. It worked for a while, anyway.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Jack, my good man.” Dane Andrews, the closest thing Jack had to a friend, slapped him cordially on the back before taking a bookend position beside him. Dane’s medium length blond hair and white tux jacket contrasted with Jack’s short dark hair and black tux, just as their morals and lifestyles contrasted with each other. Jack had wondered on more than one occasion how they’d ever become friends. Jack’s straight‐laced attitude and lifestyle by all rights should have bored Dane out of his mind. On the other hand, Jack shouldn’t have tolerated Dane’s errant attitudes on sex and marriage, but somehow they’d carved a niche of tolerance for one another that had bred friendship. “Why on earth is the man of the hour standing on the sidelines, when there are so many lovely ladies around just dying for an introduction?” “Claudia’s here.” Jack shifted his body weight from one leg to the other. “I don’t need more than that.” From the corner of his eye, Jack caught Dane scanning the ballroom in search of the lady in question. Once he found her, his face bloomed with a roguish smile. He covered it with the champagne flute. “Ah, yes. The delectable Miss Harris.” Dane gave Claudia a scorching head‐to‐toe once‐over, a maneuver that should have brought some protective, jealous impulse to the surface in Jack considering—as everyone thought—the woman was one step away from becoming his wife. But he was ashamed to admit he didn’t care. With a scowl, he returned his gaze to the windows. Passion was for fools. A level‐headed approach to life served a man far better. “When are you two going to make it official?” Dane asked. The words made Jack’s stomach flip, and not in a good way. He was a detail‐oriented man, ever since the time he’d gone off half‐cocked and nearly blown his life to bits. He was now obsessed with details, with checking and re‐checking, and being one hundred percent certain before coming to a decision about anything. He’d lost any hint of spontaneity and along with it, any joy, but at least he would never again be the fool. For him, that was compensation enough for any lost joy.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Soon enough, I suppose,” he finally answered. His deep, rich timbre held a confidence as fake as half the breasts in the room. Jack found himself suddenly wishing for a second glass of champagne, simply so he’d have something to do with his hands. He shoved them into his pockets. Everyone expected an engagement between him and Claudia. She certainly expected it, and he couldn’t blame her. After all, they had been dating exclusively for over two years now, and she was all but officially living with him. He ran a hand up over the knotted muscles in his neck and admitted—at least to himself—the reasons for both situations. Dating exclusively was a situation born out of his lack of desire to date anyone, yet his lifestyle was such that it demanded a partner at times. He and Claudia were practically living together because he hadn’t cared enough one way or the other to say something to her when he noticed she was staying over more and more often. He didn’t even care that when she wasn’t in his bed, he knew she was in someone else’s. It was a thought that brought relief more than any other emotion. Most people would never know that Orange County’s most eligible bachelor—a well‐known corporate shark and CEO of Sinclaire International, a successful company whose subsidiaries ran the gamut from transportation and tourism to investments and not‐for‐profit foundations, and who on the surface had everything—was utterly miserable. Jack longed to the depths of his soul for something he would never have, because all the money in the world couldn’t buy it for him. At thirty‐seven, it was high time he settled down and started a family—as his mother was so fond of reminding him—and he wasn’t sure what he was waiting for anyway. Marriage was inevitable, and he had wanted to be married from the time he was six years‐old, when he decided that husband was his vocation of choice. In the hopes of igniting some passion within his soul, his mind conjured up an image of Claudia, rumpled, lying beside him in bed. Yet sadly, nothing more than a mild sense of nausea rolled over him. Not a good sign for a long and happy marriage, but he knew it wasn’t Claudia’s
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS fault. She was smart and beautiful, kind and sweet, accommodating to his needs in a way he found...acceptable. He released a heavy sigh. Acceptable? Was that the best he could do? Somewhere inside his perfectly hidden reckless heart lived a hopeless romantic. It was a part of him that, if he were truthful, he would have to admit was more trouble than it was worth. A part he wished he knew how to simply cut out and never have to deal with again. He knew most men didn’t have romantic dreams of grandeur like he did. Dreams that taunted him and insisted love be so much more than this. Maybe not the Fourth of July, Christmas, and Springtime all rolled into one, but certainly more sparks, more connectedness. He’d always thought that if nothing else, love meant being in tune with one another without the two of them needing to sync up their PDA’s every morning. Another long sigh later, he was abruptly reminded of Dane’s presence when his friend glared at him. “Oh, good God, man. It’s marriage, not the end of the world.” “No offense, friend.” Jack let a knowing grin play about his lips. “But I don’t intend to run my marriage the way you run yours.” Dane finished his champagne and slipped the empty flute into a potted palm. Jack smirked. “I always wondered what kind of person did that.” “Me.” Dane put an arm around Jack’s shoulder, duly noting his sarcasm with a nod of the head and a slight eye roll, and turned him to face the ballroom while gesturing widely with one hand. “Look at all the women out there. They come in every shape, size, and variety. It simply isn’t fair to ask me to commit to only one for the rest of my life.” “They’re not ice cream flavors, Dane. They’re women, and this isn’t Baskin Robbins. It’s life.” He colored his tone with just a hint of disdain. “While it is true that you didn’t have to commit yourself to just one...you did.” Jack’s attention went to his own empty ring finger. “That’s what a marriage is, Dane. A commitment to one woman. A commitment to a life, built side‐by‐side as you face obstacles and challenges together. Children
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS and holidays, love and laughter, mixed along the way with the tears and sorrows. There are vows.” He caught Dane’s pale blue gaze again and laced his question with acerbity as he asked, “You do remember your vows, don’t you? Because if you’re having trouble, I was there.” Jack pressed one finger to his chin and searched the balcony above their heads. “I seem to recall something along the lines of in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer...” He dropped his head and once again met Dane’s hard stare. “Forsaking all others, until death do you part.” “Oh, ha ha. Very droll. You know, you could’ve had an excellent career as a stand‐up comic.” Jack shook his head, part in wonder and part in frustration. “Does Jillian know?” “Of course she does. We both married to appease our families. She doesn’t love me any more than I love her. As long as I don’t embarrass her, she doesn’t care.” Jack grunted. “Sounds like a match made in heaven, then.” “Yes, well—we’re not all as lucky as Kent.” Jack followed Dane’s pointed gaze to find Kent Bartholomew and his new bride, Valerie, circling the dance floor as if no one else existed. He wouldn’t let his mind go there. He’d spent most of his youth with that optimistic view of love, but if he hadn’t found it by now, it wasn’t out there for him and torturing himself with the possibility that didn’t exist was a fool’s errand. Jack had decided not to be the fool again. “You can’t believe it will be any different between you and Claudia. She isn’t faithful now, so what difference will a ring make? Your marriage will be a business relationship the way half of them in this room are. There isn’t anything wrong with that, unless you fool yourself to believing something different.” Jack’s stomach ran circles around itself. He held very still in the hope the panic would abate. He was reasonably certain Dane was right, and that was a huge problem for him. It wasn’t the life he wanted. Dane exhaled and turned his gaze to the ballroom floor.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Maybe I’m wrong. Claudia does adore you. You’ll have a perfectly lovely existence.” Dane cocked his head to one side, as if envisioning Jack’s future. “Yes, perfectly lovely. I think that describes it...well, perfectly. “Perfectly lovely children in their perfectly lovely private schools, perfectly lovely dinner parties with perfectly lovely guests, a perfectly lovely home with stables, no doubt for your one true love—your horses. And perfectly lovely sex. Probably on Tuesdays and Thursdays at nine o’clock sharp.” Jack’s head snapped around until he could see Dane’s face, which was absolutely serious, without a trace of humor. He’d never allow Dane to know how close to his own fears his friend’s little diatribe had just run, or what was worse—that he and Claudia were already having the foretold perfectly lovely sex, only on Saturdays and Wednesdays, and the occasional Sunday afternoon. “What the hell do you mean by that?” he asked, rubbing his neck again. “I’ve been on the other side of the boardroom from you a time or two.” Dane met his eyes. “I’ve seen you fight for something everyone else in the room thought was completely ridiculous, and yet your passion swayed every last one of them until they came over to your side. I can’t see how you can ever live happily without it. Passion, my friend—it’s your life’s blood.” Maybe that was the answer to Jack’s question. It wasn’t, however, the one he wanted to hear. He was beginning to feel exceedingly uncomfortable with this discussion. After all, he’d tried love—or something like it—and it hadn’t worked. Now he would listen to his head, and his head told him Claudia was a good match. He turned to find her holding court. Surrounded by a half dozen guests, both male and female, she was dazzling them with her wit and charm, with which she had been graced in abundance. With her long, dark hair piled neatly atop her head, the long strands left loose to curl beside her face, and her strapless gown of long white silk, she looked like a princess. Jack seriously wondered what was wrong with him.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Looking at her should stir some emotion within him. If not overwhelming lust, surely fondness, or pride that she’d be going home with him, Something. The sad thing was, he couldn’t honestly remember the last time a woman had aroused him without physical contact, or if one ever had. Certainly not Claudia. He had no memories of a moment when a furtive glance, the sound of her laughter, her scent, had been enough to make him want. Was that sort of thing even plausible? Or was it simply a figment of Hollywood’s imagination? One he’d bought into lock, stock, and barrel. A part of him believed it was possible. But why? He had no proof of it, and he was a man who needed proof. At least, he’d become that man. “Come on.” Jack shook his head as Dane’s clipped words registered. “Come on where?” Dane started pulling Jack along like a lost puppy—and admittedly he felt like one more often than not these days—but still, a man had his dignity. He shook off Dane’s hold. “Come on where?” he asked more forcefully. Dane grinned wickedly. “I’m taking you to a place where the alcohol’s watered down and the women are easy. You need to get snockered, then fucked. Everything will look better in the morning.” Jack took a step back, not sure what shocked him more. That Dane would even suggest such a thing, or that for a half second Jack wished he were someone else. Someone who could say, “Why the hell not?” But he wasn’t someone else. He was Jack Sinclaire, head of Sinclaire International, the host of this party and Claudia Harris’ escort. Deep sadness washed over him, but he wasn’t sure what exactly he had to be sad about. “What about the other women, Dane? Do they know?” “That I’m married?” A faint blush rose on Dane’s face, and he pressed his mouth into a thin line. Jack figured he wasn’t going to answer, and it wasn’t any of his business, anyway. He’d noticed a change in Dane lately, a sadness that hadn’t been there before, but he wasn’t sure what had prompted him to ask such a personal question.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Most of the time. But I’ll admit to being dishonest when the lady in question was far too good to pass up.” “Oh.” What else was there to say? Jack edged away from him. “You go on, Dane. I can’t go, and you know it.” “Ah, but you were tempted.” Dane’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Just for a second. Admit it.” Ashamed to do so, Jack ran a hand over the back of his neck. He finally nodded. Dane lowered his voice, even though no one was close enough to hear, and poked a finger into Jack’s lapel. “See, old friend? A passionate heart eats deep inside of you. Ignoring it too long is a recipe for disaster.” He turned as if to leave, then turned back and jerked his head in the direction of the dance floor. “Marry Claudia or donʹt, but donʹt continue to pretend you’re someone you’re not. It’ll ruin you.” Jack watched Dane leave the ballroom, riveted by the lightness that had been worlds away only a moment before and the self‐confident swagger that drew more than one lady’s head as he went by. Within Dane were still waters that ran very deep and Jack figured he’d never completely understand the man’s motivations. All he knew for sure was that he could never live that way. He looked across the room to find Claudia coming toward him, a pleasant smile spread across her pleasant face. He asked himself, How much longer can I continue living like this?
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
Chapter Two Emma laughed. She simply couldn’t resist. She’d had so little to laugh about lately. The little dog, floppy and no bigger than a mop, jumped as high as her waist. Although, since she stood only five‐foot‐two, she imagined she didn’t provide a very challenging target. Still, the little thing seemed to have springs built into its paws. She crouched down, sticking her fingers between the chain links of the fence, and the dog stopped long enough to slobber all over them. “You’re a sweetheart,” Emma said. Her joy dimmed suddenly when she thought of her sister, who never understood why it was so important for Emma to come here week after week. To Shelly, the whole idea seemed depressing. She said the place smelled and that the aura of death hung over it like a thick woolen blanket, but this was why. This moment of undying love without expectation—well, except maybe that she would take the dog home and away from this horrid place, but seeing as home for her was a motel room rented by the week that she shared with her mother and her sister, it really wasn’t possible. But someday. “Here again, Emma?” She stood, turning to see an older man moving down the aisle toward her. His large loop of keys jingled loudly enough to be heard over the constant barking from the other dogs at the shelter. She dropped her head to one side and shrugged, then shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans and gave him a sad little smile. “It’s Tuesday.” As if that explained everything.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Overhead, the loudspeaker cracked. “Cage Twenty.” Henry shook his keys. “That’s me. Come and say good‐bye before you leave. I’ve got a pot of fresh coffee and some of those cream cheese croissants you like so much.” “Thank you. My mouth’s watering.” He touched her gently on the shoulder as he walked by, making Emma wonder again what it would have been like to have a dad. Would it have made any difference in her life? Or would she still attract every loser west of Santa Fe? She pressed her hand against the cage door, and the little dog went back to its acrobatics. She gave him a smile, pushed off the cage, and continued down the aisle. Spring in Southern California was usually mild. However, they were currently experiencing a blasted heat wave. Today the temperature would reach a hundred degrees, and the harsh concrete that made up nearly every inch of the Orange County Animal Shelter gave little relief. Even the few saplings planted sporadically around the area weren’t much help. Sweat trickled down Emma’s spine. Despite the small blue tank top she wore, she was hot. She moved slowly down the row, running her hand carelessly along the chain link in front of each cell. Her fingernails clinked against the metal as she passed, and she peered into each cage until she found one dog not barking for attention, but instead sitting in the back, staring out, seemingly well aware of his fate. Her heart constricted. She dropped to her knees in front of the kennel. “Well, hello, sweetheart. Oh, you’re such a pretty baby.” The old black dog looked at her for a while, then slowly and hesitantly made its way towards the front of its prison cell, its big black tongue revealing his ancestry. Though the dog looked quite a bit like a Newfoundland, somewhere along the way, he’d inherited Chow genes. The dog hedged as she reached her fingers through the chain links, but soon his need for attention overrode his hesitancy and he leaned into her touch. She gasped as the unexpected weight of the dog squished her fingers into the hard metal. Recovering quickly, she laughed.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “There’s a good boy.” She looked up at the label on the cage door. Her eyes skimmed the brief information, and she smiled. “Yeah. Boy.” She wished she could tell him everything would be all right, that someone would come along any minute and rescue him, but she’d learned first‐hand that while white knights made great fairy tales, most tarnished something fierce in the light of day. She understood the helplessness these animals felt. She knew what it was to be lost and alone and to have all of one’s best choices ripped away. She knew what it felt like to be caged and scared. She empathized greatly with these animals and had to wonder if the reason she came to the shelter every week was for a reality check. A reminder that life wasn’t fair—that it didn’t like her, and that at twenty‐six years of age, she needed to accept her life for what it was. Dogs and picket fences, shining knights, and laughing babies had no place in her world. Nor would they ever. Still technically living at home—be it ever so humble—she had to admit to her terrible track record with the opposite sex. After her last relationship, how her boyfriend had used her, and what she’d been forced to give up—even now the pain was so strong her heart seized and her breath locked in her lungs. One thing she’d decided since then was that she would never trust another man as long as she lived. Problem was, in her book, that no trust meant no love, and no love meant no dreams of happily ever after. Shaking off her maudlin thoughts, she returned her focus to the poor creature in front of her. “I gotta go, sweetheart. Maybe you’ll still be here next week when I come back.” She gave him another pat. After all, dogs weren’t men; she could love them all she wanted. Last aisle. Tuesday was her day off, and she spent those mornings here, then went to the beach to spend the rest of the afternoon in sweet oblivion. It was a small vacation from reality, and it never seemed to last long enough. Most days she skipped this last row, where they kept the small
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS dogs and puppies. It was always crowded, and the dogs were always riled up, but today she just wasn’t ready to leave yet. True to form, as she glanced down the aisle, the dogs were yapping, jumping, and pawing at their cage doors in their bid for attention and hope for freedom. At least twenty other people milled about the limited space. Spring Break allowed for families, as well as the single population, to gather; normally, at this time of the day, mostly grownups visited the shelter. Today, an elderly couple was checking out a Maltese mix, a young woman with three young boys was looking at a litter of puppies, with each child yelling louder than the last about which dog he wanted, and then there he was. Emma froze. Moving was beyond her, so when a young girl bumped her arm a moment later in an enthusiastic attempt to get near a particular dog, she barely noticed. She couldn’t even respond to the mother’s apology when it came a moment later. She just stood there, staring. Whatever happiness she’d experienced that morning immediately dissolved, and not like Kool‐Aid when one poured it into water. No remnant of happiness remained, not even a little chunk bound together, refusing to give up its solidity. It was all gone, leaving her absolutely bereft. Then the most inane thing happened—tears stung the backs of her eyes, simply because the man standing at the other end of the aisle was the man her soul had longed to find for as long as she could remember— and she couldn’t do a damn thing about it. No way in hell would she was put herself through the wringer again, not for all the passion in the world. After the last time, she’d determined to never feel again. Never to love, never to hope. The cruelest joke of all was that her feelings now, as she looked at this man, were more potent than any she’d never known. They felt...real. Her heart leapt at the mere sight of him, as if they’d been long separated and had suddenly reconciled. A part of her rejoiced at the sight of him in his expensive, tailored suit, looking completely bewildered and out of place. Another part of her was horrified.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack had one arm folded across his chest, his other elbow propped up on it, and two fingers resting against his cheek. By all outward appearances, he was sure he looked completely at ease in his surroundings. He chalked it up to Sinclaire arrogance, which he could easily mask as anything he wanted. Right now, he needed to act nonchalant. He didn’t feel that way, and it had absolutely nothing to do with the yapping little creatures begging for attention as if their lives depended upon it, and everything to do with the woman at the end of the aisle staring at him so blatantly. He’d noticed her presence the second she’d rounded the corner as quickly as if she’d physically touched him. She’d been impossible to ignore, and he’d gone instantly hard. In fact, the feeling had gone beyond simple arousal coursing through his veins to become a deep‐seated, primal urge pulsing through his every cell. He wanted to grab her and mark her as his. Bloody laughable, considering his train of thought lately, and also bloody bad timing, since he had his five‐year‐old nephew with him. “I like this one, Uncle Jack.” “What, Alex?” Jack longed to say the same words the boy just had, but he doubted he and Alex were speaking about the same thing. He shook his head as his nephew’s voice brought him back to reality like having a bucket of cold water splashed in his face, which he most assuredly needed right now. Alex poked his fingers through the bars of a cage, and the small white dog inside it tried to lap the skin off of them. Jack would have laughed, if everything inside him didn’t hurt. “Oh, she’s pretty.” Hoping he sounded enthused enough for a five‐ year‐old, Jack glanced out the corner of his eye at the brunette. She was still watching them. Get a grip, Jack. Maybe she just has her eye on this particular dog and is guarding her territory. He ran his hands through his hair, thankful for this afternoon’s appointment to have it cut. Or maybe she wants to rip off your clothes and take you right here against one of the kennels.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He was channeling Dane Andrews, he knew. Ever since the night of the ball, he hadn’t been able to get Dane’s words out of his head. “Marry Claudia or donʹt,” his friend had said. “But donʹt continue to pretend you’re someone you’re not. It’ll ruin you. Passion is your life’s blood.” Since that night, Jack hadn’t slept. He’d spent his time fretting, and all of it had led to this moment of complete out‐of‐character behavior. A psychotic break. Never in his life had he wanted so badly to possess a woman, and he couldn’t think up a better sentiment for it. He suddenly was unbearably hot, which had nothing to do with the current heat wave or the early afternoon sun beating down on them. He loosened the knot in his tie, crouched down beside Alex and stuck his fingers into the cage— and was instantly tasted by the little cotton puff. Before he could stop it, he had a thought that unimaginable, inexplicable bliss would have him strapped to a bed, silk sheets cooling his fevered skin, while the brunette tasted him. Vivid, wicked images filled his mind. Her naked body atop his own, his arms wrapped around her, and his hands holding her firm ass while her tongue licked the length of him. In his mind she smiled, and then took him entirely into her mouth. He shook his head to dispel the visual images he had no right conjuring up in the first place. Another second of that, and he’d come right where he stood—and how in God’s name would he explain that to Alex? What is the matter with you? Jack tried without success to focus on his nephew and his quest for his first dog. It wasn’t easy. Maybe it wasn’t even possible. He wondered if an evil spirit had possessed his body the second he walked through the animal shelter’s gate. That’s what came from placing a shelter beside the jail. He ground his teeth, thinking that stranger things had happened—like his reaction to a woman he did not know. Purposefully, he squelched the erotic images inside his head. “I don’t mean to intrude, but an older dog might be a better choice if this is your first.” The woman’s soft voice wafted over him along with her arousingly feminine scent, which grabbed him and left him somewhere on the other
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS side of breathless. He looked up at her long, denim‐clad legs, then glimpsed bare skin. She had a taut, tanned belly, with a sparkling jewel glinting at him from her navel, topped by a pale blue tank top that covered her generously rounded breasts. Jack’s hands fisted in an effort not to touch her. His eyes rose to her freckled bare shoulders, followed by the face he’d waited his whole life to see. She had shoulder‐length, chestnut hair, shot through with rich whiskey, which hung in soft waves that brushed her shoulders. Jack wanted to taste her full lips more than he wanted his next breath, and then he met her eyes. They were deep brown and...wary? Almost fearful. Realizing he was staring mutely and had been for some time, he stood. “Uh. Excuse me?” She swallowed and took a deep breath. Her cheeks were flushed with color, and her breathing appeared to have stalled. Did she feel anything close to what he did? Was she willing to do the things his mind was even now supplying in vivid high definition? Could she want him the way he wanted her? Was it even possible? His hand twitched in a spasm rebelling against the iron hold he had on his libido. He wanted to touch her, to feel every inch of her skin, every glorious inch. He wanted to bury his nose in her hair, to entwine their legs and bodies until there was no ending and no beginning and they were simply…one. “I said, a dog.” She blinked, and he jerked his mind back to the present. “An older one. Your son is so young—” Alex giggled, reminding Jack of his presence. He looked down to find the child sitting cross legged, pressing his cheek against the cage, and being licked near to death. He was completely oblivious to anything else going on around him. “Nephew,” he corrected, lifting his eyes back to her. “Oh. Right.” She was visibly flustered, but maybe it was from the heat of the day. Maybe that was his problem as well. It hadn’t been a smart move for him to wear a Versace suit to the dog pound, but seeing as he’d never been to the dog pound before—nor started the day with the faintest notion that he would be—the thought hadn’t crossed his mind. He searched the
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS woman’s eyes and found that sense of a kindred heart he’d felt originally and knew the suit and the heat were not his problem. “Well, a puppy can be a handful for a child.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her beautiful, dainty hand and its pearl pink nails over her forehead. “Forget it. It was rude of me to invade your privacy and act like some kind of authority.” She blushed furiously and turned to leave, but Jack couldn’t let her. He grabbed her arm just above the elbow, and pure molten fire arced between them. He dropped his hand. What the hell was that? Staring down at his still‐tingling fingers as if he’d never seen them before, he had to sudden need to catch his breath, as if he’d just swum fifty laps. Finally he lifted his head, regaining his infamous Sinclaire composure, and caught her shocked expression before she took two steps backward. “I’m sorry.” Her voice shook and turmoil flickered in her eyes, mirroring every single sensation hunting him at that very moment. Shock, wonder, and fear. She was leaving him, though. He could sense it. Like a rabbit, she was about to bolt. He needed to decide whether or not to let her, and he didn’t have much time to debate it. His new policy of going over every last detail—pro and con— before making a decision would not serve him well this time. He found himself at the brink of a place he feared, all the while feeling himself being pulled there despite his ferocious will to avoid it. It was now or never. Sink or swim. Jump or die. In the end, he went with his gut. “Please,” he said softly. “Don’t go.”
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Chapter Three Emma froze, not sure exactly what to do. One minute she was fighting back tears and going over in her head all the reasons why she would never again believe in any man and couldn’t possibly risk her heart, and the next she was standing over this stranger talking to him as if she had a right. And lordy, when he touched her...she’d melted into a puddle at his feet, as if she’d never been touched in her life and was starved for it. A sensation of crazy abandon stole over her, and she had the strangest notion to throw herself into his arms and refuse to leave them. Ever. All good and convincing reasons why she needed to run. “I didn’t mean to—” “I wasn’t sure—” They both tried to speak at once. He bent and scooped the child into his arms. The boy was wearing jeans and a pale yellow Polo shirt. He looked pressed and tidy, in every way a small boy shouldn’t. He was the most perfect thing Emma had ever seen, and her heart pinched from having everything she’d ever wanted in life right in front of her and not being able to do a damn thing about it. The man tugged down the boy’s shirt and patted his stomach. “Alex Sinclaire, this is Miss...uh—” He met her eyes. A completely innocent movement that happened repeatedly in life, but this time everything was different. This time she felt it. His look, his desire. Him. He
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS gave her a sheepish smile that was too sweet to be real. “—this is where you help me out.” Help him? She couldn’t breathe, let alone remember her name. A moment later she recovered, like a dolt, and supplied, “Emma Hallowell.” “Emma Hallowell.” He repeated her name as if it were sacred. She wanted to cry. Why was this happening now, and not five years ago? Why now, when she had no faith left? No trust. No courage to try again. “Emma, this is my nephew, Alex, and we are indeed looking for his first dog.” He leaned closer, engulfing her in his heat and scent until she felt light headed. “Any help you can supply will be most appreciated by me, and my sister as well, I’m sure.” Emma smiled and reached a hand toward Alex, who took it with a gap‐toothed grin. “I’m very pleased to meet you, Alex.” She gave him a shy smile. Children made her nervous and incredibly heartsick these days. “I’m Jack, by the way.” The handsome stranger ran his hand around the back of his neck and adjusted Alex on his hip. “Jack Sinclaire.” For a half second she’d forgotten he was there, but his rich voice commanded her attention. She met his gaze and was immediately wrapped in safety, like never before. Like everything in the world was somehow going to be set right, simply because Emma Hallowell had met Jack Sinclaire. “The dog thing—it’s sort of an opinion thing, but some people say an older dog is better for children because they’re usually more settled.” She looked into an empty kennel beside her, pinching the chain link fencing between her fingers. “You need to find one that’s been around kids and likes them. Older dogs are also usually already house‐trained, which is a big plus. Especially for a single mom, I would imagine.” “How’d you know that Lilly—” “Same last name.” She smiled and looked back at him. She swore she saw home in his eyes, but quickly reprimanded herself for that foolish thought. She shrugged and smiled at Alex again. The boy had rested his head against his uncle’s broad shoulder. She couldn’t resist touching him,
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS placing her hand along his thigh and tugging down his little shirt. “You said Alex Sinclaire, Jack Sinclaire, which means your sister—and not brother—would appreciate my helping.” She shrugged again and tore her gaze from his. She could feel herself blushing. “Anyway, there’s a dog around the corner that might be perfect.” She started in that direction, first shooting another glance at Alex and not being able to resist a smile. “It’s a bigger dog, but the smaller ones are actually hard to get here, and this one’s already available.” He followed her without hesitation, ducking under a sapling, but not quickly enough that the leaves didn’t brush Alex’s hair. “I thought all of the dogs were available.” She stopped and turned, nearly causing him to bump into her. The sudden closeness made her breathing hitch. Even above the barking, she swore she heard him do the same. “No,” she said, somehow managing to find her voice. “When they come in, they’re given a week for their owners to claim them. After that, they’re available for adoption, but the small ones usually have a waiting list. You have to be here at eight in the morning on the date listed on their card to see if the dog is still available. The list is read, and the first person on it who’s here gets the dog. If no one shows up, then she’s up for grabs.” Emma couldn’t stop fidgeting. Jack’s intense stare didn’t make her feel uncomfortable as much as heated, but it was difficult to stare right back at him, what with the butterfly cotillion going on in her stomach. Her palms were sweaty. She looked down at them, and her heart ached at the possibilities she knew she’d never allow herself again. When she looked back into his eyes, she thought she saw the same struggle. Unable to stop herself, she smiled. He smiled back. His hand moved toward her, and although she knew he was going to touch her again, she couldn’t find it in her to move away. “Where’s my doggy?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Young Alex’s plaintive plea broke the tension between them, and Emma took a step back. They walked around the corner to the cage she’d visited this morning. “Here he is.” She hoped she sounded joyful, and not all mixed up inside. The big black dog leaned against the front of his cage. Jack set Alex on the ground, and he pushed his fingers through the cage to touch the dog’s thick coat. “He looks like a little of everything, part Newfie, part Lab. Those are good dogs,” she said, struggling for something neutral to say. “The sign says he’s about eight. The upside is, he still has two to six years ahead of him, if his new owner takes good care of him.” She stepped closer to Jack, not because she wanted to, but because she didn’t want Alex to hear what she had to say next. She licked her lips and tucked her hair behind her ears, then met Jack’s stare straight on. “The downside would be that Alex will still be pretty young when he has to face the loss of his first pet.” Emma realized she was rambling, and shut her mouth. Crouching in front of the cage, she cooed at the older dog. “You think a lot, don’t you?” “Um…” Acutely embarrassed, she looked over her shoulder, not knowing how to respond. He smiled down at her, his eyes so dark with desire her blood heated and her panties grew damp. She wanted him, and she couldn’t remember ever wanting a man before. She’d had sex, but it had never been her idea. She’d just gone along. This was different. All of a sudden, she couldn’t stop thinking about it, wondering what it would feel like when he slid into her. How his hands would feel on her body, his mouth on her clit. She felt wanton and daring and bold and…scared shitless. She looked away, unable to stand the connection any longer. “I like that,” he admittedly softly. Her stupid silly heart soared at the sentiment. Most people in her life criticized her for over‐thinking a situation, but she liked considering all the possibilities, hashing out the pros and cons before coming to a good decision. Deep down, she was a problem solver, forced into the role when
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS she was no more than a child. Now, it was just what she did. She looked back up at him. “I used to work for a vet. Answering phones, cleaning cages, and stuff like that. I picked up things.” He cocked his head. She blinked. Man, he’s gorgeous. From his chiseled jaw and deep set, blue‐black eyes, to those full lips that begged her to kiss them, Emma wasn’t sure she’d ever seen a more aesthetically pleasing man. She tried to think of her attraction that way because it seemed more detached than saying he was a hottie and she wanted him naked on top of her, fucking her like they were wild rabbits in a field. She swallowed, hard, and cursed the constant blush that had burned her cheeks from the second their gazes first met. “You used to work for a vet?” “Mmm, yes. But I didn’t make enough money. Went back to waiting tables.” The dog licked her hand. Since she hadn’t been looking, it startled her. She turned her head, and her heart melted. Alex had pressed his entire body against the cage door, and the big black dog was doing the same. “I work at a little cafe on the boardwalk. Annie’s.” She looked back up at him. “Do you know it?” “No, I donʹt think so.” His voice sounded distant, and his eyes were so dark she wasn’t sure what color they were anymore. As he stared at her, she suddenly understood what it was to be a deer in the headlights. No matter how hard she pleaded with herself, she couldn’t look away. Slowly, he reached down and ran one finger along her cheek, making every nerve ending in her body tingle. Stunned, she looked away and tried to catch her breath. “What do you think, Alex?” The rich timbre of Jack’s voice made the butterflies in her belly alight, and he wasn’t even talking to her. This was crazy, exciting, and wonderful—and the worst possible thing that could have happened to her. She tried to say something and found her throat broken. No sound came out. She made a small cough and tried again.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “They’ll let you take him into the yard so you can really check him out.” Alex gasped, and his eyes grew nearly as big as his smile. “Can we, Uncle Jack?” “Sure, let’s go.” “You stay.” Emma stood up. “I’ll tell them. I have to go, anyway.” She backed up one step too far. Her foot caught in the small trough used to catch the run‐off when they hosed down the kennels and found her back pressed to the chain link fence. She blushed, then smiled and corrected her mistake. “Are you going to work?” It took her a minute to catch up, and she shook her head. “Uh, no.” “Do you have a date?” Jack cringed when he heard how possessive he sounded, but hell, that was how he felt. She met his gaze with eyes painted the darkest brown, layered with gold. It was the only way he could describe them, and he lost himself in them. He wanted to touch her again, but he was already cursing himself for doing so twice. She was fire, and he knew better than to play with that substance. His gut told him she represented the end of the world as he knew it. The life he’d always led. If he made a move toward this woman, everything would change. The smart thing for him to do would be to thank her for her help, let her go her way, and... And what, oh wise one? Always wonder? “No date. I don’t date.” She bit her lower lip. She obviously didn’t have any idea what that did to a man. He wanted to bite it for her. Wanted to slide his tongue over its surface, and then slowly, savoring every taste, slide it into her mouth. He pulled his thoughts up short. She doesn’t date? Why on earth not? But that was good. Very good. He wouldn’t have to lie awake at night torturing himself with the image of her in another man’s arms. Naked images suddenly filled his mind, and his cock stirred back to life. Oh, good God. Still, I don’t date translates into I’m not taken, which translates into throw her over your shoulder and take her home. He cringed again. What
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS am I? A caveman? Somehow he found his voice and was surprised he sounded as if he possessed all his faculties when he said, “Then stay.” “Please stay,” Alex said. “You know way more `bout dogs than Uncle Jack does.” Jack couldn’t hide his smile. God bless Alex. “He’s right, you know.” Jack rested his hand atop the boy’s red hair. “You could watch him with Alex and tell me what you think. If he’d be a good dog for him, or not.” Emma glanced at the dog, and then at Alex. Jack could tell she was considering it, if only for the dog’s sake. So he decided to play it. Poking his fingers through the cage, he patted the dog’s head. “Come on.” He cajoled her. “Look at those eyes.” He tugged up the dog’s chin until the animal’s big black eyes shone clearly in Emma’s direction. “How can you say no to that?” She almost smiled, but didn’t. Then she met his eyes with such honesty glaring from hers it nearly floored him. “I donʹt think I can.” She hadn’t meant the dog’s eyes, and he knew it. Oh Jack, you’re going to get burned here. He wasn’t sure he cared. A half hour later, he stood across from her inside a fenced area, watching her watch Alex and the big black behemoth. His sister was going to have his ass for this. She wanted a small dog. Something part poodle, no doubt. Something to appease Alex’s growing dog lust and still keep her world intact. Big Black over there wasn’t going to do that, not by a long shot. Jack shrugged mentally. If he couldn’t smooth things over with Lilly, maybe he’d just keep the dog at his place. “So what do you think, dog expert?” Emma blushed adorably, just as he’d hoped she would. “They seem like a good match.” Her attention went to Alex, who had his arms wrapped around the dog’s neck, giggling uproariously as the animal licked his face. “What do you think, Alex?” He could barely talk for giggling. “I love him.” At least, that’s what Jack thought he said. “Well, it seems like a done deal then, doesn’t it?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Oh, he had some butt kissing to do when Lilly got home. Meanwhile, he had bail to make for a big black dog. Not wanting Emma to take this chance to escape, he quickly came up with a plan. “Emma, do you mind taking my card and paying the fee, so I can stay here with Alex?” Her eyes became huge saucers, and her mouth dropped open. “You donʹt even know me.” Oh, but she was wrong. He did know her. On some deep, unexplainable level that meant more than fifty years of small talk or intimacy ever could. He took a step closer, pulled his wallet from his pocket, and held the card in front of her. “I trust you.” He stood so close, his breath stirred the hair beside her face. He was close enough that only a fraction of movement would have her in his arms, his lips against hers. He glanced down. Her nipples were hard and pebbled, straining against her shirt. God, how he wanted to taste them. He wanted this woman completely naked and available in his bed, for at least a month. He wanted to run his hands over every inch of her skin. His tongue would taste every bit of her, and he would fuck her every way imaginable, which was not the usual way he thought of that particular act. With Emma, though, it seemed that their joining would be primal, passionate, and raw. Fucking just about covered it. While they rested between sessions of overwhelming ecstasy, he wanted to learn everything about her. Every thought she’d ever had, every battle she’d faced, every person in her life. Holy hell, I’m fucked. He handed her the card with one hand and grazed her cheek with the other. If he was fucked, he was damn well going to go out in a blaze of glory. Her gaze flew to his, and he saw her shock; but more than that, her eyes darkened with molten desire. Jack caught Alex from the corner of his eye, still enraptured with his new dog, so he leaned even closer, hoping only she would hear him. “Donʹt run from this, Emma. Don’t run from what we could be.” “I...”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Her eyes showed everything she felt, and he liked that. He saw the confusion, the concern. She didn’t understand what was going on here anymore than he did, but she was more scared of it, and that was a problem. Fortunately, she took his card, and her fingers brushed his. She leaned closer, but he was fairly certain she didn’t mean to. He’d never wanted to hold a woman so badly in all his life. His woman. He could deny it later, but for right now, he would only know the truth. * * * * * Emma literally shook as she stood in line waiting to pay Jack’s fee with his credit card. A hysterical giggle escaped her as she realized the big black dog had been saved, and she’d had a hand in it. That was beyond wonderful, but what was going on between her and Jack scared the life out of her. She’d already made a mess of her personal life over far less than she was feeling right now. Jack Sinclaire had the power to obliterate her and turn her into an empty shell, which the others had tried to do, but had never completely succeeded. “Next.” The voice came through the speaker. Emma glanced at the five windows to find out where she was supposed to go, then stepped up. “Kennel Eighty‐eight.” She slid Jack’s credit card under the glass to the woman typing numbers into a computer. As it turned out, the dog had previously been neutered, so that saved Jack seventy‐five bucks. Not that she supposed it really mattered. The woman handed her the paperwork and a dog tag. Then Emma started back to where she’d left Jack and Alex. Abruptly, she stopped. “What am I going to do when I get there?” she asked herself aloud. She took a deep breath. She had no idea, but she knew she had to come up with something fast. She rounded the corner to find Jack tossing Alex into the air. The boy was in a fit of giggles, and the dog was nowhere in sight. She ran toward them. “What happened?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Apparently Old Black’s a favorite around here.” Jack’s eyes met hers, and every fear and ounce of concern drained from her body, only to be replaced by a comforting lethargy. He tucked Alex onto his hip. “The woman took him to say his good‐byes.” “Oh.” Emma’s heart fell back into place. For only a fraction of a second, though, before Jack took a few steps closer to her, and it went back to its new, erratic beat. “Listen, Alex and I were wondering—” Oh sure, put this on Alex, she thought. As if she could turn down whatever it was now. “If maybe you can come with us. We’re going to hit the big pet warehouse and then take Old Black home. I’ve never had a dog. I donʹt know what I’m doing, or what he needs. Please, Emma.” “Pleeeease, Emma,” Alex echoed. The two of them looked at her as if she had the cure to some horrible disease, and they were both dying from it. She tugged on the boy’s little yellow shirt again, and found herself cupping his cheek before her eyes met Jack’s. “It isn’t complicated. A dish, some food, a few toys. Anybody at the store can help you.” Jack took her hand in his, refusing to let her back away. “Please, Emma.” His voice was low and needy. This had nothing to do with dog toys, and they both knew it. She nearly broke into tears. “I can’t.” “Please.” His eyes turned an even darker shade. He was begging her, and she got the idea that Jack Sinclaire never begged anyone for anything. But she couldn’t give in. She didn’t trust herself enough to handle all she was feeling. Falling into bed with this man was becoming inevitable, and she couldn’t think of anything more dangerous. “If it’s a matter of leaving your car, I can drive you back later to pick it up. The reality is, Emma, that Alex can’t possibly hold Old Black while I drive. We need you.” She scratched her forehead and let out a sigh. “I don’t have a car.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “All right then, problem solved.” Jack beamed. Just then, the attendant brought them the old black dog, and everything was settled. Except Emma’s stomach, of course. What was she going to do? Let them have an accident because the dog got away from Alex while Jack was driving, and she’d been too much of a coward to sit in the same vehicle with him? Jack took the red lead they’d put on the dog and thanked the woman. Then he looked back to Emma, waiting for an answer, even though the glint in his eyes told her he already knew it. “Fine. But after you get him settled, I’ll need you to point me to the nearest bus stop so I can be on my way.” They walked out of the animal shelter like the perfect little family, mother and father, their precious child, and their new black dog. If only it weren’t a dream. As they passed the rabbit cages, Jack maneuvered himself until he walked right behind her, his warm breath whispering across her ear. He leaned close and said, “If you think I’m letting you get on a bus and ride out of my life, you’re crazy, Emma. If you seriously want to leave, I won’t stop you. But I’m taking you home, and that’s final.” Home? Her entire body tensed. The last thing she wanted was for Mr. Thousand‐dollar‐suit to see her shabby room at the motel. She didn’t want his disdain, but even more she didn’t want his pity. She looked over her shoulder at him, “You can take me to work.” “Fine.” He smiled. She glared at him, but surrendered. “Fine.” As they reached the gate, the gelding whinnied good‐bye to her. She smiled and blew him a kiss. “I’ll see you next week, my love.” Jack bumped her shoulder. “Should I be jealous?” “Definitely.” She smirked. Emma held the leash as Jack unlocked the back door of his champagne‐colored Jaguar and pulled out a small dog carrier. She laughed. “I don’t think he’ll fit into that.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I’m well aware.” Jack scowled again. Emma wondered if he had any idea how adorable that scowl made him look, or how badly she wanted to kiss it away. She groaned internally; there were so many parts of Jack Sinclaire she wanted to kiss. He opened the front door and put the carrier on the passenger seat, then reached for old black’s leash. “I’ll also have you know I’ve never had an animal in this car, and I’m not overjoyed about the prospect now.” She laughed again and swung between him and the opening to the back seat. The space was much smaller than she’d judged, or maybe he’d moved closer. She wasn’t sure which it was, but he was nearly holding her. She wanted to lean just a little bit closer and feel his powerful chest against hers, but she held herself in check. “Well, “ she said in a raspy voice she barely recognized as her own, “If it’s any consolation, I promise to behave.” He hitched up one side of his mouth. “Oh, Miss Hallowell, the last thing I want from you is good behavior.” An eternity went by as they stood almost touching, staring into one another’s eyes as if all the questions to the universe resided there. When Alex began to complain, Emma finally gave in and slid into the back beside him, waiting for Old Black to be loaded on top of her. She was in so much trouble.
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Chapter Four Emma hung back in the aisle at the pet store, while three sales girls made a fuss over the big black dog. Not that she was stupid, by any means; she knew they were all actually making subtle plays for Jack. But what was she going to do? Charge up to them and say, “Hands off girls, he’s mine”? Mine? Puh‐lease. She squeezed the tag off a chew toy and self‐consciously put it back on the shelf. Her head hurt from trying to figure her way out of this, but her stomach was in knots at the thought of succeeding. Jack was unlike any man she’d ever known. He was strong, yet gentle at the same time. He had a presence that said he was damned well in charge, yet he had humbled himself enough to plead with her to come with them. She felt utterly safe with him in a way she never had before—safe even from herself, and that was certainly a first. More often than not, she was her own worst enemy. If she were really honest, she could blame her own over‐thinking—mixed with stupid gullibility—for the demise of every one of her relationships. But what would be different with Jack? He might be an entirely different species of male, but she was still herself and would make up half of the equation. All in all, their chances for success were less than promising.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Her stomach tightened into yet another knot as the blonde ruffled Alex’s hair. Oh, she had every move going, and as much as Emma hated to admit it, Jack probably got this kind of attention everywhere he went. She would do well to remember that. She knew nothing about him; he might already have a wife and a girlfriend hidden away somewhere. She quickly dismissed that thought. Though she had reason to be wary, Jack wasn’t the type. She sensed his integrity inside her bones, as ridiculous as that sounded. Honesty was the only way with Jack, but for her that was bad, because he’d expect it in return. Could she really ever be completely honest with him? Probably not. She would never tell anyone certain things about herself and her life—and if he somehow stumbled across her secrets… Oh, God. Her stomach did a somersault at the thought. She had to get out of here. She looked back down the aisle. Alex was on his hands and knees in front of his dog, barking at him as if it were the most normal thing in the world to carry on a conversation that way. God, he’s precious. Her heart sank as she caught sight of Jack sending one of his beautiful smiles toward the girls. One of them giggled, brushed his arm…and left her hand there. Emma could practically hear her cooing, “Oooh, your bicep is so hard.” Bitch! She felt invisible and completely unnecessary and unrelentingly jealous, so with one last look—a look that would have to last her a lifetime—she sneaked down the aisle toward the exit, where hopefully she would reclaim her sanity. * * * * * Jack could only take so much fawning, and he’d just about reached his limit. He was trying to be polite. The girls couldn’t have been much more than nineteen, and the last thing he wanted to do was hurt their
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS feelings. However, he was concerned that by allowing their little game to continue, the person he cared about most would get her feelings hurt. He checked on Alex, then glanced down the aisle where Emma was hanging back. His heart stopped. She wasn’t hanging back any more. She was gone. “Uh, ladies...” He took Alex’s hand and pulled on Old Black’s leash. The dog immediately stood at attention. “It’s been a pleasure. We appreciate your help.” He slid away from the most gregarious girl and started moving. The harem followed him. “No, no.” He held up one hand. “No need for you to follow, but thank you.” The girls released exasperated sighs and tried to argue, but he didn’t have time for it—his life had just left. He needed to get her back. What would he do if he didn’t? Well, for starters, he guessed he’d be spending an unusual amount of time at the dog pound. His gut told him she’d left, so he didn’t waste time searching every aisle of the pet warehouse. He grabbed Alex’s hand, tugged on the leash, and led the dog toward the front door. Exiting the building was a shock to his system. The mid‐afternoon sun hit Jack hard as the three of them stepped onto the blacktopped parking lot, the heat sizzling through the soles of his Italian loafers as if he wasn’t wearing them at all. His eyes felt as if a thousand daggers had just been thrown into them as sunlight pierced them, but nothing matched the desperation deep inside his soul. “Why would she leave us, Uncle Jack?” His nephew’s small, sad voice grabbed his heart. He let out a breath and came down on his knees in front of the boy. “She didn’t leave us buddy, she left me. And it was because I was inconsiderate of her feelings.” With a sigh, he admitted to himself that he’d been a complete imbecile for being more concerned with the feelings of those three women than of those belonging to the mother of his future children. His stomach tightened. “Oh, God.” He grasped Alex’s yellow shirt like a life line. “What have I done?” “Uncle Jack…Uncle Jack—”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Alex shook Jack’s shoulders with his small hands until he raised his head and met the boy’s curious blue stare. “This happened in a movie Mommy made me watch.” He stuck out his tongue and scrunched up his nose. “A stupid girl movie. All you gotta do is get a pair of shoes, then you’ll find her.” Regardless that his heart was aching from losing Emma and his head spun with plans to somehow find her again, Jack couldn’t help but smile at the child’s innocence. “What are you talking about, Alex?” Alex let out an exasperated sigh—as if grown‐ups were more trouble than they were worth—and ruffled the dog’s coat. “In the movie, the princess ran away after the prince.” His face became contorted again and his voice lowered. “Then he kissed her, took one of her stinky old shoes, and found her again. Even though you didn’t kiss Emma, it still might work.” The child looked utterly relieved in the knowledge that his Uncle Jack hadn’t kissed Emma, which pained Jack to no end. The thought of never knowing how she felt in his arms, how she would taste when he first slid his tongue inside her mouth. How she would look in his bed, pressed against his sheets. He could see it as if it were real, his mouth on her nipples, her fingers in his hair. His cock stiffened as he thought of how incredible it would be to bring her closer and closer to ecstasy, to make her come for him like she had never come for anyone else. Sweat trickled down his neck as he imagined the feel of her pussy grabbing his cock and milking him hard, her eyes half shut in the bliss of their union. Missing all that would haunt him forever if he never saw her again. He drew a breath and shoved all thoughts of her from his mind, because not seeing her again wasn’t an option and—they weren’t helping. Sadly, neither would a pair of shoes, although he appreciated Alex’s suggestion. He stood, ruffled the boy’s hair, and placed a quick kiss to the top of his head. “You’re a good boy, Alex.” With his one free hand, he shielded his gaze from the blazing sun, knowing Emma couldn’t have gotten far. She had no transportation
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS and...he stopped and would have clapped his hands if he hadn’t been holding Old Black’s leash. “Come on, Alex.” He grabbed the child’s hand and stepped off the curb into the parking lot, dragging both Alex and the dog behind him. “Where are we going?” “To find my princess.” His smile would have outmatched the Cheshire cat’s. “But you don’t got no shoes.” Jack laughed. “I don’t have any shoes.” He gave the boy’s hand a gentle squeeze and stopped short when his prize came into view. “But that’s all right, Alex, because I’ve got something better.” He met the boy’s confused gaze. “I’ve got a carriage.” Emma could hardly believe it when the three of them came into view. She’d only been sitting at the bus stop for a few minutes, closer to tears than she’d been in a very long time and berating herself for feeling so much for a man she’d just met and didn’t know the first thing about. As they came closer, she honestly didn’t know what to do. She felt so many things, and his small, contrite smile wasn’t helping. If only he’d act as if he had every right to flirt with those girls—which he did—then maybe she could walk away from him, but he seemed honestly sorry. If he’d simply been a big charmer from the first, coming on hard and strong with one smooth line after another, she would have written him off without hesitation. A smile broke across her face without permission. The reality of the situation was that Jack seemed to be charming her almost against his own will at times, and she found that endearing. “I thought I’d lost you forever.” The raw honesty in his eyes made her want to cry. How was it possible to feel so much in an instant? How was it possible for the soul to just know its mate? “Would it have mattered?” She hated that she sounded like a pouting four year‐old, and that he could probably tell she was close to tears. But there didn’t seem to be much she could do about it.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He positioned Alex and the dog behind the bus shelter and told them in no uncertain terms they weren’t to move. Then he reached in through the side of the structure where the glass had been broken out and held out his hand to her. “A great deal, yes.” His voice dripped with such sincerity that Emma’s heart contracted. In his tailored suit, he was in great contrast with the graffiti‐spattered bus stop. She had that irresistible urge to take care of him. She stared down at his hand, wanting more than anything to take it, but scared to death of what it would mean. If she didn’t walk away now, in the beginning before he’d even kissed her, she’d never be able to walk away later. As much as he seemed different, she had never known a guy who hadn’t broken her heart, yet deep in her soul, she just knew she’d never recover when Jack Sinclaire walked away from her. It was an unexplainable feeling, but one that wouldn’t allow her to walk away herself. “Please, Emma. I’m so sorry.” She looked into his eyes, then back at his extended hand. The bus was coming; she caught it in her peripheral vision. She could just get on, say she was sorry, and ride out of his life forever—sparing them both the inevitable heartache. If there was one thing she knew intimately, it was inevitable heartache. She reached for her locket, the memories so intense she knew she should walk away, but instead, she placed her hand in his and stepped through the metal skeleton of the bus shelter into complete uncertainty. Jack was like the shelter—only without the broken out glass panels. He’d shelter her from all of life’s storms if she’d only let him. And didn’t screw it up by being herself, of course. The bus stopped and opened its door. Emma didn’t even look at it, afraid she’d get scared again and bolt. Jack wrapped his arm around her waist, pressed his hand into the small of her back, and held the dog’s leash with his other hand. She leaned her forehead against his strong chest, and his hold on her tightened.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “The lady has alternate transportation,” he said to the gawking bus driver. “Sorry for your trouble.” The door slid shut and Emma heard the bus drive away. She smelled its exhaust and felt the heat of it on her skin, but she was completely removed from the world standing in Jack’s half‐embrace. His lips pressed her forehead, and she lost her heart completely. “How can I feel so much for you so soon?” She tilted her head back and looked up into his dark eyes. She wanted to understand what was happening to her, wanted him to have an answer for all of it, but she could see in his gaze that he was just as lost in this sudden storm as she was. He stroked her cheek with his thumb. “I’m not sure, sweetheart. But if it helps, you’re not alone anymore.” She wanted to kiss him so badly, she nearly shook from the need. But she was very aware of Alex beside them. The old black dog had laid on the sidewalk, giving Alex a sort of chair to lean against while he pulled dandelions from a patch of dirt beside the bus stop. He was the epitome of innocence as he blew against a white puff ball and giggled as he watched the small, cottony weeds lift into the air. “You don’t know me, Jack.” She returned her gaze to his eyes. He looked...undone. “You have no idea how bad I am at relationships. I’m needy and selfish and spoiled and...” She closed her eyes and dropped her head. Partly because she was weary from the all‐day struggle and partly because if she didn’t break eye contact soon, his molten stare would have her spontaneously combusting. The man had an effect on her heart, her soul, and her body. A lethal combination that she was quite certain would be the end of her world as she knew it. What scared her most was that she was powerless to stop it. He immediately tipped her chin back up, forcing her to open her eyes and look at him again. His gaze had gone from desirous to feral. “Who told you this?” He looked ready to kill, and if she hadn’t been so raw she might have enjoyed his little show. But she just wanted the whole day to be over.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She took a deep breath and, feeling shamed, looked away from him. “Every guy I’ve ever been with. In one way or another.” “I’ll kill them. Every last one. I want their names and addresses, Emma—I’m not kidding.” She laughed and looked back at him. Laughed again, when she saw he was serious. Then she took his hand in hers. “Don’t you see, Jack? Every girl latches on to one jerk in her lifetime. It’s a rite of passage. But I’ve latched on to six. So either you’re number seven, or—” “You think I’m a jerk?” He seemed appalled by the notion. She had to fight hard against a smile at his expense. “Well, your interest in me sort of leads me to wonder.” He walked a few steps away, as far as the leash allowed, and turned his back on her. She refused to let it hurt. Instead, she looked down at Alex, who was gingerly picking bits of dandelion from the old dog’s eyebrows. She moved toward Jack and in a soft voice, put what she knew would be the final nail in her coffin. “The only other alternative, Jack, is that they’re all right. That I am all of those things and am completely incapable of a relationship. Either way, it would be best for you to get out now.” He turned so fast she had to jump back. “I donʹt want out. They’re not right. And I’m not a jerk!” His passion ignited something in her, something she wasn’t sure she’d ever experienced before. The feeling was possessive and primal and made her want to fuck him right here, right now, against the old, broken‐ down bus shelter. The urge was so overpowering she had to close her eyes to regain her balance. She licked her lips and tried to push aside the vision of Jack naked, growling her name as he came inside her. She took another cautious step back, but he matched her movements until her shoulders pressed against the bus shelter, much like in the picture in her imagination. The heat from his body trapped her, his chest caged her, and his free hand tangled in her hair in a possession so sweet it made her dizzy.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “You’re mine, Emma Hallowell, so you’d best get used to it.” He backed away, leaving her bereft and not certain she could stand on her own. “Come on, Alex,” he said. “Let’s go get Old Black’s things.” Alex stood obediently, seemingly unmoved by the way his uncle had barked at him. Both he and the dog followed Jack without question. Emma knew she’d follow to, but needed a minute to collect herself. She could barely stand, let alone walk. She was his? If only it were true. But he didn’t know her, couldn’t really have understood what she was trying to explain to him. How was she going to get him to understand that he was better off without her? He wanted to possess her; she’d felt it in every barely‐there touch and fiery glance that spoke of so much passion her mouth went dry. He wanted her like no one ever had, and she wanted to give herself to him. Yet how could she, knowing what she did? Knowing without a hint of doubt what he so clearly refused to even entertain…the possibility that she was right? She’d been there through all the highs and lows and the eventual break‐ups. She was the kiss of death to any relationship, and now she’d attracted the attention of the one guy who didn’t seem to care. He wouldn’t convince her differently. She wouldn’t let him. With a hand to her forehead, she ran to catch up. What on earth have I gotten myself into? * * * * * As the Jag rolled through the wrought‐iron gates in front of Alex’s home, Emma sank into the back seat and burrowed her face in the big dog’s black coat. “You better not shed, boy,” she whispered to him, as nausea rolled around in the pit of her stomach. What had she gotten herself into? They pulled around a three‐tier fountain to the top of the circular drive, and Emma counted the floors. Definitely three, possibly four. She hadn’t even been aware they made houses this big. So entranced and
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS overwhelmed by the setting, it took her a minute to realize Jack had opened her door for her. “C’mon, Old Black. Out you go.” The big dog moved slowly off Emma’s lap, as if being careful not to trounce her. Jack bent at the opening, smiling down at her before pulling her out of the car. She could barely take her eyes off the house. She heard Alex yelling for his mother as he ran up the front steps, the dog loyally following behind him. “My sister’s going to kill me, you know.” He shut the car door and pulled her against him, pressing his lips to the side of her head. Her consciousness slowly ebbed back to allow her to become aware of him, of his warmth, of how safe she felt in his arms and how she never wanted to move again. For just a moment, she allowed herself to revel in the feel of him. A relationship between them would never work; if she hadn’t been convinced before, she was now. She looked up warily into his eyes and saw so many emotions sparking in them. He touched her cheek. “It’ll be okay.” “How?” “Doesn’t matter. I’ll make it okay, Emma.” He pulled her all the way into his arms, pressed her head against his chest, and set his big hand against her hair, cradling her as if that were answer enough. She almost made herself believe, had almost allowed him to absorb her completely when a woman’s voice entered their safe little circle. “Jack, what the hell did...Oh, God! I’m sorry.” He let Emma go, sent a quick smile in her direction before turning toward the house, but never let go of her hand. “Lilly, I know he’s not what you expected, but—” “Not what I expected?” Apparently recovered from whatever embarrassment she’d felt from discovering her brother with a strange woman in his arms, his sister came down the steps toward them. Dressed as impeccably as her brother, Lilly Sinclaire wore a pale blue silk blouse and a linen skirt, and her long, dark blonde hair was wound into a meticulous knot at her nape. She was the vision of perfection.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Emma ducked behind Jack. “I wanted a dog, not a bear, you oaf. I’d call forestry services, but Alex is already so attached to that…that—” “Dog.” Jack supplied calmly. She gave him an if‐looks‐could‐kill‐you’d‐be‐so‐six‐feet‐under‐ right‐now look and continued with, “Dog. Alex is giving him a tour of the house. Marta’s hiding in her room. I was thinking something along the lines of a Papillion, Jack.” Jack took a few steps toward his sister, dragging Emma along behind him. Once he reached Lilly, he gently kissed her forehead. “This is Emma, and Marta will recover. Besides, it serves you right. If you’d really wanted a Papillion, you could have called a breeder. But no, you thought you’d be smart with your little, ‘Alex needs a man in his life. Alex needs a dog’ routine. You think I donʹt know what you and Mom are up to?” She blushed furiously and took a step back. “What?” “You’re both tired of waiting for me to get married and have kids.” Jack laughed. Emma swore she heard a catch in his breath before he continued with much less indignation and more passionate sorrow. “You think that if I spend enough time with Alex, I’ll want kids of my own. Well, news flash, Lilly. I already want kids of my own. I want them so badly I ache with it. I watch you and Mom with Alex, and I want to die wishing he were mine, but I’m not going to marry someone solely so I can have children. “I want kids, Lilly, but more than that, I want a marriage. I want someone who loves me, body and soul, to the end of time. Somebody to be my soft place to fall, somebody who cares if I come home at the end of a long day battered and beaten down. I want the I‐can’t‐live‐another‐ minute‐without‐you kind of marriage.” He turned his black stare on Emma, and she lost her ability to breathe. “I want a woman who wants me just as much as I want her. I want long Sunday afternoons in bed, a four‐month honeymoon, and kisses that
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS never end. I want to know she cries when I cry, laughs when I laugh, and to know I wouldn’t be able to breathe without her. That I’ll ache to the depths of my soul when she aches and rejoice alongside her when our children do all of the amazing things children do. I want a house with a damned picket fence and a dog just like Old Black in the yard, and most of all...” He let his words trail away and brushed his finger down Emma’s cheek. “I simply want my other half. I want to be whole.” He swallowed hard, and for a moment, Emma forgot anyone outside herself and Jack existed. “Tell Alex I’ll check in on him later.” His voice was strained, and he hadn’t taken his eyes off her. “I’ve got something I have to take care of right now, and—” He paused to squeeze Emma’s hand before holding open the car door, then he continued as Emma slid in obligingly. “Give Old Black a chance. He and the boy are good together.” Jack closed the door and half walked, half jogged around the front of the Jag to the driver’s seat. Lilly stood frozen in place halfway between the vehicle and the front steps. “Okay then,” she said. “Nice to meet you, Emma.” She held up her hand, giving Emma a stilted wave. Emma gave her a shy smile in return and put all her effort into not sinking so low in the seat Lilly could no longer observe her. What had she gotten herself into?
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Chapter Five Jack rubbed the back of his neck. The air conditioning in the car didn’t seem to be working the way it should, because the Jag’s interior was unbearably hot. Oh, he knew why, but he could live in denial with the best of them. “Music?” Emma’s head snapped toward him so fast he thought she might have done herself bodily damage. “Uh, sure.” “What do you like?” “Anything.” She went back to adorably nibbling on her bottom lip. He found a station on satellite radio he hoped would soothe their jangled nerves. What are you doing? he asked himself. What had happened back at Lilly’s? He wasn’t entirely sure who that person spouting all that romantic babble had been, but it wasn’t him. He’d obviously been invaded by some rogue spirit. What about Claudia? What about old play‐by‐the‐rules Jack? He glanced at Emma, and his heart tripped. What about love? Real, honest, till‐death‐do‐you‐part love? Was it possible? Had he found the one woman his heart had been set aside for from the beginning of time? Such a monumental occurrence should surely be met with trumpets and roses, not stray mutts and howling. He looked at her again, and he knew. That was exactly what had happened. Now, he needed to figure out what to do about it. “You hungry?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She looked like one of those sad, scared puppies he’d seen this morning. He just wasn’t sure what to do about it. Over the course of his life, he’d thought about love often enough, but his thoughts had always been along the lines of boy meets girl, there is a wedding, a white dress, and then happily ever after. Yet what he was faced with here was a different animal entirely, and he didn’t have the faintest clue how to deal with it. What he felt for Emma was basic and primal. Raw lust was part of it, to be certain, but his feelings went so much deeper. More than anything, he wanted to just take her back to his place, maybe grill her something, and sit outside on the terrace and watch the canals while they talked and got to know one another better. Considering, however, the pretty good odds that Claudia would be there, home really wasn’t a good choice. So what the fuck am I going to do about Claudia? Even if nothing ever came of this thing with Emma, there was no longer any doubt there were more women out there for him to explore. He shouldn’t just accept the complacent relationship he’d fallen into with her. She’ll be hurt. God, how he hated hurting anyone. But he knew she’d be more hurt in the long run if he married her without his whole heart. Glancing at Emma again, he knew he’d never have his whole heart again. He’d already given it away. At some point, it occurred to him that Emma wasn’t dressed right for any of the places he knew to eat. He felt like such a snob and that uncomfortable heat started rising up the back of his neck again. “Um, any place special you want to eat?” “Anything’s fine, really.” She looked incredibly nervous, so he reached across the console and rested his hand on her knee. “Too much, huh?” She met his stare with a blank one of her own. “Back at my sister’s house,” he said. “All that stuff that just sort of fell out of my mouth. I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s not like I’ve got a nursery furnished back at my place or anything.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Her small smile warmed his blood. Knowing where that was headed, he painfully forced his thoughts to the fund raiser for the children’s hospital he was working on. Something neutral, to keep his mind off Emma. “I’ve never heard anyone speak like that before.” Her eyes flitted away from him, and then came back. “I didn’t know guys like you existed. Even if nothing comes of this, Jack, I’m glad I met you.” They drove along in comfortable silence after that, until Emma directed him to a little greasy spoon he wouldn’t have gone into on his own without a can of roach spray and a health inspector. But she swore by the place. After ordering burgers and chili‐cheese fries, they took their sodas out onto a small patio area to await their food. The hottest part of the afternoon was almost over, but the temperature still hovered close to ninety so Jack left his jacket and tie in the car and rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. It was as comfortable as he was going to get. As they sat in the waning afternoon heat, a gentle breeze picked up and rustled Emma’s hair. She fiddled with her paper cup, which made her seem even more beautiful and delicate. Had it really only been this morning when he’d met her? Yesterday, he’d gone through his entire day not realizing she was out there, not realizing his other half was missing. But was that really true? Because hadn’t her being missing been his whole problem for years? Missing her and not even knowing her, how crazy could life get? He slowly reached across the table and took her hand. “Emma, I know you’re scared.” A rich bark of laughter exploded from deep within him and he let his head fall back with the realization that he was half terrified himself. Because what happened—or didn’t happen—with Emma mattered. It would change his life forever. He brought his gaze back to her. “Quite honestly, I am, too.” He brushed his thumb over her knuckles, wishing she would say something. Anything that would give him hope. He knew she was feeling the same as he was, but she was scared of things he didn’t really understand and he knew he was going to have to try if he was going to stand a shot of convincing her to take a risk with him.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Tell me about the other guys, Emma. Tell me what happened.” She tried to pull away from him, but he held on tightly to her hand and tugged her arm further across the table. “Donʹt leave. I’ve never felt anything like this, Emma. Can you honestly say you have?” “No, but...” “No buts.” He smiled and eased back in his chair. “Let’s just stay with the no part of that answer for a minute. Can you honestly walk away from me today and have no regrets?” She was quiet, but had to know he was glad she was at least considering her answer. Their food was brought out, and he was forced to release her hand. Jack looked down at what he’d ordered with humor. “I don’t think I’ve ever had chili‐cheese fries before.” “Really?” She smiled at him like an innocent child. So adorable. “I can’t imagine that,” she said. He grinned. “Our chef would probably quit if I had even asked.” She laughed and then did something remarkable. She stood, coated one of her fries in chili and cheese, and leaned across the table with it. “Then let me introduce you.” Her voice was all breathy and for a second, it paralyzed Jack. He carefully put his hand on the fry and wickedly sucked her fingers into his mouth along with it, sucking on them as she slowly pulled them back. She swallowed hard, staring into his eyes with so much desire in her expression he wanted to drown in it. “God, I want you, Emma.” A shiver went through her, and she closed her eyes before she sat down. “I’m a bad choice for you, Jack. Besides my inability to be a—” “Did you ever think that maybe none of your other relationships worked because you weren’t supposed to be with those men, but with me?” he broke in. She looked away, sipped her soda, and then met his gaze again. “I’m broke, Jack. I’ve never had money or been around people with
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS money. I’ve always...” She faltered, and her voice broke. “I’ve lived in my car, for crying out loud. I could never survive in your world.” “I donʹt care about the damned money, Emma. I’d give it all up in a heartbeat if I thought that was the only thing keeping you from leaping with me.” Disbelief flashed in her eyes, and he kept his gaze on hers. “You know what I’ve always wanted, more than anything?” “No.” She was so sweet he couldn’t resist reaching across the table and brushing his fingers across her cheek again. He’d never shared with anybody what he was about to share with her, but he knew it was the right thing to do. “I want a ranch. Not a huge one or anything, but big enough for horses, dogs, and maybe even a cat or two.” He got up and switched seats so he could sit beside her, taking her hand in his again. “I want a wife to wake up with in the morning, to make love to. We can ride the horses, sit on the porch swing—” He nuzzled her neck. “Then make love again. I don’t like the games that come with the money, Emma, but I can promise you’ll never live in a car again. “I can give up all the corporate games and society expectations in a heartbeat. Move out to the country with you and live happily ever after.” He looked into her eyes, smiling because he already knew how she’d react to what he was about to say, but the devil in him made him say it anyway. “I suppose it’s too early to ask you to marry me, huh?” She gave a startled laugh and pulled back. “Since I haven’t even agreed to date you yet, yeah, I think so.” She cupped his cheek for a second, and then smiled. “Now go back to your own seat. I can’t think when you’re this close.” He laughed and obliged her, but sure as hell didn’t want to move. He wanted to kiss her, but he had the very real feeling that if he started he’d never be able to stop and despite the megawatt sparks flying between them, he didn’t want his first kiss with Emma to be in public. For a time neither of them spoke. They ate in silence, exchanging glances that burned with fire and the promise of more to come. When they finished, Jack had to admit he could eat her greasy spoon fare again.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “It wasn’t horrible, I have to admit.” He opened her car door but stopped her before she could get in. He pressed his body close to hers and gently freed a long strand of hair that had caught on the breeze and stuck to her lips. “So, what do you usually do on Tuesday evenings, Miss Hallowell?” “Nothing.” She closed her eyes and drew in a long breath before meeting his stare again. Perfect. “Would you mind spending the evening with me?” Her eyes skimmed the skyline where the sun was slowly setting. The clouds had turned brilliant shades of pink and red, which contrasted with the bright blue sky in a way that defied description, but nothing compared to Emma when she finally whispered, “I’d like that very much.” * * * * * “I attended a wedding here once.” Jack looked up at Emma, who was perched atop a boulder letting her feet dangle in a torrent of water as he lay in the grass beside her. How they’d ended up at the public library he wasn’t sure, but the park‐like setting beside it, with its Koi pond and waterfall, was heaven sent. “Was it beautiful?” she asked somewhat dreamily. He nodded “It was.” “You sound surprised.” She laughed and splashed water at his head. Jack sat up and wrapped his arms around his knees. “It just seems like such a public place for such a private affair.” She shrugged and focused on the rush of water beneath her. “I see weddings here all the time. And if it’s not an entire wedding, on the weekends this place is one long parade of bridal parties and wedding photographers.” “You ever think of getting married, Emma?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I used to.” She straightened and swung her feet out of the water, her voice losing its dreamy quality. “You’re going to ruin your suit, you know.” She hopped down from the boulder and held a hand out to him; only a fool would have refused her. He took it gladly, pulling her against him once he’d gotten up and established balance. “Marriage used to scare the life out of me. Probably because I knew it would never have worked with any of the women available to me.” “Wh‐why not?” She drew in a shaky breath and gazed up at him. Jack tipped her chin up a fraction, just enough for his lips to brush hers without effort. She shivered. “Because they weren’t you.” This time when he kissed her, he took possession. Emma Hallowell was his. Created at the beginning of time expressly for him, as he was for her. He knew it, and he was sure she knew it, but it scared her. That was all right, though. If he was anything, it was a master negotiator. He had no doubt of his ability to convince her. He slid his tongue across her lower lip, and her body relaxed into his. But she refused to open for him. He drew her lower lip into his mouth. It was like honey‐coated velvet. She was so soft, so sweet, and oh, so delectable. A second later she pressed both hands against his chest. “Do you have a library card?” “Do I make you nervous, Emma?” He couldn’t help smiling. She giggled. “You scare me to tears.” He thought that over for a minute, understanding the courage it took for her to even be here with him. Now wasn’t the time to push for more simply because her sweet kiss had set his body on fire. He kissed the bridge of her nose. “No, I don’t have one, but I imagine with the amount of money the Sinclaire Foundation for Literacy has given them, they’ll issue me one. Would you like to get a book?” “Maybe.” She smiled sheepishly. “Let’s go look.” Jack was greatly encouraged when she took his hand and led him across the lawn, over the bridge, and finally up the steps to the library. He
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS couldn’t remember the last time he’d been inside one. He’d been at the openings of the last four presidential libraries, but that didn’t count. This library was a newer facility, but like all libraries, it felt old. Maybe because of all the books, or the wealth of knowledge pooled in one place that made people feel as if they were surround by wise old men. “What type of a book are you looking for, darling?” Jack asked as they strolled inside. She hadn’t released his hand and walked beside him perusing one aisle after the next without a word. He found her utterly adorable. Part of him couldn’t understand why he couldn’t just bundle her up and take her home for all time simply because he wanted to. He made a mental note to work on his selfish inner child. “Ah, ha!” Emma proclaimed with great fervor, dropping his hand in lieu of the books. She pulled volume after volume from the shelves. He willingly obliged her by holding out his arms and acting as her storehouse. One book after the next, all on horses. “Like horses, do you?” he whispered. She only gave him a wicked grin, then sauntered off to a different section of the library. “You could put those on a table, you know.” “And give you the opportunity to sneak off again?” He shook his head. “Call me cynical, but I only give a woman one chance to escape per date.” She smiled with a gleeful little glint in her eye that snagged his heart. “I’m not going anywhere. I’ve given in to my fate.” Her smile faded, but only slightly. “For this one day, anyway.” This time, she quickly found the section for which she was looking and dove into another willy‐nilly selection process. In the end, when they finally sat side‐by‐side at a quiet table in one of the lower sections, she’d selected books not only on horses, but also on dog breeds and sheep, architecture and gardening, cooking, and one book on personalities and relationships. How to make one’s relationship last a lifetime.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack’s pulse quickened at the thought that she might actually be willing to give him a chance. He’d read any damn book she wanted, if she’d only let him prove what he knew was true. She spread the books out on the table in front of them, organizing them into several piles, and then turned to look at him. “I’ve never met anyone like you before, Jack. No one’s ever made me feel the things you do just by looking at me. There’s something I want so badly, but I’m afraid.” She lowered her eyes and shook her head. “Nothing’s going to come of this, and I want to be sure you know that before I...” She let the words trail away. He tugged up her chin. Her brown eyes flickered with a mixture of excitement and trepidation. “What is it that you want, my love? Because there’s nothing I can deny you.” She lowered her lashes, then utterly shocked him by pressing her lips to his. Her kiss wasn’t entirely chaste, even though she made no move to deepen it. The fires of her passion met his own and ignited a firestorm so deadly it was all he could do to keep from pulling her onto the table and taking her right there in the Orange County public library. “Ah, Emma.” I love you. He wouldn’t say it out loud to her. She’d run screaming from him if he did, but he knew it was true as surely as he heard his blood rushing in his ears. He’d never once in his entire life said those words to a woman; had never even wanted to, until now. He’d wanted to want to, but he’d never actually been in love and knew this was the elusive emotion acclaimed by romantics and poets. Now he, Jack Sinclaire, had just been gifted by the gods with the ability to feel it. For the first time. Ever. He didn’t allow Emma to back away from him. Instead, he slid his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer. “Let me kiss you, Emma. Really kiss you.”
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Chapter Six Jack’s voice was a low growl of need and desire that jarred Emma to her bones. She was scared to death to let him kiss her, really kiss her. But if she didn’t, tease would be her newest label. That didn’t sit right with her, so she determinedly relaxed in his arms and allowed the slow possession of her mouth by his roaming tongue. She nearly fainted from the pleasure of it. His thumb brushed her cheek, and his big hands cupped her face with absolute tenderness. She squirmed in her seat as the kiss became more erotic, with Jack’s tongue moving languorously in and out of her mouth. She grew wet and needy. Wanted his touch in more places than just her face. She squeezed her thighs close together to hold back the tingly sensation rapidly expanding over her vulva and imagined those strong hands moving over her body, his fingers exploring her wet creases and sliding inside her. “Jack.” She couldn’t quite catch her breath. “We’re in public.” She pushed away from him. “There are children.” At that reminder, he released her, although he certainly seemed reluctant to do so. He looked away and focused on the wall beside them. Emma reached for one of the books—the one that she hoped would once and for all convince Jack she wasn’t right for him. She flipped through the pages until she found the chapter she wanted, steadied her traitorous heart, and turned to face him.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Jack, look.” She waited until he met her stare and held the book before him. “It says right here that I’m not good marriage material.” The fiend had the audacity to laugh. “It isn’t funny,” she said with all seriousness. “I’m incapable of communicating my needs to my partner in such a way he can understand. I am also incapable of understanding what he needs or wants, or—” She swallowed back a surge of guilt, because for at least this very moment, her next word was a complete lie. “Desires.” She looked away, blushing fiercely, because she knew exactly what Jack desired‐‐and it was the same with her. Hot, wild, jungle‐fucking. “I think you understand my desires just fine, Emma.” His voice was deep and thick with the desire of which she was so afraid. Forced to look at him again as he did that annoying finger‐under‐the‐chin thing again, dragging her vision back to him, she couldn’t miss the warning in his eyes. He didn’t want her to deny his words. She cleared her throat and pulled away. Thinking about the last man with whom she’d had a relationship, she allowed that he, at the very least, had been pleased with her between the sheets. But that was one instance, and it had been her most disastrous relationship of all. “Emma...” “Let me finish,” she snapped. Then she softened her tone. “Please.” Laughter worked its way up to the surface at the sight of him. He obviously wasn’t used to taking orders or giving in, but he was doing both for her, although he wasn’t pleased with the idea. Somehow he understood how important this was to her. He sat with his back to the wall, his arms folded across his chest—the same chest she found so distracting as thoughts of running her fingers over it constantly slid through her head—and his lips pressed into a thin line. No, he definitely did not want to hear this, but she needed him to listen. So she took a deep breath for courage and spilled it all. “My first relationship occurred when I was little more than fifteen. Eddie was twenty‐three. I thought he was the most handsome man I’d ever seen, and it took him all of three weeks to take my virginity. Another two weeks after that, he tired of me. A month after that, before he
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS dropped out of my life entirely, he let me know it was my immaturity and clingy personality that caused him to leave.” Jack clenched and unclenched his fists, but said nothing. So she continued. “I realize I was only a child then, and an excessively naïve one at that. If it had only been Eddie, I’d still be a little wary. He hurt me terribly, Jack, but I wouldn’t say no to this.” She crossed her hand in the air between the two of them. “Next there was Steve. But not for three years, because I was so shell‐shocked from Eddie. I’d moved out and was living on my own for the first time. I was struggling terribly. Steve helped me out. He was my friend, and eventually we became lovers. I caught him in bed with the roommate he’d supplied for me. He blamed it on me and my lack of ability to loosen up, which I believe was how he put it. “Next was—” “Enough,” he growled at her, cutting her off. “Don’t say another word.” “No. It’s not enough,” she snapped back. “There were four others, all with the same glowing opinion of their time with me. I’m incapable of being in a healthy relationship. Seven months ago, after my latest attempt, I started reading all these relationship books. I’m a classic case, Jack. I’m neurotic, co‐dependent, have severe daddy hunger, low self‐esteem, and insecurities to the moon. I can’t be helped. I’m just broken. Permanently. End of story.” Abruptly, he moved away from the table. Tension radiated through his powerful shoulders, and Emma hated knowing she had caused him pain. Problem was, if he kept up this crazy idea, she’d only cause him more in the end. And she wasn’t completely unselfish; she couldn’t bear to think how painful it would be for her when he left. “We’ll get counseling.” It was then that she got her first real glimpse of Jack Sinclaire, corporate shark, as he’d called himself earlier. She saw it in the set of his jaw, in the way the command rolled of his tongue, and determination steeled in his jet black eyes. “What kind of relationship starts in counseling?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Ours, love.” He went down on one knee before her, his entire demeanor gentling as he cupped her cheek in his palm. “Ours.” He almost had her. She wasn’t sure if it was the softness of his tone, the love shining in his eyes, or his gentle touch, but she almost caved. It was the most dangerous forty‐five seconds of her life, but then she remembered a very small, dark‐haired reason why she could never try again—and she pulled away from him without saying a word. He dropped his head, defeated, and let out a long sigh. Emma wanted to cry. For him, for herself, and for everything they might have together if she’d been someone else. Tears, however, she’d learned over the years, were useless. “Tell me about the other books.” He’d regained control over his voice and now stood beside her, using one long finger to toy with the volumes she’d laid out on the table. “It’s silly.” Jack intentionally moved back to the chair he’d vacated as rage boiled up inside him, not allowing him to sit still another moment. This has to work out. Somehow he had to get past the walls she’d built around herself. If he had to hunt down every guy who’d ever wronged her and make them apologize, tell her the failed relationships were all their fault, he’d do it. The Sinclaires had a team of private investigators on call at any given moment. It wouldn’t be a difficult chore for them to look up those men, and he thought he might very well enjoy it. But that was a thought for another day. Right now he wanted to forget about the past twenty minutes and get back to the incredible feeling of connectedness Emma tried to deny. It was still so powerful, his knees shook. “I don’t care if it’s silly. Tell me anyway.” He wanted so badly to touch her. To cup her chin with his fingers and turn her beautiful face toward him. Place his hand on hers, touch her knee, something. But he didn’t trust himself at the moment. His emotions were too near the surface. If he touched her now, people be damned; he’d fuck her right here on the table.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Earlier, you asked what I do on Tuesday nights.” She raised one shoulder and slid a book toward him. It was entitled The Not So Big House and had the picture of a perfectly designed room on its cover. “Same thing I do all the time. Dream.” He took the book as if it were made of the rarest substance known to man and gingerly flipped through its pages. Then he casually looked at the other books and pulled one on water gardens toward him. She sat silently beside him as he looked through several more. A lump formed in his throat. This was how it felt to be genuinely blessed; to be allowed into her private world. Without asking, he knew that few people, if any, were allowed here. He watched her flip the pages in the book on houses, and finally asked, “What do you dream about, Emma?” She laid her head down on her arm and looked up at him with those incredible eyes that showed her soul. “I dream of a home of my own. Not anything big or extravagant, just a home. Something with quaint architectural features, lots of windows, and a porch that wraps around the whole damn thing. I dream of gardens and ponds. Of fish of my own to feed.” “Horses?” he supplied, and was rewarded with a beatific smile. “Definitely horses. A large black one, like Black Beauty. We’re so in tune that when we fly across the fields, it’s as if we’re one. I dream of a husband.” She giggled, and the sound nearly made him come. “He has a white horse, obviously.” Jack understood where she was headed and with a sparkle of humor, added, “This horse—this white horse—would have to be at least eighteen hands high, no doubt, to support the shining armor your prince is wearing.” She drew in a gasp of feigned shock. He’d never seen anything more adorable. “I never said anything about a prince. Besides, I said I want a small house. Princes come attached to all those ghastly castles and far too many have‐to’s.” “Have‐to’s?” He raised a brow. She nodded. “Yeah, they have to do this, have to do that. I want a free life. One in which I don’t have to do anything I don’t want to do.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “So…” He reached out and brushed his fingers over her lower lip. “My princess wants life of leisure?” “I guess.” She turned a gentle shade of pink. “I loved what you said back at your sister’s house, about long Sunday afternoons, four month honeymoons, and kisses that never end. That’s what I dream about.” Donʹt do it Jack. If he kissed her now, he’d never stop; if he said I love you, she’d run. So instead he asked, “Did you want to check out some of these books?” Her eyes lit up. He gathered the books into his arms, knowing that each book held one of her dreams and he was going to do everything in his power to make those dreams come true. “I’ll take that as a yes.” * * * * * Going to a movie had seemed like a novel idea when Jack first suggested it. Doing so was yet another of those things he never did. He occasionally attended private screenings, but for the most part the melodrama of Hollywood held little interest for him. Emma suggested a new comedy, and it all seemed so mundane and innocent at the time. Now, however, after sitting beside her suffering through a movie with plot holes one could drive a train through, and having nothing else on his mind except Emma’s luscious body, he was hard as a rock and becoming ever so short on self‐control. It didn’t help that the seats he’d been so smart to secure for them were of the romantic loveseat variety; the type where the arm between them was easily pushed out of the way, and they were able to sit far too close for his personal comfort. Her thigh ran the entire length of his and her sweet little ass kept bumping him as she squirmed in her seat. He held her hand, and as the plot took yet another ridiculous twist, turned his attention from the antics on the screen to her five very beautiful, long, sexy fingers. Placing her palm flat against his own, he delicately ran his fingers over hers, instantly gaining her complete attention. He smiled at her,
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS albeit a tad lecherously, and took great satisfaction in seeing her breath catch. I want you, Emma. Want you like I’ve never wanted another woman. He knew she saw the truth of it in his eyes, but he wouldn’t say it aloud. He swirled one finger around each of hers, slowly, tantalizing her. Aching for more, he brought her palm to his mouth, watching her eyes dilate in the darkened theater as he first kissed, then licked the center of her palm. I want you more than anything. He pressed her hand between both of his, then entwined their fingers before bringing her hand to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers, and hers never leaving his. Desire‐fueled adrenaline filled his veins as he slipped her little finger into his mouth, sucking and then releasing it before slowly moving on to the next one. By the time he reached her index finger, he was ready to explode. Her eyes told him she felt very much the same. Did he dare push her? Push himself? His cock was already swollen, hard, and aching for her. His lungs drew and expelled air with so much labor anyone would have thought he’d been climbing Mt. Everest. Even in the dark, he saw her nipples harden beneath her small tank top and knew her squirming now was an effort to control her own desire. Moving his hands to her waist, he pulled her onto his lap, cradling her body against his own. The curve of her ass pressed hard against his cock. He wickedly flexed against her. The moan that rose from her throat made him that much harder. Her body was now pressed so closely to his, air couldn’t slip between them. If he kissed her, took possession of her mouth, would he be able to stop himself, regardless of the fact they were in a public place? He tipped her back, just barely, and leaned so that his lips hovered over hers. He watched the struggle in her eyes, knowing they mirrored his, only for a very different reason. She didn’t want her heart broken yet again; he was simply concerned with a public decency arrest. It wouldn’t look good for
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS the company image. He could already hear his mother’s tirade. Didn’t I raise you better than that? A second later, with all the devilish intent in the world, he brought his mouth down on hers. To his surprise, he was met with complete and instant surrender, and he grew even harder. He honestly hadn’t thought that was possible. He rested his hand on her thigh before sliding it up to cup her ass, then on to her bare waist, around her back, and under her shirt. His fingers found the clasp on her bra, which made them flinch with wanting to undo it. His mouth moved to her neck and shoulders. He shifted her to the other side and partly beneath himself. She sighed softly and moved her thigh against him, wrapping one leg around him. He was two seconds from losing all control, and he wasn’t sure he cared. Her tongue met his with a want so wild he tasted it. He pressed his cock against her thigh, but it wasn’t any‐fucking‐where near enough to where he wanted it to be. “I’m going to fuck you right here in the theater if we don’t stop,” he whispered. She ran a thumb over his lower lip. He grabbed it with his mouth and sucked on it. The fire in her eyes kicked up a notch, but she didn’t say a word. She lay against the movie seat, her hair tousled, her eyes aglow, her tits hard and beckoning, and he felt a sickening twist in his gut. He knew right away what it was. Guilt. Not entirely believing what he was doing, he pulled back and reached for his cell phone. Emma sat beside him bewildered and probably just as frustrated as he was. He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and then pushed a couple of buttons on the face‐plate, retrieving his messages. When he finally got to the one from Claudia telling him she’d been sent to London on some sort of emergency and would likely be gone the better part of two weeks, he wasn’t sure if he’d been smiled upon by the gods or cursed to hell. Yes, he’d have to break it off with her; but he
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS couldn’t be expected to do it over the phone. He started calculating the time it would take to fly back and forth to London to tell her in person, then he glanced at Emma, his very skittish Emma who’d already disappeared on him once. If he gave her a few days, while he was off on a transcontinental flight, she’d probably disappear for good. How the hell did you end up in this position? Claudia deserved more than a phone call break up. Better than him all around, actually. Yet in the meantime, he couldn’t wait two weeks to have Emma. Call him an immature, spoiled bastard. He deserved it. But at the moment, he didn’t care and the sad part was, in all honesty, he didn’t think Claudia would either. He stood and tugged Emma to her feet. “C’mon. I’m taking you home.” He took three steps down the aisle, stopped, and pulled her against him, capturing her lips again, his tongue invading her mouth like a soldier on a mission. Just so there wasn’t any mistake about it, he whispered fiercely, “To my home.” * * * * * Halfway across the parking lot, Jack’s conscience tried to slow him down, but it didn’t stand a chance over the surge of testosterone rushing though his blood. Nothing could stop him now. His car was in view, and he had almost everything of which he’d ever dreamed when Emma pulled her hand from his. “I’m a slut,” she whined. So maybe there was one thing that could stop him. He turned to look at her. She’d dropped her head and had both hands over her face. His testosterone explosion went supernova at her words and now he wanted to punch someone as well as have mind‐ blowing sex with her, but who was there to punch? She’d called herself a slut. How could he defend her honor against that?
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS His hands formed tight fists, a reaction to the description she’d used. He wanted to punch whomever had made her think so lowly of herself, but he shook it off and took a step toward her. A car turned down their aisle, its headlights shining across Emma’s lovely body. He grabbed her elbow and yanked her out of the way, but she never moved her hands from her face. “Sweetheart—” Jack’s heart squeezed as if caught in a vise and maybe for the first time in his life, he didn’t know what to say. He ran his hands up and down her arms and wished he’d just sat and watched the damn movie instead of pushing her. He was a selfish rat bastard, and Emma was paying for it. “My mother was right about me.” “What the—?” He quickly shut his mouth. Swallowing hard, he took a step away from her and attempted to release some of the damned hormones raging through his system. He rolled his shoulders, popped his neck, and took several long, slow breaths before daring to touch her again. “What do you mean, your mother was right about you?” he asked, in a low, controlled snarl. When she didn’t answer, he gripped her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. Damn him to hell, she was crying. He brushed his fingers over her cheeks, catching a few of her tears. Then he pulled her into an embrace, kissing the top of her head gently and waiting for an answer. “Emma, tell me. Please.” Eventually she pulled back and folded her arms around herself, as if wrapping herself in a fortress. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anyone look so sad. “My mother says I’m just trailer trash like her and Shelly; only I put on airs, and they don’t. She always says I need to be taken down a peg or two because I think I’m better than them, and I’m not.” She ran her hand through her hair and met his gaze with pleading eyes. “But God, Jack, they’ll sleep with anybody. I’m not like that.” He didn’t say anything. She closed her eyes, but he still saw her pain as she cried, “I’m not.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “It’s okay.” He drew her back into his arms and wondered exactly how much jail time he’d get for killing her mother. She laughed with what he would have described as a hysterical edge and pulled away. “It’s funny, you know, because we don’t even live in a trailer. A trailer would be a step up. Do you know why I don’t want you taking me home?” He again kept quiet, because she paced back and forth on the little island of grass that divided one aisle from the next in the parking lot and didn’t really seem to want an answer from him. “Because we donʹt have a home, Jack. We live in a seedy little motel room that we pay for by the week. I guess that makes me seedy motel trash.” She gave that hysterical little laugh again, which worried him. “God, that’s even worse.” “Emma—” “No, Jack. God, it’s true, I might as well face it. While I was growing up, my mother always had guys staying over. I learned real quick to stay clear, but I felt dirty all the same. I swore I’d never be like her. Shelly apparently felt differently. She’s just like Mom. Do you have any idea how many times I’ve come home to find them grunting under some guy? It’s disgusting!” She made a little turn and paced some more. “I really thought I was different, because I only slept with guys I knew. Guys I had a relationship with. But look at me, Jack. I’ve been with six guys, and now I’m ready to jump into bed with you—and we haven’t even known each other twenty‐four hours.” She pressed her hand to her forehead and met his gaze with tortured eyes. “Maybe I should just start charging for it.” “The hell you will.” He grabbed her arms and pulled her against his chest. “You’re my woman now, Emma, and I donʹt care about what you did in the past, or why. I’m not giving you up, so donʹt even try running from me.” She grabbed his shirt and crumpled against his chest, crying as Jack held her, feeling helpless. The woman he loved loathed herself, had a bitch for a mother—which in his opinion, explained why Emma felt the
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS way she did about herself—and had a bad track record with men. What he needed was a plan. Something to show her without a doubt how sincere he was. That he wasn’t like the other guys she’d known. That he was a man, serious about the woman he loved. About the time she calmed herself, he had it figured out. He lifted her face gently in his palms, kissed her eyes, her cheeks, and then, oh so softly, her lips. Then he pulled away, just far enough to look into her eyes and brush the hair away from her face. “Marry me, Emma. Tonight. Right now. Fly with me to Vegas and marry me.”
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Chapter Seven “Jack—” She turned and walked away from him, but he took a few giant steps and caught her arm. “Emma, I know. It’s crazy. I get that, I do. But listen—you’re never going to trust me. I can court you with wine and flowers from now until kingdom come, and your mother’s voice will always be in the back of your head making you think you donʹt deserve a happily ever after.” His voice softened. He pulled her closer and slipped his fingers into her hair. “Your dreams can come true, and Emma, I can make them come true. Or, at the very least, help you make them come true.” She closed her eyes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She was terrified to believe again. Terrified of what she’d lose this time. Of what she’d miss if she said no. “If you marry me,” he continued softly, “I’ll promise to love, cherish, and protect you in front of God and witnesses, and you’ll be legally bound to stick around and let me prove it to you. Eventually, you’ll see I’m on the level.” “You donʹt even know me. That idea’s the most—” She flailed her hand in the air as she grasped for a word, but couldn’t come up with one he hadn’t already considered. He took her hand and placed it over his heart. “My heart knows you, and I trust it. I’ve never felt this way before, Emma. I’m sure there are a million things we don’t know about each other, but I’ll tell you right now that I love you, and I’m a man of my word.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He pulled his cell phone from his pocket, punched in a few numbers, and then held up the device. “This is my bank balance at the end of business today. My personal account.” He showed it to her and smiled when she visibly paled. “How much is that, exactly?” “A lot. All I’m trying to say is that I trust you that much. California’s a community property state, Emma. If I leave you, you’ll get half of everything I own. Not just the money, but my business, my houses, the boat, the cars, the airplane, the—” “You own a plane?” “Well, yes. It’s...” He let the word taper away and ran his hand around the back of his neck. “Yeah, I do. Sometimes I’m just a big kid, with lots of big kid toys. But my point is, I’m not asking for a pre‐nup, sweetheart. If I had any intention of just getting you into bed, wouldn’t I at the very least have you sign something?” She couldn’t argue with him there. But she was beginning to wonder about his mental stability. A sane person did not propose marriage within twenty‐four hours of meeting someone. It simply wasn’t done. Yet a crazy little voice inside her heart kept saying yes. Yes! Jack wasn’t offering her an engagement; he wasn’t trying to string her along while he took off her clothes. He wasn’t even offering her any well‐rehearsed lines. She distinctly had the impression he didn’t ask girls to marry him every day. She shook her head and turned away. How could she even be considering this? In less than two seconds, his warmth slid behind her. He pulled her back against his chest, wrapped his arms around her, and lowered his lips to her ear. The movie must have gotten out, because a handful of people were headed for their cars and headlights suddenly lit the dark parking lot. “Emma, I love you. I know it sounds crazy, but I believe my heart was programmed to love you—and only you—when it was made. All I had to do was find you. Since it took so damned long, I donʹt see the point in waiting another second to start our life together. Marry me, Emma.” “I have secrets, Jack. Unpleasant ones.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Have you ever killed anyone?” “No.” “Been involved in the child porn industry?” “Of course not!” She tried to pull out of his arms, but he held on tight, his hands locking around her waist from behind. Reaching up, he pulled back her bangs and kissed her temple. “Then I don’t care about the rest. You’ll tell me when you’re ready.” He turned her around, took both of her hands in his, and looked earnestly into her eyes. “I’m not saying we’ll have a perfect life. We’ll have problems, we’ll hit bumps; especially since we don’t know one another that well. You’ll make me mad sometimes, and I’m sure I’ll make you madder. But if we love each other—” He brushed her cheekbone with his thumb. “You do love me, don’t you, Emma?” Did she love him? She sure felt something unlike anything she’d ever known before, but was it love? How could she be sure? “I don’t know.” She hated hurting him, and she saw in his eyes that she had, but she wasn’t going to lie to him either. “Fair enough. But I do love you, and I swear to be a faithful husband, a just man, a true friend, and to provide everything for you, even things you never knew you needed. In short, I’ll be the greatest love of your life, Emma. Just let me.” She closed her eyes. He was getting to her. She was so close to saying yes that it scared her. “Really, when you think about it, sweetheart, it’s not that big of a risk for you. If everything you believe is true, and you are incapable of having a relationship, you walk away with a nice chunk of change for your efforts.” Exasperated, she sighed and tugged away from him. She didn’t care about his damned money. He grabbed her back. “I know you don’t care about the money, but I’ve had it all my life, and you obviously haven’t. You have no idea how much more bearable pain can be when you’re sitting on a beach in Tahiti sipping a colorful drink with a little paper umbrella sticking out the side.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She laughed at that, and she couldn’t believe it. Marriage was no laughing matter. Neither was divorce—which is what would happen to them if the marriage didn’t work—but wasn’t being divorced better than being a man’s mistress? That, after all, had been her last label. As much as money didn’t matter to her, she realized that, best case, he was offering her a life of love and happiness; worst case, he was giving her freedom from her mother and sister and the life she’d led before this. She looked deep into his black eyes, which hinted of blue and held nothing but sincerity and love. Love for her. It was astounding. “We’ll go to counseling?” He beamed. “Anything.” “Because I want this to work. More than anything, and I’m not willing to have children until I’m sure it will.” “Fair enough.” He waited, not moving. She wasn’t sure she was breathing. Should she tell him about...no, she couldn’t. Not yet. She closed her eyes tightly, released a weak, “Okay,” on a breath, and waited for panic to engulf her heart. Instead, a peace like she’d never known settled upon her, as if her entire life had just fallen into place. As if all this time, she’d been traveling in the dark and somebody had turned on the light, allowing her to see she’d been trying to dig through a cement wall and could now step around it. As if someone had picked her up out of a deep, deep ditch and placed her on a sheltered path in a meadow of wild flowers. This was seriously crazy. * * * * * Emma snuggled down into the deep leather of the Jag’s passenger seat, feeling blissfully content. For the life of her, she didn’t understand why she felt that way, considering, but decided to simply go along with it until terror and remorse, her reward for making such a stupid, impulsive decision, caught up with her. For once, she was going to take a page out of her mother’s book. She would have plenty of daylight tomorrow to parade out her worries; she didn’t need to search for them in the dark.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “That seat reclines if you’re sleepy.” She turned her head, looking at her precious, beautiful, amazing, soon‐to‐be husband, and couldn’t resist smiling at him. “You have a beautiful smile,” he said. “I don’t think I’ve smiled so much in my life as I have today.” Jack reached across the seat and touched her cheek. “Then I’m glad we met, Emma, because it’s a crime for you not to smile.” She couldn’t catch her breath when he looked at her like that. Like she was the answer to all the important questions in the universe. All indications seemed to say that he truly did love her. She saw it every time he looked at her, but a part of her still couldn’t fathom it. She didn’t think she’d ever been truly loved before. Men had desired her, sure. But that was hardly the same thing. Her gratitude for Jack’s love made her want to stay by his side forever and just take care of him. “Do you think we could turn off the air for a while and put down the windows?” Without a word, he reached for the air controls, and in the next second her window was down and a stream of hot, arid air washed over her, blowing her hair in all directions. “I love hot summer nights.” “Me, too. It almost makes baking all day worth it.” “I can’t imagine you baking.” She laughed. “Anywhere you go is probably climate controlled up the wazoo.” A short bark of laughter erupted from his chest. Emma turned her head to look at him and found him studying the road ahead of them. “Wazoo, huh?” She cringed, and for the first time in more than an hour, had second thoughts. “Jack, maybe this isn’t such a good idea. Maybe if it were going to be just you and me, but in your world—” He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “It’s only going to be you and me, Emma. You are my world.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS The peace she’d experienced before came rolling back, washing over her like a cool wave on a hot day. “Thank you.” Jack squeezed her hand again, then put his back on the steering wheel. A six hour drive to Vegas had seemed like a good idea when they’d left town. He figured that during the time alone in the car, they could get to know one another better, plus he didn’t really want to file a flight plan and give anybody a way to find out what he was up to until it was too late. Now he suddenly realized that by the time they got there, Emma would have had six hours to change her mind. If they’d taken his jet, they’d be married and gloriously honeymooning hours before they were even going to see the first hint of the strip this way. He glanced over at her again. Her eyes were closed and the hot wind blew over her, making her hair fly away from her face like that of a high fashion model standing in front of a fan. She looked sleepy and peaceful. Even happy. He planned to make her very happy. So happy, she’d never regret taking a chance on him. “We can stop for a few hours in Barstow, if you want,” he said. “Get a room, take a shower. Maybe a nap.” “A room?” She looked at him, her expression nervous. Oh, is that all? He half wanted to bait her, to tease her until she blushed furiously, but not tonight. Not after she’d given him the greatest gift of his lifetime. “Yes, one room,” he said. “You can have your own bed, but I’m not taking any chances of you sneaking out on me while I’m asleep.” Emma grew quiet. The Jag’s headlights illuminated the pavement ahead of them as the tires ate up the three hundred mile distance between Anaheim and Las Vegas. “I donʹt mind sleeping in the same bed with you,” she finally said. “But I don’t want to have sex until after we’re married.” “I can handle that.” He smiled. He could definitely handle that.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS * * * * * Emma fidgeted in the dim motel lighting, looking at the worn flower bedspread on the one bed inside the room. What had she been thinking saying she didn’t mind sleeping with him? Getting in that bed with Jack Sinclaire was going to be a one way ticket to naked. Although, maybe having sex with him would make him change his mind about marriage, which might a good thing in the long run. The door closed behind her with a loud snap. Jack’s body pressed against her from behind and his lips brushed her neck, making her feel like warm liquid. She moaned softly and turned toward him. Their innocent kiss quickly grew into unabated passion, but it was Jack who pulled back. Breathless, he took a few steps away from her and leaned against the wall. “No sleeping together until after we’re married.” She waffled, in part because she wanted him, and also because her insecurities were eating away at her. “Well, maybe that was too militant. I can bend.” He groaned and heat flared in his eyes. Emma loved that look. It heated her blood and made her want to rip the clothes right off him. She took a step toward him only to have him jump away and point to the bed. “You, bed. Me, cold shower. I’m too tired not to make the wrong decision here, Emma. We’re sleeping together. That’s all.” She’d never met a man in her life who could pass up sex. She watched Jack move into the bedroom, feeling bewildered, but absurdly pleased at the same time by the thought that sex wasn’t Jack’s top priority. She happily got into bed and drifted off while listening to the soft fall of water through the bathroom wall. * * * * * Jack was glad she was asleep when he finished his shower. He didn’t want live temptation, and his sexy little woman was a hell of a lot
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS of temptation. He stood at the side of the bed, watching his soon‐to‐be wife sleeping peacefully. It was late, or rather, early, he guessed, depending on how one looked at it. He checked his watch, but at nearly three in the morning he wasn’t about to make any calls. He would do it in the morning. All he had to sleep in was his underwear, and he gathered from looking at what he could see of Emma that she had done the same thing. Why am I stalling? Because he knew as soon as he got into that bed, he’d want her. Hell, he already wanted her, but the proximity of her luscious, nearly naked body might quite possibly be more then he could resist. He glanced around the room. Damn. There wasn’t another place to sleep except the floor. But…if Emma was okay with one bed, then he would be, too. What other choice did he have? He drew in a deep breath and slid in beside her. For a while he stayed on his side of the bed, clinging to the edge, fearing even the slightest brush of skin. He didn’t want to test his control, but after a while he turned on his side and looked at her. Her hair was tousled about her head, and he relished the soft sound of her breath escaping her lips. God, she was beautiful. She was everything of which he’d ever dreamed. Just the sight of her made him hard, and her scent nearly drove him over the edge. They were going to have a wonderful life together. He knew it; he only needed to convince her of it. He couldn’t resist her another minute. So he touched her. Pulled her close and wrapped both arms tightly around her; she came without any resistance and sighed as she snuggled against him. It was quite possibly the most satisfying moment of his life. He tucked her head beneath his chin and knew he’d wait. Knew he’d never take advantage of her or do anything to hurt her. She was his woman; his to love and protect for all eternity. And as she entwined her legs with his, he knew deep inside his soul what it was to be grateful.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS * * * * * Jack had never experienced such a combination of ecstasy and mind numbing pain as he did waking up with Emma in his arms. He wanted her with a ferocity he wasn’t sure he could put off another second, but he knew he had to. He drew a deep breath and let his vision focus. It must be mid‐afternoon, based on the bright sunlight filtering into the room through a crack in the curtains. He’d never meant to sleep so late. Barstow was supposed to be only a quick stop over. A few hours’ sleep, and then they’d drive on to Vegas and their wedding. But now it was mid‐afternoon, and they were still in bed. On one hand, he wanted to get going. To get Emma to Vegas and have her legally bound to him for all eternity before she changed her mind. Yet on the other, Emma’s sweet ass was pressed against his cock in such a way that it made the primal beast inside him want to beat his chest and demand completion. He wrapped his arms around her more snuggly and inhaled her sweet scent. He loved lying here listening to her breathe, and he couldn’t wait to be married to her. Ultimately, he knew that if he made a move on her right now, she probably wouldn’t refuse him, but he feared that when reality hit, it might spook her enough to make her run—and he knew he was in this for the long haul, not for a quick thrill. He didn’t mind that his Emma had baggage. He had a long term goal in mind, and he’d walk with her though whatever he had to in order to keep her with him. He believed they had a real shot at happily ever after, and he didn’t want to lose that for either of them. So no sex, moron. He kissed her temple and gently pulled away. Grabbing his clothes from the top of the dresser, he quietly dressed and slipped outside with his cell to make a few necessary phone calls. Jack wasn’t the type to go MIA, yet here it was Wednesday afternoon and he hadn’t so much as checked in with the office. He half expected his assistant to be frantic, but she was a professional and took his
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS declaration that he’d be gone a few days without so much as an, “Excuse me?” Not that he told her why he wasn’t coming in again until Monday, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken even a single day off for any reason, so a little surprise in her tone would have been understandable. But if she was the least bit ruffled by his decision, she didn’t show it. His mother and Lilly were a different story entirely. By the time he got off the phone with each of them, he wished he’d simply left them voice mails. They were probably already on the phone together wondering what poor, misguided Jack was up to now. He felt guilty as hell not telling them the truth, but he also knew they’d never understand. No one would. He was marrying Emma on gut instinct, pure and simple, and he knew it made no sense to the logical mind. But he didn’t give a damn. He wanted her, and she wanted him. He’d work out the rest later. When he stepped back inside, the dim lighting left him momentarily blind, but not so blind he didn’t catch a glimpse of the naked silhouette moving across the room. His cock leapt to life once again, demanding things he couldn’t give. Not yet. He drew a deep breath and grabbed the back of a chair for support. “Jack! You couldn’t knock?” He couldn’t resist a bit of teasing. “Honey, we’re going to be married in less than twelve hours.” He still couldn’t see all that well, but he could tell she was throwing on her clothing in a mad rush. “Besides, you have a delectable body. If I’d knocked, you would’ve covered it up.” “Jack!” She slipped into the bathroom and closed the door, hard. He laughed. She was so damn cute. He stood on the other side of the bathroom door, running his fingers over its chipped paint. “Emma, you’re not going to be this skittish on our wedding night, are you?” She didn’t respond, but a moment later the door opened. His eyes had adjusted, and he noticed the pink flush on her cheeks. But more than that, he saw the lust darkening her eyes.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Good girl.” He pushed his hand through her hair, circled her neck with his fingers, and pulled her close. She sighed right before his lips covered hers. He knew he’d never tire of that sound. She opened to him, and he slid his tongue inside, barely touching hers. He wrapped his arm around her waist. She wrapped hers around him, her fingers playing with the hair at the back of his neck. It made his entire body tingle with awareness and anticipation. He had no idea where he got the strength to pull back. “We need to stop.” “Why? There’s a bed, and we can say we almost made it to Vegas.” She smiled prettily and almost had him saying, “What the hell”, but he held firm and stepped away from her. “Emma Hallowell, I’m marrying you. Then, I’ll make love to you.” He resisted touching her, despite how much he wanted to do just that. “And believe me, it will be worth the wait.” She didn’t look like she believed him, but damn, he’d make a believer out of her soon enough. When he was done with her, no other man would ever be able to satisfy her. He intended to leave his essence on her soul…but first he wanted to marry her, and the faster the better, because he wasn’t entirely sure how long he could keep up this purity thing. “We can grab a bite on the road. Are you ready?” “I suppose.” He laughed, reached into his pocket, and pulled out his cell. “Do you need to call anyone?” “No.” She paled, but Jack chose not to ask her why. They had their whole lives ahead of them, which would give him plenty of time to get to know every little detail about her. He nodded. “Okay, then.” He took her hand and led her out the door. After depositing her in the passenger seat, he hit speed dial and handed the phone to Emma. “This is Sylvia, a wedding planner at the Venetian. She’s planning our wedding.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He smiled wickedly when Emma’s eyes got so big he was afraid they’d swallow her entire face. “What?” he asked. “Did you think we were just going to pull in and find a little chapel on the side of the road?” She swallowed, looked at the phone as if it might bite her, and then back up at him. “Well, yes.” He laughed, kissed the top of her head, and went to get their things from the room. But first called back over his shoulder, “I already gave her carte blanche, so if you don’t spend my money, she will.” He heard Emma’s gasp just as he got to the door, and it warmed his heart. I’m going to love being married to her. * * * * * Jack reached across the seat of the car and squeezed Emma’s hand. She’d dutifully tried to talk him out of the whole Vegas wedding idea, thinking he’d somehow prefer a society event complete with six hundred of his closest, how‐do‐I‐know‐you‐again? acquaintances. Please. He’d rather just have Emma under the starlight than at any fancy ceremony, but he understood enough about women to know a wedding was a big deal. He didn’t want his mom and sister with them because he knew he’d spend all his time assuring them he knew what he was doing, and he wanted all of his attention to be on Emma. And he sure as hell didn’t want her mother there, because then he’d have to spend all his energy not throttling the woman. Not a pleasant way to spend one’s wedding day. So, it would be just the two of them. The only two people who mattered. He figured that in a month or so, after Emma was comfortable being Mrs. Jack Sinclaire, he’d throw a reception to introduce her to everybody. But he didn’t have to think about that now. He had to admit that he got more joy out of listening to Emma plan her wedding with Sylvia than he ever would have imagined. Every now
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS and again she’d take the phone away from her ear and shyly check something with him, blushing so adorably. He told her she had carte blanche, the sky’s the limit. Anything goes. It was, after all, the only wedding she’d ever have, because once he got that ring on her finger, she’d be his forever. In between wedding details, they learned more about each other, laughing over silly childhood antics and discovering they both loved the hot Santa Ana winds. They had a lot in common when it came to politics and world views, something he was surprisingly pleased about. And most of all, he discovered more with every word she said just how much he loved her. They hit the strip on Wednesday evening just as the sun was sinking into the horizon. “I told Sylvia I’d check in with her as soon as we got here,” she said softly as he pulled the Jag up in front of the hotel. The bellmen opened the door and helped Emma out of the car before Jack could come around to help her. If the girl who checked them into the honeymoon suite was surprised they had no luggage, she didn’t show it. Jack had learned early in life that money made people hold their tongues better than any other device known to man. Jack pulled both of Emma’s hands to his lips as they stood at the elevator. “I’ve taken another room, just down the hall from the suite. That way you can have all the space you need to firm up whatever details need to be taken care of and have plenty of room to get ready.” “Oh Jack, I donʹt want—” He pressed his lips softly against hers, effectively cutting her off. “Make any calls you want, charge anything you need to the room. I’ll see you at midnight sharp.” His breath caught for a second at the thought that she might not show up. “Please be there, Emma.” His voice cracked. “I love you so much, I’ll take such—” He drew a breath and shut his eyes. “Such good care of you. Please donʹt leave me.” She cupped his jaw and smiled serenely. “I’ll see you at midnight.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She stepped onto the elevator and as the doors closed, he knew that if she didn’t show, he’d never recover.
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Chapter Eight Emma followed the bellman into the suite and knew she’d walked straight into a fairy tale. Large glass windows lined the far wall overlooking the strip. With night falling and the lights on, it was a brilliant view. A grand piano sat in front of one of the windows, and a plush seating group hunkered beside it. The entire room was decorated in soft cream and peach, as opposed to the gaudy red and black she had expected. So entranced was she by her new surroundings, she didn’t notice the tall blonde standing beside a set of ornately carved double doors. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry.” Emma brought both hands to her mouth. “I must be in the wrong room.” The blonde stepped forward and held out an elegantly manicured hand. “Not at all, Miss Hallowell. I’m Sylvia. Mr. Sinclaire contacted me while you were checking in. I’ve been waiting for you.” Still somewhat shaken by the suite’s decadence and her almost faux pas, she took the woman’s hand. Her brain had still not quite caught up with her yet. “Sylvia.” Then it clicked, and she felt like an idiot. “Sylvia, of course. The wedding planner.” Her eyes closed, and her cheeks flamed. “I’m such a dolt. It’s nice to meet you.” Opening her eyes, her smile in place, she shook the other woman’s hand with much more enthusiasm. Sylvia smiled back with the grace of a princess, and Emma knew she was sorely out classed.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I would have had floral arrangements sent up, but Mr. Sinclaire had already arranged for the room to be filled with these.” She gestured toward the myriad arrangements Emma had only peripherally noticed before now. There were dozens of them, in all shapes and sizes, from one beautifully exotic orchid standing alone in a vase, to a floral arrangement containing an abundance of roses and lilacs that stood taller than her head. Each bouquet sent its own unique scent into the room, blending into a rich, heavenly aroma of sweetness Emma knew she’d never forget as long as she lived. “I trust the suite meets your expectations.” Sylvia led Emma over to the sofa. It took all of her effort not to roll her eyes. “I don’t think my expectations could have been this high if I tried.” Sylvia gave Emma a genuine smile that made her battle with nerves abate for the time being. “I’ve been hard at work on everything we discussed, and since Mr. Sinclaire expressed an urgent need for discretion, I avoided using your real names whenever possible. The county clerk will be here this evening for you both to sign for your marriage license. Meanwhile, since Mr. Sinclaire mentioned that neither of you would be arriving with luggage, I took the liberty of having our best dress shop close for the evening so you can make your purchases in private.” She leaned over the legal pad she held on her lap. “Mr. Sinclaire has arranged for you to try on several wedding gowns in your size from some of the most exclusive designers. They’ve been arriving all day and are in the bedroom. And I must say, even from my jaded position, that they are some of the loveliest gowns I’ve ever seen.” Emma didn’t know what to think or say. Luckily, after catching her breath, Sylvia continued, “I’ve also arranged for several spa treatments and, of course, for you to have your hair and make‐up done here in the suite before we go to the chapel.” She let out a whoosh of breath. “I must say, it’s a lot to do. We really don’t have much time at all, so if you have no objections, we should get started.” Objections?
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Like does anybody here object to this union? Emma imagined Jack’s mother and sister would. She swallowed hard against the lump forming in her throat, imagining that a few people in her own life might also object as well. Her marriage to Jack might truly be a huge mistake, and without his presence and smile, she wasn’t feeling quite as sure. Still, she gave Sylvia a shaky smile and came to her feet. “I’m completely at your mercy.” * * * * * Jack lay on his stomach while the masseuse loosened his muscles, which were tight from the long drive. Not to mention the tension of sleeping in a semi‐hard state all night with the woman he loved and not being able to do anything about it. He directed his gaze out the window at the colorful lights, needing to get his mind on something else. Vegas had changed since his grandmother used to come here all the time. He remembered with great warmth the family trips they’d taken here when he was a kid, even if all he had to do was hang out by the pool while the grown‐ups gambled. Getting married here felt right. He thought that once his mother and Lilly got to know Emma, they’d more than approve—and they’d be thrilled for him. He checked his watch again. It was just after ten, less than two hours until he was to meet Emma. He’d checked the urge to call her a hundred times already, because he knew she had a million details to see to in a short amount of time, and he didn’t want her to feel pressured to show up. Oh, he wanted her there, make no mistake about it—but he wanted her there because she wanted to be. If she still showed up after having spent several hours alone facing the reality of their wedding, then he’d know he’d won. The masseuse finally finished, and Jack slipped him a large tip before heading to the shower. Hot water ran down his skin while his thoughts went less and less toward whether or not Emma would show up and more and more toward their wedding night.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He’d never wanted a woman so much in his life. He couldn’t wait to strip Emma out of whichever gown she chose to wear and kiss every inch of her smooth skin. He wanted her screaming in pleasure as he loved her, body and soul. He wanted to bring that girl so much pleasure she’d think she’d died and gone to heaven. He couldn’t wait for the moment he’d slide into her and make her his for all time, completely and forever. Could not wait. He stepped out of the shower, wrapped a large, thick towel around his hips and wiped the steam from the mirror. Before him, he saw the reflection of a happy man who was about to marry the woman of his dreams. He prayed nothing would change her mind. * * * * * Jack fidgeted with his cufflinks. Standing, waiting at the altar. She was here, he could feel it. Although, no one had thought it necessary to tell him. The chapel was exactly what he’d wanted. From inside its stone walls, one would never suspect he was merely standing inside a hotel chapel. Stained glass windows and large formal chandeliers added to the ambiance, as did the velvet‐lined pews and the forty‐seven flower arrangements. Candles burned in holders along the aisle, and red and pink rose petals had been strewn along the white satin runner. He heard the faint ringing of bells and knew it was midnight. He straightened a little more. Then a woman in a white suit, as elegant as any he’d ever seen, slipped through the chapel’s back doors and made her way toward him, her hand extended. “I’m Sylvia Whitecliff, Mr. Sinclaire. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” “A pleasure, Ms. Whitecliff.” He barely noticed her, but appreciated her efforts more than he would ever be able to tell her. She nodded and took a seat in the front pew beside a man who’d been there all along but hadn’t introduced himself or made any acknowledgment of Jack at all. So Jack had ignored him right back. Sylvia
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Whitecliff just tucked her arm in his like she owned him, but his soft smile down at her told Jack the man didn’t mind. The soft, recorded cry of violins made Jack wish for just a second that he hadn’t forced a Las Vegas wedding on Emma, but had given her a proper one with a full orchestra to play her down the aisle, with the cream of all society, along with various heads of state, as her witnesses. Then she stepped through the doors and into the candlelight, and he no longer cared about anything else. She was a vision in the soft glowing light; everything he’d never allowed himself to want, and more. She stood at one end of the aisle, her gown a soft pink in a sheer fabric that draped her body, showing every curve and line to perfection. She looked like a being from another time; a woman out of a fantasy, maybe a fairy princess or a forest queen. The gown sparkled delicately, thanks to the many tiny beads covering its bodice, which fit her tightly and then fell to her ankles in a graceful sweep. Jack had never seen anyone more beautiful. When she walked down the aisle, moved her bouquet of lilies and roses to one hand, and shakily took his with the other, he couldn’t resist whispering, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” Her smile lit the room, putting every chandelier and candle in it to shame. This was his Emma, who would soon be his wife. Nothing in his life had ever felt this right. She stepped up beside him, and the minister began the intimate service. He spoke as if the room were filled with loved ones commanding the two of them to take this journey seriously and reminding them it was a lifetime commitment. Jack squeezed Emma’s hand. He already knew that. Emma only heard about every third word the minister spoke. It wasn’t his fault; everything she heard was beautiful and meaningful. It was just that every time she looked at Jack, he was staring at her as if she were a queen. His queen. The idea made the blood rush so loudly in her ears she couldn’t hear anything else. She was lucky to struggle though her vows.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have any trouble on that front. He spoke every one as if he’d been practicing a lifetime for this very moment. When the minister asked about exchanging rings, Emma felt a twinge of embarrassment. She’d spent her time before the ceremony thinking only of herself. Her clothing, her gown, her jewelry. She gently touched the heart‐shaped locket she always wore around her neck. She’d chosen a pair of simple diamond drop earrings and a jewel‐encrusted tiara. She longed to know how expensive it was, but even though she’d tried a hundred different ways to find out no one would tell her. She’d finally given in and taken it, but not once had she ever considered a ring for Jack. “Oh Jack. I—” “If it won’t bother you, Emma, I’d like to wear my father’s ring.” He pulled it from his pocket and handed it to her. “I usually wear it on my right hand, as a reminder that true love exists. He and my mother loved one another very much and—” “Of course.” Her vision blurred with tears, and she squeezed his fingers. Her hand shook as she slid the platinum band etched with a leaf pattern and with a garnet in its center, onto his ring finger. “And now for the bride’s ring.” Emma was afraid to even think about what kind of ring Jack had gotten her. Which was a good thing, because when she saw the delicately carved platinum band that matched his father’s, she began to cry. “Since we sort of skipped the whole engagement part, I’m afraid I’ll have to give you your engagement ring at the same time.” He pulled another ring from his pocket, again with a platinum band, and held it up. This one looked like an antique, with an extravagant design carved into the metal on either side of a set of diamond baguettes that lay lengthwise next to an enormous garnet in the center of the ring. The rings matched one another and his father’s so well Emma couldn’t imagine Jack had found them in a spurt of random luck. “Did you already have these?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “No. We’re just blessed, I think.” He gently slid first one ring, and then the other, onto her finger. Then he said, “With this ring, I thee wed.” Emma’s heart raced at an uncomfortable speed, and by the time the minister finally pronounced them husband and wife, she was thankful for Jack’s strong arms around her because she thought she might faint. His kiss was warm and passionate, but guarded. Yet it held promises; promises of what he’d do to her once they were alone. She shivered in anticipation as the minister introduced them as Mr. And Mrs. Jack Sinclaire for the first time. * * * * * Jack lifted Emma over the threshold of their suite, and she laughed and cried at the same time. She had never experienced a happier day in all of her life. And yet, she hoped it wouldn’t be the happiest, even though she felt a little greedy, betting most people never got to feel the way she did right now even once in their entire lives. As if he’d read her thoughts, Jack placed her feet on the carpet and kissed the bridge of her nose. “Are you happy, Mrs. Sinclaire?” “More than anybody has a right to be, Mr. Sinclaire.” He dropped his head back on a bark of laughter. She loved the way he did that; it was so passionate. Laughter of the heart. His gaze locked with hers once more. “I doubt you’re as happy as I am.” Then he kissed her for real. She met the hunger in his kiss with every beat of her heart. Jack was so different from any man she’d ever known that she wondered if he were really from this planet. Maybe he was a time traveler from a different world where it would never be tolerated to treat a woman with anything less than dignity and respect. Maybe it was his money. Privilege had led him to believe people were worth trusting. Whatever it was, she was so glad she’d been at the dog pound yesterday morning. When he pulled back, they were both breathless. Emma was dizzy with need and wet with arousal, and by the feel of Jack’s cock pressed against her, she knew he felt the same way.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I ordered a fabulous feast for us to be delivered when I call.” He dropped his forehead against hers. “Do you mind terribly if I wait and call in a little while?” She smiled nervously, but didn’t have a chance to reply because all at once he was kissing her again. He swept her from her feet. I’m married. The thought suddenly struck her that Jack hadn’t lied to her. He’d done just as he’d proposed and married her with no pre‐nup. He could have persuaded her to climb into his bed in Barstow, but all he’d done was hold her close while they slept, given her privacy while she’d showered, and put the plans in motion for their beautiful wedding. He could have even lured her into bed once they’d gotten here. The sight of this suite had overwhelmed her so much she would have been naked beneath him before she understood what happened. Then he could have backtracked and said they shouldn’t rush into anything. But he hadn’t. He’d married her, just like he’d said he would. Tears welled up in Emma’s eyes as Jack laid her on the bed. Coming down beside her, he gingerly wiped the moisture from beneath her lashes, his sweet face frowning. She realized then that she’d always be able to trust him. Always. “Honey, what is it?” he asked. She shook her head, afraid that if she tried to speak, tears would come rushing out so hard she wouldn’t be able to stop them and she’d end up a blotchy bride on her wedding night. My wedding night! She suddenly scooted away from him, the magic of the wedding receding enough so that she could think. She ended up looking at Jack in horror as she realized what a horrible mistake she’d made. Apprehension clawed its way up Jack’s spine as he looked at Emma. She was having second thoughts. Only a second ago she’d been kissing him like a Marine home from the war, and now she sat as far away from him as she could get on the bed, her back against the padded headboard. She looked terrified.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He eased closer to her, determined to proceed cautiously and gain a casual posture when in reality he was hard as granite and on fire for her. It would be so easy to just pull her beneath him, kiss her until she forgot her own name, and then strip her naked and fuck her like he’d wanted to do from the second he saw her. Breathe, Jack. He swallowed and pulled every sheer ounce of will into steadying his voice. “What is it, Emma?” She looked at him for a second, blinked twice, and then dropped her face into her hands, sobbing. At the sight of the woman he loved besieged with tears, his cool façade abandoned him. He didn’t give a fuck about anything other than making certain that whatever fear had grabbed her, he was able to put it to rest. He reached for her, only getting a small grasp on her arm before she pulled away and scooted off the bed so fast he wasn’t even sure he’d seen her move. She pressed her spine to the full length window, which backlit her with every light in Vegas—and her gown went entirely transparent. Jack gulped, averted his eyes, counted to ten, and stood. “Emma.” “What if we’re terrible together, Jack?” All the effort he’d been putting into staying calm only a second ago transferred into willing himself not to laugh. She was obviously genuinely concerned, where he had no doubts at all. “Honey, we’re going to be amazing together.” His confidence rolled off his tongue, causing his voice to take on an almost unrecognizable silkiness. Seeing her body relax, he touched her. Her skin was like silk; the feel of her beneath his fingertips, the most erotic aphrodisiac in the world. Her scent lived inside him now, and his desire for her burned so hot he was scorched from the inside. He moved to kiss her, but before she let him come any closer, she asked, “How can you know that, Jack? I never should have made you wait. I should have just let you have me in Barstow, then if it didn’t work out you wouldn’t have wasted all this money and—”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Enough!” He pulled her hard against him, causing her breath to leave her and her words to stop, which was what he’d intended. The thoughts she was sputtering weren’t hers. Her mother and the men who’d used her had put those doubts in her head, but tonight there was no room for anyone other than him and Emma in this suite. He stroked the side of her face lovingly. “Emma, our first time might not be the Fourth of July, Christmas, and Springtime all rolled into one, but we’re going to be magic together. I guarantee it.” She stared up into his eyes, hers glistening with tears, and he saw the flicker of something that looked like hope. Still, she questioned him. “But how?” He ran his hand down the length of her back and pulled her body against his until his cock pressed hard against her. A shiver skittered through her, but he didn’t smile at the evidence of what his closeness did to her. “Because I know how my body reacts to you, and—not that I’ve been promiscuous over the course of my life—I have been with enough women, and had quite enough enjoyable sex, to know that what you and I have is different. Sure, it will take time for us to get to know one another.” He nibbled on her ear. “To learn what each other likes and dislikes. How we want to be touched. Do you like your nipples licked or sucked, Emma?” His mouth dipped to the curve of her neck. Emma shivered. “B‐both.” “I want to learn everything that makes your body ignite.” He smiled into her hair and slid his hand down the zipper of her gown. “I want to be the man who brings you such ecstasy you can barely breathe. I want you wet for me, Emma. I want you to ache the way I’m aching now. Then I want to bring you relief and pleasure beyond your wildest dreams.” He sucked her lower lip lightly, and his hand moved against the bare skin of her back. “You feel it, donʹt you, Emma? Our connection? It’s uncanny.” She nodded.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Have you ever experienced this with anyone else?” He slipped one strap off her shoulder, kissed it, then softly bit her. “N‐no.” Her voice was barely a squeak. Her head fell back, and Jack took advantage of the sweet skin bared to him. He sucked on her neck and pushed his fingers into her hair. He was so hard it was painful. His heart pounded, and his breathing became incredibly difficult to control. He pulled back and ran his hand along the side of her face. Then he curved it around her jaw and lifted her eyes to meet his. “I’m going to love you like nobody’s ever loved you.” “That sounds like a song.” “It probably is, but it’s no less true.” He smiled. “My body was created for you, Emma. Created to bring you pleasure.” He slid one hand down her back and brought her hand to his lips with the other. “B‐bring me pleasure?” “Of course, what else would—” He tightened his grip on her hand, and his smile faded. “They were fools, Emma. Donʹt compare me to them. I care about your pleasure. When we make love, if you donʹt enjoy it, I won’t enjoy it. It’s that simple.” A tear slipped down her cheek, but this time he left it. “Let me love you, Emma.” He pushed the other frilly strap from her shoulder. “Let’s make love together.” She swallowed, closed her eyes, and smiled. It was the sweetest smile he’d ever seen. “I can’t believe you’re real.” He reached behind her and finished unzipping her gown. As he slid it down her back, he whispered, “I’m real enough, honey.” He turned her and looked into her eyes. “Now, let’s make magic together.”
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Chapter Nine Emma trusted Jack. She would always trust him, she decided. So as he lay her softly on the enormous bed, she pushed all thoughts of other men and their remarks such as, “Is that the best you can do?”from her head entirely. Jack’s touch wasn’t like that of any of the others. His was reverent, like she was precious to him. Like someone would touch a fine gem or a work of art. That was how Jack Sinclaire touched her. A moan escaped her lips as he removed her wedding dress. He touched the heart she wore around her neck. “What’s in here?” She chewed her lip, and then answered truthfully. “One of my secrets.” He kissed the locket gently, let it rest against her skin, and never said another word about it. Now she lay before him in only her white panties and thigh high stockings. She felt just the slightest sense of embarrassment, until she looked into his eyes. Eyes that glistened with tears. “You’re—” His voice broke, and he swallowed. “You’re beautiful.” He lay down partly atop her and nuzzled his face into her neck. “So very, very beautiful.” He ran his hands down her naked side, and she broke out in goose bumps. “Jack?” she whispered.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He immediately met her gaze. “Yes, my love. Anything.” She wasn’t sure anybody had ever meant anything more. She cupped his cheek and slid her hand down over the stubble on his hard jaw. “You have a beautiful face.” He smiled and laughed mildly. “Thank you.” “May I undress you?” His Adam’s apple moved as he gulped, and he seemed to stop breathing for a second before sitting up again and splaying his arms. “By all means, my wife.” Wife. No word had ever sounded better to Emma’s ears. She pulled his bow tie free and unbuttoned the top buttons of his shirt. She’d never undressed a man before. In all the times she’d had sex, she’d always been a timid little mouse, letting the men take the lead while she waited for it to be over. But with Jack, it was different, mostly because she wanted to make love to Jack. She pushed his jacket off his shoulders, and he let it fall from his arms. Next was his shirt. She unbuttoned it the rest of the way and pushed it aside, touching his neck, his cheek, and his arms, each time letting her fingers play across his tanned skin. When she first touched his chest, he jerked back, and then placed his hand over hers and pressed it harder against his taut flesh. She noticed the play of muscle beneath his skin and how wildly his heart beat. She looked up into his eyes. “Is that truly because of me?” She looked down at her hand, and then back into his eyes. “The way your heart’s beating so fast?” “Yes.” He smiled, drew a breath, and placed a little kiss beside her lips while whispering, “Donʹt I make your heart race?” She giggled. An actual carefree, happy giggle. She wasn’t sure she’d ever giggled before in her life until that moment, but it felt so good that she giggled again. Jack smiled, slid his hands into her hair, and kissed her hard. The tiara tumbled from her head as he pressed her back against the mattress. Emma’s spirits soared. She couldn’t imagine anything
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS feeling this wonderful. It went beyond all the subtle signs of arousal her body was feeling—and entered her heart. She’d never given relations between men and women much thought, but she supposed what made everything so much better with Jack was that she trusted him and wasn’t even a little bit afraid he would suddenly walk out on her. Okay. Maybe just a little. But old habits are hard to break, after all. “Love me, Emma,” he said. “Love me.” He gently rolled her so that she was on top of him; astride him, actually. She chewed her lower lip nervously, feeling on display. She attempted to cover her naked breasts, but he held her hands to her sides, leaned forward, and took one nipple into his mouth. The sensation of wet heat sent a shiver of pleasure through her. She laughed with pure joy. When he was done suckling that nipple, he rolled her over until he was on top again and took her other nipple into his mouth while his hands skimmed her thigh, causing more delightful little shivers to build up inside of her. “Jack, I need you.” she whined, but it didn’t seem to offend him. He growled and pulled off her lace panties. “It doesn’t seem fair to leave me entirely naked when you’re not.” She pouted on purpose, and he nipped at her protruding lower lip. “You’re not entirely naked.” He gave her a wicked grin that heated her blood. “I left your stockings on.” “Jack!” She only had a second to feign disapproval before his mouth once again captured her nipple, and his hand pressed between her thighs into the heat contained within the folds of her labia. She gasped, then moaned because it felt so damn good. When he smiled knowingly at her, proving the beast knew exactly what he was doing to her, she playfully slapped his shoulder. He responded by sliding one long finger inside her. “J‐Jack. Oh, my God.” Her voice sounded strangely thick and unsteady. “Stop.” “Really, my love?” He looked at her, and then kissed her ever so slowly. “That’s what you want?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS With his finger still inside her, she was only capable of shaking her head no. He ratcheted her emotions higher and higher as he slid his fingers in and out of her while using his tongue on her nipples with such complete mastery she wondered why any woman in their right mind would ever let Jack Sinclaire out of her bed. “I love you, Emma.” He gave her another slow, drugging kiss, swirling his tongue in her mouth in such an intimate fashion she reveled in it. As he slid slowly down her body, he left a trail of kisses along her collar bone and across the beauty mark above her left breast. Then he sucked one nipple into his mouth and ran his fingers around the other. His cock pressed her leg. She wanted it inside her, so she thrust her body against it. He answered with a wicked smile and slid further down her body, kissing her hip and her mound, his nails biting softly into her ass as he raised her to his mouth. Biting on her lower lip with nervous indecision, she shivered as he used his tongue in ways she’d only read about. All thought melted away. “Jack—” She tried to protest. Why, she hadn’t the faintest clue. But it didn’t really matter. Her half‐hearted protest sounded a little too much like encouragement laced with a breathy, sultry lilt. “I wanted to taste you like this the first moment I saw you. It’s shocking really, because I don’t usually have thoughts like that about women.” His eyes flashed. “But God, Emma. I wanted to run my tongue over your pussy, to dip it inside you, from the very second we met.” He went back to what he’d been doing, and she gave a breathy little “Uh‐huh”, in agreement, as it was all she could get out. She was glad to know, however, that her husband didn’t go around fantasizing about women in this way all the time. It reassured her. The moment he sucked on her clit, all coherent thought left her, and she writhed off the mattress into his caress. The man was going to drive her from her mind, she was sure of it. Her legs shook, she couldn’t catch her breath, and her vision grew fuzzy. “Fucking hell, Jack!” She moaned loudly as she reached the crest of her orgasm. Her head pressed deep into the mattress and her entire body tensed, anticipating his moves as he continued to fuck her with his fingers
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS and his mouth. Then she heard the most erotic cry she’d ever heard, and turned scarlet when she realized it was coming from her mouth. As a wave of pleasure washed over her, her body held on as long as it could, until finally she collapsed in a sated heap. She lost her ability to speak. To move. To think or reason. As she lay back on the mattress, a limp quivering mass of flesh, she reasoned he had killed her with his tongue. That was the only explanation she could give. Jack slid up beside his rag doll wife as she lay limp on the bed. He smiled at her. Her hair was a mess, her make‐up was smeared, and her eyes were half open. God, she’s beautiful. “I love you, Emma.” He scooped her limp body into his arms and cradled her to his chest. “Uh‐huh.” He couldn’t help but laugh at her weak, surprised tone. He also couldn’t help ribbing her. “What is it, Emma? Hasn’t any other man ever done that for you?” She shook her head, and a devilish spirit took hold of him. He lowered his mouth to her ear and whispered, “The orgasm? Or the oral sex?” “Yeah.” He furrowed his brow and looked down at her. Her eyes were slowly returning to life. “Surely you’ve had an orgasm before, Emma.” He cringed at how dictatorial he’d sounded. She shrugged. “I suppose, but not like that.” He smiled again and tucked her safely against his chest, where he wished he could just keep her for all time. He was about to check to see if she’d gone to sleep when she surprised him by rolling atop him. As she sat astride his hips, her wet heat burned his skin. He grew so hard it was painful.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I need to be inside you, Emma.” He wasn’t usually a man to beg. In fact, he couldn’t remember a time in his life before yesterday morning when he’d ever begged anyone. But right now, if she didn’t let him slide into her, he was literally going to die. She gave him a wicked smile and slid her heat over him, grinding just enough to make him fear he’d lose control like a horny kid. “Emma,” he growled, hoping she’d heed the warning. But after another pass of her slick skin, he had to take matters into his own hands. He thrilled at her surprised screech as he flipped her beneath him so quickly it stole her breath. He looked down at the completely trapped Mrs. Sinclaire and smiled at her with feral intent. She met his smile and sucked her lower lip between her teeth, as if she’d figured out what came next. “Jack.” She said his name with such love and devotion, it made him want to weep. “You’re mine, Emma. Mine forever. I’ll make every dream you ever had come true. I swear it, sweetheart.” With the thought of fulfilling his bride’s dreams firmly planted in his mind, he pushed into her wetness until he was buried to the hilt inside her glorious body. “Good God, Emma,” he cried. “You’re so wet.” Her deep brown eyes locked with his, and he saw a flare of desire in them she was unable to hide. He began to move within her, rocking back and forth, grinding their bodies together. She rubbed her foot along his calf, and his body tingled. He smiled at the sudden rush of tenderness that shot through his heart. He slipped his arm beneath her knee, pulling her leg up so he could penetrate her more deeply. As his cock slid farther into her heat, her pussy grabbed him, begging him to come. He leaned over her and took one pebbled nipple into his mouth. She moaned and closed her eyes. Jack continued to thrust deep, every push bringing him closer to the edge, but he wanted Emma with him. He wouldn’t be like the other men in her life. He brushed her clit with his thumb, and her eyes flew open. A groan slipped from her lips.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I’m gonna come, Emma. Come with me.” He thrust forward again, his balls slapping her ass, and she bent her leg even more, allowing him to go deeper. He tensed, and came hard inside her. A guttural groin ripped from his chest. He rubbed her clit, even in the throes of his own orgasm when he’d lost all finesse, but it seemed to have the right effect because her pussy grabbed him hard. “Oh, fucking…oh fuck. Emma—” He couldn’t form a complete sentence, but the sound of his lovely wife moaning beneath him told him she probably wouldn’t hear him if he could. He’d been wrong before. It was Fourth of July, Christmas, and Springtime all rolled into one—and more. It was love. Their love and spirits had entwined just as much as their bodies. He was becoming a part of her; and she, him. Jack knew with all certainty that he’d been right all along. That there had never, nor would there ever be, another woman for him other than Emma Sinclaire.
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Chapter Ten Emma lay in bed beside her husband, his gentle snore wrapping around her in much the same way his arms did. He held onto her even in sleep, as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. She snuggled a little deeper into his embrace and wondered if he knew that as much as he didn’t want to let her go, she wanted to leave even less. If she could find some feasible way to have his arms surgically attached around her, she’d be tempted to do it. His fingers slid into her hair, and he kissed her temple. She smiled and nuzzled against him, enjoying his warmth. His safety. “It’s never been like that for me before, Emma,” he said. “Not even close.” They lay like that, tangled in one another’s arms, their legs entwined, and his fingers gently stroking her hair. “Tell me about your life, my wife. You said you lived in a motel. Why’s that?” She shrugged, more from habit than anything else. Whenever anyone asked her about a touchy subject, she’d learned early in life to pretend she didn’t care, because then they usually didn’t either. But this was Jack, and he cared about everything. Tears formed in her eyes. Feeling ridiculous, she wiped them away. Her emotions were all over the place. In a lot of ways, she didn’t even recognize herself. It was as if from the moment she’d met Jack, something inside her started to change and she was becoming something new.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Please, Emma.” His voice softened into that needy, pleading tone he wielded with such effectiveness, and she wondered if she would ever gain any resistance to it. So she decided to tell him. “I didn’t live there until a few months ago. I had my own place. But then things happened, and I had to move, uh, back home, I guess you could say.” She laughed, mocking herself. Home. As if she’d ever had one. “Okay, then why do your mom and sister live there?” She gave him a one‐shoulder shrug this time and pretended to take extreme interest in her fingernails, which had been painted a pearly pink for the ceremony. “It’s hard once you’ve been homeless, to be anything else. You try so hard to get on your feet, but rent isn’t cheap and the deposits are worse. If you go into one of those motels by the week, they charge more rent than on a three bedroom apartment, but you just have to come up with a week’s worth and if there’s any deposit at all, it isn’t much. But once you’re there, you’re stuck. It’s hard to save anything and pay those rates.” “But with three of you working, certainly—” “We tried for a long time, Jack, but then Mom gave up and Shelly followed suit. If it weren’t for my last boyfriend, I’d have probably been there all along, too.” “So you lived with him?” “Sort of. It was really my place, but he paid for it, called it ours.” She shook her head, trying to dislodge the pain along with the memory. “But there were things he didn’t tell me, and I was too stupid to figure it out. Or I was too blinded by his charm. One way or the other, he was just another loser for Emma.” “I’m sorry.” She didn’t know what to say to that. He was sorry? He’d already been so much more than all her other boyfriends put together; he didn’t have anything to be sorry about. She turned her body toward him and pressed her lips to his neck while she slid her hands along his chest. His low groan was exceedingly pleasing. “Make love to me again, Jack. Make me forget all the others.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “With pleasure, Mrs. Sinclaire.” He rolled part‐way on top of her and kissed her until her mind went blank. Emma pressed her hands to her husband’s chest and let a soft smile play over her lips. “Wait.” With devilish delight, she pushed him back and straddled his body, pressing her pussy against his cock and moaning as it sent shivers straight to her womb. “On second thought,” she said. “Let me make love to you.” His fingers grasped her hips as she aligned herself with his hardened shaft. She was so wet, it took next to nothing to glide down onto him. Her muscles contracted around his cock, and he moaned. It was a heady thing to have that type of reception. He reached for her nipple with his thumb and forefinger, and squeezed it softly. “Mmm, God, Jack. You feel amazing inside me,” she said. He slid his hands back on her hips and guided her into a more active rhythm, smiling for a second before closing his eyes and dropping his head back onto the pillow. Emma followed him down, flattening her palms on either side of his head and surprising him with a slow, erotic kiss. He wrapped his arms around her, pulled her body tight against his, and caused her to lose her rhythm. She smiled, until happiness engulfed her heart to the point she couldn’t stop laughter from rising within her. Jack brushed a lock of hair from her eyes, his own smile so beautiful her heart expanded to encompass all she was feeling. He pulled her head forward and captured her lips, but her happiness was too much and laughter burst from her lips. Soon they were both laughing. Kissing and laughing and holding one another, and Emma knew that marrying Jack was the best thing she’d ever done in her life. * * * * * Emma lay in the large bed she’d barely left for two days and watched the sun set. A noise from across the room drew her attention. She
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS turned her head and saw her beautiful husband standing in the doorway of the bathroom with one arm extended in her direction. “Come bathe with me, Mrs. Sinclaire.” Going into the bathroom without hesitation, she slipped into the enormous tub and into Jack’s arms once again. Laying her bare body against his chest, she surrendered to the warm soapy water, becoming so relaxed she barely remembered a time when she’d ever felt anything else. “Happy, Emma?” “Mmm.” Her eyes drifted shut, and her head lolled against his shoulder. “So very much.” He ran the cloth over her breasts, sending warm water and suds sliding over her skin. It felt marvelous. Soon he moved his ministrations to her hair, his fingers softly massaging her scalp as the shampoo’s lavender scent seeped deep within her. That afternoon, while Jack sensually bathed her and washed her hair, he told her about his childhood, family, school, and the dreams he’d never shared with anyone else. He spoke softly, hypnotically, and had her enthralled. By the time he got to the story of the day his dad finally died after a four year battle with cancer, Emma knew she was losing her heart in a very big way that was so much more real and so much deeper than she ever knew possible. Sad and filled with trepidation, she climbed back into the Jag on Sunday morning. Jack offered to show her the city, to take her to dinners, shows, museums, and casinos, anything she wanted. But all she really wanted was to stay wrapped in his arms. They’d made love so many times she’d lost count. So many times, her body now recognized itself as his, and his alone. All he had to do was look at her and she was ready. It was crazy. Sometimes they made love slowly and languorously like they had the first time; other times, they gave in to pure lust and need. She covered a little smile and her cheeks heated when she remembered how he’d found her one morning picking through the fruit bowl, and without a word, picked her up and took her on top of the piano.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS When they weren’t making love, they were talking. One morning, over breakfast, he told her about his sister and Alex’s father. Apparently, the man had only been interested in Lilly for her money, but by the time she figured it out, she was already six months pregnant with Alex. Jack ran a finger down Emma’s nose and said, “See, men take advantage of rich girls who’ve been to Yale, too.” If he only knew how similar Lilly’s story was to hers. She felt such a huge amount of guilt for keeping her secrets at that point. He’d given her the perfect opportunity to come clean about her past, about everything, but instead she masterfully redirected his attention and they made love on the breakfast table. But as they say—all good things... Though she’d tried to push it away, the pressure of the world came down on them more and more every day. They had so little time together before everyone else in their lives found out what had happened between them. Emma was going to have to tell her mom, and she was going to have to meet Jack’s mother. She sank a little lower in her seat just thinking about it. She already knew she wasn’t good enough for Jack; she didn’t need his mother pointing it out for her. But what good mother wouldn’t? She feared Lilly would take one good look at her and see right through her. There were some things only other women could see. She prayed Lilly wouldn’t. “We didn’t have to drive back,” he said. “I could have sent someone for my car.” “I’m in no hurry to get home.” She rested her head against the smooth leather and watched her amazing Jack silently looking down the road. The lines around his mouth had eased over the past few days, and she noticed he didn’t furrow his brow as much. His sunglasses blocked any chance of her seeing what was in his gaze, and she loved his eyes. They were incredibly expressive. A wicked thought rolled though her mind. She laughed spontaneously. “What?” “I was just looking at you, thinking that something seems different.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Why, Emma Sinclaire.” He turned his head, and a grin slid across his face. Then he went back to watching the road. “I’ve turned you into a little hoyden, haven’t I?” “Why, whatever do you mean?” She batted her lashes and feigned shock. His grin widened. “I look different because I’m wearing clothes, you hussy.” She dropped her head back and laughed and laughed. How had she grown to care for him so much so fast? And how would she ever live without him if he left her? * * * * * The drive back from Nevada had been enjoyable until about thirty minutes ago, Jack realized. About the time they drove over the Orange County line, and his wife suddenly went mute. “We don’t have to get my things, I keep telling you. I can go get them tomorrow. Or never.” She looked at him brightly, but the more she insisted he forget it, the more he insisted they go. Blame his rebellious streak. So now here they were about ten minutes from the motel where she’d told him she lived, and she looked positively green. Jack shifted in his seat. Besides enduring the long drive, he had something of an uncomfortable subject to discuss with her before they arrived. “Emma, do your mother or sister—?” He scratched at his hairline. “Well what I mean to say is, do they, uh...” He could tell she was staring at him from his peripheral vision, but he was afraid to meet her eyes. “Do they do drugs, Emma?” God, he hoped she didn’t just decide to hate him for asking, but he wanted to know ahead of time what he’d be walking into. He couldn’t explain it, but when she sank down in her seat and closed off to him with her arms across her chest, he was hurt. “I realize I probably sound like a—” “Prick,” she said, finishing his thought.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He cleared his throat and scratched his head again. “Yes, a...prick. But I just thought I should know the full extent of it before—” “Just because we’re technically homeless, doesn’t mean we’re alcoholics, or drug addicts, or that we’re insane. It just means we’ve had a run of bad luck, and/or made some stupid choices. It doesn’t make us bad people or—” “Drug addicts,” he said, duly chastened. She slumped back in her eat, and neither of them spoke another word until they pulled into the alley behind the motel. Jack became instantly aware that his car wasn’t particularly safe here. He couldn’t help but wonder how safe it had been for Emma, when she’d come home alone from work every night. The thought raised the hairs on the back of his neck. He wanted to fight for her, to save her from this shitty existence. He wanted to love her, protect her, and take care of her, the way his dad had taught him to do for the woman he loved. He found a spot to park and took a page from an old book he’d read, found a couple of teenagers, and gave them fifty bucks. He told them he’d give them more if he came back and found his car in one piece. God, he hoped it worked. They ducked beneath an awning and headed for a staircase, but Jack couldn’t go on. The tension between him and Emma was killing him. So just as her foot hit the bottom step, he tugged her back toward him. “Let’s not go up there fighting.” A baby screamed somewhere nearby, louder than the mariachi music blaring from somewhere else, and that was saying something. He smelled urine and trash and was honestly revolted. “We’re not fighting,” she said tightly. He pulled her against him and kissed her head. “Yes, we are. And I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have made assumptions.” She shrugged, something he noticed she did whenever she was embarrassed or acutely uncomfortable. “It doesn’t matter.” “It does if I’ve made you ashamed of yourself or the choices you’ve made. Honey, I’ve had money all my life. I was born with it. I have no idea what you’ve had to face, and I have no right judging your choices.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He brushed her cheek and thrilled at her very small smile. “I can tell you, though, that from this moment on, you’ll never be alone again. You’ll never have to make a decision alone, never have to lay awake at night and wonder if you’re going to make the rent. Life won’t be perfect, my love, but you won’t have money worries anymore.” She flung herself into his arms so fast he lost his balance and fell against the wall. He chuckled and kissed her. They had a few lewd comments thrown at them, and Jack decided they’d better move along. He took Emma’s arm and led her silently to the second floor. About halfway down the row of rooms, she stopped. “There’s really nothing I need. You bought me new clothes and a toothbrush in Vegas, plus I have my job. If there’s anything I need, I can buy it myself.” She looked so cute with her brow furrowed. But she needed to face this, and he needed to face it with her. As for her job, well, they’d discuss that later, but Mrs. Sinclaire didn’t need to wait tables anymore. She just hadn’t figure it out yet. “Donʹt you think they’re going to be worried about you?” “They only worried for about ten seconds on Friday morning when I wasn’t here with my share of the rent. Let’s just go, Jack.” She pulled on his arm, obviously trying to get him to move back down the balcony walk—when a woman’s voice came at them from the other direction. “Well, Emma Rose, I guess I can see now what was more important than paying your rent. I hope this guy paid you well for whatever pleasure you gave him, because Shelly and I hawked all your stuff to make up your share.” Jack drew a long, slow breath. Emma grabbed the locket she wore around her neck and gave it a soft tug. At least they hadn’t hawked that. Even though he didn’t know what was in it, he knew how important it was to her and that she never took it off. Hoping he had enough control over both his emotions and his mouth, he pulled Emma to his side and turned to face her mother.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She wasn’t a tall woman. In fact, she was rather short, with dark hair that hung in a long braid all the way down her back. Where Jack would have said she was pretty enough if he knew nothing about her, she had a hardness, a meanness about her he couldn’t overlook, and it put any attractiveness she might have had out of his mind. “Mrs. Hallowell.” He held out his hand, being gracious the way his mother had taught him. Emma’s mother looked at his hand for the longest time, then up at him. “Never been a Mrs. In case my darling daughter hasn’t mentioned it, she comes from a long line of easy, stupid women.” Emma tensed, and Jack suddenly felt like an ass for making her come here. “Emma’s not easy or stupid,” he said. “But she is my wife, and you will not speak about her like that in my presence.”
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Chapter Eleven Emma’s mother stuck a key into an old door that looked as if a gust of wind might blow it open, then looked at Emma and waved her over the threshold. “Since you’re here, you might as well say good‐bye to your sister.” Jack and Emma walked into the dark room. The curtains were pulled shut, and a plume of cigarette smoke wafted up from a chair pulled in front of the television while a window air conditioning unit whistled loudly and spat out marginally cold air. “Shelly, your sister’s here to say good‐bye.” The woman tossed her key and a pack of cigarettes onto a counter sandwiched between a small fridge and a sink. Jack assumed it was supposed to be the kitchen. A willowy, tired‐looking young woman flew out of the chair in which she’d been curled when they arrived and threw her arms around Emma. “I thought you’d finally gone and gotten yourself eaten by some wild beast at that damn animal shelter.” “No,” Emma squeaked out. Jack’s lips twitched with the hint of a smile as Shelly nearly squeezed the life out of Emma. He let the scene go on another minute, and then regretfully pried Shelly off his wife. Obviously Emma’s sister cared about her. He eyed her mother again. She stood in the corner with her arms folded across her chest, eyeing him right back.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I’m Jack Sinclaire, Miss Hallowell. It was my fault your sister was missing for several days.” Shelly looked up at him with wary green eyes, but took his hand just the same. “Shelly, go see if we missed anything of your sister’s when we went to Mike’s the other day, will you?” her mother asked. “But Mom—” “Just go and check.” Shelly did as she was told, closing herself behind the only other door in the room, which Jack assumed led to the bathroom. “Mom, I—” “I donʹt care, Emma.” She lit a cigarette, then shook her hand to blow out the match. “It’s your life. You’ll do as you please, anyway.” She turned her back, opening the fridge as if her daughter’s life was the least important thing in the world. “She always has. Strong willed, that one.” Jack held onto Emma, feeling the tension roll through her body. God, how long could it possibly take to search a bathroom? He wanted to get Emma out of there. Wanted to start their new lives together…wanted to make love to his wife again. “Here, Emma. You can have this.” Shelly came back out of the bathroom, and Jack knew then what had taken her so long. She had been crying. She held out a small bottle of perfume, and Emma looked as if she wanted to cry as well. “No, Shelly, you keep it.” She pushed it back toward her sister and smiled sadly up at Jack. “We went in halfsies.” She cupped her sister’s cheek, and then drew her into a hug. “It was so expensive we hardly ever wear it.” That explained why the bottle was still full, he supposed. He knew the brand and couldn’t quite imagine these girls affording such a luxury. It pained him to realize that while he’d never gone without, a bottle of perfume was everything to Emma and Shelly.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “All right, but you can always come here and use it if you want.” Shelly sniffled, and Emma pulled her even harder into her arms, hugging her fiercely. She’d never felt sad about leaving before. She’d moved away four other times, but this time her gut told her it was permanent. There would never be another time when she and Shelly sat up all night watching sappy movies, giggling quietly so as not to wake Mom, and sharing their dreams. Emma realized all her dreams had come true. If she stayed another second, she knew she’d break down in tears. So she pulled away, kissed her sister on the cheek, and ran out the door with a muffled, “I love you guys.” Jack stood disoriented for a second. He gave a tight smile to both women, and then went to follow Emma back to the car. He’d only taken a few steps when Emma’s mother’s raspy voice stopped him. “Mr. Sinclaire, might I have a word?” Oh here it comes, no doubt. Jack put on his best game face and turned to meet her eyes. She was either going to try and scam him, or offer to sell her lack of interference in their lives. Only, he wasn’t giving the woman one damn cent. He gave her a sly smile that said as much. “Yes, Ms. Hallowell,” he said. “What can I do for you?” “I love that girl with all my heart.” She fidgeted with her fingers for a minute, and then her eyes burned into his. “If you so much as make her sniffle—” She stopped, obviously realizing she had nothing with which to threaten him. He thought her performance was very convincing, and if he didn’t know better, he might have believed she had feelings for Emma. “Mr. Sinclaire, I didn’t have a real good upbringing,” she finally said. “My mom was a hooker. I had four brothers and a sister, and we were always hungry. When I was fifteen, I ran away with the first guy who took notice of me and ended up here in California. I was alone after a few weeks. “But that was all right, because I realized I’d been given a chance to make something of myself, and I worked hard at it. But then I met
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Emma’s father and fell so completely in love with him that all my vows to myself went out the window. We were going to be married. Everything had been arranged, and I was so happy. Until I got word he’d been killed in a car accident.” She went back to toying with her fingers. “He never even knew about Emma.” “Ms. Hallowell, I—” “Please, let me finish. I know Emma’s waiting for you. I won’t be long.” Jack nodded. “The first time I saw Emma and held her in my arms, it changed me. I was going to do better by her than my mama did by me, but no matter how hard I tried it wasn’t ever enough. Then a night of extreme self pity and way too much vodka led to Shelly, and my lot was cast. I could barely scrape by with one kid, let alone two. I knew then I wasn’t ever going to make it out, but I’d be damned sure my daughters did. “The only way I knew to do that was to let them think bad of me. I didn’t want their love and respect. I wanted them to hate me and get as far away from me as possible. I wanted them to do more than just survive. Mr. Sinclaire, I wanted them to have everything they deserved. Everything I couldn’t provide for them. “You’re not like the others, I can see it in how you look at her. Please take care of her and teach her what love really is. I had it once with her father. Nothing else in my life has compared to it.” Jack looked into her eyes, shining with tears, and knew suddenly that every word she’d said was true. He pulled his wallet from his pocket and took her hand. “This is my card, with my personal number on it. If you or Shelly need anything, you call me. My assistant will be in touch with you some time tomorrow about your new accommodations.” “Mr. Sinclaire, I—” He squeezed her hand a little tighter. “It’s Jack, and I owe you a profound apology. My mother did her best to raise me without prejudice toward others, but I have to admit that in this situation, I’ve failed her.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS You are a woman of strength and character that I had not expected, and yet, since I know Emma, I should have.” “We don’t need your charity. It’s enough that you love Emma.” “I believe that what you just said to me is true, which is why I want to see to it that you are both taken care of. Another thing I was taught, Ms. Hallowell, is that one takes care of family. You are my family now, like it or not.” He looked over his shoulder, and then back at her. “I really must get to Emma, but be ready to move very soon. I’ll be in touch.” * * * * * Emma and Jack drove all the way to Jack’s house without saying one word. Emma was so lost in her own thoughts she hardly noticed the landscape change from rundown apartments and seedy motels to single family homes to large homes with professionally manicured lawns. The scent of the sea grew stronger and stronger, until it filled her senses. When Jack finally pulled the Jag into a garage, she assumed they had reached their destination. She followed him through the connecting door that opened into a large kitchen, dimly lit by lights placed strategically under the cupboards. Emma was so heartsick she really couldn’t appreciate the marble countertops or top‐of‐the‐line appliances, but subconsciously she felt out of her element. The living room was also dimly lit by accent lights set around the room. It was opulent and dark, almost moody, yet filled with flawless perfection at the same time. Emma crossed the same marble tiles that lined the kitchen floor to a decadent white rug that lay in a sunken spot on the living room floor. She went down two steps and ran her hands over a large white sofa, then gazed at a blue crystal vase containing a single orchid. The flower reminded her of one of the arrangements in their honeymoon suite. “Your home is lovely.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Our home,” he snapped, without looking at her. He was on the other side of the room at a gleaming table looking through what she assumed was mail. She flinched at his harsh tone, climbed the two steps on the other side of the sitting area, and moved to the large glass patio doors. She peered outside. The sun had set over an hour ago and though there were lights on outside, none were bright enough for her to clearly take in her surroundings. Everything here seemed so...pristine she was afraid to sully it with her presence. She turned to look at Jack. His brow furrowed as he read something he’d picked up from the table. She let out a low breath and gathered her courage. If he’d changed his mind, if he’d decided after seeing the environment she came from that she wasn’t worthy of him, she wasn’t going to hold him to their...their what? Marriage? A burst of annoyance took root within her. They were married, damn it, and he was going to tell her what was going on whether either of them liked what he had to say. “Jack?” She waited, hoping he’d turn to face her, but he didn’t. “Are you disappointed in me? Have you changed your mind about wanting to be married to me?” Saying those words was unbelievably painful, so much so it terrified her, but she was glad she’d said them and no matter how he responded, she vowed not to regret them. Still, the pain within her heart was telling. She’d become far too attached to Jack. He closed his eyes, dropped the letters back onto the credenza, and looked at his lovely, tormented wife. You’re a bastard, Sinclaire. His eyes locked with hers, praying she could see in them how sorry he was, and he walked over to her in four powerful strides. He pulled her into his arms. “I will never change my mind about wanting to be married to you, Emma.” He lifted her chin until their eyes met. “You are my precious, precious wife, and I love you. It’s me I’m ashamed of.” He dropped to his knees before her, grabbed her around the waist, and held her close.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “All my life, Emma, I’ve tried to be good. Tried so hard to always do what was right, but those children today at the motel mock me. They live in squalor, while I live in this.” He gestured to the room. “I could sell this house and buy each and every one of them a home instead.” Tears welled in his eyes. She cupped his jaw and pulled his gaze to hers. “My love, you can’t save everybody.” He laughed, a sad self mocking laugh. “Do you have any idea how many times my mother has said those same words to me?” “Well, she’s right.” Emma dropped down onto her knees beside Jack and touched his face with great affection. “Someone will always have less than you, and someone will always have more. It’s just the way of it. Do you do good things with your money, Jack?” “It doesn’t matter how much money I give, or how much time. I’ve taught children to read, coached at‐risk kids in basketball and football, served in a soup kitchen every Thanksgiving and Christmas since I was five, and there always seems to be another rare species that needs saving, or another disease wreaking havoc on some poor child’s body. And as disgusted as I am to say it, homelessness has barely been on my radar before now. “Oh, I’ve given to shelters and such, but it’s like you said in the car—I’m prejudiced. I’ve always thought of homelessness as the just desserts of the weak, but you and your mother opened my eyes. I won’t ever be able to look away from it again.” “My mother?” “Oh, Emma, she’s not like you think. She told me how she’s tried to make you hate her so you’d leave and find a life for yourself. I sensed the same strength in you the moment we met, and now I understand where it came from. I’m having Tessa locate an apartment for your mother and sister in the morning. They’ll be moved by tomorrow evening.” “Jack, you donʹt have to—” He pressed his fingers to her lips. “This is our home, Emma. Our money, and our family. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do in a heartbeat for your mom or Shelly.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Tears filled Emma’s eyes and slowly rolled down her cheeks. Jack kissed them away with passion and love. He laughed in spite of himself. “What?” He closed his eyes. “I’m hard for you again, Emma. I swear, you’ve turned me into a beast. I’ve never wanted anyone this badly or this often.” Her laughter had a magical effect on his body, releasing tension and making him even harder. He had no idea he was capable of such passion. Dane’s words came back to him again. Passion is your life’s blood. Well then, thank God for Emma. Together, they rolled onto the white rug. Jack slipped her silk top over her head, revealing a lacy, pale pink bra. He sucked on her nipple though the lace, loving it when she moaned, loving the way her body caught on fire for him. His hands brushed her waist, her hips. He pushed up her short skirt and pulled down her panties. “Sorry, love. I’m running low on finesse and high on testosterone. I need to fuck you.” She pressed the back of her hand over her lips so he wouldn’t see her smile, but her eyes sparkled with delight even as they darkened with desire. “Oh, Mrs. Sinclaire.” He undid his pants, freeing his cock, and dipped two fingers deep inside her, amazed at how wet she already was. “I predict a great future ahead for you and me.” Emma agreed as her husband pushed inside her, filling and stretching her. She moaned. Sex had always been very physical for her, but this was so much more. It involved her heart and mind as well. She thrust her hips up to meet his. Every thrust was laced with potent need. She needed this, needed Jack, needed whatever it was going on inside her heart. “Harder, Jack. Take me hard. Forget I’m your wife and just fuck me.” Rich deep laughter rolled from his chest. He cupped her ass and held her more tightly.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I’ll fuck you anytime you want, Emma.” His breathing was raspy, sweat beaded his forehead, and she thrilled at how crazy with passion he seemed. “But I don’t ever intend to forget you’re my wife.” Emma was blissfully reeling in his declaration when he pulled away from her. Her mouth opened to question him, but he flipped her onto her belly, propped her ass in the air, and slid back inside. Her words left her with his first thrust. When his fingers started massaging her clit, she lost her thoughts as well. Her womb tightened. With every thrust, he penetrated deeper. She squeezed his cock hard, begging him not to leave again, but he always did, then slid back inside. It was stunningly erotic, animalistic, and just goddamn hot. Her climax beckoned, but she wished she could push it back and wait a while longer. She so didn’t want this moment to end. Unable to stay upright, she dropped onto her elbows as her climax took her hard. She cried out incoherent curses—or benedictions—she wasn’t sure which, and collapsed with her cheek on the furry white rug. “I’m sorry.” She was breathless and useless as Jack continued to pump into her from behind. He finally climaxed a moment later and fell beside her in a heap. He tenderly brushed her bangs out of her eyes. “What on earth are you sorry for?” Emma instinctually cuddled close to him. “I couldn’t stay upright. How much fun could that have been for you?” He laughed, kissed her forehead, and tucked her head under his chin. “Emma, you’re a world of fun, and the fact that I just fucked you senseless…is a hell of a compliment.” He laughed again, and this time she joined him. Something in her relaxed, accepting whatever this was between them. She reached down, cupped his cock, and it instantly stirred. She checked his expression and found it curious. He had one eyebrow raised. As she maneuvered from his hold, sliding one leg over his hips, straddling him like she loved to do, she merely shrugged. “It’s honeymoon sex. I’ve heard it doesn’t last forever, and I want memories.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Memories?” He gently touched her cheek. “For the grandkids?” She threw her head back and laughed. “Good God. I can’t in my wildest dreams imagine me telling our grandkids about the day Grandpa Jack fucked me on the living room rug.” God, she was happy. She couldn’t remember a time she’d been happier, more secure, or more sure of anything. Jack’s cock was hard again, and her pussy, drenched with a slick mixture of her own wetness and Jack’s cum, immediately accepted it deep. “Maybe not, but I will definitely share with them how beautiful you look after you come.” Her eyes grew huge in umbrage, and he just smiled at her. “In a more delicate way, of course.” She laughed again, and rocked their bodies in a slow rhythm. She would never tire of this, and she imagined any grandkids they might have were apt to leave their grandma and grandpa with quite an education. * * * * * Hours later, as they lay in their bed, Jack held Emma in his arms. His fingers lightly brushed through her sweat‐dampened hair as she slept against him. He’d never known a greater love than this. He was the luckiest man in the universe, even though he knew that tomorrow, everything would change.
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Chapter Twelve While Jack fiddled with his navy blue tie and stared at his reflection in the mirror, Emma lay in their large bed wrapped in more luxury than she’d ever known. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever get out of bed again. He turned to her. “I wouldn’t go if it wasn’t—” “Shhh. I know. It’s important,” she said. “I don’t feel abandoned, Jack. Really.” He gave her a soft smile and moved a few steps closer to the bed. “I have no idea how long I’ll be gone, because I have no idea how much work will be waiting for me. I’ve never actually taken any time off before.” “So I’ve corrupted you. Is that what you’re saying?” Emma giggled and lay back against the luxurious sheets in a very seductive pose, letting the sheet slip down past her right breast. A sharp bark of laughter left his lungs. Emma grinned. She found it gratifying to make her handsome husband laugh. “Come here, you vixen.” He leaned over the bed and pulled at the comforter until she had no choice but to give up what covering she had, or come close enough for him to kiss her. Such a hardship. Just as she moved in, wanting to kiss him, he dipped his head and sucked her nipple into her mouth. She screeched, then laughed, before
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS letting him work his magic. A minute later, he kissed her mouth, his tongue making an achingly slow, tender circle around hers. When they broke apart, both were breathless and grinning like naughty children. Jack laid his forehead against Emma’s and pressed a tender kiss to her cheek before standing and grabbing his jacket. “I’ll call you. Mrs. Powers arrives at ten. She’ll make you something for breakfast if you want. Otherwise, the kitchen’s stocked, and there’s always takeout.” A small line creased his brow, and he reached for his wallet. “Here’s some money, and two of my credit cards.” She smiled as she took them. “Ah Emma, I just feel so bad leaving you stranded here all day. I donʹt even know where the nearest bus stop is, or if there even is one. Not that I want my wife on a public bus, come to think of it.” He frowned. “That’s it. I’m staying.” Emma tried hard not to laugh at the apparent disgust in his tone, but she wasn’t able. She flung herself back on the bed in a fit of giggles. No one had ever cared this much for her. Well, there was one other...but even that wasn’t the same. She wouldn’t think of him right now, anyway. Not when she was so happy. “I’m glad I’m amusing you.” “Oh, you are.” “Mmm.” His brow furrowed in the most adorable way when he got ruffled over something. “Emma, you can drive, can’t you?” She lay still on the bed, containing her laughter. “Of course.” “Good. Tomorrow, I’m getting you a car. What color would you like? I’ll have it delivered first thing in the morning.” She sat up part way, resting back on her elbows. “Are you serious?” “Yes, of course.” “Jack—” She sat all the way up, grabbing the sheet around her and folding her legs. “I don’t—” “I know, I know, you donʹt want my money, donʹt want me buying you anything.” He sat beside her on the bed, his hand easily finding her
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS thigh beneath the covers and lightly stroking it. “Emma, you are my wife, not a kept woman.” At his words she turned bright red, and sadness danced in her eyes in the fleeting second before she turned away and fidgeted with her locket. He reached for her, kissed her gently, and whispered. “You can tell me anything. It won’t change how I feel about you.” Moisture filled her eyes, and he saw how much she wanted to believe him. He reminded himself to go slowly; they had the rest of their lives together and at some point, she’d learn he could be trusted. After one more kiss, he again left the bed. “I’m taking tomorrow off, seeing as it’s the one week anniversary of the day I met my incredible wife.” He felt suddenly shy. He was certain she’d like his idea, but he hadn’t realized how much her liking it mattered until this moment. “I thought maybe we’d go to the shelter and pick out a dog for us.” “Oh, Jack!” The light that shone in her eyes lit her entire face; at least, he thought it did the second before she lunged at him and wrapped both arms around his neck. “Do you mean it?” “Of course I mean it.” Jack knew that if he didn’t get her naked body away from him, he was going to be seriously late for work. “Thought that maybe tonight, we can bring up those library books from my car and check out breeds and training techniques and the like.” She pressed even further and grazed the side of his neck with her soft lips. He smiled. “I love you, Emma.” He brought his mouth to hers and decided it was a good thing he was the boss, because as they fell back on the bed, he knew he was definitely going to be late. * * * * * Emma fidgeted with her locket and took the last step toward what she knew would be her doom.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Stop fidgeting. You look beautiful.” Jack placed a tender kiss on top of her head and rang the doorbell. Emma’s black dress cost more than a week’s rent at that stupid motel, and she couldn’t seem to stop thinking about it. Jack had said it was the best choice out of what she’d picked up in Vegas, and Sylvia had pressured her to get it then. Emma had only wanted a pair of shorts and a few T‐shirts. But Sylvia had been certain her new husband would want to take her out on the town and had insisted she buy the cocktail dress. The door opened, and light from the house spilled out onto the enormous stone porch, scattering Emma’s thoughts about dresses and money, at least for the minute. “Mr. Sinclaire. How nice to see you again.” As the dark‐haired woman wearing a formal black uniform held the door open, Jack took Emma’s hand and led her inside. “Thank you, Florencia.” She gave him a beautiful smile and led them into a room off the main foyer of the house. Emma tried hard not to notice things like the fact her entire room would have fit into the foyer or that the chandelier that hung over them looked like it belonged in an opera house rather than someone’s home. She tried to remember what she’d said to Jack last night. You can’t save them all, Jack. She’d believed it at the time. She still believed it, but she also understood better now what he’d been trying to tell her. She’d thought his house was the most beautiful she’d ever seen, yet it didn’t come close to the luxury of his sister’s. “Uncle Jack! Uncle Jack!” The red‐haired boy Emma had become so fond of that day at the animal shelter raced across the room and flung himself against Jack’s legs. Jack pried Alex off and bent down to give him a real hug. “How’s Old Black doing?” “Great! Only, I call him Teddy, on account of Mom says he’s a bear. We took him to the vet, and she said he was sick and healthy at the same time.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS As if he had just noticed Emma, he pulled from Jack’s embrace and threw himself at her legs. “Emma!” “Actually, the vet said he was sickeningly healthy, and we were fortunate to get such a wonderful animal. Hello, Jack.” Jack’s sister made her speech coming across the room and up the three steps to the landing where Jack and Emma stood with Alex. She looked even more elegant than she had the other day, with her hair braided and coiled at her neck. She wore a dusty blue silk pantsuit that flared at the sleeve. She gave Jack a kiss on the cheek and added, “I have to admit, he’s been obedient, loyal, and quiet, and Alex adores him. You made a good choice.” “You have Emma to thank.” Jack hugged his sister. “If it had been up to me, I would have gotten one of those small, yappy dogs.” As if she’d just noticed Emma standing beside her brother for the first time, Lilly’s wary violet eyes scanned her length and came to rest on her face. “Well, then, thank you, Emma. You really couldn’t have made a better choice. And I must say, you look beautiful tonight. That dress is spectacular. Whose is it?” “Uh, mine?” Lilly laughed, then seemed to realize Emma wasn’t joking and stopped. “I meant the designer.” “Oh.” Emma’s cheeks burned. Jack’s hand squeezed hers before he brilliantly inserted, “So Marta’s no longer hiding in her room then, I take it?” “Good God, no.” Lilly took the bait seamlessly and laughed again. “Marta’s gone to spoiling the beast something fierce. Come on in, you two.” She walked down the steps before them. “What can I get you to drink?” “Mineral water, thank you.” Emma was extremely thankful that Jack had one of her hands; and Alex, the other. It made her feel almost comfortable, and after her stupid comment about the dress, she wouldn’t have thought it was impossible. “Emma, dear? For you?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Uh, diet cola?” She guessed it was an acceptable choice, because nothing more was said to her. Alex dragged her to a sofa she was sure at least her dress felt comfortable on, and she sat obediently. Moments later, she was handed her drink. “So, where’s Mom?” Jack asked. Lilly let out a frustrated sigh before taking a seat herself. “Last time I checked, she was in the kitchen telling Lupe how to roast potatoes properly.” Jack laughed and eased onto the sofa beside Emma, pulling Alex onto his lap. He really loved the boy, and his ease with the child made Emma’s heart ache. He’d be such a good father. She couldn’t help but think it. “My boy! My darling boy!” A stunning woman who Emma thought could in no possible way be old enough to have children Jack’s age came running into the room with her arms open. Jack’s warm smile and the ease with which he took her into his arms made Emma’s heart warm. She’d always wished for that kind of relationship with her mom. “You’re terrible, running off like that and not telling us a thing,” she admonished, but Emma saw a gleam in her eye and knew she wasn’t really upset. “I’m not a young woman anymore, Jack. I can’t take all this worry.” Jack laughed in a way she hadn’t heard him do before, his rumble rich and comfortable, and so full of good humor she wanted to curl up inside it. “Oh, Mom. Just last week, weren’t you telling me you’re only as old as you feel? I believe that was when you were planning that rock climbing weekend with Jan and Paul.” She laughed good naturedly and gave Jack another hug. It was sweet and warm, and only when Jack pulled back and reached for Emma did she actually remember she was in the room and not just watching the tender scene through a window. Her stomach plummeted. “Mom, I want you to meet Emma,” Jack said. “Emma, this is my mother, Sharee Sinclaire.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Emma tried hard not to let her shyness take over, but years of being laughed at as she stuttered responses came flooding back in memories so clear it was as if it had all just happened. She lowered her eyes and smiled. Barely. “Well, it’s a pleasure, Emma.” It didn’t sound like a pleasure. Emma looked up long enough to see the same wary smile Lilly kept giving her. She took the woman’s offered hand. “Thank you, Mrs. Sinclaire.” Emma felt completely stupid hiding behind Jack like a child, but that’s where she was and both Lily and Mrs. Sinclaire stared at her as if she had garbage in her hair. Jack lovingly squeezed her hand again, and she was so thankful for it. “Emma got me my dog,” Alex said. “She knows everything about dogs.” “Is that right?” Mrs. Sinclaire’s intense stare skewered Emma. Her cheeks burned. “Well not, n‐not everything. I‐I just—” Can’t breathe anymore. She began to hyperventilate, and tears rushed into her eyes. She pulled her hand from Jack’s. “If you’ll excuse me,” she said, as she rushed from the room. “I left something in the car.” Complete silence fell over the room. “Well,” Sharee’s finally said. “Uncle Jack, is she leaving us again?” Alex asked. “‘Cause I don’t think there’s a bus stop close by now. You’ll need the shoes. My mom just got a new pair. Bet they’d work.” “What is that child talking about?” Sharee put a hand to her forehead. “Bus stops and shoes? Has everyone lost their mind?” “She does seem a little high strung, Jack,” Lilly put in hesitantly. Jack’s brain finally snapped back into working order, and he started after her. “Jack! Where are you going?” his mother demanded. “You just got here.” “After Emma.” He used a tone he’d never used before with his mother.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Hurt flashed in her eyes. “Well, it looks as though she’s got you completely wrapped around her little finger.” “Yes, Mother. She does.” Jack stopped on the landing into the foyer. “The finger I put a ring on in Las Vegas five nights ago. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go find my wife.” * * * * * Jack’s heart didn’t stop racing until he found Emma standing by the fountain in front of the house. He drew in a slow breath and pressed his hand to his chest. She had nowhere to go. There really weren’t any bus stops near here, but the fear that she’d left him had turned into full blown panic when he’d watched her run out of his sister’s living room. “Emma.” He spoke softly, but she heard him and peered over her shoulder at him, the lights from the fountain playing in her hair, making her look more like part of a dream than reality. “I was afraid to touch it.” She gestured towards the Jag. “Thought alarms might go off, and I’d be hauled off in cuffs before I could explain.” Jack used the key pad to unlock the car and opened the back door. “Come sit with me for a bit.” Without hesitation, she floated over to him. He let her slide inside, then climbed in after her and pulled her into his arms. “I could have handled that a lot better.” “It’s not your fault your wife’s a social disgrace.” “Hey.” He ran his finger over her nose. “Donʹt you speak about my wife like that.” His tone softened, and he smiled down at her. “She’s my world, you know.” Her lips were warm and soft against his, and as always Jack felt the universe becoming just a little more right every time he kissed her. “They’re good people, Emma. They won’t judge you; they’re just worried about me. I’ve already told you about Lilly. What I never told you was about a girl I knew from high school. Her name’s Michelle, and she and I became reacquainted a few years back at a fund raiser for harp seals.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She said she’s now a marine biologist, and she was pretty and funny and—I thought—really sweet. We started dating, and a few months later, she claimed to be pregnant with my child.” Emma drew in a sharp breath and started choking. Jack let her sit up and rubbed her back, holding her hair behind her. “Are you okay?” She nodded that she was, but stark panic filled her eyes. “It’s okay, Em, she wasn’t. But I didn’t realize it was all a ploy to get money out of me until I’d completely invested my heart in the idea of being a father.” He laughed harshly at himself. “Remember when I told you not to worry about me having a nursery set up at home or anything?” She nodded, that deer‐in‐the‐headlights look still seizing her features. “Well, I did then. Not the house I’m in now. It was an apartment in Brentwood, actually. Ah, Emma, I was such a fool. So in love with the idea of being a dad I didn’t even notice how she was playing me.” Emma touched his face, gently at first, then laid her palm against his entire cheek. He leaned against it before dragging her into yet another scorching kiss. When he pulled back, he tucked her against his side. “When the truth came out, I was a mess for months. I felt stupid, ashamed, and most of all, I mourned for something that wasn’t ever there to begin with. I can’t explain it, but it hurt as bad as when I lost my dad. Ridiculous, huh?” The chirp of crickets and the splashing of the fountain were the only sounds inside the Jag. Emma snuggled her head against Jack’s chest, and he pulled her a little tighter into his arms. “It’s not ridiculous, Jack,” she finally said. “You’re the best person I’ve ever known. I’m so sorry that happened to you.” “It was a long time ago.” He kissed the top of her head. “But maybe it’ll help you understand why they feel so protective of me.” “Of course, but I’m not some smooth, charming type who can just walk in there and put all their fears to rest. I’m a blubbering mess. After tonight, if anything, they’ll worry about your mental stability for marrying a girl like me in the first place.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Ah, honey, they always worry about my mental stability.” He cuddled her again, rubbing his hand along the length of her arm. His laughter became a tangible thing, and Emma wrapped herself in it. She only wished they didn’t have to leave the safety of the Jag’s back seat, but although she was many things, a coward wasn’t one of them. Or at least, she hoped that was true. “Okay, I’m ready now.” Jack helped her out of the car and locked it back up, but on the way up the steps, Emma held back a little. Jack kissed her until she couldn’t feel a thing but his love. Then together, they walked back into Lilly’s home.
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Chapter Thirteen Jack heard the argument as the huge door closed behind them, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He knew his mom and Lilly would love Emma as soon as they realized they could trust her. He took her hand in his, smiled at the tight fist she’d made, and kissed it, then pulled her into the living room, clearing his throat loudly. Lilly had a hand to her forehead, and his mother had obviously been pacing, but both women stopped and stared at the two of them as if Jack had just announced they’d run off to Vegas and gotten married. He smiled at his own little joke, then pulled Emma closer. “I sent Alex to bed.” Lilly was still quite frazzled. “I didn’t think he needed to be around for this conversation.” “I apologize for our lack of grace, Emma.” Sharee stepped forward. “We’ve just never known Jack to behave like this before. It’s quite shocking.” “Mother.” Jack rolled his eyes and barked, “No, she’s not pregnant. So stop looking at her stomach.” Emma pulled her hand from his and brought it to her locket. Her other one flew to her stomach. He put his arm around her and purposefully softened his tone. “I love Emma, Mom. Knew the second I saw her there wouldn’t be anyone else for me. I saw no reason to wait six months or a year before starting our lives together, and thank God I was able to convince her of that as well.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS His mother didn’t look at all appeased. Her shrewd eyes, which Jack knew so well, scrutinized Emma as if she were an antique up for auction. “I truly donʹt mean to be rude to you, child. But I love my son, very much. Can you say the same?” Before Emma had a chance to respond, Jack came to her rescue. “Her feelings for me are my concern, not yours. I know exactly how Emma feels about me.” He looked down at her with a soft smile, love clearly shining from his eyes. “Jack, I just don’t understand. What about Claudia?” His mother’s eyes pled for understanding, and he hated there was nothing he could do to help her. He barely understood it himself right now, but the last thing he wanted to discuss was Claudia. He needed to attend to that messy business right away, but not now. He took his mother’s hand. “Mom, you raised me well. Trust me to handle my own affairs.” He hugged her close and whispered in her ear. “I love Emma more than life itself. Give her a chance. Please.” When he let her go, tears swam in her eyes, which told him he’d won at least this battle, and in time Emma—just by being Emma—would win the war. “Welcome to our family, Emma.” Sharee Sinclaire then proved her good breeding by giving her new daughter‐in‐law a very genuine hug. * * * * * Emma wasn’t sure how she felt when Jack pulled the car into the garage that night. The rest of the evening had gone well, she had to admit, but she knew neither of the Sinclaire women trusted her. Nor could she blame them, especially after Jack had told her his story about Michelle. She wondered how anyone could be so cruel, but then realized Michelle was like so many of the men who’d taken advantage of her—and two things happened. One, it brought her even closer to Jack, and two, it made her feel guilty for not sharing her one big secret with him. She now thought that maybe he’d actually understand.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Oh, good.” Jack’s voice drew her attention. He stood at the table where Mrs. Powers had left his mail and phone messages with a smile on his face. “Tessa found several places for your mom and sister,” he said. “Do you think we should pick one for them, or let them choose for themselves?” “Um, maybe you should pick. Mom and Shelly would be overwhelmed.” She ran her hand across the top of an old, obviously well cared for piano. “Do you play?” “Mmm?” He brought his head up and looked at her in confusion. She laughed. “Do you play? The piano. There was one in our room in Vegas, too. I wondered then, and now this one is here.” “That one was my great‐great‐grandmother’s.” He came up beside her and ran his hand along the instrument’s polished top. “The story is that it was the first thing my great‐great‐grandfather bought for her once money wasn’t as tight. She loved the thing to death and taught each of her eight children to play on it.” He sat on the bench and played a soft, lilting piece that wrapped Emma’s spirit in happiness. “My mother taught me to play on it, when we thought Michelle—” He stopped playing and looked up at her. “Well, you know. Mom gave me the piano so I could teach my child.” His fingers moved over the keys again. “I just couldn’t give it up after I found out Michelle wasn’t pregnant.” Emma got lost in the magic of the music and the fluid way Jack’s hands moved over the keys. She’d thought that by now she’d know every secret of those hands, but apparently they still had one or two left. She’d never heard the song before, didn’t know if it was a classical masterpiece or just something his fingers had made up, but whatever it was, it mesmerized her. The Jack she knew was gone; only deep longing and serene peace were visible on his face, in his eyes. The music haunted her, as if it came directly from his soul, and she felt at one with Jack, with his music, until emotion overwhelmed her and tears slipped down her cheeks. When the last notes died, he grabbed her
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS in his arms and made love to her once more on the soft fluffy living room rug with such passion she thought it might consume them. In a way it did, because something happened to her as he loved her. They became a new entity as she let herself completely slip into all that was Jack, and she loved him. “Did I hurt you?” he asked as he cradled her against his chest, their clothes scattered. Their lovemaking was gentle now, and he kissed her fingers. He stared into her eyes with such depth of emotion Emma could barely fathom it. “I—” She paused and looked away, scared to death for some reason. Then on a breath, she said, “I love you.” Emma looked back, and found his eyes shining with tears. She touched his face. “I knew it from the first, but I thought...I thought I must be crazy, because I loved someone I didn’t know. How was it possible? I was so stupid in the past, I couldn’t bear to make another mistake.” She swallowed her tears and her pain. “You donʹt know how much the last one cost me, Jack. You just donʹt know.” She burrowed her head against his shoulder, feeling like she couldn’t get close enough to him. She wanted to be inside him, a part of him forever. But then she realized she already was, as he was a part of her. She looked up at him again. “I love you, Jack.” Jack was too overwhelmed to speak. He already knew she loved him. He felt it in her every touch, saw it in her eyes, but her words were unexpectedly powerful, and he couldn’t find any in return. He kissed her passionately and swept her from the living room floor—if they were going to keep this up, he was going to need to keep a blanket in the living room—and carried her to their bed, where he made love to her until the sun came up the following morning. The one week anniversary of the day they had fallen head over heels in love. Jack kissed his sleepy wife and peered out the full length windows overlooking the harbor. The morning sun shimmered on the water. A moment of perfection.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “It’s going to be a beautiful day, my love,” he said groggily, before he too drifted into beautiful, mindless sleep. * * * * * Over the next few days, Jack’s new life took form. He moved his mother‐in‐law and sister‐in‐law into their new apartment. All three women, his wife included, gaped at the place as if it were Buckingham Palace. He decided he’d made a good choice in choosing moderate accommodations and not going all out. He and Emma went to the animal shelter on Tuesday to pick out what Jack believed to be the ugliest dog on the planet. It was part collie, part retriever, and part wolf, he was sure of it. They also adopted Emma’s horse friend. This required a trip to a realtor the next day, because as roomy as his house was, it had no stables. They spent each day in bed until Jack was late for work, and as soon as he came home in the evening they somehow found themselves right back there. They poured over Emma’s books, not just about dogs but about homes and gardens as well, and put together a nice mental sketch of their dream home. They’d only had one fight, and that was when he’d told rather than asked her to quit her job. He discovered something that night. Something he’d heard all his life was one‐hundred percent true—that there was absolutely nothing like make‐up sex. He was the happiest he’d ever been in his entire life, and if he hadn’t had the dark cloud of Claudia hanging over his head, his world would have been utterly perfect, but he’d done this to himself. As it was, he was ducking her calls and well meaning questions from his staff about his vacation. He hated it, but he couldn’t allow word to leak out about his marriage before he was able to speak to Claudia himself, and he wasn’t going to tell her over the phone. It was something he had to do in person. He thought again about flying across the pond and finding her, but that was most likely the more selfish route. She was working for God’s sake, he needed to let her. He hoped she wouldn’t hate him. He knew she had certain expectations, but she hadn’t loved him, of that he was sure.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS On Wednesday evening, their official one week anniversary, Jack took Emma for a gondola ride along the canal. He’d lived there five years, had seen others ride in the silly things all the time, but never once had he even considered it. He’d been to Venice and hadn’t considered it then, either. It all seemed rather foolish, but somehow that night, with the stars twinkling overhead and a bottle of wine and his woman, it seemed the most naturally perfect thing in the world. He only hoped they didn’t embarrass the poor gondolier too much by kissing, but surely he was used to that sort of thing. Jack’s mind drifted back, and he reached for his phone to call his wife. Then the door opened, and a familiar face entered his office. “Well, that expression speaks of only one thing. A woman.” Tall, blond, and tanned, Dane entered as if he owned the place. Jack couldn’t help but laugh at him as he walked around his desk to take his friend’s offered hand. “I take it Claudia’s finally back from London?” “Ah, no.” Heat spread up Jack’s neck, but he refrained from touching it. “Not for another week, I believe.” Dane gave him an almost imperceptible query with his eyes. Jack’s guilt caused his mouth to run. “We’ve been missing each other’s calls. Nuisance really, this international calling. Time lines, and all that. So what brings you by? I’m not taking over another one of your companies, am I?” “You damn well better not be.” Dane gave a dangerous laugh. “One was enough. No, I came by on behalf of Jillian, and really just wanted to see you. Apparently you’ve been missing my calls as well. I wanted to invite you for the weekend at Carmel, but you never got back to me.” “Last weekend?” Jack asked, feeling even more guilty. “Yes, but you donʹt have to turn three shades of red over it. It wasn’t a big deal. I just wanted a distraction from Jillian and her parents; the four of us donʹt make for a very relaxing weekend.” “I’m sorry about that.” Jack stepped back behind his desk and shuffled some papers. “Maybe we can do it another time.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Yes.” Dane took the leather chair on the visitors’ side of the desk and placed his ankle across his knee, his fingers steepled. Jack felt his questioning stare. “Well, not this weekend. I’m off to La Jolla.” Jack sat down and looked directly into Dane’s crystal blue eyes. “You’ve been going there a lot recently.” Before he could stop himself, the words were out. “Is your latest woman holed up there or something?” Jack would have regretted the words regardless the moment he said them, but the look of utter torture on his friend’s face twisted his gut with remorse better than anything could. “Dane, I’m—” “It’s something like that. But it’s not what you think, Jack.” Dane looked away, his gaze trailing out the window. “Why don’t we go sailing when I get back?” “Yeah, sounds good.” Jack felt like an ass. “You said you came by on Jillian’s behalf?” “Right.” And just like that, the new pained Dane disappeared, and his old nothing‐phases‐me friend was back. “She’s giving a benefit, three weeks from tomorrow, for the zoo. A black tie affair actually at the zoo, and she wanted to make sure you’ll be there. After Darcy McCloud, you apparently have been given the title of most fervent animal protector. She’s says you really care, unlike the others, who only pretend they do.” Jack was confused and humbled in a way, but he wondered if by then he would have had a chance to tell Claudia about his marriage. He probably would, but he couldn’t take Emma to a benefit as his wife if he hadn’t, and he wasn’t going without her. “I’ll a have to check my schedule.” “Ah, you mean check with Claudia. I’ve already done that, and she says you’ll both be delighted to be there.” Jack’s one brow rose with suspicion. “When did you talk with Claudia?” Dane stood and walked toward the door in dramatic fashion, and Jack thought he had no intentions of answering. But at the last second, with his hand on the glass knob, he turned. “Last night, when she called me to find out where the hell you were.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS After a brief, extremely uncomfortable silence, Dane opened the door and stepped through it. “See you there, old man.” * * * * * Jack held Emma close. After another round of shockingly intense lovemaking, he vaguely wondered if he’d ever get enough of her. He’d finally gotten his much anticipated long Sunday, and it had been better than anything he’d ever imagined. In fact, the two of them had spent almost the entire weekend in bed, except for one trip to look at a ranch that was completely unsuitable for their purposes. It would have been laughable if Emma hadn’t gotten her hopes up when the realtor called. Hell, who was he kidding? He’d gotten his own hopes up as well. They’d spent every night of the past week talking about their ranch, their horses, and their garden—all of the things they’d have someday, and when the realtor called they’d both gotten ahead of themselves. He kissed her head. “We’ll find it, Emma.” It was a promise. In hopes of lifting her spirits—and maybe his own—he decided to run an idea he’d had circling his brain all week past her. “Emma, I’ve been thinking of buying an old apartment building in Santa Ana and turning it into low‐income housing.” She was quiet for so long he thought maybe he’d missed her breathing change for once, and she’d fallen asleep without his being aware of it. “Emma?” He shifted his position until he could see her face, and saw that her eyes were open. Tears filled them. He held her a little while longer, until she finally broke the silence with her soft voice. “You said you didn’t want me working at Annie’s anymore because I have no passion for it.” She shifted until she lay on her stomach, still in his arms, her hand on his chest and her chin on the back of her hand. “I have a great deal of passion for that idea. Can I help somehow?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He wasn’t sure how long he kissed her, but he’d obviously been completely lost in her because he never heard it coming. The end of his world as he knew it. The first thing he did hear was a spiteful woman’s voice coming from the doorway. “Well, and who the hell are you? Emma clutched at the sheet in an apparent attempt to restore her dignity. Claudia shot daggers; first at Jack, and then at Emma. This wasn’t at all how Jack had planned it. “Claudia, I just—” “Donʹt bother to get up, sweetheart.” She held out her hand. “You’ve obviously exhausted yourself. From the amount of empty pizza boxes I encountered on my way up here, I’d say you’ve been here quite a while.” Her voice was smooth as silk, and not even as much as a raised brow gave away her emotions. Jack grabbed his robe and handed one of his T‐shirts to Emma, who quickly pulled it over her head. With her hair tousled and his shirt falling from her shoulders, damn. She was sexy as all get out and so vulnerable, and he’d just cracked her precious heart. He could see it in her eyes. Why hadn’t he told her about Claudia? He had nothing to hide, but he didn’t want her to feel guilty for something he’d done, and he knew she would. He put his hand on Claudia’s shoulder and softly suggested they go downstairs to talk. Tears slipped from Emma’s eyes, and Jack wanted to castrate himself. “Emma, baby, donʹt cry. I—” “So Emma, baby is it? Goddamn it, Jack. I knew something was going on, but I never would have suspected this. You barely even touch me. What on earth are you doing with this child?” Jack looked at Emma the way Claudia might see her, with no make‐ up and a definite lack of that cold, sophisticated air she always sent out. He guessed he could see where the child remark came from, but the whole situation was getting more and more out of control. He deserved it, but Emma didn’t. He needed to separate the two women and explain to each one what was going on, and as much as he wanted to comfort and explain it to Emma, he knew he had to deal with Claudia first.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Jack, maybe I should just—” Emma pulled back the covers and slid one silky bare thigh out of bed, but he quickly put out his hand to stop her. “No, Emma! Just stay there and let me explain all this.” “Emma just stay there? That’s just great, Jack.” Claudia took a long breath, as if she were adjusting her composure. Then she turned to face him with something sparking in her eyes he’d never seen before and couldn’t quite place. “I may be prepared to discuss your keeping women on the side after we’re married, but I won’t have them in our bed. Now you pack her up and get her out of here. I’ll call the maid service to clean this place and will be waiting calmly for you when you return.” Emma jumped from the bed as if something had bitten her. “Your bed? After you’re married?” She reached for her clothes. Jack reached for Emma, and Jesse—the dog they’d gotten at the pound—dove into the fray and attempted to take a nice hunk out of Claudia’s ass. Claudia screeched, Emma cried, and Jack wondered how on earth he’d messed up so badly. By the time he got Jesse off Claudia, locked the dog in the garage, and returned to the bedroom, things had calmed considerably. In fact, the bed was made, the pizza boxes were piled neatly outside the door, the books were stacked on Jack’s desk, and the shower was running, but neither woman was in sight. Jack’s blood ran cold because unless they were showering together—something he absolutely refused to think about—one of them had left. And his heart had already told him which one.
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Chapter Fourteen Tears ran down Emma’s cheeks. Every one of them felt like the sharp point of a dagger, pricking her skin. Mocking her. She’d done it again. Two blocks away from the house she’d shared with Jack, she sank onto a bench and looked out over the water. It was Sunday afternoon and quite a few boats were on the canal, filled with happy people, having fun. Emma didn’t feel anything at the moment. Somehow, she doubted she ever would again. How could he do that to me? “`Scuse me, miss, but are you all right?” An older woman Emma had seen watering plants on the patio of one of the large homes bordering the harbor stood beside her looking worried. “I’m fine, thank you.” Her voice squeaked out, almost unrecognizable even to her. The woman stood there for a minute, wringing her hands. Emma finally turned to her with the smallest of smiles. “Just got my heart broken is all. I’m fine, really.” “I’m so sorry, luv.” Emma smiled a little bigger. The woman’s words were heartfelt. Emma realized she must know the feeling. “I’m just going to sit and watch the water for a while, then go home to my mom.” “Your mum will always be there for you.” The woman put a hand on her shoulder, and Emma found it strangely comforting. “It won’t stop hurting right away, m’dear, but soon, it will get better.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS They exchanged sad smiles, and then the woman walked away, leaving Emma alone. She’d run out of Jack’s house with just the clothes on her back. Well, along with his credit cards and the two‐hundred dollars in cash he always kept in the bedside table. She’d get it all back to him at some point, but she wasn’t overly familiar with this area yet—and it was his fault she was out here and alone again in the first place. She dropped her head into her hands. No, it wasn’t his fault. Not at all. It was hers. She’d been stupid again, trusting a man she barely knew. Only, one thing was different this time. She hadn’t had any gut warning she was making a mistake with Jack. Nothing had made her doubt him even a little bit. She wondered if her gut had given up working since she never listened to it anyway. “God, Emma. When will you ever learn?” She dropped her head back and peered up at the cloudless blue sky, which seemed to go on forever. A few gulls flapped overhead. The scene was pure peace, and it was laughing at her, the same way her mom and Shelly would. She couldn’t bear that yet, so she wasn’t going home. She had Jack’s money, and she would stay somewhere until she could find work. She shut her eyes tight against threatening tears and grabbed her locket. The locket she wore around her neck was a constant reminder of just how stupid she could be, of how much her stupidity had cost her, and even that hadn’t been enough to keep her away from Jack Sinclaire. * * * * * Jack stared at Claudia with a fury he’d never known before, grabbed her arm, and yanked her naked body from his shower. “Jack, you’re hurting me.” Jack took measured breaths. “What. Did. You. Say. To. Emma?” He was literally seeing everything through a red fog, torn smack down the middle between finding out what happened and going to look for her. Would she go to her mother? Did she even have a way to get there? The money and cards he’d offered her flashed into his mind, and he
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS left Claudia dripping on his rug as he ripped the night stand drawer from its base. The contents of the drawer spilled onto the floor. Maps. He almost smiled. They’d been planning road trips. He pushed them aside and found condoms, because she didn’t want children yet. Under those, he found the paperwork from the adoption of Jesse and Franklin. His anger drained from him and he was engulfed by absolute sadness. He kept on digging through the contents. Everything had something to do with Emma, and he had to wonder if the drawer had been empty when she moved in. Empty like he’d been. In the end, there was no cash and he found no credit cards. Relief flowed through him. At least she would be all right until he found her. He turned back to Claudia, who was casually drying her hair with one of his towels. This was his fault. He’d courted danger by trying to preserve Claudia’s feelings, and it had blown up in his face. But Claudia had done or said something that had made Emma leave. He knew it. He walked as far across the room as he could get from her. He’d never physically accosted a woman in his life—but if there was ever going to be a time, this was it. “I’m only asking you once more, Claudia. What did you say?” She had the nerve to toss her towel on the floor and sit on his bed. Their bed. His and Emma’s. The bed he held her in every night. He shook his head as pain rose up once more, trying to engulf him. “Jack, it seems to me the only one who’s done anything is you. I go away for a few days, and you move in my replacement?” She narrowed her eyes at him, and the menace rolling off of her shook him. “You think I didn’t see the ring? You plan to humiliate me and expect me to just sit back and take it? Your damn wife deserves whatever she gets.” She splayed out on the bed as if she were planning to stay for a while and ran her red fingernails over the white duvet. Jack couldn’t remember what he’d ever seen in her. “Get out,” he growled. She simpered. “But Jack, don’t you want to know what I told her?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS * * * * * “I’m so sorry!” Emma cried the words out over the water, wishing to be forgiven for her transgressions, which only seemed to get worse every time she screwed up. She was married this time. Legally bound to a man who already had a fiancée when he’d married her. She never would have thought Jack capable of such a thing, and if she hadn’t remembered his mother asking him, but what about Claudia, she might not have believed the spiteful brunette after Jack had taken Jesse away. Emma’s face burned with mortification as the woman’s cold words washed over her. “He gets lonely when I go away. Wants me to quit my job and spend my days on my back waiting for him to come home, so he takes up with unsuspecting women to punish me.” The pain let go of Emma’s heart as the words rolled back over her. It can’t be true. Because he didn’t take up with her, he married her. Whatever his relationship with Claudia had been, he’d very clearly chosen Emma over her. It was Emma who‘d been picked this time. Jack’s words came back to her like a roll of thunder, first far of in the distance, but as they continued to repeat inside her head, they grew louder and louder, until she was sure. “I’m not asking for a pre‐nup, sweetheart. If I had any intention of just getting you into my bed, wouldn’t I at the very least have you sign something?” He’d picked her. She grabbed her bag and ran back the way she came. She heard the older woman yell after her, “No one’s like your mum, luv.” Emma wanted to correct her, but she didn’t have time. She needed to get back to Jack and hear his side of things. * * * * * Jack felt downright murderous. It was funny, really. Because after Michelle—or the loss of his child that never was, to be more specific—he
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS now realized he’d put all his feelings away and stopped taking joy in anything. From sunrises and roses, to work and charity functions, to friends and relationships, nothing had stirred him. Nothing made him care, until a petite brunette stared at him under the hot sun in the most unlikely of places—the Orange County Animal Shelter. He began to laugh. He laughed so hard, he bent over at the waist to catch his breath. Claudia looked at him as if he’d lost his mind, but it was his heart he’d lost instead, and nothing had ever made him happier. “You’re a cold woman, Claudia. I’m sure that whatever it was you said, it was worthy of you.” She wasn’t sure how to take that. He saw uncertainty flash in her eyes. He grabbed her arm and dragged her into the bathroom. “Now, get your clothes on and get out,” he growled at her. “I have a wife to find.” “No, you don’t.” Emma’s voice was so soft at first Jack thought he’d hallucinated it, but when he turned and saw her standing in the doorway to his room, such joy and relief washed over him that he could barely stand. He went to her and pulled her into his arms, holding her so tightly, he picked her feet right off the floor. “You scared the hell out of me,” he whispered, as he kissed her head, her neck, her face. “Donʹt ever leave me again.” “Touching.” Claudia’s dry sarcasm mixed with pure venom split the tension, and both Jack and Emma turned to look at her. She was still clad in a towel. Emma didn’t waste any time on her, she turned both her face and her love on Jack. “I’m so sorry. I screwed up. I never should have walked out without talking to you. I’m just not used to being with good guys.” Jack kissed her softly, held her close. “I didn’t behave honorably were you and Claudia are concerned. I’m not sure what exactly came over me, but I’ve hurt both of you and for that I truly am sorry.” He let go of Emma and turned to Claudia. “You deserved better then this, despite how you’re acting now.” “Jack, I don’t give a fuck about any of this. I want the Sinclaire name, it’s all I’ve ever wanted and you know that. I won’t let you deny me it either after the years I’ve put in here. Putting up with your cold touch
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS and watching you care more about a charity then for me. I put in my time, I want what’s mine.” Jack’s anger flared again, he felt Emma take a step back and grabbed her hand. One question bothering him more then all of Claudia’s rant. He drew a deep breath, trying to formulate some kind of response, but all he kept wondering was why Emma had come back this time. He couldn’t wait another moment for the answer, despite how inappropriate the timing was, he turned her so she faced him, and asked, “What made you come back?” She made a small shrug and her eyes lit up. “I love you, and you married me. I kept hearing your words about the pre‐nup. If you’d just wanted to get me into bed, you’d at least have had me sign something, but you didn’t.” Claudia’s sharp laughter rent the air. “You married Miss Innocence here without a pre‐nup?” Her voice rang with incredulity. “What does your mother think of that?” “My mother is none of your concern anymore, Claudia.” Jack pulled Emma into the safety of his arm, tucking her against his side. “I did wrong by you, Claudia, not just in the end, but throughout the entire relationship. You are right, I was cold and distant and never gave anything to you but my name and money. That’s how a man treats a mistress, not a woman he loves. I never should have done that to you and I am sorry, but this is over, Claudia and you have five minutes to dress, or I’m throwing your bare ass out onto the street.” At first he thought she might argue, but she quickly turned and went into the bathroom, slamming the door practically off its hinges. Jack turned to Emma, who held out his money and credit cards, but he pushed them back to her. “Keep them, please. You have no idea how much better I felt when I realized you’d taken them.” “I never should have left, it was just...old tapes running in my head from my past, but you’re not anything like any of those guys.” “Do you know why that is, Mrs. Sinclaire?” Jack kissed her slowly and seductively, with love. She shook her head.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Because I’m not your past. I’m your future.” His eyes went shiny with emotion, as did hers. They were mirror images. “Aw Emma, we’ve both screwed up here and I’m guessing we will again. Let just promise to always talk things out. To listen and not judge. I think we’ll make it if we trust our hearts and not let our heads get in the way.” He kissed the tip of her nose, the softly caressed her lips. When the bathroom door opened a few minutes later, Emma shivered and pulled away from Jack’s kiss as Claudia re‐entered the room. She seemed to have the steam taken out of her, because she walked past them without a word. It wasn’t until she reached the door that she turned on them one last time. “You may think he’s a good guy, but you still have to face the fact that he was practically engaged to me when he ran off with you. Who’s to say he won’t do the same to you someday?” She looked Jack up and down. “When the passion strikes him?” She spat the last words in Jack’s face. But it was shy, quiet Emma who answered with, “Then I guess I’ll be a very rich woman. What, with no pre‐nup and all.” Jack and Emma stood like statues until they heard the front door slam, then Jack burst into laughter. Emma smiled. He pulled her over to the bed and stretched out with her lying on top of him. “Ah Emma, I love you so much. I’ve never been more scared in my life as I was when I realized you’d left.” He touched her cheek and she kissed him softly, but he pulled away. He had to get all this cleared up now. He didn’t want to go any further into this marriage with skeletons in their marital closet. “Emma, love, Claudia’s right. Though I’d never formally asked her to marry me, we’d talked about it. She had reason to believe—” He struggled to admit his flaws to the woman whom he wanted to see him only as a white knight. It wasn’t an easy thing to do. “An honorable man would have ended it with her before starting with you, and even though in my heart it was over, it wasn’t in truth. I’m so sorry my stupidity hurt you. I’d rather die than hurt you.” He pressed his lips hard against her forehead.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I haven’t always made good choices, Jack. You know that. And I was there, feeling everything you were. I think I understand. A bit, anyway.” She smiled at him, and he thought it must have been how Noah felt when he saw that rainbow. ”How you were feeling, I mean. Those feelings were very powerful, but I regret Claudia got hurt, Jack. You and I have each other, and she—” He held her tight, understanding precisely what she was trying to say. He had hurt Claudia, and he was going to have to live with that one. They lay together for a while, before loud whining reached their ears. Emma sat up. “Jesse. Is he still—?” Jack was out of the room before she could finish the sentence. Moments later, the dog came bounding up the stairs and onto the bed, plowing into Emma with such force it knocked her over. She took him in her arms. “You were a naughty dog.” She rubbed his head and kissed him behind his ear before whispering, “Thank you.” She met Jack’s eyes over the dog’s scruffy head. They held all the love and passion in the world. Wordlessly he came to her, and she took him into her embrace. His kiss was tender, filled with love, and made her eyes swim with tears. She had never loved like this before. Never been so sure a relationship would work. Jesse squirmed from between them and took up his favorite spot by the window. The sunset had turned the sky shades of pink, purple, and red, a magnificent display, and Emma pulled back a moment to look at it. “It’s incredible.” Jack kissed the top of her head and moved to the window, pushing one of the large panes open. The scent of the sea flooded into the space, along with the sounds of water splashing the sides of the canal. Laughter somewhere in the distance reminded Emma of their gondola ride. She smiled at Jack. “I really do love you, more than I knew it was possible to love.” It amazed her, really. All the times before were nothing compared to this. She moved to where he stood at the window and touched his face,
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS then kissed him with a depth of passion she’d been afraid to release before now. His tongue pressed into her mouth, and she sucked on it gently. She kissed his neck, bit into his shoulder, and then slowly unbuttoned his shirt and slid it off his arms. He pulled hers over her head before reclaiming her mouth with passion rising so quickly, she knew they were both about to drown in it. Reaching for the buckle on his belt, she felt the heady effects of the power she wielded over him. She knew he would do anything for her right now, but she had only one thing in mind. Pleasure for him. She pushed his slacks down over his hips. A small knowing smile appeared on his face as she caressed the bare skin of his hips and ass with her fingers. She wanted to be naked with him. Confidence rushed through her veins as she stared into his eyes. She took a step back and removed her bra. He reached for her, but she stepped away. “Uh‐uh. Look, but don’t touch.” She smiled at him like a seductress and reached for his cock, which, much to her delight, was standing hard and erect. Looking at the bodies of other men had never turned her on. But Jack’s did. She was wet, breathy, and wanted him inside her pounding into her, making her high on the sensation. “No arguments, Mr. Sinclaire.” She held her smile, and he nodded. She stepped closer to him, so that her hardened nipples brushed the hair on his chest. The contact sent a shiver of anticipation through her. “I’m going to suck you.” A strangled sound slid from the back of his throat. She nearly laughed, but managed to hold it in. She cupped his face in her hands and kissed him with longing and passion, her tongue swirling with his, each touch making her hotter, wetter, and more needy than she’d ever been. She’d started this for him, and it shocked her how much it was turning her on. Eyes locked with him, she slowly, seductively undid her jeans, pushing them down her legs and kicking them away. “Do you want me to remove my panties, Jack?” she asked.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He nodded, a bit frantically, if she was reading him right. She slid the lace and satin down her legs slowly, stepping out of them and standing before him naked, just far enough away so that he couldn’t touch her. It tortured both of them. Her fingers brushed the coarse hair between her legs, and he visibly swallowed. Spreading her legs a bit wider, she moved her hand between them, playing in her own folds, dipping into her own nectar and spreading it over her pussy. “I ache for you, Jack.”
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Chapter Fifteen Jack took a step forward, but Emma held up a hand to stop him. Instead, she closed the distance between them, circled her fingers around his enlarged shaft, and squeezed it until he moaned. Then she pulled him forward and kissed him hard on the mouth. “I want you, Jack.” She pressed her palms against his chest, kneaded the muscles beneath his skin, and slowly dropped to her knees. “Emma. I have almost no control left.” Each word cost him more of that precious control. She heard it in his tone. She wrapped her hands around his thighs, pressed her fingers into his skin, and pulled him closer. He groaned, and she took him into her mouth. Closing her eyes she relished the sensation of holding, licking, and sucking him. She lost herself to it, becoming wanton in a way she didn’t recognize. She pulled her mouth over his cock, sucking him just hard enough to make his breath catch. He ran his fingers though her hair, and she sped up the motion even though she wanted to drag it out. She wasn’t sure now if she were capable of continuing. She’d never wanted anyone so badly in all of her life. “Fuck, Emma,” he growled. ”Let me inside you. I…I can’t. God!” She smiled, but kept up her pace and rhythm, giving extra attention to the tip of his cock. Bringing one hand around it, she squeezed the base and added the motion to the combined mix until he grabbed her forearms
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS in a vice grip and ripped her from the floor. He bent her over the table beside them and plunged deep into her with his first stroke. His thighs slapped her ass, and she worked her own clit. Both of them were so crazed there was no finesse or seduction. Just two people enjoying animalistic passion and seeking completion for the glorious throbbing of need and desire. He twined his fist in her hair and pulled her head back until his mouth captured hers. His tongue was demanding as it thrust inside her mouth. She sucked on it frantically. When he released her, his body tensed. So did hers. She dropped her head against the table’s high polished lacquer, her low groan of completion joining his frantic pleading. She literally saw stars and couldn’t breathe. Jack fell to the floor and pulled her with him. He cradled her lightly against him, kissing the top of her head. “Good God, woman. What the fuck was that?” They held each other and laughed as their breathing slowly returned to normal and the sun sank all the way into the ocean. * * * * * The following week was better than the previous one. Emma knew it was because, little by little, she was letting down her walls, and Jack was possessing every inch she gave him. The incident with Claudia had shown her firsthand how Jack was truly different from all of the other men she’d trusted with her heart in the past. They looked at two more properties, but neither one was quite right. As frustrating as that was, Emma realized she liked it when Jack was a little frustrated, because he took her with such passion she thought they both might combust from it. Better yet was the fact that she was becoming more and more comfortable with him and was beginning to explore her own sexuality, which allowed her to learn what she liked and didn’t like—along with what Jack liked. Pleasing him had become so exhilarating and liberating she was becoming addicted to it. He made her feel strong and powerful, beautiful, and utterly feminine.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS One night, Emma’s mom and her sister Shelly came over for dinner. Jack suggested they wait a while before getting both sides of their family together, and Emma countered with, “Like at their first grandchild’s graduation…from grad school.” He laughed and said, “Something like that,” then made love to her with such tenderness her heart expanded. They played board games, read books, and took long walks together along the canal—and even longer baths. They stayed in bed as late as possible and went back to bed as early as they could. They visited Franklin at the stables where they’d boarded him, and Jack took Emma to look at other horses after they finally found their little bit of heaven. Jack even started researching homelessness in America to learn the best way to help, and they spent an entire weekend building houses with Habitat For Humanity. With each passing day, Emma loved and trusted him more and actually became comfortable in her new life. On their one month anniversary, Jack took her out on his boat for the first time. Being on the water was exhilarating in a way she’d never imagined. They made love on deck in the middle of the ocean, as if they were the only two people on the planet, and then again in the cabin after they docked. As she lay sated and motionless in his arms, Jack pressed a finger against her locket, applying pressure to the cool metal that felt so familiar around her neck. “Are you ever going to tell me what’s in here?” he asked. His voice was soft and gentle, and she didn’t pick up even a hint of impatience or anger. So for the first time, she thought...maybe. “I—” she broke off and curled into his side, pulling both arms up between them and pressing her head against his chest. “When you’re ready, my love.” He kissed her head and tightened his hold on her. “When you’re ready.” Jack knew he could wait forever as long as he had her in his arms every night and just to prove it, he made love to her again. * * * * *
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “You look stunning.” Emma turned from the mirror toward Jack’s voice as he entered their bedroom. Her fingers went immediately to her locket in a nervous gesture, and she lowered her eyes. Wearing an aqua blue silk gown that fell off one shoulder, leaving the other bare, and jewel encrusted sandals, she felt like a princess. Jack moved closer and placed a soft kiss on her neck. “I’m so nervous about tonight,” she confessed. Jack pulled a small, red velvet box from his tuxedo jacket. “Donʹt be,” he said, presenting it to her. He was always buying her things, it seemed. Flowers and jewelry, a new wardrobe, a car, and little things as well. Like the morning she awoke after he’d already left for work and found seventeen chocolate miniatures laid out in the shape of a heart on the pillow beside her. Or the geraniums he’d brought her after she admired the ones their neighbor planted. Her Jack was thoughtful. She kissed his cheek and took the box. “I would have bought you a necklace, too,” he said. Emma stared down at the earrings set with pale blue stones that matched her dress perfectly. “But I know you’ll only wear this.” He touched her locket reverently, and Emma felt a twinge of guilt. She knew it would be hard to admit all that she’d done, but she was more certain than ever now that he’d understand. Or at least not hate her. “I want to tell you.” He kissed her forehead. “Are you going to wear those?” He gestured to the earrings he’d given her, and she immediately took out the others she had on. “I cheated by asking Mom what color gown you’d chosen.” She caught his reflection in the mirror. His back was against one of the bed posts, and he had his arms crossed over his chest in pure masculine splendor. His mother had taken her shopping earlier in the week to pick out something for tonight. Never having been to a fundraiser before in her life, Emma had no idea what was appropriate, and she’d had a
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS surprisingly good time. Sharee had only wanted Emma to understand how much she loved her son. A mother’s love. Emma understood better than Sharee would ever know. She fastened the second earring and turned to Jack for approval. The hunger that filled his eyes made her giddy, but she quickly came back to earth. “Do you think Claudia will be there?” “Probably.” Jack took her in his arms. “I know tonight won’t be easy for you, but it means a lot to me to have you by my side. To finally introduce you as my wife.” “I’m proud to go.” “I’ve been attending these types of functions forever.” His deep blue eyes met hers. “The evening will be spent in meaningless small talk, and I’ll spend a lot of time avoiding people. I always leave feeling hollow and alone. Battered.” His voice caught on the last word. Emma cupped his jaw and kissed him. “You’re not alone anymore.” “Thank you.” Jack swallowed hard and put his arm around his wife. “We need to leave now, or we won’t leave at all.” At the mischievous twinkle in her eye, he swatted her cute little ass. “You’ll have to attend your first event sooner or later, my love. This is essentially my life. We’ll even throw a few parties ourselves.” When she visibly paled, he tried not to laugh. He simply escorted her downstairs and into the Jag, hoping against hope that Claudia would find something else to do with herself for just this one night. * * * * * Emma walked into the zoo on the arm of her prince only to discover the place had been turned into a magical fairy land. The trees sparkled with twinkling white lights, the crowd was decked out in all their finery, and a quartet played soft music. The air sparked with excitement. Emma wondered why she’d been so scared to come. It was all so beautiful.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack found his mother right away and led Emma over to her. Sharee Sinclaire looked flawless, the way Emma was sure she always did. In a simple black gown, her platinum blonde hair smoothed down in a flip. She wore a single strand of pearls and matching earrings. The women exchanged a hug, both on much better terms since they’d gone on their shopping trip. “Emma, you look lovely.” Emma blushed. “Thank you.” “So what do you think of all this?” Sharee asked as she moved her arm to take in the entire zoo. Emma smiled, and with more awe in her voice than she’d intended, said, “It’s spectacular.” “Well, Jillian will be glad to hear it.” Jack gave Emma a squeeze. “Is there anything you’d like from the bar?” “A bar?” Emma’s widened her eyes. “At a zoo?” “Ah, but tonight is special. Tonight is a fantasy.” He leaned a little closer and kissed her softly. “Tonight, the sky’s the limit.” Emma smiled as Jack leaned away, but she missed his warmth immediately. All the men were wearing tuxedoes tonight, but she couldn’t imagine any of them looking as good as Jack did in his. “I’ll have whatever you’re having.” He brushed her cheek the way he did so often, and then turned his attention to his mother. “And for you, Mom?” “A chardonnay. While you’re gone, I’ll take Emma to meet the Fitzhubers.” “Mom—” Emma’s eyes went back and forth between the two of them. Jack’s tone held a warning, but Emma had no idea why. Sharee, however, didn’t seem to care. She took Emma by the hand and waved Jack away. “You know Rosemary Fitzhuber has been a thorn in my side since her son gave her a grandchild.” Sharee beamed at Emma. “I simply want her to meet my new daughter‐in‐law.” Jack’s laughter echoed in the night as Sharee started on her quest, pulling a bewildered Emma along behind her. “Jack, old man. I see you made it. Jillian will be grateful.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack turned to find Dane, suave as ever, leaning against the bar. The man just had a way about him, as he’d heard his mother say a time or two. Jack thought he really shouldn’t like the bastard, shouldn’t tolerate what he did to his wife, even if she was in agreement with it, and shouldn’t tolerate the type of woman who’d take up with him. Especially now that he was married himself, it all seemed even more unacceptable. “We’re having a very nice time.” Jack’s voice sounded curt, even to him, and he didn’t miss Dane straightening his shoulders. The man’s casual pose disappeared. “Something the matter?” This isn’t the time, Jack. This isn’t the place. He picked up three glasses from the bar and started back toward Emma, with Dane following at his heels. “Jack—” He stopped abruptly and turned on Dane, whose face showed complete bewilderment. “I just donʹt understand how you do it, is all.” He lowered his voice but his tone still held menace. “Do what? What is your problem tonight, Jack?” Jack’s fingers tightened on the fine stemware, and he consciously loosened his grip. “I’m married.” Dane’s expression went from angry, to surprised, to amused, and then to honest to God joy. He slapped Jack on the shoulder, causing the drinks he held to slosh over their sides. “Congratulations.” He turned his head and smiled. “Where’s Claudia?” Jack really wished his hands weren’t full—although whether it was because he simply wanted rub the back of his neck, or to throttle Dane, he wasn’t sure. “I didn’t marry Claudia,” he ground out. “I married someone else, and I love her, Dane. I can’t imagine how on earth you can be married to someone you donʹt love. How you can take those vows so lightly.” He lowered his voice even further. “How you can cheat on the woman you’re supposed to be protecting and cherishing for all eternity.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Dane let out a theatrical sigh. “Jack, we’ve been through this. Jillian and I have never loved each other. We tolerate one another just fine, but our marriage only works when we stay out of each other’s way.” His ire seemed to run out on him as he added, “I take my affections where I can find them. How can you begrudge me that? Especially now that you’ve obviously found your passion again.” Jack wasn’t sure what to say to that. He couldn’t imagine living without love, but then he’d avoided the trap for exactly that reason. He caught the shimmer of Emma’s gown from the corner of his eye, and his entire body ached to get back to her. “We all have choices in this life, Dane. I simply think you’ve made bad ones. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” He started to walk off, only to have Dane follow him. “So, I donʹt get to meet the new Mrs. Sinclaire?” Jack stopped short, losing more of the liquid from the glasses. He stared at Dane. He was back to looking as if nothing in life ever bothered him, as he so often did. “Not right now.” Jack stalked off before Dane could start another argument. He wasn’t sure why he was so protective of Emma, only that the thought of her being around that hound sent cold chills down his spine. If he could, he’d keep her away from Dane all damn night. Once Jack returned to Emma’s side, he took her on a nighttime tour of the zoo. Though most of the animals were sleeping, some had stayed up seemingly out of curiosity wondering why these strange creatures were on the grounds at night. It was a small zoo, but had managed to get enough backing to expand. The animals were all healthy, and most were housed in exhibits rather than cages, which was nice for the guests but especially nice for the animals. “Come here, I want you to see this.” Jack held her hand and led her across a small bridge to an exhibit on the other side. When they got there, Emma expected Jack to give her information about the animals inside as he’d been doing all night, but instead he seated her on a bench by the water’s edge and sat beside her. “This is my favorite spot in the entire zoo.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She smiled and nestled into his side as two black necked swans swam past them. “You seem to know this place well.” He lifted one shoulder in a shrug. “I was on the board for a while.” He tipped back his head and took in the beautiful, starlit sky. “Trying to save them all again.” She turned toward him and wrapped her arms around him. “You’ve changed me, Emma. Since you’ve come into my life, I look at everything differently.” “Is that good, or bad?” “It’s very, very good. I was on my way to becoming a stuffy old goat who was so opinionated, no one would even speak to him.” He pressed his palm to her cheek and lifted her head until her eyes met his. “You saved me from that, and I can’t thank you enough.” As he softly kissed her, Emma decided he’d saved her right back. So no thanks were necessary. But she didn’t want to break the kiss to tell him so. ‘Well, I’m not sure how that activity supports the animals, but I’m glad you’ve found something new to be passionate about, Jack.” The woman’s tone was teasing, not censorious, but Emma still turned three shades of pink. Jack stood, holding her hand as she came to her feet beside him. He laughed and tucked her against his side. “Jillian, this is my wife, Emma.” He smiled. “Emma, Jillian. She’s in charge of this grand affair tonight.” “I see.” The womanʹs cold blue eyes assessed Emma in a way she didn’t like one bit, but she shook off her nerves and held out her hand. “You’ve done a wonderful job. Everything is marvelous.” “Thank you, Emma.” The woman took her hand, but Emma suddenly feared something was definitely wrong. Those three words had never sounded so dead and meaningless. She fidgeted with her locket and made an excuse to visit the ladies room. Jack frowned at Jillian once Emma left. “What was that all about? I’ve known you a long time and never known you to act so boorish.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I was just so surprised by your announcement.” The woman’s hands fluttered about, her mouth opened and shut, and then a slow smile grew across her face. “Last I heard, you were with Claudia.” A sad look that Jack simply couldn’t fathom crossed Jillian’s eyes. She grabbed his hand, and the sadness grew. “She’s not pregnant, is she Jack?” Jillian and Dane were two of the very few who knew the entire story about Michelle, and the idea that Jillian would throw that up now astounded him. He pulled his hand away from hers and snarled, “No. She isn’t.” And he walked away. * * * * * Emma washed her hands and stared at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. Her stomach was in knots, and had been since that woman Jack introduced her to looked at her as if she were carrying some fatal skin disease. She grabbed for the paper towels, dried her hands, and threw the paper in the trash. She did not want to go back out there. Another pair of ladies came into the restroom, smiled politely, and walked past her. So it wasn’t as if something were visibly wrong with her, it was simply that Jillian had noticed something wrong. Emma sighed. She wasn’t going to be able to figure it out, and at least in the safety of Jack’s arms it wouldn’t matter so much. To her relief, he was waiting for her outside the restroom door. “Have you had enough for tonight?” he asked. She almost laughed. She’d met so many new people, she knew she’d never remember a single name. Everyone was enthralled by the idea that Jack Sinclaire had married. She was immensely thankful that Claudia had not made an appearance, although a part of her hoped she wasn’t at home crying, either. “I think so. Do you mind terribly?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I donʹt mind one bit.” He pulled her against him and kissed her with a promise she knew intimately. A promise of what they would do the minute they got home. “Well, I hope this is the lovely Mrs. Sinclaire. Otherwise, all those self‐righteous lectures of yours have been incredibly hypocritical.” Jack didn’t appreciate Dane’s interruption one bit, but he hated even more the way Emma tensed in his arms. He whispered in her ear. “Donʹt mind him. He thinks he’s funny.” Then he straightened to make introductions. But when he looked at Emma’s face, her eyes had filled with tears and she was visibly shaking. “Emma, what is it?” Her eyes locked with his as if they would save her from slipping under. She moved slowly, touching his cheek, and then whispered, “I truly...did love you, Jack.” Then her eyes closed and she was gone, like a light extinguished. With her spine ramrod straight, she turned to Dane. Jack didn’t know what her face looked like, but Dane’s went sickly white. He looked as if he’d just been stabbed in the heart. “If you’ll excuse me.” Emma pushed away from Jack. And then she ran.
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Chapter Sixteen “Emma!” Jack caught up with her just outside the zoo gate. When she turned to face him, tears were streaming down her face. She clutched her locket, and the truth was written all over her face. Jack felt as though he’d been gut shot. “Emma, no.” He took a step toward her, grabbed her more harshly than he meant to, and shook her. “No! Tell me it isn’t true.” She only looked at him, and sobs shook her body. Rage boiled over inside him as she refused to defend herself. He reached out and ripped the locket from her throat. “Is this him?” “No.” He took a step away from her, and she grabbed for it. “Jack. No.” “His picture’s in here, isn’t it?” He fumbled with the clasp. “That bastard—and you—running around behind Jillian’s back. For how long?” She looked as if he’d hit her. And, God help him, he wasn’t sure he cared. “Jillian?” “Yes, Sweetheart.” Jack laughed harshly. “Jillian. His wife. That woman in there who was so cold to you, which really isn’t like her at all. But now, I understand perfectly.” He slapped his hand to his forehead. “Hell. I defended you.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She reached for her locket, but he again held it out of her reach. “I knew you had secrets when you came into my house, Emma, and I accepted it. But I never thought you were still in love with another man. With Dane. That you’d bring his picture into our house.” His stomach churned. “You had his picture around your neck while I made love to you.” His voice went scratchy, and his rage grew. “I donʹt love him.” Her voice was so soft he barely heard her, but the pain in his chest was such that he didn’t hear anything she had to say. He shoved his keys into her hand. “Take the Jag home. I’ll get a room somewhere.” He turned and walked away from her, never knowing so much pain. And, God help him, when she came after him, his heart soared. She’d tell him it was all a mistake. That she hadn’t been with Dane, hadn’t loved him. Didn’t still love him. She grabbed his arm, and he nearly wept. “Jack, please.” She closed her eyes. “My locket.” She held out her hand, and it took everything in him not to slap it away. Instead, he closed his fist more tightly around the cheap metal. “Go to hell, Emma.” He walked back into the party and directly to the bar, where Dane stood leaning against it. They met eye to eye. Dane threw back his drink and looked at Jack. “Hit me.” Jack didn’t need any encouragement. He kept one fist closed over Emma’s precious locket, while clenching and releasing the other one by his side. “Goddamn it, Jack. Hit me.” When he didn’t, Dane put his glass on the bar. “Another.” “You’re making a scene.” Jillian came beside him. He laughed and tossed back his next drink. “That’s all you care about, my lovely. Isn’t it?” His voice was so thick with emotion, Jack thought for a second he might collapse. “God. You love her.” Jack made his accusation in a voice ripe with disbelief, contempt, and sheer hatred. An emotion he wasn’t sure he’d
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS ever experienced before. He punched Dane so hard he fell to the ground. The bones in Jack’s fingers cracked, but the pain was lost on him. His heart hurt so badly nothing else seemed relevant. He heard yelling and knew security had surrounded them. Part of him was ashamed for ruining Jillian’s event, but his head rang, his pulse raced, and his hand was swelling. He had no idea how he got out of there or what happened to Dane after he left, but he woke the following morning in his bed at his mother’s house. His hand was bandaged, his head aching, and his heart empty. He’d lost the love of his life, and he wasn’t sure how anyone went on from that. * * * * * Emma shivered in the air conditioned hovel she’d rented. When she’d left the zoo last night, she didn’t take the Jag. She didn’t go home. She simply wandered the streets aimlessly, half‐deranged with pain. She didn’t have a home now. She never would again. She cried and cried until she thought she couldn’t possibly have another tear in her, and then she still cried. Sometime after the sun came up and the stores opened, she walked into Mike’s pawn shop and gave him her earrings and her engagement ring. She wouldn’t part with her wedding band. Mike looked at her like she was some alien being, but they knew one another well enough that he didn’t think the stuff was stolen, at least. He told her he couldn’t give her anywhere near what the stuff was worth, but she didn’t care. Nothing mattered now. She just wanted off the street. She’d gone to the first cheap motel she could find. Her hands shook as she pulled the fee from her glittering evening bag. She laughed now. She must have looked like an idiot. Wrecked glamour. If someone would just take away the pain, maybe she could go on. But no one could. She curled on the bed, hoping sleep would find her. Sleep. Oblivion.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS She never wanted to wake up again. * * * * * “Jack.” Sunlight hit his eyes like a sharp blade. He winced and raised his head far enough off the desk to see if his mother was indeed the one inflicting pain on him. The sight of her beautiful hand wrapped in the drapery chord answered his question. “I’m not good company, Mom.” His head hurt. He wondered how much he’d had to drink the night before. “Please.” “I can see that, Jack.” Her voice was getting closer, so he could only assume she was closing in on him. He couldn’t move without considerable pain. She halted next to the desk. “You haven’t been good company since Saturday night. It’s Wednesday now, and until you get this thing straightened out with Emma, you won’t be worth a damn to anybody.” He was well aware what day it was. Five weeks to the day he’d married the only woman he’d ever loved, and now he wondered if any of it had been real, or if his mind had just manufactured what it had so dearly longed for. “There isn’t anything to straighten. She loves someone else.” “You’re wrong.” His mother worked her hand under his chin and plucked his head, which was practically dead weight, from the desk, until he had no choice but to look her in the eye. “ She loves you.” She lay his head back down gently and moved away. Jack pooled his strength and sat up, noticing she was getting pills from a tray by the door. She walked back to him with a glass of water in one hand, the pills in the other. She put them on the desk in front of him and leaned her hip on its corner. “How’s your hand?” “You heard the doctor. Three fractures.” He held out his bruised and bandaged hand. A pang of guilt hit him. “You donʹt know how Dane is, do you?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “You two were ridiculous Saturday night. Fighting over that girl like she was the last brassiere at a half‐price lingerie sale.” She stood and paced to the window. Her voice caught. “And no. No one’s seen him.” She turned. “But Jack, I can’t find Emma either, and I’m worried to death about that poor girl.” Her words came out in such a rush they blended together, and it took Jack’s woozy head a few minutes to piece it together. “I gave her the Jag, Mom. She went home. I’m sure she—” “No she didn’t. I had Sloane bring your Jag here. It was still in the parking lot at the zoo Monday morning—missing a few pieces, I might add, but you’re lucky it wasn’t stolen outright.” She sliced her hands through the air. “Your car isn’t the issue here. Emma’s not at your place, and she’s not with her mom. They have—” “How do you know her mother?” “I’m not dumb, Jack. I knew you were keeping us apart, so I—” “You tracked her down and what? Had tea?” “Yes.” She folded her arms under her breasts and straightened her spine. “Is there anything wrong with that?” God love her. He swallowed the pills she’d given him, but didn’t attempt to stand even though he was getting more antsy by the second just sitting there. “Do those have to be open?” He pointed to the curtains. She narrowed her eyes. “This is my home. If you want darkness, stop being a coward and go home to your wife. If she’s there like you think she is—and she’ll still have you after your display Saturday night.” His mother’s worry was starting to get through to him. “She’s probably there and just not answering the phone, thinking it’s me.” “I went by the house, Jack. I brought your poor dog here. He was alone and scared and out of food.” Emma wouldn’t leave Jesse without food. Had she really not gone back? Panic suddenly lay a stranglehold on him. Then he remembered something else his mother had said, and he grabbed for the phone, punching in numbers viciously.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “It’s Jack. Where is he?” His blood literally ran cold at the response, and by the time he put down the phone he was sick to his stomach. “She’s left me.” He got up and moved slowly to the door. “Jack. What the hell are you talking about?” He stopped in the doorway, gripping both sides of the frame as if it would keep him from falling. “That was Jillian. She said she threw Dane out. That he left town. Emma must have gone with him.” * * * * * Jack looked over schematics for the proposed company day care center without really seeing them. It had been over a week since he’d seen Emma. His hand was healing, but he doubted his heart ever would. His mother thought he was being a pride‐filled fool, yet little did she realize it wasn’t pride, but sheer terror that kept him from looking for his wife. If he found her with Dane, he’d never recover. He rolled up the plans and laid them on his desk. He was worthless. Unable to contribute at work or at home. He’d given Jesse to Alex. Lilly hadn’t been happy, but since she’d taken the tactic of not dealing with him at all, she could hardly say anything about the dog. His mother, on the other hand, hounded him every second she got the chance, and since he was living in her home she got the chance often, although part of him wondered if she hadn’t rearranged her schedule just to be home when he was. Funny. As he looked out the window into the bright sunshine, he wondered how a month could feel like a lifetime. That was all they’d had together, really. Four weeks and three days. But they were the best four weeks and three days of his life—and now every moment was lonely. He wondered how his mother had survived the death of his father. He looked over his shoulder at the sound of his office door opening, but nothing could have prepared him for what he saw. His mind burst with questions and even hatred, but he couldn’t find the words to say.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I know I’m not welcome, but there’s something you should know.” Jack stood frozen at the window. He turned his head so his view went outside, but he heard the soft click of the door followed by the soft shuffle of expensive shoes on the thick carpet. “She doesn’t love me,” Dane said. “If she married you...” He let his words trail away. Jack closed his eyes, remembering every second of his wedding ceremony and the bright light of love shining in Emma’s eyes. He reached into his pocket for the reminder, which he intended to carry on him for a lifetime to prove what a fool he’d been and to ensure that he never trusted another woman again. Dane sat in one of the leather chairs and heaved a great sigh. “You’re right,” Jack said, as anger welled inside him. “You’re not welcome. Get out.” “You broke my nose.” “Good.” “Yeah. I deserved that and more, I know.” Silence fell, but Jack had to know, even though he knew the answer would kill him. “Is she all right?” “What do you mean?” “Don’t play with me. I know she’s with you. Just tell me if she’s all right.” “Jack, she’s not with me.” Dane stood. “I haven’t seen her since she ran out of the zoo. Jillian kicked me out, and I’ve been in La Jolla.” Jack’s temper flared and he rounded on his former friend, only the sight of Dane’s bandaged nose stopped him from punching him again. “What the hell do you mean?” “Exactly what I said. I’ve been in La Jolla.” “With Emma.” “No. Alone.” Jack felt a surge of hope, tempered by fear and panic. If she wasn’t with Dane, then where was she?
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I loved her, you know. Hell, I still love her, but when she found out about Jillian it nearly killed her, and she wouldn’t have anything more to do with me.” He ran a hand through his hair and lowered his head. “I haven’t had anything to do with any other women since she left.” “Then what’s in La Jolla?” Dane’s blue eyes pierced him. His friend walked over to him, put both hands on his shoulders, and pressed him into a chair. “You’d better sit down.” “What’s in La Jolla, Dane?” Jack ground out. He didn’t want to sit. At the moment, he quite frankly wanted to heave himself out of his fifteenth story window, but sadly the thing didn’t open. Dane’s eyes dropped to the carpet. “My daughter. Emma’s daughter.” Then those blue eyes pierced his and Jack knew the truth before he spoke it. “Our child.”
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Chapter Seventeen “You two aren’t…together, even though you have a child with her?” Jack stood and yanked the piece of jewelry from his pocket. “Then what the hell’s in the locket?” “A lock of our daughter’s hair. I donʹt know for certain, but her nurse told me Emma had asked for one, so I assume—” Jack stared at the heart‐shaped locket splayed across his palm, terrified to open it, because once he did it would mean his entire world had changed—again. He looked back at Dane, who appeared so ragged a tiny shred of sympathy for him entered Jack’s chest. Then Jack flipped open the locket, and a tiny lock of jet black hair fell into his palm. His heart and stomach made simultaneous drops to somewhere around his ankles. “Oh, God. What have I done?” Jack slumped back into his chair, not able to take his eyes off the tiny piece of hair. Then more of Dane’s words dawned on him, and he looked up. “The little girl is in La Jolla?” “Yes.” Dane nodded. “I bought a house, hired a nurse—a nanny— whatever you want to call her.” “Why doesn’t Emma go there? We’ve been together for over a month, and she’s always been with me.” Again Dane ran that hand through his hair. “Because she doesn’t know the child is there.” “I can only break your nose once, but if you don’t start making sense soon, I’m going to start in on your other body parts.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Dane slumped into the chair beside Jack with his elbows on his knees and his head hanging, clearly a man tired from carrying a burden for far too long. “I’m going to start at the beginning, or else you’ll just keep asking questions.” Dane’s eyes met Jack’s, and Jack nodded Dane’s head fell once more. “I met Emma two years ago down on the pier. I’d gone there for some fresh air, and boy did I find it, in the form of the sweetest brown eyes I’d ever seen. I was hit so hard by her innocence and goodness, I would have sold my soul just to be in her orbit for a while.” His laughter was harsh and mocking. “I guess that in a way, I did. Only I took Emma’s innocence, and that was something I’d never planned on. “She never knew I was married until after we’d both fallen hard, and I’d moved her into an apartment. I was practically living with her. The day she told me she was pregnant was one of the happiest of my life. I suddenly had everything I’d never noticed I was missing.” He met Jack’s eyes again. Eyes that had gone stormy black. “She meant the world to me, Jack. I swear I didn’t hurt her on purpose.” “How’d she find out about Jillian?” Dane rubbed his forehead, accidentally bumping his nose and cursing into the silence of the room. “How’d. She. Find. Out?” “Jillian knew something was up, that something was different. She was worried I was getting ready to leave her, so she had a detective find Emma. Then she sent someone with money to our apartment to buy her off. Emma was seven months pregnant at the time, and the shock sent her into premature labor. They were able to stop the contractions in time, but she had to stay on bed rest after that. She moved back into that filthy little place she’d shared with her mother and sister and refused to see me. We’d been so happy before that. I never knew I could be that happy.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “How’d you end up with the baby?” Jack’s words were barely a growl, and he grabbed the arm of his chair so hard the wood cut into his flesh. Dane met his eyes. “Emma wouldn’t keep her after finding out. Said she was always so stupid when it came to men, and she didn’t deserve to be a mother. I tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn’t listen to me and every time I came around, her blood pressure went through the roof. So finally, I just stayed away. I told her I’d arrange for an adoption, but it was really just a ruse because I was sure she’d change her mind. I’ve had Rose ever since.” “Rose?” He shrugged. “Emma’s middle name.” “I’m aware.” Jack carefully tucked the lock of hair back inside the locket and snapped it shut. He pressed the thing into his palm one last time, then dropped it into his pocket before getting up and pacing the room. He wasn’t sure how he felt. He wanted to kill Dane, of that much he was sure, and he was impressed with his own self control. But what did this mean for him and Emma? He ran his hand around the back of his neck. “God, I’m such a bastard. How could I have doubted her, for even one second?” Then it all came down on him in a rush. “Wait. She’s really not with you, is she?” “I haven’t seen her. And even if I had, she still wouldn’t speak to me. She hates me, Jack. Truly.” In that moment, Jack knew it was true. He also knew that it was killing Dane, and he honestly felt pain for his friend. But his only concern had to be Emma. “She must with her mom, then.” He grabbed his jacket. First thing, he would go to his mother’s to grab his stuff and move back into his own home. Then he would shower, change, and buy out a floral shop on his way to Reba’s. Jewelry, too. Jewelry always worked well for groveling. And maybe some chocolate, or another dog, or a horse. He didn’t care. He only wanted Emma to forgive him for being such a complete and total ass.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS * * * * * Jack arrived at his mother’s house forty minutes after he walked out of his office. A drive that should have taken him at least an hour would have only taken half that if he hadn’t been pulled over. He’d told the officer without a hint of remorse that he might as well go ahead and write him a half a dozen tickets, because he had no intention of slowing his speed between there and home. Good Lord, he was lucky he hadn’t been arrested. But when he’d explained he had an emergency with his wife, the officer, being a newlywed himself, visibly softened. Still writing the original ticket, he canceled the background check and the breathalyzer test, and with all sincerity reminded Jack that other people had loved ones as well. Loved ones he was putting in danger by speeding and driving recklessly. Duly chastised, Jack continued the remaining drive at half the speed he’d been going originally. He arrived home anxious and as nervous as hell about seeing Emma. Would she even allow him in? From everything Dane had said, she’d been well and truly in love with him. Hell, she’d been carrying his child when she’d written him off without a backwards glance. She had a far less important reason to forgive Jack. To stay with him. He stopped at the front door, his palm on the frame, and pressed his forehead against the back of his hand. He couldn’t bear the thought that she wouldn’t forgive him. Wouldn’t still love him. He didn’t even care anymore if she loved Dane, too. He could move her so far out of his friend’s reach that she’d never have to see him again. But what of Rose? His lungs ached, and he realized it was because he was holding his breath and had been for some time. What about Rose? She was Emma’s child, a part of the woman he loved, a part of a woman without whom he would never be whole. He had to find a way to make their marriage work, and if that meant a shared custody arrangement with Dane—his gut turned at the thought—then, so be it.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS With an unsettled stomach and by sheer force of will, he entered the house, only to find his mother agitatedly pacing her sitting room. “Oh, Jack.” She ran to him. Literally ran. “Thank God!” “What’s happened?” Fearing the worst, he gripped her hands. He couldn’t remember a time when she’d looked this upset. “Not Lilly or Alex.” “No. No, they’re fine. It’s Emma.” Jack’s legs gave out, and he sagged against the wall. Then he slid to the floor. “Jack!” His mother was quickly beside him, holding his hand. He met her eyes. “What’s happened to her?” “That’s just it, Jack. I don’t know. She’s missing. No one’s seen her since she left the zoo Saturday night.” “Mom, I’m sure she’s with Reba.” His brain tried to make sense of her words, but it was like trying to work his way through a muddy bog. He’d had too much laid on him today. His brain was simply shutting down. “I was planning on going over there tonight—” “No. She’s not there. I went to her mother’s house today. A woman can’t fake the kind of anguish I saw in Reba’s eyes. She’s scared to death for her daughter. She hasn’t seen her.” “I donʹt know where to look, Mom.” Jack dropped his head back and cracked it on the mahogany chair rail, but he really didn’t care. “I donʹt know where she’d go.” Even to his own ears he sounded pathetic. “I called Robert the minute I saw Reba’s face. He’s been on the case all day.” Robert, of course, was one of his mother’s personal investigators. Probably the one who’d tracked down Reba and Shelly in the first place. “I’ve failed her every way a man can fail a woman, Mom. If she’s smart, she’ll stay hidden.” Sharee got down on her knees and took both of Jack’s hands in hers. “She loves you, Jack. And what’s more, you love her. You two can work this out.” Jack just shook his head, rolling it back and forth on the chair rail.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “A part of you shut down after Michelle. I’ve been worried about you for so long, and Emma brought you back to life,” she said. “But Jack, great love requires great risk. You have to be willing to risk your heart and your pride—and you have to show her you trust her, because my guess is that right now she doesn’t think you do.” “She had a child with Dane Andrews.” His voice was bleak. “He still loves her.” Sharee took her son’s face in her hands. “But she loves you.” He looked into his mother’s crystal blue eyes. Her hands were still pressed against his cheeks. They were eyes and hands he’d trusted his entire life. Eyes and hands belonging to the woman who’d loved him, cared for him, and taught him as he grew. “How do I make this right, Mom?” She smiled softly at him. “By loving her.” “I already did that.” It seemed so simple. “And yet, look were we ended up.” “Oh, but sweetheart, that’s the thing of it. This isn’t the end. You’re going to have so many ups and downs over the course of a good marriage. I can’t tell you the amount of times I could have given up on your father, but that’s not what a marriage is about. It’s not about sticking together until it gets tough or doesn’t feel good anymore. It’s a commitment you took on with this young woman for the rest of your life. You promised her things besides your love and faithfulness. You promised to protect her and cherish her, to trust her and let her in. You promised her until death. Go after her and remind her of that. “When you decided to marry her, you decided to stand by her forever, no matter what. This is just your first bump in the road, your first test. Donʹt let it take you under, son. Let it make you stronger.” “But what if I’m not capable?” He put his hands over his mother’s. That was his worst fear. “What if I can’t love her enough, trust her enough? What if I’m simply not a good husband?” “Oh, my boy.” She closed her eyes as if her heart ached. “I know you. I know what you’re capable of, and these doubts are just Michelle’s words ringing in your ears because this is the first time you’ve tried to
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS trust again since she left you. And—” She swallowed and drew in a slow breath. “You’re your father’s son. How could you not be a good husband? He was everything a woman could ever hope for, and you’ve followed in his footsteps. I’ve seen you with Emma—trust your heart. Please.” She pushed her hand flat against his chest atop his heart and pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Go get your wife, sweetheart. Let love figure out the rest.” * * * * * Jack wanted to follow his mother’s advice, but two days later he still had no idea where to find his wife. He’d paced his living room carpet threadbare, followed four bad leads, and was certain he was gaining an ulcer—and he still didn’t have Emma back. He was currently waiting for Robert Sawyer to arrive. The private investigator wouldn’t say much on the phone, only that he had a lead. So Jack waited and worked on his ulcer. When the doorbell finally rang, he practically ripped the door from its hinges. Standing on the other side was a man as tall as Jack, only with graying hair and soft hazel eyes that told Jack he’d seen more of the world that Jack ever would. “Robert.” He shook the man’s hand, and then moved back so he could enter. “I’ll apologize right up front for skipping the pleasantries.” Robert held up a hand. “Not expecting any.” He pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and opened it in his hand. “Recognize these?” Jack stared down at Emma’s aquamarine earring and garnet engagement ring, and his heart dropped. If she’d sold her jewelry, she’d have enough money to get as far away from him as she wanted. He touched each piece, and then met Robert’s stare. “Where’s her wedding band?” “The guy at the pawn shop apparently knew her. She told him she didn’t want to give it up. He gave her a bundle for the rest of it, but not nearly what it was worth.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Jack shook his head. “Did the guy know where she was?” “No, she pawned these the Sunday after the event, so even though it’s a lead, it’s a pretty cold one. I’m sorry Jack.” Jack carefully picked up her earring, and then the engagement ring. He held it to the light, remembering the moment he’d first seen it and knew it was meant for her. It was a perfect match for his father’s ring and was simple and classic, just like Emma. “I’m heading back out.” Robert put his hands on Jack’s shoulders. “The first thing I did was check the airports, bus stations, and train stations, and unless she rented a car, I’m reasonably sure she’s still in town. If she’s here—” Jack smiled, even though he didn’t feel it, and finished Robert’s sentence. “We’ll find her.” “Yes, we will.” Jack closed the door behind the investigator, put Emma’s earrings on the side table, and slipped her engagement ring into his pocket with her locket. Then he headed out the back door. He needed some air. If only Robert would give him something to do beside wait. Surely he could make phone calls, check motels, something. Then he wondered why he couldn’t do it without Robert’s okay and headed for the Jag. He went by the bank and got a roll of hundreds, because he imagined people might be more willing to talk to him if he flashed a little cash around. Then he set out. He returned home twelve hours later, with no money and a black eye. He’d been mugged in the alley behind one of the motels. He now realized why he needed to leave Robert’s business to Robert. He couldn’t be bothered with making a police report. He hadn’t really been hurt, hadn’t put up a fight, and the kids who’d robbed him looked desperate, not vicious. They probably needed the money, certainly more than he did. Thank God he’d left his jacket in the car, because if they’d tried to get Emma’s jewelry, he would have put up a fight. He grabbed some ice, wrapped it in a towel, and pressed it ever so gently to his swollen eye. He laughed for the first time in days. Between his cracked knuckles and his swollen eye, he was becoming quite a common thug.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS It was damn lonely inside the house. Especially at night. He stared out at the harbor and watched several boats sail past slowly. He almost wished he’d kept the dog, but he knew he wasn’t in a position to care for the poor thing right now. When his cell phone rang, he practically leapt from his skin. He’d told no one to call him on it until further notice. He wanted the line kept open for Robert. He flipped open the display and knew no one had violated his order. It was the investigator. “I think I’ve found her,” Robert said. Jack fell back against the glass door. Finally. Now if only he could convince her to take him back. “She’s in the hospital.” Or it might be more complicated.
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Chapter Eighteen Jack stood just inside the door of Emma’s cubicle in the critical care ward. Her small body was so still. Foreign sounds swirled around him; beeping, humming, and Emma’s impossibly loud breathing. Without taking his eyes off her, he spoke to Robert, who stood behind him. “The man who did this.” His throat was swollen, and it was hard to get the words out. “The one who found her. Stopped the others, brought her here.” “Juan Rodriguez.” Jack swallowed. “See that…I mean, my mother—” he turned and looked at Robert. “No amount of money can repay what he’s done, but see that he’s compensated. Please.” Robert nodded, and Jack took the final steps to his wife’s bedside. “They say the swelling is diminishing. There’s no reason why she won’t wake up in a day or two.” Jack just stared down at Emma’s beautiful battered face. He’d done this. If only he’d taken her back to bed instead of to that goddamned benefit, she wouldn’t be lying unconscious in a hospital bed now. He looked briefly at the bracelet on her wrist. Jane Doe. Fury rose within him. At least that, he could fix. “Get a nurse in here. I want this changed.” He held up her wrist so Robert would see what he was talking about, and the investigator
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS immediately left to do his bidding. If only Emma would wake up as easily and forgive him. He scrubbed a hand over his face and wondered why she would. He’d been intolerably cruel to her. He’d told her to go to hell, and by the looks of her bruised and battered face, she had. “Hi. I was told someone is here to claim our Jane.” The nurse walked in wearing green scrubs. She wore her long black hair hanging down her back and had an annoyingly cheerful attitude. She pulled the curtain back from around Emma’s bed and checked the monitors. “I heard you want her bracelet changed.” “Yeah,” he ground out without looking at her. “Unfortunately, as with everything else, that requires paperwork. I can get everything ready for you, and when you’re ready to leave you can stop by the nurses’ station and fill them out.” “I’m not leaving.” A dark, threatening voice came out of his body. The nurse seemed to take pity on him. She put her hand on his tense shoulder. “I understand. But visiting hours in critical care are—” “I’m. Not. Leaving.” Jack stood to tower over her. She studied him for a long moment. Fluffed up Emma’s blankets, then simply stated. “I’ll see what I can arrange.” And she left the room. Jack was once again alone in the dark with the woman he loved more than his own life. Yet he still hadn’t been able to keep from hurting her. He remembered promising to never hurt her, and yet he had done so twice now. Was this some kind of cosmic joke? Setting him up to look ridiculous while hurting someone as sweet as Emma in the process? His mother always spoke of a loving God. Well, at the moment, he couldn’t see it. He brushed Emma’s hair back from her face. Her eye was so swollen it looked a hell of a lot worse than his ever had. He remembered the punch and how bad it had hurt. He cringed knowing that added to his wife’s pain must have been the knowledge that she was alone, without her husband who was supposed to protect her, but had instead sent her into this situation with his careless words.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He raked his hands through his hair. God, he hated himself. All his life he’d always fallen short in everything he ever tried to do. You can’t save them all. To his shame, he had to admit, he couldn’t even save the one who mattered most. * * * * * “She’s to have the best of everything. Do I make myself clear?” Emma’s doctor nodded. Jack finally felt satisfied that she would receive the best care, now that he’d had her moved to a private hospital that proudly bore the name Sinclaire on its cancer wing and was the recipient of many endowments from the Sinclaire Foundation. The maneuver was easier than he had imagined. The private ambulance had arrived only a few hours after he’d arranged for it and the doctor at her side, and now she was settled in a place where he had clout, where he could bark out orders and have people jump. In the big picture it wasn’t much, but it kept him from feeling as helpless as he had when he’d first found her in the overcrowded city hospital. “If you have any questions, you may contact my assistant. I’m sure she’ll be able to clear everything up.” Without awaiting a response, Jack walked around the doctor and into Emma’s new room. He gained some extra satisfaction knowing that she now wore an ID bracelet that proudly proclaimed her to be Mrs. Emma Sinclaire. He walked up to her bed and gently touched the locket he’d placed lovingly back around her neck, even though the staff had tried to stop him. He’d gotten Mrs. Powers to pick up a new chain for it, since he hadn’t gotten the catch fixed on the other one, but other than that it was the same. It looked at home around Emma’s neck, with the soft, downy lock of baby’s hair tucked safely inside it. He stroked her cheek lightly. “It’s back and safe, sweetheart.” He rubbed his neck. “God, Emma. If only you’d told me.” She moaned. It was a sound etched with pain, but it was a sound. Jack pulled a chair to the edge of the bed and stared at her like she might leap up and entertain him with a dance or something. He’d spent a
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS long night wrestling with both his demons and his mother’s words, and by the time the sun came out this morning, he’d made a decision. He touched her cheek again, but this time she didn’t respond. “It’s all right, my love.” He brought his head close to hers. “You rest.” Jack lay down beside her for a while, holding her in his arms and just listening to her breathe. At times, it seemed as if she were having nightmares. She’d get restive and move about, occasionally calling out in her sleep, mostly things that made no sense to him. He longed for her to call out to him, but she never did. He stayed by her side through the long night, and sometime in the darkness, she whimpered. “Emma.” He slid off the bed, touched her cheek, and pressed his lips to hers. Then he noticed tears on her face. She was crying. “Emma?” She didn’t move, didn’t make a sound. “Not my ring.” She cried plaintively. “Please.” Her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow, and it finally became clear to him what had happened. The police had told him the night desk clerk at the motel and his brother had been arrested for assault and battery, among other things. They’d found nearly ten thousand dollars on the two of them and pieced together that the night clerk had planned the robbery when Emma first checked in. He hadn’t even officially registered her, which was why she’d been listed as a Jane Doe when she arrived at the hospital. Jack knew now with all certainty that they’d beaten her because she refused to give them her wedding ring. He shivered, thinking about her taking blow after blow all the while crying and refusing to give them the ring. She must have treasured it similarly to how she treasured the locket. She loved him, even though again and again he had failed her. “Oh, Emma. I’m so sorry.” Throughout the long night, as Emma cried through her nightmares and relived the horrible beating in such vivid detail that Jack imagined he was there, he made a decision. One he put into motion the following morning.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS Reba ran to her daughter’s bedside, while Sharee pushed Jack into a corner. “Why are you leaving her?” Jack pulled on his jacket and fished his keys from the pocket. “I’m not—” He ground his teeth. “I’m not leaving her. I have something to deal with.” He let out a sigh. “I have to take care of it, Mom. If she wakes up before I get back, donʹt tell her I’ve gone, just—” “What? Avoid discussing you all together? Donʹt be ridiculous, Jack. The second she wakes up, she’s going to want to know where you are.” Jack’s heart constricted. For all the words Emma had cried out in the past twenty four hours, even muttering Dane’s name a time or two, she’d never called out for him. “No, Mom. I don’t think she will.” He sidestepped her. “I don’t know how long this will take. If she’s released, take her home. Please.” He pressed a kiss to his mother’s forehead and then looked into her eyes, silently begging her to trust him even though he had no idea why she would at this point. He watched her exchange a frustrated look with Reba but when she said nothing, he opened the door and stepped through it. Sharee put a hand to her forehead. “These kids are so twisted up inside.” “I know. They expect life to be perfect once they’ve found love.” Reba pushed back her daughter’s bangs. “But it rarely is.” “No, perfect isn’t for this life. But it’s sure a hell of a lot better when you have a partner.” Just then Emma stirred, tossing her head first one way, and then the other. “Jack,” she cried. Reba squeezed Emma’s hand and gave Sharee a worried look. “Do you think they’ll work this thing out?” “I pray they will.” Sharee closed her eyes. “I donʹt think either of them will ever be entirely whole without the other.” Reba looked down at to her daughter’s pale, bruised face.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I think you’re right.” * * * * * Two days later—against her doctor’s orders—Emma signed herself out of the hospital. She couldn’t stand one more second in that place, and she’d been too tired to argue with both her mom and Jack’s when they insisted she go home with Sharee. So here she was in an opulent bedroom suite overlooking immaculate grounds. In the distance, she could see the blue line where ocean met sky. But was she enjoying any of it? No, she was not. She was obsessing about Jack. Her head hurt, her lips hurt, her eye hurt, her stomach hurt, but more than anything—her heart hurt. It was the only thing her pain medication didn’t relieve. That horrible night came back to her again and again until she couldn’t sleep anymore, which was one of the reasons she’d wanted to leave the hospital. Too many people there were all too willing to prescribe some pill or another for anything that ailed her, when all she really wanted was to have Jack’s arms wrapped around her and to have the knowledge that everything would be fine again. She fingered her locket. No one knew for certain how it had wound up around her neck again, but she knew Jack had put it there. To her, it was a sign that he’d forgiven her. Although he’d been wrong, and she really didn’t still love Dane—she realized now she probably never had, at least not with the depth she loved Jack—she knew she would have a lot of explaining to do when he finally returned from wherever it was he’d gone. It hurt knowing he’d found something more important to do while she lay unconscious in a hospital bed, but she’d decided at some point that she wasn’t going to let anything else come between her and the man she loved. No more secrets. No more misunderstandings, and if he needed time to get over the hurt she had brought him, she’d wait. She loved him and knew she’d never love anyone else the same way. Wasn’t that worth fighting for?
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS They had a long road ahead of them, but any road was worth traveling when you were accompanied by love. She ran the locket back and forth over its new chain and looked out the windows on the far side of the room. The ones that overlooked the front drive and the fountain. And she waited. Waited for the moment when Jack’s champagne‐colored Jag would roll down the winding drive, meaning he’d come for her. * * * * * Sharee paced back and forth in the living room. Jack had called her over an hour ago to say he was on his way. He was furious that Emma had checked herself out of the hospital, but what was she, as his mother, supposed to do about it? Chain the child to her bed? Besides, Emma had been home for two days now and seemed to be healing nicely. Sharee had her own personal physician over every afternoon to check on her daughter‐in‐law. She heard the car door shut and ran to the front entry. Jack appeared in the doorway looking wild‐eyed and half crazed as she reached the foyer. Dane stepped in behind him, looking unfazed, as always. He met Sharee’s eye and shrugged. “Just be thankful I didn’t let him drive.” She wasn’t sure what Dane’s presence meant. She’d gotten enough of the story from Reba to understand that Emma had at one time loved this man, but she couldn’t believe her daughter‐in‐law still had any feelings for him. Not with how steadfastly she’d devoted herself to Jack. Still, his presence made her uncomfortable. She called on her years of practice and gave him a charming smile. “Dane.” “No fear. I’m not here to make trouble.” She was glad to hear it, but flinched when she saw the pain in his eyes. She wondered at the torment the poor boy was in, and softened her
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS heart toward him. She relaxed and took a step back, gesturing to the living room. “Please come in.” “Where is she, Mom?” “In the blue suite.” Sharee twisted her hands, her baby’s tension a tangible force between them. “She’s resting.” “Thanks.” He ran up the stairs, calling down to Dane, “Give me ten minutes.” Jack opened the suite door quietly, not wanting to wake Emma if she was asleep. His eyes swept the room to find her on a chaise, reading. She was so incredibly beautiful, his heart wept at the sight of her. “Emma.” She looked up, and her eyes filled with tears. She threw down the book and flew across the room into his arms. He held her tight as an array of emotion swept over him This is where she belongs. “Oh Jack. I’m so sorry. Please tell me you’ve forgiven me. Please tell me you’ll take me back.” He carefully pulled her arms from around his neck, not sure exactly where she still hurt. Her face was healing beautifully; the bruises had faded, and most of the swelling was gone. He kissed her gingerly. He simply couldn’t help himself. When he pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers and nuzzled her nose with his. “I’ve missed you. There aren’t words in my vocabulary to tell you how much.” “Jack, I love you. Not Dane, I swear it.” He took her hand and led her to the chaise. Ten minutes wasn’t very long, after all. They sat side by side. He held her hands in his. Not knowing where to begin, he just jumped in. “I know everything.” He caught a tear as it slid down her cheek. “And I love you so much it hurts. Emma, I’m a complete fool. An ass—for how I treated you. I’ve had a lot of time to think about it, and I realize part of me has never completely gotten over what Michelle did to me. “Part of me was just waiting for you to betray me as well, and when the thing with Dane came up, I jumped at it. I was relieved that I’d only gone under so far before you showed your true colors.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS He slid his hand into her hair and pulled her against him. “Can you ever forgive me?” She was so quiet. He heard her small sniffles and held his breath, waiting. Finally she pulled away, sitting up straight, the gold in her eyes outshining the brown today. “Jack, I love you.” “I know that sweetheart, I—” “No.” She pressed her fingers to his lips. “Let me finish, please.” Her soft plea melted his heart. He pressed his lips into her fingers, and then against her temple. Then he sat quietly, letting her say whatever she needed. She swallowed and fidgeted with her locket. The sight of the necklace around her neck seemed to make the world right again. His lips hitched up in a small smile. “I loved Dane, but not the way I love you. Not even close.” She got up and paced the room. Jack watched her elegant beauty as she moved back and forth, loving that she was his. “If I hadn’t discovered Dane was married, we probably could have had a good life together. I think I understand him in a way no one else does. He let his guard down around me, and I saw a side of him—” She broke off and shook her head. “Anyway…” She looked pointedly at Jack. “I don’t love him now, nor will I ever want to be with him again. He destroyed my love for him when I found out about his...his...falsehood, for lack of a better word.” She fell on her knees at Jack’s feet. “But you see, I thought he’d completely destroyed me. I thought I’d never be whole again, would never love again. Would never have any life, and of course, a part of me believed I deserved that. I mean, I must have seen signs that he was married and simply ignored them because I wanted to. He made my life real nice, Jack.” Jack skimmed his fingers over her cheek, her lips. “You’re a good person, Emma, regardless of Dane. No one’s perfect. That’s something you’ve been teaching me.” He leaned forward and cupped her face in his palms. “I was prejudiced, Emma. Prejudiced
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS about the homeless, about the women that were with Dane regardless of his marital status, but you’ve taught me that every person has a story and no group should be judged and deemed less than anyone else simply based on assumptions. I won’t ever look at a person again and assume I know their story, their feelings. I owe you that.” He kissed her gently, careful of her still tender lips. He pulled her from the floor into his lap and enfolded her in his arms. “I love you, Emma.” She relaxed into his arms just as the doorbell rang. He tensed, having no idea how she might react to what he’d done. He lifted her from his lap, placed her in the chaise, and moved to the door. “Emma, please donʹt hate me when you see what I’ve done. Let me explain first, at least.” He ran his hand through his hair and opened the door to Dane, who held the most precious bundle of love Jack had ever seen in his life. “Emma, this is Rose.” He held out his hand, and the infant eagerly grabbed onto his finger. “Your daughter.”
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Chapter Nineteen Emma couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t feel any part of her body, and she knew words were hopeless. She sat there aware tears were sliding down her cheeks, staring at the child she hadn’t gone a single day without wondering about. She hadn’t held her baby, hadn’t even looked at her, had wished the doctor hadn’t announced to the room that she’d had a girl, but there she was now, in the arms of her father, and Emma knew her day of reckoning had come. “Emma, baby, don’t cry.” Jack took Rose from Dane and moved beside Emma. He smoothed the baby’s spattering of hair down, and it instantly flipped back up. He settled the child on his lap, but Emma couldn’t look. The sight of Jack and her daughter together was too much. “Why?” Her whining tone implied she was in great pain, when actually she was quite pleasantly numb. “Because she’s yours, and you won’t be complete without her.” Emma stood, afraid to touch the precious baby lest she vanish like she always did in her dreams. She pressed her palms to her hot, tear streaked cheeks. She was experiencing complete overload and wasn’t sure what she felt. If she felt. The sight of Jack, the man she loved, holding her precious child. The baby she’d sung to every night, gently rubbing her swollen belly where she...Rose, slept. Suddenly, she looked to Dane. “What happened to the adoption?”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “There never was one.” He walked toward her. “I only told you there was because you were so damned set on it. I thought that once you had time to calm down, you’d change your mind and regret giving our—” He stopped, closed his eyes, and on a breath changed his wording. “Your…baby away.” She looked at Dane, and her heart ached. He was a better man than he thought he was. She looked back at Jack. Rose was playfully patting his cheeks and making adorable baby sounds. She tentatively took a step toward them. “This is really my baby?” She looked the little girl over from head to toe. She had Emma’s dark hair, but Dane’s blue eyes. She had the sweetest little mouth, like a tiny rosebud, and the most precious little fingers. Emma started to cry again. “Can I…hold her?” Jack stood. “Of course you can. She’s your daughter.” He transferred the baby to Emma’s arms and watched love transform her entire body; from the glow that lit her eyes just before she closed them, to the arms that wrapped around her baby, everything about her suddenly seemed different. Suddenly seemed like more. “Oh, Emma, I love you so much. I don’t care about Dane.” He looked at his old friend. “No offense.” Dane waved his hand dismissively and mumbled something along the lines of “None taken.” “I want to raise Rose with you, Emma.” Jack ran a hand over the child’s soft, downy hair. “I want to give her lots of brothers and sisters, and I want to love you for the rest of my life. Please say that’s what you want, too.” Emma wanted nothing more, but her first thought was of Dane. “But—” Her eyes met his, and she saw the sheen of tears in them. “I signed over custody to you and Jack this morning. I no longer have any right to her. She—” He stopped for a second, closed his eyes, and plunged ahead. “She’s all yours. Please excuse me.” He left the room so fast Emma couldn’t have said anything if she’d wanted to, but there were things to be said. She handed Rose to Jack.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “I need to talk to him.” Jack merely nodded and kissed Rose on the head as he cuddle the little baby’s body close to his own. Emma ran down the hallway, catching Dane just as he was about to descend the stairs. “Dane, wait.” He stopped but didn’t turn to look at her. “Why?” She wanted to touch him, to hold him close and tell him he was worthy, but she knew he wouldn’t let her—and it was probably for the best. It wasn’t her place anymore. “Because you and Jack deserve a happy life.” He turned and pinned her with those baby blue eyes she’d fallen for the first time she’d seen them. “And because Rose deserves better than me.” “Dane—” “I’m serious. I don’t want her to grow up and know what I did and be ashamed of me. I donʹt want her to think poorly of her mother, or herself when she realizes...when she realizes—” He halted, and Emma couldn’t help herself any longer. She put her arms around him and held on tight. His body shook, but she knew it wasn’t with tears; it was with the effort to hold them back. “Dane, she’s yours. I know you don’t want me to take her from you.” He pulled back sharply. “Isn’t it about time I do what’s right rather than simply what I want to do? I’ll be forty years‐old next summer, and I’m still no more than a boy playing at being a grown‐up. Jillian’s left me, I’ve quit my father’s company. I’m going away.” “Where?” “I’m not sure yet, but it’s time I figure out how to be a man. Hell, Jack’s younger than I am, and he’s a hundred times the man I am. I have no qualms about leaving Rose with him.” He picked up her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. “Nor you.” Emma fought back tears as she accepted what he was saying and what he wanted to do. She placed a palm against his cheek. “I did love you.”
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS “Not that I deserved it.” He smiled sadly, the love he still had for her shining in his eyes, and Emma hated that she wasn’t more saddened that it hadn’t worked between them. But how could she be? She was meant for Jack. “You’ll always have a place in Rose’s life, Dane,” she said. “Always.” “You’re an amazing woman, Emma. I’m proud to have you as the mother of my only child.” He gave her a tense smile and turned away. Emma stood silently watching as he disappeared down the steps and out the front door. “He’ll be all right.” She leaned back into the serenity of Jack’s arms, Rose immediately patting her cheek with a soft palm. She dropped her head back against her husband’s shoulder and met his eyes. “And us? Will we be all right, too?” He turned her in his arms, tipped up her chin, and looked into her eyes. “How can we not be? We’re a family now. The love we had just multiplied itself tenfold. God! Think of Christmas.” He laughed. It seemed like a lifetime since Emma had heard that sound. She captured his mouth with hers and when dizziness overtook her, she pulled away. Jack kissed the top of her head softly and held both her and Rose tenderly. She smiled. She’d probably always worry about Dane, how could she not? But Jack was her future, the love of her life, and together they’d build their dreams and their family one step at a time. She would never want another man again. One day, when Rose was old enough and asked when Emma had fallen in love with her daddy, Emma knew the answer without a doubt. It was the day they met.
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THE DAY THEY MET BY SAMANTHA LUCAS
Author Bio Samantha was born and raised in the Santa Monica and Orange County areas of southern California. Born a beach baby, she now lives in the mountains of Virginia and is loving the discovery of seasons. As a teenager, she did commercials, rock videos, and extra jobs in television and movies. It was a great way to spend her time and make money, especially when she was a kid. : ) Her first ever real job was at Disneyland, which she loved more than anything, since she is—and declares she always will be—a Disney theme park freak. Now the mother of two teenage boys, sheʹs a dedicated home schooling mom with a die‐hard love of animals. She even owns a small zoo herself, because every time she drives by the animal shelter sheʹs compelled to adopt someone. Having written stories all her life, it wasnʹt until a few years ago she finally decide to pursue publishing. She was offered her first contract last year—although it took four contract offers before she stopped thinking someone had made a terrible mistake. She loves to hear from her readers more than anything and is thrilled beyond belief to finally be sharing her stories with the world.
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