Foolish Notions Page 19

  She turned to Samantha. “Look how delicate it is.”

  “It’s beautiful.” Samantha held the elegant flower head in her hand.

  James handed the man some money and took the potted plant. He watched his mom smile in delight and it warmed his heart. Fresh air and old friends were just what she needed. He had been worried that the outing might exhaust her. But it was doing just the opposite. It was replenishing her spirit and strength. As his mom spoke with a friend, James shifted the bags he was carrying.

  “Please, let me carry some of those,” Samantha said as she adjusted her purse over her shoulder, preparing to help lighten his load.

  James set two of the bags down. “What is she going to do with all these flowers?” He looked down at the dozens of loose flowers nestled amongst baby’s breath and green foliage. “I don’t think I own enough vases for all of them.” His raised the newest purchase. “And now this. I’m going to have to add on another room.”

  She almost giggled out loud. “Maybe a greenhouse out back.”

  James shot her a look.

  Samantha brought a lavender-colored flower to her nose. “You must admit, they are beautiful. Each time I see one I think it’s the most beautiful flower I’ve ever seen. But then I see another and it appears to be more exquisite than the last. I see why Marie enjoys them. And the fragrance is out of this world.” She stopped. “What, why are you smiling?”

  “I’m just listening.” James pulled a single blood-red rose from a bouquet that was neatly tucked in the bag he was still holding. He tore the stem off and placed it behind Samantha’s ear. He stood back and looked at her. “Perfection.”

  She was completely absorbed in his gesture. Looking intently into his eyes, the crowd around them faded away into a molten blur of color and sound. It was just the two of them. Why was he looking at her that way? She touched the rose at her ear and impulsively her hand moved to his face. His skin was soft and warm. Her fingers slid along his cheek and traced over his jawbone. When she brushed his lips, they parted and he kissed her fingertips. How was it that he could mesmerize her so effortlessly?

  She stumbled forward when someone bumped her from behind. She looked over her shoulder when she heard sorry muttered from the culprit.

  James gripped her shoulder and steadied her. “You okay?” he asked.

  She nodded and shook her blond hair out of her eyes. “I guess I should have been paying more attention.” She looked at the continual stream of people going by. “Where’s Marie?”

  “There she is.” He retrieved the bags on the ground beside him. He offered Samantha one of them. With his free hand he took hers. Linking their fingers, he pulled her in the direction of his mom.

  “No, you don’t.” James’s voice was earnest.

  “What?” Marie turned. “It’s beautiful.” She gestured to the painting before her. “It would go perfectly—”

  “Mom, you don’t need another rose painting.”

  “You can never have too many rose paintings.” She lifted her shoulders. “It’s not just roses anyway.” She turned back to the large painting that was mounted on a tall, brass easel. “Look, there’s a charming cottage in the foreground.” She stepped closer to see the exceptional detail.

  “Yeah, and it’s surrounded by roses,” James pointed out, before he looked at Samantha. She too was admiring the painting. What was it about women and flowers?

  Marie looked over at Samantha and noticed the flower in her hair. “Do you know that the rose is the flower for lovers?”

  James shook his head. “What?”

  Marie caught his look. “Just a little trivia.”

  “Thanks for the bit of information.” He leaned into Samantha’s ear. “Are you hungry?”

  “A little. Why?” she whispered back to him. “Let’s find a place to eat. If we eat that means she can’t buy anything else.”

  Samantha gestured toward Marie. “But look how happy she is.”

  “I can’t hold much more.” He pleaded with her. “My house can’t hold much more.”

  Samantha shrugged. “It’s a big house.”

  James squeezed Samantha’s hand tightly to illustrate his seriousness. “Will you please work with me here? I’m losing feeling in my right arm. And I lost feeling in my fingers over an hour ago, thanks to the plastic bag that’s slowly cutting into my palm.”

  Her voice wasn’t as low when she spoke this time. “If you keep squeezing my hand like that I’m going to lose feeling, too.”

  “If I have to suffer, so do you.”

  Marie came up behind James. “I heard that, James Anthony Taylor.”

  He turned to his mom with a sheepish grin. “I’m starving and in pain.”

  Samantha didn’t know why, but she thought she would bail him out. “I’m getting a little hungry, too. Perhaps, we should call it a day and grab a bite to eat.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  “That was a wonderful day.” Marie said as she placed the last vase of roses on the coffee table. She had spent the entire evening making arrangements, thoroughly enjoying herself as she did. The day had been perfect; so had the dinner they all shared in a quaint restaurant downtown. “I think I’m going to call it a night.”

  “Do you need any help?” Samantha said from the kitchen as she swept leftover foliage into the trash.

  “No, thank you.”

  James got up from the couch and kissed his mom’s cheek.

  “Good night.” He surveyed his house. There were roses and flowers in every size, shape, and color. “By the way, thanks for turning my house into a florist shop.”

  Marie took a deep breath. “The smell is intoxicating isn’t it? Good night, all.” She waved her hand over her head as she climbed the stairs.

  The rose in Samantha’s hands fell to the floor. It was a long moment before she picked it up and began walking through the living room, toward the front door.

  “Where are you going?’ James called after her.

  “I think I’ll run home and check on things there since I’m not needed here. I haven’t been there in a few days. I need to water the plants and get the mail.” Where had she put her purse? “My message machine is probably full. I like to leave a light on . . .” Her words trailed off as James stepped in front of her, blocking her path to the door.

  “You are needed.” His voice was pure seduction.

  Samantha eyed the door behind James and then looked back at him. “Marie has turned in for the night.”

  “It’s not my mom who needs you.” He stripped away any pretenses she might have with the simple statement.

  His words melted into her body, dissolving into warmth that swirled through every fiber of her being. Had he touched her? God, it felt like he had. She focused. “James, your mom’s going to be fine—”

  He took a step closer. “That’s not what I need you for.” He eased his fingers into the waist band of her jeans just below her navel. Gripping the denim, he gave a gentle tug toward him. The motion brought her body inches from his. “You know what I need.”

  Samantha’s head was drenched with sensations. The pressure at her waist made her dizzy and did nothing to alleviate the demands that were rapidly forming inside. She shifted her weight to accommodate the hand that slid around her waist. She grasped his wrist, her nails digging into his skin. He was warm, he was solid, and he was real. This wasn’t one of the cruel dreams that plagued her too often while she was alone in her bed.

  For the first time in her life Samantha was truly indecisive. She was compelled to run to the door and escape any potential harm, but her feet wouldn’t budge. She could feel apprehension slowly diminish as his penetrating eyes locked on her.

  “Tell me you need me, too.” His gaze shifted from her mouth to her eyes, waiting for a reply.

  “We can’t do this.” Even when she spoke the words she knew she didn’t mean them. Well, maybe she meant them, but they held no conviction. She didn’t want to resist this time. She had no energy
left to fight him. Whether she believed it or not, she knew she yearned for this feeling of pure, unrestrained abandon. She wanted him. She needed him. She felt a little lightheaded at the discovery.

  “We can do anything we want.” The kiss he placed on her lips was unhurried and infused with longing. She responded to the kiss just as she had so long ago, but this kiss was accentuated with an intense hunger that only separation could create. His tongue probed the unforgettable depths, the taste drawing out old memories.

  “You make all the pain disappear when you kiss me.” Samantha’s voice was broken as she spoke against his lips. “You make me forget.”

  James held her face firmly in his hands. “It’s time to forget, Samantha.”

  She shook her head as he held it. “I can’t. I can’t let myself.” She pressed her head against his and tried to sort out everything she was experiencing. Her body hadn’t been this alive since the last time he had touched her, and it felt so good. Her head swirled with confusion and beautiful sensations. She realized that, in spite of everything, something inside her needed to be with him. It couldn’t be denied.

  “There’s nothing wrong with forgetting.” His voice was so gentle it cleared away the chaos from her mind. When she closed her eyes and tried to focus, she felt him place a gentle kiss on each of her eyelids. Her hands were resting on his shoulders; they clenched in uncertainty. She truly didn’t know what to do. She felt like her heart would stop in her chest if she didn’t make a decision quickly.

  “Open your eyes,” he insisted. “Don’t think, Angel.” He tilted her head and kissed her neck. “Just feel.” His words were like soft feathers against her skin. “Like you used to.” He worked his way to her lips. “You remember how it used to feel, don’t you?”

  Samantha had played this scene over and over in her head a thousand times and it had never been this good. She had thought the memory of how wonderful it was to be with him was enhanced, because she by no means believed she would be with him ever again. Now, that she was standing with him, holding him, feeling him, and tasting him, it was twice as intense as she had ever imagined. She nipped at his lips in a desperate attempt to reassure herself that he was real. “How could I forget? How could I ever forget this?”

  James broke the kiss. “Breathe, Sweetie.” She looked as if she was going to crumble to the floor. “I don’t want you to collapse.” He leaned in and placed another kiss on her lips. “At least not until we’re near my bed.” He took her by the hand and led her up the stairs and to his room.

  She was a vision standing at the foot of his bed. It seemed fit that she was washed in moonlight, natural beauty enhancing natural beauty. “You’re beautiful.”

  She reached for him. She needed to touch him. “You used to say stunning.”

  “There isn’t a word suitable to describe you,” he whispered as he lifted her shirt over her head.

  Impatiently, she helped him tug her pants over her hips. Once she was naked, he laid her on the bed. Half of her body was still illuminated by the moonlight. He ran his hand across the goose bumps that had formed when the cool breeze, which blew in from the window, met with her hot skin. Another dozen prickles were produced when he brought his lips to her heated flesh.

  “What about you?” She gestured to his clothes.

  He arched a brow when he glanced up. “Not yet.” His head dipped down again and found her breast ready and waiting for him.

  She arched up to meet him. Her words were a sob of pleasure and pain as she reached for his shirt. “James, don’t do this to me.” She shuddered as he drew in the pale pink center of her breast. “This isn’t fair.” Her entire body sizzled with electricity and she didn’t know how to deal with it.

  “Who said life is fair?”

  She felt like she was going to explode if she didn’t decompress in some way. His fingers were soft velvet and they whispered over her skin, teasing, taunting, exploring.

  “James . . .” she moaned his name again before she was able to speak. “Please, it’s been so long. I need . . . let me just touch you.”

  He raised his head and studied her. “There’s been no one else? This entire time there’s been no one?”

  She could only shake her head. She should probably be embarrassed, but the ecstasy that was furiously taking over her body prevented it. Besides, she had never been embarrassed about anything when it came to James, and she wasn’t about to start now.

  Before he rolled off her, he kissed her senseless. “I’m yours for the taking. Have your way with me.”

  Her lips turned into a lazy smile and she almost purred. She was going to enjoy this, every painstaking step of it. “Then stand.” She wanted to devour him. “I want you standing.”

  He accommodated her.

  Samantha started with James’s shirt, easing it over his torso and arms. She tossed it to the side, eager to free her hands so she could touch him. Little by little, she added another article of clothing to the pile. As each piece floated to the floor, her need for him grew more fervent. She experienced an uncontrollable force that she had never felt before. Not even the first time they had made love. Was it the year’s worth of pent-up sexual frustration that was driving her to the brink?

  As she circled him, she was enthralled by his physique. His body was the essence of maleness. It was defined, broad, and solid. She couldn’t resist, she allowed her hand to glide down his back; when it found his tight buttock, it stopped. The touch was burning hot. When she moved in front of him, her eyes met his.

  James touched her trembling lips. “What?” Her eyes held a dark yearning he had never seen before. “You can tell me.” His voice was a rugged whisper.

  Could she? How did she even begin to put into words the crazy energy she was feeling? Primal hunger, a woman’s desire, an internal battle with raging hormones, or was she just sex starved? All she knew was that she didn’t want it to end. This sexual tension had been sealed deep in her, and now that it was out she was completely baffled and overwhelmed by it. “I don’t know where to begin. I don’t want it to end.” She ran her hand through her hair and tried to still her raging emotions long enough to speak. “God, I feel like I’m going to explode. I want you so badly.”

  Amusement danced in his eyes. “Let me help.”

  Their bodies were warm and soft when he pulled her to him in a gentle embrace. He could hear her heart beating wildly. Her state was borderline reckless. His finger moved to her chin, tilting it up so he could see her face. “We have all night. We can take our time.”

  She kissed him fanatically. She held nothing back. She could hold nothing back. “I can’t wait that long.”

  “Sure you can.”

  “If you could feel what I’m feeling you’d know that’s not true.”

  “Trust me, I know what you’re feeling.”

  He pulled away, and took his time looking at her. The smile that touched the corner of his lips was pure seduction.

  Dear God, would she be able to stand much more? She had to give in to her body’s demands, but that wasn’t going to happen any time soon with James taking his sweet time. She felt the hunger for him claw at her insides. “I want—”

  “You’ll get exactly what you want.”

  She ached for some type of release. “Not if you keep taking your time.”

  He chuckled. “You’re so impatient.” With steady hands James guided her to the bed. Her eyes were dazed with dark passion when he stretched out beside her. God she was beautiful, and now, once again, she was his.

  Chapter Twenty

  James pressed his lips against her neck for a second time. “Wake up, Angel.” He smiled when she didn’t budge. Threading the silk tie through his collar, he instinctively tied it flawlessly. Once finished, he reached toward the nightstand and took his watch. Putting it on, he looked back at Samantha. She was lying on her back in the center of his bed looking completely content. They had made love most of the night. It had been so powerful it was almost frightening.


  There had been a hint of desperation mixed in with the passion that hadn’t gone unnoticed. It was like they were making love for the first and last time. He looked down at her as she stirred. This wouldn’t be the last time they made love, he promised. He wasn’t going to lose her again. Their lovemaking had always been powerful; why should it be any different now? Stop worrying, he told himself.

  Remembering his pager on the dresser, he moved across the room and hooked it to his waist. His car keys went into one pocket while he put some change into the other. He made his way back to the bed.

  Briefly, he considered and after a moment he knew the perfect way to get her attention. He slid his hand under the covers and felt his way to Samantha’s leg. Gliding his hand over the warm, velvety skin he moved to her inner thigh. He sat on the edge of the bed and bent to kiss her as the tips of his fingers sank into soft curls. “Angel.” His words were quiet as he stroked her.

  Her fingers wrapped around the object that skillfully caused heat to build and spread through her.

  “You awake?” James asked, his voice husky.

  Samantha shook her head and squeezed his hand between her thighs. “I don’t want to wake up.” She moved against his hand. “You were in my dreams all night.”

  James dipped his head and kissed her again. “I was in more than just your dreams last night.” He loved the way she looked in the dim light. She summoned images of calm, dewy mornings spent snuggling under covers. “Angel, don’t close your eyes again.” He pulled his hand away, knowing that it was the only way to get her attention.

  Samantha’s eyes open suddenly, but remained dreamy. “Don’t stop.”

  James laughed. “I need to go.”

  “What time is it?”

  “Around five.”

  Samantha reached for his hand and pulled it back to her. “I haven’t woken to a man in over a year. Don’t leave yet.”

  “I have to go.”

  “Finish what you started,” she moaned breathlessly.

  He placed kisses on every exposed surface, whispered endearments in her ear, and drove her to the edge, all while he finished what he had started. She arched against his hand and her head rolled to the side, scattering hair across the pillow. He dropped his free hand into her soft mane and felt the deep-seated heat that had consumed him all night return. He pulled away and smiled down at her when she quivered under his hand. “Better?”