CHAPTER TWO
A woman Sami recognized as Jonni Scott approached the door, smiling at the kids and waving a hello to Flynn.
“Please, welcome to the zoo,” she said, holding out a hand and guiding Sami into the foyer. “You must be Sami Pepper.”
Sami nodded. “Yes. Thank you, and your husband, for the invitation. I hope it’s not an imposition for an extra guest to appear with almost no notice.”
Jonni patted her hand. “There’s no such thing as an extra guest in our home. Anyway, the other couple had to cancel due to one of their kids coming down with mumps. Tonight it’s family and Cameron has burgers on the grill. Unless you’re a vegetarian, and we have tofu steaks.” She sighed. “Erika, our daughter, is a vegetarian, so we always have tofu steaks on hand.”
“Burgers are fine,” Sami said. “But if it’s a family night, I’ll be on my way. I definitely know no one wants a stranger at the table.”
“Cameron has never met a stranger,” Jonni said, a smile on her lips and in her eyes.
“That’s so sweet,” Sami said. “I must tell you I love your children’s books.”
“Thank you, Sami,” Jonni said. “Cameron mentioned you are a fan and that you read them to all your friend’s children.”
Sami nodded.
“And one day you’ll read them to your children, too,” Jonni said. “Come on in. We may need to rescue Flynn from Erika and Larry.”
“From what I’ve seen of Flynn, he can talk himself out of any situation,” Sami said, before she realized how rude that might sound.
Jonni only laughed. Then she grew more thoughtful. “You know, Flynn has been grieving his brother’s death and we’re worried about him. I understand you knew his brother? So please accept my sympathy for the loss.”
They were moving through the house, down a broad hallway with a high ceiling. Off to one side Sami heard giggles and chortles and children’s voices. In the distance, someone was playing a piano. She followed Jonni into a gleaming chef’s kitchen and through French doors out to a sweeping terrace that bordered a pool and Jacuzzi.
Cameron was stationed behind a grill. He waved a metal spatula. “Hey, Sami,” he said. “Did you ditch Flynn along the way?”
Sami grinned. “I did consider that action. But, no, he’s playing with two children.”
Cameron nodded. “They love their Uncle Flynn. Too bad he’s dead set against having his own rug rats.”
“Oh?” Sami didn’t want to sound too interested.
“May I get you something to drink?” Jonni pointed to a small bar. “Wine? Cocktail? Kombucha?”
“White wine would be lovely,” Sami said. One drink and she’d make her excuses. She was an interloper at a family dinner.
Jonni poured a glass of wine and handed it to her. She filled a glass with seltzer water for herself and carried a beer over to Cameron. “Yes,” Jonni said, “Flynn is great with kids but he’s determined to play the field his entire life. He’s afraid he’ll turn out like his father.”
“The sperm donor?” Sami said.
“He told you that story?” Cameron sounded impressed.
Sami nodded.
“Hmm,” Cameron said.
“Cameron said you’re leaving New Orleans in the morning,” Jonni said. “Where are you going?”
“To Nashville. I’m teaching a summer course.”
“Nashville.” Jonni and Cameron said the name of the city in one breath, and then exchanged glances.
“Interesting,” Cameron said. “Flynn has a lot of clients based in Nashville. Even has an office there.”
“He mentioned he’s there on business occasionally,” Sami said, sipping her wine.
Cameron glanced over at Jonni. Jonni smiled at her husband.
Sami couldn’t help but sigh. These two were so connected, so bonded. She didn’t know what they were communicating with one another, but she loved witnessing their understanding, their knowing-ness.
“Mommy!” A tornado of a little boy burst out onto the patio. “Uncle Flynn says he can’t come back tomorrow!”
Jonni beckoned him to her side and brushed his tousled hair with one hand. “He’s here now,” she said. “Let’s enjoy his visit.”
The boy, who Sami thought might be three or four, cocked his head. “Good point,” he said, and raced off into the house.
Sami heard an almost-immediate “whoof!” and Flynn appeared, walking the boy on the tops of his feet.
“Anyone lose a munchkin?” Flynn said. “I seem to have a spare one.”
The boy giggled.
The girl marched through the doors. She was maybe eight or nine, dressed in ballet tights, tutu and point shoes. “I simply cannot perform without an audience,” she declared.
Jonni smiled at Sami. “I did say ‘welcome to the zoo.’”
Sami returned her smile. What a wonderful, warm, wacky atmosphere. So different from her own home life as a child. Practice. Perfect. Perform. Research. Write. Publish.
“Fix yourself a drink, Flynn,” Cameron called from his position behind the grill. “Dinner is served in five minutes.”
Flynn eased the boy off his feet. “Later, rascal,” he said, and the boy turned to pestering his older sister by pulling at the tulle of her tutu. He strolled to the small bar, hoisted a beer, popped the cap and moved over to stand beside Cameron.
“It’s still nice enough to eat outside,” Jonni said. “Once the heat comes, I’m forced to move into the AC. Especially when I’m pregnant.”
Sami considered her hostess’s glass of sparkling water. “Oh,” was all she could say.
“I know you won’t give up our secret to the tabloids,” Jonni said. “Cameron said you were looking for Sean but stumbled over Flynn instead. Between you and me, Flynn probably has a larger heart. But I guess I shouldn’t say that, given what’s happened. It’s only that Cam and I would love to see Flynn settle down, fall in love, and live happily ever after.”
Sami sighed. “Just like you and Cameron.”
Jonni nodded. “Not everyone gets so lucky, but we always want the best for our friends.”
“Burgers are done!” Cameron called. “Come fix your plates and grab your buns.”
They bustled about and settled at an outdoor table, Sami and Flynn on one side, Cameron and Jonni on the other and the two children at each end.
Erika took a bite of her tofu burger. “Thank you for fixing this for me,” she said.
Jonni smiled at her. “You’re welcome.”
“Are you Uncle Flynn’s newest girlfriend?” Erika said.
Sami froze, thankful she’d just taken a bite of burger.
“She’s my friend,” Flynn said. “Not the same as girlfriend. You can’t call a woman a girl.”
Erika giggled. “Is she your woman friend?”
Sami quickly took another bite of her burger.
“She is a woman. She is a friend.” Flynn leaned over and flicked a finger against Erika’s cheek. “Let’s just leave it at that, ok?”
Erika nodded.
“So you’re headed to Nashville tomorrow,” Cameron said.
Sami nodded.
“So’s Flynn,” Jonni said.
“Driving?” Cameron asked.
Sami nodded.
“By yourself?”
She nodded again, feeling nervous.
“Flynn, why don’t you two share the driving duties? Head up together?” That was Cameron, digging into his burger as if not paying much attention to the conversation. “That is, of course, Sami, if you think you could put up with this guy for the eight or so hour-drive?”
“Oh, I’m used to doing everything by myself,” Sami said. They might mean well, but surely they couldn’t think there was any purpose in crowding her and Flynn into the same car for an eight-hour road trip.
“Flynn’s not,” Cameron said. “He hates to fly. Wouldn’t you rather go with Sami?”
Jonni nodded. “Much nicer. Company for each other.”
Flynn put down his burger. Folded his napkin. Looked from his best buddy, and best client, Cameron Scott, to his doggone dangerously conspiring wife. “Don’t think I don’t know what you two are up to,” he said.
Jonni smiled.
She looked an awful lot like a cat that had just raided the creamery. “Another burger, Flynn?”
He shook his head. Glared at Jonni. He knew darn well she was a hopeless romantic but she’d never once tried to set him up. It was true he hated to fly, but he damn well managed to crisscross the country on business as necessary.
“Do you really not like to fly?” Sami was dusting her fingers and looking at him the way she might study a lab specimen—were she that kind of doctor.
“I really don’t like to talk about it,” Flynn said.
She nodded. “More repression.”
Flynn stood up and strode to the grill. “I think I’ll have another burger.”
Over the top of the grill he watched Cameron and Jonni exchanging more glances. Flynn lowered the metal spatula, returned the burger to the warming plate, and resumed his seat at the outdoor table. He’d just had an idea of the best way to squelch this nutty idea. “I guess I wouldn’t mind helping you out, Sami,” he said, leaning back in his chair and placing one arm on the back of her chair.
She reached for her wine glass. As she sat back, Flynn was treated to a delightful view of the tops of those tantalizing breasts. Bravo for Jonni getting her to take off that box of a jacket.
“That’s generous of you, Flynn,” she said, “but I’m quite used to the drive. I know every rest stop along the way.”
“Rest stops are dangerous,” Jonni said. “Not safe for a woman alone.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t be alone,” Sami said.
Cameron clapped his hands together and rose. “Great. Then it’s settled. What time does Flynn need to be at your place?”
Sami choked. A few drops of wine spilled onto her skirt. “Oh, my,” she said. “This is brand new.”
Jonni stood up. “Come inside with me. We’ll take care of it.”
The two women left, the children trailing in their wake.
Flynn looked over at his buddy, who’d sat back down. “What the hell are you trying to do?”
Cameron shrugged, lifted his hands in a gesture of surrender. “Sorry, pal. I realize I threw you to the wolves there, but Jonni’s instincts are never wrong.”
Flynn drained his beer. “If I drive with her, I’ll have to put off the CMT meeting.”
Cameron nodded. “All for a good cause.”
Flynn was feeling pretty annoyed. “What cause is that?”
“Keeping my wife happy.”
“Well, if you put it that way. But she’s never unhappy. She glows.” He realized he sounded somewhat wistful. “Congratulations are in order again?”
Cameron nodded. “We plan to stop at three.” He grinned. “Actually, we hadn’t planned this one.”
Flynn envied his friend his contentment, but no way would he want to be in his shoes. “You should see the babe I was going to have dinner with tonight.” He made the shape of an hour glass figure with his hands. “Swedish. Hotter than hot. Met her last night at the Hard Rock.”
“Sami’s pretty good looking,” Cameron said, in a rather off-hand tone.
“True. But she’s one of those hopeless romantics. And she never stops talking.” Flynn groaned. “Remember I saved your life way back when. Save me now.”
In Jonni’s dressing room, which was larger than the bedroom in Sami’s shotgun house, her hostess was pulling a simple black dress off a hanger.
“This might work,” Jonni said. “We’re a similar size. And it’s a knit.”
Sami accepted the padded hanger and the dress, somewhat reluctantly. “You really don’t have to offer me a change of clothing. I can arrange to have my skirt cleaned tomorrow.”
Jonni smiled at her in a friendly way. “Tomorrow you’ll be on the road all day. It’s my fault you spilled wine on your skirt, so I’ll have it cleaned and sent to you. Just don’t forget to give me your address in Nashville.”
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“You might be right,” Jonni said. “It was Cameron who asked what time Flynn should be at your place. And that’s when you choked. I’ll slip out and let you change.”
And with another smile she left the room.
Sami studied the simple black dress. There was no tag to identify the designer, but she sensed it was expensive. The fabric was silky soft. But it felt wrong to put on another woman’s dress, a stranger’s shockingly pricey and gloriously sexy dress. It was so pretty, though. Sami shopped at Talbot’s. Sensible clothes that helped her look like the associate professor she was. And jackets to minimize her breasts.
She’d just try it on, and then gently decline the offer. Sami unzipped her skirt and stepped out of it. Stripped off her camisole. She removed the sleeveless black dress from the hanger and lowered it over her head. Goodness, but it was tight across the bosom. She and Jonni were not at all the same size there. But the rest of the dress flowed across her hips and around her thighs as if made for her body. It was form-fitting, but not clingy. Thank goodness her pink bra didn’t show. Not that such a detail mattered, Sami reminded herself. She was only trying the dress on, not wearing it out of the dressing room. She walked to the full length mirror and gazed at the woman looking back at her.
A tap sounded on the door. “Excuse me,” a woman said, “Ms. Jonni asked me to get something for her.”
It must be a maid. Or housekeeper. The rich and famous lived on a whole different plane than did academics. “Come in,” Sami said.
A middle-aged woman in black slacks and tunic stepped in, opened a drawer, then another drawer, then bent and picked something up. “Sorry to disturb you,” she said, and whisked out.
Sami gazed in the full length mirror at the sexy woman in black, fluffed her hair and pouted her lips. Not that she wanted to be wanted for her looks alone. But she clearly hadn’t figured out the route to interesting a man enough to make it to the third date. And if she couldn’t achieve that marker, how in the world would she ever find happily ever after?
Another tap sounded. “Come in,” Sami said, tossing her hair over one shoulder and tipping her head back. The gesture reminded her of Flynn grabbing and kissing her and she blushed.
“A perfect fit,” Jonni said.
Sami whirled around and moved away from the mirror, back to where she’d dropped her skirt to the floor. Her skirt was gone. As was her camisole.
“Beatrice collected your things,” Jonni said. “I don’t know how I’d manage without her. She oversees our house here and our home in Bel Air. She’ll send your skirt out before she flies to L.A. in the morning to make sure things are ready for summer.”
Sami couldn’t figure out how to interrupt Jonni to ask for her skirt back. She was normally so in charge of every conversation, but somehow this gentle woman was not giving her a chance to object. “You’re not staying in New Orleans either?”
She shook her head. “Erika’s school is out. Cameron will join us after this film wraps.”
Sami glanced around the dressing room, at all the pretty clothes and shoes and purses all in specially made glass-fronted cabinets and shelves. “It must be a lot to pack and move back and forth.”
“Oh, we don’t do that,” Jonni said. “We have everything we need in both places.”
Sami blushed. She was used to thinking of herself as reasonably well-off. The only child of professional parents, she’d lacked for nothing. Except unconditional acceptance. “Oh,” she finally said. “Of course.”
“I know it’s indulgent,” Jonni said. “But what matters most to us is being together as a family and with Cameron’s work, we have to do everything we can to keep life as normal as possible for us and especially for the children.”
“Of course,” Sami said once again, with feeling.
“Before we join the guys,” Jonni said, “I want to thank you for being kind to Flynn. He’s too much of a guy’s guy to admit to the pain he’s feeling over his brother’s death. Add to that his dislike of flying and well, you’re an angel to the rescue. That is, if you really don’t mind him joining you on your drive to Nashville?”
Sami gazed at the woman she’d wanted to meet, the author of the delightful and clever children’s books.
And she knew she’d been had.
How could she say ‘no’ when Jonni put the question to her in that fashion?
“If you think he’ll agree, I’ll manage with a passenger,” she said, knowing she sounded just a tad less than gracious.
Jonni gave her a warm smile, slipped her arm around Sami, and before Sami could explain exactly why she couldn’t borrow the dress, she found herself approaching the back terrace.
The dress pushed Flynn over the edge.
He broke off in mid-sentence and stared at Sami.
Or rather, the way she looked in the slinky slip of a dress screamed sexy and made him forget his determination to thwart Cameron and Jonni’s scheming.
Or maybe it was the thought of slipping one shoulder free, then the other, then easing the fabric down…
Or perhaps it was the image of what she’d look like once free of the dress.
What the hell. He’d go back to her place. They’d have sex. And he’d slip out and call a cab and hightail it to the airport. No way could they spend eight hours in the same car after having had sex. She’d be furious for having broken her first date rule and he’d be itching to move on. He’d get on his flight as planned. Jonni and Cameron wouldn’t have to know.
What hot-blooded male could resist a babe as luscious as Sami in that black dress?
He was insane. He admitted it. He had no business trying to score with this woman.
Cameron pulled out a chair for Jonni, then one for Sami. “My wife is the most beautiful woman in the world, but you come a close second in that dress,” Cameron said. “Doesn’t she look lovely, Flynn?”
He nodded, busy calculating how long it would take to get her out of that dress.
“I had Beatrice cancel your flight,” Jonni said. “One less detail for you to deal with.”
Flynn snapped back to the present moment. “Oh, that wasn’t necessary,” he managed to mutter, his fantasy bubble popped. Just as well. How could he have forgotten Sami might have done it with his brother?
“So, Sami,” Cameron said, “how did you know Sean?”
Flynn clenched his jaw. Cameron knew he couldn’t bear to talk about his brother. Not now when it was still so fresh.
“We met playing mini-golf. We were both in Las Vegas, at different conferences.” Sami was toying with the ends of her hair, pulling it over one shoulder and brushing it across her throat. “We were pretty silly and had a good time and he asked me to go to dinner the next night. We did, but somehow the interaction was far less satisfactory than the first evening. He said he had an emergency and rushed off to the airport before we ordered dessert.”
“Don’t tell me you spent the meal lecturing him on the principles of physics,” Flynn said, even though he was sure she had done exactly that. She couldn’t help herself. But that certainly indicated the two of them had never gotten physical. He treated himself to a long slow study of that amazing cleavage, and then swallowed. Hard. Forget it, Flynn. She wants a ring on her finger and a baby seat in the Volvo.
“Naturally I brushed up after I learned that was his specialty,” Sami said. “Who wouldn’t? I like to hold my own in conversation. It’s my practice to inform myself anytime I go on a date, especially a second date.” Sami bit her lip. She heard the lecturing tone in her voice, the defensiveness toward her failure. Why oh why did she feel such pressure to be perfect?
“Maybe he liked you as a person and didn’t need you to know a jot about physics. Or a particle,” Jonni said. “I knew nothing about the film industry when Cameron and I met.”
“And I had no clue as to children,” Cameron said. “Or marriage.” He smiled at Jonni and reached over and brushed her cheek with his fingers.
Jonni smiled back at her husband. “I really do believe in the classic advice to ‘be yourself and the right person will love you for who you are.’”
Sami pushed her chair away from the table. She wanted to discuss being loved for who you are as little as Flynn wanted to talk about his brother’s death. She knew better. Her parents had taught her over and over again that any performance less than perfect was simply not acceptable. “Thank you for dinner,” she said, rising. “I appreciate your hospitality. But I must be on the road early in the morning.” She glanced down at the silky black dress. “I’ll send your dress back as soon as I can get it cleaned in Nashville.”
“Please keep it,” Jonni said, rising, too. “It looks so much better on you I know I’ll never dare wear it again.” She smiled and placed a hand on her tummy. “And soon I won’t be able to squeeze into it no matter what.”
Sami didn’t protest, but she knew she couldn’t accept the dress. She’d simply mail it back from Nashville. She glanced over at Flynn. “Do you want me to drop you somewhere?”
Flynn stood up. “I’ll see you home then call a cab.”
“I’m perfectly capable of seeing myself home,” Sami said.
“Flynn’s mother taught him good manners,” Cameron said. “Humor the guy.” Cameron gave his buddy a fist bump. “Don’t be late in the morning or the lady might leave without you. I’m depending on you to handle the CMT talks.”
Flynn said something under his breath. Sami was pretty sure it was to the effect he’d simply catch a later flight. Good. He had no intention of driving with her. And she had every intention of leaving at least an hour earlier than the time she’d told him she would depart.
Jonni and Cameron, arm in arm, smiling, waved good-bye from their front steps. Sami zoomed out of the driveway, wishing for the magical rapport those two shared. She drove in silence, Flynn whistling but not bringing up any topic of conversation, and soon she pulled up in front of her uptown shotgun. She threw the car into Park and yanked on the brake.
“Be here at 7,” she said. “I don’t indulge tardiness.”
He pulled out his phone, studied it, and said, “Let me walk you to the door and then I’ll call my cab.”
“Not nece—“
“Shh,” he said, placing one finger across her lips. “I know darn well it’s not necessary to you, but it is to me. So humor me, okay?”
The slight touch felt better than it had a right to. Sami nodded.
“Thank you,” Flynn said. “You know, it’s early still. I know a small club not too far from here with a good local band. Lots of talent. A bit raw, but I’m thinking of working with them. Want to come with me?”
“Are you asking me on a date?” No point in not being clear about matters.
“Second date.” He lifted a finger. “Just finished our first date.”
“That is not at all accurate,” Sami said. “You and I happened to travel in the same vehicle to have dinner at the same location with the same people. That is not a date.”
“I did kiss you,” he said. “Doesn’t that factor into your definition?”
Sami reached for the door handle. “Thank you for that reminder. Yes, and no thank you. I will see you in the morning.” She jumped out of the car and slammed the door. “Or not,” she said out loud.
A dog barked. Then another. Sami made it to her front gate before Flynn caught up with her. She tugged at the latch, which had a bad habit of sticking. Right now she wanted to put enough distance between herself and Flynn so she wouldn’t be tempted to renege on declining his invitation. She felt sexy and glamorous and desirable in Jonni’s dress. It would be fun to go out and be a bit wild and free, so unlike the stuffy professor she was afraid she was growing to be.
“Let me,” Flynn said, and slipped the latch free.
“Annoying man,” Sami said.
He laughed. “You’re welcome.”
Flynn wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or relieved that Sami had turned down his invitation. The hot Swede he’d met at Hard Rock had made it obvious she’d be at the club when he’d given her the name and address, so he’d not lack for company. Not that he ever did. He glanced over at Sami as they walked toward her front porch. The plunging neckline of the dress invited his eye to linger, which he took full advantage of.
So much so that he missed the first step, fell, and hit his forehead on the wrought iron porch railing.
“Damn,” he finally said after he got his breath operating again.
“Are you okay?” Sami was kneeling beside him.
Dimly he heard a chorus of dog barks. Had he fainted?
Flynn sat up. His head swam. “What a wimp,” he said. “I’m fine.”
“I’m not so sure,” Sami said. She fumbled with her purse. “Come in and I’ll get an ice pack for you.”
“I do not need a stinking ice pack,” Flynn said, between clenched teeth.
“Hmm,” Sami said. She stuck her key in the door just as Flynn got to his feet.
He heard more barking and something hurtled toward him, knocking him backwards down the steps.
When he came to, his face was being licked by wet sand paper. Flynn flapped his hand to get rid of whatever was causing the sensation. Sami was bending over him, giving him full access to her breasts.
Not that he felt up to doing anything about it.
He struggled to sit up. A dog, another dog, maybe a third dog, danced around him. “What the hell?”
“I’m so sorry,” Sami said. “Let me help you up. Down, Shelby. Down, Rusty. Down Ruby.”
Through a haze of pain, Flynn saw two dogs lower their bodies to the ground. The third one danced and leapt like it was chasing cats in mid-air.
He let Sami help him into the house. He was fairly certain he’d ripped his pants and his head throbbed the way it did after a long night of partying. She deposited him on a sofa, disappeared, and returned with an ice pack wrapped in a towel.
“I am so sorry,” she said. “The Corgi isn’t trained yet. I rescued her just last month.”
“Dogs,” Flynn muttered. “Killed my brother.”
Sami stroked the back of his hand. “Shh. Close your eyes for a few minutes. I need to call the dogs back in and then we’ll get you to the E.R.”
“Forget it,” Flynn said, struggling to rise. “I’m not going to a stinking hospital. All I did was fall down. I’d never hear the last of it from Cameron. He’s done his own stunts for years.”
“Well, if you refuse to be sensible and rule out a concussion, at least let me take your shoes off and you can stretch out on the couch. My dog knocked you down and I therefore feel responsible for your well-being.” And without waiting for him to agree, she started tugging his shoes off. She pushed him back on the couch, arranged the ice pack and tossed an afghan over him. He would have protested except he liked the way her body pressed against him and he couldn’t believe how darn much his head hurt.
He heard her walk quietly out of the room. A bark or two followed by shuffling steps sounded toward the back of the small house then the opening and closing of an outer door. Flynn sat upright, swung his feet to the floor, and started to reach for his shoes. A crescendo of pain in his temple flooded his entire frigging head. He dropped back to the sofa.
Knowing when to make the most of a bad situation had always been one of Flynn’s strengths. Forget the club. Forget the Swede. He lay back, resettled the ice pack, and glanced around the room. A desk, chair, and small bookcase occupied the opposite wall. Stacks of books and papers were as neat and tidy as Sami in that pink linen suit. An archway led into the next room. The house appeared to be the type of shotgun where you had to walk through one room to get to the next. Was the next room her bedroom?
Flynn was curious whether it would be as neat and tidy as her desk area. Did the woman truly not let go other than in her wild and reckless driving? He bet she always made her bed. The only time he’d done that was his stint in the Army. Maybe he’d take a peek. Not that it mattered to him one way or the other. Just curious.
He edged off the sofa, shedding the afghan but clutching the ice to his throbbing skull. Tiptoeing, he crossed to the archway. A light shone from the room on the other side. Frilly. Her private space would be lacy and girly. She couldn’t be all business all the time. He leaned into the room just as the back door, visible through the connecting arches, shot open and three dogs burst in, rushing straight at him.
Sami stepped inside her kitchen, closed and locked the door. Ruby was leaping and barking on the far side of her bedroom. Sami rushed forward, surprised to find Flynn standing almost in her bedroom. “You are supposed to be lying on the sofa,” she said. “You are an impossible patient.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “I am not a patient.” He had an odd look on his face and was gazing at her breasts.
Sami realized the neckline of Jonni’s dress had worked down and out revealing the lacy edge of her pink bra.
“As a matter of fact, I’m usually impatient,” he said, tipping her chin and lowering his head.
“Mmm,” Sami said, giving in to the warmth of his lips on hers for the tiniest fraction of a second. She knew she was a fool to indulge a playboy. She knew he was making time simply because he couldn’t stop himself from playing the game. She also knew his kiss shouldn’t feel so deliciously good.
Whap! Sharp-edged Corgi barks rent the air.
“Oof!” Flynn broke off the kiss. Ruby was leaping at Flynn’s knees.
Sami called the Corgi to sit. She tugged her dress into a more respectable line. “You need to sit, too,” she said to Flynn and pointed him to the couch. “I looked up what to do in the event of a concussion while I was outside with the dogs. Rest. Don’t tax your brain. And no driving.”
He’d sat on the couch again and was watching her with a glint in his eyes. “I can’t think. Not after that kiss.” He patted the sofa. “Join me?”
“Oh, no,” Sami said. “You are not to do anything that will get your heart rate up. That was the other point I forgot to mention just now.”
He nodded. “So you felt it, too?”
“What do you mean?”
“Our blood racing together.”
“Don’t be silly,” Sami said. “You’re stuck here for the moment and the only way you know to amuse yourself is to put the moves on me, simply because I’m a female. You and I both know it’s nothing personal or specific to the manner in which you relate to me as an individual.”
“Do you always try to take the fun out of things?” Flynn sounded annoyed, yet curious.
“I’m going in the kitchen to prepare herbal tea,” Sami said. “Please stay on the couch.”
“Can’t I peek in your bedroom?”
Sami glared at him. “I thought that was what you were up to. No. N. O. My bedroom is private and personal and you are not allowed in it, not now, not ever.” She turned on her heel. All three dogs stayed in the living room. Good. They’d keep watch over Flynn.
She switched on her electric tea kettle. The day before she’d emptied her refrigerator, packed what she needed for the summer by way of clothes and research materials, and cleaned in preparation for departure. What remained to be done was loading the car, settling the dogs in their backseat harnesses, leaving the key for the summer tenant with the neighbor, and heading north.
But now she was stuck with the question of what to do about Flynn.
The kettle whistled. She prepared two mugs of Sleepy Time and carried them through to the living room, somewhat surprised that Flynn had abided by her request and remained on the sofa. When she saw her Lab sitting with her head on Flynn’s lap and the Corgi guarding his feet, she couldn’t help but smile.
“Think it’s funny, do you?” Flynn accepted the cup of tea. “Imprisoned by dogs.”
Sami moved her desk chair over by the couch and placed two coasters on her small wicker and glass coffee table. She’d drink her tea, then go and change. She’d feel terrible if she caused any harm to Jonni’s beautiful dress. But she admitted she wasn’t quite ready to slip it over her head and return to her workaday self.
They sipped their tea. Flynn’s eyes were half-closed. Sami concluded his head must be hurting worse than he’d admit to. With a sigh, she reached the responsible decision. “You are staying here tonight,” she said. “I will set my alarm and check on you every three hours. In the morning, you may, if you are well enough, join me in my drive to Nashville. If there’s any question as to your condition, should you begin vomiting or experiencing double vision, I will deliver you to the nearest emergency room, even if I have to knock you out to accomplish same.”
Flynn opened his eyes. “Do you honestly think I can’t help myself from coming on to you—or any female?”
“That’s a rather abrupt change in the conversational thread,” Sami said, stalling for a moment.
Flynn tapped the side of his head. “Might be the concussion.”
“What do you think is the answer to your question?” There, put it back in his court.
He took a drink from his mug. “Other than the fact that you are a gorgeous, sexy desirable babe, it makes no sense at all for me to think of kissing you.”
“Well!” Sami puffed out the word. “Thank you.”
“Seriously, you’re the analytical one. We have nothing in common and our goals are as opposite as any man’s and woman’s could be. So why do I persist in wanting to taste your pink, pouty lips?”
“Have you ever sought treatment for sex addiction?”
Flynn sputtered and almost lost control of his tea mug. “Certainly not.”
Sami shrugged. “If the shoe fits…”
“I appreciate women,” Flynn said. “I am a connoisseur, not an addict.”
“Prove it,” Sami said, enjoying what she felt would prove an impossible challenge for Flynn.
“How?”
“Go cold turkey for thirty days.”
Flynn looked horrified. He reached out and set his mug on the table, just missing the coaster.
Sami leaned over and placed it securely on the stoneware square.
“Nice view,” Flynn said.
“See,” Sami said, knowing full well he was referring to the peek-a-boo vision of her breasts afforded by her low-cut neckline. “You’ll never be able to do it.”