Chapter 13
In the early hours of Sunday morning Sam woke to the blissful pleasure of Jordan’s embrace. His strong arms were around her, one hand pressed to her breast, while his long legs tangled with hers. She heard the steady sound of his breathing and the beating of his heart. The heady musk scent of his cologne teased her nostrils. With a contented smile, she snuggled against him and fell back to sleep.
A few hours later, she became fully awake. A disturbing thought raced through her mind. She was supposed to be somewhere later today. Where was it? Oh, yes, now it became clear. This was the day of her sister’s wedding shower. The shower gift. Where had she put it? As she mulled this over in her mind, it came to her. She’d left the wrapped box on the table in the back room of the gallery. Damn.
No way could she retrieve the thing. She lay there, trying to figure out what to do. While she pondered this situation, a large hand moved slowly from her breast to her hips. Turning to face him, she said, “So you’re finally awake.” She smiled at the sight of him. His heavy-lidded dark eyes had a sensual gleam, while his hand began to caress and explore that warm spot between her thighs.
He drew her top leg over his, giving him easier entry. “This is the best way to start the day,” he said softly. “And you’re so ready for me.”
It was true. The moment he began stroking those intimate places, her body blazed with heat. Thoughts of Andrea’s shower and the absent gift went by the wayside. Moving her leg just a little bit higher, she pressed closer. “Something happens when you touch me. I’m not sure what, but it feels wonderful.” And then she gave herself up to the searing pleasure of his lovemaking.
They must have fallen back to sleep. The next time Sam opened her eyes, it was almost eleven o’clock. The wedding shower was due to start at noon. No way could she get herself showered, dressed and make it to Karen’s house in Riverdale in that amount of time. Besides, she didn’t want to go to that damn shower anyway. And leaving the delicious warmth of Jordan’s body was impossible.
She should phone and let Karen know she couldn’t make it. Heaving a heavy sigh, she slipped out of bed. Rather than search for a robe, she saw Jordan’s shirt lying over a chair and used it to cover herself. Walking barefoot into the kitchen, she fed the cats before punching in Karen’s number.
“Karen? It’s Sam.” She coughed a few times and then continued in a weak, low voice, “I’ve been up all night with a stomach virus and still feel sick. I’m so sorry, I won’t be able to attend Andrea’s shower. I’ll mail my gift as soon as I feel better.”
She heard her sister sigh and then say, “Well, I know Andrea will be disappointed and so will mom.”
Just to make sure no one tried to call her, Sam added, “I need to get some sleep, so I’m unplugging my phone.”
She hung up while a gleeful smile spread over her face. At least that was one wedding event she avoided. That smile vanished when she thought of her mother’s anger. Oh well, there was nothing to be done about it. She’d made her decision. Besides, she was much too ill to go anywhere.
Sam made her way back to the bedroom and quietly slipped into bed, trying not to wake Jordan. He was sleeping peacefully on his stomach, his head turned to one side, one hand hugging the pillow. His face has a boyish look in repose, Sam thought, studying him. Several strands of dark hair fell over his forehead, and he had the longest eyelashes. She’d like to paint a portrait of him. Although, on second thought, a full figure nude would be much more intriguing. While she contemplated this delicious possibility, his eyes opened.
Jordan stared at her with a disoriented expression. Then he smiled and touched her cheek. “Hi there. For a moment I thought I was dreaming. Glad I’m not.”
“Do you know what time it is?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Does it matter? It’s Sunday, the one day I try not to look at the clock.” Turning onto his back, he stretched his arms over his head. The sheet covering him slid almost to his waist.
Sam placed her hand on his chest. She loved moving her fingers over the hairy texture. “You’d make a wonderful model.”
“So that’s what you’re contemplating.” He maneuvered her body on top of his. “Don’t think it’s such a good idea. I’d never be able to stand still long enough.” He breathed a sigh of contentment. “Wouldn’t mind staying put the whole day, but I’m getting hungry. Why don’t we shower and dress and then I’ll take you out for brunch?”
Sam thought about it a moment. It was safer to stay home. At least until the shower was over and done with. “I can make us a super brunch. Do you like Eggs Benedict with bacon and hashed brown potatoes? It’s one of my specialties.”
“You can cook?” Jordan looked at her in amazement. This was a novelty.
“Of course,” she replied. “Doesn’t everyone? I mean, if I ate all my meals out I’d be broke in no time.”
“I hadn’t thought of that. Okay, you’re on. First, let’s shower, and I think I need a shave.”
She’d never showered with anyone before. “Together?”
He was surprised she hadn’t done anything like that. “You can’t be shy with me after last night and this morning.” He cradled her face between his hands. “It’ll be fun. I’ll soap you down and then you’ll do the same for me.”
It was an exhilarating experience. Except when Jordan soaped her all over, he got horny again. She’d never had sex standing under a shower, but somehow he managed the feat.
It was past noon before they even got to the kitchen. Jordan wore a pair of black silky boxers, and Sam decided his shirt with the sleeves rolled up was just perfect.
“What can I do?” he asked.
“Let’s see.” She took out a large frying pan and a smaller one. “You can squeeze some fresh orange juice. You’ll need two oranges for each glass.”
“Fresh orange juice. Haven’t had that in a while. Most people get juice in a bottle or a carton.” He shook his head in wonderment as he opened the refrigerator.
“Top shelf, in the basket,” she called out. “While you’re in there, you can hand me two potatoes, one onion, the package of bacon, butter, and the carton of eggs.”
Before long, there was the delectable aroma of onions frying in one pan and bacon in the other. Jordan gave an appreciative sniff. “Real home cooking,” he muttered as he cut each orange in half ready for juicing.
He’d only seen the kitchen at night. In the full light of day, he noticed the piles of clutter on the kitchen table and counters. The sink and cabinets could use a good scrubbing, he thought, glancing around. The floor is dingy, too.
Some instinct warned Sam that Jordan was scrutinizing his surroundings a little too closely. “I know what you’re thinking,” she said, turning to him. “The kitchen needs a good cleaning, but with all the belly dancing and brewery business I haven’t had the time or the energy. Besides, I’d rather paint than clean. That’s just the way I am.” A palpable tension filled the air, and her breath caught in her throat. She raised her chin a notch with a defiant air. If he had a problem with it, that was just too bad.
Jordan thought about the wonderful night and morning he’d just spent with her. She was wearing his shirt with nothing underneath and looked sexy as hell. He decided the messy kitchen could be tolerated. However, there were a few things Sam should consider.
“I’m not about to tell you how to live your life,” he began with a conciliatory air. “If you’re comfortable living this way, it’s none of my business. However, piles of newspapers and magazines could be a fire hazard. These are older homes, and it makes good sense to keep them free of anything that could spread a fire. I’d be glad to give you a hand bundling the newspapers to recycle. For the magazines, I have cardboard binders that could house several copies of your favorites. These could be stored on your bookshelves and out of the way. What do you think?”
Sam knew he had her best interests at heart. She could tell by the sincere expression on his face. And his proposals did have merit. “I suppose that does make sense,” she admitted, letting out a long breath and returning to her cooking chores.
Pleased at his diplomatic handling of the situation, he handed her a glass of fresh orange juice. “Let’s drink to a fun day ahead.”
While she put the finishing touches on the Eggs Benedict, Jordan quietly began gathering the newspapers and magazines. He brought them into the living room and placed them on the coffee table. Then he put the sweet potato plant on the windowsill and found a place for the cans of cat food. Before long, he’d made room on the kitchen table for two place mats, plates, and silverware. The vase of roses still graced the center spot.
“Wow, you’re really organized.” Sam glanced at the almost-cleared table.
“I wasn’t sure where to put these.” He pointed to a pile of hair clips, two packages of black marking pens, a melted candle, a pile of clipped grocery coupons, several unopened letters, and a pin cushion.
“Oh, I have a drawer full of miscellaneous stuff. I’ll stash them there later,” she said, bringing breakfast to the table.
Jordan was about to make a snide comment, but caught himself just in time. He could only imagine what was in that drawer. Besides, the food in front of him looked scrumptious and took his mind completely off housecleaning.
Sated by the hearty breakfast, Jordan sat back in his chair. “That was marvelous. I can’t believe you cook so well. Where did you pick up that talent?” He thought of his three sisters and how little they knew about cooking. Come to think of it, his mother rarely cooked. They’d always had a housekeeper.
Sam brought two cups of hot mint tea to the table and sat down. “When I started living on my own after college, I wasn’t earning much money and couldn’t afford to eat out. I bought several cookbooks and experimented with recipes. It’s amazing what necessity will accomplish.” She hadn’t learned much about cooking at home. They’d had a cook for as long as she could remember. Her two sisters never cooked and relied on caterers or eating out. Which made her think about the wedding shower. It was probably in full swing, and her absence would surely be noticed. There was always the chance her parents might make an appearance here later in the day. Just to check on her. This last thought made her nervous. Would it be better to stay put and face them or to get away from home? While she was deciding on her best option, Jordan took charge.
“It’s a gorgeous day. Let’s spend it outdoors, maybe taking a hike through Central Park. Or we could rent one of those paddle boats and cruise around. What do you say?” His eager smile was contagious.
“Sounds like a great idea. I could use a day in the sunshine. My painting can wait until tomorrow.”
“I forgot about your painting time. You mentioned a studio in your home. Is it on the second level or the basement?”
“Upstairs. I’ll show you around, if you’d like.” He hadn’t expressed any interest in her work. Maybe because our minds had been elsewhere, she mused with an inward smile. But there was one thing she had to do. “I’d better take in the Sunday paper before someone walks away with it.” Hurrying to the door, she brought it in and added it to the pile already on the coffee table. She’d read it later.
“Let’s get dressed first, and then I’d like to see your artwork,” Jordan said.
Looking around Sam’s studio, he commented, “Your paintings are very modern.” His own tastes ran more toward representational depictions of landscapes and still life.
Sam could tell Jordan didn’t understand her use of color and composition. But that was okay. At least he wasn’t making snide remarks or deriding them. “I gradually came to enjoy abstract art over more conventional painting. It’s an acquired taste and can take a while to appreciate.”
“Maybe you’ll take me to museums and teach me about abstract art.” He slipped his arms around her waist and drew her close. “I’m a willing student.”
“Is that so?” she murmured, enjoying the warmth of his embrace.
“I’d love to take you away for a long weekend. The Memorial Day holiday would be perfect, but I’m obliged to attend a wedding. Damn it.” He shook his head in disgust.
Sam’s ears perked up. That was the weekend of her sister’s wedding. Which was probably a coincidence. There must be hundreds of weddings taking place on that holiday. Still, it was strange. “Oh well, there’ll be other weekends. The problem is, I work on Saturdays and have Mondays off.”
“No problem there. I can take off an occasional Monday to go away with you. Do you like sailing? I have a small sailboat docked at a marina not too far out of town. We could take a cruise up the coast. What do you say?” He slipped a hand behind her neck and rubbed it gently.
“Really? What fun. I’d love to go sailing.” That was one sport she could handle. Swimming was another. Forget tennis. She’d tried and flunked out.
“Good. I was hoping you weren’t the type to get seasick.” Lara hated sailing. She got seasick on everything except the large cruise ships.
He placed a kiss on the top of her head. “We should get going. While we hike around, you can tell me all about yourself and how you got interested in art. Afterward, we’ll have dinner at that Italian restaurant.”
“Sounds like a good plan,” she said, wondering how much to reveal.
“Then it’ll be my turn. Although my life is quite an ordinary one: college, law school, opening my own office, and stuff like that. I have three older sisters and parents who retired to Maine a few years ago. We used to spend summers in the Camden area. That’s gorgeous scenery. I’ll bet you could paint the coastline.”
He had three older sisters. Now that was really a coincidence. “So you’re the youngest, like me. I’ve got two older sisters who are pretty bossy. Were yours?”
“What? Bossy? You bet. I always wanted brothers. Guess we’re stuck with what we have.”
“Yeah. Not much we can do about it. I’m determined to live my life the way I please and not worry what they’ll think or say. Which isn’t easy,” she said with a pensive expression.
He couldn’t help agreeing with her. “That’s the way to do it.” He wondered briefly if her indifferent housekeeping had something to do with rebelling against her family’s values. That wasn’t his business, though. He’d keep his questions to safer topics. Yes, that would be best.