AS PROMISED, SAM saved the bedroom for last and Rayne smiled when she walked in. The fire was lit, along with the sconces, creating a soft, romantic light that filled the large space. The bed was huge, bigger than a king, and Rayne wondered how they got it in here. The mattress was covered in a deep-red quilt. “This is amazing.”
“Do you like it?” he asked.
“I love it.” She ran her hands over the comforter. “This room exudes love.”
Sam closed the distance between them. “You are loved, Angel.”
Rayne dropped her head. “Let’s just hope you always feel that way.”
Sam lifted her chin. “I believe love is an action. The emotion is nice, but ultimately it’s a choice. I knew I loved you the moment I met you. I can’t explain it, nor will I try. But regardless of my emotional state each day, I will choose to love you. Whether we have internal or external strife, I will always choose you.”
Rayne smiled. “I will, too.”
“Good.” He kissed her nose. “Now, can we get naked before dinner?”
She laughed. “Absolutely. I have a surprise that may just blow your mind. Is there a dressing room?”
“Yes. Right over there,” he said and pointed.
“I want you naked and in that bed when I come back.” Rayne made her way into the next room but quickly realized she wouldn’t be able to undress by herself and went back into the bedroom. “I forgot about the stupid corset,” she grumbled.
Sam laughed and assisted her with her clothing. She walked back into the dressing room and removed everything. She pulled out the underwear Victoria had surprised her with and put it on. Today it was a red velvet demi-bra with matching boy shorts.
She opened the dressing room door a crack and saw Sam sitting up in the bed, shirtless and she assumed naked under the sheet. “Close your eyes,” she said and watched him closely. “Tighter.”
He groaned, but did what she asked, and she made her way to his side of the bed.
“Victoria organized a surprise,” she said. “You can open them now.”
When he did, she was rewarded with his quick intake of breath. “Angel.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed, grabbed her waist, and pulled her in between his legs.
Rayne slipped her hands into his hair. “Did Victoria know about the room décor?”
Sam raked his eyes over her. “I have no idea, but God bless her.”
He pushed her bra cups down, freeing her breasts, and he held them in his hands and rolled her nipples between his fingers. Rayne reached behind her back and unhooked the bra, letting it fall to the ground and leaning into Sam’s touch.
“My turn,” she said, pushing him onto his back. Leaning over him, she grinned, kissing him quickly. “No touching.”
“Oh?”
She jabbed him gently. “None.”
Samuel grinned and linked his fingers, sliding his hands behind his head. Rayne grinned. “Good boy.”
She kissed her way down his body until she got to where she wanted to be and ran her tongue of the tip of his cock. She felt a great deal of satisfaction when Sam let out a quiet hiss between his teeth. Wrapping her lips around him, she took him as deep as she could, running her hand up and down the shaft as she sucked.
“Angel,” Sam rasped as his body locked and he slid his hands into her hair. She continued to take him in until he grunted. “I can’t wait, Angel.”
She nodded, squeezing him a little harder until he came. Rayne sucked one more time, taking everything he had and then swallowed, sliding her panties off before kissing her way back up his body and straddling his hips.
Sam raised his knees to offer her back support as he settled his hands on her hips. “Beautiful.”
“Back atya.”
Sam rolled her onto her back and slid inside of her.
“You’re always so ready.” Rayne slid her hands to his neck and stroked him gently as she wrapped her legs around his waist.
He grinned kissing her gently. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
He took his time christening their bedroom. Pulling her close to him, he stroked her back and kissed her forehead.
Rayne ran a finger down his chest. “I really underestimated the act of making love.”
“What do you mean?”
She glanced up at him. “I didn’t know it could be like this.”
He cupped her cheek. “Do you want to tell me about your past?”
She kissed his chest and sighed. “I don’t know if I can.”
“I love you. That won’t change. It doesn’t matter what you tell me.”
She slid her hand over his stomach and settled her arm across his waist. “I was fifteen and my mother’s boyfriend had made his intentions clear… again. This time he cornered me in the hallway, but I bolted. I left the house and went to Shaye’s. Her mother told me Shaye was at a Bible study, but I was welcome to wait for her. I told her it was no big deal and I’d call Shaye later. I went to Chad’s place. He was a guy in my homeroom and I’d always considered us friends.”
She paused and took a deep breath. Sam gave her a gentle squeeze.
“His parents weren’t home, but he invited me in anyway. He had full access to their liquor cabinet and I let him help me forget about my shitty life. What I wasn’t expecting was that he would take advantage of the situation. When I sobered up, I found blood in my underwear and realized I wasn’t a virgin anymore.”
“Angel,” Sam whispered and kissed the crown of her head.
“I got dressed and left his house, disgusted with myself but kind of philosophical at the same time. I figured I had to lose my virginity at some point, so now it was over, and when I did it again, it wouldn’t hurt. I went home and told myself exactly that. Then Shaye called. She said she was sorry she missed me and asked me what I did after I left her house.”
Sam linked his fingers with hers resting on his stomach. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her I couldn’t talk… that I’d call her back. Then I went in the bathroom and vomited until I thought my stomach might explode.”
Sam’s heart was breaking.
“My mom knocked on the bathroom door and said Shaye wanted to talk to me. I told her to tell Shaye I was asleep, but what I didn’t realize was that Shaye had made her mother drive her to my house and was standing outside the bathroom.”
“Did she leave?”
“No,” Rayne said with a smile. “She told me to open the door or she’d kick it in… she can be really violent when you don’t do what she says.”
Sam chuckled. “Sounds like it.”
“Anyway, I unlocked the door and she came inside. She closed the door, locked it again, and then she sat on the floor and just stared at me.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “She didn’t say anything?”
“Nope. She stared at me… like she always does, and I spilled everything… like I always do.”
“Then what happened?”
Rayne sighed. “Shaye wrapped her arms around me and cried.”
“She cried?” he asked
“Yes. Almost as hard as I did. She told me that everything would be okay and then she prayed for me. She asked God to give me peace and restore my faith in men. She prayed that one day I’d know the true love of a man and that I’d know the true love of God. I totally thought she was crazy and just a Jesus freak. I didn’t actually believe anyone like her would truly give a damn about someone like me and that she was nothing but a do-gooder.”
“I assume you changed your opinion, since you’re still friends?”
Rayne nodded. “That girl fought for me.”
“In what way?”
Rayne kissed his shoulder. “It didn’t matter what I did, she was my friend. I could yell, scream, swear at her, and it didn’t matter. She was my friend. A nasty rumor went around the school after my incident with Chad and she defended me until she was ostracized by other people as well.”
“I like her,” Sam said.
“She’s perfect, Sam,” Rayne said. “She deserves to be sainted.”
Sam chuckled. “Sainted, really?”
“Anyway, she became my tour manager, against the recommendation of my label, but she proved them wrong as well. She did such a good job, they tried to hire her for other talent, but she turned them down. Of course, she protected me yet again.”
“How?”
“I was dating my business manager. He said all the right things, did everything I thought he should and I gave in to him. We only slept together a few times before Shaye shook sense into me. Apparently, I was not the only one he was sleeping with. I should have guessed. My first experience was a nightmare and my second was unfulfilling. It was all about him, and I was left feeling like I was frigid, which he told me I was.”
Sam swore. “You are not frigid,” he said angrily. “And if that man was standing before me, I’d kill him.”
Rayne stroked his cheek. “I’m not frigid with you. I think that’s what Shaye was trying to tell me. Maybe you’re the one she prayed for. All I know is that with you, I feel as though I’ve never been touched by anyone else. My limited and bad experiences have been washed away.”
“Good.” Sam kissed her forehead. “Let yourself be loved, Rayne.”
She giggled and straddled his hips. “I’m so okay with being loved. Just be sure it’s often.”
* * *
They stayed in bed most of the day, choosing to have dinner in their room rather than in the dining room, and fell asleep later than they should have. Rayne was not happy when Sam woke her early the next morning. “I don’t want to get up,” she whined.
He pulled his pants on. “You can stay in bed, sweetheart. I’ll go with Elijah to look at the fields.”
She turned her head to look at him. He was standing over her, shirtless and sexy. “It should be a crime,” she grumbled.
“Waking up this early?”
“No. You without a shirt.”
He chuckled as he sat down on the bed next to her and leaned over for a kiss. “Why don’t you stay, Angel. We’ll have lunch when I return.”
“No, I want to go with you. I just don’t want to wake up.” She gently took hold of him and pulled herself up. He took advantage of her position and wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled and cupped his face. “You’re all prickly,” she said before kissing him.
“I haven’t had a chance to shave yet.”
“Do you have to shave?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, is it a rule of some kind?”
“No, Angel. Just a choice,” he said, chuckling.
“I like it.” He kissed her and she couldn’t help herself from stroking her hand down his chest. She sighed and deepened the kiss. “I’m sorry,” she said and broke the kiss.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because we need to meet Elijah and all I want to do is keep you naked and in my bed.”
Sam laughed and kissed her again, but this time, quickly. After she took a deep breath and stretched, Rayne eased her way out of the bed and made her way to the wardrobe. “What should I wear?”
“We’re going to have to ride, so something comfortable,” he said. “Be sure to wear your heavy outerwear and gloves. It’s quite cold.”
Rayne picked out a skirt and blouse and put her sweatpants on underneath. She grabbed a pair of gloves and followed Sam downstairs. They had a quick breakfast and then made their way out to the stables.
“I have a surprise for you,” Sam said.
“Another one?”
Sam took her hand and led her into his large stables. A groom stood in the middle of the barn, holding an unusual-looking horse. Much smaller than Samson, and spotted.
“What kind of horse is that?”
“A Pinto,” he said.
“It’s very pretty.” She glanced at Sam. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“She’s a mare and she’s your wedding gift.”
“You bought me a horse?”
Sam shook his head. “It’s actually a wedding gift from Crow.”
“What?” She tried to cover her shock. “He bought me a horse?”
“She’s one of his. He breeds them.”
Rayne made her way to the animal and stroked the horse’s nose. “Why Pintos?”
“The Pinto is a very smart, mild-mannered horse. Crow thought she might help you feel more comfortable about riding.”
“How thoughtful of him.”
Sam’s groom led the horse out to the mounting block and Sam helped her climb on. He then mounted his horse and they took off toward the east field. Rayne loved her new horse. She was very easy to ride, almost as though she knew what to do even if Rayne didn’t.
Sam pulled to a stop near a small group of men who appeared to be deep in discussion. Rayne realized her gloves were useless, and her hands burned with cold. Sam dismounted and then lifted Rayne from her horse. He led her over to the men. A large black man broke away from the group to approach the couple and Rayne assumed he must be Elijah. Sam shook his hand and asked him for updates.
Rayne watched her husband get drawn into a heated discussion and she cleared her throat to remind him she was there.
“Rayne. Sweetheart, I’m sorry,” he said. “Gentleman, may I present my wife. Rayne, this is Elijah, Jonathan, and Joseph.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” she said warmly. She reached out to shake their hands and noticed their surprise that she did.
Sam pushed her arm back to her side and shook his head.
“What?” she asked.
“They cannot touch you, Rayne.”
“What?” she snapped. “That’s ridiculous.”
“We’ll discuss it later,” Sam said in warning.
The men pretended not to notice the tension between them, and Rayne felt nervous and a little disgusted as she clamped her mouth shut and glared at Sam.
The men went back to their conversation and Rayne decided to explore the area. She was amazed by the vastness of the land and wondered if it all belonged to Sam. She walked down a small hill and found herself in a basin of sorts.
She shivered despite her cloak. There was a covering of fog suspended on the valley floor and it seemed to wrap around her ankles. She smiled as she looked around her. It really was magnificent. She turned suddenly when she heard shouting. She wasn’t entirely sure what was going on until she heard her name.
“Rayne!” She started back toward Sam and then his call got more urgent. “Rayne!”
“Sam?” Rayne began to ascend the hill, but when Sam saw her, he rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders.
“Where the hell were you?” he snapped.
Rayne frowned. “Right here.”
“What were you thinking?”
“I decided to explore a little.” She tried to shrug out of his grip. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t ever do that again!” he admonished.
“Do what?” she asked, starting to get a little perturbed.
“Don’t walk away like that.”
“I just went down the hill, Sam. I wasn’t far.”
“It doesn’t matter, Rayne,” he growled. “You will tell me where you are at all times.”
She pushed his hands from her shoulders. “Are you saying you expect me to check in with you?”
“Yes.”
“At all times?”
“Yes. At all times, Rayne.”
“Well, you can get that idea out of your head.” She scowled. “I’m not a child and I’ll go where I damn well please.”
“We are in the middle of a war,” he snapped.
She stomped away from him. “We sure as hell will be if you continue down this road.”
“Rayne!”
“Step off, Sam!” she yelled. “You’re overreacting.”
“A war, Rayne,” he bellowed back. “One where you could be killed!”
“Yes, I can see that. I hear the guns firing as we speak,” Rayne snapped and Sam growled in response. “Don’t growl at me! I was less than a hundred feet from you. You’re being a jerk.”
“It’s not safe for you to wander off, Rayne.”
“I didn’t wander anywhere! I knew where you were the entire time.”
“I won’t have this argument with you. You will stay where I put you.”
“Oh, my God! You are such an ass.”
She continued to stomp away from him, toward the small grove of trees at the edge of their property. She was so mad and she couldn’t stop herself from muttering in fury. She would not be a kept woman and was angry that he was treating her like a child.
* * *
Sam let her walk a few feet before following at a slight distance. He knew she was irate, knew he’d overreacted, but couldn’t forget the feeling of alarm he experienced when he looked up from his conversation and couldn’t see her. When she didn’t answer his call the first time, he wasn’t prepared for the sheer panic that spread through him.
She reached the edge of the trees and scowled. She probably realized she’d either have to turn around or walk into the forest. She chose the former, but faced him with crossed arms and a look of pure death.
She looked utterly adorable and he tried his hardest not to smile as he reached her and cupped her face gently. “I’m sorry, Angel,” he said quietly.
She pulled her face away from him and huffed. “I am not a child.”
“I know that, sweetheart.”
“Funny way of showing it,” she grumbled.
He pulled her arms away from her body, broke her hold, and took her hands. He brought them to his mouth and kissed them before he pulled them around his waist and forced her into his embrace. “You scared me Rayne, but I’m sorry I snapped at you. I just want you safe.”
“I was less than ten feet from you.”
Sam chuckled. “The story is changing I see.”
“Don’t be an ass,” she snapped. “You cannot honestly expect me to believe I’m in danger on your land.”
“Our land,” he corrected.
“Sam,” she huffed.
“Yes, Angel?”
“Don’t.”
“Sorry,” he said and rewarded her with his little half smile.
“Don’t do that either.”
“Do what, Angel?”
“Smile like that. It’s distracting.” He leaned down and kissed her. It took her several seconds to break the kiss. “And for Pete’s sake, don’t do that!” she snapped, although the bite had left her voice.
“What can I do?” he asked with feigned innocence.
“Nothing.”
Sam chuckled at her glare. “We have a great deal of land, which means, a great deal of space that is not guarded. This is also Maryland, a place with divided loyalties. I want you safe. So, please, will you tell me if you’re going farther than the stables? Not because I think you’re a child, but because I want you safe.”
He pulled her back into his embrace, but this time she wrapped her arms around him of her own accord. “Fine,” she said and laid her forehead on his chest. “Just don’t yell at me again. Especially in front of other people. I don’t like it.”
“I can’t promise I’ll never yell, Angel. Particularly if you’re in danger.”
“Okay, but you’re going to have to make it up to me later.”
Sam laughed. “I will.”
She shivered as she slipped her hands under his heavy coat and laid her hands flat against his back.
“Where are your gloves, sweetheart?”
“In my pocket.”
“Which defeats the entire purpose of gloves. Your hands are like ice,” he said holding them between both of his.
“They weren’t really helping,” she said.
“Which ones are you wearing? Show me.” She pulled them out of her pocket and Sam sighed. “These are not your heavy winter gloves, Rayne.”
“I didn’t think it would be this cold.”
“You’re aware it’s October, correct?”
Rayne scowled. “Thanks for reminding me.”
“Let’s get back to the house and warm you up,” he said. “In the meantime, wear these.”
He took off his gloves and handed them to her.
She raised an eyebrow. “What about you?”
“You are more important.” He kissed her cheek. “Put them on.”
She did as he asked and sighed with pleasure as the warmth seeped into her hands. Grabbing one of her newly gloved hands, he led her back to the horses, lifted her onto hers, and then mounted his own after saying good-bye to Elijah and the crew.
They rode back to the house in relative silence, arriving faster than Rayne would have expected. Once Sam lifted her down, he handed the horses to the groom and led her back into the house. She was shivering by the time they arrived at the house, so he called for his housekeeper.
“Tandy!” he called.
The housekeeper exited from the parlor. “Yessuh?”
“Please organize a bath for Mrs. Powell.”
“Yessuh,” she said and went off to take care of the request.
Sam led Rayne to their bedroom and pulled her into his arms. “You’re freezing.” He peeled off her cloak and scowled. “This is entirely inadequate clothing to wear during the winter, Rayne.”
“I didn’t think it would be this cold!”
Sam frowned. “That is apparently the issue, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“You didn’t think,” he said, a little more condescendingly than he meant to.
Before she could respond, the house staff knocked on the door and dragged in a large tub, along with buckets of steaming water. Once the tub was filled, the staff left discreetly, and Sam started to pull Rayne’s clothing from her body.
“I can do it.” She slapped his hands away.
Sam was beyond angry with her. She had disregarded her safety and he was at a loss as to how to approach her. He knew she wouldn’t react well to his words in his current state, but he also knew it would take more than a few minutes to shake off his anxiety and speak to her calmly.
He heard her growl and turned to see she was having a difficult time with her corset. He made his way to her, unlaced the undergarment and helped her remove it. She muttered her thanks and then removed the rest of her things and climbed into the tub. Sam turned, walked out of the room, and slammed the door.