Sam woke slowly, the feeling of someone watching her, the unfamiliarity of her surroundings, making her heart speed up. Her eyes flew open even as the pictures came flooding back. Realizing where she was, she relaxed and was aroused all at the same time, remembering all the ways Stone showed her how thoroughly he could take care of her, how well he kept his promises.

"Were you watching me sleep?” She asked when he reached out to brush her hair away from her face.

"Hm." He murmured. “It may be my new favorite past-time."

"Hm.” She murmured back. “If watching me sleep is what's doing it for you, I can see I'll have to practice my moves.” She grinned at him.

He chuckled, a deep sound that sent a wave of warmth through her.

"What time is it?” She asked, looking toward the window which was much darker now than when the evening began.

“It's almost six." He replied.

"Oh, wow.” She said, startled. “I feel like I was asleep for hours.”

Stone laughed, pulling her to him. “Six in the morning, Sweetness.”

"I slept here?" Sam tried to contain her shock. "With you? All night?"

"Yeah.” He answered cautiously. “All night. With me. Something wrong with that? Seemed to me you were fairly wrung out. I didn't want to wake you."

"No.” She answered "No. It's just that I’ve never done that before."

She looked at him questioningly, asked hesitantly. "Did I, ah, was it okay?" Sam didn't remember having any dreams. If she thought about it, she felt more rested than she had in a long time, but she had to ask anyway. “I was okay for you? While I was asleep - I didn't do anything?"

"No." He replied reassuringly. “You slept like you'd been on a cattle drive for three days, then topped it off with the best sex you've ever had." He grinned and winked at her. "I'm hoping, anyway. If it wasn't, have mercy on my ego and let me think it was."

"I would say, yes. Definitely yes. The best I’ve had.” She paused, wondering if she should say what she was thinking.

“You can tell me.” He prodded.

Is he reading my mind now?

“It’s because… Because you wanted to. I felt it, that you truly wanted me. That was the best.” She ducked her head. “I’ve never had that."

She felt him sigh beneath her.

“Ah, Sweetness. I want you more than you know. I’m full of good ideas on how to show you again and again. First," He kissed the top of her head. "Breakfast. I was thinking a walk or a bit of jog beforehand. How do you feel?”

"Yes,” she answered, pushing off of him. “I like that idea. I feel good. A walk or jog sounds great. I need to brush my teeth. Plus,” She added, picking her dirty jeans off the floor. “I really need some clean clothes before breakfast. Explaining why I’m wearing clothes from the trail would be awkward."

* * *

Jogging with Stone in the early morning light, quiet and peace laying like a blanket over the land, was, Sam thought, something she would miss once she was back in New York. She loved to run, but here, where the only sounds were those of their footfalls and breaths, where the air was clean and refreshing and the view was that of trees and grass and roaming animals rather than the concrete jungle, it took the experience to a whole new level.

Their pace was an easy one, even with Sam's ankle still feeling slightly tender. Jasper, who was totally content to remain with Sam for as long as he was allowed, trotted beside her. They took a short trip and came back around to her cabin so she could get a shower before heading to the main house for breakfast.

"Why don't you pack your stuff?" Stone suggested when they were standing at her door. "You don't have a cabin-mate anyway, and I want you to stay with me, at my place, for the rest of your time here.” At the look she gave him, he added, "Only if you want to. My choice would be to have you with me every night, but it's up to you."

He leaned down and kissed her lips sweetly, leaving her wanting more. Then he barely touched his lips to her cheek and stood, smiling at her. "Your choice, Sweetness. Let me know after breakfast and I'll bring the gator for your things." Then he turned and walked away.

Sam realized, once he'd gone a ways down the path, that Stone had said, "I'll bring the gator for your things." It made her smile. The man made an assumptive close on her without even batting an eye. She was beginning to see that Stone Montgomery was the kind of man who didn't take no for an answer. Not in the way of most men. If her answer was a true and hard no, she had no doubt he would honor it, but if there was even a little wiggle room, the wiggling would be done his way.

With a laugh, she had the thought that Stone Montgomery was exactly the kind of man she'd want as one of her shareholders if she wasn't planning to dismantle CSM. She called to Jasper, who had again refused to leave her side, and headed to the showers.

An hour later, Sam entered the dining hall, relieved to see Bryce sitting with Alex, Naomi, and Sunny. Alex saw Sam first and waved her over.

"Get your food and come sit with us." Alex said to her with a grin. "Stone wants you with him, I know. I can feel him glaring at me already, but we want to have a chat and Bryce needs all the support she can get right now."

All four women sent sympathetic smiles Bryce's way. The girl swallowed, looking slightly moist in the eyes, before nodding and saying, "I'd love for you to sit with us, Sam."

"Okay, done deal. I'll get some food and be right back."

* * *

Stone sat with his brothers and watched while Alex and the other women waved Samantha over. He'd wanted to eat with her, but knew better than to drag her away from Alex and the other girls. By now, the family knew what his intentions were and none of them were going to stand in his way. The only objections he'd gotten were from Alex and his Ma, who had said, “If you care about her and want to make something of it, you'd best be up front with her sooner rather than later."

Stone couldn't argue with his Ma. She was, as usual, right. He knew this. However, knowing something and knowing what to do about it were two separate things altogether. Samantha was inherently distrustful. He knew it would take some effort on his part to get her over to his side. It was effort he was more than willing to put in, he just needed to figure out the best way to direct it.

"What do you figure, brother?" Zayne asked, as if on cue. “You're looking very thoughtful. Looking at Samantha, looking thoughtful. What's going on in that head of yours?"

"How much do we know?" Stone asked. "About Samantha. About her father?"

Zayne grunted. "We know her father was a bastard. Shady business dealings, suspicious missing persons, doing whatever he needed to do to get ahead, be on top. Why? What are you thinking?"

"She's nothing like I thought. Not what I expected. We've known Carla and Cameron for what, six? Seven years?"

"Yeah, at least."

"In all that time, she's mentioned her friend Sam as this caring, if a bit wary, person who she and her kids think of as family." Stone turned in his seat to look at Zayne. "When did we find out that Carla's Sam was Samantha Covington?"

“It's been about six months now." Zayne replied.

“What do we know about her father’s death? Was she involved?”

Zayne looked taken aback. “He was killed in a home invasion gone wrong. No word about Sam. Though she released a statement to the press the next day, asking for the public and media’s respect for her privacy during that time. Took the reins six months later while also going to school. Why?”

"Get me whatever information you can. Dig deep, turn every stone you can turn without being noticed. Something's off. I want to know what it is."

"O-kay." Zayne said slowly. "What if I find something you don't like? What are you going to do?"

"I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. For now, I’m going to keep the path I’ve chosen and pray she'll come with me."

"Oh. My. Gosh!" Zayne hissed, his eyes narrowing. "You already slept with her?"

Stone glared at his youngest brother. "That's none of your business."

“It is my business. It's only been a week!"

“I know what I’m doing, little brother."

"Fine." Zayne crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair. "Just be careful. I don't want to watch you get hurt."

Stone knew what Zayne meant was that he didn't want to watch his brother fall to pieces because of something he couldn't do anything about. Because of all the brothers, even his twin Dean, it had been Zayne who'd done the most to pull Stone out of that dark hole. Stone wouldn't put him through that again.

"I'm grateful for your concern. You have my word, I'll watch myself."

* * *

After breakfast, Stone took Samantha back to her cabin to gather her things. She’d made him sweat a little, but she’d finally agreed to stay with him for the rest of her time at Hartstone. He’d be lying, if he said the mere thought of getting back to the cabin to have her again didn’t arouse him, but something was weighing on her mind. She was subdued, pensive, as they gathered her few things, neatly arranged them in her luggage. Her orders. He would have just shoved it all in and been on their way, but Samantha wanted things a certain way. Since it meant she was coming to his cabin, he wasn’t complaining.

“What’s on your mind, Sweetness?” He asked as they rode the gator across the fields to his cabin.

“Hm?” She turned her gaze from the pastures in the distance to him.

“I can see you’ve got something on your mind. What is it? Something I can help with?”

“How long could a person stay on this ranch? I mean,” she added, “If they weren’t working on it or part of the family.”

Stone kept his silence for a moment, thinking, unsure where she was going with this line of questioning. “I suppose one could stay as long as they wanted. The winters can be a bit rough if the snow is heavy, but if you’re asking because the charms of this place have you thinking New York might not be your scene, I can think of a few ways to entertain you, should we get snowed in.” He grinned ruefully, but she just frowned and shook her head. Alright, not in the mood for play.

“Not for me. I have to go back.” She looked at him as he drove, almost to his cabin by then. “I was thinking of Bryce.”

“Bryce?” He asked. “Does she want to stay? Did she say why? I’ll get your things.” He told her as they parked in front of his cabin. Him, jumping out, grabbing her luggage, hauling it up the steps. Her, still sitting, lost in thought as she gazed at the horizon. He shoved her things inside the door and came back to stand next to her. Sam heaved a sigh, looking up at him with sad eyes.

“She doesn’t have anyone, Stone.” She looked back to the horizon. “She’s alone and scared and trying to be brave, but she has nothing. Nothing to go back to. Nothing to start over with.” She turned her eyes back to him, glowing with fierce determination. “I'm going to help her. I just thought, what if she stayed here? Is that possible? Not for free,” She quickly added. “I'm totally willing to cover her costs, but could she stay here until she gets her bearings, has a plan?”

“I don’t think that would be a problem.” He answered thoughtfully, pulling her up, leading her inside. “I think Ma can always use help at the main house. We’ll be needing extra hands when winter hits and we’ve got all the horses in the big barn. I'll talk to Ma.” He reassured her, squatting down, he pulled off her shoes, letting his fingers caress her ankles as he removed her socks. “We’ll get Bryce sorted, no worries.” He stood, took her hand, and led her to the plush leather sofa that sat facing the large fireplace.

“It’s gonna be raining in about ten minutes.” He told her, his voice going lower, causing her breath to hitch. He pulled her down onto his lap as he sunk into the cushions. He pressed his lips to her neck and slid a hand under her sweatshirt, feeling her sigh as he pulled her in.

"I want to ask you something, beautiful." He murmured against her skin.

"Ask.” She breathed.

He leaned back to look at her while the hand under her sweatshirt slid over her left breast. He watched her eyes flutter as he did it, and kept moving until he was a little higher, tracing his thumb over the scar there. He watched her change, eyes becoming wary, the muscles in her neck tensed almost imperceptibly.

"Don't.” She whispered. "Don't ask that. Don't ruin this.” She closed her eyes. "Please."

"Sam." He said softly. "You don't have to hide."

She shook her head, pushed off of him, wrapped her arms around her middle and stood in front of the big window that dominated the far wall. She was silent for a long time, staring at nothing, lost in her own thoughts, her own struggle.

Finally she spoke quietly. "You think you want to know, but you're just being nosy. Once I say it, it can't be unsaid and you'll wish it could. You'll wish you could un-hear it, un-know it.” She turned to face him and he saw that all the walls were firmly in place again. “I’ve had the best sex of my life with you, Stone. I’ll give you that. That is more acknowledgment than anyone else has had, ever. That's all it can be. Don't ask me for more. Don't ask me to be the girl who tells you her life story, because it's not going to happen."

"Okay." He agreed, standing and walking to her, running his hands up arms that remained wrapped protectively around her waist.

“It's okay. I’m sorry for pushing." He took one of her hands and led her back to the couch. "Sit with me for a bit. I still want you here. I wish I could prove to you that I’m safe. That you can trust me. For now, just let me hold you for a while."

Stone gathered her into his arms and did exactly that. Staring into the fire, his chin resting atop her head, pretending not to feel the teardrops that fell on his skin, pretending his heart wasn't breaking a little as she fought her silent battle. They stayed like that for a long time. Until the storm outside, and the warmth of his embrace lulled her to sleep. Then he picked her up, carried her to his bed, and held her again. This time, letting himself drift too.