with. “God, I need that coffee.”
***
Sam rubbed his neck, trying to make sense of her rambling. He thought her quite comical with her wild morning hair and eyes full of fire as she left an echo of slamming doors in her wake. Comical that is, until she brought up Paulie.
How was he going to explain this one?
Boy, he could use that cup of coffee himself with a little whiskey thrown in, but it would have to wait. He needed to nip this in the bud before things got out of control. Sure she was upset, and rightfully so. He could understand her frustration, but he had to keep her safe at any cost. Poor Kate, she’d never been in the house before, and he seriously needed to stock his shelves. Taking a cleansing breath, he guided her to their modest butcher-block table.
“Listen, Paulie is at Jennie’s place in the city,” he said once Kate was seated. “He’s, oh what do you call it, you know...her butler guy.” There, that sounded good.
“Jennie’s butler? You’re kidding, right?” In response to his matter-of-fact look, she rolled her eyes then dropped her head into her hands. “Not again. First, Jennie’s leather sofa, and now her butler, what next?” Kate raised pleading eyes to Sam for an answer.
Could he give one that would satisfy her? Well, he’d have to try. He reminded himself this was for her own good, and he needed to keep her ‘former’ life away from her for a while longer. He could do this.
“Jennie has a pretty good life going. She’s worked hard.” He could see the wheels turning while Kate grasped for some fragment of memory. He continued before she could conjure up anything substantial. “Hey, you’re not trying to tell me you’d rather live in some fancy penthouse in the city, are you? Ya know, if you want a butler so bad, I’ll have Rusty come live with us. He’d be more than happy to cater to you. Why don’t I go give him a call and see what he’s doing for the rest of our lives?” Sam cast a teasing grin as he slid out of the chair, making his way toward the phone. Truth was, he was afraid she’d see right through him. Keeping all these stories straight was becoming too much for his simple brain. Adding some humor to this situation was all he could think to do. He just wanted her safe, no matter how comfortable he felt having her back.
She flew to her feet, grabbing his arm. Her touch stirred him through the thick sleeve of his robe. The entire kitchen seemed to brighten when she smiled, and her laughter was music to his ears.
“Sam Hackett, don’t you dare.” She tugged on his bicep when he reached for the phone. “I don’t need a penthouse or even a butler. All I need is you, and well, a coffee maker.” She released her hold, and he found himself wishing she would touch him again. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Pulling me off the ledge,” she signed. “Not remembering is really hard, but you make it easier. I know I’ll get through this.”
This time he touched her arm. “No, we’ll get through it together.”
“Deal.”
Kate plopped back onto the kitchen chair, stuck out her lower lip and exhaled, lifting her messy bangs with a puff. “Now that I know Paulie is at Jennie’s, it kind of blows my theory that he’s out shopping for an espresso machine.”
Sam couldn’t take his eyes off her as she sat there. The early morning sun highlighted her face and hair. She was beautiful, and he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman. Never would he have thought it possible for a fire to rage after all this time. He wanted to grab her and carry her back upstairs to make love, but he’d be asking for trouble, and he knew it. In an attempt to put some distance between them, he crossed the floor and opened the far cupboard. “You just came home, give yourself some time. You’ll start to remember and be back into the swing of things.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I know I am.” He pushed some of the contents out of the way until he found
***
Sam rubbed his neck, trying to make sense of her rambling. He thought her quite comical with her wild morning hair and eyes full of fire as she left an echo of slamming doors in her wake. Comical that is, until she brought up Paulie.
How was he going to explain this one?
Boy, he could use that cup of coffee himself with a little whiskey thrown in, but it would have to wait. He needed to nip this in the bud before things got out of control. Sure she was upset, and rightfully so. He could understand her frustration, but he had to keep her safe at any cost. Poor Kate, she’d never been in the house before, and he seriously needed to stock his shelves. Taking a cleansing breath, he guided her to their modest butcher-block table.
“Listen, Paulie is at Jennie’s place in the city,” he said once Kate was seated. “He’s, oh what do you call it, you know...her butler guy.” There, that sounded good.
“Jennie’s butler? You’re kidding, right?” In response to his matter-of-fact look, she rolled her eyes then dropped her head into her hands. “Not again. First, Jennie’s leather sofa, and now her butler, what next?” Kate raised pleading eyes to Sam for an answer.
Could he give one that would satisfy her? Well, he’d have to try. He reminded himself this was for her own good, and he needed to keep her ‘former’ life away from her for a while longer. He could do this.
“Jennie has a pretty good life going. She’s worked hard.” He could see the wheels turning while Kate grasped for some fragment of memory. He continued before she could conjure up anything substantial. “Hey, you’re not trying to tell me you’d rather live in some fancy penthouse in the city, are you? Ya know, if you want a butler so bad, I’ll have Rusty come live with us. He’d be more than happy to cater to you. Why don’t I go give him a call and see what he’s doing for the rest of our lives?” Sam cast a teasing grin as he slid out of the chair, making his way toward the phone. Truth was, he was afraid she’d see right through him. Keeping all these stories straight was becoming too much for his simple brain. Adding some humor to this situation was all he could think to do. He just wanted her safe, no matter how comfortable he felt having her back.
She flew to her feet, grabbing his arm. Her touch stirred him through the thick sleeve of his robe. The entire kitchen seemed to brighten when she smiled, and her laughter was music to his ears.
“Sam Hackett, don’t you dare.” She tugged on his bicep when he reached for the phone. “I don’t need a penthouse or even a butler. All I need is you, and well, a coffee maker.” She released her hold, and he found himself wishing she would touch him again. “Thanks.”
“For what?”
“Pulling me off the ledge,” she signed. “Not remembering is really hard, but you make it easier. I know I’ll get through this.”
This time he touched her arm. “No, we’ll get through it together.”
“Deal.”
Kate plopped back onto the kitchen chair, stuck out her lower lip and exhaled, lifting her messy bangs with a puff. “Now that I know Paulie is at Jennie’s, it kind of blows my theory that he’s out shopping for an espresso machine.”
Sam couldn’t take his eyes off her as she sat there. The early morning sun highlighted her face and hair. She was beautiful, and he wanted her more than he’d ever wanted any woman. Never would he have thought it possible for a fire to rage after all this time. He wanted to grab her and carry her back upstairs to make love, but he’d be asking for trouble, and he knew it. In an attempt to put some distance between them, he crossed the floor and opened the far cupboard. “You just came home, give yourself some time. You’ll start to remember and be back into the swing of things.”
“I hope you’re right.”
“I know I am.” He pushed some of the contents out of the way until he found
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