Chapter 1
Devils Lake, North Dakota
“Samantha? Samantha Brandon?” A familiarly rich resonant hoarse voice from her past asked a few spaces from behind her in line of the local grocery store. She was next in line and prayed the determined man would take the notion she didn’t want to talk to him. A large hand tried to reach her but she moved ahead as the person in front of her left with a bag of goods.
She impatiently waited as the cashier tallied her purchases trying to ignore the annoying man. She inserted her cash card through the terminal and waited for the frazzled teen cashier to finish the process. She gratefully shoved her full cart out of the store. One of the front wheels of the cart rattled sloppily as she went to her Jeep trying to make her escape from a painful past best forgotten. Yeah, that’ll happen when pigs get their wing and fly like sweet angels.
“Kayla, where are you?” She grumbled irritably beneath her breath, a cold blistery wind raced across the parking lot and powdery snow fluttered fell from the darkening sky. She glared at the empty black Jeep with a frown of anxiety flooded through her body. Something didn’t feel right to her, her eyes swept the area about her but saw nothing wrong. Although, she knew better than to not trust her instincts when they screamed at her that rotten news was coming her way.
Samantha told her teenage sister to wait for her in the Jeep so she could quickly grab a few things they needed from the store. Now, where did that kid wonder off too?
“Hey, Sam! Wait up.” Dear God, please don’t let it be him! I just can’t take much more unwelcome drama in my life! It’s all a nasty dream and I’ll wake up in my bed.
“Sam, it’s me, Ben. Ben MacGregor.” Like she could ever forget whom that sensual voice belonged too. She almost laughed at the bitter irony of all her hard work going up in smoke when her true love waltzed back in her life like nothing changed.
Of course her luck hasn’t been that great lately. Her sister was gone and her ex-lover found her at a time she didn’t want to see him. She gazed at a patch of pure blue sky the threatening winter clouds didn’t cover and frankly asked God what she did to deserve all these problems. She was a good person helping others when she could but why send Ben MacGregor back to her she asked the Fates.
All she wanted to do was go home, put the food away and take a much-desired nap. Lately she was so exhausted all she could think about was sleep and dream of Ben MacGregor. She threw the brown paper bags in the trunk and rolled the cart to the metal cart holders a few feet from her Jeep. “Now if I could just as easily get my life back in order.”
“Sorry, sis but a few guys from school stopped by and wanted to talk to me.” Kayla walked away from a car full of teen boys giggling secretively. Her cobalt blue eyes sparkled mischievously before she caught her older sister glowering darkly at her.
“What?” Kit’s smile weakened at the panic in her sister’s eyes that were the same as her but darker.
“Let’s go.”
“Hey that hottie’s waving at us. Do you know him?” Kayla waved back at Ben as came closed the distance between them. Traffic outside the store caught him and had to wait until he could cross into the crowded, snow encrusted parking lot.
“We’re leaving. Now.” Samantha grabbed her sister’s arm and dragged her back to the Jeep. She couldn’t deal with Ben just now. The shock of finally hearing from him after all the time that passed was too much. Not after all the months he could of come after her. Things were just way too different for them now.
“Can I drive?” Kayla beamed gleefully excited because she passed the written driver’s test recently and needed to badly practice her new skills. God help them all!
“No, now get in.” She unlocked the doors, frantic to leave before Ben caught them. She was about to close the door when the man of her passionate fantasies boldly steeped back into her life.
Ben MacGregor seized her door before it closed and held it open. “Didn’t you hear me, Samantha?” His breath was heavy and raspy from the mad dash to her vehicle.
“Couldn’t you take a hint, Agent MacGregor? I don’t want to see you or talk to you!” She tried to close her door but he refused to let go. Dammit! She had enough to do without further trouble from this man.
“Yeah, but I don’t give up that easy, lady mystic.” He laughed wickedly and she wanted to slap him so hard he would feel the pain for the rest of his life. Miserable wretch.
“Let go.”
“Never,“ he breathed softly so her companion wouldn’t hear him. His black eyes turned smoky as he thought of their time together. He often wondered what happened to her after she left him one crisp spring morning in New York a little more than seven months ago.
“What do you want, Agent MacGregor? I’m sort of in a hurry, if you hadn’t noticed.” Why did she call him that damned name? She usually called him MacGregor when she was annoyed with him. Troublesome female. He wouldn’t be able to figure her out if it him a whole lifetime and than some.
“Yeah, I noticed. We need to talk in private.” His bottomless black eyes touched hesitantly on Kayla wondering who she was to Samantha. She didn’t really talk too much about her family but the younger woman looked a lot like Samantha. Well, it couldn’t be her daughter since the girl was at least a teenager, almost an adult.
“You could of easily called instead of coming all this way for nothing, Agent MacGregor. Now I really have to get home before the food begins to freeze from the cold.” She smiled a little too sweetly as she started the engine and firmly closed the driver’s door.
“Hi, Mr. MacGregor. I’m Kayla Brandon and I apologize for my sister. Sometimes she’s in too much of a hurry. Mama would of have been shocked, Sam. Don’t you think you should invite Mr. MacGregor to dinner at the very least for all his troubles?” She cautiously leaned over Samantha, offering her small hand to him, and completely ignored her sister’s soft groan of doom.
“Why, thank you, Kayla. I would love to and my name’s Ben MacGregor.” He smoothly accepted before Samantha could object and glowered at them both for making these plans without her consent. She was not going to have him in her house and cook food for him. No way on a frosty day in Hades!
“I don’t think so, you two. I’ve got an appointment with Stefan this evening that I can’t miss.” She already missed too many Lamaze classes because their younger sister, Rachel Ann, that always wanted to stay with her. “Anyways, Kayla aren’t you going to the rally tonight at the high school?”
“Of course, silly beans. I only wanted Mr. MacGregor to be with you so you wouldn’t be lonely after I left.” Kayla rolled her dark eyes as the wheels in her brain planned feverishly. She knew who Mr. MacGregor was to her sister. Samantha could hardly keep her eyes off of the tall, dark handsome law enforcement agent.
“What’s the address?” Ben pulled out a small notepad from his coat’s pocket to take the much-desired address. He also was very curious who this Stefan fellow was and what he meant to Samantha. Did she replace him so soon after their brief affair? He kept his head bent as he quickly repeated the directions Kayla so graciously provided. He gave her his business card before he stepped back with his cell phone number on the back.
“In case you need me, Sam. See you tonight, baby.” The sultry promise that rolled so easily from his tongue made her shiver with an intense, bone melting desire. Did he glimpse at her thickening belly before she safely got into the Jeep? She wasn’t about to wait and find out either. She didn’t waste another second to drive away. She pulled out of the parking lot onto the snow slush road before peering at her meddlesome sister.
“Quite pleased with yourself, Kayla Michelle?”
“So, is he the one?” Kayla totally disregarded the brusque question and the full name usage firing a question instead. She could hardly contain her delight as she waited enthusiastically. She couldn’t believe the shocking news Samantha told her once she got back from New York after helping the FBI on a special case.
“I don’t want to talk about it, okay?” She turned on the harden dirt packed road to their house and refused to say another word about Ben MacGregor.
“Aw, c’mon. I saw the way you guys were looking at each other. Spill.”
“Help me with the bags. I have to leave soon to get Rachel Ann from day care.” She parked the Jeep and took a few minutes to relax her tense muscles from the confrontation with her ex-flame. She thought Ben might have noticed the weight she put on before she got back to the Jeep. Luckily for her she was wearing a navy blue maternity dress that hid most of her body.
“I’ll get the bags if you want to rest. I hope you let Ben come. I’d feel a lot better knowing he was here for you instead of…Stefan.” Kayla took a couple of bags into the house then came back out for the rest.
“What’s wrong with Stefan? He’s a good friend who only wants to help me.”
“Well, for starters he’s not the father of your baby and he’s way creepy.” Kayla shuddered in revulsion picturing him with pretty her sister. She told Samantha that he was oddball when they first started to date. It wasn’t like Stefan was unattractive but there was something about him that rubbed her the wrong way.
“So? I think some of your friends are creepy, also.” She coerced herself to defend her friend that desperately wanted to help her before her, ah…problem began too big for her to handle by herself. He never even tried to kiss her for Heaven’s sake! This was ridiculous and she didn’t see the point in quarrelling with her teenage sister any further.
“What? Which friend do you think is creepy?”
“Listen I don’t have time for this. I’ve got to pick up Rachel Ann.” She backed out of the long gravel driveway, sighing heavily as her baby decided to strongly kick her at that moment. She stooped at the red light outside of the daycare, her blinker winking at her as she immuring herself of happier times. How she wished things could have worked out differently between her and Ben. She tenderly rubbed the spot the baby kicked at got lost in her reverie. She reflected on the day long ago when she brought up the greatly dreaded topic of children. They had been living together for a few weeks in his spacious hotel suite in a ritzy hotel the government was paying. When she was first brought in on the case to help find their man she hardly thought she’d find love. And love him she did.
“So, what do you think?” She had asked him hesitantly a shy smile curved her soft trembling lips watching him from the bedroom doorway getting ready for work. She’d loved to watch him all day, watching his strong sleek muscles rippled every time he moved.
"What? Kids as in you and me?” Ben laughed uneasily as he shoved his feet in a pair of shoes seat on the rumpled bed of tangled sheets and blankets. He sure as hell hoped she wasn’t trying to tell him something. He didn’t know if he’d ever be ready to be responsible for a baby. And there was no way he was prepared for kids let alone a duty to a wife. But the idea of Samantha carrying his baby made him feel tenfold more like a man than he ever had in his entire life. Hold it there, MacGregor! Your job is hazardous for a family.
“I’m not ready for curtain climbers, honey. You’re not trying to tell me something are you?”
“Oh no, I just wanted to know.” Like she’d ever tell him now for at the time she only strongly suspected she might be. Her monthly was two weeks late and she was never late. They had used very method of birth control but it was said it sometimes it wasn’t enough. How bloody true!
“What’s all this talk about kids, anyways?” He knew there was a problem when her shaky hand smoothed back an errant strand of hair from her pallid face before quickly turning away from him. “Hey, sweetheart I think I better tell you a little more about my childhood.” He walked up behind her his strong arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her securely back against him as he carefully choose his next words.
“It’s true I have a fear of becoming a father. My dad wasn’t all that great and I’m afraid I’ll be just like him. No, I want you to listen to me for a change.
After my mom died my dad became a nasty alcoholic overnight. If me, my brother or sister did anything that irritated him in the slightest he would grab a belt and…anyways, it not anything I want to subject to any kids I possibly might father.”
“But you’d be a wonderful father!” She fiercely defended him whirling about in his arms. “You’re too hard on yourself and I won’t have it. Do you hear me, Ben MacGregor? I lo- er, like you too much.”
“And I especially, ah like you.” He snickered slyly mocking her words before his tousled dark head stooped to hers tenderly kissing her. “Dammit, I’m late for work. I’ll see you later, okay?”
“Ben? I wanted you to know that I love hearing you laugh. I wish you could do it more often.” She gently confessed her blue eyes darkened sadly for she knew her time was scarce with him.
Ben felt his heart knot tightly in his chest knowing he fell in love with her at that moment wearing only his buttoned down faded cotton blue shirt. Her long golden curls jumbled riotously about her blushing cheeks. Just like she would if he said what he wanted to do to her delicious little body in a crowded restaurant or expressed his thoughts when he was lost deep inside of her wet tight core.
He never known a woman could be this beautiful with the early morning sun filtering through the lacy curtains on the windows behind her. She offered him a hot cup of fresh coffee to him, steam curled from the top caressing her grinning lips. And suddenly it hit him like bird flying for the first time, experiencing a freedom so unadulterated he lost his breath at the same time his heart skipped a few precious beats. This was the woman he wanted to sleep with each night for the rest of his life and grow old with.
Ben glanced over his board shoulder grinning wolfishly from the front door. He’d see her tonight after his shift ended and that was all that mattered. He’d tell her of his love then. He blew her a quick kiss and as if in slow motion turned to leave. Never did he think it would have been the last time he saw her and he would later remember she didn’t promise him she would see him before he rushed off to work.
It was nearly unbearable to leave him later the same night when he phoned to tell her Wiley Webb was taken into custody. He found the file she prepared based on cold hard facts, not her physic power of sight. He read through it while talking with his partner, Hunter about any recent activity on their most wanted man. She had been extremely determined to help him in any way she could every time he scoffed at her abilities. When he stubbornly refused to listen to the information she researched she threw the thick vanilla file across his messy desk in a fine fit of pique and stalked out of his office. She had other problems to deal with other than what he thought about her. Stupid ape of a man, she huffed mutely to herself trying not to laugh at the mental picture flashed across her mind’s eye.
Her knees buckled beneath her and tumbled weakly into a chair behind her as she numbly hung up the phone. Her forehead pressed wearily on her crossed arms thinking only of the pleasure was apparent in his voice as he shouted, “It’s over! We got him, babe!” And the loud party at his office celebrating in the background echoed deafeningly through her aching head. She just ran out of time to prove him he could be a great daddy to their unborn baby. She got the positive results back on the pregnancy test she took a few minutes before. What was she going to do now? Tell him or leave him?
She knew their time together was over because couldn’t allow him unmask her incredible news when he wasn’t ready to face the fact he was nothing like his drunk of a father. And he would know once her belly began to swell with his baby. Her pants were already beginning to feel tight around her waist. She tried numerous times to convince him he was nothing like his father and failed each time when he change the subject by making sweet, slow love to her. She tried to compose a letter to leave him but couldn’t explain why she had to leave so suddenly. Every time she began she would end up crying so hard her shudders made it impossible to read her handwriting.
“Hey lady, turn already! The light’s green now.” A man honked his horn repeatedly, angry that he was losing time he needed to get to work on time. She was rudely snapped her from her heartrending reflection of a taunting past best forgotten and waved her hand before turning into the daycare without further delay. The large pick up truck behind her squealed his tires almost clipped her back bumper in his haste to get a move on.
“Sorry I couldn’t move faster for you, jerk!” She hissed beneath her breath as she parked in the first spot by the building’s doors. “I’m glad something’s turning out right for a change.”
“Miss Brandon, you’re late again.” The daycare clerk hastily pointed out as soon as Samantha entered the building. Her bright pink hair caught Samantha unaware at first and didn’t have the chance to open her mouth. “One more time and your rate rises.”
“Why, hi to you, too Kelly. Pleasant day, I take it? I’m sorry I’m late but the darnest thing happened-”
“Every mommy has a story, Miss Brandon and I can’t bend the rules just for you just this time or I’ll have to for all the other late mothers. Policy’s policy. ” The cheeky clerk smiled boorishly, pushing away from her table desk to fetch Rachel Ann.
“I was three damned minutes late.” Samantha complaint ruefully after the abrasive clerk who looked more like a teen punk than a responsible employee. But who was she to what was normal these days.
Susan Whitmore, the director of the daycare was headed her way once she saw Samantha by the desk. What now? As if she didn’t need another thing to go backfire on her and add to her mountain of increasing problems.
“Miss Brandon, we need to talk.” Why did everyone want to talk to her? Did she have a big lettered sign stamped on her forehead that said, “Problems? Sure, talk to good ole Sam and she’ll take care of it.” If she didn’t know better she would think she’s the popular one in a lot of people’s lives.
“What can I do for you, Mrs. Whitmore?”
“We’ve been having some problems with Rachel Ann for some time now. Have you noticed any changes in her behavior lately?”
“No.” In fact her youngest sister seemed to be just fine. She was such a happy adorable child for three years. “She’s been very happy. Why?”
“Miss Johnson who takes care of her age level has some mild concerns about her. She told me Rachel Ann upsets her class more than once a day. It takes a lot of time to settle the kids and very hard to get back to the lessons outlined for the day.”
What lessons? The fine art finger painting the swell choice for every three year old?
“What are you so kindly trying to tell me, Mrs. Whitmore?”
“No, let me go!” Rachel Ann screamed as loud as her lungs would allow, fighting against her caregiver like an enraged tiger cub. Her sister’s little body strained fervently from the woman’s tight hold. “You’re hurting me.”.
“Let my sister go!” Samantha hissed reaching for her and narrowed her livid blue eyes on the Johnson woman. “If I ever see you treat her like that again…”
“I won’t take that troublemaker back!” The riled governess snapped before she huffed back to her room.
“Is this the kind of people you allow to care for children?” Samantha turned to the director with Rachel Ann whimpering in her protective arms. “I never had a problem with my sister and wouldn’t use force like that!”
“Please, Miss Brandon, calm down. Miss Johnson is one of the best people I have here. She hardly has such a time with the other kids. I think it best if you find another daycare for your sister.”
“Don’t worry about that, Mrs. Whitmore.” She carried her sister back to her Jeep and wondered what on earth she was going to do now. She had a business to run and it wasn’t a place for children. Well she has to compromise anyways with her baby on the way. “Are you okay, sweetie?”
“Ah-huh.” Rachel Ann sniffed bravely as she was buckled in her child seat in the backseat. “Me no like, Mama Sammy. Me home, pleaze.”
“Yes, you home for now, sweetie.” She buckled herself in the driver’s seat feeling very tired. She wished she could take a warm bath and go to bed, but she had her class in about an hour. And Stefan was going to be at her house soon. She didn’t even want to think about why Ben MacGregor was here in Devil’s Lake.
“Did you find Miss Brandon, Ben?” Hunter Wolverton asked when he met him a while later back at the SUV. Darn airlines misplaced one of his bags. They barely arrived from the airport when he was told his bags were on their merry New Orleans. He needed to stop at the local grocer store for some personal items until his bags could be returned to him.
“What? Oh yeah, I found her all right.”
Hunter looked at his partner of five years and speculated at his terse tone. Guess things didn’t work out quite as his friend wanted. He knew there was something between them before Ben and Samantha did. He remembered the sparks that flew every time they were in a room together.
“Did you tell her Webb got away?”
“I didn’t have a chance when I caught up with her.” Wiley Webb was the reason Samantha was involved in the first place. She was a respected psychic with many police forces around the country. She helped solve many cases but those had to do with missing person’s not cold-blooded murderers. And Wiley Webb was the most callous evil man Ben seen in some time.
They first scorned any attempt Samantha tried to help. This was official federal concern and the police brought in a fortuneteller. How the boys at the Washington the office laughed at that one. Two of their top agents couldn’t track a killer and needed a psychic to even get any information on the devious prep.
“Do you know that Sam has a sister?” Ben suddenly asked as Hunter drove to their hotel.
“How should I know? You were the one she spend any time with.” Ben looked out he window losing himself in his troubled thoughts. He knew something was bothering Samantha other than Webb before she left him. He just didn’t know what kind of trouble she was having at the time. Then she dropped the bomb on him when the kids’ issue was kept being thrown in his face. He tried all he could to make her understand why he didn’t want to be a father.
“Are you pregnant, Sam?” he blurted out in one of their many heated arguments, his heart thundered so loud in his ears that she had to repeat herself.
“No. I only wanted to prove to you that because you had a terrible father doesn’t mean you will be.”
He couldn’t take it anymore and the only way to silence her was to take matters into his own hands. His lips slanted hard over hers, his arms tightened around her when she fought against him easily lifting her onto the kitchen counter standing between her spread legs. His large hands harshly caressed down her slender back to her firm bottom then hooked behind her knees to rise them high on his hips. He growled ruthlessly as the pleasure coursed in hot waves through him as their bodies fitted tightly concurrently. His hardening groin sharply rocked against her hot moist core the perfect cradle for him. As if they shared one mind. And the reckless need to make love now.
“Do you know what you do to me, woman?” He demanded to know, his groin already hard as he rubbed against her soft core. “I want to kiss you all over until you beg me to take you.”
“Oh God,” she moaned arching her suddenly heavy bare breasts to his furry chest. She didn’t recall him shoved her shirt and braw out of his way. Her resistance evaporated faster than water on an open fire. Her slender fingers combed through his soft dark hair holding his head to her straining nipple as he lovingly worshipped it with his searing tongue. His pants became painfully constricting as she restlessly writhed against him. “Do you like that, honey?”
“I need, ah God…”
"What? Tell me what you need, baby.” He groaned heavily across her opened mouth waiting for her to come to him. The need he had himself had nearly sapped his self-control. He wanted to shred his pants off and bury himself do deep inside of her she could only know of her need for him. Damn the pleasure almost killed him as she frantically took him deeper…
“Hey Macgregor, we’re at the hotel.” The rental truck was smoothly parked and Hunter nudged his partner from his deep musing. “Hey, what’s with you, man?”
“Nothin’. I want this to be over so that Samantha is safe again.” He had to hide the stiff affect of his fantasy produced his wayward body.
“Yeah, well, I’m sure she can handle herself until we talk to her.” Hunter assured his partner, gabbing his bags from the backseat. “I’ll go and check us in.”.
“I think I’ll take a ride over to Sam’s place.” He took the car keys from Hunter and slide over to the driver’s side. “You already know where to find her?”
"Yeah, I saw her at the store.”
“Damn, if you’re not a lucky so and so.” Hunter shook his golden head good-naturedly going inside the hotel the bureau were paying for them during their stay.
Ben wasted no time, staring the SUV to get to Samantha’s house on the edge of town. He followed the red sport’s car in front of him as it too turned down the same dirt road. He frowned as he watched the car before him turn into Samantha’s driveway. It couldn’t be Webb could it? How could he find Sam so soon after his escape?
He closely studied as an average sized man with chestnut hair sauntered up to the sweeping porch of the lighted house. “What the...? Well, well Sam what do we have here?” He whispered faintly as she opened the door for the man, an affectionate smile glowed on her flushed face.
Ben parked the truck a ways down the road and dashed back to the sprawling white house with his gun in hand. Sweat broke out all over his body hoping he didn’t have to use force with Samantha and her sister at mortal risk. He wanted to know what was going on before he barged through the door and possibly make a complete ass out of himself.
He peered through he window to see the man warmly embrace Sam and lightly kiss her lips. Was it true? Had Samantha replaced him after she spent so much time trying to convince him she loved him. That she thought he could be an admirable father of her children? Something just didn’t quite add up right. He ducked when he saw Kit race down the stairs followed by a little girl and skidded to an abrupt halt. Who the hell was that? But more importantly did they see him?
“Oh great day, will you please stop kissing my sister! You do know there are young eyes in the house, right?” Kit retorted tartly turning Rachel Ann’s head and covered her ears with her hands.
“Kissin’, sissy Kitty?” She giggled impishly her bright green eyes alight with merriment. She pushed away from Kit and latched onto Samantha’s leg. “Kissy me, Mama Sammie? Me like kisses.” Her little pink lips puckered for a quick smooch.
Samantha awkwardly bent down to brush her lips across Rachel Ann’s. “There now you aren’t left out, honey bear.”
“What about sissy Kitty, Mama Sammie?” Her wide emerald eyes focused on Kit and frowned gravely. She felt bad to leave feeling Kit all alone than ran back to her. “Me love you too, sissy Kitty.” She hugged her leg then raised her lips for another kiss smiling when she received one.
“And I love you, little sister.”
“We really need to leave, Samantha dear. We don’t want to be late.” Stefan looked at his watch feeling extremely unnerved with all this show of family affection. The first time he saw Samantha he thought her a beautiful woman and had to have her. It didn’t matter to him if she only wanted to friends, but he hoped for so much more. That’s why he decided to help her with the baby.
“Yeah, right. So, Kit after the rally you’re on your way home, right?”
“Aw, c’mon sis! All my friends get to stay out until at least midnight.” Kit scoffed trying to get a later time than her cure view of ten o’clock. She didn’t want her friends to think she was a silly snot nosed little kid. Sorry, Rachel Ann but this is really important. It was her senior year in high school and there was Scotty Williams. All the girls thought he was so hot and he asked her to go to the party after the rally.
“And if your friends jumped from a bridge would you, too?”
“You sound just like Mom for crying out loud!” Kit huffed dejectedly her shoulders slumped in mock defeat. She knew how to work her older sister when she really wanted something Samantha was dead set against.
“You are sweet to say so and you do that too well for your own good, kid. Slumped shoulders were always a weakness with me. I guess that Scotty Williams asked you to the party after the rally, then?” Sam laughed at Kit’s guilty flushed cheeks knowing she was right.
“How did you know?”
“I don’t give away my sources, kid. But you have until midnight and if you’re not back here in the house, I’ll send the police out for you. Devil’s Lake Lodge, right?”
“There has to be something that you don’t know!”
“If we don’t leave, Samantha dear, we’ll be late.” Stefan prompted again after he nosily cleared his throat. He had hoped Rachel Ann would of stayed with Kit tonight but it looked like that wouldn’t be the case.
“I’m sorry, Stefan. Let me grab our coats and my bags. I‘ll meet you in the car.” She went to the closet and took two winter coats out. She helped Rachel Ann with hers then she put hers on. “Remember midnight.” She warned Kit as she walked out the front door with Rachel Ann close on her heels.
“Sure thing.” Kit waved to them while they drove away and stepped on the porch looking intently through the darkness. “Okay, Agent man, you can come out now. My sisters are gone.”
“Who’s the guy?” Ben bit out between tightly clenched teeth holstering his weapon beneath his heavy winter coat as he stalked over to Kit.
“Ah, yeah. She can do a lot better than that patronizing social climber, Stefan Grayson. I tried telling countless times he wasn’t right for her, but if my sister isn’t more hardheaded than a ton of donkeys in a wooden barrel.” Kit’s gentle laughter chimed softly so much like her older sister’s Ben felt his heart melt. Kit was really beginning to like the father of her niece or nephew more and more. He was a guy who’d stay with Samantha and help her when the baby was born. He had the one thing that was most needed to be more stubborn than her sister.
“So, what are you going to do about it, agent man? Surely you’re not going to let him have her without a fight.” She daringly taunted him hoping against hope she was right about him for she listened to Sam talk on hours about him. If she, a young adult of seventeen, could realize how right they were for one another than why couldn’t they? If this was what the rush it meant to grow up and distinguish “the mystery of love” she rather not. Oh hell no! She had to many issues as it was with high school and soon for college. She leaned against the wooden railing her father built added to the old ranch house some years ago for Mama’s birthday. Life might be bitterly tough at time but it did offer breathtaking rewards also.
“What do you know about it, kid? Your sister’s an adult and hardly has to answer to me.” But what would he give for that privilege. “Whatever Samantha and I had was finished months ago.”
“First of all, I’m not a kid and secondly I know Sam a lot better than you. I wouldn’t be so hasty to say anything when it comes to my sister, agent man.” What was it with the Brandon sisters that they all dubbed him agent man. It was getting damn irritating to put it mildly, not to mention the kid did have a point about Sam. He did want to get Samantha back in his life any way he could. It looked like his way back was through her two younger sisters.
“I think you should stay here and wait for my sisters to come home. They should be only about an hour or less. Come on in,” she waved to him as she headed back into the house to fetch her coat. “I have a rally to go to and my ride just pulled up. Bye!”
Ben watched rather flabbergast as she merrily left him alone in the house. What could she possibly be thinking? He was starting to believe none of the Brandon girls thought much of all than leaving him in the dark.
“Well might as well get comfortable,” he sighed to the empty lighted house throwing his coat on the couch. He reached for the phone to call Hunter and let him know not to except him back any time soon. His keen eyes roamed about the living room and got caught on a picture of him and Samantha together, smiling brightly on their legitimate first date. They went out to a late dinner then a carriage ride in the park with the moon as their only light. What a fantastic night it was then it go par amounted higher as they spent the night cuddling in each other’s arms.
“What happened to us, Sam?”
“God, Samantha dear, you look exhausted. Are you all right?” Stefan said for the umpteenth time in no more than five minutes leaving her class. She should have gone by herself because she was about ready to seriously damage her friendship with the man driving the car. “Maybe I should stay until Kit gets back from the rally.”
“I’ll be fine, Stefan. Really.”
“I would feel much better if I stayed just in case Rachel Ann would need something.” He grasped the idea long ago that if he wanted to help her sisters more she usually caved. He wanted to more time alone with her without her siblings in the way. He spent too much time to give up when he was so close to his goal.
“If you want too.” Samantha nestled comfortably in the leather plush seat closing her eyes to get as much rest as possible. She had to get up early in the morning for work and figure out what to do with Rachel Ann since the daycare banned her from coming back. Besides she didn’t want her there after what she witnessed to today.
Stefan rolled into the Brandon’s driveway quietly as he could turn off the engine without waking Samantha. He peered out his shoulder to make sure Rachel Ann was asleep before he turned his attention back to the woman seated next to him. He took a moment to study the beauty sleeping and his slender unsteady hand reached across to cup her swollen breast. He gently unbuttoned her dress so his hand could slip beneath her lacy bra to fully caress her soft velvety skin. His fleshed heated and started to expanse, his excitement mounted unbearably urging him to lower his head to taste her.
He shifted awkwardly in his seat to relieve some of the strain his tight pants caused his throbbing aroused flesh in the crotch. His head slowly lowered towards her when he got slapped across the face.
“What the devil do you think your doing, Stefan?” Samantha gasped appalled by his underhandedness of her venerable state. She immediately covered herself tightly clutching her dress together in a fisted hand. She opened the door nearly fell out in her haste to flee. She snatched her baby sister from the backseat and ran to the house.
“Samantha, wait!” Stefan dashed after her slipping on the slick ice under the dirty snow. He hadn’t meant to go so far but she was temptation itself even when she was with child. He couldn’t seem to help himself while he was close to her.
Samantha slammed the door in his flushed face trying to calm Rachel Ann from her rude awaking as well as herself. Kit was so right about Stefan she wondered why she didn’t see it before. God, she was so gullible when it came to men. Even with Ben she was a bigger fool than she was with the persistent man pounding on her front door.
“Go to bed, honey bear. I’ll be right with you.” She watched the child scurry upstairs to her room not wanting her to hear the clash that was about to violently explode. She leaned her forehead against the door wishing everyone would leave her in peace. Her hands soothingly knead her queasy stomach taking deep gulps of air to calm her frazzled nerves.
“Please open the door Samantha.” Stefan tried the doorknob but she had flicked the lock and bolt behind her like she always did. His doubled fists beat fiercely against the door while begging her not to be mad at him. That he was sorry and requested for her forgiveness.
“Go away, Stefan!”
“Samantha, dear please let me explain.” The desperation and crazed uneasiness cracked his voice as he realized the grave seriousness he committed against her. He shouldn’t have touched her yet he wanted her for so long he disregarded her wishes to be only friends. He knew she would never forgive him but he had to try. Her appeal to him rose extremely as fought vainly against the locked door..
“How can you ever justify your hand in my dress, you little sneaky jackass?”
“He did what?” Samantha startled, panicked at the furious resonant voice snarled in back of her like a mighty roar of thunder of a vicious oncoming storm that was headed her way. Slowly she turned to face a livid Ben MacGregor, astonished to see him uninvited in her house. If she thought those three little words he spat was dangerous it compared nothing to witnessing it first handed. It scared the living hell out her as she unblinkingly watched his face darken even more as she remembered what she asked Stefan. Then she got angry with both men for the chaos they were created in her life.
“Who had his hand in your dress, Samantha Brandon? It sure as hell wasn’t me and I demand to know who was. Was it that loser I saw with you?” His large hands fisted tightly at his sides his knuckles whiten, waiting for her to answer.
“How dare you, Ben MacGregor! You have no right to be in my house and question the choices I want to do with my life.” She pushed past him walking down the long corridor to the kitchen to get a glass of water. She needed to out as much distance between them as she could. He looked even more gorgeous than she remembered and still was affected by him. She couldn’t let herself fall for him again like she did in New York. Things had changed for her and she didn’t want to get hurt again.
Ben opened the door but the coward was long gone now. He slammed the door closed locking it behind him as he followed Samantha to the kitchen. “What did he do?”
“None of your business, Agent MacGregor. I think you better leave now. Isn’t it unlawfully for you to be here uninvited?” She drank her water over the sink her back faced him. Her heart pounded like a drum as she breathlessly waited for him to leave.
“If I leave I’ll find that guy and beat the hell out of him. And your sister had enough sense to give her permission for me to stay.”
Samantha silently groaned her tense shoulders slumped in defeat too tired to fight him. She slowly faced him and tugged her coat tightly about her. She wanted to avoid this for as long as possible but it seemed the time had come to face the music.
“Are you cold?” He softly asked, his dark eyes glittered his amusement knowing she rather have him go. He had waited months see her again and he wasn’t to be rushed. He reached for her coat laying it over one of the kitchen chairs. “Do you know how stunning you are to me?"
“Oh yeah right! I’m big as a house in case your blind or just plain crazy.” She forced a laughed spilled form her lips as tears clouded in her jewel like eyes. The tip of her nose was pink from the attempt to keep her emotions locked within her. God it hurt to look at him and know she couldn’t have him.
“I’m crazy for you, Sam.”
“Please, don’t. I can’t hear this now. I want you to leave.”
“And I want you. Want to love you until you know you belong to me.” His hands gently framed her face, his thumb caressed her bottom lip. He drown himself in her wide blue eyes wishing she never left. They lost so much time as it was and he wasn’t willing to loose any more. His firm lips replaced his thumb tenderly greeting her the way he dreamed each night he fell asleep. He wanted to sleep again with the taste of her on his lips and the fell of her softness cuddled against him. “Do you know what you do to me, honey?”
The roughness of his voice had her fighting for her sanity not the illusion of paradise with him waiting for her. The promise of tomorrow in his strong arms and to be blessed with the love her parents had celebrated. She selfishly wanted her whole dream with Ben MacGregor because she couldn’t bare to have half of him. At that precise moment her belly shifted against him as their child settled for a comfy spot. It’s tiny foot kicked inside of her and thumped against his father.
“What the hell was that?” Ben flinched away like he got stabbed with a doubled bladed knife, totally freaking out. “What’s wrong with your belly?”
Samantha read the panic in his dark eyes as he took a few steps back from her. His eyes fastened on her protruding abdomen in astonishing shock. His mouth literally hit the floor watching it move again. He really hadn’t noticed how well along she was for he was too wrapped in his desire for her. He never actually thought she was over him and another man got her pregnant. No, not his Sam.
“I’m pregnant.” She whispered breathlessly once she found her voice, her eyes glistening brightly at his complete look of revulsion. Her hands covered her face as her tears fell over the rim of her lids tracking salty down her ashen cheeks. She had no idea how he was going to respond when he was told about their baby, but this absolutely had to be the horrible of them all.
“Is it mine?” He lashed out out of habit whenever he felt cornered as he did now. He couldn’t believe she’d keep this from him. You gave her no reason to tell you. But he ruthlessly silenced the mocking voice in his head.
Okay so she was mistaken. This had to be the most miserable her life has been since the death of her parents and tackling the responsibility of keeping her family together. She had to prove to a court not to take them from her that could take care of her two sisters when she still lived beneath her parent’s roof. She didn’t understand what she had to give up but she wouldn’t have it any other way. God she was so weary of fighting to be strong that tomorrow was going to be better.
“Get th fuck out,” she chocked harshly leaned heavily against the counter. The pressure of stress weighted on her shoulder until she felt older than time that ticked from her grandfather clock.
“Mamma Sammy?” Rachel Ann pocked her head though the kitchen door impatient for her to tuck her good night. She smiled at the Ben slowly walked up to him. “Are you my daddy now?”
“Get to bed Rachel Ann! I’ll be there in a moment, poppet.” Samantha suppressed her sorrow as she wiped the useless tears from her face. She couldn’t bare Ben’s rejection of her little sister when he had a tough time with the news of their baby. He actually had to ask her if the baby was his! What a spineless coward.
“Your so right, Ben. We don’t need a shameful father like you. I’ll take care of it all as I always did. Please lock the door on your was out. Now you understand why I left you so I didn’t have to saddle you with a family.” She ushered her sister back to her room telling her not to fret that she was here for her.
But why not for me, Ben wondered as he numbly left almost forgot to lock the door behind him. What just happened here? He was going to a father that’s what and he was scared spite less about it. He needed to clear his head to think about the life altering news he discovered. The only thing he knew for certain was he was going to help Samantha in any way he could other than marriage. He helplessly watched his mother die and his father turn into a drunk. He didn’t want his child to know his only grandfather was a mean drunk loser who knew nothing about love. No, he’d keep his child from feeling like he was never good enough for love.
“My Sam is having my baby. Our baby.” It wasn’t as difficult as he pictured this dreaded day in his life. The words he said didn’t fill him with uncontrollable terror in fact they seemed to sooth him. He wanted to shout it to the world that Samantha Brandon was having his baby and he was happy. Happy? He was beyond happy. He couldn’t describe what he was feeling but it all was unbelievably wonderful.
Ben whistled a cheery tune as he walked back to the SUV imagining what his life would be like with Samantha, their baby and her two sister. A ready-made family. His family. He’d teach his son…his son how to play sports and take him to watch the Yankee’s games.
“I’m going to be a father!” He shouted as loud as he could into the night not caring who heard him. He drove back to the hotel feeling fortunate enough to have found a woman like Samantha Brandon. He planned to marry that woman no matter how long it’d take him.
