Explosion of Love (The Armstrongs Book 6) (10 page)

Grant kept a hand on Samantha’s back as they reached her apartment and went inside. After holding her hand all the way back, and stopping for the occasional kiss, he was on the verge of exploding with desire. He needed her now.

She tossed her shopping bags to the side of the door and then he grabbed her around the waist, spinning her until she was flush against his body. He ravaged her mouth with hard and hungry kisses, slowly walking her backwards towards her bedroom.

When her knees hit the edge of the bed he released her mouth and stepped back to glance her over.
She’s the most beautiful woman in the world. And she’s mine.

One hand slid down her taut stomach to the swell of her hips, while the other one touched her face. His thumb traced her lips, still warm and moist from their kiss. He removed her clothing one piece at a time, and his fire increased when she did the same to him.

Her hands were shaky and he had to help her to unbutton his pants. She licked her lips in anticipation of what was to come and quivered under his touch.  When they were both naked, except for her panties and those killer heels, he crowded her once again, using his hands to mold her body to his, before looking at her reverently.

“God, you’re so beautiful, you take my breath away.”

Passion and love spread though his body and his voice was thick with desire when he said, “Sit down.”

Samantha did as he requested, and Grant squatted at her feet and slowly unbuckled her heels. He kissed the arch of each foot as he removed the shoe, and then made a path of ardent kisses up the inside of one leg, around the outside of a thigh, kissing her stomach and then the sides of her breasts before coming back to her mouth.

He took her lips in a kiss filled with promises and desire. Panting for breath, he broke away from their kiss and urged her to scoot up in the bed until her head lay on the pillow.

He slid her panties from her body and knelt between her knees.

“Grant?” Samantha asked.

“What?” he answered, kissing his way up the inside of her leg once again.

Her question dissipated as he found her core and placed kisses along her center, igniting both of their passions to a frenzy. When she grabbed his hair and pulled slightly, he surged upwards to take her mouth with his, made short work of donning the protection he’d left lying in easy reach, and then plunged into her wet heat.

Samantha moaned beneath him when he entered her, and thrust her hips into him, to bury him deeper inside her. He groaned. She felt so gorgeous, hot and wet, ready for him. Sliding in and out of her, he lifted himself up on his elbows, so he could watch her face – that beautiful face he’d wanted to kiss for as long as he could remember.

He sped up his rhythm, knowing, it would soon send them both to the stars.

Samantha wrapped her legs around his hips, arching into his body as the tide of pleasure continued to rise. Several minutes later, she screamed his name as with one final push, he took her body along with his to that place where pleasure and desire culminated in nirvana.

When they both regained their breath, Grant rolled onto his back and took her with him, pulling her against his side and kissing her temple. Her head was lying in the well of his collarbone and her breast pressed into his chest. She swung her upper leg across his body, as if she was trying to capture him.

“What happens now?” she asked.

Grant had been waiting for that question. She never had been to leave things alone for long.
Not my Samantha.
“I don’t know. We’ll figure it out as we go, Sammie. This is all so new for both of us.”

“I don’t want to lose you,” she told him, tipping her head up and kissing his jaw.

“You won’t lose me. Ever. We’ll work everything out. I promise.” He answered her kiss with one of his own, pressing her soft curves tighter against his body and taking her lips in an impassioned kiss that soon filled every cell in his body with heat and new desire.

“I have to fly back to Chicago tonight.”

“You do?” she asked.

“Yes. I have an important job tomorrow that I have to be there for.”

“You came here by plane?” she asked.

He couldn’t hide a grin. “Yes. It would have taken far too much time driving, you know?”

Samantha nudged him with her finger. “You did that for me?”

“Only for you. I desperately needed to see you. I was afraid I had lost you.”

She snuggled up against him, tracing her finger down his chest and his abs until she let it linger just above his groin. He shuddered under her touch.

“Now I love you even more,” she said. Then she rolled over so she was lying atop him. She kissed him again, rekindling his fire. Her knees fell to either side of his hips as she pushed herself up to a sitting position.

“You’re playing with fire, and I didn’t bring any more protection with me,” he cautioned her.

Samantha leaned forward to kiss him and moved her pelvis further down to touch his already hard length with her wet folds. Then she whispered in his ear, “We don’t need it. I’ve been on the pill since I was sixteen to help regulate my cycle.”

Grant opened his eyes wide and jolts of raw desire passed through him. She straddled him, giving him her most sensual smile, taking her breasts into her hands and squeezing them together.

The sight of her hardening rosy nipples above him and the anticipation of being inside her with nothing separating them was almost more than he could handle. In a rash move he took advantage of her position and joined their bodies once again, pushing through her wet heat and then urging her to ride him. His hands roamed her body, and once they had reached her shoulders, he pulled her towards him, so he could explore her breasts with his tongue. He licked and bit at her nipples, while she rode him as hard and fast as she could.
I will never get enough of her.

Passion pounded the blood through his body and soon she gasped in sweet agony, her inner muscles convulsing around him. He followed her to the moment of ecstasy and exploded into her.

She came to lie on top of him and refused to move, wrapping her arms and legs around him, as if she had to cage him. He managed to glance at the alarm clock on the nightstand and couldn’t believe his eyes. Where had the time gone?

“Sammie, it’s high time to leave for the airport.”

She still didn’t move, and the only sign of understanding was a gruff groan. He gave her two more minutes, lying still, holding her tight, before he carefully rolled her off of him.

She said, “I already miss you and you’re not even gone.”

He broke out in laughter and kissed her nose. “I wish you could fly back with me, sweetie.”

“I wish I could too, but I have to make this shoot tomorrow. If I blow it one more time, my career is over.”

“Hmm,” Grant mumbled, and looked for his clothes scattered on the floor. He had to hurry if he wanted to catch his flight. Her voice startled him: “Are you angry at me?”

Grant looked at her and noticed she hadn’t even started to dress, but sat there on the bed, looking crestfallen. He gave her a puzzled look. “Why would I be angry with you?”

“Because I can’t come with you.”

Grant closed the distance between them, took her face between his hands, and met her eyes. “Sweetie. Of course I’m not angry. I understand how important your career is to you. I would never want to stand in your way. I want you to be successful and happy, and if being a model does that for you, you have my full support.”

Tears formed in her eyes and he added, “No way. You’re not going to cry now. Okay? I hate to see you crying.”

She sniffed, “Okay. Do you want me to come with you to the airport?”

He grinned at her. “I’d love it, but you might have to get dressed first.” His comment had her laughing again, which took a load off his mind.

She dressed in record time and they rushed downstairs to hail a taxi. All the way to the airport, her hand lay clasped in his and her head rested on his shoulder.
I sure can get used to that.

Samantha kissed him, .“Thank you.”

“Thank me for what?”

“For loving me. For coming here to get me. For not being intimidated by my temper.  For…”

He silenced her with a kiss. “Don’t thank me, I’m the lucky one here. You could do a lot better than me.”

Now it was her turn to open her eyes wide in disbelief. “Why would you say that?”

“Look at you. Famous, beautiful top model. You could have any man you wanted. I’m just an ordinary guy.”

Samantha shook her head. “You’re not ordinary at all. You may not be rich and famous, but those things are shallow. You are so much more. You’re the only man who ever truly understood me, who has always supported me, and who has loved me even before I was famous.

“You’re the one who makes me feel complete, who is strong enough to accept me the way I am, but caring enough to call me on my weaknesses.

“You don’t need to keep me down, just to feel stronger and more successful yourself, and you definitely don’t need me as an adornment on your arm to brag.“

He was choked with emotion and pressed a kiss on her temple. He loved this woman and apparently she loved him just as much.
I’ll make sure that won’t change in the next fifty or sixty years.

“I couldn’t wish for a better man than you,” Samantha said.

“That’s what your brother said.”

“My brother? Which one?”

“Guess,” he told her.

“Patrick? You talked with him about me?” She slapped him on the chest. “Why were you talking about me with my brother? And Patrick? Why?”

“He called me and your name kind of came up.”

Samantha furrowed her brow. “Patrick called you. Why?”

“He called to tell me he and Angela are getting married and asked me to be his best man.”

“They’re getting married? That’s great news.”

“You hadn’t heard?” Grant asked.

“I’ve been a little preoccupied with things in the last days. Several of my siblings have called me, but I haven’t listened to the messages or returned their calls yet.”

“Maybe you should do that.”

Samantha nodded her head. “I will. I promise.”

“So, can I count on you to be my date at the wedding?”

“Have they set a date yet?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Well, it won’t matter. I’ll be there with you.”

“And he’s going to be happy for us.”

Samantha sent him a pained looked. “Am I ever going to live without my brothers meddling in my life? Especially in my love life?”

Grant pulled her into his arms with a nod. “You will. Because from now on I’m the only one meddling with your love life, and they have to meddle with me first.”

The taxi arrived at the airport and she kissed him with everything she had. “Take care, handsome.”

“You too. I’ll call you when I’m home.”

Samantha waved as he entered the airport, and he turned one last time, feeling sad for leaving her, but hopeful for the future when they would once again be together.

Samantha arrived a few minutes early for the shoot the next day. She entered the building and was about to exit the elevator when she stopped in her tracks. Craig was there.
What does he want? Is he looking for me?

Craig was the talent scout who’d discovered Samantha when she first came to New York City. He’d gotten her the right jobs and soon her career had taken off. Now that she could look at things with another perspective, she realized one of the reasons he’d chased her so diligently in those first few months had been his way of trying to control her success.

The more successful she’d become, the more their relationship had suffered. Instead of being proud of her, he was jealous. Many times over the last three-plus years, he’d sabotaged her career. And he’d done it without remorse.  After one of their breakups, she’d found Madison and made her her new agent.
Thank god. I trust Madison. And her plan will help me to get out of this mess.

She stepped off the elevator, attempting to head towards her photo shoot without drawing his attention, but he was standing in the middle of the foyer, looking straight at her.

The grin on his face ignited her temper and she wanted nothing more than to rush him and knock the smile from his face!
But you’re practicing control. Remember?

She took a calming breath, and told herself,
I can do anything I want to… see for yourself!
Samantha took several deep breaths and didn’t move one inch, as he approached her.
Let him come to you. He’s out of control, not you. You can do this.

“What are you doing here?” Craig asked with a sneer, looking her up and down as if she was lacking in some way.

“Working. I want you to know that I didn’t appreciate your betrayal.” She barely held it together, but continued breathing. Calm and collected.
Don’t show him your wrath. He’ll laugh at you. He likes to make you mad. Don’t give him that satisfaction.

Craig smirked at her. “It was for the best, babe, and you know it.”

Samantha took another deep breath, clenching her fists to maintain control. “Don’t ‘babe’ me. We’re done. For good. And no, it wasn’t for the best. Not for my best. ” Her voice hitched.

“I had to protect you from yourself. You weren’t ready for a high profile account like Silueta.” He spoke to her as if she was a simpleton and he was the only one who could help her understand the situation.

Slime bag, of course I was ready.
“Craig, stay away from me. You were trying to keep me down. Tell me, what was in it for you?”

Craig squirmed for a moment, but his cocky attitude came right back. “What kind of question is that?”

Samantha took one more look at him and then walked away, shaking her head. She kept walking until she reached her destination – proud of the way she’d handled herself with Craig.

She’d never been important to him. He’d been using her like a piece of jewelry to help bolster his own career and his ego. But when she’d started to outshine him, he’d needed to knock her down. He’d even resorted to outright treachery to do so.

Her face flushed with shame for not having seen through him earlier. Her family and friends had warned her more than once, but she’d chosen to ignore them.

When she entered the room, she pushed all thoughts of Craig and her life with him to the side. That was all in the past, and before lay a much brighter future with Grant. She smiled at everyone in the room. “Good morning.”

Today was the start of a new era for Samantha Armstrong.