“Jade. I’m glad you’re here. After what Chase said last night I didn’t expect to see you.”
“This is my job. I don’t shirk my responsibilities so easily. Don’t worry, Sam.” She looked away from him.
“Are you feeling okay?”
She moved away before he could touch her. “I’m fine. I just had lunch with Michelle in town.”
Sam frowned. “How did she seem to you?”
“Happy.”
Sam sighed. “Whew. I was worried.”
Walking away from him, she flashed a false smile over her shoulder. “Well now you don’t have to worry about anything, do you? Trust me, Sam. Your conscience is clear. Everybody’s just fine.”
She headed in the opposite direction, leaving him behind.
Her walk with the animals was singularly unsuccessful. The snow continued and ended up making the walk treacherous. She had to head back to the barn after about ten minutes. Sam was waiting for her. Silently he helped her get the horses into their stalls and walked with her back into the clinic. Dodger followed him around. Jade spared a smile for the limping dog.
Once inside, Sam took hold of her arm and spun her around. “What is it, Jinx?”
Taking a deep breath, she said, “Last night was almost more than I could bear. Added to that, this whole thing between us has been too much for me. I thought I could handle it, but I can’t, obviously. Look, I regret coming to your door that night. I hope I didn’t wreck our friendship.”
He was silent for a long moment. His deep brown eyes searched hers looking for something he obviously didn’t find.
Finally he said, “Jade, nothing could wreck our friendship. I just want you to know I want you to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.”
How she kept the tears from falling, Jade would never know, but somehow she did. Dry eyed, she looked up at him with a tight smile. She took a step towards him, and he put his arms around her in a bear hug. Jade wanted to stay there forever. Tears threatening still, she gently pulled away. “I think I’ll leave early today, all things considered.”
“Sure. That’s a good idea. You shouldn’t be out alone when it’s dark.” She started to walk away and he said, “Jade, we’ll stop this creature that’s after you. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you, ever.”
* * * *
There was nothing for it. Christmas just kept on coming. Jade did all she could to immerse herself in holiday festivities, but it was hard to see Sam every day and at every function and know that she wouldn’t be going home with him. He was as good as his word. He was still her friend, sometimes so much so she wanted to brain him with one of Petra’s water buckets.
When Reggie and Chase had their Christmas open house Jade prepared herself to see Sam and Michelle together. She heard his deep tones in the entrance hall and braced herself. She made her way to the Christmas tree and gently touched the aromatic evergreen branches. She rubbed the needles between her fingers then closed her eyes and inhaled the fragrance.
Sam found her that way. Eyes closed smelling the Christmas tree.
“Dreaming of Santa?” He bent and kissed her cheek in greeting.
Jade wanted to sink into his embrace and stay there. She looked around and didn’t see Michelle. She couldn’t bring herself to ask him about her, so she made some pathetic excuse and walked away.
In the kitchen, she rearranged a tray of food with great concentration. Gillian found her there.
“You okay, Jade?”
Snapping out of her self pity just for a moment, she looked at Gillian with a brave smile, “I’m fine, Gillian. I guess this time of year always puts a stain on people. There’s so much pressure to be jolly.”
“What’s happened between you and Sam?” Gillian’s voice was steady as she asked the question.
Jade looked away. “I don’t know what you mean.”
Gillian scoffed, “Sure you do. You can’t hide it from me, Jade. I’m like a younger, more polite version of Aunt Ernestine when it comes to feelings.”
Irritated Jade lashed out at her. “If you know so much, why don’t you tell me?” As soon as she said it, she regretted it and hurried to make amends. “I’m sorry, Gillian. You’re only trying to help, I know.”
Gillian expressed her own brand of irritation. “If you think for one second that that man out there doesn’t care about you, you’re sadly mistaken.”
Jade shook her head. “I know he cares about me. He’s been wonderful. It’s my problem not his.”
“Michelle.”
Jade froze. It took her a second to respond. “What about Michelle?”
“Is Michelle standing between the two of you? Because if she is I think you’re crazy not to hip check her out of the way.”
Jade giggled at the image. It gave her a guilty pleasure, and she tried to stamp it out, but Gillian’s own imagination fired up, and they both ended up laughing. It helped to clear the tension from between Jade’s shoulder blades, and she relaxed just enough to say, “I’m not being fair. Michelle has been nothing but nice to me. It goes against the grain. It’s the sisterhood, we’re supposed to support each other, not compete with each other.”
“Normally I’d agree with you, but I don’t know if Michelle is as friendly as she appears.” Gillian was no longer laughing.
“What makes you say that?” Jade was confused.
Gillian leaned her hip against the counter and warmed to her subject. Hank rested at her feet. “Well, think about it. Why you? I mean, why befriend you? She’s barely spoken one word to me or Reggie, but she’s all over you. Why? I’ll tell you why, she’s threatened by you.”
Jade shook her head, but Gillian continued, “No, seriously, think about it. It’s no secret that you are a person of great integrity, Jade. Make a friend of you and Michelle has extra insurance you won’t go near Sam.”
Reggie swept into the room and saved Jade the response. “Hey, what are you guys doing in here without me? Come on, fess up. What ya’ll talkin’ bout?”
Gillian and Jade smiled at Reggie’s mock southern accent.
“Sam and Michelle,” Gillian said.
Reggie narrowed her eyes and looked at Jade then Gillian with suspicion. “What about Sam and Michelle?”
“The fact that I don’t think there is a Sam and Michelle.”
Reggie raised her eyebrows. “Is that what’s happened to you two?”
Jade said, “What, you too? sweet mother of God, does everyone know? Look, it doesn’t matter. Everything is fine. I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not. Sam looks miserable, and you’re not eating. You think I don’t notice these things because
I’m
so occupied eating everything in sight?”
“Jade thinks that Michelle and Sam are a couple,” Gillian prodded.
Reggie shook her head. “I wouldn’t bet on that. She’s too predatory for Sam. Are you in love with him?” Trust Reggie to get right to the point.
Jade looked away. “Do we have to talk about it right now? There’s a party going on out there.”
“Oh damn the party. It’s my house. Chase gave it to me so I can do what I want in it.” Reggie looked expectant and when Jade didn’t comply she said, “I’m all for it. I’m not sure how Chase will take it though, Jade. Sam’s experience far outweighs yours, and you are Chase’s little sister.”
Gillian nodded. “Things could get messy.”
“Of course things get messy, it’s a party.” Chase walked into the kitchen and cast a perplexed glance his wife’s way. “What are you doing in here? Don’t worry about the mess. I’ve arranged for a cleaning crew to come in and take care of all that.”
Jade, Gillian and Reggie exchanged glances and started to laugh. Jade breathed a sigh of relief and linked her arm with her brother’s.
“Well, aren’t you clever, big brother?” She walked back to the party on his steady arm.
Jade spent the rest of the party avoiding Sam. She didn’t want to talk to him, but he seemed set on seeking her out.
Ernestine’s keen gaze didn’t miss a thing and she took Jade aside. “Stop this foolishness right now, girl. You can’t avoid him forever, and if you do, I’m not sure you’ll stop this creature. Now, figure out a way to get past your differences with Sam, or I’ll do it for you.”
Ernestine walked away before Jade could say anything. Shocked, she stood frozen in the library doorway when Sam sidled up beside her.
“You’re under the mistletoe, you know.” He took her in his arms.
It felt so good to feel his body against hers again, and for the moment she forgot all else and simply enjoyed herself. Sam’s brown eyes warmed as he looked in her eyes. He smiled crookedly and Jade was lost. He glanced up at the mistletoe and then kissed her. What started out as a polite kiss turned into something intensely erotic. She responded without thinking. Deliberately tuning out her treacherous thoughts, she kissed him back with everything she had. She could feel his body hard and strong against hers as he pressed her back against the door.
She writhed, trying to get closer to him, she raised her knee. He took immediate advantage of the situation, grabbed her thigh and moved closer still.
Somehow he managed to kick the library doors closed. There was nothing klutzy about him in that moment, and Jade was grateful. Time seemed to stand still. The sounds of the party faded and all Jade could hear was the pounding of her own heart.
Sam whispered to her, “If you want me to stop, Jade, you’d better say so now.” Jade didn’t say a word. He groaned as if he was in pain. “I’m sorry, Jinx, but I don’t want to stay away from you. I can’t. Please step away now if you don’t want this as much as I do.”
Gillian and Reggie’s words echoed in her mind, drowning out the voice that warned her to protect herself at all costs. She decided to take the gamble. She knew Sam would never deliberately hurt her and decided to trust him.
“I need to hear you say the words, Jade. Please.”
In a husky voice she said, “Don’t stop. You couldn’t possibly want this more than I do.” With a flick of her wrist she locked the double doors. Chase and Reggie had decorated each room and lit every fireplace on the main floor. She took his hand and led him to the thick rug on the floor in front of the fireplace. She ran both her hands up his hard stomach and over his chest. He wore a wool cashmere jacket, and she slipped it off his shoulders. Next she applied herself to his shirt buttons. Her hands shook.
He took both her hands in his and said, “Allow me.”
Jade rejoiced when a couple of the offending buttons flew off. He looked down at her and cupped her chin in his palm. Her lips tasted his thumb as it stroked her full bottom lip. She sucked the teasing digit into her mouth, caressing it with her tongue and grazing it with her teeth.
Within seconds, Sam had Jade’s soft sweater dress on the floor beside his shirt and jacket.
With a self deprecating laugh he said, “Damn it, Jade, I wish I had time to appreciate what you’ve got on under that dress, but you’ll have to forgive me if this time I’m in a bit of a hurry.” He unhooked her bra with breathless ease. Lifting her up in his arms, Sam tenderly set her down on the rug before the fire. He joined her, naked and hard. Jade proved to him that she too was in a hurry by taking him inside her immediately. They made love to each other as the fire cast its orange glow over their entwined bodies.
Spent but smiling, Sam pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her still trembling body. “You okay?”
She laughed. “Can’t you tell?”
“I just figured it was polite to ask.” His laughter joined hers.
“Sam, there was nothing polite about what you just did to me.”
He nodded. “You didn’t seem to mind.”
She raised her upper body on an elbow and looked into his face. “I don’t mind at all. In fact, you can do that again.”
“Don’t joke about it, Jinx. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility.”
She looked down pointedly and said, “So I noticed.” With a crooked smile he grabbed her and rolled with her on the thick rug.
* * * *
Surreptitiously they slipped back to the party. Reggie and Gillian weren’t fooled by their casual behavior. They both raised their eyebrows at Jade and smiled knowingly. Jade blushed, but Sam handled the situation with aplomb.
As he walked Jade past Gillian and Reggie and their raised eyebrows, he said, “Like you’ve never done
that
before.” He escorted her to the dining room where a huge spread was laid out. For the first time in weeks, she was hungry. She grabbed a plate and started piling food on it.
He looked at her askance. “Are you sure you can eat all that?”
She smiled at him brightly. “I’m channeling my inner Reggie.”
“Good. I love to see you eat. You’re too skinny.” He bent and dropped a kiss on the top of her head.
Chase walked into the dining room just as Sam was straightening. He narrowed his eyes at his friend. He made note of Jade’s huge plate of food and broke into a huge smile, the one he always saved for Jade. Stealing from Sam’s plate, Chase bit into a brownie, broke out a chocolaty smile, and walked out of the room.
Right then the holiday season took on a new excitement for Jade. She’d made her decision to trust Sam and her feelings for him. All seemed brighter in that moment. Remembering how good the brownies looked she turned to head back into the dining room.