Then she felt it, the moisture against the seat of her panties. Her body was totally ready for him.
Sam sucked in a deep breath then she slid off Jake’s lap. What he was doing to her was sheer ecstasy but still it was not enough. Right now she wanted it all. She kneeled down between his legs and began to undo his belt.
She was wrestling with the buckle when two firm hands descended on hers. She froze. Her eyes flew up to his and to her horror, he was shaking his head.
“No,” he said, his face grim. “Not like this.”
Sam felt red-hot blood rush to her face and her heart sank in shame. He was rejecting her. She had thrown herself at him, was right this minute kneeling at his feet, and he said no? Oh, God, not again.
She felt her face crumple and she pulled her hand from his to cover it and hide herself from him. She couldn’t bear to look at him, to see the scorn on his face, to know how he felt about her right now. As soon as she could gather herself together she would leave.
“No,” he said again, as if she hadn’t heard him the first time, “not this way.”
He reached down and pulled her hands away from her face then he lifted her off her knees and onto his lap.
Sam lowered her head then dropped her gaze, refusing to look at him. She’d had enough humiliation for one night. She didn’t need to see the look in his eyes.
Then he did something very confusing. He wrapped his arms around her, almost as if to protect her, then he rested his chin on top of her head. “I don’t want to make love to you, Sam,” he whispered. “Not tonight.”
“I think I guessed that by now,” she said in a low voice then she gave a little laugh that sounded sad and hollow. Pathetic was probably the better way to describe it because that was exactly how she felt.
“Do you know why, Sam?” His voice was surprisingly calm, with not a hint of anger or reproach.
She nodded, her cheek resting against his chest. “Yes,” she whispered, crestfallen, “because you’re not ready. You can’t love anyone else right now.”
With her ear pressed against his chest she heard a low rumble. How could he laugh at a time like this?
“No, sweetheart. You have it all wrong.” He hugged her tighter. “I don’t want us to make love until we're married. Call me old fashioned but as far as I’m concerned you’re worth waiting for.”
Sam almost choked but she ended up coughing instead. Had she heard right? Was Jake McKoy proposing to her? “What did you say?” she demanded, pulling away to look up into his face.
“Samantha Fox, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Still not believing all of this was happening, she frowned. “Are you serious?” she asked, not daring to accept it. Maybe she should pinch herself. She must be dreaming.
“Very serious, darling. I think I fell in love with you from the first day we met but I’ve been fighting it ever since.” He gave her a rueful smile. “I guess what is meant to be must be. My fighting was futile.”
Heart brimming with joy she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck. “It certainly was.” She was smiling broadly as she stared up into his face. “You will never escape me, Jake. You’re mine for now and always.”
CHAPTER NINE
Sam could safely say she was the happiest girl in the world. She had to be. She felt like if even one more drop of happiness got added to her life she would simply burst into a million fragments of joy. Jake loved her and right now that was all that mattered in the world.
It had been over a week since he’d proposed and so far life had been perfect. There’d only been one little point of disagreement between them and it hadn’t been major, anyway.
They’d been standing on the bridge when he’d turned to her and asked, “When we’re married, what about giving up your plumbing work?”
She looked at him, surprised. “Why? I love what I do.”
“Yes, but I don’t,” came his quick response.
Sam frowned. Was Jake prejudiced against a blue-collar career?
Before she could speak he continued. “I don’t like the idea of you climbing ladders or going down into people’s basements. For one, that kind of work can be dangerous and two, what if you end up going out to the boondocks where some weirdo lives all by himself? You could get kidnapped.”
She chuckled at that one. “Like I came out to the boondocks and found you?”
His frown softened. “Yeah. Just like that.” He leaned back on the rail and pulled her against him. “But seriously, Sam, I’m concerned about your safety. Would you give up your career…for me?”
“But…it’s part of who I am, Jake.” She laid her head on his shoulder. “No matter what, I need my independence. I can’t just sit in the house all day, twiddling my thumbs.”
He stroked her arm. “You’d be twiddling them with me.” When she sighed but didn’t respond he said, “Okay, let's compromise. You keep the decorating side of your career and I’ll make sure the rest of the time you’ll be so swamped with charity work you won’t have time to scratch your head. How does that sound?”
She peeped up at him. “And can I help you write your book?”
“That’s a brilliant idea,” he said quickly, and he looked like he meant it. “We’ll brainstorm together and churn out book after book. You’ll probably start writing books of your own. We’ll be a power team, pumping out thriller after thriller.”
Sam walked her fingers up his chest then reached up to stroke his neck. “Romance is what I want to write.”
“Whatever pleases the lady,” he said with a wink.
“And I’ll start,” she said, as she turned her face up for a kiss, “with our story.”
That settled, Sam decided to introduce Jake to her parents. She started with her dad.
“I knew it,” Alvin said and slapped his knee. He looked over at Meg. “Didn’t I tell you something was going to happen between those two?”
Sam put her hands on her hips. “Have you two been talking about me behind my back?”