Summer Lovin (17 page)

“I'll try to be more understanding,” he promised, not just for Sam's sake, but for his and Zoe's. The key to any kind of future with this woman lay in her believing in him.

She nodded. “That's all I can ask for.”

Her hand still lay on top of his, and as gestures went, he knew it was a big one.

They waited five minutes more, but there was no sign of Sam. “Want to go in after her?” he asked.

“I guess I'd better.” Zoe reached for her seat belt buckle when a piercing scream shattered the silence.

Both Ryan and Zoe darted out of the car.

He ran to the end of the small building in time to see Sam running and shrieking.

“Come back!” she yelled and began to run toward the patch of grass on the boulevard.

In that instant, Ryan somehow knew exactly what was going on and he sprinted past Sam, determined to stop the wandering pig. Unfortunately Ima had other ideas and the little runt continued to bolt toward the grass. The highway lay just beyond.

He managed to step on the leash, which gave him a chance to reach for the pig, but she was more than an arm's length away. He stumbled and she scooted ahead, giving him no choice but to dive into the grass and grab her leash just in time.

He rose to his feet, trembling pig in hand, to find Sam and Zoe staring at him with wide, frightened eyes.

“Your stowaway, I presume?” He held Ima out for Sam.

She grabbed her pet, first wrapping her hand around and around the leash so the animal couldn't run away again. “You saved her from becoming roadkill,” Sam said, obviously grateful he'd shown up when he had.

Zoe cleared her throat loudly.

“Thank you,” Sam added.

“You're welcome.” He met her gaze and for a brief moment, all her teenage anger and resentment disappeared.

Only gratitude and pleasure shone in her blue eyes and Ryan warmed, happy to be the recipient of something other than her disgust.

“What happened?” Zoe asked.

Sam shrugged. “It was so fast, I'm not sure. I used the bathroom and then I took Ima out so she could do the same thing. Somehow the leash slipped out of my hands and she bolted. I was so scared when she started running for the highway.” She shivered. “I didn't want some car makin' bacon out of her.”

Ryan shook his head and tried not to laugh at her description. “You should have told me you wanted to bring her along. Then you wouldn't have had to sneak her out for walks behind my back.”

“We were afraid you'd say no,” Sam said.

“
We
were afraid?” He glanced Zoe's way.

She clasped her hands behind her back and began whistling, deliberately not meeting his gaze.

She definitely wasn't innocent. “You didn't have much faith in me, did you?” he asked her.

She looked away. “I guess not.”

The admission hit him in the gut and hurt more than it should have. He wasn't sure what disappointed him more, her lack of trust or himself and what he'd done to bring it on.

In silence, the three of them walked back to the car. Before getting in he paused to brush the dirt off his arms and khaki slacks, figuring he resembled a major-league ball player after a long skid home.

Unable to help himself, he glanced up at the sky and laughed.

 

S
INCE
R
YAN WOULDN'T HEAR
of Sam staying in a hotel and Sam wouldn't remain at Ryan's without Zoe, Zoe found herself unpacking clothing in one of the two extra rooms in Ryan's townhome in downtown Boston.

The condo was an old brownstone duplex apartment that had been renovated inside with gorgeous crown moldings and auburn-colored wood floors. Although the apartment had obviously been decorated by a professional, Zoe couldn't fault Ryan for going to excesses. Every piece in the apartment served a purpose or looked as if it belonged.

For warmth and personal touches, on the shelves she'd passed in the living room he'd placed photographs—Ryan and a couple that had to be his parents, Ryan and his uncle, whom Zoe hoped to avoid on this trip because he made her uncomfortable, and a photo of his sister, Faith, at Sam's age. Forever young because of her untimely death.

Zoe liked Ryan's home, and the fact that it lacked the uptight, artificial feeling she'd feared she'd find here, gave her hope. Hope that Ryan had more of the man she liked inside him.

It had been a day of contrasts, she thought. Her mind strayed back to the incident at the rest stop with the pig. He'd thought nothing of his own safety or his good clothing, as he'd dived into the dirt to save Ima because he knew how much the animal meant to Sam. And because he knew his life wouldn't be worth squat if Sam lost her pet.

His expression when he'd handed the pig back to Sam had been priceless, a man so proud of his accomplishment—until he'd realized even Zoe hadn't trusted him enough to ask permission to take Ima along. The hurt and desolation in his gaze stayed with her even now.

But then there was the moment at the car when he'd brushed off his filthy pants and arms. He'd been dirty, disheveled and sexy. A man comfortable in his own skin. And when he'd laughed—oh, when he'd looked up and flashed those dimples—Zoe could have sworn the sun shone more brightly in the sky. She'd felt the heat and happiness and wished it could always be that way between them.

“I'm unpacked!” Sam bounced into the room and onto the bed.

“Someone's in a good mood.”

“Yeah well you-know-who said Ima could stay with me in my room.”

“No kidding? Well make sure you keep her in her crate so she doesn't mess the floors,” Zoe warned.

“Yeah, yeah. So how long do we have to stay here before we can go back home?” Sam asked.

Zoe shivered, not wanting to admit to Sam that for all they knew,
this
would be her home.

T
O
Z
OE'S SURPRISE
, they spent the next few days having a lot of fun. Ryan took them to Faneuil Hall, on the Duck Tour, and they hit many historical landmarks. They had dinner at Legal Seafoods one night and at Union Oyster Bar the next, and Davio's, an Italian restaurant in the North End on the third evening.

Now they found themselves at Ryan's office where he proudly showed off the brownstone where he and his partners worked. He'd wanted Sam to meet his associates and the rest of the staff, and perhaps because she was still experiencing twinges of gratitude over his saving Ima, Sam went without argument. For Zoe, it was a chance to see Ryan in his own environment without his family pulling at him and without hers changing him.

Zoe waited until Sam headed off to get something to eat with Ryan's secretary before she inclined her head toward his office, indicating she wanted to talk to him alone.

He gestured for her to go on in and he followed, shutting the door behind them. “Like it?” he asked.

She glanced around at the typical attorney's surroundings, dark wood desk, bookshelves, diplomas and a row of windows with a view of the cloudless blue sky. Clearly, Ryan did well for himself and he cared about what she thought.

“It's perfect,” she said, stepping toward the plate-glass windows.

“Meaning?”

She sensed him come up behind her, his body heat warmer than that of the sun shining through the glass. Ignoring her awareness of him in his apartment was getting more and more difficult, especially since her bedroom shared a wall with his. She knew when he woke up and when he went to sleep—and when he tossed and turned as fitfully as she.

She turned now to find him closer than she'd realized and she stepped back toward the window. He came forward.

Zoe sucked in a breath and exhaled slowly. “We need to talk,” she told him.

“We damn well do.” He reached up and loosened his tie.

The effect of him looking so relaxed and slightly rumpled in his power suit was devastating to her senses. Her knees shook as though she was a school-girl on her first date.

“I need to hold you or I'm going to go insane.” His deep gaze burned into hers. “I have to taste you.” His hands came to rest on the window above her shoulders, as he dipped his head closer. His determined expression told her he wasn't about to be deterred.

She trembled, wanting the same things. “That's not what I wanted to talk about,” she managed to say, despite being breathless with anticipation.

He lowered his head, his forehead touching hers. “What is it?” He sounded resigned to listening first and kissing second.

Disappointment filled her nonpractical side, while her rational side applauded her self-restraint. “This is our fourth day here and you haven't mentioned taking Sam to see your family at all.”

She voiced the concern that enveloped her constantly. How would his relatives treat the teenager who was just coming to trust Ryan a little bit more each day?

Zoe refused to factor her own feelings into meeting his family, telling herself that what they thought of her didn't matter. Yet she couldn't deny that if and when they were introduced, she wanted smoother sailing than she'd had with Uncle Russ. The thought of his parents judging and finding her lacking turned her stomach, because despite everything, she cared how it might affect what Ryan thought of her.

“We're going to my parents' house for dinner tonight,” he said, finally.

“Let me guess. You were going to spring it on us at the last minute.” She tried for a teasing tone, but Ryan had tensed up and he wasn't relaxing or laughing at her joke.

“Do you blame me?” he asked instead. “Sam doesn't need another excuse to run away and as for you—”

“Afraid I'll embarrass you in front of your parents?” Again she tried for a laugh, but she also averted her gaze, not wanting him to see how serious her question actually was.

Ryan knew Zoe well enough by now to get when she was feeling vulnerable and, despite the jokes, the idea of meeting his family obviously scared her. Hell, there were times his parents scared him, too.

He placed his hand beneath her chin and lifted her gaze. “They will adore you,” he said, knowing in his heart every word was a lie.

They'd find her short skirts and high heels as offensive as they'd found his sister's tube tops and ripped denim shorts way back when. Hell, Uncle Russ had already expressed his shock after meeting Zoe and catching the obvious undercurrents between them. Though Russ was a ladies' man and he dated all types, it didn't matter since he was determined never to settle down.

But Ryan was different. His uncle knew that Ryan wanted to have the kind of family he'd lacked growing up. Unfortunately, for all that Uncle Russ supported Ryan, he also had enough of the Baldwin genes to want Ryan to find the proper wife to carry on the Baldwin name. “Proper” meaning correct bloodlines, manners and breeding.

“Ryan?” Zoe's voice startled him. “Where'd you go?” she asked of the mental break he'd just taken.

He met her wide-eyed gaze and refused to acknowledge aloud that Zoe Costas and her con-artist, day-spa, pig-owning family didn't fit with the Baldwin family lineage—something Ryan hadn't wanted to think about or deal with during his time in New Jersey. He'd blocked out everything he could about home and focused on nothing but getting to know Sam. And his growing feelings for Zoe.

“I was just thinking about this.” He leaned forward and captured her lips in a kiss. A hot, devouring kiss filled with all the desire that had kept him awake nights and the yearning he experienced each time he looked at her.

Apparently she felt the same way and missed him just as much because she wound her arms around his neck, pulled him close, and thrust her tongue inside his mouth in a clear act of desire and possession.

He groaned and pulled her tightly against him, his groin thrusting against the barrier of his pants, eager to escape confinement and sink deep inside her moist heat. It'd been too damn long, he thought. Her hips swayed from side to side, seeking more intimate contact, and he was happy to oblige. He widened his stance and let his aching member settle between her legs so they could grind against each other, mimicking the act of making love as best they could.

Only the window seemed to support them now. Zoe's breath came faster and she breathed hot and heavy in his ear. He couldn't remember any woman who made him want so much. Need so much. And wish to give back as generously as she gave to him. In the back of his mind, he understood that more than his body was engaged with Zoe and he'd have to deal with that soon.

But first he'd handle the woman writhing against him, almost ready to come apart in his arms. He was damn close himself and every ounce of self-control went into keeping himself in check while bringing her closer and closer to what he hoped would be a mind-blowing orgasm.

He'd already caught her rhythm with his hips and pelvis and it wasn't long before he thrust upward one last time and she shook, groaned and came, calling out his name.

Only when she finally caught her breath did he step back. He took in her flushed cheeks and the way she attempted to straighten her clothing and grinned.

“I'm sure this isn't appropriate behavior for a partner,” she said wryly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Who knows? There is a reason we partners have private bathrooms in our offices, you know.” He pointed to the door in the back corner of the room.

She blushed and in a very un-Zoelike way, ran to the restroom to pull herself together. Still, she had a point. He'd never brought a woman he was seeing to his office, let alone made one come behind the closed door.

Shaking his head at how different he was around Zoe, he adjusted himself, and while he waited for his most obvious reaction to Zoe to subside, he seated himself behind his desk.

Zoe stepped out of the bathroom at the same time Sam came barging into the office, barreling through like a tornado.

“Shouldn't you knock before you just run into Ryan's office?” Zoe asked. “What if he'd been having an important phone call?”

Zoe's gaze never met his, but he noticed her non-Mediterranean blush remained.

“Yeah, well this is important.” Sam paused at the foot of his desk, obviously unnerved and out of breath.

“What's wrong?”

“I'm being followed,” Sam said.

Ryan sat up quickly in his seat while Zoe grabbed for Sam's hand. “What do you mean?”

He had no doubt they were both thinking about the two incidents in New Jersey. Could this be a third?

“The child has an active imagination, Mr. Baldwin,” Ryan's secretary, Nadine, an attractive brunette, said from where she stood in the doorway. “We went to Burger King and she kept looking over her shoulder, sure someone was behind us.”

“But you didn't see anyone?” Ryan asked.

“Not till I went to the bathroom,” Sam said. “When I came out, he was standing outside the men's room right opposite me.”

Nadine's mouth dropped open. “I had no idea.”

“Did he touch you? Try to grab you?” Zoe asked.

Sam shook her head. “He didn't have the chance. A woman was walking out with her kids and I latched on to the little one's hand and pretended I was with them. Then as soon as we were out of the hallway, I ran to the table.”

“I didn't know. She just said she wanted to leave and only mentioned being followed in a general sense.” Nadine glanced down. “I let her go alone,” she admitted. “Sam said it would be okay. I don't have kids. I didn't realize.”

Ryan nodded. “It's okay, Nadine.” Hell, he didn't know how to handle a teenager yet, either. Both he and Zoe had let her go to the rest stop bathroom alone. “Don't worry about a thing,” he told the other woman. “Go relax and I'll take it from here.”

She nodded. “Thank you.” She left them alone and shut the door behind her.

“What's going on?” Zoe asked. “Was it the same man who broke into the house back home?”

Sam nodded. “I think so. He had the same dark hair and his face was familiar. It can't be my imagination,” she insisted. “And the whole time we were walking down the street, it felt like someone was watching me.”

Ryan exhaled a sharp breath. “You were scared, I bet.”

“Which is completely understandable considering all you've been through lately,” Zoe added, exchanging a worried glance with him.

“We'll call Quinn and see how the investigation's progressing. In the meantime, how about we go back home for a while before dinner?” he asked, changing the subject.

Sam nodded. “Good idea. What's on the menu tonight? I was thinking maybe Chinese food.”

“Actually…” Ryan began, then glanced at Zoe for help. After today's incident, he was sure Sam was even more fragile, although she'd never show it. After all the progress he'd made with her over the last few days, his next announcement could bring back the Arctic chill.

“I asked Ryan if we could meet his family tonight,” Zoe said, unexpectedly taking the heat off him.

Sam narrowed her gaze. “How could you do something like that? I don't want to meet his stinking parents!”

“Samantha!” Zoe said, clearly appalled.

“Well I don't. They hated my mother. I remember her telling me we only had each other because they didn't want her around. So why would you want to go there?” Her voice rose with all the anger and fear of a child who'd lost the mother she loved.

By meeting two people who might paint a negative picture of her mother, Sam obviously feared those good memories being erased and her mother being taken from her again in a different way than before.

Ryan stood and walked out from behind the desk. As grateful as he was that Zoe would put herself in Sam's line of fire to protect him, he couldn't let her shoulder this burden.

“Zoe isn't the one who asked for this dinner. I did. It's time you meet your family.”

Sam rolled her eyes. “Don't go defending her. She probably figures that she can dump me in that big old mausoleum I saw pictures of and go back home without me.”

The tears in Sam's eyes and quiver in her voice excused anything she said to him, Ryan thought. Still Zoe deserved better. “Zoe and her family took you in when you had no one. They've treated you like you were one of them.”

Sam sniffed and turned away so she could wipe her arm across her face. “So?”

“So she deserves an apology now.”

Sam hiccupped and then she ran straight into Zoe's arms, shaking and sobbing, her muffled words tearing his heart in two. “I love
you
. I want to be with you and Elena and Nicholas and Ari and…” She rhymed off the names of the Costas clan while Zoe stroked her long hair hanging down her back.

“I love you, too,” she said to Sam. But her eyes were on Ryan, both of them painfully aware that Zoe couldn't offer Sam the reassurance she wanted most. She couldn't promise that Sam could go back to the house she called home. Not as long as Ryan was in the picture, wanting something from this child, too.