Worth the Risk (16 page)

And that was the best gift he could have given her.

She reached the first floor of her father’s office building a few minutes behind schedule. Pushing open the lobby doors, she hurried to the waiting cab without consideration to where she stepped. Her three-inch heel lodged itself into a division in the concrete.

“Crap!” She avoided a face plant by falling into the arms of the yellow checker driver, but her ankle twisted and the heel of her shoe snapped.

The cabbie righted her and then stepped on his cigarette. She felt discomfort in her ankle, but the embarrassment at her clumsiness and now-mismatched shoe height was worse. So much for knock-off shoes. With no time to spare, she limped into the cab.

Once settled into the vinyl of the backseat, she redirected her anger over her heel to Dean. Everything was his fault nowadays.

Four weeks had passed since their good-bye. And for four weeks she’d tried with little success to hate him. So she blamed him instead: for forgetting to pay her cable bill, for her broken fingernail, for the milk spilling, for misplacing her keys. Blame eventually led to hate, didn’t it?

“I can break the heel on your other shoe if you’d like,” the cab driver said over his shoulder. “That way you’ll at least be even.”

She laughed, appreciating the cabbie’s sense of humor and kindness. “That would be great. I’d hate for my first impression with a new company to include a fashion disaster.”

New company.

Goose bumps popped up on her arms just thinking about it. Global Site hadn’t extended her a full-time position or kept her on a freelance basis in the end. The dismissal had stung, but one call to a headhunter and she had a phone interview the next day with a heritage protection company just outside of San Francisco.

Several conversations and one video-conference later, they’d made her an offer. Today’s trip was a quick in-person meet and greet before she signed her contract.

Sam let out a deep, contented sigh.

She’d jumped at the chance to leave Chicago and start a new job somewhere fresh. Despite their upsetting farewell, Dean had taught her the importance of sticking to her heart’s desire.

Dean.

His image appeared everywhere. Behind her eyelids, in the puddles after a rain, in the corner of her eye when she tried to focus on reading the newspaper. She couldn’t escape him. Would never be free of him. Would never forget him.

Samantha looked out the cab window and saw the airport in the distance. The Monday morning traffic had been light, and in a few minutes she’d climb aboard the private plane the company had sent for her.

Butterflies filled her stomach. She knew this job would take her to a place where her contributions reached into her professional and personal life and gave her the satisfaction and pride she craved.

The cabbie confirmed her departure spot and the next thing she knew, they’d pulled up beside the airplane. She slipped off her good shoe, and the cabbie broke the heel. “Perfect,” she said, stepping around the cab. “Thank you.”

Thirty minutes later, she pressed her nose against the airplane window and blinked away tears of joy.

It was a done deal.

Samantha’s jaw hurt from smiling so much. She fingered the contract in her bag, her foot tapped the floor of the cab, and she stared at the passing San Francisco scenery with so much excitement bundled up inside her that if someone put a pin to her she’d pop.

She started her new job in two weeks.

The cab pulled up to a private plane. “This is a different plane from the one that brought me here,” she said, leaning forward and peering out the windshield.

The cabbie shrugged. “This is where I was instructed to bring you.”

“Would you mind waiting a minute until I confirm I’m in the right place?”

He nodded and Samantha got out of the car.

A man exited the plane and stepped down the movable stairs. She watched him approach, taking in his casual appearance. He wore a pressed white collared shirt tucked into khaki pants. There were no gold wings on his breast pocket, but the aviator sunglasses atop his head made her assume he was, indeed, her pilot.

“Miss Bennett?”

“Yes.”

“I’m Thayer Collins, your pilot.” He extended his hand and said, “Please follow me.”

“This plane is going back to Chicago, right?” Even though Thayer Collins knew her name, she had to ask.

“Yes, ma’am.”

She quickly thanked and paid the cab driver, then followed her pilot. She stepped up the temporary stairs, pausing at the top to breathe in the cool San Francisco air. Once inside the plane, Thayer instructed her to head to the back while he entered the cockpit.

Making her way down the aisle, she was completely knocked for a loop when a familiar laugh reached her ears. She stopped, stunned. She’d know that sound anywhere. He laughed again and then said “’bye,” as if he’d just finished a phone conversation.

Her legs turning to noodles; she reached for the nearest seat to steady herself. Flutters invaded every pore, every nook and cranny, every cell of her body.

What was Dean doing in San Francisco? What was he doing on her plane? What was she going to say to him?

She still hadn’t moved when the most handsome face she’d ever laid eyes on poked out from behind a seat. “Hey, beautiful.”

Those two words alone nearly landed her on her ass, the tone in Dean’s voice a ballad that reached to the deepest part of her.

Her heart pummeled the inside of her chest; nerves bunched and coiled low in her belly. She took careful steps toward him. When she was close enough, he sat back into an oversize window seat, looking at her with voracious eyes.

“What are you doing here?” She leaned against the side of a seat, trying to play it cool but needing the support to keep her upright. Confusion stormed her. Her entire body shook.

“Take a seat.” His hand patted the cushioned spot next to him while a grin that had her legs feeling like spaghetti again crossed his sexy mouth.

“I think I’ll stay standing,” she said, getting a grip on the unwanted reactions he stirred. The air between them was hot. His gaze possessive. She tried to remain composed, but being in such close proximity to him made it difficult.

“Okay. I’m here for two reasons.” He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “But before I get to that, congratulations.”

“Huh?” He couldn’t possibly know what she was doing in San Francisco.

“On your new job. Congratulations. HP is lucky to have you.”

HP. Historic Preservation. My new employer.
“How do you know about that?”

“Funny story.” He shifted in his seat and stared at Samantha. “HP and I have been in negotiations to merge. We finalized our agreement today.”

Samantha hoped Dean couldn’t hear the way her heart pounded inside her chest like a jackhammer. “I’m working for you?”

Dean patted the seat beside him. “Will you sit down now?”

She didn’t have a choice—her legs were about to give out. She collapsed into the seat beside him, shocked at what he’d just told her.

“You’re working for HP, Sam.” He reached into her lap and unclasped her hands. When he laced his fingers with hers, he annihilated any hope she had of staying immune to him. “You’ll be working
with
me. I couldn’t believe it when I saw you there today. I knew HP was bringing on a new person, but I didn’t know it was you.”

A knot lodged in her throat.

His hand squeezed hers. “Say something.”

“I’m floored.” She swallowed and lifted her gaze from their hands to his eyes.

“Then you’ll love the second reason I’m here.”

Sam felt lightheaded. The way Dean looked at her with so much adoration in his eyes melted everything inside her.

“I’m here to escort you home.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“Because wherever you are is where I want to be.” He brought his other hand to her face and held her chin, his thumb gliding over her bottom lip. “These past few weeks without you have been hell, and I’m sorry about how we left things. I’m sorry for being such an ass, and I never want to be away from you again. I want to experience the rest of my life with you by my side.

“I never thought I’d say this to anyone, but you mean more to me than the environment, Sam.”

The honesty in his eyes, the words she never thought she’d hear him say, collided like tiny pinpricks of fairy dust all around her. “Could you repeat that, please?”

He chuckled, a look of delight and relief crossing his face. “You’re everything to me, Samantha. I love you.”

Samantha stilled. She believed him, but she wondered what would have happened if they hadn’t met up today. What if her new job had taken her to New York?

“I know what you’re thinking,” he said. “And I was coming to see you before today. Thayer can confirm it. He had me down for a flight to Chicago days ago.”

That was all she needed to hear. She lunged at him. “I love you, too,” she said before pressing her lips to his.

He kissed her back. Tender at first, but then so passionately that she knew nothing would ever come between them again.

Breaking the kiss, Dean pulled back to display a crooked smile and glint in his eyes—a mischievous expression that said he wasn’t done with her yet. “So, I hear you don’t start work for another two weeks.”

She sucked in her bottom lip and nodded.

“I just hung up with my VP, and I’m taking some time off. We’ve got enough fuel for Maui. What do you say?”

Her stomach somersaulted. “I say I don’t have any clothes with me.”

He grinned. “Perfect.”

“Dean!” She pushed his arm. “I at least need a bathing suit.”

“We’ll buy whatever you need.” He raised his eyebrows. “Sound good?”

“Yes.” She would have agreed to go anywhere with him. Happy feelings drugged her
body, so much so that she thought she might lose consciousness.

He lifted her hands in his. “Good. But I want more than Maui, Sam. Now that we’ll be working side-by-side, I’ve got to warn you that this partnership is permanent, without any possibility of termination. Can you handle that?”

“I can handle anything you toss my way, Dean Malloy.”

“That’s good, because I plan on loving you all over this great big world, Samantha Bennett.”

Thank you to Adrien-Luc Sanders for offering me my very first contract. Your enthusiasm for my story and belief in me has meant more than words can say, and you’ve made a dream of mine come true. I will always be grateful to you for that. Thanks also to Stacy Abrams for your guidance, incredible support, and awesome feedback. I was so very lucky to get to work with two amazing editors like you guys!

A very special thanks to my family and friends. Your love, encouragement, and cheers have made this first release even sweeter!

Robin Bielman lives in Southern California, a bike ride away from the ocean if she’s feeling really adventurous. She loves books and baking and running on the treadmill while watching her favorite TV shows. When she’s not reading or writing her next story, she’s spending time with her high school sweetheart husband and two sons, most likely watching, playing, or discussing baseball. She loves to connect with readers. You can find her online at www.robinbielman.com.