Part 18 (2/2)
”Don't know.”
”Her face looks familiar.”
”Hey, wait a minute. Isn't that one of the girls who was in Luke and Mac's wedding, one of Mac's attorney friends?”
Blade knew that he and Sam were being discussed the moment they entered the huge room at Whispering Pines, his uncle Jake's ranch, where most of the Madaris parties were held. He and Sam had arrived in Houston late yesterday evening, but had only notified Slade when they had gotten to town. Blade knew for his family to see him and Sam together would be a shocker.
He'd gone through the receiving line and had met Rasheed's wife, Johari. The rumors he'd heard were true. She was a beauty, but he thought that no woman was as beautiful as the one standing beside him.
Getting Sam to come with him to Houston hadn't been easy. She had grumbled all the way, claiming he was just trying to boss her around. He'd finally convinced her that due to Alex's hectic schedule it would be better if she came and talked to him here. The sooner Alex got a handle on things the better.
Blade still didn't like the fact that Sam's life could be in danger. That day when they had finally made love had turned into a lazy day filled with s.e.x, s.e.x and more s.e.x. She would blush every time he teased her about the number of times she'd come. By the time they had closed their eyes that night it had been a whopping ten. And he had awakened the next morning ready to make love to her again. He had set a record not only for her but for himself, as well. He'd never wanted any woman that much and for that long. He had driven her into work at ten on Thursday, a time he considered a reasonable hour.
Her security team at the office had been apprised of the threat by Mac, and everyone was being cautious and alert. No packages were to be accepted that looked suspicious, and the only persons allowed in to meet with Sam were those appointments previously scheduled with current clients.
Blade had taken the initiative to speak with the security force himself and everyone was ready to do whatever had to be done to protect her. Even Rita had pulled her head out of her romance novel long enough to listen, and by the look in her eyes Blade had a feeling this was probably the most excitement she'd ever experienced as a security guard.
”Do you get the feeling that we're being watched, Blade?”
Sam's question reined in his thoughts and he could only smile. Being watched was just the tip of the iceberg. Wait until his great-grandmother saw them. That's when the interrogation would begin.
He glanced around, not surprised to see a number of curious eyes on them, mostly those of his relatives. They were trying to digest it all, making sure they weren't seeing things, or drawing the wrong conclusion. In this case the conclusions they reached would probably be right. The woman standing by his side would one day become Mrs. Blade Madaris.
He smiled at her and said, ”We are are being watched. I usually don't bring anyone to family functions.” being watched. I usually don't bring anyone to family functions.”
”Why not?”
”I'm a player, remember. It's not good for my image,” he teased, and couldn't help but laugh when he saw the frown on her face.
”Come on,” he said, taking her hand. ”I see my parents over there, as well as my grandparents. And I'm sure my great-grandmother is around here somewhere. I want to introduce you. The last thing I want is for them to get ideas about us. We're nothing more than friends and the sooner they know it the better.”
Sam nodded. ”I agree.”
Blade figured she would. What he didn't tell her was that although he would tell his family she was nothing more than a friend, there was not a single one of them here tonight who would believe it.
An hour or so later Blade had made the rounds with Sam by his side, introducing her to everyone. After claiming he needed to go discuss a business matter with Slade, he had left her in his great-grandmother's and Syneda's care, something that hadn't gone unnoticed. Mama Laverne and Syneda were two of the most opinionated and nosy women in the Madaris family.
Felicia Laverne Madaris, who was sitting on one of the sofas, glanced up at Sam and smiled before asking, ”So, how long have you and my great-grandson been seeing each other?”
Syneda noticed the surprised look on Sam's face before she responded. ”Blade and I aren't seeing each other. We're just friends. He's sort of helping me out of a jam.”
Syneda and Mama Laverne exchanged knowing looks. First of all, Blade didn't have female friends, he had bed partners. And Blade wouldn't help any woman out of a jam unless there was something in it for him. But what was so crystal clear to both women, although the waters were evidently still rather murky to Samari Di Meglio, was that somehow, someway, Blade had singled her out. It was also rather obvious Ms. Di Meglio had no earthly idea just what that meant.
”I understand you're expecting,” Sam said to Syneda, breaking into her thoughts. ”Congratulations.”
Syneda beamed. ”Thanks. I'm happy about it, although it did come as a shock, since I was on birth control. But that's the thing about a Madaris man. If he wants to get you pregnant, a simple thing like a birth-control pill or a condom isn't going to stop him.”
”Oh,” Sam said, and quickly looked away. She had nothing to worry about, since the last thing Blade would want to do was to get her pregnant. She was sure of it.
After meeting them, Sam was convinced that she liked Blade's family. Some of them she'd met before, at Mac and Luke's wedding. They were friendly then and they were friendly now. Christy Madaris Maxwell had pulled out a bunch of photos of her little girl and Sam thought she looked like a doll, absolutely adorable. For a moment Sam could envisioned her own little girl, who would look like her father. And for some reason a little girl with Blade's features flashed across her mind.
She almost choked on the wine she'd been drinking. Lorren Madaris, who was married to Blade's cousin Justin, and Caitlin Madaris, who was married to his cousin Dex, glanced over at her with concern. ”Are you okay?” Lorren asked.
She nodded after clearing her throat. ”Yes, I'm fine.” Deep down she knew she wasn't fine. For some reason she'd just thought about being the mother of Blade's baby.
Deciding that was the last thing she wanted to think about, she glanced around the room and smiled when she saw how attentive Sheikh Rasheed Valdemon was to his wife. She thought they made such a beautiful couple, and Johari Valdemon was practically glowing. Sam knew why. They had announced to everyone a few moments earlier that they would become parents this fall.
Sam knew that her own parents would jump for joy if either she or Angelo presented them with a grandchild. The thought of having a baby had never crossed her mind before, but now with so many pregnant women here tonight, she found herself thinking about it. And whenever she did, those thoughts would include Blade. She wasn't ready to think about why that was the case; for now she would just accept that it was.
She turned, knowing the object of her thoughts had returned to her side. He smiled at her. ”Missed me?”
She chuckled. ”Of course.”
He glanced over at his family. ”Excuse us for a minute.” He took Sam's hand in his and led her over to a secluded spot near where the band had been playing earlier.
”I've made arrangements,” he whispered. ”Alex wants to talk to you before the party ends tonight. We'll use Jake's office. Will that be okay?”
”Yes, that will be fine. The sooner he finds out something the better. It's been crazy at the office with everyone looking over their shoulders.”
He nodded in understanding.
”Sam! I didn't know you would be here.”
Blade and Sam turned when Luke and Mac walked up. Sam gave her best friend a hug. ”When I saw you in the office before you left town on Thursday, I didn't know, either,” she said to Mac. ”Blade had asked me the day before but I turned him down. And then he kept pestering me about coming, so I changed my mind Friday morning.” She chuckled and added, ”He finally asked me nicely instead of making it an order.”
Mac nodded as she and Luke glanced over at Blade, who only shrugged his shoulders. ”I thought it was best to bring her with me instead of leaving her in Oklahoma with that crazy person still on the loose.”
Luke stared at Blade a moment. ”I can see you thinking that way.”
Luke knew it was a lie even as he said it. He couldn't see Blade thinking that way at all. For Blade to bring Sam to the party could only mean one thing. A woman had finally captured his cousin's heart.
Chapter 21.
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