Page 13 of His Hawaiian Heart (Stateside Doms #26)

Chapter Nine

Samantha

“That’s a horse.”

Sam laughed as he picked up the reins that lay draped over a grouping of ferns. “I know it is, but how do you know?”

Okay, he wasn’t only tall, dark, and sexy as sin, he actually had a sense of humor. “Very funny. I mean, not that I thought you’d arrive by limo again, but maybe an ATV or a jeep.”

“You can’t reach where we’re going by either of those. We could hike in, but I figured you’d like the view from McNut’s back better.”

“McNut? Why would you saddle such a beautiful animal with a name like that?”

“Don’t blame me. I named him Max after Maximus Meridius, one of the greatest generals and gladiators Rome ever knew.

He selected his nickname when he proved to have an insatiable appetite for these.

” Sam pulled something from his pocket, took my hand and seemed about to pass it to me before reconsidering.

“He’s big, but gentle. You don’t have to be afraid of him if you’d like to feed him. ”

“I’m not afraid.”

Of him or of you.

Of course, I wasn’t ready to add that little tidbit. Instead I made a gimme motion with my fingers and he opened his hand to let its contents spill into mine. “Macadamia nuts?”

“Hence the name.”

I nodded. “Okay, even if nothing else about this day makes sense, at least that does. Hello, Mr. McNut, my name is Sam. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

” I swore he looked from me to Sam and then back again.

“I know, I know, it’s confusing.” He snorted his agreement as I stepped forward and slowly extended my hand, making sure I kept it flat.

His head dipped and his lips nuzzled against my palm as he accepted the treat.

When he’d eaten the last one, I smiled and reached up to stroke the velvet of his face.

“You’re a sweet boy and a very handsome horse, Mr. McNut. ”

“Would you like a ride?”

Only with every cell of my body.

Though I couldn’t accuse Ms. Smartass of lying, she wasn’t helping. At the question, all I’d seen was me tossing off my clothes and straddling his hips… and I sure as hell didn’t mean the horse. “It hardly seems right to steal your ride,” I said instead.

He chuckled. “You won’t be stealing, you’ll be sharing.”

“Oh, um, then yes, I’d love to ride you…”

The smile that tugged the corner of his lip up let me know he was well aware of what I’d said.

I knew I probably should correct my slip, but I wouldn’t as that was the truth.

And while I might have momentarily forgotten the definition of “slowly,” I didn’t forget that blinding charging forward into the unknown wasn’t just stupid, it was dangerous.

Brushing my palms against my jeans, I took a moment to simply breathe before lifting my head. “Ready?”

“Yes.” He reached out and I was waiting for the brush of his fingers across my skin when instead, he plucked the glasses off my head. “You might want to stow these and anything else that might fall out of those pockets. The trails we’ll be taking aren’t as smooth as the roads.”

I took the glasses and tucked them into one of my vest pockets after unsnapping it.

“That road we took last night wasn’t exactly what I’d call smooth,” I noted as I checked each pocket where I’d tucked a few vials, some tweezers, cotton swabs and balls, a small penknife, a journal and a couple of pens. “Okay, I think we’re good to go.”

Before I could ask where the saddle was, Sam picked me up and when he said, “spread your legs,” I did exactly that.

If he had a slight smirk on his face after I settled on McNut’s back, I borrowed a page out of his book and didn’t remark on it.

Instead, I watched him swing up behind me with the ease of someone who’d done so a thousand times.

I’d ridden horses before but never one without a saddle or with another rider.

“Do you always go bareback?”

He chuckled. “Depends on what I’m riding,” he said and I felt a zing shoot through me and settle right between my spread legs.

“Relax, I’ve got you,” he said as he wrapped one arm around my waist and tugged me back against him. “I won’t let you fall.”

What if it’s too late?

Nope! I wasn’t going down that road again. One kiss did not a commitment make no matter how incredible it had been. If I needed proof of that, all I had to do was replay the conversation I’d had with Katrina this morning.

“Mind if I join you?”

“I’d love it if you would. But first, just so you know, Samuel and I didn’t have a relationship.”

“I wasn’t going to ask,” I said setting the mug for her next to a stack of folders. Without giving any names, I repeated what I’d told Josh. “You’re both adults and can date whoever you like.”

Katrina set down the folder she’d been perusing and picked up another. I took the opportunity to snip off the end of a piece of bacon. While I chewed, her gaze flicked from the folder to me.

“That’s what I thought. I didn’t remember your CV including a doctorate of psychology, nor do I see anything about a vision issue,” she said.

“This”—I gestured to the space that included the two of us—“is exactly what I was hoping we could avoid. I’ve been looking forward to working with you and, well, I didn’t make the impression I’d hoped.”

“You did, or else you wouldn’t be here.” Katrina exchanged the folder for her coffee mug. “Your reputation alone is enough for an invitation to be on any team anywhere in the world. I fought like a dog to get you onto mine.”

I didn’t know what to say to that except, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, and while the scientist in you is professional enough not to ask for the details, unless I’m completely wrong, the woman in you won’t be able to concentrate on her job until this”—she mimicked my earlier gesture between us—“ has been cleared up.”

I supposed her ability to cut through the bullshit was what had allowed her to rise to the pinnacle of the scientific community.

“Fine. So what was that kiss all about?” I asked, a bit shocked at my audacity.

“It was my way of letting him know I held no grudge.”

“Why would there be a grudge if you didn’t have a relationship?”

She smiled. “I never said we didn’t have encounters.”

Okay, maybe not all the bullshit, but I wasn’t averse to picking up a shovel of my own.

“No relationship, and yet I find it hard to believe a single encounter would warrant either forgiveness or a good-bye kiss. So unless these encounters were either illegal or nonconsensual, I’m afraid I’m missing something here. ”

I wasn’t sure which word had her eyebrow lifting, illegal or nonconsensual, but I wasn’t asking. The next pile of shit to be removed was on her side of the table.

“For all his faults, Samuel would rather cut out his heart than force a woman to do something she didn’t want. I’ll spare you the details, but if I didn’t know that, I never would have agreed to play.”

“So you did date.”

“We didn’t date. We met, we played, we left in separate cars.

Sam’s a great Dom but as a man he’s closed off, an enigma if you will, and that wasn’t what I was looking for.

On the chance that I’m not going to shock you, I’ll admit I enjoy submitting, but I also enjoy companionship outside of a scene, if you know what I mean. ”

I was willing to bet that was definitely not on her CV, but I didn’t need her to draw me a picture. I appreciated the trust she was showing me as well as her bluntness. “I do.” Having said all I needed on that subject, I added, “So what’s on the agenda today?”

The rest of our conversation was spent going over schedules and dividing the area around the camp into manageable segments.

There weren’t enough of us to all pair up, but if something of interest was discovered, a smaller sub team would be formed and we’d go from there.

We had two months to find what we hoped would prove useful.

It might seem like a lot of time, but when you were looking for an insect that might be smaller than the head of a pin in a lush tropical forest, it really wasn’t a lot of time.

However, we were a dedicated group and would do all that we could.

It was only when I was helping her restack all the papers and folders, that I remembered her earlier remark. “Why would you think I had a vision problem?”

Katrina grinned. “I never said it was a problem, I said issue.”

I rolled my eyes. “What’s the difference?”

“The difference is that a problem would require fixing, whereas an issue simply requires removing those rose-colored glasses you’re wearing.”

Recalling Katrina’s reference to glasses, I had to smile.

The ones currently in my pocket didn’t have rose-colored lenses but did help me remember why I was here.

I’d spent all morning carefully looking among the lush ferns for evidence of insects on my wish list. I’d found nothing besides a few spores and a couple of butterflies had landed as if wondering why I was slowly turning fronds this way and that, but if the man behind me actually pulled through with his promise, I would have a start.

“How far do we have to go?”

“It’s a few miles but will take longer as it’s not a straight shot. Do we need to stop and check in with anyone before we leave the area?”

Okay, so he was behaving more professionally than I was.

“I think that’s a good idea. It’s better to check the maps and make sure we have permission to study an area than get our hopes up only to discover our permits don’t extend that far.

Besides, if we ask nicely, Cookie might even prepare us a picnic if this ride will last past noon. ”

“It will, and if that picnic is anything like the sandwich I ate last night, then I’ll be sure to add a pretty please to the request,” he said, which only served to make that tingle reappear.

Or perhaps it was caused by the tightening of his grip when the incline of the rise pushed me harder against him.

You’re here to w-o-r-k.

Give it a break. Part of my work involves research.