The Bride Star--Sweet Edition, page 20
Sam swore. “You are not frigid,” he said angrily. “And if that man was standing before me, I’d kill him.”
Rayne stroked his cheek. “I’m not frigid with you. I think that’s what Shaye was trying to tell me. Maybe you’re the one she prayed for. All I know is that with you, I feel as though I’ve never been touched by anyone else. My limited and bad experiences have been washed away.”
“Good.” Sam kissed her forehead. “Let yourself be loved, Rayne.”
She grinned. “I’m so okay with being loved. Just be sure it’s often.”
* * *
They stayed in bed most of the day, choosing to have dinner in their room rather than in the dining room, and fell asleep later than they should have. Rayne was not happy when Sam woke her early the next morning. “I don’t want to get up,” she whined.
He pulled his pants on. “You can stay in bed, sweetheart. I’ll go with Elijah to look at the fields.”
She turned her head to look at him. He was standing over her, shirtless and sexy. “It should be a crime,” she grumbled.
“Waking up this early?”
“No. You without a shirt.”
He chuckled as he sat down on the bed next to her and leaned over for a kiss. “Why don’t you stay, Angel? We’ll have lunch when I return.”
“No, I want to go with you. I just don’t want to wake up.” She gently took hold of him and pulled herself up. He took advantage of her position and wrapped his arms around her waist. She smiled and cupped his face. “You’re all prickly,” she said before kissing him.
“I haven’t had a chance to shave yet.”
“Do you have to shave?”
He raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Well, is it a rule of some kind?”
“No, Angel. Just a choice,” he said, chuckling.
“I like it.” He kissed her and she couldn’t help herself from stroking her hand down his chest. She sighed and deepened the kiss. “I’m sorry,” she said and broke the kiss.
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because we need to meet Elijah and all I want to do is keep you naked and in my bed.”
Sam laughed and kissed her again, but this time, quickly. After she took a deep breath and stretched, Rayne eased her way out of the bed and made her way to the wardrobe. “What should I wear?”
“We’re going to have to ride, so something comfortable,” he said. “Be sure to wear your heavy outerwear and gloves. It’s quite cold.”
Rayne picked out a skirt and blouse and put her sweatpants on underneath. She grabbed a pair of gloves and followed Sam downstairs. They had a quick breakfast and then made their way out to the stables.
“I have a surprise for you,” Sam said.
“Another one?”
Sam took her hand and led her into his large stables. A groom stood in the middle of the barn, holding an unusual-looking horse. Much smaller than Samson, and spotted.
“What kind of horse is that?”
“A Pinto,” he said.
“It’s very pretty.” She glanced at Sam. “Is it a boy or a girl?”
“She’s a mare and she’s your wedding gift.”
“You bought me a horse?”
Sam shook his head. “It’s actually a wedding gift from Crow.”
“What?” She tried to cover her shock. “He bought me a horse?”
“She’s one of his. He breeds them.”
Rayne made her way to the animal and stroked the horse’s nose. “Why Pintos?”
“The Pinto is a very smart, mild-mannered horse. Crow thought she might help you feel more comfortable about riding.”
“How thoughtful of him.”
Sam’s groom led the horse out to the mounting block and Sam helped her climb on. He then mounted his horse, and they took off toward the east field. Rayne loved her new horse. She was very easy to ride, almost as though she knew what to do even if Rayne didn’t.
Sam pulled to a stop near a small group of men who appeared to be deep in discussion. Rayne realized her gloves were useless, and her hands burned with cold. Sam dismounted and then lifted Rayne from her horse. He led her over to the men. A large black man broke away from the group to approach the couple and Rayne assumed he must be Elijah. Sam shook his hand and asked him for updates.
Rayne watched her husband get drawn into a heated discussion and she cleared her throat to remind him she was there.
“Rayne. Sweetheart, I’m sorry,” he said. “Gentleman, may I present my wife. Rayne, this is Elijah, Jonathan, and Joseph.”
“It’s nice to meet you all,” she said warmly. She reached out to shake their hands and noticed their surprise that she did.
Sam pushed her arm back to her side and shook his head.
“What?” she asked.
“They cannot touch you, Rayne.”
“What?” she snapped. “That’s ridiculous.”
“We’ll discuss it later,” Sam said in warning.
The men pretended not to notice the tension between them, and Rayne felt nervous and a little disgusted as she clamped her mouth shut and glared at Sam.
The men went back to their conversation and Rayne decided to explore the area. She was amazed by the vastness of the land and wondered if it all belonged to Sam. She walked down a small hill and found herself in a basin of sorts.
She shivered despite her cloak. There was a covering of fog suspended on the valley floor and it seemed to wrap around her ankles. She smiled as she looked around her. It really was magnificent. She turned suddenly when she heard shouting. She wasn’t entirely sure what was going on until she heard her name.
“Rayne!” She started back toward Sam and then his call got more urgent. “Rayne!”
“Sam?” Rayne began to ascend the hill, but when Sam saw her, he rushed forward and grabbed her shoulders.
“Where the hell were you?” he snapped.
Rayne frowned. “Right here.”
“What were you thinking?”
“I decided to explore a little.” She tried to shrug out of his grip. “What’s wrong?”
“Don’t ever do that again!” he admonished.
“Do what?” she asked, starting to get a little perturbed.
“Don’t walk away like that.”
“I just went down the hill, Sam. I wasn’t far.”
“It doesn’t matter, Rayne,” he growled. “You will tell me where you are at all times.”
She pushed his hands from her shoulders. “Are you saying you expect me to check in with you?”
“Yes.”
“At all times?”
“Yes. At all times, Rayne.”
“Well, you can get that idea out of your head.” She scowled. “I’m not a child and I’ll go where I damn well please.”
“We are in the middle of a war,” he snapped.
She stomped away from him. “We sure as hell will be if you continue down this road.”
“Rayne!”
“Step off, Sam!” she yelled. “You’re overreacting.”
“A war, Rayne,” he bellowed back. “One where you could be killed!”
“Yes, I can see that. I hear the guns firing as we speak,” Rayne snapped and Sam growled in response. “Don’t growl at me! I was less than a hundred feet from you. You’re being a jerk.”
“It’s not safe for you to wander off, Rayne.”
“I didn’t wander anywhere! I knew where you were the entire time.”
“I won’t have this argument with you. You will stay where I put you.”
“Oh, my God! You are such an ass.”
She continued to stomp away from him, toward the small grove of trees at the edge of their property. She was so mad, and she couldn’t stop herself from muttering in fury. She would not be a kept woman and was angry that he was treating her like a child.
* * *
Sam let her walk a few feet before following at a slight distance. He knew she was irate, knew he’d overreacted, but couldn’t forget the feeling of alarm he experienced when he looked up from his conversation and couldn’t see her. When she didn’t answer his call the first time, he wasn’t prepared for the sheer panic that spread through him.
She reached the edge of the trees and scowled. She probably realized she’d either have to turn around or walk into the forest. She chose the former, but faced him with crossed arms and a look of pure death.
She looked utterly adorable, and he tried his hardest not to smile as he reached her and cupped her face gently. “I’m sorry, Angel,” he said quietly.
She pulled her face away from him and huffed. “I am not a child.”
“I know that, sweetheart.”
“Funny way of showing it,” she grumbled.
He pulled her arms away from her body, broke her hold, and took her hands. He brought them to his mouth and kissed them before he pulled them around his waist and forced her into his embrace. “You scared me Rayne, but I’m sorry I snapped at you. I just want you safe.”
“I was less than ten feet from you.”
Sam chuckled. “The story is changing I see.”
“Don’t be an ass,” she snapped. “You cannot honestly expect me to believe I’m in danger on your land.”
“Our land,” he corrected.
“Sam,” she huffed.
“Yes, Angel?”
“Don’t.”
“Sorry,” he said and rewarded her with his little half smile.
“Don’t do that either.”
“Do what, Angel?”
“Smile like that. It’s distracting.” He leaned down and kissed her. It took her several seconds to break the kiss. “And for Pete’s sake, don’t do that!” she snapped, although the bite had left her voice.
“What can I do?” he asked with feigned innocence.
“Nothing.”
Sam chuckled at her glare. “We have a great deal of land, which means, a great deal of space that is not guarded. This is also Maryland, a place with divided loyalties. I want you safe. So, please, will you tell me if you’re going farther than the stables? Not because I think you’re a child, but because I want you safe.”
He pulled her back into his embrace, but this time she wrapped her arms around him of her own accord. “Fine,” she said and laid her forehead on his chest. “Just don’t yell at me again. Especially in front of other people. I don’t like it.”
“I can’t promise I’ll never yell, Angel. Particularly if you’re in danger.”
“Okay, but you’re going to have to make it up to me later.”
Sam laughed. “I will.”
She shivered as she slipped her hands under his heavy coat and laid her hands flat against his back.
“Where are your gloves, sweetheart?”
“In my pocket.”
“Which defeats the entire purpose of gloves. Your hands are like ice,” he said holding them between both of his.
“They weren’t really helping,” she said.
“Which ones are you wearing? Show me.” She pulled them out of her pocket and Sam sighed. “These are not your heavy winter gloves, Rayne.”
“I didn’t think it would be this cold.”
“You’re aware it’s October, correct?”
Rayne scowled. “Thanks for reminding me.”
“Let’s get back to the house and warm you up,” he said. “In the meantime, wear these.”
He took off his gloves and handed them to her.
She raised an eyebrow. “What about you?”
“You are more important.” He kissed her cheek. “Put them on.”
She did as he asked and sighed with pleasure as the warmth seeped into her hands. Grabbing one of her newly gloved hands, he led her back to the horses, lifted her onto hers, and then mounted his own after saying good-bye to Elijah and the crew.
They rode back to the house in relative silence, arriving faster than Rayne would have expected. Once Sam lifted her down, he handed the horses to the groom and led her back into the house. She was shivering by the time they arrived at the house, so he called for his housekeeper.
“Tandy!” he called.
The housekeeper exited from the parlor. “Yessuh?”
“Please organize a bath for Mrs. Powell.”
“Yessuh,” she said and went off to take care of the request.
Sam led Rayne to their bedroom and pulled her into his arms. “You’re freezing.” He peeled off her cloak and scowled. “This is entirely inadequate clothing to wear during the winter, Rayne.”
“I didn’t think it would be this cold!”
Sam frowned. “That is apparently the issue, isn’t it?”
“What?”
“You didn’t think,” he said, a little more condescendingly than he meant to.
Before she could respond, the house staff knocked on the door and dragged in a large tub, along with buckets of steaming water. Once the tub was filled, the staff left discreetly, and Sam started to pull Rayne’s clothing from her body.
“I can do it.” She slapped his hands away.
Sam was beyond angry with her. She had disregarded her safety and he was at a loss as to how to approach her. He knew she wouldn’t react well to his words in his current state, but he also knew it would take more than a few minutes to shake off his anxiety and speak to her calmly.
He heard her growl and turned to see she was having a difficult time with her corset. He made his way to her, unlaced the undergarment and helped her remove it. She muttered her thanks and then removed the rest of her things and climbed into the tub. Sam turned, walked out of the room, and slammed the door.
RAYNE SCOWLED. SHE hated Sam’s angry tone, but complete silence was something she just couldn’t take. She didn’t even know why he was so mad. She was once again in a place of confusion and sadness. Now she wanted to go home again. At least there she knew what to expect. Being in love kind of sucked and she wanted her old life back.
Sam didn’t return for an hour. By then, Rayne was almost hysterical. The staff had removed the tub and she was wrapped in her robe, pacing the room. She turned when she heard the door open. Sam stepped inside and Rayne crossed her arms to await his barrage of instructions.
Instead he pulled her into his embrace. “I’m sorry, Angel,” he whispered and kissed the crown of her head.
Rayne sniffed back tears. “I don’t understand why you’re so mad! And the silent treatment! What the hell was up with that?” She dropped her head onto his chest.
“I’m sorry. I was reacting out of fear and I didn’t know how to verbalize it.”
“Fear of what, damn it?”
Sam pulled her to a chair and onto his lap. “I don’t want any harm to come to you, sweetheart, so when I couldn’t find you this morning and then you dressed so inadequately, it scared me.”
“But it’s my body, Sam.” Rayne patted her chest with her palm. “I’m not typically cold and I think I can wear whatever I want to.”
“It’s not just your body, Angel. It’s also mine. It’s something I love beyond reason and should any harm come to it, I’m not certain I would survive it.”
“Melodramatic a bit, don’t you think?”
Sam let out a deep sigh. “I love you, Rayne. I want you safe. If you think I’m being melodramatic, then so be it.”
“I don’t know what to say.” She climbed off his lap. “I’m not used to this.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how to do this!” Rayne slipped her hands into the pockets of her robe. “I think you’re going to be disappointed with me a lot.”
Sam stood and cupped her face. “I love you, Angel. Nothing will ever change that. I’m fairly certain we’ll disappoint each other at different times in our lives, but we’ll work it out.”
“What if we don’t?”
“We will.”
“We better,” she grumbled. “I don’t like fighting with you, and if we can’t figure out our differences, maybe I should just go home.”
Sam stepped away from her and stared at her for several seconds. “You’re not going anywhere.”
Rayne shrugged. “I will if you push me.”
Sam crossed his arms. “I am not one of your worshipers you can threaten, Rayne. I’m your husband. These tactics won’t work on me.”
Rayne sighed. “I’m not threatening you. I’m simply expressing my need for peace. I cannot handle fighting with you. I don’t like conflict.”
Sam chuckled. “Who does? It is a necessary part of life, however.”
“Well, I don’t want it between us.”
Sam sighed. “Then let’s not fight. I have other, much more pleasant things I’d like to do.”
* * *
Rayne woke on Sunday morning, earlier than Sam. They’d come to a tentative resolution the night before, but she still felt out of her element. They’d had another small argument... and it was one she’d started, angry at Sam’s explanation that because she was a white woman, she could not be alone with a black man or touch him, even if it was just to shake his hand in greeting.
They were on the noon train back to D.C. and decided to go for a ride after breakfast before they were scheduled to be at the station. Sam inspected everything she planned to wear, and she was slightly irked that he made her feel like a child.
“Maybe we should have a codeword,” Rayne snapped.
“What does that mean?” Sam asked.
“If you need to rescue me... um... bathe me... or perhaps change my diaper, I’ll yell ‘aardvark.’”
Sam sighed. “Rayne.”
She’d huffed and stomped down to the dining room. Sam insisted she eat before their ride, so she did what she was told and attempted not to scowl at him throughout the whole day... just part of it.
Their trip back to D.C. was uneventful, and they made it to Quincy’s townhouse just in time for dinner. Victoria hugged her and pulled her into the parlor, where Emma was sitting with Hannah. Sam made his way back to Quincy’s office.
