“Imagine it’s your husband singing love songs and women believing he’s singing to them.”
Chloe stared at JoJo. “You’re kidding.” Because that wasn’t weird. At all.
“It used to freak me out. Buck had to keep reminding me that he chose me.” JoJo smiled, her gaze softening. “Like Sam chose you.”
Did he choose her? Guess he did. She was chosen. His kisses left no doubt in her mind about that. The man was all in. But was she?
“Sorry about that.” Sam appeared at her side and put a hand on the small of her back. Tingles darted to her neck. “It won’t happen again.”
They sat and an odd feeling came over her, raising goosebumps on her arms. She glanced around. Was there a draft? Then she saw a blonde woman at a table across from them. If she could shoot daggers with her eyes, Chloe would be impaled to her chair.
She leaned close to Sam. “Who’s the blonde?” She tipped her head toward the other table.
Sam looked where she indicated.
The woman in a tight red dress glared at them.
“I don’t—wait…”
Chloe looked from the angry blonde back to Sam. “Your number one fan?”
“Not exactly.” He turned in his chair, so his side was to the blonde and he faced Chloe. “Curvy Carla.” He tipped Chloe’s chin up, brushed his lips across hers. “Remember, your classy presence is supposed to discourage her. Permanently.”
“Mm hmm. I like the sound of that.”
Dinner was served and they sat next to the mayor of Nashville and her husband on one side and on the other was a duo who’d recently been inducted into the Grand Ole Opry. Together, they wore enough sequins to cover an entire wedding party.They’re ordinary people, Chloe told herself.They have friends who’ve known them since they were fifteen, who they did crazy stunts with, who knew all of their secrets.Everyone was the same underneath—full of insecurities.
Except for Sam, apparently. She watched with awe during the ceremony as he swaggered with his limp across the stage to accept his award. He spoke eloquently and with passion about his foundation. About giving kids in underserved neighborhoods more opportunities for jobs, scholarships, and access to sports equipment. He talked about how he’d had a lot of advantages growing up: a family who could afford camps and coaching and cleats. How he’d worked hard, but he’d been given a head start that a lot of other gifted athletes didn’t get.
After the speeches and awards, emceed by a popular game show host from Los Angeles, a band tuned up and launched into “Just in Time.” Sam pulled her chair out. “May I have the pleasure?” He led her to the dance floor, slipped his arm around her, and took her hand in his.
She sighed with contentment. “Does this evening have to end?”
“No,” he said. “And neither do we.”
Chapter 12
The evening turned out amazing. Sam managed to keep Bruno and Las Vegas and the Raiders out of his mind. Mostly. His speech was well received, and Delia said several new prospective donors invited her to contact them. He and Chloe danced to “What a Wonderful World.” He pulled Chloe close.
“It certainly is. Since you’re in it,” he murmured into her ear. How much longer until he could take her back to the condo, have her alone, and kiss her silly? He moved her around the dance floor, humming the words. The song ended and moved into “Love is Here to Stay.” “It’s like our personal playlist tonight.”
She chuckled and pulled him closer. He kept an eye out for that Carla person, but except for the death stare before dinner, she’d made herself scarce.
When the band took a break, Sam held Chloe’s hand as he guided her through the crowd, talking to various people. Nashville’s state representative to Congress. Music Row executives. They wandered outside, watching people taking hot air balloon rides.
“Do you want to go up?” He nodded at the basket attached to brightly striped silks.
She shuddered. “I don’t do heights.”
“They’re tethered the whole time.”
“Thanks, but no.”
“You double-dog dared me to jump off the roof into the swimming pool, but you’re scared of heights?”
“It’s how I deal with it. Watching others. Jean-Marc thought I was crazy too. But he enjoyed showing off, doing his extreme skiing and stuff for me.” A note of melancholy crept into her voice, and Sam squeezed her hand.
They told Buck and JoJo goodnight and Sam called for the limo.
