“Oh? Was that an experience you wanted to relive? I thought you were slumming it, living with us ‘dormies’ when your daddy could’ve gotten you a swanky apartment,” April teased.
“I was, but we still had fun.”
April bit her lip as she thought it over. She had never been good at asking for help, but Lana was offering, and it wasn’t like she was overwhelmed with options. Lana dropped down right next to her on the sofa and reached over to play with April’s blonde curls.
“C’mon. I have plenty of room. It’s not like you’d be a burden. And you have to get a new place. You can’t stay somewhere so dangerous!”
“Can I bring Damien?”
Lana shrugged. “As long as he doesn’t mind the Roomba.”
Knowing Damien, he would either spend his time chasing it or riding it, but no, he wouldn’t mind. That dog could put up with anything. He even liked cats, although cats didn’t much like him.
“Okay. If you want me, you’ve got me.”
***
“We’re back!” April yelled down the hallway. She wiggled a little, trying to keep her shorts from riding up too far on her. Even with her thighs bare and her thin, racerback tank top, April was drenched in sweat. There was nothing like a Texas summer.
April hefted the two stacked boxes in her arms and headed through the hallway to the den. “We hit some traffic on the way back. Sorry it took so long.” April grunted and set the boxes down by the pile of other boxes, then stretched her arms over her head. “I’ll get them unpacked this weekend.” She bent over, touching the floor with her palms. “I’d hate to mess up the Feng Shui of this gorgeous, spotless, miraculously air-conditioned haven from Houston’s poorly-maintained streets.”
“Hm,” rumbled a deep, amused voice. “Do you promise?”
“Do I…?” April turned and then flushed scarlet as she realized she’d just been flashing the backside of her short-shorts at Lana’s brother.
Samson Bennett sat there, smirking as he sprawled his six-foot-five frame across Lana’s sofa. April wanted to smack that look off his face, but as per usual, she was mute in his presence. She’d only seen him a few times before at Lana’s house during the holidays. But since he was twelve years their senior, he never stuck around to chat. He was in and out of the house, either with a different girl on his arm each time on his way to meet a woman before going to a meeting.
The man was as much a playboy as he was a businessman. You couldn’t get through the checkout line without seeing his face on a magazine related to one or the other.
“So you’re moving in with my baby sister.” He leaned forward and tented his hands.
“No, I’m robbing her place,”April’s voice dripped with sarcasm and she crossed her arms.
Samson raised his brows and tilted his head to the side. April tried to remain annoyed with him while he looked so coy and charming. Samson had his sister’s dark hair and dark eyes, although his hair only came just below his jawline… and what a well-cut jaw it was. As her embarrassment faded, April’s face continued to burn as her body reacted to Samson’s large, powerful form. It seemed out of place lounging about like that.
“You could’ve said you were here when I yelled,” she pointed out.
“I could have said ‘hello,’ I suppose. But it would’ve been strange, wouldn’t it? Some strange man yelling out of her apartment?”
“Strange, definitely, but it isn’t like I don’t know who you are.”
“Really?” Samson lifted his chin and sat up straight. “You’re a fan?”
“A fan? What?” Her face blanked in realization. “Oh, my God. Get over yourself, Samson. We’ve met!”
He raked his hand back through his hair as he rose to his feet. “Oh, no. I’d have remembered you.”
“Apparently not. I was Lana’s college roommate.” She paused, waiting for a light of recognition in his eyes that never came. “I stayed over? We had dinner at the same table on Christmas Eve during sophomore year. Well, part of it. Maybe you had too much champagne with Bunny before you sat down for five minutes and left before the main course.” April rolled her eyes. “Your mom was pretty upset.”
Samson strolled closer to April, practically casting a shadow over her. “Now, Bunny Bradshaw, I remember.”
“Good for Bunny. I have a few more boxes to bring up. My friend is holding the car.” April forced herself to look away from him, but she could still feel his body getting closer to hers. “Where’s Lana?”
“She went out to run an errand. She and I are going out to lunch now that I’m in town.” Samson stopped moving and leaned over a little, smiling like a Cheshire cat. “Would you like to come with us?”
He was so damn handsome that April’s eyes were drawn back to his like magnets. Her heart thudded impetuously in her chest.
“After you get cleaned up, of course.”