Page 91 of Wishing Hearts

I nod my head, but it becomes a shake. “What if we forgot to pack something?”

“She’ll survive,” Sam says, stepping close and wrapping his arms around me. “It’s just one night.”

“What if she doesn’t like it?” I ask. “What if she has to come home?”

“Then your parents will bring her home,” he answers calmly.

“What if…” I cut myself off. God, I sound just like Winnie.

“Stud, it’ll be all right,” Sam says, his drawl soothing me somewhat. “She’s been excited about this for a week. She’ll prob’ly have so much fun with all the other kids, she won’t even have time to think about worryin’. And if she can’t sleep or gets sad, your parents will be there to help.”

I blow out a breath, nodding. Winnie has been excited about star night at the museum ever since Sam floated the idea. The local museum does overnights for kids once a month, and this month, the theme is constellations. It seemed too good to be true, and Winnie jumped at the chance to go.

This is supposed to be a night for just Sam and me. A night that’s ours, and ours alone. My parents were all too happy to sign up as chaperones for the event, so they’ll be going with Winnie. Realistically, I know my daughter will be fine. Sam is right; she’ll probably have too much fun to even think about missing home. And me.

But the anxious side of me can’t stop worrying. I need to put it aside; I know that. I can’t let my concern cloud my date night with Sam. But after the way Winnie reacted to my being in Plum Valley, there’s a knot in my stomach, like I’m just waiting for tonight to go wrong.

Sam’s lips press along my jaw, startling me somewhat. “D’you need me to distract you?”

My shoulders lose some of their tension. “Might not be a bad idea,” I admit.

Sam rumbles, his lips drifting down to my neck. I ease my head further to the side. “I can do that.”

“Tell me where we’re going?” I ask. Sam refused to let me have a part in planning our night. He said he had it handled.

He chuckles. “Not yet. You’re gonna have to be patient.”

“We could just stay here,” I suggest, thoughts running wild as Sam nips my earlobe.

He rumbles again, the vibration of it traveling from his chest to mine. “Nah. I think I’d rather tease you all night. And only once you can’t stand it anymore will I bring you back here—to an empty house—and have my wicked way with you.” He licks my earlobe. “Maybe I can get you screamin’ my name again.”

I puff out a breath. “That mouth.”

“Mm.”

“Daddy!” Winnie yells. “Grandma and Grandpa are here.”

Sam pulls back slightly, warm brown gaze raking over me. “Better?”

“Huh?” I ask, my mind still floating.

Sam chuckles, linking his hand with mine and giving me a tug toward the stairs. My parents are inside when we get down to the foyer, my mom helping Winnie into her light jacket and my dad rubbing Tigger’s head.

My mom gives us a big smile. “You boys look handsome.”

I huff a laugh—we’re not dressed that much differently than normal—but Sam beams.

“Thanks, Mrs. Bailey,” he says, straightening his shirt somewhat. My heart squeezes tight as I realize Sam probably never had this. A parental figure to fuss over him.

I squeeze his hand.

“Sammy, call me Cordelia,” my mom says. “Mrs. Bailey is much too formal for family.”

Sam squeezes my hand back. Hard.

“Got everything you need?” my dad asks Winnie.

She nods rapidly, her backpack already over her shoulder and sleeping bag tucked under her arm. “I’m ready,” she says. And Christ, she sounds it.

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