Sam’s Little Girl by Pepper North

 

Chapter 1

“You’re going to end up with a tummy ache, little girl,” a deep voice drawled from the side of the midway.

Hope looked up to meet the gaze of an incredibly fit man lounging against one of the ticket booths. Unable to stop herself, she traced his form from his closely cropped hair to scuffed hiking boots. Military? Has to be!

To give herself a bit of time, she tore off another bite of the brilliant blue cotton candy and placed it on her tongue. She hoped the gesture was both rebellious and sexy.

“Then what would make me so sweet?” she asked daringly.

“I have a feeling you’re delicious on your own. Tell me your name,” he demanded.

He didn’t move from his relaxed position, so she didn’t feel intimidated. Daringly, she perused the complete package he presented. The man was scrumptious. His strawberry blond hair cut military short revealed incredibly masculine features. His chiseled cheekbones and jawline made her fingers itch to touch him.

“I’m Hope. Hope Anderson. I guess you must be from the base?”

“I am. Walking around the fair isn’t fun by yourself. I don’t suppose you’d take pity on me and show me around?” he suggested.

“Oh, I’m here with my friends. I can’t leave them.” Hope gestured to a group of three young women huddled together a short distance apart, watching their interaction closely.

“Ladies, would you mind if I steal Miss Hope Anderson away?” the attractive stranger requested gallantly.

“How do we know you’re not a mass murderer?” one challenged.

“I don’t even know your name,” Hope protested.

“Sam Memphis,” he drawled, pulling out the syllables with a southern accent that went straight to her low abdomen. Straightening, he reached into his back pocket and withdrew his wallet. Pulling his military ID from the leather, he requested, “Take a picture of this and message it to your friends.” He held the card in a steady hand as Hope fumbled to maneuver her phone for a picture.

“Here, let me hold that.” He took the cotton candy from her hand and held it while she used both hands to take the picture.

Quickly, she sent it on to her friends and blushed as they called advice like, “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t do” and “Don’t have too much fun, you two” as they disappeared, giggling, into the growing crowd.

Hope looked down at the picture on her phone, hoping that she wasn’t making a fool out of herself.

“I’m going to take good care of you, little girl.” His deep voice soothed her.

“Really?”

“Forever and ever.”

“That’s a long time, Sam Memphis,” Hope said skeptically.

“That’s not quite the right name I want to hear you call me, but we’ve got nothing but time. Come on, little girl. I feel we should go ride the Ferris wheel.” Sam pointed to the large contraption looming to the west. He held out his hand, inviting her touch.

“I love that ride. It’s almost as fun as a slide.” Making her decision, Hope meshed her fingers with Sam’s. “You’re on.”

No one would ever ride the large wheel with her. She tugged him forward and looked back over her shoulder to make sure everything was okay. Sam smiled from ear to ear. Holding her hand did not bother him in the least.

In a snap, they arrived to take a place in line. Most of the riders ahead of them were moms and dads with small children, obvious lovers looking for a remote place to kiss, and teenagers debating how many they could pile into one seat. Dropping his hand as she turned toward him, Hope looked awkwardly up at Sam. She didn’t know what to say to this virtual stranger.

“So, what do you do in the military?” That seemed like a safe conversational gambit.

“The higher-ups thought I could contribute to a team. I’m a navigator. You know, I give everyone directions.”

“You never get lost?” Hope asked, tilting her head slightly to avoid the glare of the late afternoon sun behind him.

“I never get lost. My team depends on me.”

Without saying anything or making a gallant move, Sam guided her into his place so she didn’t have to blink into the light. “Thanks, Sam. That sounds like an enormous responsibility. I hate maps.”

“Lots of people do. I have a built-in sense of direction. It doesn’t hurt that I memorize images quickly.”

She liked how Sam talked to her. He was upfront and seemed to be telling the truth. Wait! Could he be fooling me? Wouldn’t every soldier claim to be part of a special team? But he hadn’t bragged about anything, just answered her questions. Hope decided to test him.

“What direction am I facing?” she challenged.

“You’re facing east-southeast,” he supplied immediately as if he’d expected her to ask.

“Not just east? My back’s to the sun,” she pointed out.

“Your back is to the afternoon sun. It will move slightly as the Earth completes its orbit.” Sam smiled. “I can do two hundred sit-ups in ten minutes. Want me to demonstrate that or have I earned the benefit of the doubt?”

Automatically, Hope looked down at the dusty fairgrounds. She shuddered at the thought of lying down where everyone had walked. “No. I’ll take your word. Two hundred, huh?” She struggled to keep her gaze on his face. The temptation to eye his muscled abs almost won.

“The team leader keeps us in great shape.” Sam lifted his hand to brush a few wisps of Hope’s hair from the corner of her mouth.

“Sorry! My hair won’t ever stay in my ponytail.” Her nervous chatter ceased as his thumb stroked across her cheek and down her jaw. His gaze focused on her lips, and she knew he was thinking about kissing her.

Impulsively, Hope rose onto her toes and pressed her mouth to his in a light peck. Sam swiftly wrapped his hand around the back of her neck and pulled her back to him to halt her automatic movement away. His lips captured hers in a much different kiss. He kissed her as if this were the last first kiss he planned to have. All thoughts fled from her mind as he pulled her close.

“Come on, lovebirds. You’re next!” The stranger’s voice made her dart backward.

“Thank you, sir,” Sam answered, steering her onto the bench seat and pulling the restraining bar down over their heads.

Hope stared at the ground as the man tested the lock of the safety device holding them securely inside. Her face flamed hot. Mind-blown by the power of his kiss that had captured her complete attention, she wondered what else she’d missed. Her hand reached between them to make sure her phone and money were still in her back pocket. Hope blew out a relieved sigh as the wheel rotated so that the next couple could climb onto the ride.

“Nothing bad will happen while I’m with you,” Sam reassured her.

“You can’t promise that,” she answered, looking at him in surprise.

“I can,” he confirmed confidently. “Now, tell me about you.”

“What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”