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She nuzzles my cheek. "You're so sweet. I'm looking forward to our date. But right now, we need to go out there and act like grown-ups instead of hiding in my room."
"You're right. Let's go."
Hand in hand, we head back out into the living room where the rest of the Lockharts are laughing and generally having a good time. I can't remember the last time I had fun with my parents and my sister. I love them, but we aren't exactly the good-time kind of family. I remember when we were, but that was before my grandfather died and my dad became Prince Leighton of Mithoria.
Maybe we've all gotten uptight. Maybe we can change that.
Not today, though.
Cameron and Amy's two daughters, Ella and Lily, turn out to be sweet, clever girls who make everyone laugh with their jokes and magic tricks. Yes, a ten-year-old and an eight-year-old have both mastered magic. They pull a plush rabbit toy out of a hat and do card tricks too. When Ella tries to teach me how to make a card disappear, I cock it up, naturally.
"I've been doing this for three years," she informs me. "I practiced a lot."
Yes, I need a ten-year-old to soothe my wounded ego. I don't feel too bad, though, since Cameron can't pull off any of his daughter's tricks either. He sends the card flying halfway across the room when he tries to make the thing disappear. At least I only dropped the card on my lap. Maybe I shouldn't feel smug about not doing as badly at children's card tricks as Cameron did, but I can't help it. He keeps making sly comments about me and Sam sharing a bedroom, so I feel justified in my smugness about not bollocksing up card tricks as badly as Sam's brother did.
Now if I can manage not to screw up my big date with Sam…
Chapter Sixteen
Sam
We spend the next few days with my family, all six of them, and don't have much time to think about our big date. At least, I don't have the extra space in my brain to think about it. As it turns out, Ben spends a lot of time secretly plotting how to make our first official night out a special one. I wouldn't have minded if we just went to a restaurant for dinner. But no, the crown prince decides to go all out.
No man has ever done that for me.
Exactly one week after the night I found Ben on the road, snowbound in his dead car, we have our date. Ben went to town yesterday with my dad and Cameron so they could do secret "man-shopping" for Christmas. Yeah, Chuck Lockhart actually spoke those words. Luckily, "man-shopping" didn't involve bringing strange guys home with them. They bought gifts for us ladies, but we won't know what they're giving us until Christmas, which is one week away. All Ben would tell me was that he "splashed out," which he explained is British for going hog wild. That's my translation. He actually said, "It means you spend a lot of money without giving a toss how much the things you buy cost."
"I thought you technically weren't rich because your mother cut you off as punishment for staying in England."
"That's true. I may not have shedloads of money, but I've saved up enough from my job at the spa to spoil you this Christmas."
No guy has ever wanted to spoil me before. So I think I'll let him do that.
He did tell me about one thing he bought during the man-shopping spree, and I'm about to see it—as soon as I change into the outfit I've picked out for our big date. Ben bought a suit for this occasion, but I'm wearing a dress I already own instead of something new. If I'd known about his plans, I would've gone shopping for a new dress. When I told Ben that this afternoon when he shared his clothing news, he kissed me and told me he doesn't care if I wear a burlap sack because I'm the sexiest, most beautiful woman in the world.
I know he's not just sucking up. He means it.
Since this is a special night, I shaved my legs and colored my hair. Yeah, blonde is not my natural color. So what? A girl can change her hair if she wants. Maybe I'll go red in a few months if I feel like it. I bet Ben would love that. If I dyed my hair purple, he'd probably love that too. He's the sweetest, sexiest, most amazing man I've ever met.
Dressed in my favorite outfit—a cobalt-blue halter dress with matching high heels and a matching clutch—I swing the bedroom door open and step into the hall.
Ben stands in front of the bathroom door directly across the hall, as if he's been waiting for me.
Holy shit. He looks so damn good that I want to drag him into our room and screw him all night long. To hell with dinner. I want him.
Ben is wearing a charcoal suit with a matching tie and a white dress shirt. He's done something to his hair, like he slicked it back but not so much that it looks like lacquer. No, he looks like a movie star. When he walks up to me and holds out his hand, I get a fluttery sensation in my tummy. "May I have the honor of escorting you to the finest restaurant in New Hampshire?"
I slip my hand into his. "Yes, you may. Damn, you're one hot Brit. The hottest man on earth, actually, with or without the accent."
"Thank you, love." He lifts our hands to kiss mine. "You are stunning. I love that frock, but it's your body that makes the dress."
"Wow. I've never received a compliment like that one before."
"You deserve to be showered with compliments and gifts. You deserve everything, Samantha."
"Thank you, Bennett. You are an incredible man."
I love it when he says my full name. I love every word he speaks, actually, but most of all the way my name sounds coming from his lips.
