A Rose in Shadow

Chapter 35

Jamie came back into the café and saw Adam over talking to the group of teenagers. He made his way to the table and nodded to Patrick when he noticed that he was holding Samantha's hand.

Adam slowly made his way back over. "Anything?" he asked Jamie.

Jamie shook his head "A few people saw a guy, same description as yesterday, but they were unclear which way he went or where he had come from. Did the kids see anything?" he asked.

"Nah." Adam sat down and reached over to pull Samantha's hand from Patrick's into his own. He gave his brother a grateful look.

"Thanks, Patrick" he said.

Patrick put his arm along the back of Samantha's chair and was absently rubbing the back of her neck before catching his brother's eye and quickly placed his arm along the chair with a grin.

  Samantha looked between Jamie and Adam before she pulled her hands back and closed her eyes, rubbing both of her temples as though to relieve a headache. "This is insane" she muttered.

She reached behind to pull the tie from her hair and ran her fingers through, shaking it free of the braid that it had been in and not paying any attention to the three men at the table who had suddenly all gotten very quiet. Patrick reached out involuntarily to run a strand of her silky hair between his fingers before pulling guiltily back and looking sheepishly at his brother who was again, glaring at him.

Samantha, oblivious, continued rubbing her temples before gathering her hair back up into a messy bun and looking helplessly at Adam. "Now what?" she asked. "Should I call Sgt. Lyle?"

Adam shook his head. "Jamie and I will report it"

Patrick cleared his throat "Maybe now would be a good time to tell Samantha why we came here in the first place. Other than the fact that I wanted to meet you" he added quickly shooting her a smile.

Samantha returned Patrick's smile giving him both of her dimples this time and reached over to pat his chest before turning back to Adam. She didn't notice when Patrick turned a stunned, wide-eyed look to Jamie and Adam and silently mouthed "Oh my God" dramatically while rubbing his hand over his heart and giving his brother an exaggerated wink. Jamie snorted a laugh.

Adam couldn't help but laugh also. "Sweetheart, I don't think you should touch Patrick like that. He can't take it"

Quickly becoming self-conscious Samantha turned to Patrick who was still clutching his chest.

"Oh, Patrick. I'm so sorry if I embarrassed you. I'm a touchy person and forget that some people aren't". She was mortified that she might have offended him.

"Relax, Samantha. I love being touched by you" and he dragged out the word "love" as he gathered her into his arms and shot his brother a coy look over her head.

Looking around the table and catching the three guys grinning at each other she swatted Patrick lightheartedly and straightened up.

"Well" she murmured.

"Hey" Adam said, reaching for her hand again. "We were just teasing. Patrick wouldn't turn down your hugs any more than Jamie would".

Mean-mugging the two of them, he was quick to add "But that better be all they get"

Relaxing, Samantha bit down on her bottom lip before noticing Adam staring at her mouth and his eyes darkening. Feeling her heartbeat accelerate she told herself calm down. It wouldn't do to jump the man's bones in front of witnesses but, one look from him and she was a puddle of hormones. She had it bad.

"So what did you need to tell me?" she asked.

"I spoke to Finn today and talked about getting you home tonight"

Narrowing her eyes at Adam she said darkly "Oh did you? And?"

Jamie and Patrick both instinctively leaned back a bit in their chairs to watch this play out.

"And" Adam leaned forward, his eyes flashing "his septic work didn't get finished last night so he has to hang around his house again tonight."

"Patrick was planning to stay at my place for a few days while he is in town working so I think it would be best for everyone if he pick you up after work and crash in your spare room." Realizing that he was treading on thin ice with Samantha at the moment he added what he thought would be the scoring point. "You would be doing Patrick and I both a favour actually" he added "I won't be home at night so he will be alone. He has to get up early to leave for work and you get up early for classes. Also, he's able to set his schedule around yours since he's the boss" He shot a grin to his brother at this "and it means you aren't alone"

"Well" paused Samantha. "I don't want to put Patrick out, though" she looked over at him and once again absently patted him on the chest. Patrick's pulse raced and he looked over at his brother to gauge the mood. So far so good. "I work late every night for the next week and then have class early every morning except Wednesday. He might want to get some more relaxing time than that".

Patrick pulled Sam into another quick hug ignoring his brother's glare.

"I can't think of anything that I would rather do" he told her honestly when she looked up at him. Lost in her eyes for a moment while she smiled at him, Patrick quickly brought himself to when he felt Jamie kick him under the table and saw the muscle ticking in Adam's jaw. Releasing Sam reluctantly he rubbed his hands together. "Well, it's settled then" he said. "I'll see you at 10. These two clowns have to get back to work"

"Yeah, me too." Sam said and stood up and stepped back to let the guys go ahead. Adam grabbed her hand and walked her to the counter while Jamie and Patrick made their way to the door, heads close together in conversation. He ran his hand down her back before turning her to him.

"You okay?" he asked cupping her cheek with his hand.

She leaned into his touch. "Yeah, I'll be fine" she sent him a smile because she felt that he could use it before she stretched up to kiss him. "Be careful" she murmured against his lips.

He smiled and made his way to the door.

While Jamie and Patrick waited at the door for Adam to say goodbye to Samantha, Patrick turned to Jamie. "Holy shit, Jamie. Is she for real? She is way hot, right, or is it just me?"

Jamie chuckled. "It's not just you, my man. Isn't she great? I'm so happy for Adam. Lucky bastard." The two of them turned to look back at Adam and Samantha. "I'm telling you, Patrick, the more time I spend with her the more I like her. There's just something about her and she really gets Adam. I've never seen him so happy"

Patrick grinned at Jamie "Well, I've got a week to try to steal her away from him" and he laughed when Jamie punched him in the arm. "Okay, I'm pretty sure from watching the two of them together that that won't be happening but I can at least make him crazy while I'm here". Jamie laughed. "I'm sure that you could"