Chapter 5: Sleeping Arrangements

Sami thought about what had happened at dinner as she finished getting ready for bed.

"You're being a bloody unreasonable twit!" Derrick said angrily.

"It shouldn't be a big surprise; I made my position clear when I walked away years ago. I will never work for Wells Inc. not now, not ever." EJ said adamantly.

"You won't bet working for Well's Inc., just J&D." Jane insisted beseechingly.

"Don't insult my intelligence; J&D is just one of the many small companies under the Wells Inc umbrella." EJ countered.

"Since you are being childish about this whole thing, let me put it in terms you understand." Derrick said ruthlessly.

"No Derrick! Not like this…" Jane protested.

"What are you going to do ruin me?" EJ scoffed confidently. "There's nothing that you can do to me and you know it."

"Not to you but Austin Reed & Company…" Derrick began threateningly.

"Don't even think about coming after ARC!" Sami threatened glaring at Derrick. "You are deluded if you think that EJ or I will ever be blackmailed into doing what you want. I'd sooner destroy ARC myself and believe me, if ARC is going down; I promise you that J&D will be brought down with it."

Derrick silently communicated a message that EJ understood clearly. The loss of J&D was nothing compared to ARC.

"Damn you!" EJ cursed gritting his teeth. He had known that getting involved with ARC was a risk. His family would use any opportunity to try to control him.

Derrick pushed the contract in front of his brother and handed him a pen. EJ took it and reluctantly started to sign it.

"Wait!" Sami said stalling. "Don't you think you owe us a little time to think about it? We still need to go over all the fine points and make sure that all terms are acceptable for all of us."

"Sami makes a great point." Jane agreed relieved.

"You're only delaying the inevitable." Derrick said smugly and then graciously nodded his head in agreement. "But we can give you some time to think about it."

Sami sighed returning to the present. She turned off the bathroom light and climbed into bed. She then gave a startled squeak as she realized someone was already there. "EJ, what are you doing here?"

"I believe it's called trying to sleep." EJ said yawning.

"We can't share a bed!" Sami protested sitting up.

"Look, there are no other bedrooms available and it's going to raise questions if I go out and sleep on the couch, not to mention bloody uncomfortable. Your virtue is safe from me." EJ said sleepily. "Now go to sleep, we're going to have a busy day tomorrow."

EJ thumped his pillow a few times and rolled onto his stomach. Sami was immobilized by the beauty of the moonlight gleaming over his perfectly chiseled bare shoulders and back. He looked so peaceful and angelic.

"Angelic?" Sami snorted softly. "More like a tempting devil!"

"Huh?" EJ grunted sleepily.

"Nothing!" Sami said quickly. "Go to sleep!" She turned her back on temptation and slid down the bed and scooted as close to the side of the bed without falling off. "Get a grip Samantha Brady, Austin is the love of your life, and you're not going to blow it by having lustful thoughts about a friend." She nodded as if to confirm those words and then closed her eyes trying to ignore the warmth emanating from her bed partner.

Sami restlessly fell asleep unaware of the devilish grin that had spread over EJ's face at her overheard comment.