Chapter 40

"Are you coming by?" Jake asked as he drove back towards Three Ponies. "Or do you want me to drop you off at home."

Sam glanced over at him. "How are you feeling?"

She saw the tiredness on his face for an instant.

"I'm okay," Jake said.

Sam gave him a look and crossed her arms over her chest. Jake's mouth twitched.

"I'm a bit tired," he corrected himself.

"You're still fibbing to me Jacob Dylan," Sam told him and Jake chuckled.

"Now you sound like Mom," Jake responded. His voice changed to a falsetto. "You're lying to me Jacob Dylan. I won't tolerate being lied to."

Sam couldn't help it, she burst out laughing. Jake laughed with her, then coughed for a few seconds.

"Maybe you should drop me off so you can take a nap," Sam suggested.

"Why can't I take a nap with you there?" Jake wondered. "Unless you don't want to."

"That's not it," Sam said. "With your leaving in a few days, I want to spend as much time with you as possible, but you need your rest too."

"I'll rest better with you in my arms," Jake arched an eyebrow at her.

Sam snorted. "You're too darned cute when you do that."

"Did it work?" Jake asked with a soft smile.

"Yeah, it did," Sam told him.

"Good," Jake's smile widened and Sam just stared at him. He was so handsome to her when he smiled. His teeth were such a contrast to his dark face, it transformed it. Her mouth ran a bit dry. She loved him so much.

"I love you too," Jake read it in her eyes on and her face.

Sam couldn't help the smile that tugged at her mouth. Jake answered her smile with one of his own.

"Now I'll get the chance to kiss you at midnight," Jake told her.

"Will I be there then?" Sam raised her eyebrows at him.

"I hope so," he responded.

"I don't want to get grounded," Sam reminded him.

"I'll call Wyatt if you want," Jake said.

"He'll ask if your parents are there," Sam warned him.

"Well I don't want to lie," Jake murmured. "You might not get to stay all night this time, but maybe you can go home after midnight."

"Will you be able to drive me after midnight?" Sam wondered.

"Do you think I'll be drunk or something?" Jake glanced at her.

"Or something," Sam said. "Not drunk, but tired from being sick?"

"If I am, you can drive my truck home and bring it back when you come over to watch football," Jake responded.

"You'd let me drive your truck?" Sam teased.

"'Course," Jake was serious. "I let you ride my mare, why not drive my truck?"

"I'm teasing, Jake," Sam rolled her eyes.

"I'm not," Jake looked over at her.

Sam gave him another soft smile, loving the man with her.

He pulled into Three Ponies and parked the truck in front of the barn. They got out and noticed that Witch was at the pasture fence. She whinnied and Sam snorted when Jake gave her a glance.

"Go ahead," Sam told him. "I can share you."

"She's upset she hasn't seen much of me while I've been home," Jake went to his mare.

Sam laughed softly and rubbed her arms. It was cold out in the yard.

"I'll give you a bit of privacy," she said after a few minutes. Sam ran for the house, hearing Jake's chuckle.

"Oh man!" Sam stomped her feet once she reached the kitchen. She peeled off her coat and went into the family room where she knew the others would have a fire going.

"Hey did you two stop off somewhere on the way home?" Bryan asked with a grin.

"No, you guys just speed more than Jake does," Sam went to stand in front of the fire.

"Where is he anyway?" Quinn wondered.

"Saying hello to his mare," Sam giggled.

Bryan, Quinn and Nate burst out laughing.

"Come sit on my lap, Sammy," Quinn patted his lap in invitation. "I'll never leave you for a horse."

Sam went over and plopped on Quinn's lap. He grunted as she did.

"No, you'd leave me for the first blond that came along," Sam laughed from his lap.

"Problem, Quinn?" Nate asked, a smirk on his face.

"Uh no," Quinn squirmed under her. "Though Debi's not going to be happy it's been injured."

"What?" Sam turned to look at him. "You're injured?"

"Bent is more like it," Quinn continued to squirm a bit, much to the amusement of Nate and Bryan.

"What the heck are you doing?" Jake's voice seemed to thunder in the room as he looked at Quinn.