Page 28 of Last Mile

Jesus, did I actually just admit that? This woman could make me sing like a canary if she wanted to.

Samantha’s dark eyes widened. “Really? I cry at that, too. I have to change the channel the minute I hear the depressing piano music.”

“I guess it’s safe to say that one thing we have in common is a love for animals.”

“That’s right.”

“Next time you come here, I’ll have to take you to see Poe.”

“Who is Poe?” Samantha asked curiously.

“He’s a deer that Rev and his wife, Annabel, raised after his mother was killed.”

“That is too crazy.”

“Yep. He’s an adult now, but he’s so spoiled he still comes around to get attention . . . and some ground corn.”

Samantha laughed. “I would love to see him.”

“Then it’s a date.”

Just as Samantha stared at me in surprise, Marley asked, “What’s a date?”

I whirled around to see he had finally returned from getting the keg with Joe. “Oh, Samantha wanted to see my brother’s pet deer.”

Marley grinned. “No shit. A pet deer? For real?”

“Yeah, for real.”

“You need to count me in, too.”

“Then it’s a double date,” I said. A double date? What the hell are you thinking, you douche?

“That would be more like threesome than a double date, wouldn’t it?” Samantha asked. When my gaze snapped to hers, a tantalizing look twinkled in her eyes. It was the kind of look that had the ability to make me feel like a fumbling teenage boy instead of a very experienced man.

After clearing my throat, I replied, “I guess so.”

Marley chuckled. “Leave it to my Sam to say something inappropriate.” He then slid his arm around Sam’s waist and drew her closer to him. “My girl is something else, isn’t she?”

I felt the heat of Samantha’s gaze on me as I replied, “Yeah, she is.”

“I’m glad. I hoped you would get along.”

Samantha smiled up at him. “You have nothing to worry about, babe, because Bishop and I get along really well.” She pinned me with her dark eyes. “Don’t we?”

“Yeah, we do.” With my mouth feeling unusually dry, I said, “Why don’t we go try out the new keg?”

“Sure,” Marley replied.

We ambled over to the bar, and Joe quickly filled us three foamy beers. Holding his glass up, Marley said, “Here’s a toast to new friends.”

Samantha snickered. “You can be such a lame ass sometimes.”

“But you like me anyway,” Marley countered.

The mention of the word “like” surprised me. I wondered why he hadn’t said love instead. Maybe their relationship wasn’t as serious as I thought it was. Of course that still didn’t give me the right to be lusting after Samantha.

“True,” she said as she raised her glass.