Leather and Lace (Tempered Steel Book 2)

Prologue

Fifteen years ago…

It had been an extremely mild summer, but Angel Devereaux’s parents were insisting on their annual relief-from-the-heat trip to their cabin in Montana. Angel wasn’t budging. While they packed for the trip, Angel was busy begging.

“It’s Frankie’s 18
th
birthday! She’s not going to be here for much longer.” she cried. “I’ve only got a few weeks left with her. Please don’t make me go.” Angel was already missing her best friend, Frankie Cavanaugh. Only a few weeks apart in age, Frankie was heading off to college while Angel still had a year to go thanks to school policy on birth dates.

“You shouldn’t be around that girl, anyway,” Angel’s father frowned over his shoulder as he packed his toiletries into his suitcase.

“Trevor!” Angel’s mom stomped her foot. “Frankie and her parents are good people.”

“No, Miranda, they are poor people,” Trevor mumbled, running his hand through his graying hair. He was what some considered a handsome man, with a lean physique and blue eyes. “Why on earth you want our daughter hanging with that red headed trailer trash, is beyond me. I told you years ago that nothing good would come of it. Angel doesn’t need friends in this town. She’s got friends at her school.”

Trevor continued, “I hate this town, and most of the people in it. The only reason I live here is because the business is here.”

“Angel’s a young woman. She needs
close
friends,” Miranda approached him. “Frankie would never do anything to jeopardize their friendship. She loves Angel like a sister.”

“No, she loves the prestige and money that our family has. She’s holding onto our daughter’s coattails and hoping for a free ride to our money!” Trevor looked down at Miranda.

Miranda shook her blonde head. Her petite frame barely reached Trevor’s shoulder. “You know that’s not true, Trevor. Just because Frankie’s father is happy working at the lumber yard, doesn’t mean Frankie lacks ambition. It simply means he is happy in his work and content in his family life. Not everyone is after more power and money.” She frowned at her husband while she headed from their bedroom into the en suite bath.

“Well, it seems you like money just fine. I don’t hear you or Angel complaining when you want a new car or a fancy dress,” he retorted. “I took your father’s small lumber business and made it into something bigger than he ever dreamed. You don’t like it, there’s the door.”  Trevor knew Miranda wouldn’t leave. She lacked the backbone to stand up to him. She proved that the first time she caught him cheating on her. He reminded her who paid the bills for her dying father’s hospice care, and she quieted down. He knew exactly what buttons to push with her. And he received perverse pleasure in punching them just for the hell of it.

“Dad, please. I’ve never given you a bit of trouble. I just want this time with Frankie. She leaves for Memphis in four weeks. Grandma is in town if something were to happen.”

Trevor couldn’t come up with a good enough excuse to say no, but he could control the situation. “You stay with your Grandma, not the Cavanaugh’s, and I’ll agree. You’re also getting one of those new cell phones so I can contact you whenever I want.” He scowled at her. “First time you don’t answer and I have to call my security guys to find you, I’ll make sure you never see that girl or your Grandma again. I’ll ship you off somewhere, and you’ll not be allowed home.”

Miranda gasped. “What are you talking about? This is our daughter. She’s not some peddler off the streets. Stop threatening her!”

Trevor whirled on her. “That’s right, and she will behave accordingly. I’ll not have our good name sullied because she wants to go slumming for a few weeks. End of discussion!” He pointed a finger at Angel. “You want to stay, those are the terms.”

Angel looked into her father’s face and wondered how her sweet mother could have ever fallen in love with such a cruel, heartless man. All he cared about was his money and his good name. A few weeks away from him in the company of loving, caring people like her grandmother and Frankie’s family, would be a blessing. “I accept.”

Grandma Bea was an easygoing chaperone. Angel vowed not to give her any trouble. In return, Grandma Bea promised to turn a blind eye to Angel’s escapades with Frankie that Trevor deemed inappropriate for his child - namely anything that had to do with boys, or even worse, the Jersey County Fair. Grandma Bea nodded her head in agreement with Trevor, and as soon as he was out the door, she slipped Angel a wrist band for rides and food at the fair.

The Jersey County Fair fell on the week of Frankie’s birthday and her parents dropped off the girls after assurances that they would behave themselves. They agreed to meet at midnight near the grandstand. The girls walked from the parking lot, laughing, whispering and not paying much attention to where they were going.

Angel tripped over a fat cable that ran from the Tilt -A -Whirl and started to fall, but strong arms were there to catch her. She looked up into the handsome face of her rescuer, catching her breath as he closed the gap between their bodies. She had never been held this close to a man before. She just couldn’t pull away. She didn’t want to put the required distance between them. She wanted to snuggle closer to this handsome stranger. Afraid of her reaction, she pushed away and he let her go.

Turning to Frankie, he said, “Introduce us.”

“Angel Devereaux, this is Sam Coalson,” Frankie said primly. “Sam, this is Angel.”

“She is indeed.”

Angel felt herself blush as Sam gave her a slow appraisal starting with her honey blonde hair and ending at her pink painted toenails. So this was Sam Coalson.
The Sam Coalson.
The only boy Frankie said she would give herself to. Whew! Frankie was right. He was an absolute hunk! Big, blonde and handsome, he reminded Angel of a Golden Adonis.

When he caught her admiring him from under her lashes, he winked at her. She turned away totally mortified. But he brought her face back to his gaze by gently placing his finger under her chin. Looking into his beautiful blue eyes, she fell in love. “Thank you,” she stammered. “For helping me, I mean. I’m not usually so clumsy, but I’m just excited to be here.”

“Here?” He indicated the fair with an incredulous look.

“Her dad practically keeps her under lock and key so she’s never even been to the fair before. Can you believe it?” Frankie laughed.

Angel fervently wished for something to hit her with, but Sam’s next words had her young world spinning out of control. “Yes, I can believe it. I’d want to keep her all to myself if she was mine.”

Frankie giggled behind her hand, and Angel blushed with pleasure.

“Since you ladies are without an escort this evening, perhaps you would allow me to act as your guide?” With a formal bow, he offered each girl an arm and away they went.

They rode the rides and sampled some of the greasy food that can always be found at a fair. They walked through animal pens, admiring the rabbits and the horses, laughing at the piglets and mimicking the chickens. Sam tried his hand at several games of skill and won each girl a stuffed toy. Although he was politely teasing to both girls, Angel could sense that his eyes kept returning to her.

“Pick one.” Sam indicated the animals on the shelf.

Angel glanced at the rows of teddy bears on display. “I don’t know. Maybe this one?” She indicated a smaller bear with a bright blue ribbon.

“Why that one? The others are bigger.”

Angel blushed but held her ground. “I like that one. The ribbon is the color of your eyes.”

Sam grinned. “Well, then, that’s definitely the one you need.” He lifted the bear off the rack, handing it to her with a twinkle in his eyes.

“Thank you.” Angel buried her face in the bear’s soft fur. She knew she would cherish this moment forever.
She was flirting! Flirting with Sam Coalson!

When the girls went to the restroom, Frankie spoke up.”I’m beginning to feel like a third wheel, Angel. It’s obvious Sam wants to get you alone. You aren’t exactly trying to play hard to get, girl.”

Angel didn’t realize how much her feelings showed. She felt terrible, but she didn’t know what to do. On the one hand, Sam seemed to be everything she had dreamed about in her school girl fantasies, but on the other hand, Frankie had been her best friend since second grade. Not to mention that Frankie had called dibs on him last night when she had slept over at Grandma Bea’s.

“I’m so sorry, Frankie. Do you want to get rid of him? Perhaps you and I should just go around together for a while.” Angel sighed. There really wasn’t any choice; Golden Adonis or not, Frankie was her best friend, so if she wanted to ditch Sam, she would go along with it.

She opened her mouth to tell her, but as usual, Frankie got the first word in. “I see that look in your eyes, Angel, and I’ll tell you right now that I don’t want Sam Coalson. He’s all yours. I know what I said last night, but that was because he is the only guy I would even remotely feel is worthy of my awesomeness.” She made a mock curtsy then ruined the effect by giggling. “Besides, he has eyes for you. The two of you make a great couple. I’m very happy for you.”

Angel knew Frankie was telling the truth, but just to be on the safe side, she said, “He probably won’t even be out there when we come out.”

But he was.

When Frankie saw some friends she knew and deserted Angel, Sam put his arm around her waist and whispered in her ear. “Alone at last.”

They had two glorious weeks before her parents came back and in that time Angel and Sam grew even closer. They spent every spare minute together. Although Frankie was set to leave in early August, she didn’t begrudge Angel the time spent with Sam.

“You know as well as I do, Angel, that Trevor will never allow you to see Sam when he comes home from Montana. Your father’s prejudice against anyone who doesn’t make as much money as he does is well known.” Frankie said as she painted her toenails a bright pink. She and Angel were having a rare moment together before Sam got back from an errand. “While owning their own orchard, the Coalson’s are hardly in the same financial class as your parents.”

Angel couldn’t mask her fears, but Sam stubbornly refused to allow her to worry about it. “It’s going to be okay. It’s not like I’m some criminal or something. My family has been here for generations. I’ve been accepted into the Naval Academy’s officer training program. No crazy relatives; no criminal record. What’s not to like?”

“My father is so mean, Sam. All he cares about is money and status. He thinks he can buy his way into even more money and status. He won’t listen to you.”

“Are you saying he’s going to try to sell you to the highest bidder or something?” Sam asked, incredulous.

“He can try, but I won’t ever marry a man like him!” she declared.

“Hey, baby. Don’t worry. It’s not happening. I’m pretty stubborn when I want something. I love you. I’m not going to let your father stand in the way of that.” Sam kissed her and Angel forgot for her fears for a moment.

“I love you, Sam. It’s sudden, but it’s right, isn’t it?” she said as she pressed closer, wanting to feel more of his caresses.

His hand slid up her t-shirt to her breasts and Angel moaned. “Please, Sam. I need more.”

“God, baby, so do I, but I’m not going to take you, then leave for weeks.” He kissed her with pent up frustration as he unclasped her bra. “We can play a little, though.”

Angel smiled against his mouth. “I love playing with you. You’re my favorite toy.” Passion flared and her father was forgotten.

The Devereaux’s arrived home a week later. When Angel tried to prepare Sam for her father’s wrath again, he calmly stated that he would handle things man to man. At precisely seven o’clock that evening, the Devereaux’s allowed Sam to enter their home. By seven-fifteen, he was hauling ass out the door, ready to explode with rage.

Angel could still hear her father’s condemnation.

“You really think I’m going to let some no count apple picker take my daughter? You are out of your mind, young man. Look at her.” He waved his beefy hand at Angel standing near the door, looking prim and proper in a blue floral sundress, tears in her eyes, silently begging him not to do this. “She look like the type of girl to be an apple picker’s wife? Look at this house. This is a mansion, boy, not an apple shed. She deserves better than that.”

“With all due respect, Sir, I have no intention of working on my father’s orchard forever. Not that there is anything wrong with it. It has been my privilege to work with my father. But I have plans, Sir, big plans, starting with a bit of time serving my country in the Navy. After that, I will use the skills and income I have earned to finish college. I plan to work in communications technology, Sir,” Sam stated firmly. Only his hands, clenched into fists, gave a clue to his inner rage.

Trevor laughed harshly. “Only thing worse than being a picker’s wife, is being a sailor’s wife. A man that’s never home, always in some port or another. That sounds like a great life for my daughter.” He motioned to the door with his hand. “Go on, boy, get out of here and take your silly dreams with you. Angel’s not going anywhere with you as long as I’m breathing, so you may as well try your luck with some other rich man’s jailbait. Only way you or your family’s going to make anything of themselves.”