Sam's Story: Book One (Skylar Trilogy 1) by Amy D. Crusan Kramer

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In this captivating saga, Samantha Skylar experiences undying passion and endures one horrific act of brutality that sweeps her into the arms of the second most powerful man in the country. Samantha’s journey takes her from the poverty and close-minded attitudes of a tiny, coal-mining town in West Virginia, to the estate of one of Atlanta’s oldest and wealthiest families. This epic trilogy follows Samantha from the age of 14 to 40.

Book One opens in 1978. Sam is fourteen and living in Boone County, West Virginia, a place that isn't accepting of Roe v. Wade or the Equal Rights Amendment. Sam is different; she knows it and her doting grandmother knows it. Neither of them is content with the idea of her ending up the way her sisters did: married to a coal miner and raising another generation of miners and downtrodden women. As the beneficiary of her grandma's love, Sam absorbed her progressive outlook and beliefs, which caused her to question the status quo.

Of course, being different isn't a good thing in a small conservative town, both Sam and her grandmother discover that in the cruelest way possible. Tragedy strikes and we're given a glimpse of the strength that lies within Samantha and how she deals with adversity. The first book follows Sam to Atlanta and chronicles her first four turbulent months in her new city.

Excerpt:

Prologue
Thursday, November 27, 2003

It was 5:00 a.m. on Thanksgiving. Chelsea and I were busy in the kitchen. She
was working on the pies, and I was baking cornbread and cooking up the fragrant mix of
ingredients for the stuffing. My little black and tan spaniel, Dixie, was curled up at my
feet occasionally sniffing the aromas coming from the stovetop and ovens.

I smiled at my sleepy-eyed best friend, leaned down to rub Dixie behind her
velvety-soft ears and announced, “Chels, I’ve never been happier.”

She stopped what she was doing, smiled at me and took my hand across the
kitchen island. “I know. I’m so happy for you. Jake and I both mentioned how different
you seem … like the weight of the world has been lifted from your shoulders.”

“That’s exactly how I feel.” I popped a piece of celery into my mouth and gave
her a sheepish look, “I don’t mean to put a wet blanket on things,” Chelsea looked at me
and I saw the beginnings of an exasperated eye-roll, “but I feel like I’m just waiting for
the other shoe to drop. Like I’m too happy and the fates won’t allow me this much
happiness … they never have before.”

“You’ve more than paid your dues, Sam. Don’t go looking for trouble that isn’t
there; really, let’s not do this today,” she lovingly scolded me. “By the way, speaking of
all your ‘happiness’, what time did Mr. Wonderful get in last night?”

I was unable to suppress a grin at the mention of the incredible man asleep in our
bed. She was right; he was at the root of my happiness. “Late, about a half hour before
the alarm went off.”

She dramatically rolled her eyes, “We’re the only women setting our alarm on a
holiday to get up and cook our tails off for those lazy men of ours.”

“No we’re not! There’s an entire sisterhood of women slaving away in kitchens
all by themselves as we speak. At least we have each other. Women of the turkey baster,
UNITE!”

She didn’t seem amused. “You’re not as funny or as cute as you think you are …
especially at this ridiculous hour. I can finish up here. Go back to bed. I didn’t realize
he got in so late. Come here and hug me first!” I grudgingly walked over and endured
her exaggerated show of affection. When we first met, I was not a touchy-feely person;
and she has never gotten over her delight at making me uncomfortable with her displays
of affection. I’m really not uncomfortable with it anymore, but I play it up for her … it’s
all part of us being us. Dixie followed me to the back of the house and the master
bedroom.

I tiptoed into the dark bedroom, removed my sweatpants and crawled in between
the sheets. I lay on my side facing him and listened to his steady breathing. Just looking
at him set my heart to racing. I reached over to brush back some hair that had fallen over
his right eye. I loved to watch him sleep; he looked so peaceful, like a little boy without
a care in the world. He roused a little at my touch, looked at me with sleepy eyes and
pulled me to him. I buried my face in his chest and inhaled the smell that was him. I
finally rolled onto my back and he encircled my body with his arms and legs while his
face nuzzled my neck. I stroked the back of his neck lazily and was again overcome with
happiness and contentment.

He worked one of his hands slowly up under my well-worn Atlanta Braves jersey
and cupped my left breast. His nuzzles at my neck turned into kisses that worked up my
neck, across my jaw and to my mouth. He stopped, as he always did, and spent a little
extra time lovingly kissing a decades-old scar on the left side of my jaw. I smiled as his
kisses became more insistent. “I missed you, Sam. I’m laying down a new law; no more
nights apart, honey,” he whispered in my ear. The fact that he’d missed me as much as
I’d missed him the past few days sent a wave of electric pleasure running up my spine.

“That’s not very realistic, honey, but I like the idea…” My comment was
abruptly cut off when his lips captured my mouth. I parted my lips to receive his tongue
and a small moan of pleasure escaped my lips. God, how can he still make me feel like a
high-school girl with her first crush? My body greedily arched up to meet his.

I felt another tongue begin to cover both of our faces with ‘kisses’. We both
laughed and made room for Dixie to make a nest between our bodies in the soft down
comforter. He wrapped himself around both Dixie and I and began to drift off to sleep
again. I lay there, enveloped in his love and wondered at the journey that had brought all
of us to this point…