by Taylor Lowe
“Like hell! I have so been there, done that, not a good idea as it sounds,” she said bitterly. He shrugged with a “suit yourself” expression and started to leave. She grabbed his arm.
“Come on Robert you can’t just leave me here! You said you would be here for me,” Sam begged him clutching on to his jacket sleeve as if it was her life line.
“I didn’t say we had to be every single second of every single minute together. You’re really being silly! Get up and live a little,” he told her prying her fingers off his jacket and leaving her alone. She watched him walk over to the other woman then looked back down to her glass. Her eyes watered over as she felt so abandoned, her mood now began to sink to new depths of depressed looked up at her friends, both happy and obviously enjoying themselves. God, I have the worst friends in history, she thought gloomily.
She seemed to be sitting there all by herself for ages and neither of her friends showed signs of returning; in fact she would wager that they had completely forgotten about her. She frowned as remembered her first night there. Sam’s chest ached and she was at the point to cry. “Ok, I have had enough! They had dragged me here of all places just to leave me alone. I will never forgive them for this,” she vowed quietly and furious, the painful memories where just too much. She got up quickly grabbing her purse running straight into someone.
“Whoa easy there Wildcat, now where you running off so quickly,” She heard the person say and her heart stopped. It couldn’t be she thought but she would recognize that voice anywhere. She slowly raised her eyes to his face and confirmed what she already knew. It was David standing right there in front of her.
Chapter 13 It’s Going to be a Long Night
David stood out of the club feeling surprised by how nervous he felt. Mark had already gone in before him He took a deep breath and entered the crowded club and looked around quickly. He felt his breath stop when he saw her at the table in a corner talking with Robert. He rubbed his still sore jaw while he watched the two till Robert looked up and saw him standing there waiting just like they had planned. Robert gave him a discreet nod and David returned it.
Robert made his excuse and he frowned watching her beg Robert to stay making him feel so jealous and angry. Robert freed himself from her and a smile crossed his lips as he watched Sam pout with her chin resting on her fist. Serves you right, he thought bitter as he stood there watching her even after Robert had already left, he felt stuck in place.
He couldn’t believe after so many long months she was right there but he also recognized the change in her. Her brown eyes that had sparkled with life six months ago where now dull and haunted, she was paler and thinner than he remembered, and she had a general air of defeat about her. Slowly he managed to get himself walking towards her. Just as he had gotten to her table she got up suddenly and ran straight into him.
“Whoa easy there Wildcat, now where you running off so quickly.” David told her not being able to resist the irony. He felt her stiffen and slowly she looked up at him with surprise painted all over her face. Her legs gave out from under her and he grabbed her so she wouldn’t fall, surprised at how much she was affected by him. Sam opened her mouth several times but she didn’t seem able to get any sound to come out. He couldn’t help but smirk down at her seeing she was a total loss for words.
“Wow I knocked you off your feet and left you speechless,” he teased her and she turned a bright shade of red that made his heart skip a beat or two.
“Is it really you,” she finally managed ask catching him by surprise once more by the hopeful look on her face.
“Yes Sam, it’s really me,” he said coolly and suddenly she wrapped her arms around his neck pulling herself against him and kissed him hungrily. David’s jaw drop in surprise, all of his blood rush south in record time and he wrapped his arms around her tightly not being able to stop himself from returning her kiss just as intense.
They finally broke the kiss; David was breathless and becoming confused. Sam seemed to be just as surprised by her actions as he was. She gasped quietly turning once more bright red removing her arms from around him and yet again he was surprised by the fact he didn’t want that loss of contact between them despite his original intentions.
Sam started to clumsily mumble to herself but he couldn’t quite get what she was saying but he was guessing she was chastising herself. She looked back up to David biting her lip. “I…I sh-” she started with a look of insecurity but he interrupted her with a gentle kiss before taking her hand and led her to the dance floor without saying a single word.
They fell into rhythm easily with the music and David found himself mesmerized with her lips that she insisted on chewing on so nervously. He wondered what was so special about them that they made Sam’s kisses so incredible. So incredible that he had never been able to find a woman that kissed half as good as she did. Feeling his resolve start to slip he looked away from her lips and looked at her. She was looking at him with an expression he couldn’t read and that irritated him, he felt the need to know what she was thinking.
“I am so sorry David,” she said suddenly. He could see tears in her eyes threatening to fall with her face filled with sadness. David wasn’t sure what to reply back to her. He told himself long ago that even if she dared apologize he would never accept it, she didn’t deserve it. “I have been such a horrible person to you and I really have done nothing more than step all over you,” she explained.
“Yes you have,” he replied with a slight bitter tone that caused her eyes to fall downwards, filled with tears.
“I can’t even begin to know how I could ever fix what I have done, or if that is even possible,” she continued. It’s too late for that, was all David could think with bitterness. He started to tell her so when she spoke again. “I know you probably don’t care by now but I just want you to know that I do love you, even if I have a horrible way of showing it. I love you and always will,” She finished and David felt his whole world stop when she said “always will”.
Sam stepped away from him and David felt more confused than ever. He didn’t know what to do; he had come here for the sole purpose of revenge. He wanted to make her worse fears come true, to humiliate her the way she had done him but now he wasn’t sure if he could do it. She had finally said what he had wanted her to say that day half a year ago and she had said it willingly. It was clear she had suffered as well as he did, and even though she was terrified of what he would say to her she had the courage to apologize.
David came out of his thoughts and realized that Sam not only had stepped away from him but she was walking away him and towards the door to leave. Panic seized him as he lost sight of her, he bolted in the direction she had gone realizing that he couldn’t lose her again, and it was simply destroy him beyond the point of return. He pushed through the mass of people ignoring their complaints till he caught her by the hand. She turned and looked at him with her tear streaked face filled with confusion.
“You’re a silly woman Sam,” he told her with a pointed tone and her face twisted even more into confusion and he pulled her up against him and lowered his lips to her ear. “I love you too, I have since the first time I laid my eyes on you,” he whispered and she jerked back in surprise.
“Seriously, even after everything I’ve done,” she asked with surprise in her voice and she so surprised and confused that he couldn’t resist a small laugh.
“Yes seriously,” David replied with a smile on his lips. “But only if you can really love me, not only in words but in action as well. I need you Sam; I need to be the one who cheers you up when you’re depressed, the one who you tell your day to during the evening, the one who you confide your dreams, wishes, and fears to, and the one who wakes up next to you every morning. I need you to do all this and never let something like what happened six months ago happen again. I couldn’t pass through that again, I don’t think I would survive. Can you do that?” He asked her looking at her waiting desperately for her reply
.
Every second that passed and she remained silent was killing him and the fear that she’d walk away from him was growing and he knew it would crush him like the first time. “Yes,” she whispered quietly and he had never felt more relieved in his life but smiled an impish smile.
“Sorry I didn’t hear that,” he told her and she pressed her lips together only making his smile grow, how much he missed teasing her.
“Yes you did,” she said with a small smile and he shook his head in denial. “I said yes,” she repeated a little louder and he shook his head.
“What?” David repeated with a strained expression.
“Yes,” she shouted this time causing several people to give them irritated looks but he just laughed as she blushed a deep red color.
“Yes,” he repeated and grabbed her lifting her up into his arms and spinning in circles. He was feeling happier than he ever had in his life as he kissed her again. He slowly set her back on the floor, as their lips parted. “It took you long enough,” he told her pinching her bottom. She squealed jumping away from him slapping him lightly on the arm.
“Hey, watch those hands,” she scolded him with a playful look that made him want to throw her over his shoulder and run to his apartment with her as quick as he could. He pulled her against him once more.
“No, you’re mine now you will just have to get used to it,” he told her evilly and she blushed once more.
“I don’t remember agreeing to that,” Sam replied with a pointed but playful look.
“Some things don’t need to be said Wildcat,” David replied back and she just rolled her eyes at him. He lowered his head to hers so he could give her another ardent kiss.
“Well I will take that is a good sign,” he heard Robert tease and David groaned silently as Sam pulled away from him and turning to Robert.
“Hey Pansy, couldn’t you have waited a little longer. Can’t you see we are busy?’ David snapped a little acidly and Sam gasped looking at him horrified.
“Don’t worry too much Ass; I just wanted to wish my friend a good night,” Robert replied.
“Robert,” Sam exclaimed turning her horrified look to her friend who gave her a wink and she looked back to David then back to him. “You two….have met?” She asked surprised.
“Yes, we have. Who do you think set up this little meeting?” David told her and she looked to Robert who nodded and gave a little shrug.
“I knew it! I knew you two were up to something,” She replied then doubled her fist and punched him in the arm.
“Ouch, what was that for,” he complained and David was nearly doubled over with laugher.
“What’s that for! It’s for not listening to me!” She snapped putting her hands on her hips.
“Well someone had to do something. Your too God damn stubborn to do it yourself. If it wasn’t for me you’d still be in Indianapolis with your typical pout buried in mountains of books,” Robert told her and she rolled her eyes at him.
“That is so beside the point!” Sam glared at him. “I guess that explains the busted lip,” she said with a matter of fact tone as she gave him a sharp look and she looked back at David and seemed to notice for the first time he also had a split lip.
“I am sure you will find a way to forgive me Study bunny, I will see you tomorrow,” Robert told her musing her hair and she shrieked batting him off with her hands. David felt a small pang of jealousy but successfully ignoring it since it was his arms around her this time.
“Don’t bother going to the hotel either,” he told her rising up two card keys and she gawked at him in disbelief all over her face. Robert gave her a wink and disappeared once more into the crowd. That guy wasn’t so bad after all, David thought.
“God, I have been set up good,” Sam huffed and he grinned at her brightly pulling her close to him.
“Yep but he’s right you had it coming. You really are too stubborn for your own good.” David told her then took one of her hands in his leading her towards the door.
“Where are we going,” she asked and he gave her a naughty smile.
“Where I can have you all to myself, it’s been a long six months waiting for you to come around,” he told her and she turned a bright shade of pink.
The trip to his apartment never seemed longer, as he glanced over towards her. He couldn’t believe she was sitting right next to him and he was going to take her home with him to what would be a very long and happy night that would only lead to many long happy nights. His blood was boiling and his body was burning when they got to his apartment. As soon as he closed the door he pulled her against him and he trailed desperate kisses down her neck wrapping one arm around her waist and the other hand buried itself her beautiful brown hair. She giggled quietly.
“You’re not even going to show me your apartment first,” she asked him teasingly.
“There is only one room you need to see right now,” He told her picking her up and tossing her over his shoulder.
“Oh God, David what are you doing,” she shrieked his surprise as he carried her off to the bedroom. “You’re going to drop me or something,” she shrieked again. “David put me down,” she demanded clinging to him fearfully. He laughed full heartedly and pinched her bottom again.
“Don’t worry Wildcat, I am not going to drop you,” he replied setting her down when they were in his bedroom. “I will never let anything happen to you,” David told her huskily and giving her an intense and hungry kiss.
The next morning David woke up to find Sam staring at him. “What,” he asked curiously and she blushed pink.
“Nothing,” she said quickly looking away but David pulled her against him nuzzling softly her cheek.
“Sam,” he started with a pointed tone. “Remember you promised to let me in, so tell me what was going through that beautiful mind of yours,” he demanded and she blushed even deeper.
“It’s silly,” she complained and he smiled insisting once more before nibbling on her ear softly making her giggle “Okay, I was just thinking that I couldn’t believe last night was real. When I woke up I was afraid for a moment I might have dreamed it all. Go ahead and laugh at me now,” she stated looking embarrassed. David cupped her face in his hand giving her a soft chaste kiss on her lips.
“I will never laugh at you Wildcat, and that is the most perfect thing you could have ever said to me,” he told her kissing her again also noting that it was the first time he had woken with her still in the bed instead of gone or leaving it. He planned to stay in this bed with her for as long as it was humanly possible.
In fact they didn’t get up till well into the afternoon when both their stomachs were complaining from the neglect. He had insisted she wear his shirt, he found it incredibly sexy to see her in it. David kissed Sam’s cheek softly as he prepared a quick breakfast having pinned her between him and the stove, feeling the need to have her against him at all times. “This is no way to cook David, You’re going to burn the food, yourself, or me!” she insisted.
“Don’t worry about a thing Wildcat, it’s almost finished anyways,” he told her giving her soft kiss on her neck making her laugh softly which only grew as he pulled her across the kitchen to grab some plates.
“David will you stop,” she laughed with a large smile that was making him forget about his need for food for another need that was starting to grow to dangerous limits again.
“Well I guess this explains why you missed our date and don’t answer the door,” a woman stated from behind them. David cursed and wondered why the hell he ever gave that woman a set of keys to his apartment. He turned to face the woman standing there with a stern look and her hands on her hips.
“Hello mother, sorry about the lunch. I completely had forgotten about it,” he stated with a smile. Sam made an odd squeaking sound dashing behind him to hide herself. He could almost feel the heat from her blush on his back and he smiled. His mother raised an eyebrow with a questioning look.
“I can see that, who m
ight that be,” She asked simply and David smiled.
“This is Sam,” he told her and his smile grew.
“Sam as in the Sam,” his mother asked and he nodded moving so she could see the woman he was so madly in love with but Sam gasped moving back behind him. He tried to pull her out from behind him but Sam slapped at him and complained.
“Oh don’t do that David, don’t humiliate the poor girl,” his mother scolded him with a smile. “I’ll leave you two to whatever it was you were doing. I am guessing you’ll want to take the week off,” She asked and David nodded loving how well his mother understood him. “You can disappear from work for a while but I fully expect to see you in three days for Christmas so I can get a proper introduction and everyone else will want to meet her as well,” his mother told him.
“Of course, don’t worry we’ll be there,” he replied and his mother smiled at him happily before leaving. When they heard the door shut Sam groaned loudly.
“That was horrible,” She complained and David turned to see that her flaming blush had extended to her neck and chest as well. “How do I always make an idiot of myself! Oh God what she must think of me,” she complained and David laughed.
“Don’t be silly,” he told her setting his hands on her hips giving her a kiss on her forehead. “You didn’t make an idiot of yourself Sam and don’t worry about my mother, you didn’t make any bad impression on her. Trust me, if she didn’t like what she saw, or in this case almost saw considering you were hiding behind me, you would know. My mother isn’t one for flattery,” he told her. Sam nibbled her lip nervously still a good shade of red. “Now don’t fret on that and let’s eat,” he told her.
David started to clear the table when they had finished their meal. “David are you sure its okay that you take time off of work so suddenly. I don’t want you to get into trouble with your boss because of me,” Sam stated suddenly and David laughed at her sudden randomness as he placed the dishes in the sink. “I can meet you after you get off of work. I can do some more tourism with Robert during the day,” Sam added and David scoffed. Like hell he was going to let that happen, he thought.