"Oh, sure," Sam answered. "I'll let Adam know."
"Also, you won't want Dad to find out you're currently staying here, too. Your mum's already told him you're living with Adam."
"Oh, drats. You're right. Maybe I can ask Ari and Dylan if I can stay at their place for the night. They're only down the road."
"Or you can stay with Adam like you did the last time," Kris said, her eyes twinkling.
Sam felt her face burn. Did Kris know something?
"You're hiding something!" Kris exclaimed, her eyes wide. "What's happening between the two of you?"
"Nothing's happening, Kris," she responded. That much was true. Something did happen, but ever since she left for Melbourne three and a half weeks ago, nothing had been happening. Technically, she hadn't lied.
"But you like Adam, don't you?" Kris asked with squinted eyes, gauging her reaction.
"Come on, Kris. Who wouldn't like Adam?" she contended. "But nothing's happening between us," she repeated.
"Would you like something to happen?"
"Ask me that in about a month or so," she dodged, not wanting the conversation to go anywhere. "Anyway, I'm going to have a quick shower before dinner. I smell like food."
"Okay. I'm cooking, by the way," Kris said. "And don't complain. I already have pre-made lasagne heating up in the oven. I'll make some salad to go with it. You're getting the night off."
"Okay then," she agreed, walking toward her bedroom.
She was glad Kris had dropped the topic of her and Adam. She felt like she was in limbo where he was concerned. She'd been waiting for him to give her a sign that he'd want to continue what they'd started a few weeks ago. Frustratingly, he hadn't given her any indication.
They did have dinner together on her first night back, but it was with the rest of the gang. And while he was his usual friendly self, there was no added sweetness in the way he'd treated her. It disappointed her more than she cared to admit.
"Well, what are you gonna do about it, Samantha?" she muttered with disdain. "Here you are complaining again that what you want to happen isn't happening. So what are you doing to make it happen, huh?"
She stripped her clothes off brusquely, annoyed with herself. What was there to analyse? Wasn't Adam worth the risk of rejection and embarrassment?
A voice inside her head answered loudly and clearly.
Yes.
*******
Sam caught Kris and Trey canoodling in the kitchen. "Hey, none of that while you're preparing food. I'm starving," she joked.
Trey grinned at her. "Can't help it, Sam. I haven't seen your cousin all day."
Sam rolled her eyes at the couple, envious of their closeness and jealous that they were getting some sex. Rephrase that—they were getting a lot of sex. Those two obviously felt comfortable enough around her that they didn't care how loud they got at nights. Fortunately, her bedroom wasn't next to theirs. But that just proved how much fun they were having that she could still hear them from a couple of doors down.
Geez. Not too long ago, she'd made a comment to Kris and Ari that she didn't know what the fuss was about when it came to sex. Now here she was, wondering what she could do to get some bedroom action. Problem was, she only wanted it with one particular man.
Trey's phone rang and he frowned as he checked the screen. "Now what the hell does she want?" he muttered.
"Who is it?" Kris asked.
"Sandy."
Sam's eyebrows shot up. Yes, what the hell did Sandy want?
"Hello?" Trey said. "Hi, Sandy. What's up?… Really?… Oh, right… I'll have to check and get back to you… I will. Thanks."
"What was that about?" Kris asked as she tossed the salad.
"Remember John? Adam's cousin who just got married? We're invited to his surprise birthday party in three weeks."
"Why are we invited? Are you good friends with him?" Kris asked.
"I've known John for a long time because of Adam."
"Why did Sandy do the inviting?" Sam couldn't help asking.
Trey shrugged. "She's one of Bella's closest friends. Maybe she's helping Bella organise it."
"Oh, I didn't know that," she responded. "Did Adam meet Sandy through Bella?"
"Yes. She introduced them to each other," Trey confirmed. "You know what, Sam? You should go with Adam as his date."
Sam stared at Trey, finding herself silently agreeing with him.
"You think Sandy hasn't given up yet?" Kris asked.
Trey snorted. "Not by a long shot."
"Why do you think Adam kept taking her back before?" Sam asked, trying to sound casual.
Trey sighed. "Well, I think if you're a single guy, and a hot woman keeps on throwing herself at you, you're bound to feel flattered and give in. Sandy is the most persistent girl I know when it comes to chasing after a man. I guess there's something about her persistence that keeps Adam from totally cutting ties. Unfortunately, she's also immature, materialistic and shallow."
Sam felt a tightening in her chest. Maybe Sandy had been right when she'd called her a cold fish. Compared to Sandy, she was far too timid—always waiting for the guy to act first. She didn't even initiate a call to Adam when she was in Melbourne, even though she'd pined for him badly. She just wasn't used to being obvious about her feelings—and not at all experienced in chasing men.
It appeared Adam was used to being pursued. Was he waiting for her to make the move? Had he thought she was no longer interested and therefore kept his distance? Or—hell—did he find her boring?
*******
"You can go back to work. We'll clean up here," Kris said to Trey after they finished dinner.
"Thanks, babe. I'll only be another hour and I'll be done," Trey said and gave Kris a quick kiss on the lips before disappearing into his home office.
"Um, Kris," Sam said as she loaded the dishwasher. "Do you think Adam's still hung up on Sandy?"
Kris glanced at her. "I don't think so from what I've seen and heard from the boys. Why?"
"I was just wondering. I find it unbelievable that Sandy's still hanging on even after Adam has told her many times they were over. It makes me think that Sandy knows Adam's weakness when it comes to her. Something's making her confident that she could always get him back."
Kris shrugged. "I don't know. I think Sandy's just too attached to the lifestyle Adam was able to give her. I do believe Sandy has feelings for him, but gosh, Adam can do better. A lot better. Sandy's an absolute stunner but that's about it."
"So what do you think he saw in her then, apart from her looks?"
Kris laughed. "Adam's a man, Sam. With a bombshell like Sandy chasing after him, I'm sure his dick made his decision for him more than a few times."
Sam couldn't help the frustrated sigh that escaped her. Side by side, she was sure Sandy would win a beauty contest between the two of them. Sandy was glamorous and Sam was… practical. What was even more worrying was that someone as shameless as Sandy would no doubt be completely uninhibited in bed. How could she compete with that?
"Ahem."
Startled, she glanced at her cousin and her cheeks pinked. Kris was staring at her with arms folded across her chest. She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she was just standing there, holding used cutlery in her hand.
"I do believe there's something going on that you're not telling me," Kris said quietly. Too quietly. Her cousin meant business.
Sam filled her lungs before exhaling with a whoosh. "I've got a crush on Adam," she blurted out.
Kris gasped. "Really?"
"Yup."
"Since when?"
"Since I saw how hot he was that first time we met him at Kane and Jazzie's."
"Oh my God, Sam. That was ages ago! And you've been keeping this to yourself?"
"It wasn't too bad in the past. It was only lately that it's gotten stronger."
"Wow." Kris' eyes were round as saucers. "Knowing you, you haven't even let him know, have you?"
"Oh, he knows I'm att
racted to him."
"How?"
She blushed deep red. "I… um… We… um…"
Kris' eyes bulged out. "You've slept with him?" she whispered.
Her expression answered for her.
"Oh my God. When?"
"When I stayed over at his place when my parents were here."
"And?"
"And what?"
"And what have you two decided? What have you discussed?"
"We just said we were happy to see where it could lead. We didn't want to tell any of you guys until we were sure ourselves what we wanted. It just happened so unexpectedly."
"Wow. I've never known you to jump into bed without some certainty that the relationship was a committed one, Sammy."
"I know."
"What's going on now?"
She breathed deeply. "Nothing."
"What do you mean nothing?" Kris demanded.
"I mean, nothing. Adam hasn't asked me to stay with him again. He hasn't even asked me out since I came back."
"It's only been five days since you came back. Give him time. Anyway, have you let him know you're still interested?"
"Not exactly," she said in a small voice. "I'm not used to being forward, Kris."
"I know."
"So what do I do?"
"What do you want to do?"
Sam chewed her lip. "I want us to continue seeing each other."
"Then let him know that."
"I don't know if I could compete with Sandy," she murmured.
"Sam! You are much better than Sandy! If you really want Adam, you've got to fight for him. Will you just let Sandy win again?"
"No," she answered with conviction. "Okay then. I guess I'll have to muster some courage and show Adam I'm still keen."
"Good! It's about time you burst out of your shell," Kris said.
"But please don't tell Trey," Sam begged. "I'm not ready for everyone knowing yet. You know me. I hate being the centre of attention. And I'd prefer for Adam and me to figure out what we have together quietly."
"Can't we tell Jaz and Ari?"
"Yes," she said, feeling relieved that she could now talk freely to her cousin and best friends about her feelings for Adam. "But I'd rather they don't tell Kane and Dylan yet, either."
"Sure. And Sam?"
"Yeah?"
"You'll be staying at Adam's tomorrow night, right?"
"Well, it would give me a break from the ruckus that goes on in your bedroom every night," she teased, desperately trying to stifle her nerves by making things light.
"When a man knows his way around your body, you won't be able to stop yourself from screaming even if you wanted to," Kris said matter-of-factly.
Sam blushed furiously. She knew exactly what Kris was talking about.
"Oh. My. God. Adam's good, huh?" Kris said with a wide grin.
Sam sighed theatrically. "So good I thought I was going to pass out."
Kris shouted in glee and she laughed with her.
Would Adam want her to stay with him tomorrow night?
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
"Hey, Sam," Adam said as he arrived at Kris and Trey's for their dinner with Kris's dad.
"Hi," Sam responded, planting a kiss on his mouth. "Great timing. Uncle Conrad will be here any minute."
Adam's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Sam kissed him on the lips, and it wasn't for show. Her uncle hadn't arrived yet.
"We're preparing dinner," Sam said, taking his hand and leading him to the kitchen.
Hmm.
Never one to let an opportunity pass, he tugged her back and snaked an arm around her waist. "I need more warm up before your uncle gets here," he said huskily, lowering his head and kissing her—a hot, open-mouthed, tongue-in-play kiss. Oh God, how he missed her mouth.
A clanking and a sharp yelp from the kitchen startled them and made them pull apart.
Sam sighed, a shy but happy smile playing on her lips. "I better make sure those guys haven't done anything to my dishes." She gave him another kiss—a quick but sweet peck—before walking to the kitchen.
He trailed after her, grinning like an idiot. Damn. A few seconds of kissing Sam and he was back on a high.
It was a welcome change of moods. He'd been quite anxious and more than a little aggro in the last few days since she got back. She had seemed cool toward him. Not angry-cool, but we-were-just-friends-and-nothing-was-going-on kind of cool. He'd worried that she might have regretted that they'd slept together.
He wanted Sam to show that she still wanted him. It had stung when she'd acted like nothing special had happened between them. He'd thought long and hard about it, and he was sure he was already teetering into love territory. He wanted to be certain she was at least interested enough to keep on moving forward with him. Divulging his feelings only to get shattered would have serious ramifications for their friendship.
Thank God she was still keen.
"Oh." Sam stopped just before they got to the kitchen. "I was going to ask you if I could stay at your place tonight?" she whispered. "My uncle's sleeping here and he thinks I live with you."
"Of course," he grinned. Ooh, now he couldn't wait.
"Thanks, Adam," she breathed. "Do you mind if you take my suitcase and a couple of bags to your car now before Uncle Conrad arrives?"
"Why are you whispering?" he asked, his voice as low as hers.
"Oh, um, I guess I don't want Kris and Trey to get naughty ideas in their heads."
Ah, she still wasn't ready to out them. No problem—as long as it was okay if he got naughty ideas.
*******
"So, Adam," Conrad said as they dug into the lemon tart Sam made for dessert, "whatever did you feed our Sammy here that she up and left Melbourne?"
Adam smiled as Sam rolled her eyes and shook her head in mock censure. It was evident from their interaction that Sam was close to her Uncle Conrad. In fact, with Conrad's dark hair being similar in shade to Sam's—apart from the sprinkling of grey—he resembled his niece more than his own daughter. Kris must have taken after her late mother.
"To be honest, Conrad, I have no idea," Adam responded. "I'd like to think it was just my charm, but surely, Sam has her fair share of more eligible admirers. So I guess you have to ask her." He glanced at Sam, who was playing with her food, and noticed her blush.
"Aww, she's gone all shy," Conrad teased. "I guess it's just love, eh, Sammy?"
"You're just as bad as Mum and Dad, Uncle," Sam muttered.
"Your parents and I are just happy you've found someone. We were all worried you'd end up a spinster."
Sam gasped while Kris sputtered in laughter.
"Dad!" Kris chided. "Why did you even think that?"
"Yeah, Conrad," Adam said with a frown. "Sam's a very attractive girl."
"Oh, it wasn't the lack of admirers," Conrad said. "Even from their teenage years, there'd always been boys following these two girls like love-sick puppies. But Sam has always been picky and shy with boys. I think you're her first real boyfriend."
"That's not true," Sam protested. "Ask Kris."
"No, Adam's not her first boyfriend, Dad," Kris confirmed.
"Oh, well, what do I know?" Conrad responded. "What I mean is, this moving to Sydney for you, Adam, is a big thing. Just like my daughter moving for Trey, and Jasmine moving for Kane."
Kris and Trey smiled at each other, their expressions tender and full of love.
Adam could see why Conrad—and Sam's parents—believed that he and Sam were in love. The precedents were Sam's cousin and best friend—one engaged, and the other already married, to the men they'd met in Sydney. He bet Conrad, Helen and Ted were expecting him to propose to Sam soon.
He glanced at Sam, who was still playing with her food. He grabbed her hand and put it to his lips. "Well, I, for one, am glad that Sam and I are together."
He meant every word of it.
*******
"See you on Monday," Adam said to Trey as they said their goodbyes.
&n
bsp; "You're not going to Sam's apartment on Saturday?" Trey asked softly so as not to be overheard by Conrad, who was chatting with the girls.
"Oh, she's moving on Saturday?"
"Yes. Her stuff from Melbourne is arriving Saturday morning. We're helping her unpack and all that."
"I'll see you Saturday then," Adam answered. He felt slightly miffed that Sam hadn't told her about her move. Sure, they weren't officially together yet but she must know he'd want to help, didn't she?
"So, where's Sam sleeping tonight?" Trey whispered with a wicked grin.
"Where else but in my bedroom. Did you think I'll let her sleep anywhere else?" he asked.
"Good luck with that," Trey said with a laugh, obviously thinking Adam was joking. "At least it makes me feel better knowing I won't be the only one not getting any tonight."
"What do you mean?"
Trey made a face. "Kris won't let me touch her while her dad's around. She doesn't want him to hear us."
"Oh. Just keep the volume down then."
Trey snorted. "No. We've tried that before but we just can't."
"Well, then, a night won't kill you."
"A night and a morning," Trey complained.
"Tough for you, bro. I won't be thinking of you when I get some tonight."
"As if," Trey said with a smirk.
Before Adam could respond, the others approached them.
"It was great to meet you, Adam," Conrad said.
"It was my pleasure, Conrad," he responded sincerely.
"I won't see these girls again for a while so you take care of this one, okay?" Conrad said, putting his arm around Sam's shoulders. "Don't let her wiggle away. She's a great catch. And don't wait too long before you make your decision about the future."
Adam grinned at Sam's mortified expression.
"Honestly, Uncle! Why the hurry?" she cried.
"We know you, Sammy," Conrad said. "You love thinking things through to the nth degree." Turning to Adam, he said, "A tip, Adam. Sam likes taking her time before coming to a final conclusion on most things. Just be patient with her. Her brain's so fastidious that it just refuses to stop analysing."
Secret Tastes (Secret Dreams Contemporary Romance 4) Page 9