by Diana Gardin
“And I don’t have you,” he continued sadly.
His hand crept higher on her leg, now grazing the way-too-soft flesh of her midthigh. “Jesus Christ, Aston. It’s not because I don’t want you. I just know it’d be wrong. I was with Ever for so damn long…it was wrong to want you like I did. And now that I’m free, I can’t let myself jump into something that could end up breaking me.”
She reached out and allowed her fingertips to graze his chest, so softly she barely felt the fine hair on his skin against her fingertips. Fueled by the jump in his muscle, her fingers squeezed his rock-hard pec gently and he froze. A slender index finger traced a light circle around the nipple, and the hand on her leg gripped her tighter.
“Sam.” She breathed. “I’m not going to break you. I’m going to put you back together again.”
He made a fatal mistake; he allowed his eyes to run the full length of her bikini-clad body, taking in the soft curves of her legs and her hip, and the perfect cinch in her exposed waist. His eyes traveled up to the swell of her plump breasts, and then he could no longer remain a spectator. Aston was a contact sport, and Sam knew exactly what to do when he was called into a game.
His lips were covering hers, because he couldn’t stop himself anymore. He didn’t want to stop himself anymore. He let his hands stroke every inch of her exposed skin, he couldn’t touch enough places on her body fast enough or thoroughly enough. And as his brain caught up to the massive desire currently building somewhere deep in his gut, he had a thought that maybe he should stop this before they got carried away.
He opened his mouth to say it aloud, but then her hands were up and tangling in his short hair and all that reasonable thought he’d suddenly acquired flew right back out from the place it came. She moaned against his mouth, moaned, and he prodded her lips with his tongue, wanting her to open up for him. Needing her to open up for him so he could feel the heat he knew existed inside her mouth. She did almost instantly, and their tongues began to gently taste and explore each other for the first time.
Kissing her was everything he thought it would be when he’d dared to fantasize about it. Sparks of electricity were igniting small fires all over his body, and the ache in his trunks was almost painful at this point, the throbbing sensation begging him to relieve it.
She tugged him closer, and he willingly leaned against her, closer, to meld his body against hers. They were chest to chest, and the delicious feel of her chest crushed against him was exactly how he pictured heaven would feel. The vibration of the sound she made against his lips as his hand skimmed up her side and cupped one of her breasts sent his mind spinning to the moon and back again.
So close. She was so close and she tasted more than good, like candy and ice cream and every other decadent thing he could think of and…she wanted him. He could feel the heat between her thighs through the thin fabric of his swimming trunks, and the thought of her sizzling against him made him almost crazy with the need he could no longer contain. They’d started this, now he was damn well going to finish it. The fact that he was kissing a girl who’d nearly drowned hours before wasn’t lost on him, but the look of focused clarity in her eyes was enough to let him know that she knew exactly what she was doing, and she wanted it.
“Aston,” he groaned against her mouth as he tore his lips away to trail kisses around her jawline and nip at the soft skin underneath her ear. One of his hands continued to palm her breast, his thumb circling her tautly erect nipple. Her nails clutched his bare skin again, and he hoisted one slender leg up around his waist to feel more of her direct heat.
A door suddenly closed farther down the hallway, and they both froze, lips hovering millimeters away from each other.
“Did you close my bedroom door?” Aston asked in a breath, her eyes still closed and her hands crawling down the front of his swimming trunks.
“No,” he groaned. His breath came in heavy gasps as her fingers grazed against his painfully swollen erection. He tried, and failed, to gain control of himself. She was making him lose his ever-loving mind.
“Dammit,” she cursed. “Don’t leave, Sam. Close the freaking door.”
Sam held her against him, and she wiggled her hips in a way that nearly ripped a yell from his mouth. He buried his face in her neck to squelch it, and he breathed in her scent again as he willed his pulse to slow down enough for him to disentangle himself from her.
“We’re in your house,” he mumbled against her neck. “Reed’s coming to check on you.”
He sat up, and she objected, the disappointment she felt also filling his limbs like hot, heavy lead.
“Do you two want me to come back?” Reed asked from the door, a smug smile tugging at his lips.
Sam and Aston both shot him a glare. Reed’s smirk grew wider.
Sam gently set Aston back against her pillows, removing her leg from his waist and sliding away from her.
“I got her upstairs safe and sound,” he said lamely.
“Yes, I can see that, Sam. I’m sure my sister is very grateful.” A deep laugh bubbled up from Reed’s throat.
Sam glanced down at Aston, and the sight of her almost sent him right back into her arms. She was flushed from the heat of their encounter, and her eyes sparkled with a bright ferocity that showed him just how much of a tigress she’d be if he’d gotten her naked. Her lips were plump and wet, and as he watched, she slid her tongue over them slowly. He had to bite down on his lip painfully, and shifted in his seat to adjust himself in his new, painful state of need.
“Shut the hell up, Reed,” Aston grumbled. She reached out her hand and squeezed Sam’s. “Thank you. For saving my life tonight.”
“You’re welcome, Princess.”
He bent down and kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger against her skin for a brief moment. She rubbed her cheek against his rough chin, and he sighed with regret.
“I’ll call you in the morning,” he whispered.
“You’d better.”
When Aston awoke the next morning, the throbbing pain in her head made her want to close her eyes and drift back to sleep. She groaned.
“Here,” Reed said from beside her.
He’d gotten up from the comfortable armchair in the corner of her room to hand her a glass of water and two pills.
“Did you sleep at all?” she asked groggily as she sat up to take the medicine.
“A little,” he answered, studying her. “Are you okay?”
“My head hurts like a bitch,” she answered. “But I don’t think I’m going to die anytime soon.”
“That’s a relief,” Reed said. “Even though it would have been nice to add that BMW to my side of the garage.”
She slapped his arm. “Thanks, little bro.”
“So, we gonna talk about you and Sam now?” Reed grinned like a schoolboy.
Her mind flashed back to the kiss from last night and her face burned hot. “No.”
“Are you sure? Because I’m pretty sure I interrupted something when I came in.” The smirk was back.
“Reed,” she warned.
“Aston,” he replied. “Okay, I’ll drop it. I’m guessing you don’t want me to ask Sam about it, either.”
“If you do, I will kill you in your sleep,” she answered.
“Noted.”
Aston’s visit to the doctor later that day confirmed popular suspicions: She had no lasting effects from the near-drowning. The doctor instructed her to return if any new symptoms arose.
Her ankle, however, was badly sprained. It required an air cast and instructions to keep off of her feet as much as possible.
“See?” she told her father and Reed. “I’m fine. No harm done. Now I can relax the rest of the day, and get back to work tomorrow.”
“No, you won’t,” Gregory admonished. “You won’t be back at work this week. Sam can handle it while you’re gone. You wouldn’t want to step in and help, would you, Reed?”
“Hell, no,” Reed answered, shocked.
&n
bsp; “See,” Aston said, shooting Reed an amused glance. “You need me, Daddy.”
“Of course I need you,” Gregory answered. “But I can live without you in the office for a week. Rest, baby girl. Get better.”
“Right,” Aston answered. She was unable to hide her exasperated tone. “Because since Sam is a man, he’s better at my job anyway, right?”
Gregory leaned over the couch where Aston sat splayed out and kissed her cheek.
“Those are your words, honey,” he answered. “Sam may rise in the company one day. And I hope you’ll be by his side.” He winked.
Aston’s mouth dropped open. “You want me by his side? In what way, Daddy?”
“In whatever way you two see fit,” he answered. He squeezed her shoulder and left the room.
“Don’t say it,” Aston instructed Reed, whose head was swiveled toward her.
He feigned a zipping motion at his lips and rose. “I gotta go, sis. Amy’s waiting for me at the beach.”
“Who the hell is Amy?”
“Don’t worry about it,” A wide grin spread across Reed’s face.
With her family gone, Aston’s thoughts strayed to Sam. She snuggled on the couch cushions, sinking deeper into the fluff, and remembered how delicious his lips had felt on hers the night before. And when she closed her eyes all she could see was the ravenous look in his chocolate ones as he gazed at her on her bed.
Shivers rocked her body as her hand reached out for her phone. She couldn’t spend another minute alone on this couch.
The phone jingled happily as she picked it up, and Sam’s name flashed across the screen.
“Sam?” she answered breathlessly.
“Hey, Princess.” Sam’s deep, husky voice sent a tingle of longing from her heart to her belly. “How was the doctor today?”
“Good,” she answered. “I’ve got a sprained ankle. So I’ll live. I have to rest it this week, though.”
“I’m so sorry this happened to you.” Sam’s voice was low. “Can I come see you? Do you need some company?”
“Yes,” Aston immediately replied. “Are you on your way up?”
She could hear the motion on Sam’s end of the line. And the smile in his voice. “Already halfway there.”
“Well, that’s presumptuous, Waters.” She was unable to keep her mouth from forming an answering smile.
“I guess it would be, if I wasn’t completely sure you would say yes.” He chuckled, and ended the call.
She sighed and flopped back on the cushions. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d felt this excited about seeing a guy. Her relationship with Princeton just wasn’t like this. It hadn’t been so…intense.
It finally felt like…they’d reached a turning point. A swarm of wings took flight in her stomach at the thought.
A light knock echoed down the long hallway outside the great room, and the front door opened and closed. Sam’s footsteps thudded on the wood floors and when he appeared in the doorway, her heart melted.
He wore a pair of the newer jeans he’d bought while shopping with her and they fit more snugly on his hips than his old ones did. The army green T-shirt made his eyes glitter, and her gaze wandered from them to the full lips that she very much wanted back on her body right now.
“Hey,” she squeaked, pulling the pillow she hugged closer to her body.
“Hey yourself,” he answered.
He sat on the opposite end of the couch and she exhaled in relief and regret. She wanted him closer, but if he was closer the territorial lioness inside of her might be forced to pounce.
His hands fidgeted in his lap, then settled upon his thighs, fingers splayed. He cleared his throat, not looking at her.
“So, Aston,” he began.
She waited. If he was going to tell her that last night was a mistake, she would let him get it out. Then she’d have to ask him to leave in order to put herself back together again.
“Last night…last night I lost control. I didn’t mean to. I respect you too much to ruin our friendship.”
“Sam…” She slid over on the couch. She stopped right next to him, her thigh grazing against his.
He eyed their legs, assessing their proximity. When he met her eyes again, firelight flickered dangerously in his.
She nodded. “The feelings I have…I’ve tried to ignore them. I’ve tried to forget they exist. I work with you and try to keep things totally professional. But then, I hang out with you at night and can’t force my eyes away from you. I went from not trusting you in the beginning to being someone who believes in you, Sam. I can’t get you out of my head.”
She rested a small hand timidly on his thigh, and his muscle tensed beneath her touch. She liked the feeling of security the sheer size of him beside her provided. She liked his reaction to her. Maybe it meant that he’d be able to let this happen.
Let them happen.
“I…I can’t feel anything for you,” he said, his voice desperate and pained.
The hope she’d allowed herself to feel was instantly extinguished, leaving a chilly emptiness in its place.
“I just can’t, Aston. Yeah, I feel drawn to you, and it confuses the hell out of me. It wasn’t like that with Ever. With you, I feel free to be who I really am, who I can one day be. When I’m with you I see a whole world I never knew existed. But…I think it’s just physical. We can’t be more. I don’t have any more to give.”
Now Aston’s eyes flashed, with anger. “You’re lying to yourself, Sam.” She squeezed his thigh, and his muscle jumped beneath her hand. “You’re telling yourself, for whatever reason, that you can’t have this. I don’t know what you’re afraid of. But ignoring this…ignoring what we have, is a mistake.”
His eyes locked on hers, and she made a snap decision. She leaned forward and melded her lips against his. Immediately, he groaned in response and pulled her head closer with a firm hand on the nape of her neck. She kissed him fervently to convey the emotions she was feeling, and to unlock the ones he was hiding deep inside his heart.
His tongue nudged inside her mouth and tangled with hers. She sighed against his lips and tilted her head, allowing him to deepen the kiss. His arms went around her, strong and steady, and she sank into them as his mouth moved against hers.
“Sam,” she whispered against him. “Please don’t deny this.”
He struggled; he pulled away a fraction, and then his arms tightened around her and he pulled her close again. He was torn. She could convince him to give them a chance. She kissed him harder. His large hands found their way under her tank top, and she shivered in response to his touch. Those strong hands covered her inconvenient bra, cupping her breasts almost roughly, and she immediately leaned into him to achieve more closeness. She wanted more; more of him, more of his hands on her body.
Footsteps echoed down the wood-floored hall and Sam pulled back from her immediately. He closed his eyes and shook his head, and then released a frustrated sigh. He rose from the couch and moved to stand against the window. When his eyes found hers again, the ache in them was visible.
“Sam,” she whispered. He held up a hand to quiet her.
“Oh, hello, Sam,” Gregory said brightly as he strode into the room. “Here to keep Aston company?”
“Yes, sir,” Sam answered, his voice clipped. “We’ve become good friends.”
“I figured as much,” Gregory answered. “I’m glad to hear it. I’m more than grateful to you for last night, Sam. Saving my daughter’s life is something I’ll never forget, and I’ll always be in your debt.”
“Sir,” Sam declared. He scrutinized Aston. “I’d save her life a million times over.”
If his statement took Gregory aback, he didn’t acknowledge it. He simply nodded and smiled faintly.
“I’m also glad you’re here, Sam. I wanted to let you know that some business has come up in Europe, and I’m going to have to travel to Belgium in a couple of weeks. I want you and Aston in the office in Charleston while I’m gone. I kn
ow you can manage it. Also, Sam, I’d like to talk to you about your future a little bit more when I get back. I’ve been thinking that you could stay on at Hopewell Enterprises while you attend college in Charleston this fall.”
“College in Charleston?” Sam asked. “But I’m not—”
“We have some time, son. You can think about it. A company scholarship would provide anything you needed, of course. Tuition, books, all fees would be paid for. If you plan to be an asset in my company in the future, it behooves me to help you, Sam. And…I just want to.”
Sam stared at Mr. Hopewell and Aston stared at Sam.
If he took the offer, he’d be staying in South Carolina…for good. The emotions that swirled around her heart were slowly warming her body from the inside out. She wanted Sam here, more than she’d known. She wanted him to take the scholarship. She wanted him to stay.
And she was beyond grateful that her father had seen the potential in him when she hadn’t. She’d never been so happy he hadn’t listened to her in her life.
“Mr. Hopewell.” The emotion in Sam’s voice was apparent in the thickness of his tone. “What you’re offering…is insane. You’re offering to send me to a four-year school? Here? And I could keep working? I never expected…” Sam sank down onto a chair near the window and dropped his head in his hands. The trembling in his arms was visible to Aston from her seat on the couch.
She wanted to go sit with him and put her arms around him, to let him know that it was okay. He could take this offer and not feel guilty, or suspicious, or used. Her father wanted Sam because he was amazing. Just like she did.
But Sam wasn’t ready to hear that yet. He may never be ready to hear it. Not from her. And patience wasn’t a virtue Aston had ever mastered.
A sudden hope of waiting Sam out lit a fire inside of her, hotter than her ambition for success in school or business.
She would wait for Sam. As long as it took. Because he was worth it.
For the first time, she recognized that he didn’t know he was worthy of all the good things piling up around him. He thought he’d left his worth back in Duck Creek with Ever. He was lost; he was drifting.