Miles From Home

by Ava Bell

  I find it hard to pull my eyes away from his hands. “It’s up to you. But I don’t mind sitting here for a while. I’d love to hear you play something,” I say, moving up closer to the headboard.

  “Is there anything in particular you want to hear? I can play just about anything,” Sam says, lightly picking each string.

  “Surprise me.” I lean against my pillow and close my eyes when Sam starts playing his guitar. He begins to sing very quietly at first, and I can barely hear the words but I know this song well. It’s by Rascal Flats, and called I Melt. Although I’m not a huge fan of country music, no one grows up in Texas without learning to love few of the songs, and this just happens to be one of my favorites.

  I melt every time you look at me that way

  It never fails, anytime, any place

  This burn in me is the coolest thing I’ve ever felt

  I melt

  The next thing I know, Sam is putting a blanket over me. I can feel him lean down and whisper in my ear. “Get some sleep, Maggie.”

  I start to relax even more and drift off to sleep. I have dreams of Sam playing his guitar and of me kissing him.

  When I wake up I can see through the window that the sun is beginning to set. I see Sam, still sitting in the leather chair and playing his guitar, softly. I sit up slowly as Sam looks up at me and smiles.

  “Oh wow, how long have I been asleep?” I stretch my arms over my head.

  “Quite a while. You were tired. I guess we were both pretty tired. I even slept a couple of hours too.” He stands and walks over to the small table and grabs a Twinkie. I watch him while he slowly unwraps it and takes a bite. He stares into my eyes as he eats it and my heart quickens before I can look away.

  “I love these things. They remind me of when I was little.” He takes another bite and grins.

  “Are you hungry?” he asks, but I can’t pull my eyes away from his mouth long enough to answer him. When I finally do, I suddenly feel a flush spread across my face and I turn away.

  “Yes, I’m starving,” I say, leaning over to check my phone, trying anything to distract my mind.

  “Should we go get something to eat at the diner?” he asks, opening another Twinkie.

  “Yes,” I reply. I begin walking towards the bathroom. “Just let me brush my hair and I’ll be right out.”

  I close the bathroom door and look at myself in the mirror. I brush my teeth and my hair and apply a small amount of makeup. When I come out of the bathroom, Sam is waiting by the front door. He’s wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts, a tan button-down long-sleeved shirt, untucked, with the sleeves rolled halfway up and a pair of Nike tennis shoes. He definitely has my undivided attention. As we walk towards the diner, I see that the festival goers are at it in full force. The park is filling up with tourists that are ready to have a good time. I look at my watch and see it’s a little after seven o’clock and I suddenly remember I need to call Sydney and my Aunt Virginia as soon as I can to check in with them.

  Sam smiles when I look over at the crowd as the music starts to play. “Are you up for a little wine this evening?” I ask, flashing him my biggest smile.

  “I could go for some wine, but I think we need to keep your alcohol intake to a minimum. Dinner will help too.” He nudges my shoulder, teasing me.

  We sit in the same booth that we sat in twenty-four hours earlier and I notice our waitress from yesterday is working. The diner is busier than before and the wait is longer. So while we are waiting we scan the menu and we both decide on the meatloaf dinner.

  “Sam, do you want to share a piece of pie for dessert?” I ask, checking the list of homemade pies.

  Sam is still looking at the menu and doesn’t look up to answer me, but the smile on his face tells me we will be sharing dessert. I nudge his foot under the table and say, “You know you want some.” And before I realize how that sounded Sam jerks his head up and looks at me with those beautiful eyes, giving me a look that tells me he’s not thinking of dessert. I can feel my face get red, so I smile and look away. I’m feeling a little braver than I did this time yesterday and I’m not sure if I can restrain myself from kissing him tonight.

  “Oh Sam! Really, I know that look.” I giggle.

  “Maggie?” he starts. “Do you have a boyfriend? I don’t mean to be nosy, but a beautiful girl like you can’t be unattached.” He looks at me and smiles, waiting for me to answer

  “No, Sam, I don’t have a boyfriend.” I look down at my hands on the table. I don’t know why I feel the need to explain, but I do anyway. “It’s been a while since I’ve dated anyone. Time was always an issue with most of them and they were never patient enough. Most of my time was spent in a dance studio.” Sam smiles and nods. The electricity between us seems to be getting stronger and stronger and there’s no denying that we both are more interested in one another than we’d like to admit.

  After we order our meal, we sit and watch as the tourists pass by. We laugh as they stumble through the streets, dancing and drinking. One couple in particular had us laughing so hard that tears were rolling down our faces. He was clearly in a drunken state, stumbling around while his poor wife holds him up as they walk down the sidewalk.

  “Looks like he’s having a good time. I think we should definitely join in on the fun tonight,” I say, as our waitress sets our food on the table. She hears us commenting on the activities going on in the park.

  “Tonight is the last night of the festival; it always gets a bit wilder than the first night,” she says. “Is there anything else I can get for you?”

  “I’m good,” I say, looking at Sam.

  “I don’t think so,” he says.

  We talk as we eat our dinner and Sam tells me about his cousin’s bar and how excited he is about moving to Chicago. “I was so tired of living in that small town. Everyone knows each other’s business and you can’t sneeze without everyone knowing.” His mood changes quickly when he talks about his hometown.

  I know exactly how he feels, so I try to make him feel better by letting him know. “I know what you mean. Everyone knows my family. My dad is the minister of the largest Baptist church in town and all eyes were always on us. I guess they were waiting to see if we screwed up.” Sam looks at me and nods. “I always felt like I had to be on my best behavior and my dad has always been a very old-fashioned person. Perfection was his standard, and I was perfection incomplete.” I blink quickly to keep the tears from falling as I look away.

  “And he approved of you leaving and going to New York City? That’s a big step for a small-town minister’s daughter,” Sam says.

  I slowly shake my head. “He doesn’t know. He would have never let me go.” I stare out of the window and thoughts of my father’s disappointment enters my mind.

  “Oh really?” Sam says, surprised. “I’m sure he’s worried about you, Maggie.” He catches my eye and he quickly senses that this is a sore subject for me.

  “I doubt it, but that’s a story for a different time,” I say, waving my hand in the air.

  “You know I’ll listen if you want to talk about it,” he says, giving me a sympathetic smile.

  Just as I turn away, the waitress comes over. “Are you two going to have a piece of pie?” she asks.

  Sam looks at me and I nod my head. “Can we share a piece? I don’t think I can eat the whole thing,” I say.

  Sam smiles his agreement. “Sure, what kind do you like?” I smile big and order a piece of cherry pie.

  Sam winks at me. “Sounds great to me.”

  I know that Sam can feel the shift in my mood, so he quickly changes the subject. “What’s your favorite movie, Maggie?” I don’t have to think hard about this one, and I’m sure he will cringe when he hears my answer.

  “The Notebook,” I say, a slow grin spreading across my face.

  Sam throws his head back and laughs hard. “I would have to say that’s one movie I’ve been lucky enough to miss, but I hear it’s very popular with women.”


  I shrug my shoulders. “I’m such a sucker for romance.”

  While Sam and I share the huge slice of cherry pie the waitress brought, my eyes fixate on his mouth as he takes each bite. Sam clears his throat, pulling me from my daydream, I blush when I realize he is aware that I’ve been staring at his mouth the entire time.

  “How about we get out of here and go have some fun?” He raises his eyebrows up and down while I grab my purse and slide out of the booth.

  THERE’S A SLIGHT warm breeze when Sam and I step outside. The music slowly fills the air as the crowds of people walk throughout the park.

  “Are you ready for a drink? Can I interest you in a glass . . . I mean, a plastic cup of wine?” he asks, as we cross the street towards the crowd. I follow close behind him, checking out his nice ass. He turns and catches me looking, so I blush and turn my head, hoping he won’t notice how red my face is. I look for an empty table while Sam gets the wine, and I find one off to the side close to where the band is playing. I spot Sam as he looks around, searching the crowd for me. I stand and wave my hand to get his attention. As he walks towards me I see that he has a bottle of wine and two wine glasses, along with the cutest smile on his face, which tells me we’re going to let loose and have some fun.

  “Wow, you really are ready for a drink, and actual wine glasses. Fancy!”

  Sam smiles. “Well, they’re not exactly real wine glasses, but close enough; they’re plastic.”

  The bottle is already open and Sam fills up my glass first, then his. He raises his glass and clicks it to mine. “Here’s to a new start,” he toasts, taking a sip. His words roll around in my head as I think about the past twenty-four hours and how they have certainly been a new start for me. I feel like I’m finally in charge of my own destiny and it feels good. Having Sam to share the first few days of my newfound life is even better.

  “Mmm, this is good. It’s different from the wine we had last night,” I say. Sam watches me as I take small sips from the glass.

  “It is different; it’s a Merlot. That’s why I bought the bottle. It’s really a better quality than the stuff they are offering for free,” he says, picking up the bottle to inspect the label. Sam and I settle into a comfortable conversation while we watch the crowd form near the stage. Sam turns his chair around to face the band and slowly scoots it closer to mine. I smile inwardly at Sam’s close proximity as his arm brushes against mine. I consciously take slow small sips from my glass, making sure I don’t overindulge. Sam looks me and winks.

  The bottle is close to being empty when I finish my third glass and although I’m not feeling intoxicated, I am feeling the effects in a positive way. I think Sam is too. As the music gets louder, Sam leans in closer while we talk and our eye contact lasts longer. I decide then I’ve had enough wine for the night. When the band slows things down with something much slower, I stand and hold out my hand towards Sam. “Come dance with me,” I say, my hand trembling slightly. Maybe he didn’t notice it, but I definitely did.

  Sam shoots me a shy smile, and looks around as he hesitates. I feel as if every eye is staring at me while I wait, preparing myself to be turned down. “Sure, Maggie, let’s dance.”

  As we’re walking towards the dance area, Sam places his hand on the small of my back, guiding me through the crowd until we find a spot. When he places both hands on my hips, it feels like an electric shock.

  “I’m not much of a dancer so I’ll try not to step on your feet,” he says, looking into my eyes.

  I smile when Sam pulls me closer and I lean my head on his shoulder as we move slowly to the music. It’s just starting to get dark and the party lights that are strung around the park come on. We’re both feeling nervous, yet excited. I look up into Sam’s eyes and we are locked in a gaze that neither of us can seem to pull away from. Sam leans down and softly kisses me on the lips and I return his kiss as my grip around his neck gets tighter. There’s an undeniable connection between us and I know he can feel it too as our kiss gets more urgent and deeper. I can feel Sam’s tongue lightly brush and push against my lips so I open them, allowing him to explore my mouth. Our tongues swirl around together and I let out a small whimper. I feel Sam moan into my mouth and when Sam pulls back, slowly tracing his tongue along my ear and neck, I know that I can no longer stay in control. My grip around his neck loosens as I lean my head back to give him better access while he teases me.

  I can feel the heat rising from between my legs. When my heart rate and breathing increases, Sam pulls away and looks at me.

  “Are you okay?” he asks. I nod my head slowly and stare deep into his eyes.

  I don’t need to answer the question; he can see it in my eyes. Sam grabs my hand and quickly pulls me through the crowd until we are standing on the sidewalk. There’s just enough light from the streetlamp, and I can see the need in his eyes. He steps closer and places his hands on my shoulders. He leans down and slowly places his lips on mine. I moan and press myself against him, hoping he can see how much I need him.

  “Is this something we want to do?” He looks at me, squinting his eyes as though trying to read my thoughts. I nod slowly, making sure not to break eye contact with him. “Are you sure, Maggie?” he asks, brushing the hair away from my eyes.

  “I’m positive, Sam.” I take his hand and walk towards the room.

  Just as we reach the door, Sam turns to face me. He leans down and kisses my forehead as if he’s giving me one last chance to change my mind, because once we walk into that room there will be no holding back. Sam locks the door behind him, while I stand in the middle of the room anticipating his next move.

  He races towards me, pushing me up against the wall and his lips are on mine before I can say a word. His hands are wrapped around me. He picks me up and I wrap my legs around his waist. My hands are pulling at his hair as our kiss gets deeper and our breathing quickens. I grip Sam’s shoulders when he places his hands under my butt to keep me from sliding down, and he moves to the side of the bed, lowering me down. I lean back and prop myself up on my elbows as Sam stands between my legs. I give him an undeniable look that tells him how much I want him. He knows and he slides onto the bed next to me as we face each other. Slowly and softly he nibbles his way down my neck and to my chest. He places one hand under my shirt and slowly caresses my back while his other hand lifts my leg and drapes it over his hip. I can feel his excitement as we press our bodies close together as one.

  “You feel so good, Maggie. Oh God, I want you,” he whispers in my ear.

  “I want you, Sam. Please don’t stop.” Unbuttoning his shirt is more effort than I am willing to put forth, so I rip through the last two buttons.

  I pull his shirt off and run my hands over his chest. He smells of soap and sweat as I breathe in deep. I can barely hear him as he moans and grabs the hem of my t-shirt, pulling it over my head. We lay facing each other as our hands explore each and every exposed area. Sam slowly slips my bra straps off of each shoulder until my breasts are fully exposed. Then he unclasps the back and throws my bra to the floor.

  “Ahhh . . . that feels so good,” I say. I throw my head back when he takes my nipple in his mouth and sucks it slowly while it hardens.

  “Maggie, you’re so beautiful. Your skin is so soft I want to lick every inch of your body,” Sam growls, moving to the other nipple, showing it equal attention.

  I slowly unzip his shorts and I can feel his erection as it strains against the fabric . . . waiting to be released. I place my hand over his boxers and rub up and down the length of him. He moans and leans in to kiss me. His hand moves to the top of my jeans as he undoes the button and pulls the zipper down. Sam slides his hand down the front of my jeans and over my panties.

  “Maggie, you’re so wet,” he says, rubbing the moist spot on my panties.

  Knowing that neither of us can wait any longer, we both quickly remove what clothing we still have on as our hands roam and caress each other’s bodies.

  He moves between my
legs, using his arms for support and he hovers above me. He leans down and places small kisses down my cheek, my neck, and my breast, slowly working his way down to my navel. I arch my back, feeling every wonderful sensation as he moves lower to the one spot that will make me come undone. He kneels on the floor and pulls me to the edge of the bed and pushes my legs farther apart. Then he begins to make every inch of my body come alive with his tongue. I’ve never felt this out of control before as he licks and swirls his tongue between the folds, up and down. I can’t hold back anymore as I grip the sheets and scream his name.

  “Sam! Oh God, Sam! Please don’t stop!” I can’t hold back. “Yes!” I scream, grabbing his hair with my hands. I know I must be pulling and tugging his hair hard because he makes loud moaning sounds, but I can’t help it; I’m not longer in control.

  After the most amazing and intense orgasm, I lay completely still while my breathing gets slower and my body relaxes.

  “Sam, that was amazing. I’ve never felt something so intense and wonderful before,” I say. Then he moves me back up to the middle of the bed. He kneels between my spread legs and I can see he’s not finished, but neither am I. He hovers above me and I move my hips forward until I can feel his erection at my opening, Sam looks me in the eyes as if asking for permission to continue, so I pull him closer until the tip of him slowly slides into my wet opening. He stops and I can see he’s conflicted.

  “Maggie, are you sure? We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. It doesn’t have to happen tonight.” He looks at me nervously, but I just smile and close my eyes. “Tell me what you want . . .” he grinds out, pushing inside me.

  I grab him by his ass and pull him into me, pulling harder, deeper, until I moan. “Just fuck me, Sam. Fuck me hard. I want this, I want you, I want to feel you inside of me,” I say, gasping, feeling every inch of his hardness move inside of me.