In Your Arms

by Becky Andrews

  “Come on…if anyone came in here, Bob would know. No one can get by without passing him first,” Phillip said, taking Sam’s hand and running down the stairs and out the front door. They ran over toward the guard tower.

  “Sir, is everything all right?” Bob sounded concerned. “Does Ms. Baker need any assistance? I can have the—”

  “Bob, I need you to tell me if anyone has come through here in the past twenty minutes,” Phillip said.

  Bob shook his head. “No, sir.”

  “Sammy!” Benjamin yelled as he ran out of the house. Sam rushed over toward him and took him in her arms.

  “Benny! Where were you?” Sam cried.

  “What’s wrong?” Benjamin asked.

  “Why did you run off like that, Benny?”

  “I was playing,” he said, looking scared.

  “By yourself?” Sam demanded.

  “Yeah, I was lost in Phillip’s big house.” Benny’s bottom lip was trembling. “I couldn’t find you.”

  She tried to calm down.

  Phillip looked down at Sam and took her hand in his. “It’ll be all right. I’m here now. So what do we do? Go to the police?”

  “I can’t. His big shot lawyers will get him out and then the next thing I know he’ll be after me or worse my family. I can’t do that,” she said. Losing Benny had freaked her out more than anything else ever had. She wasn’t thinking clearly. If anything ever happened to her little brother she didn’t know what she’d do. “I guess I overreacted. There’s no way he could know that I saw him. I just freaked out when I couldn’t find Benny.”

  “Well, I’m here, no matter what you decide,” Phillip said, kissing her hand.

  “We’d better go, my mother is expecting us home for dinner,” Sam said, pulling away.

  “We still have an hour before then, we could just hang out, all three of us.”

  “I’m sorry, I’d love to, but I know if I don’t go now, I won’t want to in an hour.”

  Phillip frowned then let go of her hand. “I’ll go get your stuff.”

  Sam watched as Phillip walked to the backyard and picked up Benjamin’s backpack and her purse. He was very understanding about the whole situation. She could have told him a long time ago.

  * * *

  Sam pulled into the school parking lot and took her things out of the car then made her way up the steps that led to the school. After passing through security, she walked over to her locker and opened it, putting her things away.

  “Hey, muffin,” Phillip said from behind her.

  “What?” she said, turning around.

  “It’s my nickname for you, you don’t like it?” Phillip asked.

  “Uh no. I would try and come up with another one. Muffin is just too, I don’t know, weird. I don’t want to be called muffin.”

  “Okay, muffin is off the table. How about honey?”

  “No! I’m not the honey type or the sweetheart type either,” she was quick to add.

  “Pumpkin?”

  “That is a name a father calls his daughter. How about you stay away from food items, then get back with me.” Sam smiled.

  “All right but you were delicious to taste the other day.” He gave her a sweet, tantalizing grin, making her remember how it had felt when he’d bent his head over her breasts. “Anyway, first I want to show you something,”

  Sam eyed him suspiciously. “All right. Where is it?”

  “It’s down the hall…come on, get your stuff,” he said, grabbing her hand and leading her down the hall. “Come on, it’s inside.”

  “Inside the utility closet?”

  “Yes, skeptic. I’m hiding it.”

  “This better be really good.”

  Phillip looked around and made sure no one was around then opened the door. “Trust me, it will be good,” he said as Sam walked into the dark room. Phillip closed the door and turned around.

  “Are you going to turn on the light…to show me this amazing thing?” she asked.

  “I don’t need the lights to show you,” Phillip said, taking Sam’s hand in his.

  “Come on, Phillip, what is it really?”

  Phillip walked toward Sam, causing her to back up into the door.

  “Seriously, Phillip,” she said then stopped, inhibited by his lips on hers. The moment he kissed her, everything faded away, until only the two of them existed.

  “Now do you get it?” Phillip asked, resting his forehead on hers. “We got interrupted the other day, and I’ve been wanting to kiss you again so bad.”

  “Yes, me too,” she said breathlessly then looked up at his dark figure and began to kiss him again.

  His kisses electrified her. She could do nothing but kiss him back. She wanted to drown in him, never come up for air.

  Sam wrapped her arms around his neck and began to play with his hair, running her fingers through it while Phillip rested his hands on her waist. The more she played with his hair, the more passionately he kissed her.

  “We have to stop.” Sam broke away.

  “Yeah, the bell will ring any minute,” he said, stepping away and giving her room to open the door.

  Sam picked up her backpack, paused, then turned back to face Phillip. She knew she should go to class, but found it physically impossible to walk away from him without experimenting a little more with the passion between them.

  “What?” he asked intently.

  “Um, there are people out in the hallway. Maybe we should wait a little longer.”

  “Sam, you didn’t even open the door to look.” He laughed.

  “I think it’s best if we just stay here a bit longer, don’t you?” She was more than happy to get detention again if it meant more of his kisses. “I mean, we really shouldn’t let people see us coming out—”

  She stopped mid-sentence, cut off by Phillip, who was quick to buy her argument. Sam dropped her backpack and began kissing him back. As Phillip continued to kiss her, he wrapped his arms around her and began to caress her back. Sam moaned softly at his touch, which sent tingles up and down her spine.

  Phillip continued to stroke her back, then slowly began to trail kisses down her face and neck as Sam arched her head back.

  “I love the way you touch me,” she whispered. “I never thought anything could feel this good.”

  “You haven’t even begun to feel good yet,” he breathed wickedly.

  “Oh yeah?” she asked, unable to believe her daring. “Maybe you should show me then.”

  “Really?” he said, his eyes burning. “Maybe I could just give you a little preview.”

  She nodded, unsure exactly what she was agreeing to, but at this point she thought she would have let him do anything.

  He trailed his hand across her breasts gently, then let it drift lower, until he was cupping her intimately through her jeans. She gasped, enflamed and slightly embarrassed as he rubbed his hand against her, creating a firestorm of sensation.

  She moaned, and he caught the sound with his mouth, kissing her desperately as he continued to fondle her. Something strange was happening to her, the tension grew to be nearly unbearable, and she fought against it.

  He broke the kiss and stared at her. “God, you are so wet for me, Sam. I can feel it even through your jeans. Just let go. Come for me.”

  She shuddered at his soft, sexy words. “Kiss me again,” she whispered.

  He did, and then, to her further shock, he unzipped her jeans, putting his hand down the front, rubbing his fingers against her bare, slippery folds, until she suddenly shattered, a feeling of such intense pleasure sweeping through her she didn’t even know what to call it.

  “Oh god,” she whispered, when she came back to herself. “I don’t even know what to say.”

  “Tell me you liked it,” he breathed. “Tell me you’ll let me touch you that way again sometime.”

  She fumbled to refasten her jeans, her hands trembling, unsure what to say. She’d loved it, but she didn’t know how to tell him that.


  “Hey,” he whispered, stilling her hands and doing it for her. He cupped her face and looked deep in her eyes through the dim light. “Are you ok? I know I’m moving fast, but I’ve just wanted you for so long. All you have to do is tell me to slow down, and I will. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to. I promise.”

  “I know.” She kissed him softly, still a bit overwhelmed. “It was amazing, Phillip. You are amazing. But we really should go, or we’ll end up in detention again.”

  “All right,” he agreed, giving her a quick grin and kissing her nose. “Though I think I really like going to detention with you.”

  Sam laughed as she picked up her backpack off the floor and turned around, opening the door slightly to look outside. “It’s clear,” she said, fully opening the door. “Come on…let’s go. And I mean it this time.” She smiled back at him.

  “I wasn’t going to say anything,” he said.

  “See you later then?” she asked.

  “Don’t you need me to sneak you back in?”

  “No, I think I can handle this one. I don’t think it will be too hard to get out of the tardy,” she said, not really wanting to dwell on the subject. She didn’t want to remind Phillip of Mr. Stevens.

  “Right, I forgot. Well then, I’ll see you at lunch.”

  “Bye, handsome,” Sam said as she made her way down the hall toward Mr. Stevens’ classroom.

  Sam opened the door and walked inside, hoping everyone couldn’t tell what she’d just been doing.

  “Miss Baker, you are late. I trust you have a tardy slip?” Mr. Stevens said.

  “Actually I don’t,” Sam replied. She hoped this would work.

  He frowned. “Then I know you are going to go get one, now.”

  “You don’t remember that I told you Friday that I would be late today? I could have sworn I did.”

  Mr. Stevens eyed Sam, flushing. “I’m sorry, Miss Baker, I completely forgot, please take your seat.”

  Sam would never have been so gutsy in the past. She walked toward the back of the classroom and took her seat next to Alex.

  Chapter Eleven

  The first half of the day went by excruciatingly slow. She couldn’t wait until lunch when she would see Phillip again. She was still thinking about what had happened in the utility closet earlier that morning. Her fingers running through his hair, her soft moan at his touch, the passionate kisses they shared, the incredibly intimate way he’d touched her and the explosive reaction she’d had. Everything made it that much harder to leave him.

  She gathered her things up and made her way out of class as quickly as possible. Phillip saw her putting away her books at her locker and made his way over toward her.

  “Hey, buttercup,” he said, obviously knowing it didn’t fit the moment he said it.

  Sam turned around and smiled at him. “Hey, handsome. Keep trying.”

  “Yes, I know. I don’t think it’s right either. You ready for lunch, sugarlips?”

  Sam laughed and shook her head. Alex walked up to them with Michael.

  “Hey, Alex, hey Michael.” Phillip nodded at the two.

  “Are you joining us for lunch, then?” Alex asked.

  “Yeah, if that’s all right.”

  “Of course. Except, where are we going to eat? I mean you have the popular table and we have our own. I guess you would call it the special table,” Alex said.

  “I’m going to sit with you.” He laughed. “Besides, I never really liked sitting at the popular table. It's over-hyped. A lot of it is based on smoke and mirrors.”

  Sam looked up at Phillip and smiled, taking his hand in hers as they made their way inside the cafeteria.

  As they opened the doors, all the chatter and noise stopped as all eyes turned to look at Phillip and Sam.

  “Does anyone else notice that they’re staring?” Alex said.

  “Um, what do we do?” Sam asked.

  “Go to the table. It’s fine. Once we sit down, they’ll go back to talking,” Phillip said assertively.

  All four made their way over to their usual table, and sure enough, the moment they placed their stuff on the table, everyone went back to talking.

  “What was that all about?” Sam asked.

  “Hello! The most popular guy in school dumps his most popular girlfriend for “unknown” reasons and then begins going out with a social outcast. Do you realize how big that is? The whole school has been talking about it since like Friday when they found out,” Alex pointed out.

  “Okay, first of all, if I’m a social outcast then so are you, missy,” Sam said. “And second, it’s not that big a deal, right?”

  “All right, so social outcast was a little harsh, but we are pretty low in the grand scheme of things. Besides, I never said it was bad. It’s really great, just that our social barriers are broken, which is what’s causing the big deal.” Alex grinned.

  “Enough about social barriers being broken down, I’m starving,” Sam said, trying to change the subject as she opened her brown lunch sack.

  “I forgot to ask,” Phillip said. “Did you get into Mr. Stevens’ class all right?”

  “Yes, she got in all right!” Alex burst out. “Are you kidding? She totally exploited what happened between…well, you know.”

  “Thanks, Alex, for that,” Sam said, looking over at Alex.

  “Oh sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt, but I have to say it was totally awesome.” Alex gleamed.

  “Alex!” Sam said. “I got in fine.” She turned to Phillip.

  “What did she do?” Phillip asked Alex.

  “Well, she walked in and gave him like this attitude then—”

  “Hello? I’m right here, you know.” Sam sighed, wishing Alex could just once know when to keep her mouth shut.

  “Oh, sorry, dove,” Phillip said.

  Sam gave him a quizzical look.

  “That one doesn’t fit either, huh?”

  “No, Phillip.” Sam smiled.

  “Aw, that’s so cute. I mean, you two together,” Alex interrupted.

  Sam shook her head at Alex. “Let’s just eat.”

  They continued to talk as they ate, periodically glancing around at the other students, who were no doubt talking about them.

  “Okay, I’m finished,” Sam announced. “I’ll be right back.”

  “Where are you going?” Phillip asked.

  “To the bathroom, I’ll be right back.” She laughed at him.

  “Now you’re laughing at me,” he pointed out.

  “Yes, because you are so worried.”

  “I wasn’t worried. I was just curious.”

  “You don’t want to be alone with Alex and Michael?”

  “Of course not, I just wanted to know where you were going. I mean I am your boyfriend,” he said with a wink.

  Sam stared back at Phillip. Did he just say boyfriend? Sam couldn’t believe it. She knew they were together, but they hadn’t really said anything, until now.

  “Did you just say—” Sam said.

  “Did he just say what I think?” Alex turned to Michael.

  “I believe so, but what’s the big deal? I mean weren’t they already?” Michael asked, confused.

  “Well, they hadn’t said it out loud yet. This is major,” Alex said as she watched Phillip and Sam continue to stare at each other.

  Phillip smiled at Sam. “Yeah I did.”

  “Good, I was wondering when you were going to say something, I'll have to think about it!” Sam smiled back.

  “So go on then, girlfriend. I’ll be waiting for you right here,” he said as Sam stood up.

  “I don’t think—”

  “I know, that’s not your nickname.”

  Sam smiled at Phillip then turned to go out of the cafeteria. She practically floated to the bathroom, but her good mood was shattered when she came out and found Tracy standing in the hall.

  “Tracy, what are you doing out here?” Sam asked, knowing this was going to be bad.

 
“I should have known you were the girl he talked about,” Tracy snapped.

  “What?” Sam was really confused.

  “Phillip, before we broke up, he always talked about a girl. I know it was you, now. I can’t believe he’d actually want to be with you, it's disgusting.”

  Sam raised her eyebrows. “Tracy you’re so—”

  “Gorgeous? I know, which is why you don’t deserve him.”

  “And you do? You’re the one who was cheating on him. You stabbed him in the back by dating a teacher.”

  “I saw the way he looked at you in the cafeteria, it’s nothing more than a slight infatuation. Believe me when I say he’ll be over you in a heartbeat when I get through with him.” Tracy flipped her hair over her shoulder, her eyes sparking with malice.

  “You’re actually trying to get him back? You don’t even like him,” Sam said.

  “So now it comes out. Little Samantha Baker finally tells Phillip she likes him,” Tracy said, ignoring her question. “Do you know how pathetic you look?”

  “Tell me, Tracy, did you ever like Phillip?” Sam asked, seeing that Phillip had come out of the lunch room and could hear everything that was being said. She needed him to know the truth about this girl.

  “God no!” Tracy laughed. “I just did it for the popularity. My popularity sky rocketed after we got together and besides, it gave me an opportunity of a life time.”

  “Which was?”

  “To steal the guy you liked away from you. You know it took some work, but I finally convinced him you didn’t like him.”

  “What?”

  “He liked you, Sam. In eighth grade, which was why I had to move fast. It wasn’t easy, but after I convinced him you didn’t want anything to do with him, he was all mine. This year was different though. He was bored and was slowly trying to turn to you. And now you’ll have to pay.”

  “Tracy, you have nothing. You can try and get Phillip back, but it won’t work. He won’t ever go back to you, especially now that he’s heard the truth,” Sam said.

  “What?” Tracy asked.

  “Tracy, I can’t believe you,” Phillip said, stepping forward.

  “Phil, baby,” Tracy cried, her face going pale as she realized her mistake. “I was just trying to make her leave. You know I love you.”