Dirty Little Secret

She leans in and blows out the candle. “Thank you, Samson,” she murmurs so softly I almost don’t hear it.

“What’d you wish for?” I ask, as she once again drags her index finger through the frosting.

“Nothing.” She swirls her tongue around her fingertip before gathering up another taste of the rich cream cheese frosting.

I grab her wrist and redirect her finger to my lips. “Nothing?” I ask as I draw her finger into my mouth. “Fuck, Stella,” I grunt as she climbs on top of me, straddling my thighs.

“It’s already come true,” she says, sealing her lips to mine.

Her tongue flicks against my lips, and while I’m tempted to take all she’s offering, I cup her cheek and pull back. “Don’t you want your present?”

“This isn’t it?” she asks.

I shake my head as I reach around Stella to retrieve the small gift box I stowed in the corner of the truck bed.

“What is it?” she asks, inspecting the box from all angles before bringing it to her ear and shaking it.

“Open it.”

I smirk as she carefully unties the lopsided bow and sets it to the side before tearing off the paper. She’s always been this way—saving the ribbon and demolishing the paper. It’s one quirk on a list of many that makes her cute as hell.

Her big blue eyes grow comically wider as she opens the box. “Samson?”

“Yes?”

She fingers the key nestled inside the cardboard. “It’s… this…”

“It’s what?”

Her eyes snap to mine. “It’s too soon! Are you freaking crazy?”

“What do you think that’s a key to?” I ask, a grin tugging at my lips.

“Your… house?” She phrases it as a question.

“Read the card, Luna.”

“Right.” Stella nods and tugs the small envelope free.

A smile tugs at my lips as I think over the words scrawled across the card.

Happy Birthday Luna—

Knowing you, you’re going to see the key and flip, but I promise, I’m not asking you to move in. Not yet.

No, this key goes to the shed in my backyard. In it, you’ll find everything you could ever want to garden, and in case I missed anything, there’s a gift card tucked into the top drawer of the desk inside.

While I know we’re not ready to live together, my backyard is yours. Plant anything and everything you want… every single inch of space is yours to do with what you will.

I… you’re not ready for what I want to say here, but soon.

—Samson

“Are you serious?”

I nod. “Deadly.”

“Samson, this is too much.” Her pretty blue eyes shine with unshed tears.

“It’s not enough.” I would give anything to see her smile, especially knowing that for a time, I was the reason for her tears.

She grabs the key, slides it into her back pocket, and flings herself at me, peppering my face and neck with kisses. “Thank you!”

“There’s one more thing,” I say once she settles down, sitting sideways across my lap with her head on my chest.

“You can’t be serious.” She tips her head back to look up at me. “This is already perfect.”

Pride swells within me at her praise, but I know I can do better. “I’m as serious now as I was the last time you asked.”

“Deadly?” Her lips tip up in the prettiest of grins as she idly plays with the strings to my hoodie.

“That’s right.”

“Okay.” Her throat works as she swallows. “What is it?”

“Do you have plans next weekend?” I already know she doesn’t thanks to some sleuthing on my part, but I ask anyway.

“No…” Stella hedges. “But something tells me I’m about to.”

“Aren’t you perceptive?” I skim my index finger over the apple of her cheek.

“You’re about as subtle as a freight train.”

“Choo-choo.”

“Oh my God!” Stella’s laughter lights me up, like electricity in my veins. I would make a fool out of myself anywhere, anytime, to hear that laugh.

“Don’t you wanna know our plans?”

She extracts herself from my arms and moves so she’s straddling my lap. “If I say yes, are you actually going to tell me?”

I pretend to think it over. “Nope.”

“Okay, then.”

“You’re just going to let it go? To roll with it?”

Stella shrugs. “Nope. I’m going to pester you and wear you down until you tell me.”

“Not gonna happen.”

“Maybe I’ll bribe you with sexual favors?”

Yes, please, I think to myself. “Pack a bag and be ready to go head out around lunchtime Friday.”

“Bossy.” She bites her lip in that way of hers—sexy and innocent all at once.

“You fucking love it.”

“I—wait, pack a bag?” She searches my gaze. “Are we going somewhere?”

“We are.”

“Where?”

“Are you always this hard to surprise?”

“Can I have a hint at least?”

“Clothing’s optional?”

She smacks at my chest, her eyes shining bright. “A real hint, Samson Carter!”

“No can do.” I tug her into my side.

“Then how will I know what to pack?”

I whistle innocently. “Like I said, clothing’s optional.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Samson

“Are you going to tell me where we’re going?” Stella asks as we head north on I-75.