Sin City Baby

“Of course.”

“We wanna be with you. All of us do. And all I want you to do is understand this. I know you’re scared, and I know a lot of shit is happening really quickly. But you can’t keep cutting us out like you are. At least answer our calls. We don’t have to come over every day if you need your space or some shit, but at least talk to us, Sam.”

“Trust me, Liam’s already voiced his concerns,” Sam said.

My eyes flickered over to his, and I watched him sigh.

“I’ve been a bit overwhelmed by all of this and the horrible morning sickness hasn’t helped. Not to mention this shit with your sister. But I’m working on it. I’m getting back into the swing of things with my job and trying to put one foot in front of the other here,” she said.

“And I get that,” I said. “Just make us part of the damn process.”

“I hear you, okay?” she asked.

Her tone was forceful and decisive, and it caused me to back off.

“Okay,” she said heaving out a big sigh. “So, that’s a ‘no’ to the DNA testing?”

“That’s a ‘no,’” Liam said.

“A hard one,” Luke said.

After taking a look at the pictures one last time, all of the guys trickled out of her place but I hung back. I wanted time with her. And since I was in her townhouse, I would at least try to steal it while I could.

“Logan?” Sam asked, a question in her eyes.

“I’m not here to convince you of anything,” I said. “I just wanna spend some time with you.”

She looked at me warily, and it broke something inside of me.

“I was going to watch a movie,” she said.

“Sounds good to me. Are you hungry? I could order us something.”

“Soup sounds nice. Some egg drop soup, maybe?” she asked.

“Whatever you want,” I said. “Let me get the order in.”

Sam started up “A League of Their Own” while I placed an order for Chinese food. I didn’t want to eat anything that would make her sick to her stomach, so I ordered soup as well along with some bland noodles. The two of us sat next to each other on the couch while Sam watched her favorite movie in the entire world, reciting line after line before erupting into laughter. And fuck was it ever a beautiful sound. She leaned against me while she ate and cuddled underneath my arm once she was done. Her cheek pressed into my chest as my hands slid through her hair, and soon she was snoring against my body.

This was what I wanted with her. No pretense. No gimmicks. Just her and I, with some food and a movie and our warm bodies tangled up in one another.

After placing a kiss on the top of her head, I gathered her in my arms. I walked her back into her room and gently placed her in her bed. She sighed and groaned, stretching those beautiful arms of hers until her back began to pop. I slid the covers over her body, and she hunkered down into them, humming with the warmth as she curled them up to her chin.

I didn't want to leave her. I wanted to slide into bed with her and hold her close the entire night. But I wanted her to initiate something like that with me. I didn't want to force anything on her without being able to ask her first.

So I settled for placing a kiss on her forehead before I locked her front door behind me and left.

CHAPTER 27

LEVI

“Hey there, Levi.”

“Hey Sam, how are you feeling today?” I asked.

“Not too bad right now actually. I’m hoping the morning sickness will lessen as I’m getting closer to my second trimester.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” I said, and I meant it.