Watch Me (Stepping Up 1)

Sam tried to pry her off him. The woman must think he was a fool, that he hadn’t fully investigated her. “You have three brothers, a sister and a living mother and father.”

That’s when he heard the footsteps on the porch, a trip, and a soft murmur of pain. Meagan. Meagan was on the porch and Kiki was plastered all over him.

* * *

MEAGAN CRINGED AT THE weakness in her knee and forced herself up the last of the porch stairs, seeking a shower and clean clothes, wondering at the screen door.

She hated so much that she’d missed Sam this morning. She’d heard him leave, and had scrambled for clothes, but couldn’t catch him before as he drove away. Somehow the idea of seeing him after the intense experience of the night before, made her feel a little shy and nervous. She was never shy and nervous.

Voices sounded in the house just as she was about to push open the door. Kiki and— Meagan frowned. “Sam?”

Ridiculous butterflies fluttered in her stomach at the prospect of seeing him yet she desperately wanted to reaffirm how right last night had been, how right they were. Her steps quickened, and she froze; in fact, she was pretty sure her heart completely stopped beating. Kiki was pressed against Sam, intimately, and…

Shock came hard and fast, with the force of a concrete block. Meagan gasped and rushed away, instinct sending her into flight. She couldn’t catch her breath.

She stumbled down the stairs and almost fell, but she pushed past it, righted herself and hit the beach at a limping run—forgetting her car, forgetting anything but the fastest escape. Air came in salty gulps, as she bit back a sob.

Sam’s shouts followed almost instantly. “Meagan! Meagan!”

She heard him, she did, but she wanted distance, she wanted freedom. She wanted to get away. Had to get away. She ran toward the water. She had no idea why.

Suddenly, his hand gripped her arm, and he turned her toward him.

“Go away, Sam.”

“Meagan.” His chest rose and fell from his fast sprint. “Sweetheart.”

“Don’t call me that. I told you not to call me that.”

“I know you don’t mean that, any more than you think I want that woman. You know I don’t.”

She searched his face, but didn’t have to look too hard. She knew there would be sincerity in his eyes, knew it in her heart. She even knew she was being silly and irrational. “I do. I do. I just…” The ache inside her wouldn’t ease. This man could so easily tear her heart to shreds. How did she say that and not put herself even more at his mercy? “It’s just…” She jerked away from him and stumbled backwards, her feet, shoes and all, sloshing into the water.

He followed her right into the water, boots plunging into the ocean.

“Sam, back off. Just back off. Give me time to process what I’m feeling.”

He stepped closer, but she took off running.

But Sam had her arm again, forcing her to face him. “I’m not letting this go. I’m not letting you go.”

“You have to!” she yelled, jerking away from him and stumbling backwards again. She tumbled, arms flaying as she reached for Sam and he reached for her, but it was too late. She landed on her butt, with water splashing all around her, her hair totally drenched. She glared up at Sam. “You didn’t have to choose that moment to listen to me.”

“I wasn’t trying to.” He extended a hand and pulled her to her feet. She tugged him forward, intending to stand and throw him into the water but she wasn’t fast enough. He fell into the water and on top of her.

His hands braced the sand at her sides. “I’m not letting you go. Last night—”

She shoved at him. “People are watching. You’re going to get me in trouble. I can’t focus like this. I can’t focus on the show and the ratings and—”

“Because of me.”

She couldn’t say yes. She tried. On some basic level, she knew he would walk away if she pushed hard enough. So why wasn’t she pushing?

“You know, Meagan,” he said, “I thought I could get you to open up to me. I thought after last night you had. Clearly, I was wrong. You’re looking for a reason to get away from me.” He shoved off of her, left her in the water, which spoke volumes to Meagan. He wasn’t helping her get up. He was showing her that she was on her own now from here on out.

He stood, looking down at her, ocean slashing around his feet, around her face. “Chase your dreams, Meg. Kiki is gone, as in terminated. That’s why I left you last night, to meet with Sabrina, and compile the evidence for executive approval. Kiki wanted your job and was plotting to get you fired. And I’ll stop distracting you. I’ll ask to be removed from the show.” He turned away and headed down the beach.