“Well, now I better do it. I hadn’t set anything up.”
“Do you have time for that?” he asks, getting two clean towels out for the linen closet for us.
“Yes and no.” I make a face. “I kind of want to go back to Silver Ridge. I miss the woods, and sitting at that picnic pavilion with my computer would be really inspiring. Assuming no one else is there.”
“You can rent it out still.”
“Ohh, then that’s what I’m going to do,” I say, and Sam laughs as he gets into the shower. “I’ll rent the whole thing out just for me and me alone. I’ll bring snacks and wine and will sit by the fire writing.”
“Expect a bear or two to join you.”
“We’ll be friends.” I step in behind him. “I’ll bring honey and he’ll be my Pooh Bear.” I close the glass shower door and turn up the temp of the water. “Did you ever stop and think about how sticky Pooh’s house would be? He’s always eating honey with his bare hands and you never see him wash them after.”
Sam laughs. “I have never once thought about that.”
“I have so many questions about Disney characters. Why is Gaston such a bully? And speaking of him, don’t you think he’s the reason eggs are 'too expensive'? I mean, the guy is eating dozens every day.”
Sam tips his head. “I’m missing something here, aren’t I?”
“You are. We’ll binge old school Disney films on our next rainy day, though, don’t worry.”
“As long as you’re naked, I’ll watch anything with you.”
“Remember you said that.”
His hands land on my waist, slipping up and down my wet skin with ease. “I’ll remember the naked part.”
“Do you want to go with me?” I ask.
“Are you going to be naked wherever you’re going?”
“I will be at some point.” I spin in his arms. “I mean to Silver Ridge. I should go talk to that class before I get too busy and then look like an asshole for not showing up.”
“Actually, yeah. I’d like that. We can go this weekend. My mom will be thrilled and will talk your ear off, just to warn you. Oh, and Mason might stop by too. I owe him a thank you.”
“For what?”
He kisses my neck. “I’ll tell you later. We better hurry. We’re already running late.”7SamI fasten my fingers around Chloe’s and steal one more glimpse at her as we walk down the busy sidewalk. She takes my breath away every damn time I look at her. My heart jumps in my chest, and when I blink, I get a flash of her naked in my bed, making me want to rush through dinner just so we can get back to my place and fuck again.
Every second I’m with her, I’m reminded all over again just how much I fucking love this woman. She’s the same awkward girl I knew all those years ago, who wears her heart on her sleeve and hasn’t let her wild success change her beliefs. She’s one of a kind, I know, and though it’s easy for the world to fade away whenever Chloe is near, the fact that I have to bring our time together to a screeching halt weighs heavily on me.
“How late are we?” Chloe asks as we step through the door to the restaurant.
I look at my watch. “Twelve minutes.”
“That’s not too bad.”
“I’m never late,” I tell her. “I like to get places a little early, though burying my cock inside of you is as good a reason as ever to run late for anything.”
“Sam!” she whisper-yells. “Someone might hear you.”
“Then they’ll be jealous. Though all it will take is one look at you and they’d already be jealous.”
“Is this dress too much?” She looks down at her breasts, which are beautifully pushed up together. She’s nervous to meet my friends, and I love that about her. She’s met actors and producers. Appeared on talk shows and gone on week-long book tours all around the world. You’d think meeting two of my friends would be no big deal.
“You look beautiful.” I give her hand a squeeze and bring it up, kissing her fingers.
“Thank you. I do think I look good in this dress. That time at the gym has paid off,” she adds with a slight laugh. I give our name to the hostess, who leads us over to our table. Quinn sees us first and waves.
“Hey!” she exclaims and gets up to give me a hug. “It’s been so long!”
“I know, it has,” I reply, giving her back a pat. “This is Chloe.”
“Hi,” Chloe says shyly, reminding me of my childhood best friend I secretly fell in love with all over again. “Nice to meet you.”
“And this is Quinn and Archer,” I introduce. “Sorry we’re late.”
“Did you get caught up at work?” Archer asks as I pull out the chair for Chloe.