“Let me introduce you,” I say, not letting him go. Sam envelops his arms around me and inhales deep. “Come in.” I take his hand and we turn. “Guys, this is Sam. And Sam, this is Charles and his boyfriend Eric.”
“Hi,” Sam says, looking at Charles a little starstruck, which I find adorable. Hand in hand, we go back inside.
“You came all this way for me?” I ask Sam.
“I’d go anywhere for you, Chloe.” He takes both of my hands in his.
“We’re going to take off,” Charles says, smiling at me. “I take it you two are going to want to be alone.”
“Yeah,” I say, heart swelling in my chest. “I know I do.” I break away from Sam so I can walk Charles and Eric to the door.
“Text me later,” Charles says and hugs me goodbye. I wait a beat, making sure they get into Eric’s Range Rover and then close the door, going back to Sam, who takes me in his arms.
“I’m sorry, Chloe.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“For putting you through that.”
“You didn’t do anything.” I let out a breath and we sit on the couch, close together. “You’re here.” I’m getting emotional again.
“Hey,” Sam says gently and pulls me onto his lap. “I’ll always be here.”“I can definitely get used to the sunshine.” Sam stretches his arms out over his head, and lies back down, snaking his arm around me. We’re in my bed, naked from having sex. It’s sometime in the morning, and I have no intentions of leaving this bed anytime soon.
“It is nice.” I roll over, smushing myself against Sam. “I could easily be a snowbird and spend most of the winter here.”
“Like an old person.”
“Very much like an old person.” I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “Though the last few years, I’ve missed the change of seasons. Working from home makes it so I don’t have to leave the house and go out in the cold very often either, and writing while sitting by a fire in the living room as snow drifts down does sound heavenly.”
“Mhhh, yeah. And then I come home from work, take your computer away, lay you down in front of the fire and fuck you senseless.”
“This needs to happen. I wonder if we can get my dad and Nancy to go on vacation so we can use their living room.”
“As long as you tell them specifically we want to fuck in the living room, I’m sure they will pack up and leave right away.”
I laugh and run my fingers up and down Sam’s arm. “You’re going to be the one to tell my dad that.”
He nods. “Excuse me, Mr. Fisher, can you please vacate the house for at least twenty-four hours during a snowstorm? Your daughter wants me to bend her over, pull her hair, and choke her while I’m fucking her from behind.”
“Sam!” I laugh. “Yes, please say that.”
“If I do, I think the guns will come out of the safe in the basement.”
“Oh, for sure.”
Sam kisses my neck and I close my eyes. “Aren’t you supposed to be at work?” I ask as it suddenly dawns on me.
“I called off sick,” he admits. “First sick days I’ve used in years, so it’s okay.”
“You rebel. I like dark-Sam. Especially when he shoves me up against a wall and fucks me until I can’t walk.”
“Your dirty talk is getting better.” He kisses me again and then pulls me onto his chest. We lay together in silence, just enjoying each other’s company. “When I thought Stacey was having my baby,” he starts, “it made me realize that I do want kids and a family, but not with her.” He rakes his fingers up and down my bare back. “Anytime my mom or sister brought up how I should get married and settle down, my mind always went to one person.”
“I really hope it’s me.”
He smiles. “Yes, it’s you. All I could think when she said she was pregnant was that I wished it was you, and I know how messed up that is since we’re not even in the same state. Chloe, there will never be anyone for me but you. I don’t want to rush you into anything,” he breathes. “But I know I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted, and I can’t see anyone else but you being the mother to my children.”
I know anything I say is going to pale in compassion to that, so instead I sit up and kiss Sam. He moves on top of me, kissing me passionately.
“Come back to Chicago with me,” he says between kisses. “I want you there with me when I wake up every morning and when I come home from work. I don’t want to be without you, Chloe, and I know we’re going to have time apart, but when we can…I want us together.”