AllFreeNovel
Share Us
No matter the fact I just bit her head off two minutes ago, here she is, being the best mom in the world. Without thinking, I step forward and throw my arms around her. At this rate, I’ll be a basket case come Christmas.
“Forgive me.” I don’t need to specify what exactly I’m asking forgiveness for because she knows. Just like she always does.
“I love you, sweetheart. All I want is for you to be happy.”
I snuggle deeper into her embrace, relishing in the certainty that this is the happiest I’ve felt in a very long time.
The smell of barbecued meat wafts through the back door. Even though I’m a born-again vegetarian, my sense of smell does a backflip in delight. However, that could be because the moment I came home and saw Saxon and Sam workingtogetherand not against the other, my lease on life jacked up to utter bliss.
I’ve dreamed of this. But to actually see it in the flesh is something else.
Not only had they cleared out most of the junk from the garage, but they managed to organize what remained. I tried not to make a big deal of it, but when I was in the privacy of my own company, I took a moment to catch my breath.
This is big. Huge. I never thought I’d see the day. Not in a million years did I believe Saxon and Sam could be in the same room together without it ending in World War III. But for the past few hours, I haven’t heard shouting or even the start of what was bound to become an argument. All I’ve seen is two brothers co-exiting and getting along.
I’m not about to kid myself and expect them to be BFFs come nightfall, but I’ll take this because I haven’t felt this much at peace inmonths.
Heavy footsteps thud against the back stairs, so I stop staring into space and finish the Greek salad I’m making. “Wow, are we getting ready for an apocalypse?” Sam teases as he enters the kitchen.
“Ha-ha, very funny.” Yes, I have enough food to feed a small army, but I’m happy, and when I’m happy, I like to cook. “Between you, Piper, and Saxon, you’ll finish this before I have a chance to go back for seconds.”
I turn, ready to gloat in my smugness, but choke on air because Sam is topless. He’s standing in front of the refrigerator, arm rested along the open door as he peruses the contents. He’s clueless about my sudden clam up. And so am I.
Quickly averting my eyes, I hurriedly slice into a tomato; however, the vegetable in question is actually my thumb. “Son of a gun!” I yelp, instantly dropping the knife and scampering over to the sink to run it under cold water.
“Lucy? Are you all right?”
Cursing my clumsiness, I nod. “Yes, I’m fine. Just a scratch.” But Sam isn’t convinced. He’s by my side in seconds, examining the damage.
“Let me look.” I don’t have a choice in the matter because he reaches for my hand. His touch is so familiar, filled with nothing but tenderness and concern. Our shoulders press together as he bows forward, running his thumb over mine. “Does it hurt?”
“N-no.” I refuse to entertain the notion that something else has taken priority at being an open wound. “I’m okay.”
His scent is all man, transporting me back to months ago when things were so different. A simple smell shouldn’t have the power to sanction memories I thought were long forgotten, but they do. I remember burying my nose in the crook of his neck after he’d spent all day outdoors. It was my favorite smell in the world. It was all Sam. Overpowering and completely intoxicating.
“I think you’ll live,” he says, thankfully unaware of my thoughts. When he lets me go, only then can I breathe again. I watch as he unwinds some paper towel. “Give it here.” Even if I wanted to, I don’t have a chance to object because he draws me and my hand toward him and wraps my thumb in the makeshift bandage. “So you don’t bleed out,” he explains, tongue in cheek, but I can’t appreciate the humor. I feel faint, and it has nothing to do with my injury.
Sam holds my thumb tightly, smiling as I stand mute.
His bare chest is inches away, and even though I know it’s wrong, Lord strike me down, my gaze flutters down to it for a mere second. But it’s a second too long because not only is his scent dragging me down memory lane, but now his golden flesh has also upped the ante.
Memories so vivid crash into me—memories of being pressed skin to skin as we became one assault me, and I grip his bicep to keep from face planting. When I touch his warm, supple flesh, though, I almost wish I’d rendered myself unconscious.
“You’re not going to pass out, are you?” At this stage, anything is possible. But I shake my head.
“No. I’m good. Thanks for playing nurse.” I gently pull my thumb back, hoping my sudden irrationality doesn’t show.
“Anytime.” I can’t stomach this proximity, so I take two steps back. I’m engulfed in Samuel Stone, and for once, for one blasphemous moment, I wanted more. “I’m going to take a shower.”
“Good idea.” Sam arches a brow. I’m quick to recover. “You smell.” His husky laughter doesn’t help my dilemma.
“Thanks for the warning. Alicia should be here any minute. Can you keep an ear out for her?”
“Alicia’s coming?” I didn’t mean for my question to sound like the inquisition, but that’s exactly how it came out.
Sam scratches over his ribs absentmindedly. “Yeah. That’s okay, right?”
“Of course, it is. It’s more than okay.” This madness needs to end. Now. “I’ll let her in. Go shower. Dinner is almost ready.”
