AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“You too,” Sam said, leaning back in her chair with a sigh.
Outside her classroom, Aero leaned against the wall and tipped his head back. His heart was racing, and his palms were sweaty. He couldn’t tell if it was excitement or panic. Before he could think it through, the bell rang, and kids started to fill the hall. He moved back to where he had been working before, his mind preoccupied with thoughts of Sam, her sweet, calming scent, and the desire he had to run his hands through the straight, silky strands.
? ? ? ? ?
Sam was pacing in the entryway, wringing her hands in front of herself, while she waited for Aero. She glanced up into the mirror on the wall, checking her hair again, when there was a knock on the door.
She opened it to reveal Aero standing on her front step, his eyes immediately locking on hers.
“Sam,” he said, sliding his gaze down from her eyes to her outfit.
Sam hadn’t known what to wear because he never told her where they were going. Assuming it was better to overdress than underdress, she’d gone with a navy dress with tiny white polka dots and long, sheer sleeves. Her ballet flats were also navy, and she held a yellow clutch tightly in her hands as he perused her.
“You look nice,” Aero said gruffly. To that point, he had only seen her in jeans. She wore them to work, usually pairing them with a nice blouse or sweater, and his mouth went dry at the sight of her bare legs.
“Thank you.” Sam looked down at her shoes. “So do you.”
Aero wore dark jeans and a button-down shirt tucked into them, with the sleeves rolled up to expose his forearms.
“Thanks,” Aero said, a flicker of a smile on his face. “Are you ready to go?”
Sam nodded, grabbing her jacket and locking the door behind her.
Aero helped her into her coat, took her by the hand, and guided her to his truck. He opened the passenger side door and helped her up. He joined her in the cab and started the truck, immediately taking her hand and twining his fingers with hers as he drove.
Aero liked holding Sam’s hand. He liked it a lot — more than he probably should. It didn’t cause the icy fingers of panic to grip his heart; it didn’t make the black coils of fear embrace him. Idly, he wondered if touching her elsewhere would be different than her hand. Boldly, he released her hand and gently rested his palm on her knee. Like her hand, it was soft and warm.
Nothing happened.
Well, almost nothing. Sam’s breath hitched, and Aero felt a current of electricity pass between their skin.
“Is this okay?” he asked her, and she nodded.
Aero drove, keeping his hand on Sam’s knee and absently rubbing tiny circles with his thumb, until they arrived.
“Where are we?” Sam asked curiously, looking at the building as Aero parked the truck.
“You’ll see,” he said, exiting the truck and helping her out.
As they approached the building, Sam realized it was an old Victorian building that had been transformed into an inn with a restaurant. Her shoes tapped on the cobblestone walkway, and they ascended the wooden steps to the long porch. Beside the door was a carved wooden sign that read “The Victorian Inn, est. 1897.” It was decorated with multicolored mums and pumpkins, with tall corn stocks adorning the archways. Sam’s heart drummed excitedly in her chest as Aero held the door open and let her walk in.
She gazed around, immediately clasping his hand in hers. They were in a large entryway with a staircase that rose to the second floor. To the left was what appeared to be a library, and on the right was a large, open ballroom with round tables decorated with white tablecloths and pretty wildflower centerpieces.
“Wow,” Sam breathed, taking in the large stone fireplace on the far wall where a roaring fire blazed, casting a flickering glow over the room.
“Do you like it?” Aero asked softly, stepping up behind her and taking her coat before handing it to a young man standing by the coat room.
“It’s beautiful,” Sam said, glancing up at him. He smiled, reaching up and grazing his fingers down her bare arm. Like touching her knee, nothing bad happened. Sam blushed, resisting the urge to lean back against his chest.
“Right this way.” The hostess led them to a corner table, and Aero pulled out a chair, letting Sam sit before he sat across from her.
The hostess rattled off the specials and handed over the menus.
“Your waitress will be right with you.” She smiled and left them alone.
They discussed the menu idly, deciding what to get. Aero gently held her hand on the tabletop, as if he were afraid to let go of her.
“How much longer will you be at South Street?” Sam asked him, setting down her menu.
