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He nodded, his muscles jumping as her hands slipped beneath the hem of his shirt and she stroked his abdomen. Tugging at the shirt, she murmured, “Take this off. Please.”
She wanted to feel him, his soft skin, his heat, his muscles moving and bunching beneath her hands. Sam shuddered at the thought, shock, and delight flooding her as he sat up and yanked his shirt off, tossing it aside before sitting back against the pillows.
Sam licked her lips, leaning forward and kissing him gently, trailing a finger down the side of his face, over his jaw, and down his neck.
She dragged her fingertips down over one pec, then the other, shivering slightly at the feel of the raised scars. She wanted to kiss them. So she did.
Sam leaned forward and pressed a kiss to one scar, then another, and Aero tensed slightly.
“Shhh,” Sam cooed, flicking her tongue out to taste one. Aero groaned.
Sam moved from one mark to another, kissing and licking the raised skin, savoring him.
Aero froze. He liked it, having her worship his skin, his body, his imperfections. But when he realized he couldn’t really feel what she was doing, that the scar tissue was affecting his ability to experience the pleasure she wanted to give him, a hot spike of anger shot through him.
“Stop.”
Sam immediately backed away from him, severing all contact and giving him space as he breathed quickly, blinking as he tried to calm himself.
It wasn’t fair. He couldn’t enjoy Sam, couldn’t give her what she wanted, couldn’t be the man he used to be, the man he wanted to be. She deserved more. She deserved better. Self-loathing and doubt coiled like a snake in his gut, blinding him to everything but the venomous emotions sliding through his veins.
“Aero?” Sam said gently, watching his face. “Are you okay?”
He gave a clipped nod, but she wasn’t buying it.
“Did I go too fast?”
When he didn’t respond, Sam gathered his shirt from the floor and handed it over. He pulled the material over his head, sighing heavily.
Sam sat on the edge of the mattress, not touching him. “I’m sorry.”
Aero shook his head, reaching out and taking her hand in his. She squeezed his hand gently.
“I think I need some time.”
His voice was monotone and eerily quiet, the sound almost hurting her ears. Sam’s initial reaction was to argue, to tell him the last thing he needed was to hide away and avoid her, that she could help him if he would just tell her what was so upsetting for him, but she didn’t say those things. Instead, she said, “Okay. I understand,” and stood from the bed.
“I’m sorry,” Aero said, staring down at the floor. He didn’t sound sorry. He sounded far away, like he wasn’t in the room with her, and she didn’t know how to bring him back.
Sam swallowed hard over the lump in her throat, blinking back the wetness that pooled in her eyes. “Goodnight, Aero.”
Chapter 10
“Anthony!” Sam shrieked, rounding her car and launching herself at her brother who caught her effortlessly, spinning her around in a sweeping circle.
“Hey, Squirt.” He grinned, looking down at her with eyes so similar to her own.
“I missed you,” Sam said, hugging him tightly.
“You too.” He kissed the top of her head. “I’ll grab your bag. Head on inside.”
She thanked him and her sneakers crunched on the gravel as she approached the front door of Anthony’s little rental house.
Inside was warm, the heat running despite the upper 50s temperature outside, and she fell onto the leather sofa with a sigh. It was comforting to be with her brother, his familiar space feeling like home. She didn’t realize how much she’d missed him until she got there.
“So, how’s the teaching game?” Anthony asked, walking in setting her backpack on the sofa beside her, and dropping into a matching recliner.
“Good. I’ve got an amazing group of kids this year.” Sam smiled, thinking of her kids back home.
