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I shrugged. “Yeah.”
Surprisingly, a look of anger crossed his face. “Poppy, what the fuck?”
I frowned. “What?”
“You’ve been watching horror movies with us your whole life. Are you seriously telling me that you’ve always been this scared of them?” When I nodded he lifted me and turned me so I was straddling him. He lightly gripped my chin and pulled my face closer. “Poppy. You’ve been miserably watching horror movies your whole life to keep us from laughing at you?”
I tried to nod but his grip didn’t allow it. Sighing, I forced myself to talk. “I was the only girl, Sammy. At home with my brothers and with you guys. I already felt like the odd man out. I didn’t want to be different if I could help it.”
“What else?” He narrowed his eyes when I went to shake my head. “Poppy Jo. What else have you been pretending to like in your misguided attempt to fit in with us?”
“Nothing, Sammy.”
“Sports?”
I glared back at him. “Really? Of course I haven’t been faking loving sports to fit in. You know I love watching the games. I just hate horror movies and I maybe hate fishing.”
He gasped. “Fishing?!”
I laughed and played with the collar of his shirt. “Sorry.”
“Baby, you hate fishing?”
I winced and nodded. “I really do. It’s so boring. I hate just sitting there and waiting for something to happen. You guys take it so seriously and it’s so quiet. I just want to scream the entire time.”
“My heart is broken.” Sam acted like he was trying to push me off of him and grunted when I clung to him. “You’ve gone fishing with us so many times!”
I laughed and ran my fingers through his hair. “I know. I just wanted to hang out with you.”
He stilled and his eyes softened. “You went just to be with us, even though you hated it?”
My cheeks warmed as I realized I’d said something a little too open. I sank my teeth into my lip and looked up at him through my lashes. “Don’t make a big deal out of it, okay?”
He cupped my face and pulled me closer to kiss me. My heart thumped wildly at the tenderness of his kiss. “A secret for a secret?”
I nodded even as I looked down at his lips, wanting more.
“I was days from listing my house and moving closer to Jude when you moved into this house.” He kissed me again and spoke his next words against my lips. “Having you close again after so many years of you being away was something I couldn’t give up. I fired my realtor and did a few renovations to my house instead.”
I searched his eyes for any signs that he was joking, but he was dead serious. A wave of emotion threatened to take me under and I had to blink fast to keep that emotion from leaking out. I didn’t think I could speak, so I hugged him tight and just stayed there, pressed against him.
He stroked my back and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “Come on, Poppy. Let’s pick a movie that you actually want to watch. You promised me a movie night.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m going to stay here. You finish your movie.”
“You’re going to stay here, just like this? Are you sure?” He was already adjusting my blanket over me.
“I’m sure. I just…” I shuddered as that same emotion hovered too close to the surface. “I need this.”
“Well, fuck, Poppy.” The movie started playing, but Sam didn’t seem to pay any attention to it. “I know the plan was that we would have a movie night and then I would go home so you have plenty of time to heal, but I’m not going home. I’m going to take you to bed soon and hold you while we sleep.”
I groaned. “Stop it, Sammy. You’re trying to make me cry.”
He chuckled quietly against my ear. “No, I’m just trying to let you be soft.”
“Watch your movie.”
“Just don’t try to make any moves on me tonight, Poppy. I told the guys I’d keep it in my pants during our movie night and I keep my promises.” His smile was so evident in his voice that I could practically see it. “They were very adamant about us letting you heal but I think they were just making a big fuss because they don’t get to be here with you tonight and they’re afraid I’ll slip into first place.”
