Mom laughs a little. “He can’t help it. It's just puberty, and he’ll grow out of it. Maybe not the singing in the shower part, but he’ll start to sound better again.”
“Ma,” my tone is incredulous, “he does this every morning. I don’t know how much longer I can take it.” I plop into one of the chairs at the small table in the kitchen and place my head in my hands. “I swear even the spiders are covering their ears,” I grumble.
“I know you can handle it. Be gentle with him and try to remember he can’t helpit right now.”
***
Present Day
I wake the next morning half lying on Sam—my head on his chest, my arm around his waist, and one leg swung over his.
Sam has one arm around my shoulders, holding me to him. His breaths are deep and even, and I know he’s still asleep.
Not wanting to wake him, I breathe him in, the faint pines-and-salty-sea-air scent that is all Sam is intoxicating. It’s a mixture of his cologne and his deodorant, leftover from the day before.
He smells like home.
I listen to the faint sound of Sam’s beating heart and allow it to soothe me. I don’t know if I’ll ever be tired of hearing his heart beat.
Slowly, I move my hand up his chest to meet the scar that runs from his collarbone down to his ribs. The scar that almost took him from me.
What would Ethan think if he knew Sam and I were not only talking to each other but also sleeping together? I know he told Sam to back off and not pursue a relationship with me.
Would he be mad at Sam? At me?
It might take him some time, but I want to believe that Ethan would accept this. Would accept Sam and me.
What are we?
Is he my boyfriend?
Or are we just having fun?
My fingers lightly trace the portion of Sam’s scar that runs just under his pec as my thoughts spiral into what all of this means.
I feel Sam stretch slightly as he tightens his arm around me. “Good morning, beautiful.”
I meet his eyes briefly before dropping my chin and snuggling into him more. I close my eyes, reveling in Sam nuzzling his face into my neck as he inhales deeply.
“You wouldn’t happen to be overthinking things over there, would you?” His voice is husky, and the sound makes my lady bits want to grovel at his feet, begging for attention.
“No.”Busted. “I was thinking a normal amount over here.”
“Right.” I hear the distrust in his voice.
I look into his eyes but quickly drop my chin again.
“Hey,” he says hesitantly. “You ok?” he gently lifts my chin so I’m looking at him.
I quickly respond to reassure him, “Better than ok, Sammy.” I tilt my head forward and kiss his bare chest.
“Wait,” I pull back enough to look into his eyes again, “are you ok?”Does he regret this weekend?
He chuckles softly before kissing my forehead. “I don’t think I’ve ever been happier.”
I don’t fight the smile that forms on my face at his words. This is a literal dream come true. If only I could tell younger Kat just to hold on, that she would end up with Sam. Younger Kat would never believe me.
“I was just thinking about Ethan.”
