Chapter 14
A Plan for Future
Arielle Nygard
Sam is still staring into my eyes as I come down from my orgasm. I’ve never felt such sheer animal need. Not ever.
He lowers me gently to the ground and pulls me against his chest. I’m vaguely aware of a burning sensation on the soft skin of my thighs, where his zipper raked against my bare flesh. I had been so eager to have him, I hadn’t bothered getting his pants all the way down. When he finally releases me, it’s not to move away. He scoops me up into his arms and carries me to the couch, where he lowers himself into the cushions and cradles me like a child.
“Are you okay?” he whispers, his eyes searching my face.
I nod silently. I’m not okay. I’m confused. I’m terrified. Am I about to make a decision based on lust? I need him so badly.
“I thought you were dead,” I say eventually. The words can’t even begin to convey the pain. He nods. There’s no answer to it. I know why he did it, but I can’t forgive him for hurting me so badly. Probably because it’s making me so aware that I don’t want this man out of my world.
“Will you come with me?” I see his throat work as he swallows. He’s as terrified as I am, and it touches my heart.
There’s no denying that I’m not thinking clearly. In the last eighteen hours, I’ve had strange men surround my house, watched that house go up in flames, lost Sam, and then found him again. My nerves are shot and I’m in no shape to make major, life-altering decisions. With my rational faculties out of commission, my gut answers for me. “Yes!” I blurt out.
“You will? You’ll come with me?” The hope in Sam’s voice is raw.
“Yes, we will. I’m not losing you again.”
He pulls me into his arms, holding me like a man hanging onto a life raft. I feel him burying his face into my hair. For a long minute we sit that way, and then I hear him give a soft chuckle.
“What is it?” I pull back and ask. This is serious stuff we’re going through here. Why the hell is he laughing?
“I’m not sure I ever went from zero to hero in so few seconds,” he says ruefully.
I shake my head. I guess I haven’t either. I practically ripped off his clothes and begged him to take me.
“Having said that,” he adds, “I’m not sure how long Tim is going to give us to…chat.” He glances down meaningfully, and I’m suddenly aware of my nakedness.
“Oh, shit!” I pull away from him and scramble up abruptly. He’s retrieving my shirt from where he pulled it off while I look around for my pants. I dress quickly and he smiles gently as he smooths my wild hair. I smile back and straighten his collar, glancing down to check that he has no wayward wardrobe issues.
Our actions couldn’t have been better timed because minutes later, the key turns in the front door. Austin is walking in holding a box of popcorn.
“We took a walk around the block and through the park,” Tim says, giving me a strange look. I nod, trying not to look awkward, but I’m pretty sure I have sex-guilt written all over my face. “So, we’re all…sorted?” he asks, aiming a quick glance at Austin, and then Sam.
“We are,” I reply. “I’m going with Sam.” I can practically hear Sam exhale in relief. Tim frowns at me. “I’m sorry, Tim, but this is what I want.” He lets out a sigh and nods his head once, resigned.
“Where will you go?”
“I’ve thought about it, and I want to go to India,” Sam says. “Somewhere away from the big cities. Somewhere I can really make a difference.” He looks over at me. “Is that okay with you?”
“As long as Austin can get the attention he needs, I don’t care where we go. But I love the idea of helping people.”
Sam nods. “Austin comes first. I’m sure there will be people in need wherever we settle.”
I rest my hand on his knee. “You are a good man, Sam Foster.” He smiles at me, but Tim breaks into our moment.
“You’ve got to get out of the city first. Have you thought about how you’re going to do that?”
“I need cash,” Sam says. “There’s some at my place, which I can sneak back to get, but the majority of it is in a safe deposit box at the bank.” He lets out a sigh. “Being dead is a pain in the ass.”
“I might be able to help with that,” Tim says. “But you’re going to need a fake passport if you don’t want Buford to track you down. He doesn’t believe you’re really dead. Knows you better than we do.”
Another sigh. “I’ve got a lead on a passport, but it’s going to take a few days. Plus, I need to pay for it first.”
