He rewards me bycontinuing his path further upward until he's teasing the undersideof my bra, slipping his thumb just the tiniest bitunderneath.
"Here?"he rasps, and Isuspect he's torturing himself as much as he is me, but it's awonderful torture, and I want more of it.
"Yes," Ibreathe.
Sam's patience isslipping, I can sense it.His other hand finds my waist, grippingit firmly while the first moves over the cup of my bra, molding meuntil I moan out loud.He keeps his face hovering just above mine,so close our noses brush, that I breathe his breath, but he doesn'tkiss me.
The hand on my waist openswide, so big his thumb reaches the underwire of my bra while hispinky grips my hip.Suddenly he slides the whole thing down andaround to my ass, pulling my body flush against his.I moan againwhen I feel how badly he wants me against my stomach.He leans downto my ear again, and brushes his lips back and forth over the lobebefore taking it gently between his teeth.
"Do you see what you do tome?"he rumbles.
I nod again, relishing themost powerful feeling I've ever known—the effect I have onSam.
"Tell me you want me," hedemands.
"I want you," I saywithout hesitation, and he groans in response.
"What's our safeword?"
"Calculus."
With that, Sam lifts me bythe back of my thighs, and I wrap my legs around him.Suddenlywe're inside a bright hotel room, lit by only the afternoon sun,though I've no idea how we got inside, and I'm almost sure it wasjust evening out on the beach.
Sam lays me gently backonto the bed.It's then that I realize I'm dreaming.That otherwiseSam would never be here, touching me like this and telling me heloves me.But right now, I don't have time to care.Because I havehim.Even if I know I'm only dreaming, right now, Sam is mine, andI'm going to savor every moment of it.
We undress hastily, and Ipull him down to me.Finally he kisses me deeply, but I'm afraid toclose my eyes, afraid that when I open them he will dissolve intonothing.
"Sam."
"Sleep, baby girl," hemurmurs.
What?
I don't want to sleep.Sleep is just about the last thing on my mind right now.
I'm about to tell himexactly that, when my fear comes true, and he dematerializes rightin front of me.
NO!
No.
No, no, no.
I keep my eyes shut tight,praying for sleep to swallow me back up.But no matter how much Itry to fall back into my subconscious, my wakefulness grows untilit's no longer deniable.The rush of disappointment rolls over meand I feel the perpetual ache in my chest grow with it.It's thenthat I realize I'm curled up against something large and firm, andI freeze in a long moment of consternation.
I brush my fingers oversoft cotton, and breathe deeply.
I recognize the scentinstantly.A combination of Sam's after-shave, his body wash andsomething that's just inherentlyhim.My eyes fly open.
I am wrapped around himlike a vine, his thick, denim-clad thigh between mine, and hischest my perfect pillow.I both hear and feel the comforting soundof each steady, thumping beat of his strong heart.The muted pinklight sweeping in through the blinds tells me it must be nearlydusk, and we're in my bedroom.I haven't the slightest clue how wegot here.
The last thing I rememberwas forcing half a grilled cheese sandwich down my throat despitemy lack of appetite just to appease Sam.And then realizing Iwasn't going to make it through the rest of the school day.I toldthe girls I was going to grab something from my car, but really Iwas just going to drive home.Though I can't say I remember doingit.
But here I am, and so isSam.
I rack my brain trying toremember something.Anything.But the balance of the afternoon is amuddlement of partially remembered dreams and very littleelse.
I lift my head slowly,just enough to peek up at him.He's out cold.Well, that's notaccurate.He's fast asleep, yes, but there's nothingcoldabout him.His bodyis so appealingly warm, and the little skin that's no longer incontact with it regrets it instantly.I press my face back to hischest and try to think.
