“Nor has your tact.”
She met my eye and smiled. God, I’d almost forgotten how much I missed her. Sam never let me get away with anything, and it was her checks and balances that had kept me honest in high school – until I’d gone and ruined it all. But there was no reason to rehash the past, not when I had my future within arm’s length. I closed the distance, grabbed her around the middle, and commenced laying waste to her long-untouched skin. She giggled as my fingers dug in. After a moment of reckless abandon, Sam knocked my hands away and arranged her shirt back into place.
“He’s in the bathroom,” she whispered,finally.
“Babe, if he couldn’t hear you during the Apache helicopter phase of our conversation, I doubt he’ll hear a little innocent tickling.”
More eye rolls. I was already getting under her skin. “Can I just say thanks for making it weird between your brother and me? Jake probably hates me now.”
“I wouldn’t say hate.” I grinned, now just trying to nettle her so I could continue seeing the irritated little crinkled of her nose. “He probably just mildly dislikes you.”
“You think this is funny? We’re trespassing. I can’t afford to be arrested, Keith.”
“I know. What would the dolphins think?”
A slow smile hitched one corner of her lips. “The dolphins work in another department.”
“See? No harm, no foul. And trust me, Jake doesn’t hate or even mildly dislike you.”
“And you know thishow?”
“It’s a brother’s bond, Sam. He wouldn’t hate you because he knows how important you are to me. And stop worrying. That was Jake’s ‘like’ face.”
Sam wasn’t convinced.
I reached for her hand. “Let’s get out of here.”
She didn’t budge.
I eyeballed her. “Just take it, Sam. We both know you’re coming with me.”
“You’re very confident for a guy I’m still considering kicking in the nuts.”
Feisty Sam was my favorite kind. I thrust my hand out again and gave it an impatient wave. She sighed before grabbing it.
“Thank you.” I smirked.
“You’re welcome,” she said, and then paused before adding, “… asshole.”
We walked hand in hand as if it were the most natural thing in the world. The closeness was just there. Was it really possible to pick up where we left off? The way I was feeling now, I was pretty sure it was.
“Where are we going?” she asked, as we exited the backstage area.
“To your place.”
“Tomyplace? Why can’t we go to your place?”
“Because my place comes with mandatory meal time, regular showers, and curfews – but I don’t have to be home until 11:00 pm, so we’re good.”
Those eyes of hers were popping once more. “You still live with your parents?”
“Not still… I moved back in after rehab. And I was kidding about the curfew.”
“I got that. What about meal time and showers?”
“No. My mom’s militant about that shit.”
Sam shook her head, fake cringing. “You know, Keith, on paper, you don’t look like much of a catch.”
