“You’re so sweet. As much as I would’ve loved aromantic dinner with you over candlelight, eating by the light of our phones is the next best thing.”
“Even if it’s a cold dinner?”
“Yes. The only thing I need, I have right here.”
“And what’s that?” he says in a low, raspy tone.
“You.” I poke him in the nose.
He chuckles and leans forward. All I can see is his silhouette, illuminated by the backlight of our phones, but that doesn’t stop him from finding my neck. He plants a series of long, soft kisses leading up to my mouth. Each one feels like a warm breeze on one of the first days of summer.
“You’re all I need too, my beautiful Fashion Guru.”
With his thumbs, he traces the outline of my lips. I shiver. Deep inside of me, a sleeping tiger is awakening. I’ve waited for a kiss from him for three long weeks. I’m hungry for his lips to be on mine. I can’t stop myself.
“Kiss me,” I purr.
Without any hesitation, his lips meet mine. Having had a small taste of his lips, my inner tiger suddenly roars and pounces with desire. I slide one hand into his hair and move the other to his back. Sam pulls me in closer to him. His chest is pressed right against mine. Heat sears through our bodies.
“I’ve missed you so much, Min.” He doesn’t relinquish his hold on me.
“We have a lot of lost time to make up for, but I promise, I’m not going anywhere,” I whisper.
“Good, because neither am I.”
As Sam speaks these words, I can feel just how much he means it. Yes, we’ve had our problems communicating with one another recently, but he has made it clear it wasn’t on purpose. In fact, the point of us having dinner tonight is to talk and work out our problems.
I was worried our relationship would be one sided, but it’s not. It’s clear to me now that he intends to be just as committed to me as I am to him. That’s when it hits me—I have fallen head over heels for Sam I Am.
We kiss again, this one is slower and more intimate. My inner tiger is purring loudly with contentment, like the constant hum of a motor. Sam is the man for me. I could easily stay wrapped in his arms for hours, kissing the night away. That’s when my stomach lets out an unlady-like growl.
We break apart, and I press my hand on my tummy. “Shh, I’m right in the middle of something.”
Sam barks with laughter. “I don’t think that's quite the way it works, Fashion Guru.”
“I’ll make it work. Now where were we?” It gurgles again. I groan.
“Come on, let’s feed you.”
I grab some cinnamon-scented candles I have stored in the bathroom and place them around the room. Sam arranges the containers and cutlery. Despite us having no power, the takeaway containers from The Tank are still lukewarm. We share a delicious meal of spaghetti topped with meatballs and mushrooms for dinner, then dive straight into dessert, a slice of key lime pie.
“I don’t remember this being on the menu when we were there.” I swirl some of my Riesling wine around and take a sip.
“It’s not. I asked Miller’s chef if they could put this together. Tonight’s plan was to watchLady and the Trampin the background while we ate and talked. I remembered you telling me key lime was your favorite dessert.”
Sam begins to hum “La Bella Notte” from the spaghetti scene.
“Awe, I love that. Is it your favorite Disney movie?”
“Yes and no. It’s my sisters’ favorite film. I used to enjoy it, but I’ve seen it one too many times. They used to beg me every Christmas for a cocker spaniel just like Lady.”
“And you didn’t follow through with it?”
“No.” He laughs softly and sips from his own wineglass. “I’d be the one who would have to do all the dirty work looking after it.”
I run my hand up his arm. “Maybe in the future, you’ll reconsider. I’d love a cocker spaniel. My parents had a goldie, a German shepherd, and a cat growing up. I miss having pets around the house.”
“With some help, sure, I’d be open to it. And the answer to your other question isTangled.I like Maximus. He’s one cool horse.”
