Page 391 of A Matter of Time

“Really? Like a cowboy?”

She was laughing as we reached Sam’s room. She went in first, past the two uniformed policemen, and when I saw Sam, I was surprised to find him out of bed and sitting at the table in the corner, in one of the hospital’s ideas of a recliner. He was dressed in sweats, white crew socks, and a T-shirt. I had never seen him look so good.

“There he is,” he said, and gestured for me.

I bolted forward, but Dane caught my arm to stop my flight.

“No,” Sam said, and my eyes went from my brother’s face to his. “Let him go.”

Dane dropped his hand.

I gave him a slight smile before I dashed forward to stand over Sam. “You look great.” I beamed down at him.

He patted his thighs. “C’mere. You know I love you in my lap.”

It was funny. Everyone yelled at once as I put my hand down on the arm of the chair and swung myself over him. They thought I was stupid. When I caught myself, bracing my hands on both arms and slowly straddling his hips, there was a collective sigh of relief. Sam chuckled and put a hand on his abdomen.

“Don’t make me laugh yet, all right?”

I nodded as I shifted my ass over his groin, moving around until I felt him get hard.

Instantly, his hands were like iron on my hips.

“Knock it off, ’cause I can’t do shit about that right now.”

“I could take care of you,” I told him, smiling lazily, biting my bottom lip.

He stared into my eyes and took my face in his hands. “I want you here with me every night from now on, you understand? No more, Jory. No more.”

“Okay,” I said, leaning forward to kiss him.

He tightened his hold on me so I couldn’t move. “You took years off my life, you know.”

“No, I didn’t. Don’t say that.”

He let out a quick exhale. “I need you around a long time, you understand? I can’t have anything happen to you…I just can’t.”

“Okay, okay.” I grinned at him. “Now can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” he said softly, easing me down so that our lips touched. I closed my eyes, and his tongue slipped between my lips as I parted them for him. I sighed into his mouth and forgot about everything and everyone else but Sam Kage. Kissing Sam Kage. His hand went to the back of my head, holding me there as his mouth covered mine, possessively, roughly. I moaned deep in my throat as my hands slid over his chest, touching the rock-hard muscles.

“Okay, stop.” Dane’s voice cut through my body like ice. He sounded really annoyed.

I pulled back and looked over my shoulder at him as he crossed the room to stand beside us.

“I have no interest in watching my brother make out with his partner. I want to know what the hell you were thinking by going through that woman’s stuff!”

I stood up, but Sam grabbed my hand.

“Sit here,” he said, patting the arm of the chair.

I perched as I was directed and felt his hand slip up under the back of my sweater to caress my skin. “I didn’t touch anything, Dane. I already told you.”

“That’s not true, Jory,” Detective Moore said as he walked up beside my brother. “I checked to make sure I was right, and Caleb’s fingerprints are all over⁠—”

“I didn’t go through anything,” I almost yelled, the only thing keeping me from losing it being Sam’s hand on the small of my back. Just that much contact calming me.

“We walked in, we found her lying there.” I swallowed hard, remembering. “Caleb, because he hasn’t watched as much TV as me, accidentally touched the knife, and then I ran back outside and threw up.”