Deciding to converse with her during the dance to distract himself, he said, “You’re different somehow—more confident. You’re also comfortable around me.”
“We were always close, Shane. You were my rock. I went to you for everything growing up.”
“Yes, but then you were suddenly all grown up, and you pulled away. You became more distant. Guess you didn’t need me anymore,” Shane teased her, but waited for her to explain. He needed to understand.
Samantha laughed nervously. “Yes, I did pull away. I wasn’t sure how to act around you. You made me feel…different. I wasn’t used to that, and it frightened me.”
“And now? What has changed?” Shane couldn’t stop himself from playing with her hair.
“Everything.” Samantha leaned up to him and brought her lips inches from his. “You’ve changed, and I’ve changed. Everything, Shane.”
Shane was having difficulty breathing. The longing started deep in his core, and it took everything out of him to not claim her lips. He wanted her more than anything he’d ever wanted. Did she know that she was in his wildest dreams? Was she teasing him?
“What are you doing, Sammy? You are playing a dangerous game right now.” Shane’s voice was low and held a hint of warning.
“No games, Shane,” she whispered.
“Is there something I need to know? Did something happen between us I can’t remember?” Shane’s body was already responding to her close proximity and how she was moving her soft hips against his.
“You’re overthinking. Stop thinking with your head and think with your heart. What is your heart telling you right now?” Samantha tangled her fingers into his hair.
Lifting his eyebrow, he smirked. “Believe me, you don’t wanna know. I have a naughty heart.”
Samantha closed the space between them, and her lips found his. Softly, she teased him and soon, deepened the kiss. Shane couldn’t help the moan that escaped as his body burned for her. Grabbing her, he threw her on the bed and landed on top of her. He wanted to take her—all of her. Hungrily, he devoured her, his tongue playing with hers. His hands took a mind of their own as they began to explore the body he had been dreaming of for too long. The fact that Samantha was responding with just as much urgency didn’t help matters any. Expertly, he had her little black dress off in no time. Shane had to stop for several seconds just to look at her beautiful body in nothing but black, lacy panties and a matching bra. He swallowed hard, his heart skipping several beats at the sight of her. Slowly, his index finger caressed her from her neck and trailed between her breasts, to her belly button and stopped right above her panties. Watching her tremble under his touch aroused him even further. Her shaky fingers fiddled with the buttons of his shirt, and he helped her out by pulling his shirt off. Timidly, her fingers found his chest, and she left a fiery trail wherever she touched him. Shane closed his eyes and buried his face into her neck, smelling her—the scent that had haunted him for so many years. She was his, damn it! And tonight, he would show her that she was his, and only his.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, a distant voice screamed to stop…that she was too innocent, too pure, too good…that he wasn’t good enough for her…that she deserved better…that she was his little Sammy…that he was her protector, to protect her from the likes of him.
Springing away from her, Shane jumped off the bed, creating distance between them. With a trembling hand, he rolled his fingers through his hair, trying to catch his breath. What was wrong with him? He had lost all control. Sammy wasn’t just one of his women to have sex with and leave. This was his Sammy, and he almost took her like he’d taken so many other women. Shame and guilt made him look away from her.
Keeping his back to her, he said, “I think you need to leave, Sammy.”
“Shane, please don’t do this,” she whispered, her voice cracking as she swallowed a sob.
“Get out, Sammy, before I do something I’ll regret for the rest of my life.”
He heard her scurry out of the bed and out of his room. Plopping back on the bed, Shane buried his face into his hands. How could he have let things go that far? Either Sammy was infatuated with him, or she was curious, or both. She’d turned to him many times as a little girl for guidance. God only knew what she was thinking tonight. Either way, he should have known better. He should never have let things get that far.
Needing to burn off steam, Shane changed into sweat shorts and t-shirt. He headed to the workout room to take his frustration out. When he saw Damien working out, he almost turned back. He had no desire to interact with anybody, but his brother spotted him and signaled him to enter.
“How are you doing tonight, Shane?” he asked as Shane grabbed some weights.
“Never better,” he answered sarcastically.
Damien looked at him curiously, but decided not to expand on it. He continued to work on the bench press.
After working out for another fifteen minutes, instead of feeling better, Shane became more frustrated. He approached Damien and said, “What the hell are we doing here? I mean, this is not okay to be trapped up in this place. Nobody is telling me shit except that our lives are in danger, and we have to hide out. Blah blah blah! What are we waiting on? Are we hiding out like cowards for the rest of our lives?”
“We will not be doing anything until your memories come back,” Damien answered calmly. “Father believes they will return on their own when you’re ready.”
“Yeah? What if they never come back? Then what? Don’t you think it would be easier to just tell me exactly what I’ve missed? That way, we can all go on with our lives like normal. I’m sure nobody likes to feel cooped up in here, most of all Ryan and Tori!”
“My kids know they’re safe here, and that’s all that matters right now.”
“Right now? Okay, but what about tomorrow? What about next week? Next month? You think this is how they want their lives to be?”
Damien shook his head. “Look at you. What are you so worked up about? We’ve been here like this for three weeks. You’ve only just woken up last night, and you’re acting more childish than my children.”
Shane was about to fire back when he thought about what Damien was saying. He took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry. You’re right of course. I’m just very confused right now. This lost memory thing is really pissing me off. I really think it would make it a lot better if you’d just tell me everything. Maybe I might be able to understand better.”
“I’m going to wait on Father’s call. I think he’s hoping you’ll remember on your own. It’s best if you do, Shane. They’re your memories…your experiences. No matter what I tell you, it could never replace what you actually went through.”
“I’ve tried, Damien. Nothing is working.” Shane was beyond frustrated.
“You’re stressing yourself out. You almost died, Shane! Your body and mind has gone through a lot, trust me. You’re now surrounded by people who love you. Take a deep breath, and thank your lucky stars. Come on, let’s work out together. At least it’ll pass some time for you. I know how restless you can get.”
Shane decided to follow his brother’s advice and lost himself in the gym. It felt good to let it all out there and push his body beyond its limit. The rest of the night, he stayed in his room for fear of running into Samantha. He wasn’t sure how to act around her since his mind kept playing their last interaction over and over.
He knew he probably wouldn’t be able to avoid her all night since they all ate together right before dawn. Shane made up his mind to just act like nothing even happened. He would be the usual teasing, charming self. It might at least help Samantha, as he was sure she was feeling just as awkward about their encounter.
Shane didn’t need to worry, though. Samantha never showed up to eat with everybody. Sofia said Samantha didn’t feel well, and she sent everybody her apology. Outside of Ryan and Tori arguing about something, there was an awkward silence at the table by others. Suddenly, Shane didn’t feel lik
e eating anymore.
“Please, excuse me. I’m not feeling too well, either. I’ll be calling in an early night.” Before anybody could reply, he disappeared down the hall and into his room.
Thirty-four
Shane woke up the next night, aching to see Samantha. He stayed out of his room most of the time, hoping to run into her. His anticipation grew, and the fact that nobody even brought up her name around him annoyed him further. When he realized she wasn’t going to join them during their meal again, he had enough. Gathering some food in a plate, Shane excused himself from the table.
When he knocked on her door, she remained quiet at first. He decided to knock again, and she finally said, “I’m not hungry, Mom.”
He then checked to see if her door was unlocked, and lucky for him, the handle turned. Shane entered her room without saying anything with the plate in his hand. He saw her lying on her bed, covered in blankets with her back to him.
“Mom, I said I wasn’t hungry,” she grumbled.
“Time to eat. Rise and shine!” Shane said cheerfully.
As soon as she heard his voice, she sprung up in her bed, her eyes darkening with emotion. Her blanket fell off her, and Shane immediately noticed the little, black tank top she was wearing. Purposefully, he forced his eyes to look away, knowing he had to stay focused and not get himself in any more trouble.
“What are you doing here?” She scowled.
“Wow! What a greeting. I came to make sure you eat. It’s stir fry, and I know how much you love that.”
“I’m not hungry, Shane. Please leave,” she answered.
Shane set the plate down and grabbed the chair from across the room. He dragged it next to her bed and sat down with his legs outstretched in front of him and arms folded across his chest.
“How come you’ve been hiding in here?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
“I’m not hiding.”
“You’re sulking.”
Samantha’s mouth dropped open. “I am not sulking.”
“You’re sulking like a child,” Shane insisted, throwing her a stern look.
“I’m not a child!” she said, raising her voice.
“Is this about last night? I admit things got a little carried away, but are you really gonna let that affect our friendship? ‘Cuz I’m not gonna let that happen.”
“Please, just leave,” she said, looking away.
“I’m not leaving until you finish up that plate. From what I can tell, you haven’t eaten much for over twenty-four hours.”
“Damn you, Shane! I want you out of my room!” She threw him a furious look.
“You know how stubborn I am, Sammy. The sooner you eat, the sooner I’ll leave you alone.”
Samantha clenched her jaw tight and grabbed the plate of food. She must have been hungry because soon, she cleaned up her plate. Shane hid a smile as he watched her devour her food and gulp her water down.
“Now, was that so hard?” he asked, taking the plate from her hand and setting it back on the table.
“Are you leaving now?” she asked.
“Do you want me to?”
“Yes,” she exclaimed.
“Liar,” he said softly.
Samantha gasped. “I’m not lying. I want you to leave me alone.”
“No, you don’t.”
Samantha leaped up out of her bed in anger. The first thing Shane noticed was her tiny yoga shorts clinging to her perfect butt and leaving little to imagination.
“What do you want from me, Shane?” she asked, fumes storming out of her head.
“Why are you walking around in shorts like that?” He was having a hard time ignoring her sexy attire.
“First of all, there’s nothing wrong with my shorts. Second, I’m not walking around. I’m in my room. And third, why are you looking anyway?” Samantha was furious as she stood in front of him with her hands on her hips and her mouth set in a tight line.
“Wow, you look really angry,” Shane teased.
“Yes, yes, I’m angry. You make me angry, Shane.”
“Let’s talk about that. I think it’s important for you to talk about your feelings. It’ll probably make you feel much better.” Shane was enjoying himself.
Samantha threw her arms in air and yelled, “God, I could hit you.”
“Go ahead and hit me if it’ll help. Go ahead, I can take it.” Shane smiled and playfully nudged her.
“Stop!” she commanded and shoved his hand away.
“Come on, let’s see what you got.” He nudged her again, this time a little harder.
“Don’t touch me. You’re annoying the hell out of me.”
“Yeah? Good!” He nudged her again, knocking her off balance.
By then, Samantha was furious, and she reacted. She swung her arms to punch him in the face. Luckily, he was quick enough to block her. She then kicked her leg high, aiming for his abdomen. Shane was able to jump out of the way, but just barely.
“I hate you,” Samantha hissed. She sprinted toward him, diving forward to tackle him. Shane was able to catch her just in time to slow down their fall to the floor. She ended up on top of him and flung her arms to try to land a punch. Typically, he would’ve subdued a human female in a matter of seconds. He was pleasantly surprised by Samantha’s speed and strength. So, this was what his father had meant when he said she had strong gargoyle blood running through her.
Once he was able to grab hold of her wrists, he turned her over and ended up on top of her. Restraining her arms over her head, he watched her squirm under him as he held her down.
“Let me go!” Her eyes were full of wild rage as she continued to lash out at him.
“Let’s see. If I remember correctly, you are very ticklish. Especially right here on your side.” Shane’s hand landed on the side of her waist as he teased her.
Rage changed to a look of terror. “Don’t you dare!” she said, trying to shift away from him.
“Oh, you dare me, you said?”
“No! I said, don’t you dare! Please, don’t!” Samantha continued to wiggle under him.
“I suppose I can stop torturing you right now, especially since you said please. But, what’s the fun in that?” Shane grabbed hold of her waist and began to tickle her.
Samantha screamed and laughed at the same time, trying to push him off her. He continued with his agenda until she was laughing so hard, tears were rolling down her face.
Finally collapsing on top of her, he whispered, “Mission accomplished.”
Once she caught her breath, Samantha asked, “What was your mission?”
“To make you laugh again,” Shane said as he lifted his face up to look at her. Immediately, he knew it was a mistake. Her face was flushed from laughing, her dark hair was a tousled mess, and her tank had shifted so the tops of her breasts were fully exposed. Closing his eyes, he told himself he needed to get off her before it was too late. But his body refused to cooperate. The truth was, he enjoyed Samantha under him.
She must have noticed the shift in him because suddenly her face became serious and her eyes darkened. When her lips parted, Shane knew he had lost his internal battle. Groaning in defeat, he collapsed back down on top of her, burying his face in her neck. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, allowing her scent to hypnotize him.
“Sammy, what do you do to me?” Shane’s voice was husky when he finally got the words out. With his heart pounding out of his chest and his body screaming for her, he kissed behind her ear, causing her to moan. Hearing the sound aroused him further, and Shane’s tongue traveled from her ear to the nape of her neck.
Samantha’s body responded, and she arched her back, her breathing heavy. When her hips rubbed against his, Shane caught his breath.
“Sammy, I want you so bad, it hurts,” he whispered.
As if giving him the permission to go further, Samantha pulled off his shirt. Shane trembled under her touch, his flesh on fire wherever her hands traveled.
Giving up, he foun
d her lips. As soon as their lips touched, the flame that had burned inside him for so long exploded, and he knew he’d reached the point of no return. Incapable of stopping, Shane’s hand traveled under her shirt to find what he’d been craving. She released a heavy sigh as soon as he began to play with her breasts. Unable to take it anymore, he pulled her tank and shorts off. As she lay under him in nothing but her panties, he lifted her up and carried her back to bed. He knew she was ready for him; he could smell her desire.
He wanted to take her hard and fast—make her his. But no, he didn’t wish that for Samantha. He wanted to cherish her body, inch by inch. He would go slow with her and make love to her until she screamed for him over and over.
Slipping out of his jeans, Shane was in nothing but his boxer briefs. He began a trail of kisses on her feet, finding her most pleasurable spots. Slowly, his lips and tongue traveled upward while Samantha squirmed under him. When he reached her inner thighs, he took his time, enjoying her moans getting louder.
“You smell delicious,” he said as he inhaled deeply.
Samantha was trembling at his touch, begging for more. He played with her, teased her, and took his sweet time with her. He’d waited for too long, never imagining it would be his reality one day. And now that it was, he would cherish every second of it.
Yearning for her more than ever, he ripped her panties off her. When his tongue found her most sensitive area, she screamed out his name. Hearing his name out of her mouth while he was making love to her had been his fantasy for too long.
He brought her closer to his mouth, sucking her and stroking her until she could take it no more. When she exploded in his mouth, he didn’t stop. He continued to torture her until she was spent. As Samantha’s exhausted body became limp, he traveled upward.
“I was right. I knew you’d be delicious.”
Fate's Roar (Fate Series Book 2) Page 20
