They worked together, pulling her shirt over her head, then doing the same with his. Sam bunched the fabric up and tucked them under her head as an extra pillow. He peeled the jeans off Aubrey’s hips and pushed them down her legs.
“God, you’re beautiful,” Sam said again as he hovered above her.
The warmth rushing over her skin had nothing to do with the balmy night air. It could be the dead of winter, and Aubrey knew she’d heat under his intensely sensual gaze.
She lifted up and unsnapped her bra clip. Sam pulled it free and zeroed in. He flattened his tongue against the underside of her breast and slowly licked a path up to her nipple, pulling it inside his mouth. The suction resonated through her body, all the way down to her core.
“Sam, please get naked,” she pleaded.
He groaned, his mouth full of her breast. His lips still on her skin, he reached down and unbuckled his belt, leaving her just long enough to slide off his jeans and boxer briefs. Then he was back, his fingers curled around the sides of her sheer panties as he drew them down her legs.
Aubrey felt as if she was on the brink of exploding. Anticipation thrummed through her body as Sam settled between her legs, the heavy weight of his erection brushing against her inner thigh.
But then he pulled back and dropped his chin to his chest. “Fuck.”
“Um, isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing here?” Aubrey said.
Regret made his voice gravelly. “I don’t have any condoms on me.”
“We can’t just stop.” A desperate, anguished sob tore from her throat. “I will literally die if you’re not inside me in the next five seconds, Sam.”
“I know you think I planned this, but I honestly didn’t anticipate this happening tonight,” he said.
“Why not? I did,” she said.
His gruff laugh was strained.
“Are you clean?” Aubrey asked. His eyes flew to hers. “Are. You. Clean,” she asked again.
Sam nodded. “As a whistle.”
Aubrey wrapped her legs around his hips. “I have an IUD and I haven’t had sex in over a year. We’re good.”
His forehead furrowed. “Why haven’t you had sex in more than a year?”
“Do you really want to discuss my sex drought right now? Or would you rather help me end it?”
A devilish grin stole across his lips. “I vote for ending it.”
“So do I,” she said.
Reaching down between them, she wrapped her hand around his hard length and guided him inside her. Their identical moans mingled with the sounds of the chirping crickets and rustling leaves. Aubrey locked her legs at the small of Sam’s back and thrust her hips up, reaching for him, straining to take as much of him in as she could fit.
This was home.
This feeling of being in Sam’s arms. His touch, his smell. The sounds he made as he sank deeper and deeper inside her, filling her. Completing her.
No one else had ever made her feel so cherished.
“I missed this,” Sam said against her lips. He placed his palms on either side of her head and rocked into her, his long, sure strokes gliding in and out of her, making her shiver with need. “I missed it so much,” he said.
Betting that it still drove him wild, Aubrey leaned forward and laved at his flat nipple. She was right. Sam’s pleasurable hiss was followed by a groan.
“I love when you do that,” he said. He dipped his head and plundered her mouth with wild kisses, driving his tongue inside, matching the rhythm of his cock as he surged forward, quickening his thrusts, pummeling her until Aubrey felt a heavy sensation growing low in her belly.
“Oh, my God. I’m so close,” Aubrey rasped.
Sam pressed his lips against her ear. “Give me a minute. I’ll take you over the edge.”
He braced himself up on one arm and reached between them, stroking her clit, massaging it with his thumb, pinching it, playing with it. Aubrey bit down on her bottom lip to contain her scream, but it was no use. The orgasm hit her on a wave of sensation, pleasure rushing through her. It felt as if her entire being had burst into a billion pieces.
Sam picked up the pace, his hips pistoning as he impaled her with his rock hard length. His forearms locked next to her with his last final thrust.
He collapsed on top of her, but then quickly rolled off. They both lay on their backs, their breaths soughing roughly from their chests.
“Wow,” Sam said.
“I agree,” Aubrey replied.
He reached over and pulled her thigh between his legs, tugging her so that she lay halfway on top of him. The sultry night air clung to her skin as she fitted herself against Sam’s chest, tucking her arm around his waist.
“That was even better than I remembered,” Aubrey said.
“I learned some new stuff over the years.”
She put her finger to his lips. “I don’t want to know. I’m still trying to erase that kiss between you and Taylor from my mind.”
“I already told you that I only did it to piss you off.”
“I don’t care that it was all an act on your part. Seeing you kiss her still got to me, so good job on that one.”
He smoothed his hand down her hair. “We were apart for ten years, Aubrey. You have to know I haven’t been a hermit this entire time.”
“I know,” she said. “Chandra made it a point to keep me informed, even when I didn’t want to know.” She looked up at him. “I’m surprised no one ever made a husband out of you in all this time.”
“That was never going to happen,” Sam said.
“Why not?”
He trailed his fingers down her cheek. “It wouldn’t have been fair to marry someone, knowing that I wasn’t over you.”
Aubrey’s breath caught. “Sam, don’t say things like that to me when we’re both naked in the back of your truck.”
His chest moved with his deep chuckle. “When is there ever a better time to say that than when I have you naked?” He tightened his hold on her. “I tried like hell to get over you, Bree, but after a few years passed and I found myself still comparing every woman I met to you, I just figured I was doomed to never getting you out of my system.”
“I thought I was the only one doing that,” Aubrey said. “Comparing everyone I met to you.”
“So you never got close to getting married?”
Aubrey could feel the way his body tensed as he waited for her answer.
She shook her head. “Not even close. The longest I ever dated anyone was a year. Actually, we didn’t even make a year. It was more like ten months.”
“Why?” he asked.
She hunched her shoulders. “For one thing I was too busy to bother with starting a relationship. But mostly my heart just wasn’t in it.”
“So, if you’d stayed away, would we have both been doomed to being alone our entire lives?”
“I always told myself that I’d eventually get over you, but I was lying to myself, and I knew it.” She caressed his jaw. “I never want to get over you, Sam. I gave you my heart when I was fourteen, and I don’t want it back. It’s yours to keep.”
He tugged her up until her face was just inches from his. “So long as you promise to keep mine,” he whispered against her lips before taking them in another soul-stirring kiss.
Aubrey mentally latched onto his words, as if they were a lifeline. She wished she could bottle this feeling. The bliss that flowed through her harkened back to those long ago days when she would fit herself against Sam’s chest and he’d wrap his arms around her. The world was perfect back then.
Now that she was older, Aubrey knew better than to blindly trust in such feelings. The perfect relationship didn’t just magically happen. It took work. It took both people being open to compromise and not selfishly putting their wants above the other person’s.
She and Sam had both been guilty of that in the past, but Aubrey was determined to make sure that wasn’t the case this time around.
Chapter 8
> “Your mouth isn’t hurting from all that smiling yet?”
Aubrey looked up from the landscaping magazine she’d been thumbing through to find her sister standing in front of her, a grin on her lips.
“Those magazines may keep Paul entertained for hours, but I know whatever is in there isn’t that interesting,” Deanna said.
“Apparently, you haven’t kept up to date on the latest irrigation techniques. Fascinating stuff.”
Deanna rolled her eyes. “Don’t even try it. You think I don’t remember that smile? There’s only one person in the world who would put that particular smile on your face.”
Aubrey felt herself blushing. She hadn’t been paying attention to the magazine’s glossy pictures, her mind drifting back to the hours she’d spent last night and this morning in Sam’s bed. And in his shower. And up against his kitchen cabinets.
A delicious shudder traveled through her.
“Okay, so you caught me,” she said. She didn’t even try to curb her smile. “I don’t care about irrigation techniques. Now, if we’re talking about Sam’s technique…”
“Stop.” Deanna put a hand up. “I don’t want to hear any details, especially since my husband won’t be back in town for another few days. Even then, I don’t want details.”
“Fine,” Aubrey said as she pushed up from the sofa. “But can I at least show you the website he’s building for me? It isn’t complete yet, but Sam gave me a sneak peek last night.”
“Based on all that smiling from you today, I’m surprised you two found the time to look at the website at all,” Deanna said.
Aubrey stuck her tongue out at her sister as they walked over to the desk with the family computer. She couldn’t wait to pay down some of her debt so she could get a new laptop. She hated not having her own.
She punched in her website’s domain name, but her old site came up.
“Darn,” Aubrey said. “I just remembered I won’t be able to see the new and improved website until he makes it go live. Oh, but I can show you the clip that the bride from that wedding I did last week uploaded to YouTube.”
She pulled up YouTube, but instead of seeing a bunch of her videos in the recently viewed window, there were clips of Felicity. Most were obviously shot at this very computer, the television armoire visible in the background.
“It must still be logged into Felicity’s account,” Deanna said. Her sister reached for the computer mouse, but Aubrey stayed her hand.
“Wait a minute.” She scrolled through the comments section on the clip of Felicity singing a Demi Lovato song. Her blood slowly turned to ice as she read the back and forth between Felicity and some guy named Rodney823. The comments started out innocent enough, with this Rodney person telling her that she had a great voice. But then he mentioned knowing people in the business, and how Felicity should think about putting together a demo video.
Aubrey brought her hand up to her mouth. Dread tunneled through her veins. “Have you seen this?”
“Seen what?” Deanna asked.
She pointed to the screen. “This Rodney person. Just look at this conversation between them.”
“He likes her singing,” Deanna said. “I don’t see the big deal.”
Aubrey’s head whipped around to her sister. “You don’t? Some stranger is putting all this crap about making her a star in your daughter’s head and you don’t think it’s a big deal?”
“Aubrey, he isn’t saying that at all. He’s just telling her she should pursue her music.”
“Sure, that’s how they start,” Aubrey said, her voice escalating. “Next thing you know he’ll have her sending him private videos or some shit like that. And do you even know where this guy lives? His profile says Cincinnati, but he may be as close as the next town. You never know.”
“Felicity isn’t in danger of falling prey to some online hustler. Paul and I talk to her about this kind of stuff all the time. She’s smart. She’d never fall for that.” Her sister’s eyes narrowed. “What is this really about?”
Aubrey released a deep breath and shook her head. “Nothing,” she said. “You’re right. Felicity is too smart to fall for some con artist.”
“Unlike you,” her sister said.
Her eyes shot to Deanna’s. Aubrey tried to stop the tears, but it was as if a spigot had been turned loose.
“Come here,” Deanna said, taking Aubrey into her arms. She held her close, rubbing her hand up and down her back with soothing strokes. “I’m so sorry,” her sister said. “I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you.”
Aubrey pulled back slightly. “What do you mean?”
“From that guy,” Deanna said. “The one that you…you know. I should have taught you better than to trust guys like that. I’ve never forgiven myself for not taking better care of you.”
When she saw the tears gathering in Deanna’s eyes, Aubrey’s heart broke in two. “It wasn’t your fault, Deanna. Please don’t tell me you’ve been blaming yourself?”
“I thought shielding you was the way to go, but I should have taught you about how the world works. Instead, you had to learn the hard way. And look what it cost you.”
“Don’t ever blame yourself for my mistakes,” Aubrey said. “I did what I did because I thought I knew it all. It wouldn’t have mattered if you’d tried to tell me any better.”
Aubrey pulled her sister in close again and held her tight. “You’ve always been here for me—any time I’ve needed you. Don’t you dare blame yourself again.”
An hour later, as she sat with her feet tucked underneath her on Sam’s couch, Aubrey tried to pay attention as Sam explained how he, Ian, and Dale finished up the props for the musical, but she couldn’t get that episode with Deanna out of her head.
Sam rounded the sofa and handed her a wine glass as he sat next to her.
“What’s this?” Aubrey asked.
“I bought some Chardonnay for when you come over,” he said. “You look like you can use it.” He put his arm around her and tugged her into him. “Want to talk about it?”
She expelled an exhausted breath and took a sip from her glass, fighting the urge to drink it all in one gulp. She told Sam about what happened with Deanna.
“I can’t believe she’s blamed herself all this time,” Aubrey said.
“She’s a big sister,” Sam said. “It’s what they do.”
“I guess so,” Aubrey said.
He trailed his fingers along her arm, gently stroking. “How did all of this come about?”
She released another sigh. “I saw a conversation between Felicity and some guy online and I just lost it.”
“What guy?”
She waved it off. “Some guy made a comment on one of her YouTube videos. I couldn’t help thinking the worst.” She turned to Sam. “I’m so afraid of Felicity getting caught up in the glamor of wanting to be a star, just like I did. And then making a foolish mistake.”
“She won’t,” Sam said. “She has an aunt looking out for her. You’d never allow that to happen.” He brushed the hair back from her face. “Eventually, when you’re ready, I want to hear about what you went through as you tried to break into the business. It sounds like it’s something you need to talk about. But not today. I can see you’re too upset.”
Her mouth lifted in a wry smile. “Don’t worry, it’s not all bad. My life isn’t some dark, cautionary tale. But it could have been. I saw what other friends went through. That’s not going to happen to Felicity.”
“You’re a good role model for her.”
Aubrey’s head reared back. “Now, is that something you ever thought you’d hear yourself say?”
“Hell no.” Sam laughed. “But it’s true. You’re an amazing role model, not just for your niece but for all those kids taking part in the play. They need to see someone like you—someone originally from this town who was brave enough to go after your dream. I hated you for leaving, but in a weird way, I was also proud of you for doing what you had to do. I still am.”<
br />
It felt as if her heart had swelled to twice its normal size. Aubrey could hardly breathe for the emotion clogging her throat. She slipped her hand up Sam’s chest, stopping just over his heart. She leaned her head forward until their foreheads met.
“Do you know how much it means to me to hear you say that?” she whispered.
“It took me a while to realize it.” He tipped her chin up and looked into her eyes. “But I am proud of you, Bree. It doesn’t matter that things didn’t turn out exactly as you planned. I respect you for having the courage to go after what you thought was best for you. I wish I could be that brave.”
Her forehead furrowed. “You’re no coward.”
“I feel that way sometimes.” He dipped his head, but Aubrey stopped him before his lips reached hers.
“What are you talking about, Sam?”
Aubrey could practically see the debate going back and forth behind his whiskey brown eyes. There was something he wasn’t telling her.
“Sam, what are you talking about?” she asked again.
He shook his head. “I’m not talking. I’m doing.”
He closed in on her mouth and, just like that, she forgot about everything else.
* * *
Sam could easily spend the entire night like this, with Aubrey sprawled across his lap as he kissed her until they both were out of breath. But why stick to kissing when there was so much more they could do together? But as much as he wanted to strip them both naked and join her body with his this very second, sofa sex just wouldn’t cut it.
“Let’s go in my room,” Sam said when he was finally able to tear his mouth from hers. He gave her a slight nudge.
Aubrey pushed up from her supine position and, as soon as Sam stood, wrapped her arms around his neck. She tugged until his mouth lowered onto hers again, her body flush against his.
“Bree,” Sam spoke against her lips. “We actually have to walk to get to my room.”
“That’ll take too long,” she said.
He chuckled. “I’ll make it worth the journey.”
Any Time You Need Me Page 12
