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“True. Well,” Jess looked around the room, as if trying to find the right words. “Just be careful okay?” she said finally, biting her lip.

“I will.” She knew what Jess was thinking: one, she shouldn’t be chasing after a straight girl, and two, she didn’t want a repeat of her relationship with Liz.

That made two of them.

Chapter Twelve

Sam’s back hit the shop doorhard, the bell ringing above it loudly. Taylor smiled through their kiss, Sam’s hands threading through her messy brown locks. She was driving her insane and she wantedmore. She kissed her harder, but it still didn’t feel like enough. Taylor moved to her neck, slowly kissing her way down. A soft hand snuck under her shirt, playing over her sensitive skin, slowly moving up in a trail of heat—the bell above the door rang again. That’s weird. She tried to ignore it, focusing on Taylor’s movements, but it just wouldn’t stop…

Ohfuck.

Sam reached out and shut off her alarm on the phone. She clutched it to her chest, still breathing heavily, blinking rapidly to take in her surroundings. Her bedroom. Last night’s clothes still thrown all over her chair in the corner. Not at the shop. No Taylor. The ache between her legs though… yeah, that was very much not a dream.

Jesus Christ. Sam hadneverhad a dream like that before. One so graphic. So heated. Soreal.

She’d never even thought about girls in that way. She was straight. Well, she thought she was straight. Sure, she’d never been in a serious relationship, but she’d been with guys beforeand it was good. Nice even. No complaints. But this? This was a dream.

But it felt like something else entirely.

Maybe it was from their conversation on the boat about Taylor’s sexuality? Then she thought back to last night. The touches she couldn’t explain, couldn’t stop. The first brush had been an accident, the electric response she’d felt catching her so completely off guard, she’d had to chase it. And she was so glad she did. When Taylor had started touching her back, it was like her neurons started firing everywhere, goosebumps erupting all over her body. All at the simple touch of her hand.

A thrum rang through her at the memory, making her thighs clench together. She didn’t usually have that reaction around her friends like Alex, and she hugged or touched her all the time. She glanced at her phone; there was no more time to analyse. She had to get ready and open up.

“Hello, ya grumpy old bastard.”

Larry came around the counter and put his arm around Sam, a taller, younger man in tow behind him.

“Hey, lil’ girl. How ya been, Sam-I-Am?”

She threw him a dirty look.

“Samwise Gamgee?” he tried next.

“Oh,” he snapped his fingers. “Sammalammadingdong.”

She shook her head in exasperation, a smile breaking out no matter how hard she tried to look annoyed.

“You do not like them green eggs andSam?”

“Oh my god, stop it,” she said, shrugging out from under him and slapping him on the arm.

His shoulders shook with silent laughter, the younger guy watching on in amusement as he tried to hold in his own chuckle.

“What can I help you both with this morning, gentlemen?”

“Sorry, how rude of me. I got too caught up antagonising this beautiful young lady. What’s your name again? Just Sam?” Larry deadpanned.

“Perfect.”

“Just Sam, my wonderful grandson Jason is down helping me on the boat this weekend. Jason, I’d love for you to meet Just Sam,”—she shook her head at his antics—“she steers the ship here at Garner Marine, and she and her old man have helped me out countless times over the years.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,Just Sam,” Jason said, smirking at his grandfather. She finally took him in then. He was all broad shoulders, tight top—he definitely worked out—white smile and dazzling blue eyes with ridiculously long lashes. His short dark hair fell over his eyes as he reached over the counter.

She took his hand and shook it. It wasn’t as soft as Taylor’s.Sonotwhat you should be thinking about right now.

“Nice to meet you too, Jason.” They shared a smile, and she couldn’t help but notice a friendliness to him, or maybe that was because of the touch of resemblance to his grandfather.

“Call me Jase.”