Page 44 of A Heart On A Sleeve

Freaking out, please tell me he actually likes me and it’s not just because I’m the easiest woman in the world to read thanks to Irina.

I sit on the edge of the bathtub for a couple of minutes before remembering I don’t have service.

Then I give myself a pep talk. I know he cares for me, that’s clear.

And I care for him. I need to just stick to the plan and be present with him while also covered.

I flush the toilet for effect and wash my hands before I pull the door open and come face-to-face with Sam.

“Hey, you okay?” he asks, concern etched in his brow.

“I’m great,” I say, reaching up on my tiptoes to give him a kiss before sliding past him. He set the table while I was in there and everything looks delicious. “This looks so good. Let’s eat.” I slide into one of the chairs at the table.

“I hope it’s good. I’m, uh, not much of a cook when it comes to fancy meals.” He’s adorably shy. I shouldn’t give him a hard time, but I want to. I carefully cut a slice of steak and pop it into my mouth. A burst of flavor hits my tongue and a small moan sneaks out.

“Heaven. This is heaven. It’s easily the best steak I’ve ever had. Please tell Mabel thank you for me.” I grab the wine glass he placed at my seat and take a small sip while watching his face move from questioning, to mad, to two-can-play-this-game in an instant.

“Two things: Very funny and I’m going to kill Bridget,” Sam says, pushing his own bite of steak between his lips. I can’t stop the laughter that rolls out of me.

“Aw, come on. It’s cute actually. Your sister didn’t mean to tell me, but it’s really good that she did. I might’ve expected meals like this on a regular basis if she hadn’t. I think you should thank her.”

“I would get lessons from my mom every day if it meant seeing the look you just had on your face over a bite of steak. That’s a promise,” Sam says, pointing his fork at me.

“Well, in that case, can you get the pumpkin tortellini recipe because there’s nothing else like it, and I shouldn’t admit how many times I’ve woken up dreaming about it.”

“If it means you’ll dream of me instead, I’ll find a way to get it.” Sam winks then tucks back into his meal.

We continue eating in amicable silence. This food is too good to not eat it while it’s warm, and I appreciate the ease with which we can share a meal and not have to fill the void with conversation. It feels natural, like I could picture us doing this regularly, and the thought scares me.

“I’m so full right now,” I say, tossing my napkin on my plate and pushing back from the table.

“Me too. I think I impressed myself,” Sam says, reaching to grab the leg of the chair I’m sitting in and pulling me closer to him.

“You did good, Sam.” I press a kiss to his cheek when I’m saddled up next to him.

“Want to watch a movie or snuggle? Which sounds better?” he asks.

“Well . . . I have been dying to see that bed you were in earlier this week. It looked so cozy, I think I could crawl in and go right to sleep.”

“I’ll let you in my bed, but I am not planning on letting you sleep.” Sam kisses me softly before pulling on my bottom lip with his teeth. A slew of goose bumps pebble my skin as heat zaps up my spine.

“Easy, killer. I’ll go change real quick.” I stand and grab my bag, heading toward the bathroom.

Sam stops me with a hand on my arm. “I was thinking that clothes were optional.”

“Trust me, you will like what I brought,” I quip before heading into the small restroom to change. I brought something special that I think he’s going to love. Something that also fits my own agenda.

Once inside, I dig through my bag and pull out the black lace lingerie I bought for this.

It’s almost like a bodysuit, with cutouts on the back and nether regions.

It’s long sleeved, so my arm will be concealed behind the black floral pattern.

I also brought an oversized fluffy pink robe, just to tease him a bit.

I undress quickly, fitting myself into the number and donning the robe.

I fluff my hair a bit and slide on a hint of red lipstick.

When I open the door, Sam is nowhere to be found, our dinner abandoned on the table. I walk to the front door and drop my bag back down by my shoes, turning to see if I can spot him. The muffin tin is noticeably missing from the kitchen counter. Where did he go?

“Up here,” Sam says, peering down at me from the loft I didn’t know he had.

“How do I get up there?” I ask, looking for a set of stairs.

“The ladder.” He points to a hidden wooden-rung ladder that’s tucked just off the kitchen. I never would have noticed it, but now that I see it, I’m not sure how I missed it.

I climb each rung carefully, reaching the top and sliding my legs over to stand in the loft.

Sam eyes me from the bed. He’s lying with his hands behind his head and his shirt off.

His biceps are huge. His chest and abdomen look like granite, bulging and dipping across the expanse of his body.

His tattoos are beautiful in swirling patterns across his skin. My cheeks heat just looking at him.

“You gonna eye fuck me all night, or are we snuggling?” he asks, grinning at me.

“Snuggling, sorry. Uh, actually, I’m not sorry.” I take back the apology. He’s hot as hell, and he knows it. There’s no point in me denying it.

I cross the room and slide onto the bed in my fluffy robe.

Sam pulls me into him and nuzzles his nose into my neck, kissing between my ear and collarbone gently.

I can’t stop the way my body reacts to him.

Tingles race up my spine and my jaw goes slack.

Sam arches back into the pillows, burrowing us in while pulling me even closer against his hardened body.

“This robe is super soft, I see why you picked it.” He runs his hand along the sleeve feeling the texture of it.

“I knew you’d like it,” I say jokingly, laughing as he begins to tickle me.

Escaping his grasp, I move to stand beside the bed, slowly untying the belt.

The shoulders of the robe drop first, then the remainder as I slowly release it to the floor.

There’s a second of nerves as I stand before him in nothing but the lace bodysuit, but that tension quickly diminishes when I see the lust that blooms on his face.

“Holy shit. I didn’t think you could get more beautiful, but you look like a present, all wrapped up just for me,” he says, climbing to the edge of the bed to pull me against him.

Sam grasps behind my neck, forcing me to bend into his kiss. Before I know it, I’m straddling him on the bed, our tongues twisting and exploring each other’s mouths like we will never get enough. I grind my center against his cock, and a moan slips out of me.

Breaking the kiss, Sam says, “We have all night. I plan to spoil you, but I think I want dessert first.” I’m confused by his statement for a second. Does he really plan to stop what we’re doing to eat something?

Sam reaches over to the nightstand and grabs one of the muffins I made from the tin. He takes a small lick of the cream cheese frosting. “Mmmm . . . I love that you made these. Frosting is my favorite.” Sam uses his free hand to motion for me to lie down on the bed.

I do as he commands and sink into the bed with my head landing among the pillows.

He crawls on his knees until he’s positioned over top of me, one leg on each side of my body.

Sam takes the frosting-topped muffin and runs it along my neck, leaving a sticky trail of whipped sugar down my throat.

Next, he skates the muffin across each nipple, then slowly over my aching center.

Abandoning the muffin to the bedside table, he leans down to whisper in my ear, “You’re covered in sugar. I guess I’ll have to eat you, good girl.”

Sam licks the sugar off my neck, switching between getting it on his tongue and kissing me so I can taste it.

Each time his mouth dips to mine I anticipate the sweet taste mixed with the pure unadulterated need that courses through my veins.

My arm is covered, but I can tell from the sensation that many very dirty thoughts are being displayed across it.

He moves lower to my breasts, spending equal time sucking and laving on my swollen nipples through the lace material.

He nips at them a little, and I arch my back, moaning at the sensation.

He’s careful to remove every bit of the frosting, and I find myself wanting to add more when he’s not looking.

“Do you like that?” he asks, grinning at me while he shifts yet again lower and begins to flick his tongue against my center.

“Sam, it feels so . . . holy—”

He smiles, making eye contact with me as he sucks on my clit.

Sam’s fingers split me apart as he dips his tongue inside, humming in pleasure.

Sparks wink behind my eyes, and tears threaten to leak out.

The sensation is too much, it feels so good.

I feel like I’m losing it. Quickly, he flattens his tongue and lashes side to side right where I need him while dipping two fingers deep inside me and crooking them at the perfect angle.

He reaches up with his free hand and twists my nipple into a tightly formed peak.

It’s almost like I’m being consumed by him, like he owns every part of my body.

Sam begins to work me harder with his fingers while putting his full focus on my clit.

My heart hammers in my chest, and I fall apart, floating willingly into oblivion.