Page 43 of Dear Future Husband (The Dearly Written #1)

Maybelle

Sam Cameron.

Maybe it was the way he blushed when I teased him. The way he tried to make small talk about politics. Or the way he was one of the biggest dorks I’d ever met but was well-equipped with lean muscle and a handsome face.

Whatever it was, I’d taken a liking to him.

Sam and I met the first day of classes. He approached me after a lecture. He introduced himself, then launched into a ramble about the current foreign conflicts of the world.

I didn’t understand what he was saying, but I said something sarcastic like, “Wow. You really know your stuff.”

He lit up, not recognizing the mockery in my compliment.

Since then, we’d had two coffee dates.

After the first date, I came home to Penny and our other two roommates, Abigail, Madelyn, loitering in the living room. All awaiting to hear how my first college date went.

When I told them my date was with Sam, Penny and Madelyn grimaced .

Abigail had never met him. So, she had no opinions to share, but Madelyn and Penny were adamant that Sam Cameron was the most painfully awkward boy they’d ever encountered.

I understood. Sam was uncomfortable, but I learned that when I slid him an actual compliment, a flirtatious touch or glance here and there, he became a whole new person. His ramblings weren’t as long or random and his darling, bashful smile teetered toward a confident smirk.

The party tonight was for Penny and me to have a girls’ night out but shifted when we ran into Sam. Penny instantly and happily called Daniel, asking him to come keep her company while I followed Sam out onto the dance floor.

Tonight, there was no sign of his shy awkwardness. His grin was adorable. His shaggy, dirty blonde hair was combed back, showing off his brilliant hazel eyes, and an olive-toned face. His sculpted body was dressed tightly in a light teal tee and jeans, hugging his legs.

Sam was almost proud as he pulled me through the crowd. As we danced, his large hands latched onto my hips, swaying in sync with me even though I was far from in beat with the music. I tied my arms around his neck, pulling myself against him.

I had to look up to meet his eyes because, wow . He was tall.

Not as tall as Trey, though.

Nope, I was just going to shove that thought deep, deep down. As much as I hated to admit it, even to myself... There was a minuscule—sort of large amount of me—that invested in Sam because he was a distraction.

Terrible, I know.

My self-control with Trey Turner was pitiful. The other night when he’d come over to my apartment, we read my journal. We talked about the nightmares of my forgotten past, and I’d been so close to giving in. To giving into temptation and kissing him on my bed.

I mean, how could I not?

He had been so… I didn’t have the words to describe how good that boy had been at that moment and, well, every other moment. I was so angry reading through my book and a little horrified by the forgotten life I had “lived”. But Trey opened my eyes to the girl I was—the girl I am.

Sam gripped my hips, pulling me back into the present as he leaned in against my ear. “Want to go somewhere quiet?”

I pulled back, a sugary smile splitting my lips. “Lead the way.”

After Penny found Daniel, Sam led me up the stairs of the frat house. I didn’t have to guess his intentions as I spied the many couples in the loft.

A rush of apprehension moved through me as he walked us into a dark room. He flipped on the lights, revealing an office or meeting room. Only a desk and a bookshelf lined the wall, while a few boxes of what I guessed were storage towered in a corner.

He slid the door shut behind him and deflated with a deep sigh. “Sorry. I needed to hear myself think for a minute.” He combed a hand through his sweat damp hair, a blush taking over his neck and face. “And I wanted to talk to you.”

My mouth pulled tight, smiling at his shy admission. I sat myself on the edge of the desk. The effort made my shorts hike up, and my feet dangle off the ground.

“You look nice tonight.”

His blush faded into the handsome grin the way I knew it would. “Thank you. Uh, are you having fun tonight?” he asked, leaning his back against the door behind him.

“For my first party, I’m not disappointed yet.”

He beamed. “Good.”

I watched as he fidgeted with the hem of his shirt, his nervousness obvious from my side of the room. “What’s on your mind?”

He looked at me, surprise taking over his features.

He must not know how loud his body language was. He took a deep breath before finally saying, “I wanted to ask you something.”

I nodded for him to continue, and he licked his lips.

“There’s this banquet thing for my football team coming up.

It’s held on the Saturday after the first football game.

It acts as a fundraiser, team bonding experience.

The cheer and rally teams will be there.

Faculty too. Families are invited. There will be dancing, and I hear they serve a lot of this yummy cream puff—”

“Sam,” I interrupted his long-winded explanation.

His mouth clicked shut as he watched and waited.

This was perfect. I’d been waiting for Noah to get back to me about our date to the banquet as friends. Except it soon became clear he wouldn’t dare ask Trey for his blessing. He felt it was too much of a violation of Bro Code , so I’d given up on the idea.

But now—

“I would love to go with you,” I answered.

“But I didn’t ask.”

I giggled. “Were you not going to ask me to be your date?”

“No, I was,” he corrected earnestly.

I smiled at him. “Well, you have your answer.”

He approached the desk and wrapped me into a tight embrace. He stepped between my legs, burying his face into my neck.

“Thank you,” he mumbled into my shoulder. Which I would’ve found endearing if not for the way his hold caught my arm between our bodies.

Sam eased back enough so my arm could escape, but he continued to hold me against him as he still stood between my legs. His face was so flushed red I could almost feel the heat of his blush radiating from him .

“Maybelle, could I—may I—kiss you?”

I tensed at the odd thought this might be his first kiss. I batted away the intrusive idea and placed my hands on his chest. Then I entwined my fingers into the cotton of his shirt.

“Yes,” I said, pulling him to me.

Sam’s kiss wasn’t hasty, it was slow. It wasn’t hungry. It was tentative. His kiss wasn’t overwhelming, but sweet and simple. One of his trembling hands lifted to cup my cheek while the other rested against the desk underneath me. Our kiss followed a gentle rhythm, like a lullaby.

It was soothing, and it was precious… But that was it.

I tried to scoot into him, mold my limbs against his. I searched with my body for a connection, a spark, a jolt—anything. I came up empty-handed, even as his tongue prodded my mouth open for more.

That’s when the office door crashed open, making me yelp while Sam leapt a solid five feet away.

I couldn’t believe my eyes as Trey stormed into the room, past Sam and up to my perch on the desk. He stopped before me, replacing Sam in the spot between my legs.

His green eyes were ablaze.

“Mayhem, sweetheart, it’s past your bedtime,” he grated out through gritted teeth.

He wouldn’t dare. Oh, but he would.

His large arm snaked around my waist, lifting me off the desk and to my feet. I planted myself on the spot and glowered up at him. I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off.

“You can yell at me on the way home, love. Now, move.”

He had my hand in his, tugging me out the door, leaving poor Sam behind.

In less than a minute, Trey had us downstairs, out the front door and amongst the parked vehicles. I recognized Bear’s truck immediately. We hiked around it, putting the vehicle between us and the still very vociferous party.

I finally ripped my hand from his. “What the hell, Trey?”

He didn’t heed me any attention. His phone was out and against his ear.

“Trey!”

He put a finger up for me to wait. I nearly lost it. I wanted to snatch his phone and chuck it into a brick wall, or better yet, his head.

“Bear, you busy? —Want to do me a favor and take Maybelle home? —I appreciate you.”

He hung up the phone.

I was growing thoroughly impatient. I fisted my hands at my side, staring daggers into the side of Trey’s face until he finally turned to me.

“Sam? Really?”

“Are you going to tell me what that was all about, or just be a jerk?”

A muscle in his jaw feathered as he raked a hand through his caramel hair and pivoted away from me.

“Trey,” I demanded.

He spun back. “Why him?”

The unspoken question in his face made me stumble.

“W-what?”

“Why him?” Trey repeated. And not me?

“He’s sweet.”

“Sweet?” he scoffed.

“What’s wrong with sweet?” I shot back.

The green in his eyes shone through the dark. “I know you, May. You don’t want just sweet. You like a challenge,” as he said this, he took a step toward me.

“You want confidence,” he said with another stride that made my entire body tremble.

Another long step. Only inches laid between us, and I refused to back down.

“You want someone who will listen. Who will hold you. Someone who can keep up.” He pressed in so close I couldn’t help but fall back into the truck door.

I didn’t take my eyes from his as I whispered, “He kissed me.”

He shuddered. “I know. I saw.”

He placed his hands against the car, by either side of my face.

“It was nice,” I said, biting my bottom lip. His mouth tilted up to show off a dimple.

“Nice?” he snarked. “How romantic. That’s how I’d describe a spring day. Not a good kiss, but to each his own.”

“You’re being rude,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Like the added barrier between our bodies could soothe my beating heart.

Trey chuckled, the laughter sounding more forced than amused. Taking a step back, he looked me up and down, his gaze falling heavily on my lips.

“And how would you describe our kiss?”

Mind-melting, devastating, addictive ... My lips remained sealed. I refused to speak, knowing I’d say something damning if I did.

His grin widened. “That’s what I thought.”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You didn’t have to,” was all he said before Bear came around the corner, serving as a welcome interruption.

His focus darted between us. “Hey, May, I’m here to take you home.”

I blushed, realizing I was pressed into the truck while Trey stood about a yard away from me. “Please, don’t feel you have to leave early because of me.”

“No, I should be thanking you for the escape. There was a drunk girl in there asking if she could try braiding my beard.” Despite the tension, my smile twitched up as Bear stroked his beard protectively.

“Okay. Maybe we can grab some food on the way back? I’m starving.” I was leaving, and not because Trey insisted. But because I was exhausted and so done with the mess of a night.

“Absolutely,” he said. “Text me when the other guys are done, and I’ll be back to pick you up,” he directed at Trey as he stepped into the driver's seat while I had to jump into the passenger seat.

I reached for my door, but Trey was there holding it open, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Goodnight, Mayhem. Also, we’re tutoring tomorrow morning after our walk. Don’t be late.” And before I could even exhale my rebuttal, the door clapped shut.

“I hate him,” I grumbled, slumping into my seat.

Bear’s eyes shifted to me, remaining more focused on the road as we rolled down the street.

“You okay?” he asked, and I failed to notice his paw-like hand move until it was wrapping around my little hand. “You wanna talk about it?”

I really loved this mushy, gushy, full of feelings teddy bear.

“I’m good. I just need to eat and get to bed.”

I smiled and Bear gave my hand one more squeeze before returning his to the steering wheel.

I peered out the window, thinking about Trey as much as I wished I wasn’t.

Then I thought about Sam, probably still alone up in that room.

I needed to call him and apologize, but not tonight. I was done with drama and boys tonight.

Except my imagination didn’t get the memo, as images of me and Trey kissing filled my mind. My kiss with Sam had been—for lack of a better term—cute. Sam was cute. He was an adorable guy I could see myself love getting to know…as a friend, but Trey had a point as much as I despised admitting it.

Trey’s kiss was more than nice.

Trey’s kiss stirred up feelings I would never imagine using to describe a relationship between friends.