Page 12

Chapter twelve

Kade

I arrive ten minutes after she hangs up, holding my breath the whole time I'm walking up to her floor.

Sam could decide at any moment that she doesn't want to do this anymore, and I wouldn't blame her either.

I'm finally able to let it out when I get to her apartment and she's allowing the movers to do their job.

With Samantha, you never know what she's thinking or what she's going to do.

I mean, that's one of the things I love about her.

Wait, I don't mean love, just like, yeah that's right.

Scanning the apartment, I see her standing in the living room directing the movers.

Every time I see her, she looks more and more beautiful.

When she looks up at me, her brown eyes light up for a moment, then they dull just a small amount as if she's trying to dampen down her feelings.

I'm sure it's not something she even sees, but I do.

"Hey," I breathe out as I approach her. It takes everything in me not to grab her right at that moment. "How is it going?"

"Fine," she huffs out.

"You sound like your upset about it." I chuckle at her response.

"This would be easier if you were awful and they were awful," she says gesturing to the men in the apartment who were packing.

"Well, I'm here to help, what do you need?" I say, clapping my hands together.

"I guess you can pack up the kitchen and I'll do the bedroom," she tells me.

I look around the apartment and the movers seem to have everything under control here.

I don't think they need my help in the living/kitchen area.

Sam's apartment isn't very big. Honestly, they would probably have this whole thing packed up in about two hours, even if we were just to leave, but I know she won't let that happen.

"How about I help you pack up what you need from your room and then we can go get dinner," I propose instead.

Sam seems to think it over, looking around the room, then she turns her eyes on me, standing in silence for what most would say is uncomfortably too long before she replies, "Fine. I guess that would be okay."

"You just wanted to see me sweat, huh?" I ask as I follow her back to the bedroom.

She looks over her shoulder giving me a smirk, but her cheeks fill with color when she replies, "You know it."

When we enter her room, I look around and it isn't surprising to see that Sam's room is completely organized. I watch as Sam moves to the closet and pulls out a large suitcase, placing her clothes in it.

That’s when I decide to bring up the team dinner, that way she can pack for it. "Hey, remember we have the team dinner on Sunday where I'll introduce you as my wife."

"Ugh...okay. What is the attire?"

"Casual," I tell her.

"Like a dress?"

I take a step closer to her, invading her space.

Leaning closer to her, I wrap my hand around the back of her neck, pulling her closer to me.

When I’m just a breath away, I whisper, "Anything you wear, baby, will be beautiful.

" Then I take a chance of a lifetime and press my lips to her soft plump pink ones.

It starts off as a chaste kiss, but when she slightly opens her lips, I take the moment to push my tongue into her mouth, deepening the kiss. The whole thing sets me on fire. I've never felt this way before with anyone.

Before it can go any farther, Sam stops it, pushing me away and I let her. "We need to stop before it goes any farther. Remember my rules?" she heaves.

"Yeah, I remember," I mutter, trying to get myself together.

Sam returns to her closet and continues packing her stuff up. I look around the room to see where I can help, when she interrupts my inner thoughts. "Can you grab that pile of clothes off my desk for me?"

"Sure," I reply, spinning toward the desk. I grab the items off the desk when a book catches my eye. Picking it up, I read the title, The Last Dragon King by Leia Stone. Turning it over, I start to read the blurb before the book is snatched from my hand. "That wasn't what I asked for," she snaps.

"It looks interesting. What is it about?" I ask earnestly.

Sam's eyes drop to the ground when she whispers, "It's a romance novel about a man who is a king, but can turn into a dragon, and how he's trying to find love, and save his kingdom at the same time."

"Wow, that sounds cool," I say to her and it surprises me how much I mean it, too. I've never been big on reading, but that sounds like something I would enjoy. "Could I read it?"

"Are you mocking me?"

"No. I'm serious."

She huffs, blowing her beautiful hair out of her face as she assesses my authenticity, something she's been doing a lot lately.

It hurts me that this is where she is at with me, but I know that I'm the only one to blame.

I'm the reason we're in this predicament—from distancing myself to this drunken marriage.

I watch as she pushes the book toward me. "Yes, you can read it." I go to take it from her, but she pulls it back toward her, giving me a serious look before issuing her ultimatum. "If I even get a whiff of mockery, you will be done."

"Got it. Scout’s honor, I promise I won't mock at all," I tell her making a cross symbol over my heart. Nodding, she hands the book back to me.

It only takes another hour before we have all of her clothes packed up and ready to go. Sam walks around her room one last time to make sure she doesn't need anything else right away. Once she looks satisfied, I reach for her suitcase, asking, "Are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," she replies.

Though that response is a little lackluster, I take it for what it is and we head out of the apartment. I place the suitcase into the car, then Sam and I head off to what could—hopefully—be a new life.