Page 30 of Justice for Samara

She tipped her head back and smiled up at him. “I’ll keep your heart safe too.” Then she leaned in.

He didn’t meet her. It was her move, and he was going to let her do it and not rush in. The minute her lips touched his, however, he was in charge. What she’d said about feeling safe? He couldfeelit in her kiss. She meant it. And he’d meant what he said too. When she pulled back, she smiled again, and it seemed to him that everything was going to be fine. “Do you think you could stay here tonight? I’d feel better if I wasn’t alone.”

“I can, or you can come to my house. I moved in this morning.”

“What?” She sat up and slapped his left pec with her hand. “Look at you! You moved into your house! That’s awesome. I haven’t even seen it yet.”

“Let’s go over there and I’ll show you around. I don’t mind staying here, or you there. Doesn’t matter, as long as we’re together.”

“Same. I’ll go to the bathroom and splash some water on my face. It’ll only take me a minute.”

“Okay. I’ll just wait in the living room.” He needed to go too, but he’d wait until she was finished.

By the time he’d gotten rid of the tea he’d had earlier, she’d changed back into her dress, had shoes on, and was waiting with her bag on her shoulder. “Ready?”

“Yeah, I just need to…” He pulled his phone from his pocket and looked at it. “Dear god, she’s called me like ten times.”

“Who? Your mother?”

“Yes. She’s like a dog on a bone. I guess I should call her or she’ll keep calling.”

Samara was grinning at him. “Did you put your phone on silent?”

“Hell yeah. Of course I did. She’d drive me crazy if I didn’t. And please, don’t say anything. I want to tell her about you when it’s time, not have her find out accidentally, okay?”

“That’s okay. I get it.”

“I doubt you do, but you will. Just wait.” He hit the button, then put it on speaker and waited.

She didn’t even say hello, just barked into the phone, “Mikey, where are you?”

“I’m at a friend’s house, Mom. Whatcha need?”

“I opened your door and?”

“Yeah. A lot of my stuff is gone. I moved into the house this morning.”

“Why on earth would you do that? I mean, why would you want to leave here? It’s a nice place, and it’s not costing you anything.”Except my sanity, he mouthed to Samara and she pressed her hand to her mouth to stop her laughter. “Why would you want to go?”

“For my privacy, Mom. I kinda need that.”

“Now, son, I haven’t walked in on you when you’re in the tub since you were twelve and I did that and you were?”

“Mom! Stop! I’ve moved out. It has nothing to do with you,” he said, and he could see Samara out of the corner of his eye, shaking with pent-up laughter. “It’s just way past time and I really need to do this.”

“I know what you’re doing. You’re trying to find a woman. And how did that work out last time?”

“Hanging up now, Mom. Gotta go.”

“You know what I’m saying. You move out, you have a dangerous job, you’re looking for a woman to?”

“Mom! Going! Bye!” He hit END on the phone’s screen and waited. Sure enough, Samara shrieked with laughter. “She’s gonna be the death of me yet,” he muttered.

“She walked in on you beating your meat?”

“I wastwelve. And it was the slapping sound of the water. She said she thought I was drowning and struggling to get out.”

“Of thebathtub?” Samara said, still laughing so hard she could barely breathe.