Page 23 of Scoop Me Up (Love in Maplewood #7)

Sam

I woke the next morning still in Gabe’s arms, snuggled up close.

I opened my eyes to peer up at him, his face relaxed as he slept.

When I’d gotten home from work the day before, I had not anticipated my night would end the way it had, exchanging orgasms and falling asleep together.

I also hadn’t expected to feel as strongly as I did about him.

My feelings ran deep, and the more I looked at him, so peaceful in his sleep, the tighter my chest grew, the enormity of everything settling in.

My muscles were stiff from lying in one position most of the night and I eased away from Gabe, hoping I wouldn’t wake him, before making my way to the bathroom.

I quickly took care of my needs and splashed a little water on my face to help me wake up more fully.

The mirror revealed my mussed hair and I did my best to tame it before returning to my room to find Gabe just waking up.

“Hey,” he murmured, voice thick with sleep.

“Hi.”

Gabe pushed himself to sitting, tugging the covers over his lap, and patted the bed next to himself. “Come back. Let’s spend the day in bed.”

It was tempting, but I knew better. I gave him a soft smile. “I was going to get dressed and make coffee. Didn’t you say you have plans today?”

He frowned, brow dipping low before he exhaled slowly. “You’re right. Ellie.”

“Exactly. Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

I got dressed quickly and Gabe went to his own room to put on clothes before dipping into the bathroom to take care of his own hygiene.

A few minutes later, we met in the kitchen, the coffee maker hissing as it heated up.

I reached up to grab a couple of mugs from the cabinet and Gabe put his arms around my waist, pressing his lips to my neck in a kiss that made my skin heat with desire.

“Trying for an encore?” I asked with a chuckle as I set the cups in front of me.

He opened his mouth and nipped at the sensitive skin, causing me to press my hands to the countertop and suck in a breath. As he kissed my neck, he rocked his hips forward, pressing an erection into the crease of my ass, and my breath hitched, my body aching for him, my own cock stirring.

A moment later, Gabe pressed one final kiss to my neck before backing away, leaving me.

I groaned, dropping my head forward for a few moments while I caught my breath.

“You bastard,” I muttered. He chuckled darkly behind me.

I should have been annoyed at the tease, but all I could think was, I could get used to this.

The coffee was ready quickly and I poured us each a mug, Gabe taking his to the table without a word. I joined him and we sat quietly, sipping our coffee. I could really, really get used to this.

It felt in part like the life I’d always wanted. A partner, quiet domesticity, sweet kisses and steamy nights and everything in between. We chatted quietly about nothing in particular—Gabe’s plans for the day with Ellie, my plans to head to the ice cream shop to see where things stood.

“What do you want to do when I get home?” Gabe asked. Hearing him call my house home caused a lump to build in my throat. Before I could respond, he touched the side of my foot with his own and raised his eyebrows suggestively.

“That’s one option,” I said with a laugh. “Let’s just play it by ear.” I had to admit, I was relieved that he wasn’t running away after his first sexual experience with someone other than a cis woman.

Soon, though, it was time for Gabe to leave. He got in his rental car and headed out, leaving me with one last, lingering kiss, and as he pulled out of the driveway, my heart ached. The what-ifs pounded through my head with every heartbeat.

“Stop it,” I muttered to myself. “You’ve got to stop.” I didn’t want to spend the day ruminating on whether Gabe really cared about me. I wanted to trust him and let go of the fear.

A little while later, I walked into town to run errands, including a visit to the ice cream shop.

I needed to swing by town hall too, and possibly the hardware store.

It was nice out and it occurred to me that I might stop by the farmer’s market in the town square while I was at it.

As I walked, I ran into the parents of a student.

They stopped me to chat and it hit me that I’d actually miss this part of teaching too—building and maintaining relationships with the families.

“Sam,” Marybeth said, pulling me into a hug. “We’re going to miss you.”

I frowned, furrowing my brow, and hesitated before I spoke. “Miss me?”

She shrugged and gestured to her wife. “Anna and I heard you’re moving on from teaching.”

“Oh,” I said, trying to suppress my surprise. “That’s true.”

“Well, I hope your next adventure is just as amazing for you.”

Not long after that, I came across Olivia Hayworth, a part-time art teacher at the school, who also stopped me. “Sam, I hear you’re leaving us,” she said, sounding disappointed.

I nodded. “I am. I’m opening an ice cream shop, finally.”

Her eyes lit up. “That’s great! If you need someone to draw a mural on the walls, let me know.”

“Of course, Olivia. Thanks for the offer. I’ll keep you updated.”

The scene repeated several more times, with nearly everyone I came across telling me they’d heard about my departure from the school and how sad they were that I was leaving. When I asked someone where they’d heard the news, they’d shrugged and waved their hand vaguely.

“You know. News gets around.”

There was zero doubt in my mind that Ms. Finch had something to do with it.

Part of me was annoyed that the cat was out of the bag so soon, but mostly I was relieved.

I didn’t have to make an announcement or be dramatic about it.

Parents already knew. All I had to do was finish out summer school, pack up my classroom, and go.

Once my errands were mostly done—I’d filed my business license at town hall, officially naming the shop Scoops on Maple—picked out paint colors and tile at the hardware store, and decided to skip the farmer’s market for the day, I headed to the shop to see Luke, who’d agreed to work overtime to help get it ready.

I pulled open the door and spotted Luke quickly, helping to install the counters. The flooring had already gone in, which blew my mind, as it had been less than a week. As I approached, Luke raised his head and looked at me.

“Sam!’

I grinned, unable to conceal my excitement. “Hey, Luke. It’s looking great already.”

He gave me a bright smile. “Thanks. Have you had a chance to think about paint samples?”

“I just left the hardware store. They have my paint and tile picks on file for you.”

Luke raised his hand and fist-bumped me. “Awesome. We were just looking at the schedule, and everything should be done and ready for you to open the last week of August.”

I raised my eyebrows. “That’s amazing. Are you sure?”

“Positive. But I’ll let you know if the timeline changes for any reason.”

“I really appreciate how quickly you guys are working to get everything together for me.”

He shrugged. “It’s not a big deal.”

“When will I be able to get into the kitchen and start making ice cream?”

He thought about it for a few seconds. “Kitchen equipment will be delivered next week, so… week after next. Does that sound okay?”

“You’re kidding.” When he shook his head, I let out a low whistle. “You’re a miracle worker. Listen, I’m going to let you get back to work, but don’t hesitate to call me if you need anything.”

“Will do.”

As we’d been talking, my phone had started to vibrate in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a text from Cooper asking if I wanted to meet him at the pub in a few, so I headed in that direction.

When I got to the pub, I quickly spotted Cooper sitting on a stool at the bar, nursing a bottle of beer. I took the stool next to him, elbowing him gently to get his attention.

Coop looked at me, eyes bright, a mischievous smile on his face. “I hear you’re leaving the school,” he said with a wink.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. “You and everyone else. Damn Ms. Finch.”

He shrugged. “How’s Gabe?”

My face burned with heat at the mention of Gabe. I ducked my head, hoping Cooper wouldn’t notice, but he caught on immediately.

“Oh my God. Tell me everything.”

I swallowed hard, not sure I wanted to tell him everything. “We… might have hooked up,” I mumbled, afraid that someone might overhear. Conall, the bartender, was known for being as solid as a safe when it came to keeping secrets, but that didn’t mean everyone else in the pub would be.

“Seriously? That’s fucking awesome.”

“Don’t tell anyone, okay? I’m not sure where things stand and I don’t want it getting out sooner than it has to.”

Cooper took a sip of his drink and sighed. “You know you can trust me. But… why don’t you look more excited?”

I shrugged and glanced around to ensure our privacy. “It’s hard, you know? He thought he was straight before he met me. Hell, he might still think he’s straight. I haven’t asked. And what if things go south? It’s… too perfect.”

“I get it,” Cooper said with a nod. “I do. But… don’t run away just because you’re scared. Do you like him?”

“It’s more than that, Cooper. I think I might be falling in love with him.”

He was quiet for a few moments, sipping his drink again before speaking. “It’s okay to want to be happy, you know. It’s okay to trust him. You’re allowed to fall in love.”

With a thoughtful nod, I let out a slow breath. “But…”

“No,” Cooper said, holding up a hand to stop me.

“Don’t do that to yourself. It’s okay to take the leap, Sam.

Look at what you’ve done with the ice cream shop.

You can do that with your personal life, too.

” I opened my mouth to protest and he held up a hand.

“You are. And quit worrying about what happens if it ends. Start asking yourself, what will happen if I let fear drive him away?”

The thought made a knot grow in my stomach, hard and tight. Cooper was right. I had to trust. To let go of the fear and to take the good as it came into my life. I had to. If I didn’t, I was risking losing too much.

I felt better as we sat there, drinking and laughing over whatever shenanigans Cooper had gotten into recently, when another text came my way. I glanced at my phone. It was Gabe.

Gabe: Hope you’re having a good day. Maybe we can finish what we started this morning when I get home?

I flushed with heat, feeling it in my stomach and along my neck, glancing around to be sure nobody was looking. The only person paying attention was Cooper, who had stopped talking and was waiting patiently.

“Gabe?”

I nodded. “I think you’re right.”

“I’m always right,” he said simply.

A laugh bubbled out of me as I nudged Cooper’s shoulder with my own. “Whatever you say.”

As we finished our drinks, Conall came over to collect our cards so we could pay our tabs. He stopped and gave me a look, a gentle smile.

“What’s up, Conall?”

He shook his head. “You seem happier these days. It’s nice to see. I hope whatever’s causing it, you keep it going.”

“Thanks,” I murmured. I wasn’t about to out Gabe, of course, so I just nodded and took my card back, tucking it into my wallet.

I walked home from the pub, feeling as if I was walking on air. I was ready to get home to Gabe, to share our days with each other. I was definitely ready to finish up what we’d started that morning, the way he’d suggested.

Hopefulness settled over me as I walked home, a sense of peace. I was going to let things happen, come what may.