Katie’s eyes narrowed. “Yours. Just in case you get called out.”
Sam sighed. “There you go again…being all perfect and stuff.”
Katie brushed her hand across his arm and then pointed at her house.
“I’m…uh…gonna go shower and pack a toothbrush and stuff.”
“Take your time,” Sam said. “We’ve got all night.”
Katie wanted this, and at the same time she was afraid to believe it was happening. She flashed back on the church, and being jilted at the altar, and told herself Sam wasn’t that kind of man.
“I called the grandparents. I got tired of watching your lights go out every night without me,” he said.
“Lord,” Katie said. “If it wasn’t for every person on the block watching us right now, I’d hug your neck.”
“Don’t let that stop you,” he said.
“Go,” Katie said. “Before you get us both in trouble. I won’t be long.”
“The door will be unlocked,” Sam said. “Lock it behind you when you come in. You’ll know where to find me.” Then he jogged back to his house and went inside.
Katie rolled up the garden hose as if she had nothing better to do and then calmly walked back into her house. But the minute she shut the door, she was running, stripping off her clothes as she went. Her hands were trembling by the time she finally stepped beneath the spray. She was already doubting the wisdom of telling Sam she’d stay the night, for fear she’d wake up screaming, but if this was going to work, he either accepted her reality or he didn’t. And that’s what scared her most—that he would not.
She showered quickly, then dried and headed for her closet. She wanted the easiest thing to put on and take off and chose a loose, over-the-head minidress and sandals. She grabbed a new toothbrush and her hairbrush and dropped them into a little toiletry bag along with her house keys, then went through the house locking up and pulled the door shut behind her as she left.
Crossing the street was an out-of-body experience. She was aware of what was behind her, but ahead of her was the great unknown. Making this commitment was a risk, but she’d been taking them all her life. And Sam was a man worth the risk.
Then she was on his porch and walking into the house. The moment she locked the door behind her, her own free will had sealed her fate.
She stood for a few moments, listening. She thought she heard water running and started walking down the hall. Sam’s bedroom door was open but the lights were out. She paused on the threshold.
“Sam?”
The bathroom door swung open, silhouetting Sam against the backlight, and then he came out with a towel around his waist, his hair still damp from a shower, leaving the rest of a very long, tall body beautifully bare.
The man was ripped, and there was no other way to say it. Hard-as-rock abs. Definition in muscles without an ounce of fat on him, and legs that went on forever.
Katie froze.
Lord have mercy. What a beautiful man.
Then he started toward her, and she didn’t wait for him to undress her. She pulled her dress over her head and dropped it, letting it pool at her feet, leaving her nude but for a black bra and panties accentuating soft curves and long legs.
Sam grunted like he’d been punched and then dropped the towel.
An instant rush of lust rolled through Katie that nearly sent her to her knees. She tried to unfasten her bra, but her hands were shaking.
Then Sam was in front of her. His arms encircled her as he unhooked the bra and let it fall. As he pulled her close, he suddenly realized he was feeling scars of the gunshot wounds—proof that the woman he loved had sacrificed her body, willing to give her life for children in her care.
It shattered him all over again.
He began kissing her as he backed her toward his bed, and when she felt the mattress at the back of her legs, she fell backward onto the bed.
Sam’s gaze was still locked onto her face as he removed the wisp of black silk from around her hips.
Katie reached for him as he stretched out beside her, and with near clinical precision drove her out of her mind. Not once but twice in succession, and as she was still coming undone, he slid between her legs and started over.
It was the beginning of what would become the most memorable night of Katie’s life, and the realization that what she’d known before hadn’t been making love, but just sex.
All this—with Sam—was love at its finest, giving more than taking.
A choked scream from the shock of a mind-numbing climax.
Laughing as she realized it was happening yet again.
And crying from the joy of knowing what she had to give was exactly what Sam Youngblood needed to feel whole again.
They finally fell asleep in each other’s arms, too satiated to dream of anything but each other.
***
Sam felt Katie in his arms as he was waking up and sighed. Thank you, God, last night wasn’t a dream.
Her long, dark hair was lying across his pillow, her cheek resting against his shoulder, and then there was the softness of her breasts pressed close against his body.
Last night had been a revelation. This woman made love as fiercely as she fought to live. He was never going to be the same. He wanted her for all time. In his bed. In his life. In his children’s lives. He wanted to fill her up with everything she’d missed, so that she would never doubt again that she wasn’t enough.
He felt her stirring and waited for her eyes to open. He wanted to see her waking up in his arms.
***
Katie felt body heat and the weight of an arm around her shoulders and remembered.
Sam!
She opened her eyes and saw him looking at her, and mumbled, “I just spent the night with Superman.”
Sam chuckled. “Superman?” He was already hard and aching for her all over again. “Okay then…are you ready to take flight?”
“I was born ready for you,” she whispered, and rolled over on her back as he slid between her legs.
“Then hang on, baby. I’m taking you up, up, and away.”
And he did.
***
They missed breakfast, but by the time they finally got out of bed and showered, they were starving.
Katie picked up the dress she’d left on the floor last night and frowned.
“I need to change clothes before I go out in public. This looks like I slept in it.”
“I could assure them you slept in nothing,” Sam said.
Katie laughed. “And that would make being the first-grade teacher all the more interesting. Give me ten minutes and pick me up in the driveway.”