Chapter 9 Sam
“If you’re asking, I’m accepting,” Tommy says.
He kills the engine and looks back at me.
Oh no. I didn’t just think about asking him into my apartment, I actually did it.
And he said yes.
“Um, let me grab all of my things,” I say, gathering up everything and stuffing it into my tote. I hope I didn’t just tear any pages.
Tommy gets out of the truck and walks around, clearly coming to my door.
I take a deep breath.
This is not a date. It’s a work function.
I need a distraction badly.
“Truth or dare?” I ask him, having no clue what I’ll think of.
“Truth.”
His response is so simple, so easy going. I envy how he can go with the flow. My last ex wished I could do that, too.
“Um, have you been in the building before?” I ask, gesturing to the main entrance to the apartments. Way to go, Sam. Very smooth. Why am I so terrible around guys I like when I should be flirting?
He barks out a laugh.
“I didn’t know what question to expect, but it wasn’t that one,” he says. “Yes, I have. The last time was probably hauling some of Caleb’s things when he moved here.”
“So you don’t need a tour, then.”
“I’ll always take a tour from you.”
I’m definitely blushing. We’ve made it into the lobby and I go directly to the stairs with Tommy about half a step behind me, his boots clicking on the tile floor in the entryway.
Before I’m able to conjure up the potential flaws he’ll find once he enters my place, we reach my door. “This is it, home, sweet home.”
The handle makes a soft sound as it unlatches and I open the door. My entry light is still on, of course, and Tommy quietly follows me in and takes off his hat and boots before I have a chance to reach down and slip out of mine.
He smells so darn good. It’s a combination of cedar and a little garlic, which should smell terrible, but of course it doesn’t.
“It’s nice in here,” he says, looking around. “Pretty much as I pictured it.”
He’s pictured my apartment?
“What doesn’t quite live up to your expectations?” I ask.
Tommy looks at me with eyes that I swear could stop my heart. “Nothing about you hasn’t exceeded my expectations, Samantha Davies.”
I have to remind myself to take a normal breath before I physically swoon onto the floor. Is Tommy Landen actually flirting with me?
“Truth or dare?” he asks.
“Dare.” My heart is pounding with the anticipation of what he might say.
“I dare you to select the first movie that pops up on your TV for us to watch.”
It’s so absurd that I can’t stop the giggle from escaping. I can’t even be a little disappointed at myself for misreading what felt like a possible kiss because he wants to stay for a full movie. Not an episode of something, not a quick board game, but a movie.
“Are you trying to give me the easy ones?” I ask.
“We both have to sit through the whole movie, so it might be torture.”
“Fair enough,” I say, turning on the TV and clicking on the movie.
It’s a rom-com.
“Ooh, we got lucky, this one is good,” he says.
“You’ve seen it?”
He shrugs. “Courtney and I watched it in theaters.”
A little prickle of uneasiness hits me for just a moment. I know that Tommy, Avery, and Courtney are best friends, so it’s not odd that he’d go to movies with them. But the idea of him going to one with just one other person makes me a touch jealous. “We can pick something—”
“And ruin your dare? Absolutely not.”
I give him a smile and walk into the kitchen. “Make yourself at home. Can I get you anything?”
“Water would be lovely.”
“Okay,” I say, getting two glasses, dropping in some ice, and taking them to the faucet. Once they’re full, I grab some blueberries and crackers. It’s not the sexiest combination, even though this is definitely not a date, but not having snacks seems wrong.
When I come back to the living room, Tommy is seated, watching me with an easy smile. He already has two coasters on the table. This has to be one of the most enticing scenes I could have walked into. A man who thinks ahead and puts coasters out.
Oh, I’m in too deep.
“Should I hit the lamp?” he asks, nodding to his left.
“Sure,” I squeak, immediately grateful he already turned to switch the light off because I know I’m blushing as if this was a real date.
It’s not like we’re going to be in the dark making out like teenagers. And I have the kitchen lights still on along with the entryway. But, as I sit down on my couch, which normally seems roomy, it feels so much more intimate without that lamp illuminating the space.
He looks completely at-ease. And completely sexy. His jeans are a relaxed fit with a worn but crisp look. And I bet he gets his shirts right out of the dryer because there aren’t creases from being ironed, but they’re not wrinkled either. My eyes travel up his arm as he reaches for some blueberries. They’re toned without being massive, much like him. Subtly strong.
I let out a little sigh.
“You okay?” he asks, looking a little concerned.
He definitely heard the sigh, then.
“Fine, totally, fine. You?” I reply much too quickly. Way to play it cool, Sam.
There’s a pause as his gaze searches my face. The crease between his eyebrows relaxes as the start of a smirk appears. “Never better.”
“Shall we begin?” I ask, turning my face towards the TV.
Tommy relaxes against the couch with a soft chuckle. “We shall.”
“Excellent.” I grab the remote and start the movie. And then uncertainty hits me.
How the heck am I supposed to sit?
Tommy’s all casual and comfortable and this is a two-seater so by the time we’re both lounging, there won’t be much wiggle room. I should have bought a different couch. A bigger couch. One that affords more seating arrangement options.
Specifically for the occasion when my crush happens to come up after a work event.
I can’t lean back because then it’ll look like I’m trying to seduce him and he’s been a perfect gentleman. A perfect friend.
“Truth or dare,” he says, interrupting my spiral.
I look at him, which is my first mistake because he looks like he’s right at home here.
“Dare,” I say, likely my second mistake.
“I dare you to relax and let that brain of yours enjoy this movie.”
I open my mouth to respond.
And close it.
“How do you…”
“...know what’s going on in your head?” he finishes for me. “Just a lucky guess.”
He puts his right arm across the top of the sofa and pats it. “Come on. This is your place, just tell me what I can do to make you more comfortable.”
“It should be the other way around, you know,” I point out.
“Maybe, but what should be isn’t always what happens.”
Isn’t that the truth?