Chapter Thirty-Five Alex
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
ALEX
Sunlight wakes me up out of my sleep. I sit up, staring around the living room. I don’t know what time we finally called it a night, but what I do know is the sun is an asshole this morning. Its rays poke between the blinds directly into my eyes like it’s demanding I get up and start my day.
“All right. You win,” I mutter and rub the sleep from my eyes. As if it’ll answer me back.
It’s quiet in that special way that only happens after a night full of unresolved shit.
But then I hear the shower turn on upstairs, the pipes moaning through the walls.
There’s a kink in my neck, and I move it around in an attempt to release it.
It’s useless, though. That’s what happens when you give up your bed in the name of being a gentleman.
But then again, this is Sam we’re talking about. And after everything, making sure she’s good is the only thing on my mind. So, if that means crashing on a sofa that is too small and has seen more ass than a little bit, so be it.
Besides, if my mother knew I didn’t give my room up to a woman, she’d rip me a new one. And as sweet as Amber Williamsburg is, you don’t want to get on her bad side.
There is absolutely no way I’m spending another night on this sofa, though. Today’s a free day for me, so I’ll certainly be picking up an air mattress later.
Kane was smart to insist Sam crash here until it all blows over. Staying with us is the best and safest option.
It’s probably the most complicated option given this little situation between us, not quite a triangle, more of a square than anything else—the romantic and sexual tension that’s so thick we can cut through it.
The fact that we all seem to want Sam and vice versa.
It’s wild and convoluted, and no one on the outside looking in would understand, but it feels right.
Kane and Mountain are already off for the day. There’s no practice, and I don’t have any classes, so that means it’ll just be me and Sam. With everything we know now, Sam will be staying with us while Gracie stays with her parents until it all blows over.
After fixing two cups of coffee in the kitchen, I climb the stairs and approach my bedroom door. The shower has stopped, but I knock just to be sure.
“Come in,” Sam’s voice reaches past the threshold.
Juggling the mugs, I manage to get the door open and use my foot to push it wide. Sam is fully dressed, pulling at the hem of her shirt.
“Morning.” She smiles at me.
“Morning. How was your sleep?”
She’s gorgeous in the morning, eyes not fully open, voice low and raspy, hair in a bun on top of her head. I stare at her for beat, admiring how natural her beauty is.
“It was fine.” Sam’s eyes fall to the mugs. “Is one of those for me?”
“Yeah.” I nervously hold it out for her. “Sorry.”
“Thanks.” Sam brings it to her lips, blowing on it before sipping.
“Since I’m free today, I plan on going to the store for groceries and an air mattress. Wanna come with?”
Sam swallows her drink and nods. “That’d be cool. But I’m happy to take the couch the rest of the time.”
“I’m happy to let you sleep in my bed.”
“Alex, no. I will not put you out of your room. I’m sleeping on the couch.”
Something tells me she isn’t going to let up, so instead of pushing, I let the conversation be. She might insist, but so do I.
“Are you ready for the party? Do you have a dress? It’s a black-tie thing since my father’s obsessed with appearances.”
“I’ll just borrow something from Gracie. I don’t really have the money for a new dress that I’m probably never going to wear again.”
“Okay.” I pause and shift in place. “Well, I’m going to shower really quick, then we can go to the store.”
“All right.” Sam grabs her phone from my nightstand. “I’ll give you some privacy and wait out in the living room.”
She slips past me, eyes trained on mine as she exits. All I can do is shake my head and wonder what we’ve gotten ourselves into.
As we turn into the lot of the luxury strip mall, Sam snaps her eyes to me. “I thought we were going to the grocery store?”
I roll into park and kill the engine. “We are. But we need to stop here first.”
I exit first, rounding the front of the vehicle.
Sam opens her door just as I reach her side of the car to hold out my hand.
She stares at it for a second before accepting the gesture and wrapping her small fingers around mine.
Letting the door close, I pull Sam toward one of the boutiques.
It’s my mother’s favorite place to shop, and having come here with her plenty of times over the years, I’m certain they’ll have something that’ll be perfect on Sam.
Sam plants her feet and pulls against me. “Alex, no. This place is expensive.”
Looks like she put two and two together. “You need a dress and, from what my mother tells me, they’re the best in town.”
“I’ll borrow something from Gracie.”
I turn to face her but never let go of her hand. “You deserve something of your own. Let me do this for you.”
She huffs, and cranes around me to stare at all the dresses in the window. She doesn’t take well to people doing things for her, that much is clear. I don’t know if she’s just not used to it or maybe she feels as if she’ll owe me.
“I want to do this.” I shift to make her look back at me. “Okay. No strings, no catches.”
This time she allows me to lead her all the way. The bell above the door chimes as Sam enters first.
“Welcome. I’m Clarissa, how can I help you?” the store clerk asks the moment we step past the threshold. She’s a young Black girl with long braids. She smiles at Sam before turning her attention to me.
“We’re here to look for a dress for a black-tie event,” I answer.
“Absolutely. Do we have a price range we’re trying to stick to, sir?”
“We’re probably the same age, so you don’t have to call me sir. And no limit, whatever she likes.”
The girl smiles again, her brows rising. “All right then. Follow me.”
Sam steps off first with me directly behind her.
We approach the dressing area, which is nothing more than a row of stalls with curtains and bench seating in front.
It’s early so there aren’t many other shoppers around.
I step around the bench, flopping down on the white leather seat.
Clarissa pulls back the curtains on the center stall and waves for Sam to enter.
“I’m going to place you here and will be right back with some styles that I think you’ll look good in.”
Sam nods.
Clarissa gives her a once-over then saunters off, leaving us alone. We’re quiet for a moment, the silence settling around us awkwardly. When she glances in my direction, I pretend not to stare, act as if I’m not locking everything about her to memory.
“When I was a little girl, I promised my mother that I would grow up and buy us a dress out of here one day,” Sam says, but there isn’t sadness in her voice. She’s smiling as she takes in her surroundings.
I don’t respond. Something tells me that was wasn’t for me to speak to but a happy memory only for her.
“Thanks for doing this, Alex. I appreciate it.”
“You don’t have to keep thanking me.”
Clarissa returns with a rack full of clothes in an array of styles. “I also brought a few pairs of shoes for you to try just in case you needed to see what the whole look would be.”
“That’s great.” Sam stands, shoving her cell into the pocket of her jeans.
“If something doesn’t fit or you want to see something else, just ring that bell.” She points to the button in the center of the coffee table. “And I’ll be right over.”
“Okay.”
Sam turns to stroll over to the dresses and take a few into the stall with her.
A moment later, I hear her unzip her jeans and shuffle in my seat.
And when each garment falls at her feet, my breath catches.
Just the thought of her being naked on the other side of that curtain shoots right to my cock.
Moments later, Sam exits the stall wearing a loose-fitting number. It looks nice, long and flowy, the color nice on her skin, but it isn’t it. Doesn’t suit her.
“What do you think?” She stares at herself in the mirror.
At the same time, we both shake our heads.
Sam reenters and reemerges in a copper-colored dress with thin straps.
And again, nice, but not the one. But she doesn’t ask my opinion on this one, silently making the decision herself with her nose scrunched up.
We go on like this for a few more dresses, and none of them worked for her.
Just then, Clarissa returns with a different dress, holding it out to Sam.
“One more. I think you’ll like this one.
” Sam takes it from her then retreats into the stall.
Meanwhile, I take out my phone to scroll through social media while I wait.
Not long after, Sam steps out of the dressing room, and I nearly forget how to fucking breathe.
It’s black, simple at first glance, but then she moves directly in front of me, spinning with the biggest grin on her gorgeous face.
“Think I should try it with heels?” she asks but doesn’t wait for me to answer her.
Not that I have words anyway. She tiptoes over to the rack and picks out a pair from the choices Clarissa left for her.
Then she bends just enough for me to get a peek at her thighs.
Sam slips her feet into the stilettos and struts over to me.
I squirm in my seat, swallowing down a lump as she closes in.
Sam puts her foot on the sliver of bench that peeks out between my legs, and I swallow again.
Without instruction, I get to work fastening the straps around her ankles, letting my finger brush against her soft flesh.