16. Jameson
jameson
. . .
It's been two weeks since our date night and our kiss at Chu Chu’s.
Sam and I talk every day; sometimes we work out together if I’m not slammed at work, and we continue to have dinners and lunches together at least three times a week as a family, usually around her hockey schedule.
On the weekend, we’ve done outings to the indoor zoo, went sledding, and we took Dylan ice skating.
Dylan hobbled on the ice in her little pink skates, but she smiled the entire time.
I think she’ll be a natural in another year.
The one weekend when I had Dylan and Sam had an away game, my dad and Johnny came over to help babysit, so I could make my race out in Vegas.
Romeo was happy after I secured another win, lining my pockets and his with cash.
It felt good to prove I was worth his investment.
About as good as it felt flying through the track, the engine humming under my seat until I crossed the finish line.
The following Monday I took my winnings to the admission office and paid off part of Sam’s next semester.
My chest filled with pride for being able to take care of her.
I like helping her reach the next goal on her list. We’ve kissed some more, and a few of those have turned into some heavy make-out sessions on her couch, but I refuse to take it too far yet.
In my mind we’re together, but I know Sam is slower to adjust. So I’m going slow, cautious, and reading her signals.
We may have only been together again for a few weeks, but I’m the happiest I’ve been since she walked out of my life, breaking up with me in order to set me free in some way.
We spend hours a day talking about anything and everything.
When I see her in person, we never skip a beat and pick up right where our texting or phone call left off.
She goes over her game plays with me, and we talk strategy about her opponents for the week.
We joke about some of my more interesting clients at the shop, and she listens to me talk about the dream Johnny and I are planning for the shop.
Once in a while I’ll catch a wistfulness in her gaze when I tell her about those plans, but when I ask her what's wrong, she blows it off. I’ve given her multiple openings to talk about the conversation I overheard a month and a half ago, but she still isn’t ready to bring it up.
I don’t push her though. I’ve always known Sammy needs to move at her own pace.
I also know that eventually I will drag it out of her, instead of letting it affect what we’re building now.
This week, Sam has two out of town games, and her practices have been extra intense.
On top of that, her exams are coming up and a few group projects as well.
After the weekend, she has one more home game before the fall holiday and break.
Her coach is pushing them to secure a better rank position before the tail end of the year and before playoffs.
Sam transferred to Michigan her sophomore year, her reputation and game tapes preceding her.
Most of which I submitted, but her talent alone has always been enough to stand on.
She’s the best defensive player in the league.
So today when she said she wouldn’t be able to see me, I made peace with it.
Not only was she probably exhausted, but Allie was visiting again.
I did help her get Dylan from daycare and made sure she had what she needed for dinner before Allie arrived.
I’m just about ready to call it a night at work when headlights flood under the small opening of the garage door.
Grabbing a rag, I rub the grease from my fingers on the fabric before grabbing my cell phone.
There are no missed messages from Johnny saying he told a client to drop off their vehicle for the morning, and I checked the schedule three times before my shift to make sure I accomplished my tasks on time.
There are no late appointments scheduled.
A car door closes and I move to open the garage.
Slowly, inch by inch, a white pair of sneakers comes into view, followed by long, lean legs encased in a pair of baggy black joggers.
My smile grows when her torso, covered in a bright red zip up hoodie, comes into view and then her beautiful face.
Sam smiles, the gesture shy, and a little unsure.
I can’t have that. Stalking toward her, my eyes rake over her again from head to toe.
“This surprise is the best part of my day,” I tell her, my hands grabbing the backs of her thighs and forcing her to wrap her legs around my waist while I hold her. Sam’s hands cup my cheeks and she brushes her lips across mine.
“Do you have time for a visitor?”
I nod. “I was just finishing up for the night. You have perfect timing.” Without setting her down, I push the button that shuts the garage completely and carry her up the stairs to the apartment. It dawns on me this is our first time here alone. “Allie watching Dylan?”
“Yup. Dyl was already sleeping. I wanted to see you though. The past few days have been hectic.” Her fingers play with the hair on the back of my neck. Her cheeks blush a pretty pink when she says, “I missed you.”
A low growl sounds in my chest and I sink onto my couch, her legs straddling over me, her lap right on top of mine. The contact from her heat has me rock solid and my brain chants slow slow slow. “Pretty Girl, you can come see me anytime you want. Seriously, I love ending the day seeing you.”
She leans over and her lips drop to mine again.
At first her kiss is hesitant, then exploratory.
I usually take over our kisses, but right now, I want to see where she wants to take this.
I’m willing to give up some control if it means she never takes her lips off mine.
Sam doesn’t pull away until her face is heated, her lips puffy and bruised, and her eyes sparkling.
We’re both panting hard and my body is on fire from wanting her.
It's taking all my control not to flip her over and maul her on the couch.
If that's what she came here for, it would be one thing, but my Sammy senses are tingling and I know she sought me out for a reason tonight. And I’m hoping I know why and what it means.
When she leans back in my lap, my fingers reach out and push the stray strands of her blonde hair back behind her ears. She watches me, her eyes calculating and careful. “What's on your mind, gorgeous?”
Sam glances to the side, her gaze sweeping over my living room, the walls and furniture.
Like she's really taking it in for the first time. Her eyes land on the kitchen behind me and the fridge where Dylan’s latest artwork is proudly displayed right next to our first family picture from the zoo.
I can tell when she sees it because those crystal blue eyes shimmer with tears.
“Please don’t cry, Pretty Girl,” I practically beg, my fingers sweeping across her cheeks to catch the tears. “Talk to me.”
“Are you happy, Jameson?” she asks, her voice soft and thick, filled with the ball of emotion she's holding inside.
My arms wrap around her, my fingers running along the bare strip of skin on her back. “I’m pretty damn happy right now with you on top of me, Sammy. Not going to lie.”
Her hands hit my chest playfully and I smirk up at her. “I’m being serious, Kane. Are you happy?”
My head falls back against the cushions and I take a deep breath before letting it out.
“You’ll have to be more specific, Sam. Am I happy right here, right now with you, yes.
Was I happy all day, all week? Off and on.
Being with you and Dylan is the highlight of my days.
I’m also happy with how the garage is shaping up. ”
She exhales slowly, her top teeth biting into her bottom lip.
“Are you happy running the garage and living here in Michigan? Do you hate that you gave up your dream to play hockey and go to Minnesota? I know we kind of already talked about the past and you said you weren’t mad that I made the choice to keep the baby.
But are you happy with how your life has turned out? ”
My eyes roam over her face, and my hands tighten on her waist. I can tell that deep inside she really thinks I’m possibly holding a grudge for how things turned out. “The only thing that made me unhappy was when you broke up with me, Sam.”
Her breath hitches in her chest at my words.
“I wanted you to have an out, a choice to be part of Dylan’s life, but you didn’t have to be with me.
I chose to have a baby. I moved with my aunt to Indiana.
You drove every weekend to see Dylan and never complained.
When Minnesota was no longer an option, you just accepted it wasn’t for you either.
I thought for sure you would still go, live in the dorms, enjoy the college experience you were supposed to have, but you didn’t.
I feel so guilty. I know you’ve been taking community college classes for business and you have your garage, but you never talked about wanting any of that when we were dating. ”