13
A sharp pain shoots down my neck when I am woken by something moving on top of me. I open my eyes and realise I’m wrapped up in Sam on the couch.
“Good morning,” he greets me, and even his morning breath is irresistibly sweet. He lifts his body off mine and rubs his eyes sleepily.
“We must have fallen asleep watching the movie.” I pull myself up as a long yawn escapes.
I had more fun last night than I’ve had in a long time.
The movie got so boring that we muted it and ended up making our own–at times slightly inappropriate–dialogue.
My cheeks are still sore from laughing all night.
It took me by surprise how immediately I felt at ease with Sam.
Apart from Gaia, he’s the first person I’ve met that I haven’t needed to change anything about myself to feel at home.
My guard started to slip from the first night we met.
It was as though we’d been friends for years.
Sam stretches his arms above his head, and his muscles flex under his t-shirt, showing off his tattoos.
“What’s that one?” I run my hand over his bicep.
“A vine, it wraps around my back.” He pulls his top up over his head to show me the rest of the artwork that he’s had inked onto his body.
The way his abs flex when he switches on his core to support his weight is insane.
The boys back home were simply that: boys.
Sam is all man. I pour my eyes over his abs like a total pervert, taking in every curve and ripple.
Don’t get me wrong, he doesn’t make my heart stop the way Gaia does, but he’s a fucking sexy man.
“If you were going to get a tattoo, what would you pick?” he asks, turning around slightly so I can see the way the vine extends across his back.
“I’d love something here, on my ribs.” I run my fingers across my side. “Flowers, maybe, or a non-cheesy quote, but my dad would hate it. He’d tell me that I ruined my body.”
“You don’t strike me as the type of person who lets people tell her what to do.” He flashes an encouraging smile.
“Usually no… but with my dad, it’s different. I don’t want to disappoint him.” I’m caught off guard by how honest my response is. How does Sam get me to open up like this?
Abi emerges from her room fully dressed, ready to go, with books in hand. She looks over at us with a cheerful smile before blushing and looking away once she sees that Sam is half-naked.
“Good morning,” she says, shuffling into the kitchen awkwardly as Sam pulls his top back over his head.
“You could have woken me up. I have the worst neck pain from sleeping underneath this brute of a man.” I nudge Sam, who places his hand on my neck and starts to massage. His strong fingers feel like heaven on my sore muscles.
“I’m sorry. You just looked so sweet.”
“Fuck off,” I scoff. “You can make me a coffee as compensation for your mockery.”
Abi laughs, reaching up on her toes to get a mug out of the cupboard. She looks back at Sam as if to ask if he wants one too.
“Yes, please,” Sam says, abruptly stopping rubbing my neck before tapping me on my shoulder to signal that he’s finished.
“I'd better get ready for class,” he says, kissing me on the cheek before walking into the kitchen. He takes the mug from Abi and walks out the door.
“I guess we’ll see him later?” Abi laughs, handing me my much-needed liquid pick-me-up. “Or did he just steal that mug?”
“I think he’s going to become a permanent fixture in this apartment.”
“You like him, don’t you?”
“Of course, I like him. He’s quickly becoming one of my favourite people. You'd better watch out. He might replace you,” I joke, holding the mug under my nose, letting it linger there so I can breathe it in.
“I can never be replaced, and you know it.” She half laughs, sounding a little uncertain.
“Don’t be an idiot, you are irreplaceable. There is no way anyone will ever be able to annoy me as much as you do,” I tease, sticking out my tongue.