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Standard disclaimer.
Last chapter.
MERCEDES
Ever since I was a little girl, I was always more excited about Christmas Eve, than I was for Christmas Day.
There was something about the anticipation, of knowing what waited the very next day, of wanting time to pass quickly, and at the same time, wanting it to slow down.
This year was no different...but it was.
For one, I couldn't stop smiling, and I was sure I probably looked half-stupid to my mom and dad, as I made pecan candies to take over to my grandparents' house.
Several times, I found myself not concentrating, just daydreaming, while I was placing the caramel candies on the pretzel squares.
Things seemed surreal...but...Sam loves me.
And I guess, after spending so long wanting something...rather, someone...when it finally happens, it's hard to believe.
I keep waiting to wake up...but it's real. He loves me and I love him.
He'd been gone by the time I woke up yesterday, but the slight scent of the cologne he wore and the outdoorsy scent, that was uniquely his, lingered on my pillows.
He'd left me a note, saying he'd be over sometime during the day, and that he would use the front door when he was leaving.
Right after lunch, he'd shown up and he hadn't left, until after dinner.
My parents hadn't seemed surprised to see him, and they also seemed happy to see the change in our relationship.
My mom had been pro-Sam-and-Mercedes, since we we'd been in high school, so seeing us together, was probably making her year.
It sure as hell was making mine.
"Honey." My mom laughed, drawing my attention. "What are you doing?"
Frowning, I glanced down and then laughed outright. I'd stacked three pieces of caramel on top of one pretzel. Plucking them off, I set them aside.
"Whoops!"
"Uh-huh," she said, with a knowing look on her face. "Your head is just not attached to your shoulders."
"Nope," I admitted, arranging the pretzels and candies on a baking sheet. "I probably shouldn't be doing this."
"You have to," she said, as she washed her hands. The kitchen smelled of the stuffing she'd made to take with us. "Your grandfather will hit someone with his cane, if we don't have these candies."
Not doing this, was almost worth, seeing my grandfather chasing people down with his cane.
I popped the candies in the oven, setting the time for three minutes...long enough, to get the chocolate and caramel all gooey.
"So..." My mother began, staring out the window above the sink. Blue-tinted shadows, grew longer across the snow, as the sun set.
We'd have to hit the road soon, since we had to drop some of the food off at church, before heading to my grandparents'.
I arched a brow, waiting.
Mom grinned.
"You and Sam seemed awful chummy yesterday."
Here we go.
"Mom, people don't say 'chummy' anymore."
She pinned me with a look, as she wrapped tinfoil over the large bowl of stuffing.
I was sure it wasn't sanitary, to make stuffing for the turkey the night before, but my family had been doing it for years.
"I use it, therefore people use it," she said, to my earlier comment.
I grinned.
She sighed.
"Are you going to fess up?"
"Fess up to what?" I asked innocently.
Mom crossed her arms.
I giggled.
"Okay, Sam and I are...together."
"I figured that much," she said dryly. "But I'd prefer to know the details."
The timer buzzed, and I grabbed a mitt.
Opening the oven door, I pulled out the baking sheet.
Moving quickly, I grabbed the bag of pecans and started placing them on the warm, semi-melted candies.
"We're together," I told her, sneaking a pecan. "I'm not sure how else to say that."
She popped her hip against the counter.
"Well, what made this come about?"
I so was not telling her how it happened. Moving on to the second row of candies, I felt my face flush.
"Things just sort of happened and we both admitted, that we had feelings for each other. You know, more-than-just-friends kind of feelings."
She didn't say anything, and I glanced over at her. She was teary-eyed.
I paused with the pecans.
"Mom?"
"What?" She blinked rapidly and then smiled. "I'm sorry. It's just...I always knew you cared about that boy, more than you let on, and that he felt the same way about you. And I'm happy you two, finally recognized that in each other." She paused, and then added, "Took long enough."
I frowned, as I hastily added the rest of the pecans, before the candies cooled.
"I'm beginning to think, Sam and I were the only ones who didn't notice it sooner."
"I think so." She walked over and kissed my cheek. "He's a good boy, honey. I couldn't be happier for you."
My lips split in a wide smile.
"I'm happy, too. I really am."
And then, I was much happier, less than half an hour later, when my dad announced, that Sam had pulled into the driveway beside their car.
He hadn't texted, and I wasn't planning on seeing him tonight, but I loved how comfortable he was, with just swinging by.
I popped the lid on the plastic container, I'd put the candies in, and then, I dashed through the house in a frenzy, nearly knocking over my mom.
When I reached the door, I opened it, before Sam could ring the doorbell and literally threw myself into his arms.
He caught me at the last moment, wrapping his arms around my waist, as he stepped back to balance the unexpected weight.
"Hey," he said, holding me tight. "You seem happy to see me."
"I'm always happy to see you."
I looped my arms around his neck and his hands dropped to my hips.
He made a sound deep in his throat, as he pressed his lips to the sensitive spot under my ear. Then, he said in a low voice that simmered my blood,
"If you greet me like this more often, we'll never make it into the house."
Heat swamped me and it was an effort to pull away, but I didn't get far.
He slid his arms around my waist, his half-grin devious.
"Whatcha doing here?" I asked, eyeing the backpack slung over his shoulder.
"I wanted to see you." He kissed my forehead. "I have a surprise for you."
Excitement bubbled.
"You do?"
"Yeah," he said, and then looked over my head.
I turned in his embrace, finding my mom in the doorway, pulling on her jacket. And my dad was behind her, arms full of containers.
We'd already loaded the presents and our overnight bags in the car earlier.
Disappointment filled me.
"We're leaving now?" I asked.
"Your mother and I are." My dad winked. "We'll drop the food off at the church and set things up there. And Sam will bring you up to your grandparents'."
I faced Sam, my brows raised.
"Really?"
He smiled.
"Yes. I talked to your parents yesterday."
My disappointment vanished in an instant, but I couldn't help but tease him.
"What if I wanted to leave now? Awful confident of you."
He smirked.
"You want to spend time with me. Don't even lie."
I rolled my eyes.
My mom eased passed us, kissing my cheek and then Sam's.
"Be careful when you drive out. The roads are still icy," she said.
"Get inside," Dad grumbled. "It's freezing out here, and you don't have a jacket on."
I barely felt the cold temperature, not when I was standing this close to Sam.
We promised not to wreck and die on the way to my grandparents' house, and then we headed inside.
"I am happy you came by," I said, as Sam put the backpack on the floor and stripped off his jacket, draping it over the back of the couch.
He swaggered over to me, placing his hands on my waist.
"I know."
"You're cocky, you know that?"
"I'm right."
I rose onto my tiptoes.
"Okay, you're right."
"Uh-huh."
He drew me in, and then he kissed me...kissed me in a way that left me breathless, that made me forget it was Christmas Eve, which seemed impossible. But he totally did, with the way his lips moved against mine.
I clutched his arms, wondering how we'd gone this long without doing this.
Finally, the kiss ended and Sam sat on the couch, by his backpack, and pulled me into his lap.
"My mom wants to know, if you'll come by tomorrow and say hi," Sam said.
"I can come over tomorrow evening, if that works."
"Whenever." He slid his hands up my back, causing me to shiver. "Noah called me this morning, to see what I was doing for New Year's Eve."
I hadn't even thought about that. My mind was too occupied with the present.
One hand traveled over my hip, resting on my denim-clad thigh.
"I told him I had to ask you."
"You did?" I couldn't help the smile spreading across my lips, and I didn't even try to hide it. "What did he say to that?"
Sam grinned in returned.
"He said and I quote, 'It's about damn time, you asshole,' and then told me to let him know."
I laughed.
"Noah's one smart guy."
"And I'm one lucky asshole."
He cupped the back of my neck with one hand and tugged me closer, so that when he spoke next, his lips brushed mine.
"You're too good for me, baby. One day you're going to realize that and kick my ass to the curb."
"That's not going to happen." I kissed him, and his grip on my thigh tightened. "Unless you do something stupid, but I don't think that's going to happen. You've hit your lifetime of stupid already."
"Ha! Smartass."
I gave him a cheeky grin.
"I'd know."
"You would."
And then he lifted me out of his lap, placing me on the couch beside him. And reached for the backpack.
"Before I forget, I brought over the presents my mom got us."
"Oh."
I'd totally forgotten about them. I made grabby fingers at the backpack.
Sam grinned, as he handed over the package with my name on it. Looking at his, I noticed, both of them were identical.
Now,I was curious to see what his mom had got us.
Turning the present over, I slipped my fingers under the tape, along the seam in the wrapping paper.
I tore the colorful red and green paper off, just as Sam did the same.
I ended up staring, at the black velvet back of a picture frame. It was an iron frame, with the words, This Is Forever inscribed along the top.
The moment I flipped it over, my breath caught. The picture...oh wow! The picture brought a rush of tears to my eyes.
It was a picture of Sam and I, when we were in the third grade.
Our school had what they called 'Friendship Day' where friends wore matching clothes.
Sam and I had our arms over each other's shoulders, wearing cheesy grins and matching shirts my mom had made for the event, that said, This Is Forever.
Sam would probably love to forget, he'd ever worn a shirt like that, because, he'd taken a decent amount of teasing from the other boys that day.
But I'd been so happy that day...even though he'd protested wearing it at first, he had.
I didn't remember our picture being taken, but there it was, a goofy moment captured forever.
Man, I was turning into a crybaby. Seriously.
I needed help.
Drawing in a shaky breath, I glanced at Sam. He was holding an identical picture and frame.
He was silent.
I nudged him with my elbow.
"I bet you forgot about this."
"No," he said. "I hadn't. I've seen the pic a couple of times."
Surprise flickered through me.
"You have?"
He nodded.
"My mom loves to pull it out, whenever family comes over. Funny that she gave us this now, all things considering." He looked at me. "Almost like she knew, we'd finally figure this out, huh?"
"Yeah." I smiled, smoothing my fingers along the edges of the frame. "I love it. Seriously. I really do."
"Same here." He slipped the picture into his backpack. "I don't want to forget it."
I couldn't figure out, if he really did like the picture or not, but I stopped myself from over-analyzing it like a freak.
I gathered up the wrapping paper and carried it into the kitchen, disposing of it in the trash.
When I returned to the living room, Sam was standing in front of the Christmas tree.
The present I'd gotten him a few weeks ago, was still nestled under the tree, and I told him,
"You're not getting your present right now, Sam Evans, so don't even think about it."
He turned to me, a mysterious grin etched across his lips and his dark green eyes intense.
"There's something I want right now, and it's not what's under the tree."
Warmth stole through my veins and liquid heat pooled low in my belly.
"And what would that be?" I asked.
"I can give you one hint."
"Okay," I said, already breathless.
He prowled up to me, placing his hands on my hips once more. Then, he tugged me against him, fitting his hips against mine. And I felt him, through our clothes.
"That's your hint."
Shivers coursed through me, and the tips of my breasts tightened, under my sweater and bra.
"I think I know what you want."
"You do?" His lips brushed across my forehead and over my temple, making my body relax and tense all at once. "What do I want?"
I gripped his arms, and his muscles flexed under my touch.
"Me?"
"Bingo," he growled, and who knew someone could make that word sound sexy? "I want you."
And those last three words, were the sexiest words thrown together in the human language.
Then Sam kissed me, and I stopped thinking about words and languages, because, there was nothing beyond how smooth and firm his lips felt against mine.
My senses snapped alive, shooting hot fire through my veins, as his tongue expertly slipped passed my lips.
Good Lord! Sam definitely knew how to kiss.
A sexual charge thrummed through me, as his hold on my hips tightened.
Without breaking the kiss, he lifted me up and I wrapped my legs around his narrow hips.
"Good girl," he murmured against my lips. And then he started walking.
When he hit the stairs, I knew where he was heading, and I so approved.
My bedroom door was ajar, so Sam turned sideways, nudging it all the way open and stepped inside.
Next, he put me down on my feet beside the bed, and closed the door.
"Lock it," I said. No one else was home right now, but why take the chance?
He grinned, flipping the lock, and then turned to me.
Our eyes met, for one hot moment, and excitement hummed through me. Then, I reached down and gripped the hem of my sweater and pulled it over my head.
Sam's eyes flared, as I let it fall to the floor.
"God Damn!" he said.
My entire body heated, and I bit down on my lower lip, whilst flicking the button on my jeans.
He took a step forward and gripped the waistband.
"I'm impatient," he grumbled.
And he was. Because, in a matter of seconds, he'd swept the jeans and socks right off me.
Standing before him in my bra and panties, was suddenly easier, than I had imagined it could ever be.
"You're so beautiful," he said, his darkened green eyes intense. And I physically trembled.
As with mine, his clothes came off rather quickly and I got caught up in staring at the hard dips and planes of his stomach.
I reached out and touched him, slipping my hand under the band of his boxers.
"You're not too bad..."
My words were cut off by his lips covering mine...by the sheer intensity of the way he kissed me.
His hands went on the move, to my bra, and unhooked it. Then, they traveled to my panties and he stripped me bare.
After that, it took all of three seconds, before we were a tangled mess of flesh on my bed.
I moaned against Sam's mouth, as his hand slipped between my thighs, his fingers brushing over my wet flesh.
His kisses were intoxicating and addictive...and I just couldn't get enough.
Timing the thrusts of his tongue, with the plunge of his finger, I was quickly on the verge of coming apart. And when his thumb pressed against the bundle of nerves, I tumbled right over the edge.
In the midst of my shattering release, he slid into me, skin against skin. And a powerful sensation roared through me, a feeling I'd never get used to, as long as I lived.
The powerful cords of the muscles along his back, bulged under my hands, as he rocked into me...a deep invasion, that curled my toes and had my back arching.
"I love you," he said, and he kissed me again. All feral. All possessive.
"I love you, too," I gasped out. And then, I was incapable of talking.
A sharp swirl of tingles spread over me, as Sam's hips moved fiercely, bring me closer and closer to the edge once more.
He moved steady and hard, his face beautifully strained. And he pressed his mouth to mine, as my ankles locked around his hips.
Right away, I lifted my hips, and started meeting his hard thrusts and after a few minutes, his actions changed. It seemed as if a switch had been flipped inside him. He was not only going steady and hard, he was going faster and deeper.
Then, it hit us both at the same time, and our bodies shuddered together, our names on each other's lips.
It was a stunning moment, that threw me up so high, I wasn't sure I would ever come back down.
Afterwards...long, long afterwards...we were snuggled together, under the covers.
Sam was tracing idle circles along the curve of my spine and I was content, listening to his heart.
Everything seemed quiet and peaceful, making me think of that one Christmas rhyme.
And I laughed, because, it was wholly inappropriate.
"What?" Sam asked, his hand stilling.
Giggling, I pressed a kiss to his chest.
"I was just thinking, of that Christmas poem, Night Before Christmas and it made me laugh."
"You're weird."
"I know." I lifted my head, so my chin rested on his chest. "But you love me."
His lips tipped up at the corners.
"I love you as much as a kid loves Santa."
I laughed.
"That's serious."
"Hardcore," he murmured, smoothing my hair back from my face. "Though, I have to say, what we just did, was the best Christmas present ever."
My heart swelled with pleasure.
"Well, if you're nice, you'll get another present."
His brows rose.
"What if I'm naughty?"
My mind went straight to the gutter, and Sam must've sensed it, because, he chuckled deeply and the sound rumbled through me.
"I like where this conversation is going," he said.
"I bet you do."
"I could pretend I am Santa. Then, you can sit on my lap and tell me what you want for Christmas."
I laughed again.
"That sounds like it would only benefit you."
"Hence the sitting-on-my-lap part. Naked."
Lifting myself up, I kissed his slightly parted lips. Which led to more kisses and more touching...which led to me straddling his hips and before too long, we both were beyond talking.
We explored each other, like it was our first time and we took things slower, making the experience more tender and intimate.
But the end results, were just as beautifully breathtaking.
Much later, when it was time for us to leave, Sam stood to find his clothes, and I admired the nice view I was getting of his backside.
My gaze finally moved up his spine, and I rose, trailing a finger, over the intricate lettering of the mystery tattoo, that had always fascinated me.
He looked over his shoulder at me, but didn't move away.
"What does this say?" I asked.
He didn't answer for a long moment and then,
"You really want to know?"
I settled back on my side.
"Yes, I do."
He finished buttoning his jeans and sat beside me. Then, he leaned down and kissed me.
"I got the tattoo after high school, right before freshman year of college..."
"I know."
Wasn't like I'd only recently started checking him out. The day I'd seen the tattoo for the first time, was the day I'd committed it to memory.
One side of his lips tipped up.
"You're probably, either going to think it's really stupid, or you're going to be really surprised."
"Now I'm really curious. Tell me." I tapped on his bare chest. "Please?"
He watched me a moment.
"It's in Sanskrit. It says, This Is Forever."
My heart skipped a beat, as I stared up at him.
"Does it mean what I think it does?" I asked, hopeful.
"Yeah, it means what you think it does."
I pressed my hand to my chest, blinking back tears.
Wow! I can't believe it was that long ago...that you did this...right after we graduated high school."
"Yes. It just felt like something I needed to commit to, you know? That us...no matter in what way we were together...it was forever."
I couldn't speak for a full minute.
'Surprise' didn't even cover how I felt.
I wanted to cry again like a baby, because, this was the confirmation of all that he'd said...of how he'd felt about me this entire time.
And I'd never even known.
And now that I think about it...he had never really known, either. But deep down, his heart had to have known.
My chest filled to the point, I felt like I'd burst.
Sam studied me intensely.
"What are you thinking?" he asked.
"I'm thinking, this is perfect." I sat up, placing my hands on either side of his face. "You're perfect."
He pressed his forehead against mine, and said,
"I wouldn't go that far."
"Look at you, being modest for once in your life," I teased, but a lump of emotion, was sitting at the top of my throat. "Sam?"
He pecked me on the lips.
"Yes, baby."
"I love you."
I paused, taking a deep breath. And as our eyes locked, I saw the world in his gaze. I saw our future.
"And that is forever."
Well, that's it for this story. I know an epilogue would be the icing on the cake, but it can't be done right now.
However, when I find the time, I will attempt to do an epilogue for each of these stories. Stay safe!