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Standard disclaimer.
Between work, the approaching holidays, and town-square committee meetings doubling up, because, the project is almost finished, Mercedes had her hands full.
Good thing she liked being busy.
After work tonight, she would meet with the town-square committee, likely for the final time.
She'd been buried in her laptop all day and Sam had been at one of his shops in Tulsa, so they hadn't had a chance to sit down and go over the agenda.
But he promised he'd be back in time, for them to have a discussion over dinner.
She picked up her phone, seeing that it was five thirty.
She'd told her parents, she'd likely go straight from work to dinner, to the meeting, so they shouldn't expect her home until late.
As it was, Sam was already running late, since he'd told her he'd be back by four.
So, she busied herself for another ten minutes, with setting up the new accounting system, when she heard the front door open.
Looking up, Mercedes saw Sam coming in.
He opened the door to her office, with a grim look on his face.
"Bad day?" she asked.
"Dave Patterson gave his notice."
She leaned back in her chair.
"That's not good. He's one of your most competent managers. Did he give a reason?"
"His wife's been wanting to move back to Minnesota, where her family lives, so her dad offered him a job up there in St. Paul, with the family business."
"Oh. Well, there's not much you can do about that."
"They're moving in a month, so at least, that gives me time to find a replacement. And Dave said he knows someone that works at Best Auto, in one of the Tulsa locations. He's currently an assistant manager, but Dave says he's really good, so I'm going to give him a call and see if he can come in for an interview."
"At least you have a start."
"True. Anyway, I'm sorry I'm late. Dave and I spent a lot of time talking. He's not happy about this move, but his wife has been miserable living here. I think their relocating, is a matter of saving the marriage. So I had to listen."
"Understood. It's not an easy situation for him, I can imagine."
"No, it's not. I got the idea, that his wife issued an ultimatum...he either went with her, or she was going to take their three kids and move without him."
Mercedes frowned.
"Ouch. That's ugly."
"Yeah."
"I hope they can work it out."
"Me, too. I hate losing him, but family has to be a person's number-one priority."
Mercedes couldn't imagine doing that to her, as yet, nonexistent husband. But she knew those kinds of relationships existed.
"Would you do that for the woman you loved?"
He frowned.
"Do what?"
"Leave Hope."
"Yes."
He didn't even hesitate. She was surprised.
"Really. You've built a business here, Sam. Your family is here. Everything you know."
He shrugged.
"I can build a business anywhere. You don't just walk away from a relationship."
Which was exactly what she'd done. Only she hadn't walked. She'd run.
That stung.
She started to say something, but then he continued.
"Like Dave. He's got fifteen years invested in his marriage to Ellen. They have three children together. To him, it's more important to stay together as a family, than fight over a job. Location? That's nothing."
"I suppose."
"I would think you'd see it his wife's way. Why does it matter where you live? You move around all the time."
"But I don't have children."
"That's true."
"I don't know. I think she emotionally blackmailed him into seeing things her way."
"We're not in their marriage, so it's hard for us, as outsiders, to judge."
Mercedes took a deep breath and let it out.
"You're right. I'm sorry. I guess I feel bad for Dave, because, he has to give up a job and a town he loves, in order to keep his marriage together."
Sam stood.
"You don't have to apologize to me. I guess he's content enough to do that, because, he loves his wife more, ya know?"
"You're right. It's a hard choice, no matter what."
He nodded.
"I'm hungry. How about we grab a quick bite to eat at Will's before the meeting?"
"Good idea."
A quick bite was right.
Time was ticking, and as they ate, they went over the agenda for the meeting.
Mercedes barely had time to finish her soup and salad, before they had to dash out the door.
She didn't mind being busy, but this was crazy busy.
And she didn't even want to think about all the holiday shopping she had left to do, which meant, she was going to be stuck braving the mall soon.
They were the last to arrive for the meeting.
"I was afraid you two were going to be no-shows tonight," Mavis said, as they walked in and shed their coats.
"Wouldn't miss it," Sam said, rubbing his hands together.
The wind had picked up outside. It smelled like snow, and Mercedes couldn't wait.
She'd bought new boots, though she worried about George...he wasn't that equipped for winter weather.
One of these days, she was going to have to buy a new car.
Not this year, though. And probably not next year. George was just going to have to suck it up and deal.
They'd weathered a lot of winters together, sometimes, just barely. And she was sure...okay, more like hopeful...they'd make it through this one, too.
Shrugging off thoughts of her poor old car, she sat down and they got started.
"The last of the landscaping is in," Sam reported. "The fountain has been tested, and is in working order. The playground equipment is finished, and the Christmas tree was brought in yesterday."
Mercedes shuffled through her papers.
"The tree will be decorated tomorrow, and lights will be strung, so it'll be ready for the tree lighting ceremony Friday night, and the parade on Saturday," she added.
Mavis huffed out a sigh.
"That's cutting it really close."
"But still in plenty of time," Chrissy said. "We'll get it all done in time for the holiday parade. I can't wait for everyone to see it."
"I can't wait for Marlene to see it," Samantha said with a wide smile. "She's put so much work into this."
"So true," Charles said. "Without her, this renovation wouldn't have happened at all."
"We have vendors scheduled to be in place around town-square during the holiday parade." Sam turned to Charles. "You're picking up the flyers from the printer?"
Charles nodded.
"I'll get those on Friday morning so we can hand them out. I saw the draft and they look good. Plus, there will be color boards of the project from start to finish, in front of town-square. I think folks'll be impressed."
"I'm excited...and proud," Mavis said, then, turned her attention to Mercedes.
"Mercy, don't forget, you're on the parade judging committee."
"Oh, right. I had forgotten about that."
"You need to be in place at nine a.m. in the judge's booth, at the corner of Main and Central."
Mercedes was actually kind of excited about the parade...about the entire day, especially, the debut of the new town-square.
"I'll be there."
They finished up business, then, everyone milled about having coffee and pastries.
"I can't believe she conned you into judging the parade," Chrissy said.
Mercedes shrugged.
"How bad can it be?"
Samantha was there as well, and her gaze shifted between Mercedes and Chrissy.
"We've all been there. It's not pretty."
Chrissy let out a soft snort.
"She's right. You just wait 'til she tells you who to vote into first place. Then, tell me how bad it'll be," she said.
Mercedes lifted her chin.
"My vote can't be swayed. Besides, what can she do to me? Kick me off the parade committee? I won't be here next year."
Samantha laid her hand on her arm.
"Oh, Mercedes, I wish you'd reconsider leaving Hope. We all love having you here again."
"This is true," Chrissy said. "Did I mention, we're having a Christmas shopping and wine extravaganza next week?"
Mercedes gave her a blank stare.
"No."
"That's because, I just now came up with the idea. And you're invited. It'll be you and me, Marley, Debra, Samantha, Michelle and Jackie. Okay, like everyone. Everyone who's available, anyway."
"Terrific idea," Samantha said. "My shopping list is a mile long and I haven't had time to get out there yet."
Chrissy had a sparkle in her eyes.
"It'll be search and destroy, then we'll all get drunk. It doesn't get much more fun than that. Work first, reward second," she said.
Mercedes laughed.
"Sounds intriguing. And potentially inebriating. Count me in."
"Me, too," Samantha said.
"Great," Chrissy said. "I'll text everyone and we'll figure out a day and time."
Sam came up to them.
"You ready to go?" he asked Mercedes.
She nodded, said her goodbyes and they left.
Mercedes zipped up her coat, happy to slide into Sam's truck, so she could turn on the butt warmers, once he fired up the engine.
"It's cold," she said. "And it sure feels like it could snow."
"Yeah. Let's hope it holds off, until after the parade on Saturday."
She was looking forward to seeing snow, but she understood it could potentially mess up the roads...and the parade, which she was also looking forward to seeing.
Being a part of the town-square project, had been so much fun.
She was excited to see it open, to hear and see people's reactions to it.
As she sat there musing about the parade and the town-square, she realized that Sam wasn't going in the direction of her house, but taking her to his.
"Kidnapping me?" she asked, as he turned down his street.
"Yes. Got a problem with that?" he asked.
"No."
They hadn't had a moment alone in a while, so she was more than ready to be kidnapped.
Sam pulled into the driveway and turned off the engine.
"You're spending the night, unless you have a strong objection," he said.
"Why don't you quit talking about it and take me inside? It's already getting cold out here," Mercedes said.
He shot her a look, that was one of pure sexual desire.
"You're the one talking," he said.
At that, she opened the door and slid out of the truck.
They hurried inside and Sam punched the button to shut the garage door.
Mercedes dropped her purse on the dining room table, peeled off her coat and threw it on the chair. Then, started down the hall, towards the bedroom.
Sam caught her halfway, pinning her against the wall.
His mouth was on hers, before she could catch her breath.
This was what she'd wanted, what she'd thought about every day, since that night he'd laid a hot kiss on her in his car.
She buried her fingers in his hair and moaned against his lips, taking as much as he gave.
His hands slid under her shirt...his fingers cold, but she didn't care, since her body flamed hot with desire.
And when he cupped her butt and squeezed, angling her body, so she could feel exactly how much he wanted her, all she could do was rub against him, anxious energy sizzling through her.
Sam lifted Mercedes' shirt off, then popped the clasp on her bra, filling his hands with her breasts.
His mouth soon followed, and she felt the frenzy of desire...the need to touch his skin with her hands and her mouth.
She unbuckled his belt, drew his zipper down, shoving at his jeans to draw them over his hips.
Next, she slid her fingers inside his boxers and wrapped them around his length, loving the sound of his groan.
"I've thought about this every night, since I put you on my lap in the car," he said, mirroring her thoughts.
"Me, too. I want this, Sam. I want you."
He kissed his way from her breasts to her neck, taking a moment to run his tongue over her throat, before taking her mouth again.
Heady passion had her in its grasp, a roller coaster of fevered need.
Sam drew her up and carried her the few remaining steps into the bedroom, dumping her none too gently on the bed.
But she didn't care. She didn't want gentle. She wanted him.
Mercedes kicked off her shoes, while Sam wrestled with the zipper of her jeans, and drew them down her legs.
Both shed the rest of their clothes and he grabbed a condom from the night-stand, sheathing himself right away.
Impatience and a thirst for her, saw him hurriedly climbed on to the bed, spread her legs and slid into her, making her cry out from the delicious pleasure.
As Sam moved within Mercedes, he slowed, his gaze meeting hers in a moment of pure tenderness, that nearly broke her.
She lifted, wanting the raw passion, the animalistic, mindless need, not this heartbreaking emotion that nearly tore her in two.
So she closed her eyes, letting the physical sensations carry her away.
But Sam wouldn't allow it.
"Mercedes. Look at me."
She ignored him for a few seconds, but his movements made her gasp.
"Mercedes," he said again, as his body possessed hers completely.
She heeded and opened her eyes, and it was like drowning in a sea of mesmerizing green.
She was lost, physically and emotionally, and she had no hope of keeping herself away from him.
Not when he was inside her, moving within her, knowing her body as he did.
Sam laced his fingers with Mercedes' as he moved deeply and passionately within her body.
And he took her, right where she needed to go, his eyes never leaving hers.
They both came with a fury, that made any control she'd hoped to hang on to, explode in a million tiny pieces.
And still, he held on to her, as if he was trying to communicate his thoughts, his emotions, without words.
But she couldn't listen.
Maybe she didn't want to acknowledge, that it was possible he felt something deeper, than just this amazing physical force that drew them both together.
She focused on the ever-consuming waves of her orgasm, the physicality of it all, the pure thrill of how this man owned her body so completely.
It was all she could allow.
Anything else would be devastating to her heart, and she wasn't ready for that yet.
She might never be.
Afterwards, Sam kissed her neck, and rolled to the side, allowing them both to catch their breaths.
He left the bed for a moment, then came back, pulling her against him and Mercedes laid her head on his chest, listening to his strong heartbeat.
"Give me ten minutes, then we're going for round two," he said.
She lifted her head to stare up at him.
"Is there a prerequisite number of times we're doing it tonight?"
He grinned.
"Yeah. Until I pass out, or can't get it up anymore. We haven't had a lot of time together lately, and I've missed you."
She giggled.
"I've missed you, too. And tomorrow's a workday."
"I'll expect you to be on time, too."
She shook her head and lay down again.
"My boss is such a dick."
"So I've heard. Want me to kick the shit out of him for you?" he asked.
"Would you?"
"Anything for you, baby."
She smiled, then rolled over on top of him to kiss him, hoping she could cut those ten minutes down to five.
Stay safe!