Thank you for your continued support. I appreciate it.

Standard disclaimer.

Please forgive any major mistakes, I'm totally distracted...kids, ya gotta love them.

MERCEDES

For the first time ever, I woke up with my body tangled with a man's.

As my senses slowly kicked back in, the first thing I thought, was that, I'd never stayed a night with a guy before. Not even my boyfriend back in high school, for obvious reasons.

This was a huge first.

I was still lying on my side and Sam was still pressed against my back.

For several minutes, I dared not to make any sudden moves to disturb him, because, I liked the way I was cocooned in his embrace.

No. Not just liked. I loved it, and as I stared at the wall across from his large bed, I knew I could easily get used to this.

Maybe I should, because, he had said there'd be a later for us, lots of laters, if I remembered correctly.

Last night had been one of the most amazing nights of my life, and no matter what happened between him and me, I wasn't going to let myself regret one single moment of it. No way.

So I lay there, soaking up every second like a sponge, and I don't know how much time passed, but I felt him harden against my bottom.

I sucked in a sharp breath, unsure if he was awake or not. Well, part of him was definitely awake.

The arm resting over my waist moved slightly and my eyes popped open, when his large hand closed over my breast.

Yep. He was awake.

Lips brushed my shoulder.

"Morning," Sam spoke in a rough voice.

"Good morning," I said, my gaze dropping to his hand. He ran his thumb over the tip of my breast and squeezed gently.

"You sleep okay?" he asked and shifted, wiggling his leg between mine.

My heart skipped a beat.

"I slept like a baby."

"Hmm. Wonder why?" His lips skated over the slope of my shoulder. "Guess what?"

I hesitated and then lifted my hand, folding it over his.

"You're horny?" I asked.

His deep laugh stirred the hair at the base of my neck.

"I'm hungry."

"Oh. Well then, this is awkward."

He nipped at the sensitive spot below my ear, as he slid his hand down from my breast, to the space between my legs.

"I'm hungry for you."

"Isn't that the same thing?" Arching my back, I pressed my bottom against him.

His groan turned me on even more.

"You're right." His hand slipped further between my legs. Sensation trilled through my veins. "You're totally right."

His hand disappeared from between my thighs, and I felt him move behind me. Then, I heard a wrapper being torn.

I started to roll to face him, but the hand on my hip stopped me.

I stilled, biting down on my lip, as that hand trailed up my side and then smoothed down the center of my back.

Since I couldn't see what he was up to, the anticipation had a razor-sharp edge to it, almost desperate.

"Sam," I whispered, wanting.

"Damn." His body was flush against mine again, and I could feel him hot and hard against my lower back. "You're already ready, aren't you?"

Before I had a chance to respond, he moved again, and shifted me.

Both hands landed on my hips as he rose behind me. I was now on my belly, my legs spread and he was between them.

My pulse sped up, as I slid my hands up the sheet, bracing my weight on my forearms. I turned my head then, peering back at him over my shoulder.

Goodness, he looked incredible behind me. Sleep still clung to his features, but his eyes were a vibrant green, full of potent heat and arousal.

He started kissing me again, starting at my shoulder and working his way down my back, blazing a trail that ended just above the cleft along my bottom.

He used the hands on my hips to lift me, his warm breath dancing along the back of my neck.

"This is the kind of morning I'd love to repeat over and over. Actually, this moment, right here," he said, and I felt him poised behind me, a moment before he thrust deep into me.

My back bowed as I cried out. The feeling of him...it was more intense, fuller and tighter, stretching every nerve ending to the edge.

But it was more than him, just being inside me. There wasn't so much as an inch between our bodies. His much larger body was curled around me, sealed to mine.

"You okay?" His voice was dark and gruff.

"I am," I managed to breathe. "God, Sam..."

He kissed my cheek and then his lips moved to my ear.

"I'm going to need you to hold on, because, I'm going to give it to you hard and fast."

I shuddered.

And then, he did just what he said he was going to do.

Sam moved fast and hard, hitting deep, only slowing down to grind against me, before picking his pace up.

In this position, there was nothing I could do, other than meet each of his thrusts and I did so happily and willingly.

He was in control at this moment, and as I clenched the sheet, a riot of sensations lit me up.

"Oh God, Sam," I gasped, rocking back against him. "Yes, yes, yes..."

He made this sound, like a rumble of approval, and I felt it wash over me and through me.

I was panting and he was making harsh noises.

He got a hand under me, and then he started to touch me between my thighs, as he slammed into me. The pleasure was so quick, it was sharp and near violent.

"Fuck," he grunted.

Suddenly, I was on my knees and my hands were pressed against the headboard.

One of his arms was around my hips, holding me in place, as he thrust forward. The other was beside my arm, and then it closed over mine on the headboard.

In a daze, I opened my eyes and stared at our joined hands.

My breath caught and I lost a little of myself at the sight, and then I lost a larger part, in the way he moved behind me.

And then I was completely gone, as the room filled with sounds of our bodies meeting together, our moans and soft curses.

There was no rhythm between us, just a wild delicious dance.

Tension spiraled tight, as Sam's pace quickened even more and I lost it. I was tossed right over the edge.

I threw my head back, as my body clamped down and the most exquisite rush of pleasure poured into my body, stunning me with its intensity.

It whipped through me, heightened by every powerful thrust.

My arms came out, but he caught me, sealing me tight against his body as he too peaked, only his hips jerking.

There wasn't a single muscle in my body that worked, in those precious moments of pure bliss.

I was as limp as a noodle, trembling, as he guided me down and then left the bed to deal with the condom.

I was still where he'd left me, when he came back to the bed and somehow, we ended up face-to-face, one arm around me, the other smoothing over my flushed cheek.

I was completely sated. I hadn't known it could be like this. And I wanted to tell him that, but my tongue was too heavy.

Sam tucked me against him.

"I think I now need a nap," he said.

A tired, but light laugh escaped me.

"Same here."

"Then we have a plan."

"We do?" I murmured.

"Yeah." He kissed my forehead. "Since we don't have shit to do and we can do whatever we want, we're going to nap now."

I smiled, as I snuggled into him.

"Sounds like the best kind of plan."

Late in the afternoon, I stood in front of Sam, a package of raw chicken in my hands.

"...I know I'm right."

He arched a brow, as he leaned against the counter.

"I have never heard of such a thing."

"I'm sure there are a lot of things you've never heard of."

"No way," he drawled lazily.

I rolled my eyes.

"If you boil the chicken first, then it doesn't take as long to grill it...that way, you can be sure it's not under-cooked."

"I get what you're saying, but it just seems repetitive."

"But it's not the same thing. You're not cooking it completely," I tried to explain, for what felt like the hundredth time. "Forget it. Just let me do this."

He grinned, as he waved a hand, as if granting me permission.

Choosing to ignore that, I set the package on the counter and then cranked the heat up on the pot of boiling water.

"At least it's stopped raining," he said, and when I turned around, he was staring out the glass doors.

"I bet Caleb and Shay are wishing they'd stayed here."

"They're probably all cuddled up in a tent, making little Shay babies."

He smiled and then winked. And my heart toppled over itself.

"Kind of like what we've been doing all day?"

Heat flashed across my face.

"Except, we fall into the category of doing practice runs," he continued, his grin sly. "Though, I'd love to see a little pretty Mercedes."

'Oh my word.'

My eyes widened.

Did he really mean that?

My tummy dropped in a pleasant way and my heart started to dance, but I turned around, catching the end of the package.

There was no way he was being serious, and I was not going to allow myself to read into that comment. Nope. I was not going to let my brain do anything stupid.

Earlier, while Sam was in the shower, and I'd gone into my head...in those quiet moments...they hadn't been so great.

And while I'd showered, my thoughts went to familiar places filled with doubt...areas where overthinking ran rampant.

Sometimes, it felt like there were too many thoughts running around in my head, and that was one of those moments.

I had started to panic, as I stood under the shower-head. Would Sam regret last night and this morning?

Did it mean anything to him?

What would happen, if I told him that I thought, there was a good chance that I was in love with him?

Did he really even know me?

The answer to that question, was what had scared me the most.

I didn't think that he knew me. At least, not the 'me' that existed when there were quiet moments, and that was a 'me' I didn't know how to deal with.

But it wasn't just about Sam.

Those feelings of panic and uncertainty, those feelings were never about just one thing. If they were, they'd probably be easier to deal with.

"Was that too honest?" Sam asked, and his voice was closer...real close.

I shivered, as I continued to rip open the package of chicken and then picked up the tongs.

"I just don't think you really mean that."

"Are you inside of my head?" he asked. His hands settled on my hips and I gave a little jump. "Do you know what I think?"

That question hit too close to home. So I took a moment and picked up the chicken with the tongs, plopping it down in the boiling water.

"I don't think I want to know what's inside your head."

"Uh-huh," he muttered. He circled an arm around my waist and pressed into me. Then kissed the side of my neck. "I think you'd like the things that go on inside my head."

Despite my earlier thoughts, I smiled, as I picked up the last piece of chicken.

"Okay. Maybe."

"Definitely," he murmured, dropping a kiss against the sensitive space below my ear.

"Possibly."

He stepped back, as I took the tongs over to the sink and washed them. When I turned around, he was staring into the pot with a look of disgust on his face.

"This is gross-looking. What's all that white stuff floating to the top?"

I laughed as he shot me a look.

"Don't be a baby."

"Will it get me spanked if I act like one?" he asked.

"Oh God." I laughed again, shaking my head.

Grilling the chicken and then eating dinner, pretty much consisted of us bickering and of Sam making some kind of random, perverted statement, that either made me giggle, blush, or both.

There were no quiet moments, not for a while, not even when Shay and Caleb returned from their camping trip.

But those quiet moments surged back with a vengeance, as we all sat in the basement's media room.

Rain had started up again, shortly after Shay and Caleb had shown back up, and we were currently watching the boys, engage in an impromptu air hockey death match once more.

Caleb had a beer and Sam had one. Even Shaylee, who rarely drank, had one of those fruity beers.

And I wanted a drink. Bad.

So much so, that I sort of felt like banging my head against a wall, but I didn't want Sam to look at me like...actually, I wanted him to look at me.

That was the thing.

Once our friends had shown back up, he hadn't really looked at me or paid attention to me.

At first, I thought it was just me being stupid. No big surprise there. Sounded legit, because, my history of being stupid, was well-known.

When Caleb and Shay returned, there was a lot of commotion, and they were hungry and wanted to talk about their trip, while they ate our leftovers.

I'd been nervous, and unsure of how I should act...if I should just walk up to Sam and grab his junk or something, or wait to see what he did.

So I didn't do anything really.

And when Shay had gone upstairs to shower, Caleb had monopolized Sam's time. Then, when Shay returned, my mother had called, and I ended up having to listen, to how epically proud they were of Roderick and how worried they were for me.

By the time I got off the phone, I really, badly, needed a drink, but I resisted.

So Sam and I obviously hadn't had a lot of time to make googly eyes at one another, or to expose our sudden, undying passion for each other.

But as the evening eased into night, the indifference he'd started showing when our friends returned, continued.

Maybe that wasn't a bad thing. I wasn't sure. But I thought, that he would at least pay attention to me.

Honestly, I think we exchanged a handful of words. But there were no long looks of lust or stolen touches.

When I'd gone upstairs to get a freaking soda, he hadn't followed or anything.

So maybe he was treating me differently, because, usually, we talked...or argued...or whatever, but now, it seemed like he didn't want...

I cut myself off, before I could finish that thought.

I didn't know what to make of any of it.

But my heart was pounding, in a way that was so not pleasant and my stomach was twisted in knots, as I watched Sam strut around the side of the table, grinning, as Caleb smack-talked him.

God, I really wanted a drink.

However, I wasn't sure if I could have just one drink. I mean, I thought I could, but the last thing I wanted, was for anyone, especially Sam, to comment on my drinking.

Not that at the moment, they truly had any room to talk, since they all had drinks in their hands. It wasn't fair. They could drink, but I couldn't?

It was close to midnight, when I finally called it a night.

The air hockey game had ended and everyone was still chatting, but I was ready for the night to be over.

Tomorrow held a lot more promise, than what I was seeing now.

After saying goodnight, I headed for the stairs.

Sam looked up then, and my heart got all floppy, when he grinned and said,

"Goodnight, Andy."

"'Night," I repeated, and then, all but dashed up the flight of stairs, to the top floor like a dork.

Goodnight, Andy.

Was that code for he'll be seeing me later...or just telling me goodnight? Probably code. Definitely code.

Should I have used a code that signaled I was okay with that?

It didn't matter.

I took a ridiculously long time getting ready for bed.

I brushed my teeth and then got the knots out of my curls.

Then, I washed my face and then engaged in some major wishful make-up...applied mascara and blush. For bed. Whatever.

Then, I slathered on the lotion that smelled of peaches.

Searching for something sexy to wear, but didn't look like I was trying too hard, was more difficult than I imagined.

So I ended up settling on a pair of super cute sleep shorts and a cami.

I didn't lock the bedroom door before I climbed into bed. Sam would come...especially after yesterday and today, he would come.

And we would talk, because, we needed to be on the same page, with what things truly meant.

He said there were laters and that he wanted to see me once we left here, but that could mean anything...secret friends-with benefits or an actual, real relationship.

My heart dropped, with the thought of Sam wanting to be closet fuck-buddies, and I wasn't even going to pretend, that I'd be okay with that.

In all honesty, I wasn't okay with the random hookups, that only happened after I'd had a few drinks under my belt and wasn't thinking right.

In the darkness of the room, I could acknowledge that, even as hard as that was. And if Sam wanted to be in a relationship, I needed to be honest with him and up front, about some of the things he didn't know about me.

I guessed, in a way, he needed to make an informed decision.

Informed decision?

I rolled my eyes. It wasn't like he was voting for a president or something.

I rolled onto my back and glanced at the clock.

Tiny balls of ice filled my stomach, when I realized an hour had passed, since I'd walked into my bedroom.

My gaze flicked to the bedroom door.

Wasn't he coming?

Better yet, should I be okay with him sneaking into my bedroom, even though he really didn't pay much attention to me, once our friends showed back up?

Then again, had I paid attention to him?

I bit down on my lower lip, as I stared up at the ceiling, only able to make out the shape of the quietly moving fan.

In all honesty, it wasn't like I'd gone out of my way, either. I mean, I hadn't been sure what to do, or how we should act.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I told myself, that all I needed to do was wait. Sam would show. He would.

So I waited.

And I waited.

I waited while the seconds turned into minutes, minutes into hours, and my door didn't open.

Sam never came.

Stay safe!