The very next day he made sure to arrive early for breakfast at the Clearwaters' in order to ask Harry to tell him everything he knew about college scholarships and whether he knew of any other jobs that Sam might be able to get for the summer. Harry sent him to the tribal offices to talk to Billy Black about scholarships, which were apparently abundant if one knew where to look. Two days later, he joined Harry's brother-in-law Martin Fuller in his roofing business. Marty was pleasant enough to work with, and he was willing to pay Sam under the table. He also felt like he was mowing the lawns of half the residents of La Push, but he knew it wasn't the case. Between the two jobs, he worked twenty to thirty hours a week.
At that rate, Sam thought he might actually have enough money to buy a car by the end of the summer. A piece of junk, anyway, that he didn't know how to to drive. Maybe he should get his learner's permit; Harry had offered to teach them both. The downside was that the jobs cut significantly into his LeeLee time. On the other hand, she was busy babysitting Collin most days anyway, and he really wasn't inclined to share her.
On weekends, though, he didn't have to compete with Collin. One Saturday he and Leah gathered at his house with their friends and ordered pizza. He didn't have a video game console or basement designed for hangouts, but Bobby's younger sister was using their basement for a sleepover. Sam was surprised when his mother overheard him talking to Leah about where they would go instead, and she volunteered their house. It wasn't until later, when he and Leah were alone, that she mused that Allison might welcome the company and suggested that his mother might be lonely. They talked about spending time at his house more often. He'd rather have her to himself instead of share her with his mother, but their parents were already watching them closely, and it really wouldn't hurt to demonstrate that they had some self control. Plus Allison really liked Leah, and it was nice to stay on her good side.
That night, however, she gave them space by retreating to her bedroom. Johnny had brought the original Star Wars trilogy with him. Rachel protested loudly when he pulled out the DVDs. They started to bicker, Bobby and Johnny listing the merits of the films, while Rachel complained that she had seen the films three times each since she has started dating Johnny. Rebecca rolled her eyes and said that they were old and dumb, and who cared about those stupid movies anyway? Her already short temper had gotten even worse since their mother had died. Leah had privately told Sam that she thought that part of the reason they were interesting in spending so much time with the boys was that they couldn't stand going back to their house when Sarah wasn't in it.
Johnny was mortally offended, but he knew better than to argue with his girlfriend's twin sister and kept his mouth shut. Bobby did not. It nearly turned into a shouting match, and soon the four of them were arguing heatedly. Leah and Sam sat back and watched; Rebecca was turning pink from frustration. She questioned the boys' maturity level (a valid point), their general geekiness (this went uncontested), but then dragged in their physical stature or lack thereof (an honest but low blow). Bobby retaliated by calling into question her level of taste (a dubious point), her snobbery (a more accurate accusation), and said that it was a good thing she was "so hot" since her personality sucked.
For some reason she took that as a compliment, and suddenly the argument was over. Leah got them all agree to watch Kill Bill as a compromise. It appealed to the boys' desire for violence, and the girls liked watching Uma Thurman destroy all her opponents. They made it through the first film, but during the pause to switch discs for the second, the girls started chatting, and the second one never got turned on.
Sam didn't even realize a conversation had begun. Leah had slipped out from under his arm as the credits rolled and stepped over to the DVD player. He immediately missed her warmth pressed against his side, but the roundness of her bottom when she bent down made him forget everything else immediately. After she straightened, she tilted her head to the side in response to something Becca had asked and ran her hand through her hair while she thought about her answer. The action tightened her shirt across her chest. She licked her lips in between sentences, and Sam couldn't help but notice how wet they became. Eventually she walked to the kitchen to get a bag of chips to share, and her hips swayed. She leaned over the coffee table to pour the snacks into a big bowl, giving him a nice view down her shirt. When he finally met her eyes again, he realized she was giggling.
Bobby smacked him upside the head, and he finally figured out what was going on. "Becca, you still think I'm the immature one here? This horndog has missed the last ten minutes of conversation just checking out Leah. Have you noticed this, guys? Dude, you turn into a drooling moron around your girl."
Sam blinked slowly at his friends.
Rachel snickered, "Yeah, you have any idea what we're talking about?"
Sam deliberately looked at the ceiling. "Um..." Everyone laughed at him. "No, wait..." And after several long seconds, he recited verbatim the last several things Leah had said, word for word. He couldn't recall a single thing anyone else had said.
"Oh man," Becca cackled. "I thought you were a smart guy, but around Leah you turn into an idiot. But you're an idiot savant, at least!"
Leah's reaction was the loveliest peal of laughter. He adored the sound, and after that, he didn't bother ending the habit since she thought it was funny. And he always heard her, even if he was a little slow on the uptake. Plus he didn't think he could stop staring at her if he tried.
X-x-x-x-X
He wasn't the only one who stared at Leah. He thought Collin was even worse than he was. He wasn't convinced the boy needed a babysitter at all; he was nine years old already. Mrs. Littlesea disagreed, although Sam thought that this was probably because Collin played up his helplessness. He certainly did around Leah.
At first Sam thought Collin's crush was kind of cute. Leah thought it was adorable and harmless. Then Collin got to second base before he did, and he wanted to strangle the kid. Sam usually hung out with Leah and Collin during the day if he wasn't working. Collin hated Sam's intrusion, but Mrs. Littlesea dropped him off at the Clearwaters' on her way to work, and she didn't really feel like she had the right to ask them to keep other people out of their house while her son was there. It didn't hurt that Sam's hard work had buoyed his reputation, either, or that he weeded her flowerbeds for free after he mowed her lawn and did her edging. Probably she would like him less if he murdered her son, though, even if it was justifiable homicide.
It didn't escape Sam's notice that Collin took any excuse he could find to touch Leah. He often tapped her on her shoulder or touched her arm when he easily could have said her name to get her attention, or if they were watching television on the couch, he'd rest his head on her shoulder. When Sam protested about this to Leah, she called him silly and pointed out that Seth normally rested his head in her lap if he was on the couch with her. Sam retorted that Seth was her brother, while Leah laughed and reminded him that Collin was only nine. He was about to argue further, but she distracted him with a kiss, and every other thought flew out his brain.
But he was acutely reminded of his jealousy when Collin faked an injury to get close to her. Leah didn't think he was faking at all, but Sam saw the entire thing and insisted that the boy was playing her. They had been seated on the couch on either side of Leah, vying for her attention. Sam had managed a kiss on her cheek, making her giggle and drawing out her dimple. Collin gave Sam the stink eye and broke them apart by asking for a snack, and once she was gone, petulantly told Sam that his mother wasn't paying for Leah to make out with him. Sam held his tongue rather than pointing out that Leah wanted him to kiss her, and who was he to refuse? Collin got up to follow Leah but immediately tripped on the coffee table, hitting the floor with a crash. Leah rushed in and found him sprawled on the carpet holding his ankle. He swore it was twisted and painful. Sam said it was nothing and that he should walk it off. Collin burst into crocodile tears and said Sam was only saying that because he tripped him. Leah cooed at Collin, reassuring him that Sam wouldn't have done that on purpose, then knelt down to examine his ankle. He winced and cried out at every spot she touched, which confirmed for Sam that he was faking. There was no way that that little injury resulted in such diffuse pain. But when Leah tried to get an ace wrap and an ice pack from Sue's first aid kit, Collin wouldn't let her leave, insisting that Sam get it instead. He rolled his eyes but complied when she asked him to, but when he returned, Collin was clinging to Leah and had his face buried in her bosom.
Leah was wearing a simple cotton tee shirt, but it had a v neckline and showed off her developing chest quite nicely. It was actually one of Sam's favorites, and apparently one of Collin's as well. Leah and Collin looked up at him simultaneously, Leah asking for the supplies. Collin smirked at Sam and deliberately nuzzled his cheek against Leah's exposed flesh.
"Hey! You had better..." Sam stepped forward, leaning over to yank Collin off Leah. Lucky for him, he wasn't paying attention to what he was doing and reached out with the hand holding the ace wrap.
Leah grabbed it with a quick thanks, while Collin tried to convince her that Sam was reaching down to hit him. She actually laughed at that, explaining that Sam was just starting to instruct her to ice and elevate the leg quickly. Collin didn't believe it for a second, but there was nothing he could do. So he just grabbed her for another hug, plainly diving into her cleavage once more.
Sam kept his mouth shut until Connie came to pick up her son. Then he immediately began to complain about the boy's inappropriate touching.
"You're being silly," she giggled.
"He's a player!"
She actually laughed. "He's just a little kid! How could he be a player?"
"He faked that whole thing so he could touch you!"
She thought he was angry that Collin had accused him of trying to trip him. "Oh, I know you didn't do anything to him. Of course you'd never do that."
"And I'd never pull a stunt like that, either," Sam insisted.
"Well," she admitted, "he probably was playing it up for attention."
"Attention?" Sam sputtered. "He was rubbing his face all over your boobs! If he could figure out a reason to do it, he'd have put his hand up your shirt! I've never even done that!"
And then it clicked in Leah's brain. "Ohh... Are you... Do you..." Suddenly she looked shy, and he thought she might be a little pink under her summer tan. She licked her lips and looked away, an unintentionally seductive movement that never failed to disarm him. But he simultaneously wanted to sink into the ground. Was she mad at him for his petty jealousy and lust?
"I'm sorry, LeeLee," he started.
She interrupted him. "No, no. It's okay." She started fiddling with the hem of her shirt. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Is that... Is that something you want?"
He froze with his mouth open. That had to be a trick question. What was the right answer? No, right? It had to be no. But that was a lie. The truth was an emphatic, yes please! But would she get offended? Would he push her too far, too fast? Was it worse to lie to her or tell her the truth?
Then she peeked up at him through her long lashes and very, very quietly said, "You can, you know. Touch me. If you want to."
Time stopped while he tried to process what she had just said. Had she heard her correctly? Was it possible? It couldn't be. She must have said "can't", not "can". There was no way she'd let him. Would she?
She started to back away and apologize. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. If you wanted to do that you'd have done something or said something a while ago." He was floored. Did she think he didn't want her that way? How ridiculous! "It was really stupid..."
Crap. How long had he been staring at her with his mouth hanging open like a fish? "I want to," he blurted. "I really, really want to."
"Yeah?" She looked him in the eye again.
"I've wanted to for years," he admitted.
She actually laughed again, and he was relieved that he'd made her smile, even if he didn't know why. "Years? There hasn't been anything worth touching for years."
How was it possible that she didn't realize the effect she had on him? On the male populace in general? Was he really that good at hiding it? "Trust me, that's not true. For years, LeeLee."
"Oh." Her eyes widened, and he realized that for once, they were both at a loss as to what to say or do. Would it be totally inappropriate to leap across the room and grab her boobs? Yes, yes it would. Even if he had permission.
She finally moved, sitting next to him and relieving him of the need to make the next move. That was better. He decided to do what he already knew how to do. He turned to her and put one arm around her waist and cupped her cheek in his other hand, drawing her closer. He eyed her pretty, pink lips and bent in, lightly brushing his lips against hers. God. That feeling... He couldn't get enough of it. He did it again, and again, and then he slid his hand from her jaw to the base of her neck, tangling it into her hair and holding her close, and she sighed. He slid out his tongue to taste her mouth, and then her arms were around him too, and they clung to each other as he lost himself in her sweetness.
When she finally broke for air, he loosened his grip on her waist and let his other hand fall from her neck to her shoulder. He hesitated there and lowered his head, gently peppering kisses onto her neck. She arched her back when he ran his tongue over the sensitive spot under her ear and made the impossibly sexy humming noise that drove him crazy, and he took her cue and slid his hand down her cotton shirt.
She was holding her breath, he could hear it. So was he. Until he shifted the last few inches and cupped her breast in his hand, and they released matching groans.
Oh god. She was so soft, and she filled his hand, and she smelled so good, and he was harder than he thought he'd ever been... and... and... He squeezed gently, and she gasped. Damn. Could she possibly get any sexier? He had been dreaming about making her make those noises ever since she came home from Emily's house two summers prior with... with... these, and every time he heard her make a new sound, he wanted her to make more, and god. So, so soft, but firm at the same time. He rubbed his open palm against her again, and again, and... and... Oh. Her breast wasn't entirely soft anymore. Right in the center he felt something hardening. Wow. It had to be her nipple, reacting to his touch. He wanted to pull off all her clothes and see exactly what this amazing, wonderful, perfect part of her body looked like. He had occasionally gotten a hint of their outline when he climbed to her room at night; she didn't wear a bra under her pajamas, and he could see every little movement under her shirt. It drove him insane in the best way possible. He wanted to tear off her shirt and lick the stiff nub he felt in his hand. Suckle it. See what other noises she would make if he put his hands and tongue on her skin.
And he might have, if he hadn't heard a car door slam just outside. He sprung away from Leah, twisting to look out the window. He spotted Sue just as his movement constricted his painful erection against the fly of his jeans. He yanked a pillow into his lap just as Seth burst into the room, but it was too late. He turned to Leah, who was staring at the pillow with huge eyes.
Sue asked him to stay for dinner, and for once, he felt lucky that his mother wanted him to come home to eat with her. When he climbed onto his father's old mountain bike, he purposefully sat down on the banana seat too hard. He had to get rid of his erection somehow. He was totally distracted through dinner, although it didn't hurt his appetite one bit. He was nervous for his nightly climb up to Leah's window. Up until now, they had both been cautious.
Harry or Sue still peeked in on her occasionally, and Sam didn't want to get caught. More importantly, he continued use the barrier of the wall beneath the window to keep from accidentally brushing his erection against her. It gave him the courage to grasp her tightly around her waist and kiss her feverishly until they were both breathless and panting. The only nights he was more reserved were those during which the rain or snow prompted him to enter the room and slide her window shut against the wet or the cold. Considering the climate, those nights were actually quite often. Then he made certain to sit on the edge of her bed and whisper softly to her, hold her hand, and kiss her sweetly, never lowering her back to the mattress and climbing over her like he really wanted to.
And he really, really wanted to. While one part of his brain was focused on making her smile and basking in her happiness, the other was overcome with pure lust. The latter was becoming more and more pervasive. Every night he'd rush home when it got too persistent, when the taste of her lips, the puff of her breath in his ear, or the softness and heat of her skin became too arousing to bear. He'd adjust his uncomfortable erection in his pants as soon as he was out of sight in the trees and run home as fast as possible. Then he'd grab his lotion and the picture of Leah in her bikini, or he'd close his eyes and think about the little sounds she made when he kissed her neck, or he'd remember the sensation of her braless breasts in her cotton pajamas as they pressed against his chest.
It never lasted long. He was too worked up to savor it, needing release quickly and furiously. Sometimes he was so aroused that once wasn't even enough. It made him paranoid about what he'd manage to accomplish if he ever had a chance to do the things he dreamed about. He'd surely explode all over her before they even began. That fear, as much as anything, kept him from pushing their boundaries any further. Moreover, he had firmly believed that she was neither interested in nor ready for anything other than their heated kisses. But now that barrier was dissolving, and he didn't know what to do.
Over and over again, he replayed the moment when she gave him permission to touch her, and then he adjusted the memory slightly so that she was asking for it. He could hardly believe she might actually be interested; it was too good to be true. She was so self assured and confident, yet she still seemed so innocent. He recalled how she seemed to think he didn't want her in that way. She was rarely wrong, but this time she was deeply mistaken. How was it possible? She wasn't just his best friend, not just his girlfriend. She was the root of all his deepest fantasies, the object of his most base desires.
He felt so guilty for wanting her so badly. She deserved better than his hormone-driven impulses, and every morning that he saw her innocent smile and the little dimples that he loved, he felt shame for the way he defiled her in his mind the night before. But that never stopped him, because he felt powerless in the face of his feelings for her.
That, at least, he was clear on. His feelings for her were much more than blind teenage lust. He knew plenty of boys, not to mention men, who desired her too. He could see it in the way their eyes followed her as she jogged past, or how the boys at school tried to look down her top when they passed her desk, or the blatant stares she got while sporting one of her two new bikinis at the beach (she had outgrown both the top and bottom halves of her blue halter suit, while the narrowness of her waist remained exactly the same, and her legs got even longer, facts which combined to addle his brain the first time they went swimming that summer). He fully admitted to himself that he was worse than anyone else in the frequency and intensity of his attentions toward her, but he justified this behavior by telling himself it was only due to their constant proximity combined with the intimacy of their relationship.
Because the truth was that even though he wanted her like he'd never wanted anyone or anything, his feelings for her ran deeper and farther than he thought possible. He had no clue how to put it into words, let alone tell her. He just felt so much about her. Other than the embarrassment that his libido created, plus his old guilt for treating her callously when they were young, every single other feeling he had for her or about her was pure and good. Yes, she was beautiful, but she was the kind of beautiful that shone from the inside out, not to mention the superficial sort that made his blood run hot. She was the kindest and most generous person he knew, but it never made her give away so much that she lost herself. She was sweet, but she still had a sharp wit and could always make him laugh. She was smart, but her warmth and humor outshine her natural intelligence and kept her from being intimidating or snobby. She was athletic and competitive, but her irresistible femininity kept her from ever seeming hard or masculine. She was a collection of wonderful contradictions wrapped up in a stunning package.
She just made him so happy, and he wanted to make her feel as good as she made him.
It made him even more nervous about returning to her window that night. He wanted her to enjoy it, and he had no idea how to make sure that he did everything right. He had watched a little bit of porn, but he was pretty sure that was all fake. Maybe he was watching the wrong things; he hadn't actually seen very much since his mother kept their old desktop in the living room where there was no privacy, and he spent most of his free time with Leah anyway. She was far more beautiful than the plastic looking girls with caked-on makeup, empty smiles, and vacant expressions. And if he treated her like the men in those videos treated the women, the best possible result would be that she laughed at him, and the worse, that he hurt her.
And he'd kill himself before he hurt her.
Of course, the only time he had done that before, it had been by driving her away and abandoning her. So even though a part of him was scared to see her that night, there was no way he'd stay away. Or that was his justification for sneaking out, anyway, because his overwhelming horniness didn't seem like a very good reason.
The air was misty, but no rain fell. Heavy cloud cover blocked the moon from lighting his path, but he suspected he could find his way to her deaf and blind. The window was open when he arrived, and he silently ascended the trellis and climbed in.
She was seated with her legs bent and her arms wrapped around her knees, staring at him with the big, lovely eyes that entranced him. She wore a simple purple cotton tank top and matching plaid shorts. Her hair fell loosely around her shoulders. Her fingernails were pink and her toenails were blue. She looked just like she always did, and somehow she managed to be more tempting than she had ever been.
Sam knelt on the bed, his knees pressing against her toes, and he tried to think of something to say. All he could think of was that she wasn't wearing a bra, but he couldn't say that out loud. Should he ask her how she had been since he saw her last? No, it had only been a couple hours. Should he tell her how beautiful she was? He felt silly doing that, not because it wasn't true, but because it seemed inadequate. Should he ask if he could kiss her? But he never really did that. They usually just came together like magnets. Should he ask if he could touch her again? He wanted to, but it seemed too forward.
Leah didn't wait for him to figure out what he was doing. She unfolded herself and knelt up toward him. Oh good. Now she was close enough to kiss. That he knew how to do. He reached out to tangle his hand in her hair, cupping the back of her skull, leaned down, and gently pressed his lips to hers. His brain turned off and his instincts took over. He kissed her over and over and over. He gripped her firmly, wanting only to be closer. He gently nipped at her lips with his teeth before soothing them with his tongue, trailed butterfly kisses along her jaw, and nuzzled her nose with his.
He didn't know how long he kissed her, but slowly and inevitably, his hand moved down from her shoulder, along her scapula, and down her flank, finally resting against her waist. She wound her arms around him as well, and the action tugged her top up, exposing the slightest hint of skin. Instead of carefully lifting his hand away as he usually did, he let his fingers trail against her sensitive flesh.
She hummed softly and arched her back, and he sank his fingers in deeper. He loved how she moved against him. There was nothing affected or false about any of her actions toward him, not as part of her friendship nor in the way her body responded to his. As he kissed her, he slid his hand up and down her spine, discovering that a light touch there made her squirm against him. He loved it, and he wondered dimly how sensitive the rest of her body was. But the thought was overwhelmed by the sensations rocketing through his groin, because every time she shifted against him, she rubbed against his erection. For the first time, he wasn't trying to protect her from it.
Eventually she dropped her head down, breathing heavily against his neck. She whispered, "Sammy," in a needy little voice that he had never heard before. It made him even harder than he already was, and he realized with shock that she felt him against her and wasn't pulling away.
Brokenly he whispered, "LeeLee," into her hair.
She kissed his neck, took a shaky breath and said quietly, "Please."
Sam thought he must be dreaming. It couldn't be possible. Was she actually begging him to touch her? It couldn't be. It was too good to be true, not to mention the most erotic thing he had ever heard. Luckily, his hands weren't waiting for his brain to catch up. If they had, she might have pulled away in embarrassment. Instead, he found himself slipping his hand down her back, lightly brushing around her waist, and resting against her abdomen. He stilled, his heart slamming against his chest in an uneven rhythm, until he felt her nod.
He drew her up for a passionate kiss. And when it ended, he rested his forehead against hers and cupped her in his palm. They both stopped breathing.
Her bare breast was the softest, warmest, most amazing thing he had ever touched. Without thinking, he squeezed gently, and a puff of her breath touched his lips. She didn't seem to be in pain, so he sank his fingers in farther, making her gasp. "Oh god, I'm sorry!" He immediately let go and hastily removed his hand from her shirt, trying to scoot back.
"No, no. You didn't hurt me," she whispered. Then she did the best possible thing. She grabbed his hand and brought it back up her shirt and held his hand to her chest. "It's just sensitive. In a good way. Please don't stop."
He gaped at her and tentatively began to caress her skin and knead her firm flesh. As much as he loved kissing her, there was no way he was leaning back in again, because this way he could see her. Her breath came in shallow little pants, and her pink tongue kept darting out to lick her full lips. Her eyes were locked on his, and her expression was a combination of surprise and what he hoped was arousal. Her midriff was bare to his eyes and her slim thighs were trembling slightly. She was beautiful.
But he wanted very badly to see more. He ran his fingers lightly over her nipple, and he groaned softly when he felt it pebbling under his touch. He stared at the other one, the one he was neglecting, and the outline was prominent against her thin shirt. "Can I..."
She knew exactly what he wanted, because she always did. She nodded wordlessly, and together they removed her shirt. Then he had to let go of her so he could look at her. His mouth went dry. He wanted to tell her something eloquent about being the most exquisitely gorgeous creature he had ever seen, about how she was absolutely perfect, but even those words weren't enough, and his brain had frozen. All he could do was mumble her name.
When the moment had gone on too long and she started to look nervous, he reached out with both hands and gently touched both breasts. She arched under his fingers, so he ran them down until his palms cupped their weight, leaving his thumbs in the perfect position to brush over her nipples. She actually dropped her head back and gasped, and he felt his erection throbbing between his legs. He took the hint and pinched her nipples gently, and she actually moaned.
He felt like a god, and his lust took over. He leaned over her, and she moved back in response. Soon he was lying over her with his hands on her body. He kissed her lips but was only able to revel in her sweetness for a few seconds. His need to taste her newly exposed skin was too great. He kissed his way down her neck, along her clavicle, and paused just underneath it.
"Yes." She gave him permission and buried her hands in his hair, clutching him to her. He couldn't resist any longer. He felt impossible softness against his lips as he moved down, and then he kissed the very tip of her breast. She pressed against him even more firmly, and he opened his mouth to her. At the touch of his tongue, she moaned loudly, and he thought he would come from the sound alone.
But then a door opened in the hallway, and a squeak sounded from the floorboards outside. Leah froze, but Sam panicked. He grabbed her shirt and thrust it into her hands. "They're gonna kill me!" he mouthed silently.
She nodded hastily as she sat up and yanked her shirt over her head. By the time she straightened it out, Sam was practically falling off the roof.
He didn't even make it back to his room. His arousal was too great, the ache incessant and demanding. As soon as he was certain he was out of sight of any houses, he leaned against a tree and gave in to his body's needs.
X-x-x-x-X
After his intense encounter with Leah, Sam wasn't able to think straight, let alone have coherent conversations. He had thought that getting to the next level with her would have alleviated some of his frustrations. Instead he couldn't focus on anything other than the next time he could be alone with her and what they might do. Would he get to touch her again? Would she grant him access to any other forbidden parts of her? And most importantly of all, would she want to touch him?
He had no idea, but he couldn't stop thinking about it. But he was despondent when he realized he wouldn't find out anytime soon. Sue had, in fact, knocked and entered Leah's room only seconds after he fled, and she had given what Leah described as a deeply embarrassing lecture about the dangers of teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted illnesses (complete with horrifying pictures that she pulled up on her laptop), broken bones and gunshot wounds (the latter of which would be inflicted by Harry upon Sam), and the differences between love and lust. Leah had apparently protested adamantly against the thought that Sam was only dating her because of his hormones, and Sam was heartened to know that Sue even agreed. But she also said that both Leah and Sam were level-headed and intelligent kids, and the fact that he was sneaking into her room against the rules and getting "noisily" carried away while Harry, Sue, and Seth were only feet away was a clear indication of a lapse in their judgement. She even asked if Sam had brought condoms with him or if Leah had any with her, and how far would they have gone if she hadn't interrupted them? When Leah had no answer, she said that that meant they weren't ready to have sex yet. Three days later, she took Leah to get the birth control shot, explaining that in no way was she giving her fifteen-year-old daughter permission to have sex.
Leah wasn't grounded, although Sam was for a week after Sue called Allison to tell her what was going on. But Leah's punishment was infinitely worse. Instead of telling her that she couldn't see her boyfriend or taking away her television privileges or not letting her talk on the phone with her friends, Sue made Leah watch a natural birthing video produced in 1983 every night before she went to bed. Leah got nightmares after every viewing. Sue explained that Sam was welcome to come over whenever he pleased, night or day, provided he had his mother's permission, but that he had to use not only the front door but the doorbell as well. Worst of all, anytime they were caught sneaking around, they would have to watch the video together.
Allison and Harry both declared that Sue was a genius, and Sam didn't get another chance to touch her the way he wanted to for weeks, although what really killed him was not being able to see or talk to her while he was grounded. He hadn't gone that long since she had gone to Emily's for three months in junior high, and he hated it. The week dragged by slowly. He kept busy during the day between his two jobs, but the late afternoons and evenings were boring at best. Even when he headed to Bobby's house, he couldn't help but think he'd rather be at Leah's, or at least have her there by his side. It didn't help that Johnny was off with Rachel somewhere most of the time, leaving Bobby to harass him about being pathetic.
The day his sentence was lifted he ran straight to her house first thing in the morning instead of getting his usual early start on landscaping before the heat of the day set in. He knocked and flung the door open simultaneously, immediately making a beeline for her where she stood in front of the stove making pancakes. He barely registered Seth and Collin at the kitchen table munching on fruit salad, but Harry and Sue were already gone for the day. So he spun her toward him, grabbed her by the waist, and kissed her deeply. He made it especially wet for Collin's benefit.
Dimly he heard Seth protesting, "Gross! We're trying to eat here!"
That wouldn't have stopped him, not after being deprived of her for so long, but she started giggling, which made it kind of difficult to keep kissing her lips. So he buried his head in her neck and kissed her there instead. "That tickles!" She giggled even harder and squirmed before finally shoving him away. He took a seat next to Collin, who was glowering at him. He couldn't stop himself from smirking at the boy.
Leah turned back to the stove, grabbing a bag out of the pantry as she did so. A few minutes later she set chocolate chip pancakes in front of each of them. She even dusted each stack with powdered sugar and topped them off with whipped cream. Seth crowed about the treat, wondering what the special occasion was. She said it was nothing, but Sam knew from the little dimple in her cheek and the way she was looking at him that it was for him.
He left that morning on a bit of a high. He told himself it was a sugar high, but it was really a LeeLee high.
X-x-x-x-X
A/N: As always, thanks to my amazing beta, Babs81410.