Hey guys, I'm trying to update at a faster clip so here's the next chapter. For those of you wondering about "A Night To Remember" I am currently in the middle of writing the next chapter. My plan was to post it today but unfortunately, I fell behind. I will try my best to have it up by Thursday, Friday at the latest. I'm sorry for the extreme delay. As usual, for anyone out there who is still reading my work. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! XOXO
Chapter Twenty Six
Naomi answered the door as soon as she heard the doorbell ring. Sam was standing on the doorstep with a sleeping Isaiah draped over his shoulder. "Where have you been? Do you know how late it is" she demanded. It was Sunday night and she'd been waiting for over three hours for Sam to bring her son home.
"I'm sorry" Sam said as he walked through the door and closed it behind him. "Before she left to go back to Spain, Maya kept telling me how much Isaiah would enjoy the San Diego Zoo. So, I decided to do a little day trip down there today. Coming back, there was a huge accident on the interstate. We got stuck in traffic".
"Why didn't you call"?
"My phone stopped working. Isaiah accidentally dropped it in a water fountain. I'm hoping it will dry out. If not, I'm going to have to get a new phone".
"Why didn't you try to find a pay phone"?
How many questions was this woman going to ask him? Sam took a deep breath and tried to not let his frustration show. "Naomi, we were stuck on the interstate. The accident had all lanes blocked. Isaiah and I literally didn't move for over two hours".
He just had an excuse for everything, didn't he? "Fine, whatever" Naomi mumbled under her breath. "Well, I'm sure you want to get home. I'll go ahead and take Isaiah off your hands". She started to reach for her son, but Sam stopped her.
Sam studied his ex-wife. She was clad in tight black yoga pants with a matching sporty black tank. If she had just finished exercising, why was she in such a sour mood? Wasn't a good workout supposed to give you endorphins, make you feel happy? "I got him Naomi. I don't mind putting him to bed. As a matter of fact, I insist".
"Fine Sam, fine" she huffed, and walked away abruptly.
Sam immediately wanted to follow her but he had a sleeping baby in his arms that he didn't want to wake. Fighting the impulse, he decided to let it go. "Alright Zay" he whispered. "Let's get you to bed".
…
Coming down the stairs a few moments later, Sam considered leaving without saying goodbye to Naomi. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't say why, but it was important to him that they not end the day or any day on bad terms. Walking into the kitchen, where she was washing dishes, Sam called his ex-wife's name. "Naomi".
"Yes" she answered tersely, not even bothering to look up.
An apology for his tardiness was on the tip of his tongue, but Naomi's blatant disregard for him sent Sam's frustration with her to the boiling point. "What the hell is your problem" he shouted.
Naomi finally looked up. "Excuse me"?!
"I'm trying Naomi. I'm trying to be civil and keep the lines of communication open, but you're making it hard for no damn reason".
"Communicating would involve you calling me and telling me you're going to be late" Naomi shot back.
"I told you why I didn't call" Sam retorted. "And with the exception of today, when have I ever given you a reason to worry?
"You haven't but all it takes is one incident for something to happen. Sam, I had no idea where you and Isaiah were. I was five minutes away from calling every hospital in the city".
Sam blew out an exasperated breath. "Look, I'm sorry you were worried but that's bullshit and you know it. Ever since New Year's, you been using any excuse to pick a fight with me. What the hell happened? Thanksgiving went great, Isaiah loved his birthday and Christmas, and we even enjoyed the beginning of a new year together. I thought we were finally getting along. I thought were finally becoming…"
"Friends" Naomi guessed, cutting him off. "You've got a really short memory Sam. We're not friends, remember? We're just parents. We made a deal to spend the holidays together for our son. Last time I checked, the holiday season was over which means we were supposed to go back to regularly scheduled programming. And in case you don't know what the means, it means that you live your life and I live mine. Isaiah is our only mutual endeavor".
"And why can't we be friends" Sam demanded. "You can't tell me that you only enjoyed the holidays because of Isaiah. We enjoyed each other's company. How can you just flip the off switch on our relationship and push me away so easily? Why do you have to be so stubborn? Naomi, I tried to respect your wishes, give you space; especially when you were considering leaving the practice. But you stayed Naomi, you stayed. So if you can give the practice another chance, why can't you give us another chance? I know it won't be easy, we've both made mistakes, but why can't we even try"?
"Sam" Naomi shouted. "I'm not your wife. I'm not your girlfriend. Why is a friendship between us so important? Why do you insist on leaning on my shoulder"?
"Why is it so important to you that we don't have a friendship? You've never given a good explanation".
"I don't need to give any explanation except I don't want to be your friend". Naomi had to get out the kitchen, had to get away from Sam before she exploded. Abandoning the dishes, she went to the bottom of the stairs where she'd left a basket of laundry.
"Naomi, don't walk away from me. We're going to finish this conversation. I'm tired of having all these unresolved issues between us".
"That sounds like your problem Sam. There's nothing between us that I need resolving".
"Well, if you would just explain why we're not friends, I wouldn't have a problem either".
Naomi laughed bitterly as she picked up the laundry basket. "You know Sam; we don't always get answers to the questions we have. Lord knows I haven't".
"Like what"?
"Gee, I don't know. Like, why did you choose Addison? Out of all the women in the greater Los Angeles area, why did you start dating my best friend"?
"Naomi…" Sam stuttered, completely stunned by the question.
"No, I take that back. I know the answer to that question. You've been in love with her since medical school. The question I really want to ask is why did you date me? Why did you marry me? Why didn't you respect me enough to at least let me know upfront that I was your second choice"?
"STOP NAOMI" Sam yelled so loudly, Naomi instantly closed her mouth. She dropped the laundry basket in astonishment. Walking toward her until he invaded her private space, he said in a low voice "I don't know how many times I have to tell you that it isn't true. Yes, I asked Addison out first, but I fell in love with you. You were not my second choice; you weren't even my first choice. You were my only choice. I dated you because I wanted you. I married you because I loved you".
Naomi refused to let Sam's words move her, refused to believe his lie. "Then back to my original question. Why her"?
Sam sighed and rubbed his bald head, feeling lost. Why had he started dating Addison? For the life of him he couldn't think of a reason. "I don't know Naomi, it just happened. Why don't you tell me? You dated my friends. Why them" he asked, flipping the question back on her in frustration.
"Dated" Naomi emphasized, holding back angry tears at his nerve. "Some dinner, maybe a couple of movies; I never fell in love with them, moved in with them, and contemplated having a child with them. Hell, I never even slept with them". Naomi's hands clenched at her sides.
Sam took a step back in shock. "You didn't"?
"No Sam, I didn't". Naomi turned her back on him and picked the laundry basket back up. What kind of woman did he think she was? And why did she feel the need to explain herself? She didn't nor had she ever dropped her pants for just any man. Too hurt to look at him again, she added over her shoulder, "Despite the lack of communication, I'm truly appreciative of you getting Isaiah safely home as usual. Thank you. Have a nice night Sam". Making her way to the laundry room, Naomi automatically assumed that Sam would leave; they had nothing left to talk about and she had effectively ended the conversation. He surprised her and followed her.
"Naomi, don't shut down on me. I'm sorry I jumped to the wrong conclusion. I just assumed…"
Naomi whirled around on him with lightening speed. "Assumed what? That I was some slut who couldn't keep her legs closed? Despite my recent reputation, I'm not. I'm sick of your apologies Sam. Maybe if you would stop being such an asshole in the first place, you wouldn't have to do it so often". Her angry tears spilled onto her cheeks.
"That's not fair Naomi" Sam argued, clenching his jaw tight. "Don't go start playing the victim. I've had to forgive you for a lot over the past few years too. What was I supposed to think? All I knew is that you didn't want me. Every guy on the planet seemed like fair game to you as long as he wasn't me".
"Now who's playing the victim? It was you who didn't want me Sam; not then, not now, not ever. I was just a replacement for who you really wanted. So why don't you go bother Addison instead of harassing me. Go beg her to be the friend you're so desperately seeking. Just get down on all fours and go crawling back to her. I don't care anymore".
Sam ripped the basket from Naomi's hands and hurled it to the floor in anger; clothes spilled everywhere. Again, he pushed into Naomi's personal space, forcing her to move backwards until her back hit a wall. "How can you possibly say that to me" he demanded in a dangerously low and deceptively calm voice. "After all the times I explained how much I loved you, how can you say that to me? After I just explained myself again, how can you say that to me? The moment I signed those divorce papers, I knew I'd made a mistake. I wanted you back before the ink even dried. But you could care less; dating became a sport to you. Our marriage was barely over and you jumped into bed with Archer. Do you have any idea how tortuous it was to see him paw all over my wife? Do you" Sam yelled.
"You want to talk torture" Naomi yelled back. "Try having the man you're in love with show up at your front door long enough to knock you up and then disappear. Try remembering all of the sweet things and confessions of love he whispered in your ear when he can't remember a damn thing, nor did he mean them. Try carrying his child and knowing you can't be with him because he's too busy screwing your best friend. When you know what that feels like, get back to me. Until then, go home" Pushing hard against his chest, Naomi stepped around him and bent over to gather the strewn dirty clothes. She pretended not to feel his stares on her back as she loaded the laundry into the washer; she continued to ignore his presence as she added detergent and set the wash cycle. Why wasn't Sam moving? Why wouldn't he leave her alone and go home? Isaiah was upstairs asleep; his parental duties were done for the day. If he wanted to stand like a statue in the laundry room all night, fine. Naomi had other things to do; but as she turned to leave, Sam grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around.
A surge of guilt and anger surged through Sam simultaneously, preventing him from leaving; guilt for causing such a beautiful creature, the mother of his children, so much pain; and anger for her failure to communicate. Why hadn't she just told him how she'd felt? He'd waited for over a year after their divorce for Naomi to look up and see he still wanted her. Then again, why hadn't he spoken up? Sam silently shook his head, freeing those thoughts. That was the past; right now they needed to fix the present. Sam was not about to let his ex-wife walk away until they finished their conversation; slowly, he pulled her back to him. "Naomi…"
"Don't Sam, okay" Naomi begged, cutting him off. "I don't care what you have to say. If it's an apology, I don't want to hear it. If it's another story to prove which one of us is more wounded, I don't want to hear it. I'm sick of rehashing the past with you. I want to move on with my life, for real this time".
"I understand and I agree with you, but something has got to give Nae" Sam said softly. "We're supposed to be working on our relationship, trying to establish better communication for Isaiah's sake; but it feels like our relationship is only getting worse. We take one step forward only to take five steps back. We go from almost friends to barely civil. Every time I turn around, I'm getting slapped in the face with another one of your crazy mood swings or secrets coming out of the closet; old ones and new ones".
"You're not exactly forthcoming yourself Sam".
Sam squeezed her hand tighter. "Damnit Naomi, this isn't some competition. I'll admit I haven't always said everything that's on my mind either but that doesn't excuse you for doing the same. We're supposed to be sharing, not stockpiling more secrets. Everything shouldn't have to be a struggle. I shouldn't have to pry new information out of you or accidentally interrupt a date to know you're seeing someone. Sometimes, I wonder if I would even know about you dating Jake if I hadn't shown up unexpectedly at your house that night".
Naomi was taken off guard. "Where the hell did that come from? What does Jake have to do with this"?
"He's a prime example of you habitually keeping things from me".
"How many times do I have to tell you my personal life is none of your business?! It has nothing to do with our communication" Naomi spewed in irritation. "It's not something you have to or need to know. But since you're so nosy, Jake and I are not dating. We explored the possibility, but we decided we're better off as friends and business partners".
"I'm not stupid Naomi. I saw the disheveled clothes and messed up hair when you opened the door that night. I've seen the way you've draped yourself all over him the last few months. I've seen the way you look at him and the way he looks at you. I'd say he's more than a friend".
"Oh my God, Sam! You're the last person I fucked, okay" Naomi yelled in a burst of anger; but in the very next moment, she felt hopelessly deflated, the anger exiting her body as quickly as it had entered. She took a deep breath and looked down at the floor. "Jake and I broke up in early December. And during the course of our short relationship, I never slept with him. I couldn't go through with it". Naomi didn't know what had compelled her to reveal all that information, but now that the words were out, she couldn't take them back.
Shock followed by startling relief followed by a tingling sensation swept through Sam's nervous system. Another skeleton had fallen out of Naomi's closet; but this time, it was a secret he unexpectedly relished in. He'd been the last person she slept with. Why was he so happy at Naomi's revelation? What had prevented her from sleeping with Jake? He needed more answers. With his free hand, Sam gently touched Naomi's chin and forced her to look at him again. He saw fresh tears welling up in her eye sockets. "Why"?
"It doesn't matter". Naomi had been keeping yet another secret; this time from herself. But she couldn't ignore it anymore. The real reason she hadn't slept with Jake was because flashbacks of her illicit night with Sam had kept popping into her head. Every time Jake had kissed her or touched her, memories of Sam doing the same thing kept surfacing. Making love to Jake with her ex-husband's face streaming through her consciousness would have been unfair to him. Naomi still couldn't figure out why she had been thinking about Sam. And fear of the same thing happening had subconsciously kept Naomi from trying to sleep with Jake again.
"Yes, it does matter".
"Why, Sam? Why does my sex life suddenly mean so much to you" she demanded defiantly, blinking back her unshed tears. She was so sick of this man ruining her life.
Sam growled in frustration; had her mouth always been this smart? Yes; no woman had ever managed to get under his skin like Naomi. Why did he care so much? The answer dawned on him before the question could fully form in his head. It was simple. He wanted her. Instead of responding, Sam pushed her up against the washer. Leaning down, he captured her lips with his. God, her lips were so soft and full and perfect. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed them.
Thrown completely off guard, Naomi threw her hands up in the air, not knowing what to do. Was Sam really kissing her with that sensual mouth of his? Should she let him continue or should she push him away? Naomi's mind didn't get a chance to decide; her body took over. When Sam's hands gripped her waist and pulled her close, she melted into him with no hesitation. Her hands automatically went around his neck and pulled him closer. God, he was such a good kisser. Every part of her mouth felt stimulated by the warmth and softness of his lips; by the demanding yet gentle way he kissed her. Naomi could go on kissing Sam for hours. She could do other things with Sam for hours too. Her body sure wouldn't mind; her breasts had become achy and swollen as the friction between their pressed together bodies continually increased.
Naomi wasn't exactly sure what brought her back to her senses, but it suddenly occurred to her who she was kissing. Less than five minutes ago, they had been in the middle of a huge argument and now their faces were stuck together like they were depending on each other for oxygen. This couldn't be happening. Who the hell did Sam think he was kissing her like this? How dare he make her feel weak at the knees? She was over him; their romantic relationship was dead and buried. Unclasping her hands from his neck, she pushed away from him. Too stunned to admit her own part in their rapturous kiss, she slapped him so hard her hand stung.
"What the hell do you think you're doing" she fumed.
Sam instantly grabbed his face. He wanted to be angry with Naomi for hitting him, but the passion he felt for her had fully ignited. He didn't just want her now; he had to have her. And judging by the way Naomi had kissed him back, some part of her felt the same way. Flexing his stinging jaw muscles, he looked at her with smoldering eyes but didn't respond.
Her heart began to pound against her rib cage. The way Sam was staring at her like he was ready to devour her scared her; what scared Naomi even more was the increasing wetness she felt growing between her thighs. Her mind and her heart were racing in a thousand different directions at once. Completely overwhelmed, she was beginning to lose it. Briefly closing her eyes, Naomi forced her mind to shut down, forced her body to relax. When she opened her eyes, Sam was still consuming her with his eyes. But this time, Naomi didn't think, she just acted. Grabbing him roughly by his shirt, Naomi pulled Sam back towards her and kissed him. However, unlike the first kiss, there was no warmth or softness. This kiss was hard and fervent and tinged with a hint of desperation. The warmth had been replaced with a white-hot heat that burned their lips. A sense of urgency engulfed them. Sam began pulling down Naomi's yoga pants at the same time she began to unbuckle his belt. Within seconds, they were both naked from the waist down. Not bothering to remove the rest of their clothes, Sam wrapped one leg around his waist and thrust inside Naomi so quickly, so powerfully, she didn't have time to prepare herself.
"Aahhh" Naomi screamed out in pleasure and pain. It never ceased to amaze her how well-endowed Sam was. He stretched and filled her to the brink. Immediately he began moving in and out of her like a crazed man, not giving her time to adjust to him. Naomi was perfectly fine with that; she didn't want him to slow down. She wanted the pain, to feel every inch of him; it made the pleasure so much more enjoyable. Her body needed it. How long had it been since she'd felt a man moving inside her? Or more specifically, since he'd been her last lover, how long had it been since she'd felt Sam moving inside her? Naomi's eyes widened in shock and she gasped when Sam hit her g-spot, slammed into her so hard she thought she might break apart. It had been too long Naomi concluded; the way Sam had her body trembling right now made her feel foolish for giving up sex for almost two years. She was tumbling and falling into a blissful paradise; no, she was actually falling. Her leg was beginning to buckle beneath her. "Sam" she whimpered between moans.
Sam didn't even have to ask; he immediately grabbed her other leg and wrapped it around his body, still pushing and thrusting inside her. "Fuck Nae" he groaned loudly. Why did she have to feel so damn good? Having Isaiah hadn't affected her at all. She was still as tight as she'd ever been. Part of him wanted slow down to savor her scent, her touch, her feel, her very essence. But it had been too long since Sam had tasted her forbidden fruit to practice such restraint. With every thrust, he wanted more; he would willingly go on four hours if his body would allow it. It wouldn't. Sam's body was so over stimulated by being inside Naomi, he couldn't hold out much longer. Gripping the back of her thighs harder, he set her on top of the washer. His hands roamed further up her delectable body and grabbed her hips, pulling her closer. "Naomi" he groaned in agonizing euphoria.
Naomi looked up at him; she saw the same intense fiery battle she was fighting reflected in his eyes. They were both trying to hold onto their sanity but losing. Feeling his pain, literally and figuratively, Naomi gently touched Sam's face. Gradually, she guided it closer to hers. When their lips met, a sigh of pleasure emanated from both of them. Being that close felt so fucking good; it just felt right. Naomi could feel her heart beating out of her chest as Sam's tongue dipped and probed inside her mouth. She could also feel a familiar fire beginning to ignite and spread where their bodies were connected. As the sensations became almost unbearable, Naomi gasped out loud, inadvertently breaking the kiss.
But Sam was relentless; he continued to move in and out of her at a furious pace. Moving even closer, he kissed up Naomi's neck and trailed kisses all over face; looking deep into her eyes, he stared at Naomi intensely before finally recapturing her sensual mouth. As soon as their lips touched, a swell of emotion flooded through both of them so strongly, both of their bodies erupted in orgasm. Naomi's fingers dug into Sam's shoulders and held on for dear life. Sam grabbed Naomi's ass, buried himself in her as deep as he could go. Both of their breathing was so labored, their chests rose and fell in shallow breaths as they stared at each other.
When her body finally settled, Naomi felt like she had stepped into an alternate universe. Had she really just had sex with Sam, her ex-husband? This part of their relationship was supposed to be nonexistent. What the hell had come over her? Over them?
"Oh my God, Oh my God" Naomi cried, pushing against Sam's chest.
"What Nae? What is it" Sam asked, still trying to catch his breath.
"What do you mean, what is it? Oh my God" Naomi repeated, completely freaking out. "I can't believe we just did this".
"So what" Sam retorted. "We didn't plan it but it happened. Why does it have to be a bad thing" he asked, trying to kiss her neck.
Naomi leaned away. Of course Sam wouldn't see what the problem was. Given the opportunity, men only thought with their penises. Speaking of which, she could already feel him starting to swell again inside her. More alarmingly, she felt the urge for her body to respond. "Like you and Addison just happened" Naomi lashed out, jarring Sam enough to push him further away. As soon as he had slid completely out of her, she jumped off the washer. "As far as I'm concerned, this never happened. You know the way out" she added, rushing out of the laundry room and up the stairs.