Enjoy!
Chapter Six
Mercedes looked at the grand table sitting right in the center of the room, large and grand and inviting. Except, not inviting in the way most would think, no there was food along the table but right in the center there was nothing. An empty spot big enough for a person surrounded by different decadent foods and desserts. So many different smells that she understood now, why he didn't want her to wear any perfume.
She turned looking at him incredulously. "You must be shitting me?"
Sam smirked. "I think even after time apart you remember what I told you… I'm the perfect gentleman, until I'm not."
Her eyes flickered momentarily at the memory of him buried inside of her. "Th-that does not mean we're about to have sex. Look, I get that you may still be pissed about how everything went down the last time we saw each other but this is my career. I've worked hard to remain a certain w-way… what are you doing?" She asked when started backing her up towards the table.
"I'm hungry and if you're going to give long speeches, I want to at least fill my stomach." He replied.
"Sam, I'm not here to have sex with you!" She said growing frustrated.
He tilted his head then let out a deep laugh. "I'm not having sex with you either, they haven't brought out the main course."
"So…so what's all this then? Sam you are just.." She exhaled, shaking her head.
Sam reached behind her and grabbed a grape. Popping it in his mouth he smiled. "Mmm, these are good. Taste one." He reached and grabbed another as he put the grape to her lips. "Open."
Mercedes hesitated as she opened her lips and accepted the grape as she stared at him. She bit down as juice ran down her lips.
"Oh let me get that." Sam said.
Mercedes stared at him while he moved closer to her, she held her breath as she waited for his lips. But blinked back when he lifted a napkin and wiped the juice from her lips.
"There, all cleaned up." He smiled, moving to the chair.
"Right… shall we?" She asked, masking her agitation. "I know you have a lot riding on this if you agree to do it but I just ask that you hear me out before telling me no."
Sam shrugged as he pulled out a chair for her. "We shall." After she sat down, he sat down next to her, reaching over he grabbed a strawberry and took a bite, running his tongue over his lips taking in the sweet nectar. "Okay, tell me why you want my help. And make it good." He said taking another bite.
Mercedes watched his tongue run along his lips before shaking her head. "No, I'm not doing this… you're trying to cloud my judgment and it's cute but I know you wouldn't act like this in a real business meeting which means you don't take me or this seriously." She said, standing. "Forget I asked."
Sam sat back listening to her and shrugged as she spoke. "Okay, so are we done here? Because like I said I am starving."
She looked at him dumbfounded. "Yes, Samuel we are done. Eat your fucking dinner!" She spat storming off. "TELL THAT CREEPY DRIVER OF YOURS I'M READY!"
"Fine." Sam said as he reached for an apple slice. "He will be here shortly."
She looked at him, slowly nodding. "Well, thanks? I guess"
"You seem rather upset about something, you are the one who wanted to meet, I am here, willing to hear you out but I guess you don't need me after all. So you can sit outside and wait or you can sit down and enjoy dinner. Your choice. Not mine."
She frowned, storming over to him. She invaded his personal space, poking her finger into his chest. "You really are an asshole! What did I really do to you to make you act like this? You need to have this energy with your damn mother!" She spat.
Sam laughed, shaking his head, grabbing her hand to stop her. "That hurts and if you want to have a conversation, dinner is ready and we sit like adults."
Mercedes let out a laugh. "See… that's not how this goes. You wanted me to come in here and just play your game and now you want to be civil?." She asked.
"Mercedes." Sam clipped. "You either want to do this or not."
She narrowed her eyes on him, cursing under her breath because she really needed him to say yes. "Fine, but if you try any more of that Jedi mind trick shit again, I'm telling the world you like having a finger in your ass." She threatened.
Sam tried to hide his laugh but failed. "It amazes me that your mouth hasn't gotten you into any trouble yet, especially with you being in the limelight now.."
Sighing, she sat in the chair he pulled out for her. "Didn't take you for someone that kept up with the RnB world."
Smirking, he sat across from her. "So quick to assume I'm just a country boy with his head buried in the sand."
Mercedes turned towards him. "What else do you know then?"
"Your first single is charting better than your label expected and your manager is a bulldog." He answered. "If you want to keep the buzz around music and not your personal life then this thing between us has to be done perfectly."
Mercedes could admit he surprised her, but she shouldn't have been. "So is this your way of saying you will help me?"
Sam frowned. "This is a major mistake and it will probably end even worse than before but I will help."
She nodded. "I agree but it's the least you can do considering how things ended before." She sighed. "Look, we just need a few photos, been seen together once or twice and then we can break up."
He shook his head. "No."
"No? What do you mean no?"
"I mean, if we're doing this we're doing it my way and it's not like that." He responded. "Oh and I was serious about us sleeping together."
"What do you mean your way? And what do you mean sleeping together? We aren't doing that!" Mercedes asked, shaking her head.
Sam flashed her a bored look. "You and I will be sleeping together. I have a few business trips out of state but you can come along."
"Sam, that's not how this is supposed to go. Yes, sex with you is…was…good but no more. This is strictly professional. And I never agreed to travel with you. We can just take photos, say we did and leave it at that."
"Either we do it my way or we don't do it at all."
"And your way is trips and sex?"
Chuckling, he shrugged. "Why not just wait to find out what my way is? Wouldn't it look better if toy genuinely didn't know?"
Mercedes closed her eyes, she knew she didn't have a choice, Sam had her between a rock and a hard place, and he knew it. "Fine." She said through gritted teeth. "Fine, we will do this…your way."
"Good. How long are you in New York?" He asked, grabbing his phone. "I will need to know the dates of your events and see if I can move a few things around to accommodate."
She sat back with a deep sigh. "A few more weeks then I am back in the studio. And I have this Gala thing."
"Gala?" He asked. "What kind of Gala?"
Mercedes reached for a strawberry, looking away from him. "Its a charity Gala for my label."
He looked at her, seeing that she really needed him to say yes. "And they're requiring you to have a date." He assumed.
"They weren't, until they saw that damn photo." She muttered, chewing on the strawberry.
"When is it?"
Mercedes looked at Sam. "Six weeks."
"Then that's our timeline." He said. "I have a dinner that I can't get out of but Wednesday, be ready with a light bag."
"A light bag?" She asked, confused.
He smiled, standing and walking over to her. "Yes, a light bag and make sure your manager knows you won't have access to you phone for three days."
"What in the world are you planning Evans?" She said side eyeing him.
Sam leaned down, smirking. "You'll know when it's time to know. Now can we stop pretending that we don't want to kiss each other?"
"Who's pretending? I don't want to kiss you."
He ran his thumb along her bottom lip. "You can lie to anyone but with me, don't."
Damn him. She thought as his thumb ran over her bottom lip. Her tongue darted out, tracing his thumb before she turned her head away. "It doesn't matter, this is just ridiculous anyways."
Sam turned her head so that she was looking at him. "Kiss me, Mercedes."
She wanted to say no, but the way he looked at her, her body craved him, missed him. Against her better judgment, she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.
He pulled her up, kissing her deeper, fighting the urge to move her towards the table. He had to build her back up to the idea of sex but his body was hungry.
"Stay tonight." He said in between kisses.
She sighed, shaking her head. "No. I can't just… it wouldn't look right." She muttered between kisses.
Sam ran his hands along her back, moving his lips to her neck and kissing her. "Wouldn't it though? You leaving your so called boyfriend's place while visiting New York?"
Mercedes closed her eyes, enjoying the way his lips felt on her. "Mmmm that sends a specific message."
Sam nibbled along her neck and down her shoulder. "What kind of message is that?"
"That we are having sex." She said licking her lips as she looked at him.
He looked back at her, biting his bottom lip. "Is that the real issue?" He asked.
"Sam…" She shook her head. "No sex. This can't involve sex, we tried that before, it gets too messy."
Sam listened to her before nodding and stepping away. "I can respect that, I don't want to but I will."
"Thank you, besides, I wouldn't want to take time away from whoever has been keeping your bed warm for the last year." She said fixing her dress.
He flashed his eyes on her before smirking. "Would you like to see it? My bed I mean."
Mercedes couldn't help but laugh. "No, thank you."
"Maybe next time, come on. Don't want you leaving here at an unreasonable hour." He said, guiding her out of the dining room.
Mercedes followed him with a soft smile. "So I will see you Wednesday with my…light bag whatever that means?"
He nodded. "Dress down, no need for anything fancy." He replied, grabbing his keys and leading them to his car. He opened the passenger side for her with a smile.
"Ooo so I can slip on my booty shorts then?" She teased, stopping when he opened the door. "You're taking me home?"
He leaned in. "I would love to see you in your booty shorts and yes, are you surprised?"
"I bet you would." She stepped into the car and nodded. "I am, you sent a car to pick me up, so I figured you would do the same to take me home."
Sam closed the door, walked over to the driver side and got in. "My house is the only place I can breathe and I wasn't sure any of your new fans would follow." He answered honestly. "A lot happened after you left that night."
Mercedes chewed her bottom lip. "Yeah, alot happened for me too. Its really good to see you are doing well though Sam."
He pulled out of his driveway, sighing. "Wanna talk about it?"
She looked over to him. "Do you?"
"Not really, but if it makes you feel better my mother still hates you." He said with a light chuckle.
Mercedes laughed shaking her head. "Glad to know I made a lasting impression."
He looked over at her. "More than you know."
"What does that mean?"
Sam's jaw clenched before he looked back at the road. "So this gala, I'm assuming a donation will need to be made too?" He asked, changing the subject. "I'm willing to donate, well my company is willing to donate if it's required."
Mercedes looked at him for a few beats before looking back out to the road. "You don't have too, but it will be appreciated, its for the kids, and any cause to help children is a good one."
"I agree and I think you should use that talent of yours for an organization I've partnered with back in Tennessee."
Her ears perked up at his words. "What organization is that?"
He smiled. "It's for teenagers who are disadvantaged but are musically inclined. I've donated instruments and volunteered my time but I think if I could get you to make an appearance it'll really inspire them to chase their dreams."
Listening to him, Mercedes could feel how important it was to him, and she felt it was too. Music, it saved her in ways she didn't even realize until she was older. It was her outlet, so giving teens that kind of peace was important. "I'd be honored Sam. Truly."
He gently placed his hand on her leg and squeezed. "Thank you. I may have connections in literally everything but usually when I ask someone to do this, they expect something in return. This is the only organization that I donate from my personal income from and it means a lot to me. So thank you."
Mercedes reached down to his hand, lacing her fingers with him, as if it were the most natural thing to do. "For something as important as this, I will do everything I can to help. No need to give me anything in return."
Sam pulled up to her parent's house and parked. "Wednesday- just have an open mind for what I have planned for, okay?" He said, turning to face her.
"I can promise to have an open mind, just don't do anything crazy." She said softly.
Chuckling, he shot her an amused look. "Coming from the woman that flashed me and then had sex with me outside, I feel like your version of crazy and mine are two completely different things."
Mercedes blushed as he spoke. "You enjoyed yourself…" She smiled at him. "I'll be ready for whatever you have planned, Sam."
"Good." He said, smiling back at her before unbuckling and getting out. He walked over to her side and opened the door for her. "Your dad isn't going to open the door and yell at me for getting you home so late is it?" He teased.
As he opened the door she smiled. "Maybe, if you hear the shotgun cock, run." She teased back.
Sam grabbed her hand, walking her up the steps before pulling her into him. "Well I better do this quick then." He said leaning in and kissing her passionately.
"Do wh-" Her words were cut off by his lips. She smiled into the kiss, stepping closer to him, and kissing him back.
Trisha stared out the window of her dark sedan shaking her head. "I swear some girls have all the luck. It wasn't bad enough that she is actually getting famous, she had to land a man who looks like that?"
Raina rolled her eyes. "Just take the picture, I bet we can get five grand easily for it."
"Ten if we play our cards right." Trisha corrected as she took a few photos of Sam and Mercedes making out. "Damn can he let her up for air?"
"Okay, that's enough lets go before they see us." Raina said looking around the area.
Trisha took a few more shots before putting her phone down and driving off. "That will teach her to try and get one over on us. Now let's sell these to the highest bidder."
Damn cousins... can't trust them! Next chapter will be realllllllly fun!