I Just Want You to Know Who I Am | shiver fanfic

Chapter Fifteen

*Sam*

I try to control my trembling hands as I go down the stairs to the basement, willing my mind to calm down. My body buzzes with the presence of Grace, knowing she is right behind me. It doesn't seem real. To top off this utterly unrealistic scenerio, I am welcoming her into Beck's basement to talk to her about us.

Craziness.

I reach the bottom of the staircase, and glance over my shoulder to see if Grace is still following me, even though I aready know she is. Her gaze flashes to mine, and a small smile creeps onto her lips, making my heart to a flip-flop. I rack my brain for lyrics to explain what I'm feeling right now, but I fall short. I don't think words could accurately describe the excitement and other emotions I'm feeling in this moment.

I stand in the middle of the room, my hands shoved into my jeans pockets, my eyes absently scanning the spines of the books on Beck's immense bookshelf, as if I haven't done it a million times before. Grace hovers near the recliner chair, running a hand through her blonde hair.

"Did you know?" she asks after a long silence.

I turn and look at her. "Know what?"

"That it was me."

She needn't explain any further. She's talking about me being a wolf, whether I know if she is Grace when I'm wolf, how I knew as soon as I saw her when she stopped to see me losing control on the side of the road.

"Yes, I knew as soon as I saw your face." I admit, feeling a slight blush flood my cheeks. Hopefully she doesn't think I'm a complete stalker, even though she has every reason to.

Grace's eyes fall downcast momentarily before she takes a ginger step forward, her converse sneaker rubbing against the burgundy carpet as she approaches me, one small step at a time. Soon enough, we are standing close enough so I can see each fleck in her eyes, see her chest rise and fall as she breathes, smell her sweet scent. I wonder if her heart is beating as fast as mine.

"You saved me." she murmurs, her lips barely moving as she looks up at me in an unbearably cute way through her eyelashes.

My voice shakes a little as I say "I did." And then I add before I can change my mind: "and I don't regret it a single bit."

Grace smiles again, taking another step towards me, tilting her chin slightly to look at me. "I don't regret it either." she whispers, humor dancing in her eyes. I fight the urge to cup a hand around her face.

Although we're only just now talking, I know without a doubt I like this girl.

Her voice, her smile, her hair, her personality, her everything. It's inevitable that I will fall head over heels for this girl in a matter of one conversation.

Oh, who am I kidding? I already am.

I've seen her, fallen in love with her, while trapped in my lupine skin. And I know it's not in vein, the feelings are real. However, they may not be mutual.

"Grace." I say, unsure of why exactly I say it or what words were supposed to come after it.

"Sam." she breathes, and I take her face in my left hand and kiss her.

It's brief but sweet, my body electric with her touch. Even when I pull away, my lips and body tingle with the memory of what I felt like. I keep my hand resting on the side of her warm cheek, and her hand stays on my hip. She bites her lip to hide a smile.

"So forward, aren't we Sam?" she teases, and I laugh, relieved that she doesn't think I'm weird, or creepy, or some combination of the two.

"I'm sorry, I just..I just felt like I had to." I say, feeling the flush in my face intensify.

Grace's hand caresses my face, runs over my eyelashes, her eyes locked on mine. "I always looked for your eyes," she says, half to herself. "I always waited for you to appear."

"I know. I waited for you, too."

"And here you are." Grace's voice is faraway, like she still can't believe it. I still can't believe it, either. I'm half expecting to wake up at any moment.

This time Grace presses her lips to mine, more confident than I was. I welcome her, resting my hands on either side of her waist, hers locking around my neck.

I am breathless when she pulls away, not because it lasted long, but because it's her. Grace. My lovely summer girl.

Here in my arms.