A Summer Thing

27 - Callie

Sam smiled at me when I arrived. I felt the need to give him an explanation for my return. "I want to spend time with you even if I'm not ready to, you know."

He nodded and squeezed my hand. I instantly felt a connection. "Beach?"

I set to work helping to get the kids ready. As we walked, I imagined we were a family. It was silly, but I wanted to pretend.

Sam was probably looking for a summer fling with a younger woman. I knew from Wikipedia he was thirty-one and I wasn't even twenty-five.

He shed his shirt, and I imagined running my hands over his tanned skin. It was smooth with just enough hair to look sexy. Parker had more, but he had it waxed off regularly. I hated when it started to grow back and was course.

Why must I always circle back to Parker? Why can't I forget him? I did when Sam smiled at me before he went down for his swim. The tide was almost high, so it forced us to dig in the drier sand. Ian was tired and sat on my lap, rubbing my arm. I had grown used to his little touch.

When Sam came out of the water, he was dripping wet including from his beard. I had never kissed a man with a beard and mustache until that afternoon. I liked it more than I thought I might. He didn't always have it. On some book jackets, I noticed he was cleanly shaven. It was nice to know his facial hair was not hiding anything but a beautiful face.

"He's tired." Sam dried off with a towel. I nodded while mesmerized watching him wipe the water droplets off his skin.

When Sam sat next to me, Ian dove on to his lap. Sam held him against his chest as if they fit together like two puzzle pieces. Could it be that we could fit together just as perfect? When Clara started whining, it was time to go.

Sam showered in one bathroom while I bathed the children in the other. He appeared wearing comfortable sports shorts and reeking of a clean soapy scent.

I felt dizzy by him especially when he kneeled next to me to pull a tired, fussy boy from the tub.

"Clara playtime is over. Let Callie wash your hair then it's story time."

He was gentle but firm. Smiling, I thought, Jim was much the same. I was getting closer to Jim with each day and affectionately thought of him as a gentle grizzly. I was also beginning to think my mother might have a little crush on him. It was cute, but I knew she would never act on it. She was perpetually single.

Once we had tucked in both little ones, Sam offered me a beer. I hadn't drunk beer since high school. I was a bad girl back then. I never did drugs, but I drank. I always had a boyfriend, and I wasn't a virgin when I marched to Pomp And Circumstance at graduation.

I drank the cold liquid from the bottle and felt young again. Sam stood next to me not quite touching. He took a long pull on his beer. "What did you want to do?"

"I want to kiss you again."

He took my bottle and put it on the kitchen counter behind us. He gently caressed my cheek. "You are beautiful."

I looked down, avoiding his gaze, because I didn't feel beautiful. Parker had reminded me I had many flaws. Sam gently lifted my chin, so I had to look at him. "Don't doubt it, because you are. Forget the messed up lies he told you."

His lips found mine, and I inhaled his scent. He tasted of beer, as I imagined that I did. His lips moved off mine and traveled down my jaw and neck. He fanned his hands on my back. They felt as if they covered my entire back. I liked how it made me feel small.

He nibbled around my ear and suddenly I started laughing. He stopped and looked at me. "What?"

"You know I've read all your books and well, I was wondering if this was a scene in a book. Which characters are we?"

He looked at me and smirked. Then his face looked serious as he led me to the sofa. He held my hand, as he thought.

"We are Sam and Callie. Callie is a beautiful girl who chose the wrong boy and paid a steep price. Children love her. Sam is a man who was hurt in a different way. He loves his children but gets lonely. He is also too old for Callie."

"No." I put my hand on his chest. "You aren't too old for me."

Before he could protest further, I began sucking on his lower lip. His tongue pushed my lips apart, and we devoured one another. His hands began touching and my body was alive and humming. I felt an ache down below that I couldn't differentiate between pleasure or pain. I pulled away.

"What? Too fast?" His voice was like a caress.

I looked down, not able to answer. Finally, I found words. "He hurt me. I've healed physically, but I'm afraid."

I saw his fist tighten, then relax. His face was washed with emotion. "I would never hurt you. I want you to feel safe with me. Come on, just let me hold you."

I leaned into him and his arm went around me. He felt safe. It was just a matter of time before I would trust him.

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