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“Maybe next weekend. I should get going,” she said, moving to stand.
Bryce grabbed her ankle, keeping her from getting up. “Stay the night.”
“I can’t. I have a long week of rehearsals. I can’t just skip Monday after they gave us yesterday off,” she said sadly.
“I’m not saying skip rehearsal. Just leave early in the morning. If you leave tonight, neither of us will get any sleep anyway. If you stay, we’ll both feel better tomorrow,” Bryce suggested.
Samantha studied him. He was dressed in gray flannel pajama pants and a t-shirt. He hadn’t been dressed in actual clothes since he went into the office Saturday morning. His thick brown hair, which was getting quite long on top, hung over his face as he looked down at the computer. Samantha enjoyed his usual rugged construction worker look, but the just fucked look was equally appealing.
“And I’m supposed to believe that we’ll get sleep if I stay tonight?”
He looked up from his computer. “Sammy, I know you’re sore. Even if you beg, we aren’t having sex tonight.”
Of course, the thought of begging for sex sent heat straight to her core. She shifted again under his knowing gaze. She did sleep better when she was next to him. His idea sounded better the longer she thought about it.
“Okay, fine. But you have to make sure I’m up in the morning.”
Bryce placed his laptop on the end table before gripping her foot to pull her close. She squealed as she was dragged across the couch, only stopping when her hip collided with his leg.
“You’ll stay?” he asked, his eyes searching her face.
“I’ll stay,” she breathed.
His lips found hers and she immediately deepened the kiss, slipping her tongue inside his mouth. His chest vibrated against her when he groaned into the kiss.
“I meant what I said. No sex.”
“No sex. I’ll find something to fix for dinner while you finish that up. If I’m staying here, I can’t have you up working all night. I need my beauty sleep,” Samantha said with a small laugh.
An hour later, Samantha set two plates of spaghetti and meatballs on the small kitchen table. She had started the meatballs before taking a shower and packing up to leave in the morning. She even managed to make garlic bread. Bryce emerged from the bathroom as she was taking the garlic bread from the oven. He wore gray sweatpants and no shirt. His wet hair dripped down his shoulders and back.
“Hungry?” she asked, ignoring her dry mouth.
“Very.”
“So,” she began once they had started on their food. “Would it be easier if I came here next weekend? If the drive isn’t terrible tomorrow morning, I don’t mind coming Saturday evening and then leaving early Monday.”
“I won’t ask you to do that. If I’m caught up on work, I’m more than okay making the drive to see you. Where did you get garlic bread?”
“I made it,” she answered quickly. “Don’t change the subject. I know you don’t mind the drive, but my work is done once rehearsal ends. It makes more sense for me to come here. That way you don’t lose six hours that you may need for work. Unless you don’t want to see me next week, which is fine too.”
“Okay,” he agreed after a long moment. “Having you here made everything a million times better.”
Samantha ate a few more bites of food before she continued. “Invite the owner’s daughter over for dinner.”
Bryce froze as he was getting ready to take a bite. “You were serious about that?”
Samantha tried to ignore the alarm bells ringing in the back of her mind. Her trust issues had nothing to do with Bryce and it wasn’t fair to punish him for his brother’s mistakes. She hoped meeting the woman would help her and help Bryce.
“Yes, I was serious. It will be fine, trust me.”
Bryce continued eating. She watched as he pushed his food from one side of his plate to the other, deep in thought.
“Okay,” he agreed eventually. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Perfect.”
Samantha wasn’t feeling the same enthusiasm now that her idea could become reality. Why she felt so strongly about meeting the woman Bryce used to date was beyond her. She was winging it on her self-healing journey. All she could do was hope things would work out the way she intended.
