Page 273 of A Matter of Time

“Yeah, I am, and I can’t wait to show you for the rest of my life.”

“Sam,” I sighed, “do you really think that after all this⁠—”

“I don’t want anybody else to have you from this second on. I can’t… I won’t.”

I opened my mouth to tell him it was too late, but I was off my feet and in his monster SUV before I even realized I was moving. The door was locked behind me, and I sat there, waiting, while he got in. When he slid in behind the steering wheel, he immediately turned and smiled at me. He looked very smug.

“Stop.” I tried not to smile, so close to just giving in. “Lemme out.”

“You’re drunk. You can’t even walk.”

“I’m so not drunk.”

“I wanna take you home.”

I groaned, and he chuckled.

“C’mon, baby.”

“I am not your baby.”

“Yeah, ya are,” he said, smiling lazily. “You know ya are.”

“Sam—”

“You never stopped belonging to me.”

“That’s crazy.”

“Nope. It’s the truth.”

“And so what?” I was exhausted already.

“So lemme take you home.”

“Fine.” I threw up my hands in defeat. “Drive me home.”

“Okay.” He smiled, starting the car.

“Wait, to my home,” I clarified.

“I don’t know where you live.”

“Are you kidding me?” I muttered. “You’re unbelievable.”

He started laughing.

“You’re lying. I know you know where I live. You’re a detective, after all.”

“It’s outta my way.” He shrugged, his laughter giving him away. He was so lying through his teeth. “You can come to my place instead.”

“No.”

His smile went from smug to wicked that fast. “Like you can do shit right now.”

I groaned again, looking out the window. It was insane that I could still feel this way…still crazy about Sam Kage after all this time. He had ruined all other men for me. It was ridiculous.

“Jory…baby.” He sighed deeply, reaching out to put a hand around the back of my neck and pull me forward. “Stop fighting with me. Just give in.”