Page 437 of A Matter of Time

“Only because you don’t care. If he had his way, he’d have you.”

“Yeah, but⁠—”

“You need to stop being so accommodating to everyone. You need to learn to say no.”

“I say no a lot.”

“Bullshit.”

“Sam, I⁠—”

“You’re way too trusting.”

“Sam.”

“Like this asshole in here tonight.”

“Sam.”

“That guy⁠—”

“Steven,” I supplied his name again.

He growled. “That guy Steven wants you, and you’re too blind to⁠—”

“I only see you,” I whispered, turning into him, my hands on his hips.

“Jory, you need to be more careful. You⁠—”

“Yes, dear,” I promised, sliding my hands up his chest.

“Are you fuckin’ listening to me?”

I leaped at him, wrapping my arms around his neck. “Not really. Welcome home.”

He grabbed me, hugging me tight, breathing me in. “No one else can have you. You’re mine.”

“Everybody knows that, Sam.”

“The fuck they do. You’re too nice. Everybody thinks they got a shot with you.”

I tapped his shoulder, and when he met my eyes, I gestured at the jar on the counter.

“Shit,” he groaned, fishing in his pocket for a quarter. “Do me a favor; wrap your legs around me while I dig for change.”

I chuckled as he bent and kissed me, rubbing a hand over my ass. I heard the quarter hit the many others already in the jar.

“Happy?”

“Ecstatic.”

He grunted as he walked us out of the kitchen and down the hall toward the bedroom.

“And yeah, to your earlier question,” he said, his voice low and rough. “I’m hungry…but not for food.”

“I picked up on that,” I said, my body liquefying as he pressed me tight against him.

“Kiss me.”