Page 34 of Denying Davis
We fell silent for a few moments, and I listened to the light chirping of the tropical birds that lived in the leafy palms and vines planted in the courtyard. They sounded so carefree and content. It was intoxicating, and I envied them.
“I could stay here forever,” I said underneath my breath. “This is really nice.”
“It is,” he replied, and for the first time, Davis’s arm wound its way around my shoulders as we sat on the bench.
The action heightened all my senses and pushed me to a level I hadn’t known in a long time with any man. That wasn’t the kind of thing someone did with a friend. It was a step across an invisible line, and we hadn’t been there since we were teenagers.
But I didn’t pull away. Instead, I angled my body toward him. In that moment, it was as if the years between us had never happened. As if we were just there, and I felt like I was home again.
I’ve missed this man so much. I’ve missed my best friend. And he’s here. Now.
“I thought you’d forgotten me,” he whispered. “I thought you’d shut me out forever. But here you are, Samantha. You’re back in my life, and it’s the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“Me too,” I replied, my gaze locked onto his. “I didn’t realize I needed this, but I do.”
“It’s why I pursued you, Sam. Seeing you again showed me how much I’d missed you. I want a future with you,” he breathed.
He caught my chin between his thumb and forefinger then drew my mouth to his. His lips found mine, and we melded together on the bench. The kiss was deep and needy, the solidification of what I’d suspected in the back of my mind for the last few days. We still had fire between us, and while it might have lain dormant, the embers still had a heat that couldn’t be matched.
“Sam,” he murmured against my lips. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“I’ve missed you too.”
He crushed his lips against mine again, and this time the fire grew. He wrapped me in his arms, and it felt like heaven. There had never been anyone else. Nothing else.The attraction between us shut out the rest of the world.
“Whatever you need,” he said against my lips. “Whatever you want. You can have it. Just tell me. I’ll make it happen for you.”
I pulled away from him and looked into his eyes. Kindness, reassurance, and confidence radiated back at me. “I need—”
“Paging Miss Samantha Green, paging Miss Samantha Green,” barked a hospital intercom system. It sounded like it came from a hiding place in the trees, and it yanked me out of the moment. “Miss Green, if you are in the building, please come to room 312 immediately.”
“Oh God.” I stood from the bench. “Mom.”
As we rushed back to her mother’s room, I couldn’t get the kiss out of my mind. It dominated my thoughts, even as concern about Robin ’s heath crept in with every passing breath. The kiss had been raw and passionate, but it had also felt like coming home—as if I had been on a long journey and had finally found my way back to the one thing that made sense.
And that one thing was her. Samantha.
“Whatever it is, we will handle it.” I told her as the elevator door closed, and the car took us to the third floor. She leaned against the back wall, and her hands gripped the metal railing that ran across the center of the car. I placed my hand on hers. “We’ve got this. Do you at least feel that? You’re not alone anymore.”
This wasn’t how I usually talked to a woman. Just wasn’t. Most of my past relationships were strictly transactional—interactions built around merging my family with another. I hadn’t let the women in my life get close enough for me to give them any measure of warmth or caring. It was easier that way.
But Samantha had always managed to unlock my heart.
“I’m here,” I said as the elevator arrived at our destination. “Just remember that.”
She gave me a faint nod as the doors opened. “Okay.” She rushed out of the elevator, and I followed her down the hallway.
“Do you want me to come in?” I asked when we arrived at the door. “I mean I—”
“No,” she hurriedly replied, one eye on the room. “I’ll text you later, okay?”
“That’s fine.” I expected her to say something like that. “Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.”
“Thanks.” She gave me a half-smile and disappeared into the room.
I waited for a about half an hour then decided to leave the hospital. I didn’t have any idea how I could help here, and Samantha and her mom needed their space. Besides, I was already working out in my mind how I could pay for her mother’s medical bills. She hadn’t given me any idea how extensive the costs were, but they had to be large, given the type of medical care her mother was receiving.
That’s how I can help.
