Page 20 of A Very Oceanport Christmas
We are pleased to inform you that your application for admission to Silverlake College has been reviewed and approved.
I dropped the letter to the table where it very nearly landed in my eggs. Dad's eyebrows shot up. "That bad?" he asked.
"I got in," I said numbly. I actually got in. Silverlake College wanted me. I could study there and be a doctor someday. But no, that was just a silly dream.
Like the silly dream where you get to sleep with Sam and wake up next to him?a treacherous voice in my mind asked. I shook it off. Whoever had two dreams come true in the same day? Wanting both of these wishes fulfilled was asking too much.
What if I reached for this and risked losing Sam?
Sam was going to stay in Oceanport for the foreseeable future. He was going to be a dad, not a college kid.
And he'd already said that long-distance relationships weren't for him.
Even if I figured out a way to finance college and go, I'd be leaving both my dad and Sam behind. They needed me, and more than that, I needed Sam. If he still wanted me when he woke up.
Dad rested a hand on my shoulder. "Is that not the news you wanted?"
"I don't know," I said truthfully. I had no ideawhatI'd wanted when I sent in the application. For someone to tell me that I was smart? That I was college material? If that was really all I'd wanted, I had it now. Was it enough? I couldn't say. I took the sheets of paper and stuffed them all back into the envelope. "Put it somewhere I don't have to see it for a while."
Dad shot me a curious look, but took the envelope from me. "It's fine if you need some time to decide, but I really want you to consider this, okay? We can make it work."
He kept saying that but I wasn't sure how exactly we would do it. Dad wasn't made of money and he needed me here. It wasn't the worst fate for me either. I'd take over the store one day. I didn't have to go to college and learn how to do another job. I didn't have to worry about my future. The family business would take care of me. What more could I possibly want?
Telling myself not to act like a spoiled brat, I rose from the table. "I'm gonna go check on Sam."
Dad nodded and didn't mention college again. I let out a breath of relief as I made my way back to my room.
Sam had woken up while I'd been having a minor meltdown in the kitchen that I hoped he'd never hear about. He lay in bed, reading something on his phone, his dark hair sleep-tousled in a way that made me want to run my fingers through it.
Yes, Sam in my bed was exactly the distraction I needed.
He looked up at me with a slow smile and something in me unclenched. "Good morning," he said. "I woke up and you were gone. And now you're already dressed." He gave a small sigh as if this was most regrettable.
"Yeah, sorry about that." I sat on the edge of the bed, tangling my fingers in his hair before I could stop myself. I just wanted to touch. Any part of him. "It's a work day."
"No rest for the wicked, huh?"
"I'm afraid not." I gave Sam a smile. Talking to him was so easy, always had been. I was glad that hadn't changed. And he didn't look like he was regretting what had happened the night before either, but still, I needed to ask. To make sure. "You feel all right? You're not... what happened last night, that was..."
"Last night was awesome," Sam said, releasing me from my misery. He sat up. "You don't have to worry about me having second thoughts or anything." His expression turned serious. "I've wanted this for years."
"Me too." I nearly groaned. How was this even possible? We could have had this forever ago...
"What's wrong?" Sam asked.
"I'm mad at myself for not kissing you years ago."
Sam laughed. He always sounded so full of joy when he did. It was outright infectious.
Still, I grumbled, even as my lips stretched into a smile. "Don't laugh at me."
"I'm not." Sam crept closer and wrapped an arm around my shoulders before pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I'm just so happy," he said into my ear, making me shudder and my cock stir with interest.
"That's good." I'd always wanted to make Sam happy in the worst way.
"Are you happy?" Sam asked, but when his tongue darted out to lick my earlobe, it was difficult for me to focus on his question. My cock stiffened. I chuckled with the thought that at least one part of my body was very happy with the direction this conversation was going.
Sam didn't regret last night, and what was more, it seemed like he was looking for a repeat performance. It was enough to shove all thoughts of the college admission out of my mind.
