Page 11 of Conquer

Four

Sam

I keptmy head down for the rest of the day, not talking to anyone.

I was too distracted, thinking about what I’d discovered about Adrian.

At least for some of the time. It was embarrassing to admit, but while I was excited about learning more about the case, my mind kept straying back to that meeting, to the singe of electricity when he had touched my hand.

I’d never felt anything like it.

Not at all like me, but I couldn’t pretend that my connection, my attraction to him had been instant, overwhelming with its force.

I kept trying to tell myself to stop, that I was being silly, but I couldn’t stop remembering his warm fingers against mine, imagining how they would feel against my body.

I blushed just thinking about it, parts of me I’d almost forgotten existed starting to tingle. It was silly, not at all about my little side investigation, but I felt it nonetheless. I was actually kind of happy about it.

I didn’t have too many opportunities to feel this way. I was good, reliable Sam. It was nice that Adrian made me feel like anything but.

“I’m out of here, Sammy.”

Gordon’s voice pulled me out of fantasies of Samara the sex goddess getting to know Adrian a little better, but even he couldn’t ruin my mood.

“Good night, Gordon! I’ll see you in the morning,” I said.

He nodded, waved, and then left, and soon after I was again the only person in the office. I stayed, though, digging through my files with relish now that I was alone.

If anyone found out I was doing, I would lose my job and probably get prosecuted, but I couldn’t stop myself. I was onto something. I knew it. And the visit from Adrian only confirmed it.

I worked well past dinner, so late that I could barely keep my eyes open when I finally decided to leave.

I considered calling my mother on the drive home but figured she’d probably be out, and I definitely wasn’t up for a lecture about how I needed to get out more myself. So I drove home in silence, Adrian on my brain.

He was still there when I parked on the curb outside my small house, and as I walked toward the door, exhausted and wired at the same time, I couldn’t help but think about what would happen if he were there waiting for me on the other side.

“No such luck, Sam,” I whispered as I unlocked the door.

I pushed it open but then whirled around, hand on my holster as I confronted the person behind me.

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