Page 89 of Mark my Words

“I know,” he laughed, tightening his grip on my waist and holding me in place as he quickly stretched out his arm, his phone aimed at where we were standing in front of the cloud gate in Millennium Park. “But humor me.”

“You suck,” I pouted as he rested his chin on my shoulder, gripping me tightly to his chest.

“You like me anyway,” he whispered as he quickly snapped the picture, the sun glinting off the huge metal sculpture at his back. “Let’s go. Only a few more hours until the sun starts to set.”

Sam didn’t let go of my hand once as he dragged me through lush park after lush park along the edge of Lake Michigan. Past fountains and playgrounds, the heat drew out the city’s residents, enjoying the sunshine and the gorgeous weather. By the time he led me up to the Field Museum of Natural History front steps, I was hot and sweaty, but I didn’t even notice as he dragged me through security and showed me his favorite exhibits.

We made our way through the museum campus, watching the sea turtle in the main tank at Shedd Aquarium, his hands tucked into my front pockets as I leaned back against his strong chest. He teased me later, whispering useless space facts in my ear as I tried to listen to the tour guide at the Adler Planetarium.

He held me close as I stood in the grass outside, watching the sun set behind the lake, having kicked off my shoes. I hadn’t felt so relaxed in as long as I could remember, and when he kissed my neck, reminding me that we should grab a quick dinner and head back to the hotel soon, I closed my eyes and tried to remember the moment I knew I was likely in love with him.

“Did you get the updates to the schedule that Diana sent for tomorrow?” he asked as I leaned against his shoulder on the ride back to our hotel after stopping at a local burger restaurant for dinner and eating outside on their patio.

“No.” To be honest, I hadn’t checked my phone since this morning. Spending the day with Sam had been an escape from reality that I needed, but our lives would be thrown into chaos again tomorrow.

“It should be in your inbox. She just sent it over.”

“Hmm.” I didn’t want to think about work. Today was perfect, and I was anxious about what it meant once we returned to the hotel. Sam had been affectionate all day, but besides suggestive, flirtatious comments and a few fleeting kisses to my neck and shoulders, he’d been the epitome of restraint. He’d teased me about begging for a kiss, but if he didn’t kiss me soon, I might actually combust from pent-up sexual tension. It was taking all my self-restraint to keep from touching him.

“Are you alright?” His voice was low, his warm breath fanning through my hair as he hugged me to his side. The phone in his hand was open to his email client, showing multiple emails from Adrian and one from Sloane. She was confirming his virtual interview a week and a half from now.

“Fine,” I whispered back, feeling the anxiety I’d been holding at bay start to creep back in now that we were headed back to reality.

“Come on, we’ve got an early start tomorrow,” he smiled as he pulled the door open to the Uber moments later, helping me out of the car and ushering me through our hotel lobby and into the elevator. My hands were clenched into fists, trying to keep myself in the moment. I needed his presence to forget everything that was at stake. And how behind I already felt as the commitments of the tour kept me from working on my manuscript edits.

By the time we reached our rooms, I was on the verge of a panic attack, not wanting to return to how things were but helpless to stop it.

“Hey,” Sam grasped my hand as I stepped in front of my door, pulling me toward him with a gentle smile as he shoved his phone into his back pocket. He leaned in, and I closed my eyes, my hands clenching the material of his warm shirt, waiting for him to kiss me. Warm breath fanned over my cheek, his fingers pressing into my back as he drew me into his chest. “Thank you for spending the day with me. I enjoyed spending time alone with you.”

His lips grazed my cheek, pressing lightly as he leaned in, inhaling deeply while one of his hands tangled in my loose hair. I soaked up his calming presence, laying my forehead against his strong chest before I tilted my face toward his.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I turned, his full lips grazing my cheek. He lingered for a moment and then leaned back, my eyes opening as he released me and took a step back.

“What are you...?”

He leaned back in quickly, kissing my cheek softly before pulling my hands from his shirt. “Go to bed, Kristine.”

“But?” He was supposed to kiss me. Not just hug me like that and walk away.

“Goodnight, get some sleep,” he winked as he took a few more steps and swiped his keycard on his door. “We’ve got another early morning.”

My mouth dropped open as he stepped inside his room, the snick of the door lock almost as loud as my heartbeat in the empty hallway.

Waiting for a moment, I realized he wasn’t coming back as I heard the water turn on in his room.

What the hell? Did he just walk away?

Fuck.

SAM

CHICAGO

The look on her face as I escaped back to my room was almost comical. I knew she wanted me to kiss her. It was obvious by how she’d been staring at my mouth for the last several hours. But I meant what I’d told her. I wanted her to beg me to kiss her, not just comply because I initiated things between us again. She would continue pulling away from me whenever she got scared if I took the lead again. It was time for her to take what she wanted and own it for once.

A hot shower had helped clear my head, and the other side of the wall was quiet as I got ready for bed and repacked my suitcase. I’d considered making reservations somewhere flashy instead of taking her for a burger, knowing she’d been wined and dined before. There wasn’t any restaurant I could have taken her to that would’ve impressed her. I could tell by her reactions that no one had ever played tourist with her in an unfamiliar city and just enjoyed spending the day in her company without any distractions or ulterior motives.

Seeing Chicago through her eyes had been a new experience for me too. My parents had brought my sisters and me on day trips when we were younger, exploring all the museums, and my dad had even taken me to a few Cubs games when I still played little league. It had seemed so big and filled with so many impressive sights when I was young. I wanted to share that feeling with Kristine.

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