Page 73 of When Love Is Unexpected

Thirty minutes later, I walk into the room after my shower and find Sam fast asleep on the bed.

He looks so peaceful. He really is beautiful. I tiptoe to the side of the bed and lean down to kiss him gently on the lips.

Before I know what's happening, he wakes up, reaches for me, and brings me down on top of him, and with one little turn, I find myself pinned under him.

"Sorry," he says. "That was a reflex move."

"You're quick," I say, feeling dizzy and breathless.

When he kisses me, I close my eyes and get lost in the moment. I enjoy the taste of his lips and the warmth of his body next to mine. I love to feel his arms around me.

When he puts his hand on my hip, I snap back to reality and immediately extract myself from his arms.

"I'm sorry," he says.

"It's okay," I say, standing to my feet. "Don't apologize."

"Why do I feel like I did something wrong?" he asks, running his fingers through his hair.

"Sam, I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" he asks.

"I've never been with a man."

Chapter 16

Sam

"What do you mean?" I ask, as if what she said could have more than one meaning.

"I've never slept with anyone," she says. "I've never made love."

"What about Eric?" I ask, still trying to process what this means.

"What about him?" she asks. "He knew early in our relationship that I was not going to sleep with him. I'm waiting."

"Waiting?" I ask.

"Waiting for marriage."

Jon's words instantly replay in my mind: "Take care of my daughter, Son. I expect her to return home in the same condition she's in now."

Laila must see and sense my confusion and shock.

"Hey," she says, "This doesn't change anything. There's no other place I'd rather be than here with you."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I ask.

"We were friends," she says. "It never came up. It wasn't something you needed to know."

"What's changed?" I ask.

"We're sleeping in the same room," she says. "We've kissed. We were lying in that bed together. Let me ask you this: if I hadn't stopped, how far would you have gone?"

"You have a point," I say, feeling chastised.

She gives me a weak smile and walks to the closet, where she pulls down a sheet, a blanket, and a pillow.

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