Page 67 of Finding Jess

Sam cocked her head, looking back at Jess. “Does what bother me?”

Jess shifted in her chair with a hesitant look. “You know,” she muttered. “Tiana—flirting—like that.”

Sam’s eyebrows tugged together. “No?” she drawled. “Why would that bother me?”

Now Jess was the one who looked confused. She opened her mouth, then paused, shaking her head before closing it again. “Aren’t you guys..”

It took Sam a moment to realize what she was getting at. And when she did, she broke into a laugh.“We’re not like that.”

Jess hummed, her eyes narrowing slightly like she wasn’t entirely convinced. “I mean,” she continued, throwing another glance toward Tiana before looking back at her, “I know you guys aren’t officially together or anything, but—” She paused, hesitating. “You and I weren’t either and..”

Sam understood then. And she also understood why Jess might have viewed them so differently than how Sam did.

“It’s not like that,” Sam answered. Then she cleared her throat, scratching a hand over the back of her neck. “I mean, it’s not like—us.” Jess’ eyes flickered to hers. “Or,” Sam continued, feeling the need to clarify. “It’s not like us—before.”

Jess’ eyes immediately left hers again, and she wondered whether the clarification should’ve been left unsaid.

“We’re just friends,” Sam said quickly, filling the silence.

Jess’ eyes fell to the table, and she reached forward, swirling the small bit of wine left in her glass. Then a dry smile ghosted over her lips as she said quietly, “Friends who sleep together aren’t reallyjust friends.”

Sam snorted a laugh. “Well, it’s been like two years since the last time, so I don’t know if it really counts still.”

Jess’ eyes flicked back up to hers, a look of surprise filling them. But she said nothing.

“What?” Sam asked.

“Didn’t you—” She paused, clearing her throat. “What about that night? After the club?”

Sam chuckled, shaking her head as she remembered what Jess had seen on the couch the morning after. “No. Nothing happened.”

Jess nodded slowly, her eyes losing the somewhat guarded confusion they’d held over the last minute.

“You really thought we were together this whole time?”

Jess loosed a breath, some part of her demeanor softening as she lifted her wineglass and poured the last of it into her mouth.

“Are you tired?” Jess asked, setting the glass down and turning her body toward her.

Sam smiled softly, her eyes crinkling in amusement at the sudden change. “A little. Why?”

Jess pushed back her chair, then stood, dropping her napkin on the table. Her blonde hair flowed in the breeze, a stark contrast against the night sky.

“Walk with me?”

Sam chuckled as she stood. “Like a walk on the beach?”

Jess walked around the table, probably knowing just as well as Sam did that the answer was already ‘yes’.

Sam followed her to the edge of the restaurant patio, where the concrete hit the sand. She squinted off into the darkness that enveloped the water line.

Jess let out a small, uncertain hum. “Yeah, maybe no beach walk. I’m not trying to end up in a horror movie.”

Sam chuckled. “Well, you’ve watched enough of them to know what to do. You’d definitely be the main character that survives ‘til the end.”

Jess looked back at her as she continued up the cement path, leading somewhere off into the resort. “Yeah, but you’d be the one that does something stupid, and I’d end up getting killed trying to save you.”

Sam smirked, following her up the winding path that was covered with trees on both sides. “You’re probably right.”

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