Page 45 of Samuel

“Yeah. She’s always fluttering about in there when you talk to me. I think she tends to nap when it’s just her and me. She seems to save all her energy for you.”

His eyebrow raised as his eyes went back to her belly. “Well hey there, little girl. I’m quite smitten with you and your mommy, too.”

She felt the baby move again and Sam’s laugh filled the living room. Tears burned in her eyes.

“Are you okay? Does it hurt when she moves?”

“No, I’m fine. It’s just really special having someone to share that with. Sorry, I’m such an emotional mess.”

“If I’m being honest, it feels very emotional to me, too. It’s incredible. There’s a new little person in there. And they’re saying hello. It’s something so special, so sacred. Thank you for sharing that with me.”

A broken sob forced its way from her chest before she could catch it. “Sam, you have to stop. I’ll never be able to stop crying if you keep being that sweet.”

She tried to move her hand up towards her face, but his hand caught hers. Placing his palm against her cheek, he swept his thumb over the tears. She couldn’t help herself, the warmth from his hand had been too enticing. Evie leaned into his touch and a low sigh left Sam’s chest.

His face was so close to hers. Did he feel the heat radiating between them too? Was it all in her imagination, or was he really looking at her lips just then?

“I’m going to kiss you, Bluebell. Are you okay with that?”

“Yes.” Her breath caught in her throat as she whispered her answer, letting her eyes drift closed as he pressed his lips to hers.

Jesus. Her lips were so goddamn soft, he could spend the rest of the night just lost in their kiss. His tongue flicked out, running along the seam, begging her to open to him.

The baby rolled again, and Sam broke their kiss as he sat back, his gaze on the round horizon of her belly. Feeling her daughter move had shifted something in Sam’s chest. Something that had been dislodged, grating uncomfortably against his skin, felt righted by the experience.

Just as he was about to lean in for another kiss, he watched Evie lean back against the sofa once more.

Shit. Had he read the situation wrong? Was she regretting the moment they just shared?

“I shouldn’t have… I’m sor?—”

Her eyes squeezed closed. “Please don’t say you're sorry, Sam. Please don’t do that to me. I wanted that kiss.”

“I thought I overstepped.” He leaned against the back of the sofa, his head hitting the wall as he waited for her to tell him off.

Instead, he felt the weight of her head land against his shoulder. Her hand lifted his and placed it back on her belly.

“It doesn’t have to mean anything beyond tonight. I just… I’m not ready to go back to being all alone right now.”

Thirteen

That damn kiss. It had been all Sam could think about all night. Of course, he hadn’t told John and Abby that when he showed up on their porch, or Daisy when he called her to find out if she could bring up a batch of her brownies to Evie in the morning.

Sitting next to her on the couch, touching her belly and feeling the baby move, had felt special. Like he needed to freeze that moment in time, because that would forever be the moment that things changed between them.

“I’m going to be out with Zeke and Derrick this morning, and then I have to run into town this afternoon.” Sam grumbled as Evie walked into the office. He didn’t miss the opportunity to look her over. Her cheeks were rosy, and she smiled as she walked to her desk. Good. She was feeling better. “Did you eat this morning?”

“Yes. I did.” He leaned against his desk, arms folded across his chest as he watched her look at the stack of file boxes he’d brought in for her to start looking through. “What is all this?”

“It’s the last of the records from the past few years. FiguredI’d bring them in here so you didn’t try to grab them by yourself.”

“Not that. What’s allthis?” She pointed to the basket filled with snacks on the shelf behind her desk and the mini fridge he’d stocked with juice and fruit after he left her apartment.

“Someone needs to make sure you are eating.”

“Lots of pregnant women have a hard time eating, Sam. It’s not a new or special thing.”

“Yeah, well, all those women aren’t you. This is important to me, Evie.” He forced himself to tidy the papers on his desk, instead of reading the emotions on her face, or accidentally spilling his guts about howshewas actually important to him. “There are pickles in the fridge and emergency peanut butter in the bottom drawer of your desk, in case that’s all Jellybean wants to eat.”

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