Page 10 of Fourth Down Forever
Shaking my head, I mutter to myself, "Nope. I need to have patience."
Needing more of a distraction, I decide to go for a run. Looking at the clock, I see that it's early enough that I could possibly run on the Strip. Yeah, that's what I'll do.
It takes only a few more minutes before I’m ready and reaching for my trusty cap, I create my small disguise. Once I’m ready, I place my earbuds in and make my way down to the street. Turning on my favorite 'pump me up' playlist, I start with a moderate pace, getting lost in the music.
Just like my apartment and having my place of solitude, running helps me to keep my head on straight. Being a kid ofdivorce and being neglected because each parent was trying to one up each other, I was forced to create coping habits.
I’m lost in my thoughts when suddenly I slam into another body and hear, "Oh shit!"
And right before my eyes, I see a woman teeter, starting to fall. Reacting on instinct, I shoot my arm out, reaching for her. My fingers wrap around her waist pulling her body into me. I’m not sure who this woman is, but it's as if my body recognizes hers. Righting the both of us on the sidewalk, I finally am able to get a good look at the woman's face—holy shit, it's Sam.
The woman I've been thinking about all morning happens to land right in my arms. I can feel a smile spread across my face looking at her, but it vanishes as I watch her features morph from surprise to sadness, causing my stomach to drop.
"Are you okay?" I ask, hoping to distract her.
Sam steps away from me, brushing imaginary something off her dress. That's when I realize what she's wearing—a tight black cocktail dress that shows off every curve she has. My mouth waters when I see her pale thick thighs peeking from the dress, along with the perfect black heels that emphasize her calves.
"I'm fine," she snaps, pulling my attention from her rocking body, demanding, "You need to stop looking at me like that."
"Look at you like how?" I ask, trying to look as innocent as possible. That's when I notice it.
Sam's gaze lingers down my body and onto my legs. When she makes it back up to my face, I can see the heat in her eyes but only for a split second. That is all I need to know before the smile from before makes its way back to my face. Just knowing that this lady is as attracted to me as I am her.Maybe this one-year marriage will work.
"What are you doing here?" she asks, snapping me out of my thoughts of marriage.
"I was running. What about you?" I ask. That's when it dawns on me. "Are you working tonight?"
Sam pushes her beautiful straight, strawberry blonde hair back over her shoulders, straightening her back. I can see her assessing me before she answers, "Someone called in today and they need me."
My heart drops. If she's working, that means she's probably not going to go to dinner and my chance of convincing her to stay married might be walking out the window this very moment. It feels as if everything just slows down and I watch as Sam starts to walk away from me and I can't let that happen. I need to do something.
"Sam?" I blurt out and she freezes. My mind goes blank the moment her chocolate eyes clash with mine, raising one of her eyebrows, but I know that I need to come up with something and quick. I don't like being vulnerable and usually I try my hardest to not put myself in any position that lets me be that way, but something deep within tells me that this time I just need to open up.
"Will you have dinner with me tonight?"
"Why would I do that?"
"I know that last night didn't end up like we wanted, but I think we should talk about it."
"The only thing we need to talk about is where I should sign to annul this sham of a marriage," she snaps.
Something dark washes over me, not liking the idea of her refusing our marriage. Even if that’s what I had been doing before, now I need to show her that she’s mine. I take a step toward her, invading her space. Since Sam is stubborn as hell, she doesn't move. Pushing my hand through her hair, I cup the nape of her neck, bringing her in closer to me. Our breaths mingle with each other, when I warn her, "It doesn't matter howwe got here, but you are my wife now. And I won't be allowing you to just shrug it off like it means nothing."
The look on her face shows me how stunned she is by my words, giving me a buzzed feeling. I let go of her, taking a step back and give her a wink. "I'll text you later about dinner."
I finish my run, not sure what came over me, but one thing is for sure—Sam is my wife and though I never thought I wanted to get married, it doesn't feel as bad as I thought it would.
Chapter nine
Samantha
The encounter with Kade on the street threw me, and I can't help but replay the feeling of his breath skittering across my lips, making my nipples pebble under my dress. When the words "my wife" came out of his mouth, I swear my panties became drenched at that moment, making me unsettled for the rest of the day. How could those two little words make my body react in such a way? Especially from a man who has hurt me before.
Standing next to the bar, my phone buzzes in my apron, grabbing my attention. The bar area of The Felicity—the casino I work at—is dead, allowing me to check easily. That's the hard part about this job: you could be standing around for hours and within minutes you could have so many tables you can't breathe. Which is why management likes to keep a full set of employees, but sometimes it makes for boring shifts. When my phone buzzes for a second time, I pull it out, seeing a text that makes my stomach buzz with butterflies.
Kade: What time are you getting off tonight?
Seeing his name on my phone makes my stomach jump with excitement, but I can't let it get too far. We might be married now, but this is exactly how it went last time. No, I need to keep my distance. Deleting the text helps me feel in control and I place it back in my apron. I know the drill because it's the same way as last time—he got my number, asked me out, and drew me in. I can't let that happen again, even if wearemarried.
