Page 105 of Sing it, Sam

Once Butch and I have eaten, and I’ve tidied the house, I pick up the phone and call Sam.

“Two days,” I blurt out before he gets a chance to say a word.

He chuckles and makes a muffled noise through the phone. “You betcha.”

“Oh, I thought I’d better tell you to bring another blanket for Ben. It can get pretty chilly at night, and I only have one spare knitted one. Probably only big enough to cover half of him.”

“No worries. I’ll sort it. If it’s easier, though, we could stay in a hotel. As in, you and me. Ben can still take the couch.”

“Ha ha. Funny man,” I tease.

Whilst a night alone in a hotel room with Sam would be a dream, I can’t afford that, and I can’t expect him to pay for it when he has no income. There’s no way I’d tell him that I blew my budget to smithereens in the week he left.

“I want you both to stay with me,” I insist. “My place isn’t big, but there’s my room for us, and the fold-out sofa bed for Ben. You should warn him that the sofa isn’t the best. He might need to book in a chiropractor afterwards.”

“He won’t care. Trust me. He’s slept on worse.”

“Okay, well, you’re the one who has to listen to him moan about it on the way home.”

“He’d moan anyway,” Sam drawls.

I chuckle softly to myself, imagining just that.

Silence grows between us. Just hearing him breathe on the other end of the line is almost enough.Almost.

“Anyway, sorry. I know it’s only been a quick call but I’d better go. I’m knocking off early tomorrow to meet the writers’ group after lunch, and I want to get some serious words tonight.”

“’Kay,” he says on an exhale. “Tell me one thing, though, before you go.”

“Sure.”

“Have your characters got down and dirty yet?”

“Sam!” I shout. Heat rises to my cheeks as an ache centres in my lower stomach. I close my eyes, wishing more than anything that we were at that stage. Slowly, the tension between Jane and Sam in my WIP is building, but as for a sex scene? They’re not ready yet.Very unlike me.

On Saturday, I’ll have to pick my moment to tell Sam that I’ve ditched Brandon and Ally and substituted us in their place. I have no idea how he’s going to react to the news, which is why I need to do it in person.

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m hoping one day soon I can give you some inspiration.”

I clear my throat. “Um, how soon?”

“Oh, I dunno,” he says, as casual as ever. “I’m free this weekend.”

My jaw drops.This weekend.

He’ll be staying here.In my bed. Sure, I thought about the idea of us being together, but the fact that his big brother is going to be on the couch right outside my door kind of put a kybosh on that.

I’m gonna have to do some serious prep. I should wax tonight, because it takes me a day or two for the redness to go down. God, I hate being a woman sometimes. Not that I would want a penis or anything.

“Jane? You there?” Sam prompts.

“Yeah, sorry. Just thinking ahead.”

Sam chuckles. “Hmm. Me too.”

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