Page 41 of Shattered

But she barely knew him, and as much as she was enjoying this, she didn’t want their first time to be at a random college party. She wasn’t sure why that mattered. She’d also never chosen to cross that final threshold before, and when she did, she wanted it to bereal.

“I just don’t know you well enough yet, and I want–”

“My favorite color is orange,” he quickly interrupted her.

“What?” Her brows furrowed in confusion.

“I like chicken and pineapple on my pizza. My favorite movie is anything in the Marvel universe, though I'm partial to Thor.” He looked away in concentration and then looked back at her. “Actually, it’s Guardians of the Galaxy. That’s my favorite.” She started to laugh. “I absolutely love to ski, both water and snow,” he quickly

clarified. “I have a fear of spiders. In fourth grade I tried to impress a girl by opening her can of beanie weenies and got this scar on my left thumb. Needed seven stitches.” He proudly lifted his hand to show her the pale, indented line that cut through his fingerprint and Sam laughed even harder. “I am allergic to peanuts. I have a temper, and I easily get jealous and make rash decisions when I find out a girl I'm interested in has a date the next day with someone I hate.”

She cupped his face in her hands, irrationally wanting to tell him she would never lay eyes on another man again for as long as she lived, but he shushed her and kept talking.

“I had a dog named Spots as a kid. One year I ate both mine, Connor’s,andAmelia's Halloween candy in one sitting and was sick for almost three days. And I will never ever live up to my family's expectations of what I should be.”

“Callum…” Her voice broke. She wasn’t sure why the idea of his pain was so tortuous for her, but in that moment she wanted nothing more than to take it all away.

“I’m not saying all that so you’ll let me have you tonight. I don’t want you to think that at all. I just…I just want you to know me, to see me. The real me. Not the me I let everyone think is there. Not the me my family sees. Just me.”

“I see you.”

Chapter 21 - Sam

They lay there for a few minutes just staring at each other before he gave her a surprisingly gentle kiss. The movement startled her from the quiet reprieve they had somehow settled into. She felt her cheeks heat as she buried her face into his chest. She had never felt this instantly comfortable with someone. Especially someone she had previously decided was nothing more than a bump in the road.

But now, instead of worrying about important stuff like papers, and upcoming exams, and money, her mind was consumed with the sound of his heartbeat under her ear, and if the placement of her hand across his lower abdomen was okay, and whether or not she should have pulled back her hair and not let it fan out across his sheets.

“Do you want to head back upstairs?” Callum reached down and passed over her discarded shirt and bra as he spoke.

Thankfully, he left his off.

She didn’t want to move, but somehow the observation of her half naked body on top of his made her blush run deeper. She tossed on her clothes, but quickly noted his arm still propped open as if ready for her to lay back down against him. She didn’t hesitate before she nuzzled into his side.

“No. I’m good right here.” She smiled and then quickly paused her movements, nervous that maybe the question was his way of telling her he was ready to go without wanting to embarrass her. “Unless you want to leave.” She started to shift.

“No, that party was kinda lame anyway. You are much better company.” He rubbed the small of her back and she sunk further into him.

“You’re such a bad liar,” she said into the bare skin of his chest.

He gave her a small laugh then tilted her head upward to press a gentle kiss against her lips.

“Not about this. This is exactly where I want to be.”

They stared at each other as they let the moment linger on. He pulled her head down to lean against his chest and she snuggled into him. Then he reached for a blanket and covered them up. Her body was lulled into sleep by the small circles he now drew across her hips.

********

The rapid banging against his door caused them both to rouse.

“Callum! Get out here.” The voice was familiar and yet strange. The haze of sleep still tugged at them both, but then the incessant banging came barreling in once more.

“Go away,” Callum yelled without opening his eyes and then turned to bury his face in Sam’s hair. He wrapped his arm around her middle and pulled her in.

“Callum, stop being lame and get out here.” The voice came out as a whine this time and Sam felt Callum go still behind her.

“Fuck,” he whispered into her neck as he detached himself and walked to the door. He barely had it open before the obviously

drunk girl barged her way in and reached up to pull his lips down to hers. In his sleepy state, it took him a second to realize what was occurring before he pulled back.

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