Chapter 6
Samantha stretched out next to Free. Her naked body rubbed against him and her hair tickled his nose. But his morning hard-on demanded more than a cuddle. He rolled over and on top of her, bracing himself on his elbows.
She peeked at him from under heavy eyelids. Then she slapped a hand over her face. “God, don’t look at me like that. I’m a mess in the morning.”
“You look fine.” To prove his point, he prodded her with his dick.
She giggled underneath her hand.
He kissed her neck and down to her tits. “Taste good, too.”
“Shut up.”
He worked his way down her body, kissing and licking. Her skin was warm and soft. He moved lower, crawling under the blanket covering her. Her body suddenly shifted as she sat up. “What are you doing?”
“Exploring.”
“No. Wait.”
He flipped the covers off his head and looked up at her. “You don’t like oral?”
“It’s not that, but—”
He shoved her shoulder. “Just lie back.”
She did and her hands covered her face again. Samantha was self-conscious about this? They’d spent the night naked in each other’s arms. Hell, she’d stripped in front of him and she seemed fearless.
He nudged her thighs wider with his shoulders and let his fingers play with the juncture where her leg met her pelvis. He smelled her arousal. He lowered his mouth and kissed her. Her muscles were still tense.
Laying a palm flat on her belly, he swiped his tongue across her slit, tasting her fully. His fingers stretched up until he had a handful of tit and tugged on her nipple. Her thighs relaxed a fraction, opening wider, inviting him in.
She tasted like heaven. He swirled the tip of his tongue over her clit and her hips jumped. It was like a damn furnace under the blanket now and he threw it off. She gasped as the cold air hit them, but he sucked on her clit, eliminating any complaint.
His gaze traveled over her body. Her hands no longer covered her face. Her eyes were closed, but she was lost in pleasure. Her fingers tangled in the sheet as she rose up to meet his mouth. He slid a couple of fingers into her and stroked.
She began moaning and her thighs tightened around him.
A bell sounded and he paused.
“Don’t you stop.”
If nothing else, he was good at taking direction. He flicked his tongue over her and drove his fingers into her until her legs climbed him and she clawed at his head. She released a high-pitched squeal and flopped down. He lapped at her, tasting her come.
He crawled back up her body and reached for a condom. He slid it on while enjoying the post-orgasmic glow on Samantha’s face.
A door slammed in the apartment. “Samantha?” a man’s voice called.
Free froze. Samantha’s eyes bugged out. “Oh my God.” She slapped his arm. “Get up. That’s my dad.”
“Your dad has a key to your apartment?”
She nodded as she jumped off the bed. “He pays for it.” Looking at the closed bedroom door, she yelled, “Coming.”
Free laughed. “Yeah, you were.”
She smacked his shoulder. “Not funny.” But she was smiling. “I didn’t know he would show up. He never visits.” She gave Free a quick kiss on the cheek. “Don’t move. Don’t leave this room.”
He leaned back on the pillows. “Am I a secret?”
“No. But my dad has never liked any of my boyfriends. Ever. I don’t want this ruined.” She wrapped a robe around her and slipped out the door.
Curiosity got the better of him. He removed the condom and followed to listen at the door.
“Still in bed?” her dad asked.
“I have a guest.”
That was it. No explanation. No offer to introduce him.
“We need to talk.”
“So you just show up at my apartment?”
“You didn’t return my calls.”
“I don’t want to talk about the car, Dad. My mind’s made up.”
Free heard some rustling. What if her dad came in here? He looked down. Although his hard-on had subsided, he was still buck naked. Not the way to meet anyone’s dad. He grabbed his jeans and hopped into them.
“My boyfriend’s an actor.”
Seemed weird for Samantha to blurt that out. Then Free remembered he’d left his blaster sitting beside the couch. But she’d called him her boyfriend. It made him smile.
“Emphasis on boy.”
That stung.
“I’ll be waiting in the car. Say good-bye to the boy and meet me in fifteen minutes.”
Free sat on the edge of the bed and waited. A minute later, Samantha opened the door.
“Sorry about that. He wants me to have breakfast with him so we can talk.” Without even looking at him, she added, “I’m sorry our morning was interrupted.”
Her movements were stiff as she moved around the room to gather clothes.
He stood and reached for her arm. “You okay?”
She nodded.
“Want to tell me about it?”
“My dad wants to run my life.” She inhaled deeply. “You know how men like him are. I imagine your dad is similar.”
Free thought about it, but didn’t answer. His dad didn’t try to run his life. “Can I help?”
“No. I need to handle this myself.” She turned from her dresser with an armful of clothes. “You can take your time and leave whenever you’re ready. The door will lock when you close it.”
She sighed and her shoulders sank. He hated the defeated nature of her stance. Didn’t her father see what he did to her?
“What does he want from you?”
“I’m not even sure. Today it’s about the car. He bought it and I gave it back to him.”
Free didn’t have a response to that. He knew the wrong words would make this conversation take an ugly turn.
“I know it sounds stupid. Trust me. He does it to exert control.” She stepped forward and laid her forehead on his shoulder. “I wish I could roll back the clock and be in bed with you.”
“Of course you do. I gave you a screaming orgasm and you gave me blue balls.”
His comment had the desired effect. She laughed. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed the top of her head. “Be strong. Tell your dad what’s important to you.”
She leaned back and looked into his eyes. “That’s not a quote, is it?”
“No, but this is. We are who we choose to be. Spider-Man.”
He kissed her until her body relaxed and her skin was flushed.
“You taste like sex,” she whispered against his lips.
“I taste like you.” He licked his lips. “You’d better go. Your dad’s waiting and if you keep looking at me like that, he might come back here.”
“Call me later.”
“I will.”
While she was in the shower, he gathered the rest of his clothes and straightened up the bed. Samantha was dressed and ready faster than any other woman he’d ever seen.
She called out a good-bye from the door. He dashed over to catch her before she left.
“Hey. I know you’re in a hurry, but I wanted to ask you about New Year’s Eve.”
Her forehead wrinkled in confusion. “What about it?”
“If you don’t have plans, I want to spend it with you. My friends and I throw a party every year. Will you go with me?”
Her whole face brightened with her smile. “Of course.” She tilted her head up and kissed him. Then she ran out.
He had hours until he needed to be back at the theater for opening night. In Samantha’s kitchen, he found her coffee and made a pot and then took a shower. While he drank a cup of coffee, he cleaned up their dinner mess from the previous night. They’d been too busy to think about the remainder of food. He tossed everything and looked around.
He didn’t want to leave, but he shouldn’t stay. He wanted to be here when Sam got home, but she’d told him to leave. She might not want him here when she returned. They would definitely talk more about her family. She talked about school and work, but rarely her parents. Now he wondered what the deal was.
He packed his bag and carried his holster with blaster. When he got to the door, he decided he didn’t want to just leave, so he dug through a couple of drawers until he found pen and a piece of paper.
I had the best time. We have opening night tonight. Although you’ve seen it, I’m going to leave you a couple of tickets at Will Call. Bring a friend. The cast goes out after the play. Maybe you can join us. Hope to see you later.
—Free
For the first time in months, he felt good. He liked having a woman in his life, and Samantha eased in as if she belonged there.
As he left her apartment, he sent Hunter a text. I have a date for the party. Call off the craziness.
Sam sat in the restaurant and sipped her lemon water, waiting for her dad to lay in to her.
“You should’ve returned my calls.”
“It was one call. I’ve been busy with work for the end of the semester.”
“That’s never prevented you from calling me before. Maybe it’s this boy you’re seeing.” He shook out his napkin and laid it across his lap.
“Please don’t say it like that. Free is a good guy. He’s an actor, but he’s in college, graduating this spring.”
Her dad hmphed at that.
“Free had nothing to do with me not calling you back. I didn’t call because I didn’t want you to try to bully me into taking the car back. I don’t want it.”
“That’s ridiculous. Why wouldn’t you want a car?” He drank his water and waved the waiter over.
“Yes, sir.”
“Coffee, please.” He looked at Sam.
“Me, too.”
The waiter left and Sam folded her hands in her lap. “I don’t need the car, Dad. Living in the city means I have access to pretty reliable public transportation. I won’t have to worry about paying for parking.”
“There’s something else.”
“That car makes me feel like a snob.”
“It’s a good car.”
“I know. Try to put yourself in my shoes. I’m working in neighborhoods that make that car a target. I help people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from. And then I drive off in a Mercedes. I feel like a phony and some of the people look at me like that.” Her mouth and throat dried as she spoke and she took a cooling drink of water.
“You shouldn’t care what they think of you. You’re helping them. That’s all that should matter.”
“I can help them and take the train.”
“I worry about you. You’re too trusting and naïve.”
“I’m not as dumb as you think I am.”
The waiter returned with coffee. Her dad waited until the man left before speaking again.
“I’ve never thought of you as stupid. You are too trusting. How many times has someone you’re helping stolen from you?”
Damn. It was like he had her followed. She couldn’t answer him or she’d lose the argument altogether. “I appreciate that you worry about me, but I’m okay. I take the train or bus, and if I’m in an unsafe neighborhood late or I feel uncomfortable, I call a cab.”
He said nothing.
She wrapped her hands around her coffee cup. “I need to start living my life and taking care of myself.”
He shook his head. “I’m not going to convince you, am I?”
“Nope.” Holy crap. Had she just won an argument with her dad? She felt like whooping and hollering through the restaurant. Not only had she won, but he’d actually listened to her. He might not agree with what she said, but he’d listened. “Thank you, Dad.”
“For what?”
“For trying to understand where I’m coming from.”
“The car will be in the garage if you change your mind.”
“I won’t. You should sell it.” She glanced at her watch. “I have to get going. I have a paper I need to finish this weekend.” She stood and left her napkin beside her cup.
He joined her. “Are you going to school or back to your apartment?”
“My apartment.”
“I’ll drop you off. I’m glad you haven’t tried to give up the apartment.” He tossed bills on the table.
She looped her arm around his. “I will, Dad. I just can’t swing it until I’m working full-time. I’m not going to live off of you forever. Don’t you want me to grow up?”
“Not particularly.” He kissed her head and she leaned into him.
When she got back to her apartment, part of her hoped Free would still be there, but as soon as she opened the door, she knew he wasn’t. It was a silly hope. He might’ve had class or work. He couldn’t sit around waiting for her all day.
Inside, there was a note stuck to the wall near her coat hook. She couldn’t help but smile. Free was a good guy. She held the note as she walked through the apartment. He’d left no overt sign that he’d been there, but he’d cleaned up the mess they’d left.
She would definitely go to the play tonight. Maybe Jess would be free to join her. Then she could see that he wasn’t a freak. But first she texted Free.
I’d love to see the play again. Not sure about going out after. I have a paper to finish this weekend. But maybe for a little while.
I’ll take whatever I can get. See you later.
As she thumbed through her contacts to call Jess, another text from Free came across.
How did things go with your dad?
Better than expected. I’ll tell you about it tonight.
Not just a good guy, but considerate, too. It wouldn’t take much for her to completely fall for him. The thought was crazy; she’d only known him for a couple of weeks.
She called Jess to make plans for tonight and to get a dose of sanity.
“Hey, babe. What’s up?”
“You want to go out tonight?”
“Sure. Where do you want to go?”
“I have a couple of tickets to see A Christmas Carol.”
A long pause followed.
“Why?”
“It’s opening night and Free is leaving tickets for us.”
“This is your latest weirdo?”
“He’s not weird and I really like him. Plus, this’ll be your chance to meet him and check him out. Then you’ll see he’s not a weirdo.”
Jess groaned. “Okay. What time?”
That was one reason she loved Jess. The girl could complain like nobody’s business, but she always came through as a friend. They made plans to meet at the theater. If Free passed Jess’s test, Sam might think about bringing him to meet her parents. After the holidays, of course. Bringing someone home at Christmas spoke volumes about the relationship and they weren’t at that stage. At least not yet.