Finding Sam (Featured)

Chapter 15 - Doctor's Orders

Erik kissed me then. It was a kiss that begun with my name on his lips, like a sigh so soft, awakening that which had retreated within the darkness for so long and coaxing it back into the light. It felt so right, feeling his arms enfolding me, each kiss more revealing than the one before it. It was as if I was watching - no, feeling - a rose in bloom, one petal blossoming after another. It took my breath away.

I'd waited for this for so long, a realization that would have left me ashamed were it someone else. But this was Erik, and somehow everything felt so right, each moment between us flowing so effortlessly, like the ocean breeze making its way over sand, carving itself, molding everything in its path into something beautiful. I don't know how long we kissed, but it was as if time stood still. All that mattered was the feel of our lips brushing, coaxing, teasing each other, tongues tasting that which we'd waited so long to savor, hands and mouths exploring.

He held my face in his hand, his fingers curling behind my neck, tangled in my hair. His stubble scratched my skin, but I loved the feel of it, and I brought my hand up to his face to caress his jaw as we kissed. His other hand maneuvered me beneath him on the couch, gripping my waist as he did so. I wanted Erik even though my mind was screaming for me stop, something about boundaries and roles and whatever else I could think of to convince myself that this was a mistake.

The sound of an island ring tone interrupted us. I cursed under my breath, pushing my hair away from my face as Erik helped me sit up. I began searching for my phone in a panic. It could only be David, I thought. What did he want now?

"Sorry," Erik said as he pulled out his phone from his back pocket and glanced at it before answering. He cleared his throat and listened to Olivia on the other end of the line.

We had the same ring tone, I thought, as I waited for my heart to settle down and felt awkward at the same time.

"Are they driving you crazy already?" He asked Olivia, watching me with a playful expression on his face. His fingers traced the outline of my cheekbone before pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. "I'm at Sam's right now. Can we talk tomorrow?"

He said a few more words before hanging up, apologizing for having to answer his phone. Olivia had grown worried that he hadn't checked in with her since arriving home. I looked at the clock. It was almost midnight. Had we been kissing that long?

"You didn't tell her you were already home?" I asked, surprised.

He shrugged sheepishly. "I was in a rush to catch you before you left," he said. "If the in-laws had seen me before I got to you, I'd probably still be there now, singing arias."

"If you need to leave-" I began, pretending to brush something from on my shirt.

"Would you like me to?"

I didn't answer him. My face was burning. I wanted him to kiss me again, but the phone call had snapped me back to reality, and I knew that if we had kept going, it would certainly change everything between us even more than the first kiss already had.

"You do know that I like you, Sam," Erik said. "And if you haven't noticed yet, I like you - a lot."

I looked down at my hands. Erik had linked his fingers with mine. He had long beautiful fingers, I thought. Piano fingers.

"Me, too," I whispered. "But-"

"But what?"

I shook my head. How could I tell him that I was afraid of what would have happened next had Olivia not called him? That what I really wanted was to get him into my bed and have him make love to me all night long? That I wouldn't want to know what to do now that I'd felt his kiss and wanted so much more than just that kiss? I was suddenly restless. I needed to occupy myself with something that wouldn't lead us both back to that thing I dreaded yet yearned so much to happen between us. I just wanted it too much.