Private Paradise(15)

Conversation stopped as everyone turned to watch the commotion.

Sam had frozen, his face a grim mask.

“Come on kid, I haven't seen you in weeks. Aren't you happy to see me?”

Only Carla knew Sam well enough to see the flush of embarrassment creeping across his tanned cheeks. She stood up and offered her hand. “Hi, Mr. O'Connell, I'm Carla DeLuca, a friend of Sam's.”

Frank had focused his gaze on her and Carla fought the urge to squirm as he eyed her up and down, his dark brow cocked and his mouth quirked in a creepier version of his son's cocky grin. “Well, Sam, I can see with this little thing to occupy you, you wouldn't be missing me too much.” He'd continued to hold her hand as his gaze narrowed on her face. “Why do I know you? Wait a minute, you were in the paper. Valedictorian of your class this year?”

Carla had nodded, surprised Sam's dad read the paper, much less retained any of the information in a brain that was obviously pickled. “That's me,” she said, snatching her hand away and surreptitiously wiping it on her uniform skirt.

Frank's smile had taken on a cruel cast. “I'd think a smart girl like you would know better than to mix it up with a loser like Sam here.” He chuckled and turned his attention back to Sam. “I guess it just proves, you show a girl a good enough time in the sack and even the smartest ones will be panting after you like a bitch―”

Sam had exploded from the table, grabbed his father by the wrist, and twisted his arm up his back. He started pushing his father, who was struggling and shouting obscenities, toward the door. “Stay out of this, Carla,” Sam had shouted when she would have followed.

More than the words, it was the look on his face that froze her where she stood. His mouth pulled into a snarl, his eyes bright with fury like she'd never seen. She watched, helplessly, as Sam dragged his father outside.

Later, when Carla tried to bring up the incident, Sam snapped at her to forget it. “He hit me up for cash. He does it all the time.” He'd shaken his head and stared off into the distance, a look of sadness in his eyes so profound that, even now, remembering how he'd treated her, Carla still felt a pinch in her chest.

That was the moment she'd fallen completely, utterly under Sam's spell. When she came up with her plan.

Eleven years later, the memory of how stupidly eager she'd been, the way she'd thrown herself at his feet, made her cringe.

It was mid August, a week before Sam was set to head off to Fort Jackson in South Carolina for basic training. Three days after that, Carla was heading to the University of Arizona. Though they spent nearly every free minute together, they hadn't had a single discussion about what would happen after they left the resort. Whether they'd stay together, seeing each other as much as they could. Whether they'd stay in touch at all.

As the day of his departure loomed closer, Carla became more convinced that she and Sam were meant to be, that there was no way she could stand to be halfway across the country from him.

So she came up with a plan. Unfortunately Sam's response hadn't been what she'd been hoping for.

They were up on their usual spot on the mesa, lying on their backs, staring at the stars. Carla still had her clothes on, though Sam had edged his fingers up under the front of her shirt to draw lazy circles on her stomach. Slowly, gently, in a mesmerizing pattern he worked his way up, until soon his fingers brushed the undersides of her breasts. She knew she only had a short window before hormones took over and she'd be too distracted to think, forget talking.

“I need to tell you something,” she said, catching his hand before it could reach up to cover her breast.

“What?” he murmured, his voice muffled as he kissed the spot on her neck guaranteed to make her shiver.

“The University of South Carolina offers almost exactly the same program as U of A. I talked to the Dean and if I wait until winter quarter to enroll I can probably get a scholarship to cover tuition.”

His mouth froze on her neck. “So?” The wary tone in his voice should have tipped her off, but miss know it all Carla who saw the solution before everyone else was like a horse with a bit in her teeth, barreling to the finish line.

“So,” she'd laughed, “that means instead of going to Arizona, I can be close to you while you finish basic.”

Sam sat up so quickly Carla's head, which had been resting on his arm, thumped against the hard- packed earth under their blanket. “Basic only lasts nine weeks. Then what will you do?”

Carla's stomach had sunk to her feet at his response. “I― I don't know.” She hadn't thought that far ahead. “I suppose I could transfer to be closer to you―”

“What, you'll be like my stalker, following me all over the place?”