Even thinking his name wrenched another sob from my throat. I thought I’d been mad and hurt that day at Boomer’s, but I hadn’t really known Sam then. He’d been a virtual stranger making judgments on me, which was annoying and infuriating. But over the last weeks, Sam and I had opened up and gotten to know each other. Our porch talks had been surprisingly intimate, and especially after last night, when it seemed we’d come to some kind of understanding about this irresistible pull between the two of us.
I didn’t have any idea that Ali was going to tease him about what had happened last night at the Road Block. When she’d begun talking about me dancing with one particular guy, I figured she was talking about Alex, using him to make Sam jealous. I kept waiting for her to explain, but before she could, Sam was saying the most horrible things I could imagine. Each word stabbed into my heart, cutting me until I couldn’t breathe. I could only think of getting away.
The road curved sharply, and my car skidded on the shoulder, kicking up dirt until I got it under control. I eased up a little on the gas as I came to a crossroads. A familiar pick-up sat at the stop sign on the right of the intersection, and my heart skipped a beat. I floored it again, blowing past Sam’s truck. There wasn’t a chance he hadn’t seen me, given that there weren’t any other cars on the road. The sun was setting, but it was still light enough to make out my Honda. I could only hope that he’d choose to leave me alone.
I should have known that was too much to wish for. Moments later, his headlights were in my rearview mirror, flashing on and off. I ignored him, pressed my lips together and gave the car a little more gas. Sam kept up with me, laying on his horn. I hit the button on my window and stuck my arm out of the car, flipping him off. But taking my hand off the wheel made it harder to control at this speed, and I swerved onto the shoulder again. For a dizzying minute, I thought I was going straight into the trees, but I managed to tap the brake enough that the car only did a ninety-degree spin and ended up facing the opposite direction as I was slammed against the door.
Sam’s truck screeched to stop about twenty feet ahead of me—well, actually behind me now, since I was situated the wrong way. I heard a door slam, and I fumbled to unlatch my seatbelt. I had just opened my own door and put my feet on the ground when he reached me.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” He seized my arm, almost shaking me before he stopped himself. His hand gentled, and he scanned me up and down. “Are you okay? Did you hit your head? Does your neck hurt?”
I leaned back against the car. “No, I’m fine.” I shrugged his hand away, and his mouth clamped down.
“You’re goddamned lucky you’re not dead. Are you fucking crazy?” Sam scraped his hand through his hair. “I swear to God, Meghan, you make me insane. You could’ve killed yourself.”
“Why would you have cared? I’m just in your way, remember? I was heading off to find some guy to screw since that’s all I’m good for—”
“Would you shut the hell up?” He grabbed me again, this time by both arms, and before I could maneuver away, he pulled me against him and covered my mouth in a bruising kiss.
I fought him for the span of two heartbeats, and then a tidal wave of want overwhelmed me. I clawed at his back, trying to get closer. Sam slid his hands from my arms down my back until he gripped my ass and held me tight against him. I felt his hardness at my hip and ground into it so that he moaned.
His mouth was aggressive and demanding, lips moving against mine and tongue demanding that I open to him. When I did, he explored the inside of my mouth, stroking and coaxing. I circled my tongue around his, matching his desperate need with my own.
When I brought my hands up to his face, cupping his jaw, he spread his hands on my butt and lifted me. Instinctively, my legs circled his waist, putting my pulsing center even with the ridge beneath the fly of his jeans. I rocked, needing that friction more than I needed my next breath. Sam tore his mouth from me and stared down into my eyes.
“I want you. I’m not waiting any more.” He ground out the words as though I’d been the one holding us back.
“Like I’ve been—” I began, and Sam hitched me higher against him, making me gasp as the throbbing between my legs scraped across his middle.
“Shut up, Meghan.” He took my mouth again and holding onto me, strode down the shoulder of the road to where his truck stood idling. Without lifting his head, he balanced me with one hand and used the other to open the passenger side door. His fingers circled to cup my ass, just barely skimming between my legs. My breath hissed as he set me down on the car seat.