Stealing Second: Sam's Story: Book 4 in the Clarksonville Series (15 page)

“I don’t know. Uh, let’s see, we should be done canoeing and stuff by late afternoon, I guess. How about six-ish? Is that okay?”

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

“Helene, are you still there?”

“Yes, honey. I was thinking how grown up you are.”

“Well, quit thinking and get to bed. You have a dinner date with us tomorrow and need your rest.”

“Goodnight, honey. Don’t forget about the fireplace.”

“I won’t. Goodnight.” Sam felt a pang of something she couldn’t quite identify. Sadness? Regret? Loneliness? “Helene? Are you still there?”

There was no answer. She’d hung up.

“I love you,” Sam said softly and then powered off her phone. Taking a deep breath, she tossed the phone onto the kitchen counter. She wandered back to the living room and checked to make sure the door and windows were locked tight.

“You’ll have to give me the recipe,” Lisa was saying to Susie.

“
Arroz con pollo
is easy to make. The secret is in the spices. Sometime before we leave I’ll tell you how the Torres family makes it. Remind me later.”

Lisa nodded. “Okay.”

“Don’t talk about leaving.” Marlee held Susie tighter. “We just got here.” She nuzzled Susie’s neck.

Sam turned away from the couple, wanting to give them privacy. She sat down next to Lisa and pulled her close. “I’m so glad your parents let you come for the weekend.” She took her wine glass back from Lisa and took a big gulp.

“They trust me. They trust you, too.” Lisa took a sip of wine and grinned at Sam over the top of her glass. “Maybe they shouldn’t have, eh?”

“Maybe not.” Sam drained her glass, and Lisa did the same.

“Phew, this is going right to my head.” Lisa set her empty glass on the carpet.

“Are you okay?”

Lisa nodded. “My nose feels kind of funny.”

Sam leaned forward and kissed Lisa’s nose gently. She was about to sit back against the couch, when Lisa grabbed the front of Sam’s shirt and pulled her closer. Sam let herself get lost in the kiss, forgetting that she was in her parents’ lake house and that her friends were only a few feet away.

When the scorching kiss ended, Lisa pushed Sam playfully away, and said, “That oughta hold you.”

Sam blew out a sigh and fanned herself. She couldn’t help the grin spreading on her face. She snuck a peek at Susie and Marlee. They were occupied in pretty much the same manner that she and Lisa had just been, except Marlee was now sitting completely in Susie’s lap. Sam nodded her head toward them.

Lisa smiled. “They’re so cute.”

Marlee broke off the kiss and whispered into Susie’s ear, “You know what I want to do to you?”

“What?” Susie said, a blush creeping across her face.

“I want to rip off your—“

“Shh, shh, shush.” Susie put a hand over Marlee’s mouth to keep her from finishing the sentence.

Sam and Lisa laughed. Susie did, too, but it was obvious she was embarrassed.

“Uh, guys,” Susie said, “I think we’re gonna take this party upstairs.”

“Okay, we’ll see you in the morning,” Sam said.

“Goodnight, girls.” Marlee slid off of Susie’s lap and stood up. She grabbed Susie’s hand and yanked her toward the stairs.

Susie glanced back over her shoulder. “I think the wine is working.”

Sam waved goodnight to her best friend. “Lisa and I’ll make breakfast.”

Susie nodded and let herself be dragged up the stairs by an impatient Marlee.

“Ahh,” Sam snuggled into Lisa, “alone at last.”

“Mmm, this is nice.” Lisa twirled her hand to indicate the living room. “Someday I want something like this. A romantic cozy house on a lake with a fireplace, and, I don’t know, everything.”

“We will. Someday we will.” Sam laid her head on Lisa’s shoulder and nuzzled her neck.

“Mmm,” Lisa murmured. “That feels good.”

Sam stroked Lisa’s braid. “May I?”

Lisa nodded.

Sam pulled off the small band holding the end of Lisa’s braid together and slowly undid the three strands. “I love the way you smell.”

Lisa moved her hair to one side presenting her neck.

Sam obliged and trailed a series of kisses from Lisa’s collarbone to her ear and back again. She felt Lisa’s body respond, mirroring her own desire. Sam trailed her finger tips along the top of Lisa’s polo shirt. The top two buttons were already undone, so Sam undid the third. She caressed Lisa’s smooth skin along the shirt line and then moved lower to the enticing skin of Lisa’s cleavage.

Lisa leaned her head back against the loveseat, eyes closed, breathing deep. The arousal in her features was intoxicating. A wave of desire hit Sam like a line drive.

“You’re so beautiful,” Sam said, barely above a whisper. She watched Lisa’s eyes flutter open.

Lisa reached out to caress Sam’s cheek. Sam should have been nervous, but for some reason she wasn’t. She was moments away from taking Lisa up the stairs and finally being completely alone with her. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the cozy surroundings. Maybe, just maybe, it was because she loved Lisa soul deep.

Sam brushed her lips gently over Lisa’s.

Lisa groaned. “Don’t tease.”

Sam couldn’t stand it any longer. “Come on.” She stood up and reached for Lisa’s hands, pulling her up gently.

Lisa stood and they locked eyes, searching each other’s souls wordlessly. Sam’s breathing quickened. Lisa leaned down and seared Sam with another smoldering kiss. Sam broke away breathless. She took the briefest of moments to catch her breath and led the way up the stairs to her room.

I Lied

SAM WOKE TO Lisa snuggling behind her. They both lay on their sides, Lisa’s front to Sam’s back. Skin on skin felt amazing. Sam wriggled backward to feel more of Lisa against her.

“Mmm,” Lisa moaned. “You feel so good. I could stay like this forever.”

“Me, too.” Sam reached for the hand at the end of the arm wrapped around her and pulled it to her lips. She kissed the fingertips gently. “I really, really, really like this hand. It did some incredible things last night.” She kissed the palm.

“Mmm, you’ve got one that I really like, too.”

Sam rolled over so she could see Lisa in the morning light. Her heart melted. Lisa was so pretty, even first thing in the morning.

“Good morning,” Sam whispered.

“Morning.” Lisa’s smile melted Sam. Sam decided she could get used to waking up next to her every day.

“You know what?” Sam asked.

“What?”

“I lied.”

“About what?”

“About the best sound I ever heard.”

“Hmm?” Lisa sounded confused. “You said the best sound you ever heard was my brother and sisters laughing.”

“Mm hmm.” Sam grinned and felt herself blushing. “Last night, when you, uh, when you cried out as you, uh—“

“Oh, geez.” Lisa’s eyes grew wide. She pulled the sheet over her head. “Was I loud?” She peeked out with one eye.

“No, no, no, but it was music. The best music I’ve ever heard in my entire life. It’s officially the number one best sound I’ve ever heard.”

Lisa peeked out from behind the sheet. “I liked it when you, uh, you know, last night.”

Sam laughed. “Believe me. I did, too.”

Lisa laughed and ran her fingers lightly over Sam’s lips. “Last night was amazing.”

“Mmm.”A delicious ribbon of desire shot through Sam. “Let’s stay in bed. All day.”

“I wish we could, but somebody promised to make breakfast for her friends.”

Sam groaned. “I did, didn’t I?” She rolled and flopped on her back. “Why, oh, why did I do that?”

“Because you’re an awesome friend and an awesome host.”

“They can wait, can’t they?” Sam pulled Lisa on top of her and groaned when she heard someone stomping on the stairs. “Sounds like they’re up already.”

“Sam?” Susie knocked lightly on the bedroom door. “
Aay
, I’m sorry to bother you guys, but the fireplace is on. What should I do?”

“Shit,” Sam mumbled into Lisa’s shoulder as they sat up. “Hang on,” she called to Susie. “I’ll be right out.”

“Susie, do you smell gas?” Lisa pulled the sheet up to cover herself.

“No, but the flames are kind of sputtering.”

“Okay, I’m coming.” Sam leaped out of the bed, self-conscious about her nakedness in the light of day, but she didn’t have time worry about it. She threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and gave Lisa a quick kiss, lamenting the fact that she had to leave. “I’ll be right back. Don’t move a muscle.”

Lisa’s smile lit up her whole face. “I’m not going anywhere. Yell if you need me, though.”

“Oh, I need you, but probably not for the fireplace.” Sam smiled and hustled out the door.

On the way down the hallway and down the stairs, Sam berated herself. Helene told her to do one thing. Turn off the damn fireplace. And did she? No. She hadn’t thought about it once. Why in the world did Helene say she was grown up? No wonder her father didn’t think she could handle the lake house on her own.

Sam ran to the sputtering fireplace and threw in the key. Susie and Marlee hovered behind her. She twisted the key and turned off the gas. The flames died out completely. She sniffed the air for the smell of gas and couldn’t detect anything. The ceramic fireplace logs and metal grate were radiating way more heat than usual. Thankfully nothing was burned or melted.

Sam sat back on her heels and closed her eyes for a second trying not to imagine what could have happened if the house had filled up with gas. “I think it’s okay. I’m such an idiot.”

“
Aay
, Sam. You are not. Any one of us could have forgotten, too.”

“Absolutely,” Marlee added.

“Thanks guys.” Sam stood up and stretched her neck from side to side trying to release the tension. “What time is it, anyway?”

“Nine.”

“Nine?” Sam’s eyes bugged out. “Holy crap. I can’t believe we slept so late.”

“We just got up, too.” Susie gestured to the pajamas they still wore. “I came down to get Marlee some cold water.”

Marlee grimaced and pointed to her head. “Headache.”

“Do you need a Tylenol or something?”

Marlee shook her head. “I think it was from the wine. Susie says I just need to hydrate.”

“Why don’t you guys go back upstairs for a while? Lisa and I’ll call you when breakfast is ready.”

“Cool,” Marlee said. “I love women who cook for me.”

Susie grinned and linked arms with Marlee as they headed back up the stairs.

Sam squatted and checked over the fireplace one last time to make sure everything was truly okay. She stood up and looked at the ceiling overhead. A warm feeling overtook her as she thought of Lisa, still in the bed, waiting for her. With one last check of the now-cooling fireplace, she bolted up the stairs. The guest bathroom door was closed and she heard the distinct sounds of Marlee and Susie getting ready to shower together. Sam flung open the door to her own bedroom, slammed it shut, and launched herself on top of Lisa.

“Oof,” Lisa grunted as Sam landed. She wrapped her arms around her girlfriend. “Everything okay downstairs?”

Sam kissed Lisa’s forehead, her nose, both cheeks, chin, and finally her soft lips. “Yup. I’m an idiot for leaving it on, but everything seems okay.” Sam rolled over on her side. “I have an idea.”

“Mmm?”

“Shower?” Sam pointed to her bathroom en suite.

“Together?”

“Is that okay?” In a rush Sam realized she might have overstepped. Lisa was a whole year younger than she was. Maybe it was too much.

Lisa nodded shyly as a healthy red blush crept up her neck to her face.

Sam breathed an inner sigh of relief and sat up. She put out her hand. “C’mon. Let’s go.”

SAM SET THE batter for her Supersonic Strawberry Supreme Pancakes on the counter top. She stood hip to hip with Lisa who was cutting up the last of the strawberries. Sam pulled out the cast iron skillet, the one Helene taught her how to make pancakes with, and set in on the stove top. She turned the knob to light the burner, but nothing happened. Perplexed, she turned the knob off and then on again. Nothing.

“Maybe the pilot light went out,” Lisa suggested.

A wave of panic shot through Sam. This was exactly the kind of thing she was afraid of. She didn’t know anything about pilot lights or other mechanical things like that.

“Baby?” Lisa said gently. “It’s okay. I’ll check it out. You look like a deer caught in the headlights.”

Sam nodded. “I don’t know what to look for.”

“Here, I’ll teach you. I’m usually my dad’s assistant when he fixes things around the house. I’m the go-fer.”

“Gopher?”

Lisa chuckled. “I fetch things. I go fer this and go fer that. A gofer.”

Sam laughed. “Well, I guess I’ll be your go-fer then.”

“Okay. The first thing you can go fer is matches. I saw a box in the pantry.” Lisa pointed behind her.

“Got it.” Sam flung open the pantry doors. She searched high and low without finding them, and just as her panic rose again, Lisa told her where they were.

“Right there. On the top shelf to the left. You probably can’t see them with your height disadvantage.”

“Oh, no you didn’t.” Sam tried to sound offended, but knew she wasn’t pulling it off. She jumped and snagged the box of matches from the top shelf. “I never knew those were there.”

“Okay, first we take off these burner tops.” Lisa set them on the counter. “Then we lift the lid to the stove. Here,” Lisa showed Sam where to put her fingers, “help me lift.”

Try as they might, they couldn’t get the lid to lift up. “Hang on.” Lisa twisted one of the knobs. “Oh, geez. Do you hear that clicking sound?”

Sam nodded.

“That means it has an electronic ignition.”

Sam raised her eyebrows. She had no idea what that meant, which must have been obvious.

“It means there’s no pilot light.”

“So why isn’t the stove lighting?”

“I’m not sure.” Lisa opened the oven door and took a look. “There’s nothing to see in here.”

Sam heard Susie and Marlee’s bedroom door open and knew they’d be downstairs any second.