Stealing Second: Sam's Story: Book 4 in the Clarksonville Series (2 page)

“Hey, slow poke,” Lisa said, the twinkle in her eye melting Sam’s heart. She gave Sam a quick nudge with her shoulder.

Sam nudged back and drank in Lisa’s smile. She tore herself away to greet Marlee. “Hey, Marlee.”

“Hey, Sam.” Marlee grinned. “Lisa’s got news.”

“Oh, yeah?” Sam raised her eyebrows. “What?”

Lisa blushed and shot daggers with her eyes at Marlee. “You weren’t supposed to say anything yet. I was going to break it to her gently.”

“Oh, man.” Marlee put a hand over her mouth and mumbled, “Sorry.”

Susie laughed. “Now you have to tell.”

“Okay.” Lisa grimaced and looked at Sam apologetically.

Sam’s stomach flipped. She had no idea what Lisa’s news could be. A thousand thoughts flashed through her mind. Lisa wouldn’t break up with her right there in front of everybody, would she?

Lisa put a gentle hand on her arm. “It’s not that bad. Relax, okay?”

Sam hadn’t realized how tense she’d become. “Okay.”

“I got my physical for school this morning.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I promise. It’s just that I’m not five nine anymore.”

Susie burst out laughing.

Sam’s mouthed dropped open.

Marlee laughed. “Sam, you’re catching flies.”

Sam snapped her mouth shut. “Okay, so how tall are you now?”

Lisa grimaced before she said, “Five ten and a half. I grew an inch and a half since last summer.”

Susie laughed again. “The basketball team’s gonna recruit you, Lisa.”

“Oh, believe me, they try every year.”

Sam leaned in close to Lisa’s ear and whispered, “There’s more of you to love this way.”

When Lisa’s blush reached the roots of her dark hair, a wave of tingles flushed over Sam’s body. She rubbed her face, hoping no one saw her blush.

Susie reached for a softball from the bucket. “C’mon, Sam, let’s get this team stretched. We’re supposed to be the leaders or something.”

Sam and Susie led the team in their warm-ups and then later led the charge onto the field to start the game against the Northwood Sharks. The Nor’Easters quickly ran up the score against them, so Coach Gellar took Sam, Lisa, and Marlee out of the game early to give the substitutes playing time. That was okay with Sam, because on one play, she’d winced when a Northwood runner slid into second base. She’d had a weird flashback about Bree sliding into second and then attacking her.

“C’mon, Nor’Easters,” Sam called from the dugout bench, “just one more out.”

“C’mon, Mary,” Marlee called to the second-string pitcher, “show ‘em what you’ve got.”

Back on the field, the Northwood batter swung hard at the ball but missed for the third strike and the last out of the game.

Sam leaped up. “Way to go, Nor’Easters!” She, Lisa, and Marlee ran onto the field to congratulate their teammates.

After the high-five line, Coach Gellar called them together. “Good job, girls,” she said. “Nice pitching, McAllister.” She nodded her approval at Marlee. “Great job, too, Walker.” She nodded at Mary. “We’ve got fifteen wins and no losses. On Thursday, I expect us to stay undefeated after we play Little Bend. That’ll make us the first place team going into Saturday’s tournament.”

Sam nodded along with the rest of her teammates. Thursday’s game would be a cakewalk.

“The Elmhurst Rage is our closest competitor,” Coach Gellar continued. “They only have two losses so far. Both from us.”

Sam and her Nor’Easter teammates hooted at that news, but Coach Gellar threw in a cautionary note. “Don’t let them fool you. They are a very good team, and I fully expect to meet them in the finals.” She looked each one of them in the eye as if to get her point across.

Sam understood how important winning was to their coach. When their high school team, the East Valley Panthers, lost to Marlee and Lisa’s Clarksonville team during the spring season, Coach Gellar had given them so much grief that Sam was almost glad her team hadn’t gone any further. And, since Clarksonville went on to beat everybody on their way to win the State Championship title, losing to them seemed okay somehow.

After reminding the team that they would have batting practice before Thursday’s game, Coach Gellar dismissed them. Sam and her friends changed into street shoes and headed out to the parking lot together. Sam opened the trunk to her Sebring convertible and threw her gear inside.

She gestured for Lisa to throw her gear next to hers. “I’ll drive you home later after we visit the yacht.”

“Cool.” Lisa shot her a suggestive look that made Sam’s insides shake.

Marlee and Susie walked up after storing their gear in Marlee’s van. Susie leaned back against Sam’s car.

“My wonderful girlfriend is going to drive me home after our trip to the marina,” Lisa said to Marlee, “so you’re off the hook.”

“Cool. Call me if anything changes.”

“I will,” Lisa said. “Let me get my wallet and phone from your car.”

“Okay, c’mon.” Marlee spun on her heels and they headed back toward her van.

Sam watched Lisa walk away admiring her strong athletic gait and the swing of her dark braid. Lisa looked back over her shoulder as if feeling Sam’s eyes on her. She raised one eyebrow and smiled suggestively. Sam almost dissolved.

“Hey, Sus?” Sam said to her friend.
“Yeah?”
“Can you keep falling in love with the same person?”
“I think maybe you can,” Susie said. “I do it every day.”
Sam nodded in agreement. “Me, too.”

With You, I'm Sam

SAM PULLED THE Sebring into the marina parking lot and angled the car toward the sunset. She wanted Lisa to have the best view through the convertible’s open top. The sky glowed orange tinting the few remaining clouds and trees on the Canadian side of the St. Lawrence River.

“It’s so beautiful tonight.” Lisa leaned her head back against the headrest.

“Mmm. So are you.” Sam smiled at Lisa. She knew it was cheesy, but it was true. Her stomach clenched as a wave of desire spread through her. She cleared her throat. “C’mon. Let’s sit on the deck and watch the summer sky for a while.”

Lisa nodded and opened the passenger door.

Sam desperately wanted to hold Lisa’s hand as they walked to the yacht, but she couldn’t risk being seen. Word would definitely get around that the daughter of Gerald and Mimi Payton was seen holding hands with a girl. Not that people spied on her, it was just that being Samantha Rose Payton in Clarksonville County meant that everybody knew who she was.

Sam led the way past fishing boats and pleasure boats on their way to the tri-level Marquis-720 motor yacht. Sam stepped on board and held her hand out to help Lisa step from the dock onto the deck.

“Thank you,” Lisa said with a nod as she stepped on board.

“You’re welcome.” Sam unlocked the door to the main cabin, and they headed toward the lounge area in the stern. They had come to the yacht before, but Sam hadn’t felt comfortable going beyond kissing Lisa below decks. Maybe this time would be different.

Lisa stopped and picked up a formal photograph of Sam and her parents. “Look at you. So formal with your pearls.”

In the picture Sam and her father were standing stiffly behind Sam’s mother who was seated in a high winged back chair, and if it were possible to sit stiffly, her mother was. Sam grimaced. She hated that picture. With her pearls, her mother’s diamonds, and her father’s tailored suit, the pretentious picture wreaked of money and the fact that her family had plenty of it.

Sam snorted. “That girl? The one with the pearls?” She pointed to her image in the photograph. “That’s Samantha Rose Payton, the perfect princess and heiress to the Payton family fortune.”

Lisa put the photo back and turned toward Sam. “So who are you?”

“I don’t know.” Sam grunted. “All I know is that when I’m with you, I’m Sam.”

“I like Sam a lot,” Lisa grinned, “but I’m still not sure who Samantha Rose is.” Her hand gestured to the surrounding yacht.

“That makes two of us.” Sam shrugged and led the way to the head cabinet so they could freshen up.

They each took a moment to wash their hands and use the bathroom, and after grabbing two Sprites from the refrigerator in the galley, Sam led them to the leather couch on the upper deck.

“Here you go.” Sam handed Lisa a can and then plopped next to her on the couch. She left plenty of space in between them since it was still light enough for anyone to see.

“Thanks.” Lisa popped open the top and took a sip. “Mmm, this is so amazing.”

“Mmm,” Sam agreed, knowing Lisa wasn’t talking about the soda.

They watched the orange sky fade to red and then to a mixture of grays. The seagulls squawking overhead at the incoming fishermen completed the scene.

Sam lowered her voice. “I wish I could cuddle with you out here.”

“Me, too.” Lisa smiled sympathetically. “Someday.”

“That would be nice, but...”

“I know,” Lisa said. “You can’t.”

Sam nodded and looked back at the twilight sky. They sat in silence for a while drinking their sodas enjoying the end to a beautiful August summer day.

Sam set her soda down on a side table and turned her head slightly to take in Lisa’s profile. Lisa had the cutest little nose and high solid cheekbones. Her long dark braid was pulled in front of her shoulders making her look like a Native American princess. Her eyes were a delicious light brown that melted Sam with every glance. Her lips were pouty and oh-so-kissable. A low-grade hum settled across Sam’s body. She silently reached for Lisa’s soda and placed it next to hers on the table. Lisa turned toward her and sent a silent message of yearning with her eyes.

“Let’s go inside,” Sam said huskily.

“To your cabin?”

Sam nodded.

“Okay.” Lisa stood up.

They made their way inside the yacht. They’d gone to Sam’s cabin before, but somehow things felt different this time. Sam’s body hummed as she led the way down the spiral staircase to the lower deck and headed for the bow. Before they even made it to the cabin, Sam turned and flew into Lisa’s arms. Their lips met in a fury of passion. Sam moaned as a wave of desire shot through her. She lived for Lisa’s sensuous kisses.

Sam pulled back, her breathing heavy. Forehead to forehead, her lips barely touched Lisa’s.

“Sam,” Lisa whispered, “you’re killing me.”

Sam answered by pressing herself against Lisa and searing her with another kiss. After a moment, Sam led the way into her cabin. She remembered what Susie said about Lisa needing to feel safe and secure, so she locked the door behind them. She turned and wordlessly pulled Lisa’s uniform jersey off. She ran her fingers along the outline of Lisa’s sports bra. Lips replaced fingers, until Lisa tugged at Sam’s jersey demanding equal time. Sam pulled her own jersey off and threw it on the floor. They fell together on the bed.

Sam trailed slow and tender kisses from Lisa’s neck to her delicious cleavage.

Lisa sat up and gently pulled Sam’s bra off. Reaching for Sam's waist, she rolled Sam onto her back. With a quick tug, she removed her own bra before lowering herself on top.

Sam’s body hummed its pleasure at Lisa’s kisses. When the sensations threatened to overwhelm her, she rolled Lisa to her side, and they lay face to face. Lisa kept her eyes closed while Sam softly trailed a finger across her sensuous lips. Lisa kissed the finger and then opened her eyes, her lustful gaze making Sam whimper.

Lisa whispered, “I love you.” She leaned closer and nibbled on Sam’s earlobe.

“Same,” Sam squeaked as shivers ran down her body.

A creak in the floorboards overhead sent Sam sitting bolt upright.

“Did you hear that?” Sam whispered.

Before Lisa could answer, they heard another footstep above them.

“Oh, shit.” Sam leaped off the bed. “Someone’s on the yacht.” She frantically searched for their shirts and found them on the floor near the door. She tossed Lisa hers. Without bothering to put on her bra, Sam tugged her uniform jersey over her head.

“Geez, geez, geez,” Lisa mumbled in panic as she fumbled with her clothes.

“Shhh,” Sam motioned at Lisa to remain quiet and still. She wanted to hear where the intruder was.

“Samantha Rose?” came a booming voice from just outside her cabin door.

Sam and Lisa squealed in panic.

“Daddy?” Sam dislodged her heart from her throat. “Is that you?” She thanked her lucky stars she had locked the cabin door. A quick glance told her that Lisa was now fully dressed.

“Yes. Are you all right?”

“Yes, Daddy. I’ll be right out, okay?”

“What’s going on in there?” His voice was all-business. He jostled the locked doorknob. He was trying to get in.

“Nothing. I was just giving my friend a tour of the yacht.”

The doorknob rattled again. “Why is this door locked?”

“Oh, is it?” Sam said innocently.

“Open this door immediately.”

“Hang on.” Sam mentally thanked Lisa for smoothing the bedspread so it didn’t look rumpled. She kicked her bra under the bed and then unlocked the door. “Hi, Daddy.” Her heart was pounding.

He burst into the room. His eyes scoured the small room as if looking for something or somebody. “Oh,” he said after taking one look at Lisa. The disappointment in his voice was obvious. That’s when it dawned on Sam. Her father thought she was in the cabin with a guy. She bit her bottom lip to stop a laugh. If he only knew.

“Daddy, this is Lisa. She plays on my summer softball team.” She kept her arms folded across her chest because she didn’t want her father to notice that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

“It’s a pleasure to meet one of Sam’s friends.” He cleared his throat obviously embarrassed by his presumption.

“It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Lisa said. “Sorry about the locked door. I think I locked it by mistake. I don’t know much about boats.”

“That’s all right, young lady.”

“And this yacht is absolutely gorgeous. Sam was giving me the nickel tour.”

“Indeed. Carry on then.”

“Daddy?” Sam said.

“Yes, Kitten?”

Sam cringed at the pet name he used for her. “I thought you and Mother were still in Albany.”