Page 16 of Wallflower

I nod. “Step-monster.”

Sam chuffs a small laugh. “Why does she think this?”

“She was seven when they split, and claims to remember their fights. My dad was seeing another woman.”

“How old were you?”

“Five.”

“And you don’t remember anything?”

“I remember the yelling, and then drowning it out with cartoons.”

“What’s her theory?”

“That Michelle fucked with my mom’s car after my dad ended it with her. Chelsea says the fighting became less and less, then stopped altogether. Everything went back to normal for a short time, then my mom was just gone. Police said she fell asleep at the wheel after working a double shift at the hospital, and collided with oncoming traffic.”

“Shit,” he says, exhaling loudly.

We pause on the next landing, and he squeezes me in an overly tight hug. “I’m sorry.”

“You said that,” I joke.

Sam squeezes me tighter, forcing the air from my lungs. “I mean it,” he replies, voice heavy with something I can’t place.

This dreary presence hangs over us like a shroud, and I wish I could retract everything I just said, go back to being silly with Sam.

Wiggling against him, I gain enough freedom to glance up at him. He seems lost in thought, staring out the window. Salt water laps against the hull, its sound calming as I enjoy his embrace. “How much farther?” I ask, breaking the silence.

“Almost there,” he responds, taking my hand in his once again, and leading us up the next set of steps.

My legs burn from the exertion of climbing from the belly of the ship to the captain’s perch at the top of the vessel. I wait outside the space while Sam slips in through the door, conversing quietly with the captain who regards me slowly…uncomfortably.

The cool breeze provided by the starry night sweeps across my skin, and I sway on my feet. I’m going to be a dead lay if I don’t wrangle myself up some energy.

Finally, Sam emerges. “Ready?”

“Yeah,” I reply around a yawn.

He wraps his arm around my semiconscious body, aiding my descent toward the main deck. Sam leans in close, lips brushing against the shell of my ear. “If you fall asleep, I’m still going to fuck you.”

His words register in my sleepy brain, and my eyes fly open. Lust shoots through my system as I whip my head in his direction. He lets out a hearty laugh while my heart thumps in my clit. “I thought that might wake you up,” he chuckles. “Though…I expected to be smacked for it, not have you be into it.” His teeth shine in the moonlight as his eyes darken.

Fuck, I think I’ve found my perfect match.

“I’m not—” Sam cuts me off with a look. One that says,‘yeah, right. I bet I could effortlessly slide inside you right now if I wanted to’. He’s right. I huff. “Make fun all you want, but you’re the one who brought it up.”

Casually, I follow his lead across the deck. Sam opens the door to the main hall, holding it open for me to pass through.Such a gentleman.“The only thing I’ll be making fun of is you squealing like a pig when I shove my cock so deep inside you it tears you from your dreams.”

My insides clench as I sweep my gaze down the hall. Thankfully, there’s no one around to hear the filth that pours from his lips. “You can’t just say shit like that,” I hiss.

“Why not?”

Because I’m ill-prepared. I’ve never experienced it before, and every time he drops a bomb like that it cinches something inside me tighter.But I don’t say that, instead I reply, “Because it’s inappropriate.”

“How so?” His grin is feral as he cocks his brow. “No one is around to hear me. So, tell me, Rosie. Why can’t I be honest with you?”

I flounder like a fish out of water as I pass by him. He makes a good fucking point and it dismantles any argument I had hastily scraped together.