All I’ve done all morning is think about Sam. Every morning he’s brought me bagels and coffee before the shop opens, but he hasn’t shown up yet today. Both of us are mature adults, but we act like two horny teenagers unable to keep our hands off each other. I even opened the shop late one morning - we had sex in the dressing room and I lost track of time. I was shocked when he placed my hand on his bare face. It was such a turn on to feel all of him. Nana is feeling well enough now that she insisted that Sam come over for dinner tonight. She wants to make her homemade potpie for him. Tennyson is so excited that she built a fort for Sam. She probably thinks he will be spending the night with us.

“You’re awful quiet this morning.” I hear Chase set down his coffee mug. “What’s up?”

“Nothing, it’s just that…Sam has been coming by every morning and he didn’t this morning.”

“Ah.”

“Ah, what? What does that mean?”

“You think he’s lost interest already?” he laughs.

“That’s not funny. And no, that’s not what I think.”

“All that sex you’ve been having, you probably wore the man out.” I swing my hand out to smack him, but he’s already stepped out of the way. “You are awful!” I laugh at him. “My sex life is none of your business.” I stop and think for a minute. “Can you wear a man out?” I ask in all seriousness and Chase cracks up laughing.

Before I can say anything back to him a customer walks in the shop. Chase squeezes my shoulder as he walks by me, picking up his coffee. “I’ll be in the back doing some ordering if you need me.”

The shop is packed all day with customers checking out the huge sale that Chase has been advertising. We’re so busy that time flies by and before I know it, it’s already closing time. I can sense him the minute he walks in the door. “I missed my bagels this morning.”

“Sorry, I wanted to get some work done on my office. I got up early and lost track of time.” He kisses my cheek. “Are you ready to close up?” “Yeah, Chase will be back in a minute. He had to take the deposit to the bank.” I flip over the sign.

“You must have been busy, most of the racks look pretty empty.”

He sounds distant. “Are you okay?” I walk toward him.

“Yeah, just a little sore from manual labor all day.”

“I could rub your back for you.” I wrap my arms around his waist.

“Mmm…I’d like that. Maybe after dinner you could come back to my place.” He kisses me lightly on the lips.

“I kinda think Tenny thinks you’re spending the night with us. She’s built you a fort.”

“I’m sorry, I will have to break her little heart. I have a delivery coming to the house in the morning, but you are still more than welcome to come home with me tonight.”

The door chimes, followed by Chase’s voice. “There you are! Emma’s been worried about you.”

“I wasn’t worried, I missed him. There’s a difference.” I think he stuck his tongue out at me.

“You two need to get a move on it, I’m sure Nana already has dinner made.”

* * *

“Dinner was so good, Nana, thank you for having me over,” Sam tells her, rubbing his full belly.

“You’re welcome to come over anytime, Sam,” she says, taking our dishes off the table.

“Now that dinner is over, I need you to sign the grant papers so that I can get them in the mail tomorrow,” Chase says, handing me a pen and placing it on the paper where it needs to be signed.

I hesitate and bite the inside of my lip until I feel Sam’s warm, comforting hand rest on my thigh. “Sign the paper, Emma.”

“Okay, but this is the last time. If they turn me down again, it’s not meant to be.” I sign the paper and hand the pen back to Chase.

“Sam, come play with me,” Tennyson says. I can feel her next to me pulling on his sleeve.

“Tenny, give Sam a break. He just finished eating.”

“It’s okay, I’ll go read to her and then I’m going to head out. I think I overdid it today.” He gets up from the table and follows Tenny.

“Chase, does Sam look okay to you?” I whisper across the table.

“He’s moving a little slow, but other than that he looks fine. You worry way too much.”

Sam plays and reads to Tenny until it’s her bedtime. She nearly knocks him over with a massive goodnight hug and kiss. He tells Chase and Nana goodnight and I walk outside with him.

He pulls my body flush with his. “Are coming back with me?”

I run my hands through his hair. “I think you’ve worked too hard today and you need some rest. I’ll gladly take a raincheck.” I kiss him.

“I’m never too tired for you,” he assures me.

“I know, but I can tell you’re not yourself. Is there something else going on?” I wish this one time I could look in his eyes and know that he is actually okay.

His hands grasp my ass. “With you right here, I’m more than okay.”

“Alright, then you go home and rest up. I’ll come over tomorrow night and you can make it up to me.”

“Deal.” He draws me in for a long, deep kiss.

* * *

Over the next two weeks we spend a lot of time in each other’s arms. I fall in love with him deeper every day. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this happy. Actually, I don’t know if I’ve ever been this happy. I’m so lucky to be in love with such a good man. He’s smart, funny, sexy, and his heart is made of pure gold. I love the fact that both of us have only ever had sex with each other. We’ve both become very comfortable exploring each other bodies. I love feeling his hands all over me.

I can’t wait to see him tonight, he’s picking me up around eight. My bag is packed with some lingerie that I designed a while ago, but never thought I would have a reason to wear it myself. Tenny yells from the other side of the house that Sam is here just as I am zipping up my overnight bag.

“You look beautiful.” He greets me with a kiss.

“Hey,” Chase says. “Before you two leave, the grant letter came back today.”

“Did you open it,” I ask.

“No, I was waiting for you. Do you want me to open it now?” he asks.

I hear Nana come into the room. “Yes, she wants you to open it.”

Chase rips the envelope open. “Let me read it,” Sam says.

I hear the letter open and then a long pause. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense. What does it say?”

“It says, ‘Congratulations, your grant has been approved.’” Sam reads it and then I hear him fold it back up.

Tennyson starts jumping up and down. “You’re finally going to see again!”

Nana and Chase both hug me at the same time. “We’re so happy for you.”

“Thank you for not giving up on me,” I tell them. “Does it say how soon I can schedule the surgery?”

“At your earliest convenience,” Sam says.

“I’ll work on scheduling it for you. Go get your bag and the two of you go celebrate,” Chase kisses me on the cheek.

I retreat to my room for a minute to touch up my lip gloss, but an eerie silence has settled over the living room when I return. “Are you guys still in here?”

“Yeah, could you give Sam and me minute?” Chase asks, and I know immediately that there is something going on.

“Is there something wrong?”

“No, I just want to get some input from Sam on remodeling the old shed out back,” Chase answers.

“Oh, okay, I’ll meet you out front when you’re done.” I still think it’s rather odd that he wants to deal with that right now.

Sam takes my hand as I walk by and says, “We’ll only be a minute.”