Page 23 of Conquer

Nine

Sam

It was slightly embarrassingto realize it, let alone admit it, but the next few weeks with Adrian were some of the best of my life.

I worked and would come home as fast as I could in the evening, not bothering to even pretend I wasn’t waiting for him. Sometimes he came early, other times so late it may as well have been morning. But he was there every day.

Some nights we’d make love until we couldn’t move. Others, we’d take a nice three a.m. stroll around the block because Adrian wanted some fresh air. We even had a few slightly less awkwardly timed meals with my mother, who had no regret at all about barging in on us, and who seemed even more charmed by Adrian than I was.

I loved every second of it.

I also marveled at him. He still didn’t talk much, but he didn’t have to. His presence, the quiet but undeniable strength that exuded from him, was enough to fill a room.

But there was also underlying tenderness. I saw it in his face when he talked about how his father had died at a young age and it had been left to him to support his family. Saw it when he wiped away my tears as I told him of my own father, how his death several years ago was the great heartbreak of my life. His response, not pity but understanding and support, only impressed me that much more.

I also figured out that he was brilliant. He didn’t flaunt his intellect, but the more time I spent with him, the more I saw it.

Which was why, late one night as we lay in my bed, I considered sharing my investigation with him. It was something I’d never shared, something I was convinced I never would, but I was wavering. Adrian was experienced and might have insights about the case that I didn’t.

He might also laugh in my face.

“What’s on your mind, Sam?” he whispered as he placed a soft kiss on my neck.

I smiled. “What makes you think there’s something on my mind?”

“Call it a hunch,” he said. Then he gave me one of those rare smiles that I had come to cherish.

I shifted closer to him and brushed my lips against his jaw, and then sighed when he brushed his lips against mine. My body responded instantly, and some part of me wondered how I’d gone so long without this kind of physical connection.

I realized that it wouldn’t have been this way with anyone else—realized that this crazy, unexpected thing with Adrian was because of Adrian, that I could never have hoped for it with anyone else.

I sighed, smiled softly when Adrian broke the kiss. “You were going to tell me what you were thinking about,” he said.

Instead of answering, I kissed his neck and moved down over his collarbones, letting my hands roam his chest as I kissed him.

“You can’t distract me, Sam,” he said in a voice that was certain, though I could feel the change in his breath.

“Maybe I can,” I said, moving down to swipe my tongue across his nipple.

“Okay, so maybe you can,” he said. He grabbed my upper arms and stared down at me. “What?”

I frowned. “Way to ruin the fun, Adrian,” I said with a little pout.

He shook his head. “Not ruined. Delayed.”

He looked at me expectantly, and I finally admitted defeat. Then, as I considered whether I should continue down this road, I stared at him, studied his serene yet aware expression. I thought about how close I felt to him already, how much I trusted him already.

“Come to the dining room,” I said.

I didn’t wait for his response. Instead I threw on a T-shirt and walked out of the room. Adrian was only seconds behind me, and when we reached the dining room, I ushered him in.

I’d always thought it would feel strange to have someone in this room, but it didn’t. It felt…right.

Adrian felt right.

I grabbed the file, now as familiar to me as my own hands, and opened it.

“It’s probably nothing…” I said, not looking at Adrian.