Love and Neckties - Lacey Black Page 0,16

the man right in front of me.

Samuel clears his throat. “Thank you.”

I back away, even though I’d much rather throw my arms around his shoulders and shimmy up his body like a squirrel. “You’re welcome. Apparently, I’m right next door if you should need anything.”

“I’m sure I’ll be fine,” he states, gathering up his belongs and stepping into the room. He stops, though, before he’s completely over the threshold. “I, uh, am right next door too. Obviously. So if you need help, or anything, uh, let me know,” he stammers.

“Thanks, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

He nods, swallows hard, and steps farther into the room. I turn my back to him and head next door. I use my own keycard, gathering up all my crap off the floor as I balance the weight of the door. I’m bent over when I hear a hiss behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I find Samuel still there, staring at me.

Or specifically, my ass.

Warmth spreads through my chest as our eyes connect. His widen just a sliver as he straightens his necktie. “I was just making sure you got into your room safely.” Then, he turns and disappears, the loud echo of his door shutting filling the hallway.

Just making sure I got into my room safe?

By staring at my ass?

Sure, Sammy.

That’s what they all say.

Chapter Five

Samuel

The auditorium is packed by the time we finally get through the ticket line and security. Show, then dinner. The guys all head to the next line, a concession stand that serves over-priced beer, while the girls make a bathroom stop and plan to meet us at our seats. Even though I’m the only single guy here, somehow, it’s assumed I’m with Freedom for the evening. She basically just walked up to me, told me to get her a beer, patted me on the chest, and walked away.

Typical Freedom.

I have two draft beers and a bag of popcorn as I follow behind the guys to our seats. I’m surprised when I find us heading down toward the floor, and even more shocked when I find the ladies waiting for us in the third row. “Damn, these are nice seats,” my brother, Jensen, says as he hands his fiancée, Kathryn, a beer. Marissa and Rhenn also follow behind me.

“Aren’t they? Mom scored big time,” Harper replies, wearing the same smile she’s had since her Las Vegas destination wedding festivities began.

I slip down the aisle, finding Mom and Latham’s parents, Kitty and Bud. They’re chatting animatedly about the show, discussing the bio in the book they purchased on David Copperfield. Reserved, I take the empty seat between my mom and Freedom, who quickly relieves me of one of my drinks. “Oh, you got popcorn too. Good thinkin’, Sammy!”

She reaches for the popcorn, but I hold it up out of her reach. She’s quite a bit shorter than my six-foot frame, so it’s easy to keep the salty treat out of her grasp. What I wasn’t expecting was for her to literally climb onto my lap to get it. Her long skirt pools at her thighs and I catch a glimpse of her bare ankles. Without truly knowing why, I find myself hard. And staring at those fucking ankles like a crazy man who hasn’t seen a woman in decades.

“Freedom?” I whisper, grateful everyone around us seems to be lost in their own conversations.

“Yes?” Her warm breath hits me square in the neck and sends a shiver through my body. My overly heated, too responsive body.

“Why are you on my lap?”

“Why are you keeping the popcorn from me?”

Realizing I’m still holding it up and out of her reach, I lower the tub, setting it between us. Freedom dives right in and doesn’t seem to care at all that she’s still sitting on my lap, practically straddling my erection and munching on popcorn like it’s no big deal. “Oh, you added extra butter salt, didn’t you?” she asks between bites. Usually, I’d be a little grossed out and a whole lot offended if a woman devoured her food, licking her fingers, and moaning in orgasmic food delight, but not this time. This time, I’m aroused. So fucking aroused, and the worst part is my mom is sitting right beside me.

I clear my throat, that fact like a cold bucket of water thrown on my head, and move Freedom off my lap. She doesn’t really say anything, or seem to notice for that matter, and continues licking the butter salt off her fingers