Star-Crossed Lovers Ch. 01

They stayed embraced for several minutes after, trying to catch their breath, neither of them wanting to let go. Sam finally rolled onto his side, facing Candace and draping an arm over her midriff. They laid there on his bed in silence for a long time, Sam playing with her hair.

"What's wrong?" he finally broke the silence?

"Nothing. I better get going. I just remembered an appointment I have this morning." Candace fetched her clothes from around the room on her way to the bathroom. A few minutes later she emerged, seeming to want to leave as soon as possible.

"Look. This was really great. I had a good time tonight. I guess maybe I'll see you around..." Candace hurried out of the bedroom. Sam got up and tried to stop her, stumbling towards the door as he pulled his underwear on. He barely got a hold of her arm in the hallway.

"Tell me what's really wrong," he managed to turn her halfway towards him.

"I don't feel like talking about it now, okay?" Candace wouldn't make eye contact with him, but Sam still caught a glimpse of her face. She looked angry, but he could see water welling in the corners of her eyes.

"Well how about tomorrow then? Can I get your number?" Candace saw his pleading eyes. She paused a moment and sighed.

"Do you have something I can write on?"

"Let me just find my phone real quick." Sam trotted off towards the bedroom again. Candace stared at her feet, her mind racing.

What am I doing? she thought. She was all for this at the beginning of the night, now she wasn't sure what she had gotten herself into. One-night stands are fine and dandy occasionally, but you don't get feelings like this. This is ridiculous. Pull yourself together, Candace. Just let it go. But she couldn't.

"Ok," Sam waited, phone in hand. Candace watched him as he entered her number. She couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking.

"Alright. I've got to go," she headed for the front door.

"How are you going to get home?"

"I'll call a cab."

"You can wait inside, you know?"

"Sam," she trailed off, tired of going back and forth with him.

"Alright, alright. At least stay on the porch while you wait, would you?"

"Sam, this is like the nicest area of town. I'm not too worried about it."

"Please?"

"Fine," she replied, opening the front door.

"Are you going to be okay?" His eyes were downturned, sad. She knew he was no longer referring to her physical well-being.

"I don't know. I really don't." Candace shut the door behind her.

Candace went straight to bed when she got home and cried herself to sleep. She felt like an idiot. How could she let herself get involved with someone like this, let alone start having feelings for him? She barely knew him! So what if they became involved? He would be off to Hollywood again in a few months. It was too much for her to process at the moment. She would wait and see how tomorrow went.

Sam stood in the middle of his living room for quite some time, staring off into space where Candace had left. He almost hoped she would come walking back through the front door at any moment. But no such luck. Frustrated with himself and the intriguing woman he barely knew, he went to the door and locked it. Banging his fist against the back of it, he gave in and walked to his bedroom.