The Winter of Temptation Ch. 04-05

The next morning Ian woke up first to find that Samantha had turned in her sleep, she was now facing him. He was able to leisurely take in, enjoy, and appreciate every feature she possessed. Her long eye lashes rested on her mahogany cheek, as he took in the fullness of them, and the small cute button nose. Her beautiful mouth was a perfect medium size that curved into a bow on top, before leading to her soft pink fuller bottom lip.

An overwhelming urge to kiss her consumed him, but he didn't allow himself. Instead he slipped out of bed and walked over to her bathroom, to find a spare toothbrush. As he brushed his teeth he took a long look at himself. His long blond hair was tossed everywhere full of curls, and color. His face held a gruff appearance from the thick blonde scruff adorning his flushed pink cheeks, from a well-rested night of sleep.

Examining his body he saw little pink marks all over his shoulders and chest. Leaning closer he saw that they were scratches everywhere, even on his ass. Laughing, he shook his head, being so pumped up last night made him not notice a thing. The sound of rustling got his attention, so he walked back into the room. To see that Samantha was now awake and sitting up on the side of the bed. She seemed not to notice him, as she sat with half of the sheet wrapped around her, looking out the window.

"Sammy?" He called, walking around the bed to stand in front of her.

Looking up at him, he could see tears in her eyes. Alarmed he went to his knees at her feet. "Baby what's wrong?"

Staring at him for a long moment she tried to control her emotions, but her anger overwhelmed her. Pulling back her fist she brought it forward, yet he saw it coming, and caught it. He didn't however see her left swing following right behind the first, until it was slammed into his jaw.

"Ah fuck! Damn It!" He moaned in agony, holding his cheek. "Sammy why di─"

Another punch to his left cheek cut him off. "You Sleazy fucking asshole!" She shouted.

He glared angrily at her, but she didn't back down. She whipped at her tears roughly. "First you fuck Kriste and every girl you feel the need to, and now you think you can make me a fucking whore for you as well!?" She stood up and looked down on him, as he gaped for words like a fish would out of water. "Ian I refuse to be a slut for you! You won't fuck me whenever you want, because you think you can."

Standing to his feet Ian grasped for words, but Samantha stormed past him. Slamming the door she made sure to lock it, as she started the shower; eager to wash the entire night off. She made sure to scrub her body thoroughly, while steeling her emotions, and thoughts. When she came out of the bathroom, she expected for him to have gotten the point to be gone. Yet Ian sat on the edge of her bed, dressed in his shirt, jeans, and socks.

Seeing her expression Ian rushed to explain. "I just wanted to talk about things, Sammy." He got up, and walked towards her.

"I don't want to talk to you Ian." She couldn't bring herself to look at him, so she walked past him to gather the rest of his things. She found his shoes and his jacket and shoved it at him. "Time for you to go."

Ian gently touched her cheek. Samantha tensed noticeably and tighten her grip on the towel covering her body. She felt nothing as he stared at her lovingly and intensely.

"Sammy, what happened last night was not a mistake, I don't regret it." "The only thing I regret is how I went about it. I should have been sober, and told you how I felt from the start. Then I should have made love to you like you deserved, instead of taking you so hard on your first time." Ian brushed her damp curls behind her ear. "Forgive me Sammy."

Samantha looked at him with dark eyes. "It's over and done with. I won't allow you to do what you want to me like other girls. Sorry but, no. I won't you to leave me alone.

Ian shook his head sadly. "Samantha, like it or not we're intertwined. It's not in me to let things go like this."

"Well good thing I can." She replied. "I have to go to work."

Ian tried to read her expression, trying to gauge her truthfulness. "What? You've never worked on Friday. Annabel has always giving you Fridays off."

"Well damn it. For your information I took someone else's shift. I don't want to be around you, what do you not get?" She asked exasperated.

Ian clenched his teeth and silently put on his shoes and jacket, fuming inside. "You know what? You can have all the space you want. Just remember." He walked to the door. "I care about you, and I want to work on whatever we have going on. You're not a one-time fuck to me, your much more Samantha." He looked at her for a long moment as if he wanted to say more, but ultimately he walked out of the apartment without a backwards glance.

Samantha uncaringly dried off her body and got dressed, in a hip hugging pin skirt with a silk red shirt, and matching black pumps. She pulled back her curls in to a chignon bun, before putting on a subtle eye shadow with a ruby red lipstick. Spritzing a bit of body mist on she grabbed her purse, coat, and rushed out the front door. Rushing to the car she stuffed herself in and checked her phone. She had 10 minutes to get to the little store front boutique 'Stars', located in Charlottesville Historic Downtown Mall. She hit three, and she waited for Annabel to answer.

"Hello?"

"Hey Anna, it's me. I'm on my way to the shop now, I over slept a bit." She explained.

"Ah, it's alright girl. I'll just see you when you get here, Caroline just walked through the door also." Annabel said something to Caroline before she spoke into the phone again. "Don't rush and kill yourself trying to get here Chica, we will manage just fine until you do."

Samantha laughed. "Ok, Anna. Thanks for understanding."

"No problem." Annabel replied, before hanging up. Samantha smiled to herself, glad to have such understanding friends.

Her Beautiful Mulatto friend Annabel was one year older than her 21 years, and they met at an art exhibition at the Fralin museum of art, at their university. From that moment on, they became very close friends. She hung with them constantly, and before long Annabel began to date Ian's friend Andy. After graduating she took control of her sick mothers shop. Striving to make her single mother proud, she not only took over the business but also began the process of expanding. Samantha couldn't begin to describe how proud she was of her friend.

~*~

Finding a parking spot Samantha rushed to the shop. The jiggling bell above the door drew the eyes of Caroline, Annabel, and Maria to her.

"Well, look what the wind blew in." said Caroline sarcastically. "You look... different." She stated, cocking her head to the side. Seeming to observe Samantha closely.

Samantha looked down at her body in confusion, finding nothing out of the ordinary she looked at Annabel, who shrugged her shoulders. "You do seem a bit, different."

Samantha rolled her eyes. "Guy's your being crazy, nothing is different about me. I'm the same as the day before, and the day before that."

Caroline eyed her curiously, for a moment, before going back behind her makeup counter. "If you say so, darling." She chuckled to herself.

Samantha found herself rolling her eyes again, before heading to the backroom. "I'll be in the stock room taking inventory, and filling out the next order."

Annabel nodded. "Thanks babe."

Samantha dropped her things off in the office and grabbed the clipboard, choosing to busy herself with something that could keep her in her own solitude. She worked throughout the morning doing minimal task, and when she had that completed she filled out an order form. Only when that was complete did she go out front to do price checks and help with customers that moseyed through the store. Around 1 o'clock Caroline found her in the office. When she approached her she smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes.

"Samantha, you've been working yourself like crazy all morning. Hiding in this room, it's like 1 o'clock and I've only seen you 4 times since this morning. You've haven't even taken a break, have you eaten anything?" She questioned.

Samantha shook her head uncaringly. Caroline shot her a disapproving look, and grabbed her hand, making sure to grab their coats also. Before pulling her to the front of the store, where they saw Annabel looking over the order form Samantha filled out earlier.

"Anna, we'll be back. Miss workaholic here, has been working herself to death on an empty stomach. I'm going to take her to lunch. That cool with you?" Caroline asks.

Annabel looked at Samantha also with a disapproving frown. "Yeah, you guys go ahead. Maria and I can handle the fort, while you guys are out."

Caroline kisses Annabel's cheek before tugging Samantha along. "Be back in 30."

Tossing Samantha her jacket, they buddle up before going outside to brace the harsh cold weather. "How do you feel about Citizen Burger Bar?"

"That sounds pretty good. I haven't eaten there in forever." Samantha replied.

They crossed the street and walked a few stores down, before entering the cute, friendly establishment. The mouthwatering aroma's hit her nose, and Samantha felt her stomach grumble. Caroline looked at her with a smirk, as if saying 'I Told you so'. Samantha playfully rolled her eyes. "Oh hush."

"Come on, let's find a seat." Caroline replied.

They chose to sit in a window booth, and as they got settled a waiter came over. "Good afternoon ladies, what can I get you to drink?"

"Um, I Would just like a water please." Samantha requested.

Caroline glanced at the menu before she offered the pretty brunette a smile. "Scratch that water, we'll both have white wine please. The Prince Michel Viognier."
The waiter glanced back at Samantha, who stared at Caroline as if she was crazy.

Caroline returned the look. "Girl you look as if you need a drink." She smiled at the waiter once more. "We'll take the wine, thank you."

"Alright ma'am, it'll be right out to you." The waiter then walked off.

"What's up with you, Sam?"

Samantha's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she stared out of the window to avoid Caroline's probing brown orbs. "Darling you know you can tell me, if anything is bothering you." Caroline explained placing her hand on top of Samantha's.

"I know Carol, I'm just really pissed off."

Caroline sat straight up, with her brow bunched. "Uh oh, this sound serious. Who pissed you off to this point?"

"It's Ian. I'm so done with him."

"What!? Wait, wait. How, when, and why?"

Samantha closed her eyes and sighed.

"You two have been friends forever. What the hell could have happened, to change that Sam? Seemingly overnight." Caroline was flabbergasted.

"Yeah last night... uhm he came over and he...." Samantha swallowed the log logged in her throat.

"What happen last night?"

Samantha shrugged. "He came over with the smell of liquor all over him. He barged into my room like a bat out of hell. Remember how I told you about the argument me and him had, over my relationship with Calvin?" Caroline nods her head. "Well I didn't tell you everything."

"What? Spill the beans."

The waiter came back with their drinks at that moment. "You guys ready to order?" She asks politely.

They nodded and scanned the menu quickly, before they both ordered 'The Hotness.'

"Well, we had a fall out and he kisses me, and we almost went too far." Samantha replied as the waiter went to fill their order.

Caroline eye's bulged. "NO! Wow! You and Ian? Oh, my gosh! I always thought that you guys looked great together. I even had a feeling that he was attracted to you. But I never thought something would happen." She rambled. "Wait, is this the reason you've been off today?"

Embarrassed she shook her head no. "Last night when he came over, we got into it again. Then he basically lifted me on the bathroom sink and we ─."

Caroline seemed about ready to pop, as Samantha tried to say the word. "Fucked?" Caroline gasped continuously shook her head from side to side, taken aback. "He didn't force you, did he? Because I swear if he did I will fuck him up, Sam. Seriously."

Samantha covered her face with her hand, feeling her eyes begin to tear up. "No, Carol. He didn't force me to have sex with him. I said no... fighting myself, but deep down I knew that I wanted it, Carol and so did he. I wanted it badly, god help me but I did. I loved everything that he did to me, and he knows it."

"Damn Sam, this is crazy. How could Ian put you in this situation?"

Before Samantha could reply the waiter brought their lunch and refilled Caroline's drink, while Samantha's sat untouched as she pondered over Caroline's prying question." I don't know why last night happen, but what I do know is that I cannot be around him. I have to think, and that just won't happen with him around."

"What about this guy Calvin? From what I've heard about him, he is a gentlemen and it's hard to find a guy like that these days."

"I don't think I deserve someone like him, last night I fucked my best friend. I told the guy that there was nothing between me and Ian. So he's just going to see me as a liar, Carol. I'm going to tell him what happen, and see if he would still like to be friends at least."

"Just think it over, later. Right now just relax, and eat." Caroline suggested.

Samantha agreed and took a big swig of her drink.

~*~

Ian sat down in a secluded corner of the library to get a little bit of studying done before he took his final exam. Contrary to what people thought about him being a whore, he actually had a head on his shoulders that he utilized. He had been volunteering as a tutor since his first year at UVS, figuring he should help people who couldn't understand their work. Now as the teacher's assistant for his BIOL 4310: Sensory Neurobiology professor, he felt very accomplished, as well as ready for graduation. Everything involving his future was, pretty much set in stone.

His mom was from Virginia, and that's why he had a full ride for UVS. His dad was a psychologist, which contributed to why he was a studying to be a neurobiologist. Everything besides Samantha being his woman, was planned. After years of them like siblings, he feared he may have overstepped things too quickly last night. But as he told her, he didn't regret what happened between them, for it was long overdue.

From years of watching her mature, and form into a thick luscious female he couldn't deny that he wanted her any longer. In a way he had always knew she was the one, he had never liked for other guys to look at her, or to flirt with her as she naively not notice. He wanted to protect her innocence's from lechers. From dude's that didn't deserve her. Even from himself, after he started to dream of her in intimate ways at the age of 15. That's when he turned to other girls and buried his feelings for her, or so he thought. Slowly her breast began to grow bigger; until they were a firm 34C, and her hips began to widen, accentuating her body in a womanly coco-cola bottle shape.

No matter how hard he tried he couldn't stop the feelings he had, and it took for another man to come into the picture and threaten his relationship with her for him to act on his desires. To him last night was the best night of his life. Finally having her, for the first time after lusting for her for so long, was enough for him to die a happy man. But the icing to top the cake, was the fact that he was the first man to have ever touched her. He could tell from the way she reacted towards him on her first climax, but Kriste crazy ass clarified any doubt he had on the matter. He knew that since what happen, things would be difficult for them, but he was willing to try. Because they needed to talk, and soon.

"Hey Mitch, what you doing?" Came a voice from behind him.What was my mom thinking naming me Ian Mitchell Queen?He thought as he looked over his shoulder at the only person that called him 'Mitch.'

"You know I hate that damn name, Junior." He whispered, to Miles one of his tutor students.

The young man grinned and shrugged playfully, as he walked around the table to sit across from Ian. "Tough." Kicking his feet up he eyed Ian. "So are you done with Finals?"

Ian looked down at his notes. "Nah I got one in about an hour, how did you do on Mr. Hinson's test?"

"Passed with flying colors, I got my scores earlier. I'm free for the rest of the holiday." Ian bumped fist with the younger guy, proud that he was doing well.

"Speaking of the holidays, what do you have planned for the break?" Miles asked.

"Just going home to see the fam, junior. They already tell me I don't come home nearly enough, so I better make it for Christmas break."

"Damn, Boston is going to kick your ass, at this time of year. You're going to freeze your nuts off."

Laughing Ian shook his head. "Nah, I grew up there bro, I'm pretty used to it. Trust me."

Miles shrugged "Couldn't be me, but anyways. I wanted to ask you about the annual Snow bash at Alpha Phi?"

"What about it?" Ian asked.

"Well you know about my band, Common Crisis. So I was wondering if you could take a chance on us."

Ian nodded his head. "I'll talk to all the guys, at the house and see what they say."

"That's totally cool, bro." Miles replied, as Ian scooted back in his seat.

"I'll text you about it, I gotta head to class now. The party is tomorrow are you guys, ready?"

"Of course we are. We've been doing this for a while."

"Well we'll be the judge of that, come by the house tonight around 7. We'll give you a shot."

~~*~~

"I'll come by in a few to check on you, Sam." Caroline said.

"Ok, I'll be home packing, and finishing my paper."

"Awesome, then I'll be able to drag your behind out of that apartment to show you a good time. You need some cheering up girly."

Samantha groaned and walked out the front entrance of the shop. Pulling out her phone she dialed Calvin's number, as she walked to her car.

Calvin put aside the files he was looking over, and answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi Cal." Came her sweet soft voice over the line. "I hope I'm not interrupting you."

"No, No. You're not, I'm just going over a few things. Glad that you called."

Curious Samantha asks. "What exactly do you do?

Chuckling, Calvin relaxed in his office chair. "I'm a graphic designer."

"Really?"

Calvin smiled to himself. "Yes I'm the CEO of Dreamscope."

"Wow, you've really made a name for yourself."

"Yes, we're still a work in progress, but it's coming along wonderfully."

Samantha listened to the happiness in his voice and felt immense proudness for him. "I'm so proud of you Cal. I called, because I wanted to ask you if you would like to accompany me to dinner and a party tomorrow?"

There was a silence over the line as Calvin contemplated the invitation. "Ah, I don't know gorgeous. The whole college scene is really not my thing anymore."

"Cal, it's not like your old! At 25 it's perfectly fine for me to invite you to the party." She giggled. "I won't take no for an answer." She joked.

Calvin hesitated.

"Please...."

"Alright, I'll be glad to accompany you."

Samantha beamed. "Thank you Cal. Can't wait to see you."

"Same here gorgeous."

She disconnected the call and exited her car, heading up to her apartment.

Using her key she let herself inside, to be greeted by an eerie quiet that she couldn't ignore. Placing her things on the couch, she turned on the lights and surveyed the apartment. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, she went to the kitchen grabbed a bottle of green tea. Before going to her room, ignoring the stillness of the apartment. Going over to her desk she boots up her computer and navigates to her playlist, starting the music up. She began to sway to the song, as she kicked off her heels and settled in at her desk.