Will Be Yours Ch. 06

"She works?"

"Yes, she's a receptionist at a healthcare clinic. She's got fixed hours but they can be long sometimes."

"So your kid basically has neither of you?" I observed. Our crepes and coffee arrived, filling the air with a delightful aroma. Sam blew on his coffee before taking a sip.

"You could say that," he sighed, "We're terrible parents, aren't we?"

"I didn't mean that," I softly squeezed his arm.

"I know you didn't," he smiled at me. "I've been thinking about us."

"Us?"

"You and me. I met my attorney, and I managed to have a bit of a talk with my wife about our separation."

My heart missed a beat. "You did?"

"Hmm-mm. She didn't take it too kindly. But then, I know she won't give in without a fight."

My hands felt cold as I clasped them. "She isn't going to give you the divorce, is she?" I asked nervously. He looked at me and saw the fear and anxiety written on my face.

"Cynthia." He encased my hands in his and gazed into my eyes. "I've promised you I'll make you mine and end my marriage, no matter how hard it seems. But it's going to take some time."

"Sam, I don't think we should be together until you separate from your wife," I tried to keep my voice firm. "I cannot-"

"Cyn, listen to me, please," he cupped my face. "Just give me some time, okay? Don't give up on me, please."

"I'm not. I just don't like to be the other woman in your life." I hadn't wanted to say those words, and I flinched when they left my mouth anyway.

"Stop looking at it that way, will you?" he asserted. "When we are together, it's just you and me."

"You know that's not the case," I removed his hands from my face. "As long as you are married, this relationship has no meaning."

I looked at him, softening a little. "I know it's going to take time. But I can't wait forever. You know that, right?"

"Yes." He kissed my forehead. "It won't be forever. I just want to wait until Kurt gets well. Give me a few more days, please."

--

Days rolled into weeks, and weeks into months. Kurt became better eventually and resumed school. And while Sam tried to find a way to get on with the separation without making it ugly, I immersed myself in work, trying to push aside my feelings for him. I had a little more than a month left at this internship and as the days went by, I became certain that they intended to keep me as a full time employee. While I could share with my mom the happiness of being able to achieve my dream, I had to keep to myself the pain I felt because of Sam. I knew he loved me; he wasn't someone who lied or concocted things. If he had that intention, he would have done it from the very beginning. I also understood how hard the divorce was for him, especially with a wife who was determined to make it messy. Even though we spent time together, going out to restaurants, music concerts, and sharing sweet, happy moments, Sam's tension with his wife was peaking. And it wasn't long before it started affecting our relationship too.

"Oh god, I thought you wouldn't come," Sam exclaimed when he opened the door of his apartment. I hesitantly walked in as he closed the door behind him. I looked at the linen curtains on the window and the bright cushion covers. I had helped him choose those when I'd accompanied him to the shopping centre to buy a few things for the house.

"Are you okay?" he asked, coming up behind me, "You look like something's bothering you."

I turned to face him, clutching my bag with both hands. "I was studying at the library," I said softly. "My final exams aren't far."

"I'm sorry," he looked apologetic. "I didn't mean to disturb you. I just wanted to tell you something."

"What?"

He breathed. "I'm filing for divorce next month," he said. "It's final."

I stared blankly at his face, not knowing whether to feel happy or guilty. And I had actually come to tell him that I couldn't see him again until he was free from the marriage.

"What?" he came closer and gently held my face. "Aren't you happy?"

"Yeah," I forced a smile. "I am happy."

"You sure don't look like it," he said, "What's troubling you, tell me?"

I hung my head low and nervously chewed on my bottom lip, trying to keep myself from crying.

"It's getting hard for me," I croaked, "I cannot bear to share you anymore."

"You aren't sharing me, Cynthia," he said, his voice soothing. "My wife and I haven't had a proper relationship in years. I don't have for her even a fraction of what I have for you."

He pulled me close to his body. "It's hard for me too," he said, "But we've come this far. Just one more month, okay?"

I shook his arms away and stepped out of his embrace. "I can't," I shook my head. "I can't see you again. Not until you file for the divorce."

Surprise slid on to his face. "I think you're just stressed and upset," he tried to make sense of my words. "Just give it some time. I promise you, everything will be alright."

"We'll see." I turned around and headed for the door, but Sam was quick to intercept me.

"Wait. Where are you going?"

I gazed at him through dark, gloomy eyes. "Home," I answered, "I have to study."

"You're fleeing."

"Yes. I cannot take this anymore."

"Take what anymore?" he snapped, crossing his arms against his chest. "I'm doing this for you. You didn't want to be with me unless I ended my marriage and that's what I am doing. It's a legal matter. It will take time, I've told you that millions of times."

"Well, then, I'm not asking anything more. Let me know when you get the divorce."

He grabbed my hand when I proceeded to open the door. That was a different side of Sam. There was no gentleness this time.

"Let me go." I said firmly.

"You can't leave me this way," he barked, grabbing my arm and twisting me around. "We're in this together."

Pain surged through my body and I dropped my bag. "Sam..." I groaned, as he kept me pressed against his body. "Let me go, please."

"You're staying the night," he announced, growling against my neck.

"You're hurting me!" I cried out, unable to free my arm. He was too huge and too strong for me to fight off. "My arm..."

He let go of me, realising his mistake when he looked at my arm and found it swollen. I crouched on the floor, whimpering in pain.

"I'm so sorry," he sat down beside me. "I didn't mean to..."

"It's a fractured arm," I cried, holding the aching, throbbing limb with the other hand. "My sister had pushed me off the swing when I was ten."

"I'll get some hot water," he proceeded to rise.

"That won't be necessary," I stopped him. "Just let me go home, please. My mom must be waiting."

"Can't you give her a call?" he pleaded, "Tell her you're spending the night at a friend's place."

"No."

"Please?"

"Sam—"

My attempt at forming a sentence was cut short by his mouth on mine. Gentle at first, then urgent, and then finally, a fierce, voluptuous kiss that had me lying flat on the floor. As if boneless, I allowed him to take off my glasses and unbutton my blouse. I closed my eyes as I heard him unzipping his jeans. A moment later, I felt him kissing my face, his tongue sneaking out to lick my earlobe and leave a wet trail down my throat. I offered no resistance when he lifted up my skirt, pulled down my panties and slid inside me. As always, I was wet and accepting towards him and he was gentle and careful towards me. I found myself helping him as he slowly thrust into me, his hands supporting him and his mouth caressing my skin. He knew I was his and that he needed no invitation or permission to make love to me. I spread my legs as wide as possible while he slid in and out of me in a slow, tormenting motion. Low moans and urgent whimpers filled the room, growing louder and more frequent as his movements became faster. A few moments and deep thrusts later, he stilled and throbbed and spurted inside me, triggering my own quivering orgasm. He held me protectively in his arms and rolled us over, so that my limp body was on top of his. No one spoke for a long time. And then I felt him soothing my arm, showering it with slow, sweet kisses. I opened my eyes and saw the regret on his face, that he really hadn't wanted to hurt me.

"Your sister pushed you off the swing?" he finally asked. A low chuckle rumbled in my throat.

"So that I wouldn't be able to write my exams," I said, "But I fortunately broke my left arm."

"But why did she do that?"

"Because I was the better one of the two of us. And she never liked the affection I received from everybody."

He gently held up the arm and flexed it a little. It throbbed slightly.

"Does it still hurt?" he sounded concerned this time.

"A bit." I pulled my arm away and put it around his chest. "It's going to be okay."

"I guess I'm just frustrated," he sighed, "This whole thing is really stressful."

"Has your wife fought again?"

"No. She has finally consented to the separation."

"Does she think you're seeing somebody?"

"I don't know. And I don't care either. I'm leaving her anyway."

"What about your son?"

"I've asked my attorney to get me his custody at any cost."

I closed my eyes. "Your anger frightened me," I murmured.

"It won't happen again," he soothed. "I'm sorry."

I pushed myself into a sitting position and reached for my bag. "I think I'm going to give mom a call," I said, "Tell her I won't be home tonight."

Sam sat up behind me and nuzzled my neck. "You're staying," he chuckled.

"Hmm. I want to have as much of you as possible."

"Care for a clean-up? Want me to run us a nice warm bath?"

I leaned against his body, feeling sleepy. "That would be great," I smiled, "Got anything to eat?"

"I can make cheese and mushroom omelettes. Would you like it?"

I turned my head and kissed his cheek. "I'd love it."

His eyes filled with love for me as he folded me in his arms. "I love you, Cynthia," he murmured, his voice choking. "Please be with me."

I kept my head on his chest, feeling calm and free. "I love you, too." My heart swelled with emotion as the words left my mouth. I wanted him more than I had ever wanted anybody ever. I only hoped we didn't have to remain apart for too long.

--

The alarm clock ringing near my head jolted me out of my disturbed sleep. I groaned, stopped the alarm, and covered my face with the pillow. It was the penultimate day of my final exams, and I had been working till late the night before on a presentation that I'd been finding rather difficult. I barely had time to complete it and present it tomorrow. I was great at presentations. I couldn't be miserable at this one.

"Cyn, wake up, honey," I heard mom coming into my room. I groaned again, my head splitting.

"Cyn," she sat beside me on the bed, and tried to remove the pillow from my face. "It's almost eight. Get up."

I took off the pillow, and mom leaned closer to find my face and neck bathed in sweat.

"Cynthia, are you alright?" she removed my hair from my face. "You look unwell."

I clutched the mattress as I sat up against the stack of pillows, wiping the sweat off my neck with my hand. The room spun around me, and I closed my eyes again, feeling sick.

"Honey, how are you feeling?" mom sounded worried. "You look bad."

"I'll be okay, mum." I tried to get down the bed, but my stomach churned and I leaned back against the pillows again. Mom moved closer to me and felt my forehead.

"You're obviously stressed," she observed, holding my hands. "After tomorrow, you're going to take some time off and take rest at home. Is that clear?"

Tomorrow was very far away. I just prayed I'd get through that day.

"Do you want me to call the doctor?" she asked. I shook my head.

"It's going to be okay," I said, "Just give me some time."

Mom nodded and kissed my head. "I'm right outside. Call me if you need anything."

I rolled back into bed when she was gone. I hadn't got a good sleep at night. I'd been sick for most of the night, and my stomach and head hurt like hell. I still had to work on the presentation. Oh god, I needed help.

My phone rang, and I kicked my heels into the bed. The sound almost drilled into my head and made the room spin faster around me.

"Hey, what's up?" Scott sounded on the other end. "How are your exams going?"

I lay on my back and stared at the ceiling as it finally stopped spinning.

"Exams are going well," I replied, closing my eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm great." You would never get another reply from Scott. He always said he was great even if he was going through a bad time. "I called to say I'm coming to Birmingham next week. We can catch up."

My sagging spirits soared at those words. "Really?" I sat up with a little difficulty. "For work?"

"Yeah. I'm coming alone, for about two weeks."

"That's great," I smiled for the first time that morning. "I haven't met you in what seems like ages."

"We'll make up for lost time," he laughed. "How are things on your end?"

I had told Scott that I was seeing somebody and that it was very serious. I wanted to wait until the divorce was through before telling him the whole thing.

"All's well," I said, "How are Carrie and the boys? I loved the gift you guys sent me for my birthday." I remembered the mountain orchid seeds they had gifted me a few weeks ago. "I just hope it grows well here."

"We wanted to give you something you could use. It's your 21^st birthday after all. And before I forget, Carrie is sending something special for you."

"And what's that?"

"Patience, sweetypie. I can assure you that you're going to love it."

I knew that. And I also knew that speaking to Scott and the thought of meeting Sam later would help me get through the rest of the day.

--

"You're late," Sam was sulking in his car when I finally reached him that afternoon. My exam was surprisingly great, given how sick I'd been that morning, and I only hoped Sam would help me get through the presentation. He didn't have a class that day, but he was there to pick me up.

"I'm sorry," I grimaced slightly as I got into the car. "I'm not okay."

"What's the matter?" he moved closer to me and felt my cheek. "You're sweating like a pig. Is your BP alright? Do you want to stop at a pharmacy-"

"Sam!" I groaned, dropping my head back. "Can we just go home? I still have to complete the presentation."

He sighed and moved back to the wheel. "What presentation?" he asked, as we got moving. He had handed me a bottle of water in the meanwhile. "Can I help?"

"Yes, you can," I drank greedily from the bottle. "But do you have the time?"

He leaned in for a quick kiss. "For you, I have my whole life."

I dropped my bag on the sofa when we reached his apartment and opened the top two buttons of my blouse. It wasn't hot at all and yet I was sweating, well, like a pig. My head throbbed slightly as I reclined in the sofa, sighing softly as I eased my back against the cushions. Sam watched me while taking off his shirt, and I opened one eye to find him wearing a smart-arse grin.

"What are you smiling about?" I snapped.

He chuckled quietly. "Come and soak in a bath with me," he held out one hand to me. "And then we can talk about your presentation."

He came forward, kissed me on the lips, and smiled. "I'll run the water," he whispered. "You get undressed."

Once he had left, I pushed myself out of the sofa and began to undo the rest of the buttons of my blouse. Then I let the skirt fall to my feet, followed by my underwear. I picked up the clothes and kept them on the sofa. I padded into the bathroom naked, taking Sam's breath away for a moment.

"I didn't know you've become so bold." He came up to me, laughing, and picked me up in his arms. "The more I see you, the more surprised I am."

"I have something to tell you," I giggled, circling my arms around his neck. "You wouldn't believe."

"Of course, I would. Tell me."

I hid my face in the crook of his neck and giggled again. "I got the offer letter today."

"Huh?!" Sam put me down as if I was suddenly too hot to handle. "What? Here?"

I nodded. "I had told you I'd a feeling they wanted to take me as an employee. And it's right here in Birmingham. Which means..." I snuggled close to him again. "...I'm going back to the same, familiar office."

He snaked his arms around my waist and claimed my lips in a passionate kiss. Once we had pulled away after several wet minutes, he lifted me in his arms again, giving me a spin.

"Stop it!" I squealed, "I've been dizzy all morning! Let me down!"

He put me down and kissed me again. "Congratulations," he smiled, cupping my face. "So you're finally not a student anymore."

"Not until tomorrow."

"And I won't be married any longer very soon," he sighed, "I just hope I'm able to bring Kurt with me as quick as possible."

"I'm sure you will." I stood on tip-toe and kissed his cheek. "Now let's get into the bath before the water gets cold."

After the long, leisurely bath, where we cuddled each other and shared sweet nothings, Sam helped me with the presentation. I had got dressed in my skirt and blouse and Sam had made some coffee for us.

"Have you informed your mom about the great news?" he asked, as we sat close to each other on the sofa and worked on my laptop. I shook my head.

"She's going to remain busy the whole day with a series of meetings," I said, "I'll tell her tonight."

"Oh god, I'm so happy," he pulled me in for a hug again. "There should be more students like you."

"Who fall for their professors?" I giggled.

"Cyn!" he mock glared at me before pressing a key on my laptop. "There, your presentation is done."

"Thank you," I sighed, "I didn't think I'd manage to get through this."

"With me, you'll manage to get through everything."

He tackled me back on the sofa, making me laugh and squeal. Very soon, we were kissing again, arms and legs entwined. The doorbell disturbed our intimate moment and he groaned slightly.

"Must be my neighbour," he said, as he fixed his clothes and hair and got up to answer the door. I smoothed my hair and went back to the monitor. But Sam's voice a moment later made me shift my attention to the door.

The sight made me freeze. As I slowly rose from the sofa, Sam's hand let go off the door, his mouth parted in shock and surprise.

"Norma-Jean?"

(To be continued)