Page 62 of Offside

Now, I’d gotten weirdly possessive over the man I wasn’t even speaking to two hours ago.

Sam let out a breath, blinking quickly and looking around nervously again. He'd had so much confidence just a few minutes ago, but maybe he felt the energy switch, too.

“S-sorry–he’s just been worried about me–”

The energy might have changed, but not in a bad way for me. I felt no regrets about picking Sam up and letting him wrap himself around me, or even about how nicely he fit in my arms like that.

In fact, the only thing I felt when I reconnected our lips was just…he was my matching puzzle piece.

Sam’s hands held tight in my hair, his face crushed into mine like he couldn’t get close enough to me. My feet were moving to his room before I was even conscious of the action, sealing my fate as soon as I passed that threshold.

Never in my life had I been kissed or wanted that badly. It was almost a chore between Justin and me at this point–like we were both performing a service for the other, but I felt wanted by Sam. I felt like Sam needed air directly from my lungs to breathe, and every thought in my head was clouded with the same echo of just Sam.

Sam’s laugh.

Sam’s smile.

Sam’s scent.

Sam.

A little giggle bubbled out of his throat when I dropped onto his bed, planting myself over him and between his legs. I couldn’t help but look around, my eyes locked on the room I'd never been in, but had been in a million times–I knew those bedsheets very well.

“You got a fish?” I asked, smiling at the neon fishtank next to the window.

“Yeah,” he breathed, his head lazily falling over to look, too. “I can’t take all the credit…it was my ex-boyfriend's great idea.”

A cold spike ran down my spine.

He was talking about me–I knew that. I'd told him that I wanted a pet fish, but I’d said that to Sam. What I told Metal was that I was weirdly fascinated by the fish that were bioluminescent and really wanted a big tank with a bunch of those in them.

The same ones I was looking at in Sam’s room now.

And yet, all I could seem to focus on was how much I really hated hearing him call me his ex.

My hand resting on his hip flexed to life, seeking out one last thing. I didn’t really need any more proof that Sam and Metal were one, but that didn’t stop my hand from pushing his shirt up his chest.

And there it was.

The little birthmark on his rib that was shaped like a bow.

Without a second thought, I dropped my head, pressing my lips to the mark like I'd imagined doing a million times. A short, quiet moan fell from his lips, his hand finding my head again and resting gently in my hair.

Sam was breathing so hard, his eyes shut and his muscles twitching from wanting to move so badly. I kissed down his chest, leaving little marks in my wake to claim my precious thing.

His shirt was long forgotten, flung somewhere in the room, and mine disappeared somewhere on its own. I’d never actually spent this long touching someone or appreciating their fucking skin–whatever I was doing to him now–but I couldn’t stop.

It was like I was worshipping the man who’d lied to me–who’d made a choice for me and lied to me so much.

“I don’t want to be your ex-boyfriend,” I breathed, stopping after just pulling off his shorts, but leaving his boxers.

Sam went still under me, his eyes locked on my face as I kissed his hip and returned to his level. “I…I’m sorry,” he said quietly, wide eyes stuck on me and watering slightly. “I didn’t know what else to call you, but yeah–you’re not my ex-boyfriend…you’re Metal’s–”

“That’s not what I meant,” I muttered, settling over him and kissing his rosy cheek quickly. “I meant that,” I trailed off, looking around like the words were scribbled on his wall somewhere. “You can’t do anything like that again, Sam–I mean it.”

“You can’t lie to me again, and you can’t manipulate me–that’s not fair,” I went on, waiting for each little quick nod from him. “You have access to me in a way I’ve never given anyone–that’s really fucking scary for me. I know this was all scary for you, too–I made accommodations for Metal left and right…but I need this one from you.”

“I’m really scared, Sam.”