Swinging my legs down, I arched my back in a stretch. Oh yeah, I was going to be stiff today. Worth every protesting muscle to have that kind of fun with Sam.
My mouth quirked. Sam. I’d lost a dear friend, only to find someone who could become very special to me with the same name. Was the big guy reaching down from above, still trying to find a way to help me out?
The year of therapy after my college nightmare had been priceless. Otherwise, I’d have never let men like Sam Robson, Chris, and Ephraim into my life. I’d learned to balance my personal desperation with solid decision-making—after protecting myself first, of course. Maybe one day I’d deeply trust a man.
A hand snaked out and wrapped around my waist to pull me back into bed.
“Hey.” I laughed and cuddled into him. “I have to get to work.”
“It’s Saturday,” he mumbled into my hair.
“Game day in my world, and one of the last ones.”
His grip loosened.
Well, wasn’t my morning bittersweet. I only had a few more gaming Saturdays to enjoy, but it meant I had to leave a morning in bed with Sam.
“Stay as long as you want, I know it’s early. I gotta shower.”
I showered, but before I could shut the water off, the door opened.
Turned out shower sex started the morning out right.
I was still grinning as I opened up the store. Sam had even asked if he could stop by later.
The day got started as normal. Joe and Ephraim for another round of Axis & Allies. Chris even jumped into the fray.
The time went by quickly, but every time the door dinged, I looked up with a surge of hope.
Maybe Sam had work. Or had a family. He rarely talked about his family. Just him and his mom and he made her sound like a hot mess.
“We’ll clean up,” Ephraim called across the room, “and get out of your hair.”
“No rush. I have no plans tonight.” Dating Sam was spoiling her. Nights with nothing going on didn’t offer the appeal they used to.
My door’s bell dinged and I spun with a smile to greet my next customer.
Sam walked in, eyeing the interior of my store cautiously like he didn’t know what to expect.
I shoved my hands into the back pockets of my favorite jeans and sauntered over to him.
The corner of his mouth quirked and he strolled to meet me.
He must’ve run home to change because he was wearing athletic pants and a maroon University of Chicago sweatshirt.
“You made it.” I rose to my tiptoes to greet him with a kiss.
He draped an arm around my shoulders and we wandered through my store. “Absolutely. I couldn’t ask you what you were doing tonight, otherwise.” A gaming system on the wall caught his attention. “Is this for real?”
He broke away and picked up the gray PlayStation.
“Chris got his hands on one of the first models. It doesn’t work, unfortunately, but it’s a nice decoration. And I’m sure he secretly thinks he can fix it.”
“I remember getting one of these when they first came out. Sa— My dad and I would play all night. And since I was like, seven, it’d piss my mom off so much.”
I chuckled and noticed Joe staring at us. Ephraim was glancing up occasionally, but his expression was more curious where Joe’s looked stunned.
Sam had that effect on people.
“Let me introduce you to two of my friends.” I grabbed his hand and pulled him along. “Joe, Ephraim, this is Sam. He’s a fanboy in disguise.”
Sam smiled and reached his hand out.
“How ya doing, Sam?” Ephraim pumped Sam’s hand and went back to picking up the tiny pieces of the game.
“Joe,” Sam greeted.
Joe nodded but said nothing. He turned his back on us to help Ephraim, which surprised me. Joe was a little quieter than many customers but always sociable.
“So, Sam,” Ephraim said. “It’s too bad you won’t be able to join us for many more game days.”
“I heard. I’m not much of a board gamer. I need graphics and a console.”
They both chuckled. Sam asked about Axis & Allies and after Ephraim filled him in, Sam stepped away and pulled me with him.
“Nice to meet you two.” When we were near the cash register, he leaned down to my ear. “So, are you free tonight?”
“I might be. What do you have in mind?”
“I think we could fire up that Xbox of yours. I have a competition in mind that involves someone getting naked.”
A thrill shot through me. I’d been thoroughly sexed the night before, but with Sam, it didn’t matter. “You’re on. Swing by around seven-thirty and I’ll even feed you.”
The kiss he gave me before he left was full of promise. With a sigh, I flipped my closed sign over and turned to Ephraim and Joe.
Ephraim hefted the game box under his arm but stopped with a concerned look at Joe. “You all right, man?”
Joe cleared his throat and spoke to Mara. “What’d you say his name was?”
I tilted my head at him, unsure of his concerned expression. “Sam.”
Joe’s gaze went to the door, then back to me. His face had lost some color. “Mara…that’s Wesley Robson.”
“Joe!” A nervous chuckle burst out of me. “What are you talking about?”
“Joe?” Ephraim echoed.
“That man was Wes Robson. I see him almost every day I work. Apparently, he doesn’t see me.” Joe shrugged and looked down at his outfit of jeans and a T-shirt. “I’m usually in coveralls, I guess.”
I stared at Joe and the world quit spinning. I blocked out everything but Joe’s news.
No. It couldn’t be. My Sam was not Wes. A lump lodged square in my chest.
Ephraim set the game down and straightened. “Where did you meet him again?”
I swallowed because I hated the answer. “At Canon, Wes Robson’s nightclub.” I pulled out a chair and collapsed in it. “I asked for him at the bar and low and behold, this guy sat
