“What the fuck are you doing?” Callum promptly pushed her away, putting ample distance between them. A look of confusion and hurt crossed the girl's face before her eyes caught sight of the now fully awake Sam cuddled up in Callum’s bed.
“Who the fuck are you?” She inclined her head toward Sam.
“None of your business,” Callum answered before Sam could get a word in. “Lynn, get out. I’m tired and going to bed.” With a face filled with pure shock, she backed up a couple steps into the hallway and he slammed the door in her face.
A loud bang hit the door with a “Fuck You” screamed after it before Sam heard Lynn’s heels stalk back up the stairs.
“Are you and her…a thing?”
“What?” Callum rubbed his eyes as he climbed back into bed behind Sam.
“Was she your girlfriend or maybe a–”
“I don’t date.” It came out fast and almost bitter, and for some reason, hit Sam directly in the chest.
“Who is she? She obviously didn’t like me being here.”
“Lynn doesn’t like most people.” His head fell back on the pillow as he draped an arm across his face.
“You’ve slept with her?” Her hand flew to her mouth the second the words were stated. “I’m sorry. That’s none of my business. You can–”
“Yes. I slept with her, and now she is attached, and I am not.”
She wasn’t sure whether that information was comforting or infuriating.
“So you two aren’t together? In any way?”
“No.” Callum twisted to face her.
“Okay,” Sam conceded. She wanted to turn back over and go back to sleep in his arms. She wanted to go back to ten minutes prior when she was still in a bliss-induced haze. One caused by his smell and taste and the way his body so perfectly molded against hers.
“What about you and Christian?” The question pulled her from her thoughts, and she turned to meet his gaze as he played with the ends of her hair.
“What about us?”
“Are you still going on a date with him tomorrow?” He froze with the question, as if speaking it aloud had caused the anger and hurt that the idea brought to come bubbling to the surface.
“It’s not a date,” Sam corrected with a hesitant smile.
“It sounded like a date.”
She noted the hint of jealousy and maybe betrayal in his features. She turned to more fully face him and ran a hand across his cheek. A flash of frustration barreled through her. She didn’t want to have this conversation. Not now. Not after the last hour had been damn near perfect. Why couldn’t he just understand that her friendship with Christian wasn’t just going to go away because she met someone who didn’t like him?
“We get coffee or lunch at least once a week. I told you, we are just friends,” she stated a little more pointedly this time. She tried to hide the exasperation in her tone, but by the wide eyed look he was now giving her, she knew she had failed.
“Why?”
“Why coffee or why friends?” she asked incredulously, not sure how to convince Callum that there was nothing to worry about.
Maybe a few years ago, hell even a few months or weeks ago, there might have been. But now, having spent time in Callum’s arms and with his lips on hers, she knew that nothing she ever felt for
Christian could compare to what she was feeling right now. She would always love Christian, he’d been there for her when no one else was. Maybe he was just the safest option; the only option she had really ever had. But things were different now.
“Friends,” he clarified.
“Because we’ve known each other for years and…” She paused as he once again fell back to stare up at the ceiling. She quickly shifted his chin, bringing his gaze back to her. “Look, he’s like a brother to me. That's all.” She wanted to say more. She wanted to tell him that no matter what Christian used to be to her (even if it had only ever been one sided) those feelings were slowly slipping away, and in their place was a new fluttering that only Callum seemed to cause. That sensation then caused an unfamiliar feeling of confusion to settle deep within her. She wanted to tell him that there
was nothing for him to worry about or fret over. But then, maybe that would be a little presumptuous on her part.