Just Perfect by Lynn Hunter Page B

cabinet.  He kept some whiskey and other stuff in there if
you would like one.”
    Sam's chest warmed.  She wanted him to feel at home. “Thank
you.  Would you get me a glass?” 
    With a beautiful smile over her shoulder, she left the room.
     
    As Lily was getting glasses down from the cabinet when her
cell phone rang.  Her mom was calling.  She already knew why and she didn't
want to answer.
    Sam came into the kitchen to wash his hands and gave the
phone a pointed look when Lily just watched it right. “Answer it.”
    Glancing at the phone again, she slowly reached for it. “Hi,
Mom.”
    “Hello, how is your evening going?” She asked.
    “Um...it's going well,” she glanced at Sam and blushed.  He
raised his eyebrow at her.  He was always doing that. “Sam stopped by,” she
said.  Sam gave her a gentle smile that made her warm inside.  She didn't
understand why she wanted to please him or why she cared about his approval.
    “Really? That's nice.” Her mom said with barely concealed
enthusiasm. 
    “Yes. Are you having a good time?”  Lily asked as she
watched Sam pour her a glass of wine and take it with his empty glass to the
living room.
    “Yes. We're having a nice time.  I haven't been out in
ages.”  Her mom actually giggled.
    “Have you been drinking, Mom?”
    “A little, yes.”
    “Mom-”
    “Lily.”  Sam's deep voice came from the doorway and she
glanced up to see his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face.
    “Is that Sam?” Her mom asked.
    Lily's eyes fell away. “Yes, it is.”
    “Glen wants to talk to him.”
    “Oh..um..okay.  Are you coming home?” She wanted to make
sure she was taken care of.
    “Hello?” Glen's voice came through the phone.
    “Uh... Hi, Glen.”
    “Hello, Lily. How are you?”
    “I'm all right.  Glen, my mom shouldn't drink too much-” Sam
appeared in front of her with his hand out.  With a huff, she slapped the phone
in his palm and made her way to the living room and flopped down on the sofa. 
Yeesh, he was bossy without even saying anything.  Looking over to the kitchen
she felt happiness bubble. He fixed her troubled feelings just like she knew he
would when she went to the shop to see him. Maybe she should have stayed to
hear him out this afternoon but the pain from seeing him with Willa was
just too much. She was glad he came tonight to talk things through.  It was
crazy how he could make emotions go from almost devastated to feeling like life
was great just from his presence. Also from knowing he wanted only her.
    The fire he built made the room cozy and romantic.  A pang
of sadness tried to dampened her mood.  There wouldn't be many more intimate
evenings in this house. 
    Sam turned the kitchen lights out leaving the living room
bathes in the warm glow of the fire.  He grabbed his glass from the mantle and
made his way to the sofa.  He had already taken his boots off and placed them
by the fireplace.
    The cushion dipped under his weight as he sat down and
wrapped a muscular arm around her.  “Sarah's not coming home tonight.” His arm
tightened around her as if he expected her to jump up.
    “I sort of knew that already.” She sighed.
    “Glen's a good man.  He'll take good care of her.  He said
she only had one glass of wine.”
    Lily reached for her wine and the remote to see what movie
was starting next.  “I've seen this one before but I like it.  Makes me cry
every time.”
    Sam was quiet for a minute and then put a finger to her chin
and turned her face to him.  His blue eyes held hers captive.  “She'll be fine. 
I promise, Okay?”
    “Okay,” she whispered.
    “Do you believe me?”
    She really wanted to, and he seemed so capable of handling
anything. “I'm going to believe you tonight, Sam.  Let's not talk about it
anymore.”
    “Okay, baby.”
    They settled in to watch the movie.  She finished her wine
and he took the glass from her.  Between the fire and the heat of Sam's body,
it wasn't