“It’s okay.”

“Do you want to stop at the picnic shelter?”

“Now?” I reach forward and adjust the setting of my heated seat. “No, it’s fine.”

“You sure? We could?”

Again, he’s leaving me a little confused. Is he trying to be nice? Maybe he feels bad for me for missing out on it this weekend?

“It’s okay. We’ll come back. I’m honestly really tired. I want to stay up and keep you entertained, but I’m not sure if I can.”

Smiling, he looks at me once more, resting his hand on my thigh. I put my hand over his and rest my head against the leather headrest, knowing I won’t be awake for much longer.

“I can help,” I mumble, going around to the back of the car to get my bag.

“It’s fine, babe, I’ve got it.” Sam grabs both bags before I have a chance to get mine and closes the door. We just parked in Chicago, and are trudging up to his apartment. We got stuck in traffic due to a turned-over semi on the way into the city, and it’s now after eleven. I’m pooped and my poor Sam has to be just exhausted.

The lobby of his swanky apartment complex is quiet at this hour on a Monday, we neither of us speak as we wait to go up to his floor.

“You should take Advil tonight,” Sam tells me as we strip out of our clothes. I need to shower but I’m so fucking tired. “To make sure you don’t spike a fever overnight.”

“Okay.” I pull my t-shirt over my head and follow him into the bathroom. He gets in the shower while I brush my teeth, and if I wasn’t half asleep, tonight would be more significant.

It’s the first time we’re together yet not having crazy wake-the-neighbors sex. This moment is a turning point in new relationships. It either indicates a level of comfort or indicates that the spark has fizzled out, and I know the latter is not the case.

Once my teeth are brushed, I’ve forced down more medicine, and I plug my phone into the charger, I fall into bed and am almost asleep when Sam gets in next to me. He’s naked, and his skin is still hot from the shower.

“I love you,” I say sleepily.

“I love you too, Chloe.” He takes me in his arms and spoons his body around mine. “More than you’ll ever know.”

His words, again, feel like a farewell, and I try to contemplate them but end up falling asleep. I wake up around three am because I have to pee and realize Sam isn’t in bed next to me anymore. I use the bathroom and then go into the living room, finding him leaning against the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out at the city below.

“Sam?” I call softly, and he jerks away, startled.

“Hey, you’re up.”

“So are you. What are you doing?” I went to bed in just panties and a thin tank top, and I’m cold. Sam put on pajama pants and looks comfortable against the window.

“I woke up and…and I, uh, couldn’t fall back asleep.”

“Come to bed,” I tell him. “You have to get up soon. I’ll rub your back until you fall asleep.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“I want to.” I hold out my hand, and Sam pushes away from the window. I intertwine our fingers and bring him back into bed, covering us both up with the blankets. I snuggle up with Sam and run my fingers up and down his back. My intentions are to help him fall asleep, but I pass out first, and the next time I wake up, it’s nearing six AM and Sam is in the kitchen. I can hear CNN on in the background and the sound of dishes clanking against the granite counters.

Throat sore, I want to get up and get a drink, but I’m tired and overall just not a morning person. I try to hold my eyes open, but they close on their own accord, and the next thing I know, Sam is back in the bedroom, opening up a dresser drawer to get socks.

“Hey,” I grumble, forcing myself up. “Do you have to go to work now?”

“I got a few minutes.”

He’s wearing black dress pants and a button-up shirt and looks fine as fuck.

“Come back to bed?” I ask and pull the covers back, inviting him next to me.

“For a minute.” He puts his socks on the dresser and crosses the room, getting back in bed with me.

“I don’t want you to leave,” I sigh, wrapping my legs around him.

“I don’t want to leave either.”

“I can have lunch with you today,” I tell him.

“It’s fine, babe. You still want to fly back to LA late tonight, don’t you?”

“I have to.”

“Stay here and rest. You need it, especially before you start traveling again.”

“Okay. I’ll miss you,” I tell him.

“I’m going to miss you too,” he says, voice thick with emotion. He runs his hand up my neck and takes a fistful of hair, pulling my head back so he can kiss me. His tongue slips past my lips and he moves on top of me, pinning me between his firm body and the mattress.

“I fucking love you, Chloe,” he breathes between kisses. Desire for him burns hot between my legs, and his big cock hardens against me. I widen my legs, welcoming him between, and reach down, blindly feeling for his belt. Knowing we don’t have much time, it’s a mad scramble to remove each other’s clothing, and Sam kisses me while he pushes his cock into my entrance.

“Mmmmm,” I groan, raking my hands up his back. He moves his lips to my neck, kissing and sucking hard.

“I love you,” he pants, pushing his cock inside me balls deep. I angle my hips up, coming just moments after he hits me at a new angle. He puts his lips to mine again as he finishes, cock pulsing inside of me. I’m too swept up in the moment to remember I haven’t taken my birth control for the last few days.

“I…I love you too,” I breathe, pussy still spasming around his big dick.

“I do, Chloe.” He holds himself up above me, breathing hard as he looks into my eyes. “So fucking much, and nothing will change that.”

“Okay,” I pant, not sure what else to say. He’s acting weird again, and I’m not sure if I should be concerned. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“I have to, but I’ll be back. Take it easy today.”

“I will. And if you have extra time for lunch, let me know and I’ll meet you.” I rake my fingers down his back. He’s still wearing his button-up shirt and it’s probably all wrinkly now. “In your car for more dirty back-seat sex.”

“I’m going to be thinking about that all day.”

“Good.”

He kisses me and then forces himself up, moving off me and getting dressed again. I use the bathroom and then walk him to the door, missing him the instant he’s gone. I pull the down comforter off the bed and go onto the couch, curling up and turning the TV on. I know I’m not going to stay awake, and only make it through fifteen minutes of a show before I pass back out, sleeping for a good three hours.

I wake up all sweaty. I panic for a minute that I’m sick again, which means I’d have to cancel my flight because I refuse to be that asshole who gets on a plane with a fever, and then realize I’m directly under a heat duct and I’ve basically swaddled myself in a thick, down comforter. Bright sunlight streams through the big windows as well, warming the entire room.