Just Between Friends (29 page)

     “Sam,” he spoke as he gave her a sideways glance, “I want us to be honest with each other. Now maybe you could never think of me as anything other than a good friend, but that‘s not how I think of you.  You’re on my mind all the time. Maybe you think this is all so sudden, but believe me, it isn’t. I’ve been feeling this way for a while now.”

     He paused a moment to maintain his composure, then turned to face her.  “Now look at me, Sam.”  She was trembling, but did as he asked.  Staring into her eyes, he stated, “I think you’re an amazing woman, Sam, and I care very deeply for you.  No,” he corrected himself, “I said I would be honest, and I will.  I don’t just care very deeply about you, I love you.  I know that may seem strange to you, seeing how I had felt about Miranda, but things have been changing for quite a while between us, and well, once I faced that fact, something in me changed.  I do still love Miranda, but it’s not the same anymore.  It’s you I love, Samantha.  It’s just taken me a long time to realize that.”

     He could see the surprise in her eyes, but he didn’t care.  He was glad he had said it, for he had held it back long enough.

     As she opened her mouth to speak her eyes glistened with the tears that were welling up in them.  “Oh, Alec,” she spoke softly, “I don’t know what to say.”

     Watching a lone tear trickle down her cheek, he reached out and gently wiped it away. “Please, Sam,” he begged, “say something, I have to know what you’re feeling, and if I’ve just made a fool of myself.  I realize I’m only twenty-four, and you’re twenty-eight, but that’s not much really.  I know it doesn’t bother me, if it doesn’t bother you.”

     She felt a little calmer, and soon was able to speak. “No, Alec, of course that doesn’t bother me.  But I have to admit, I figured the age difference would bother you.  Yes, I also have to admit,” she remarked shyly, as she avoided looking at him, “I have had thoughts about us, but I never would have said anything.”

     Placing two fingers under her chin, he lifted her face until she was eye to eye with him.  “Don’t be embarrassed around me, Sam.  You can say anything to me.  I won’t laugh. Just please, tell me everything you’re feeling.”

     Thinking this over a moment, she asked, “Okay, Alec, I do have one question.”

     “Ask away,” he declared.

     “You’re not just saying all this because of Sarah, are you?  Because it would never work if that was the reason.”

     He sounded hurt. “You know I would never do that, Sam.  Everything I said to you is the truth. Even if there were no Sarah, I would love you just the same. Please, don’t ever think differently, and if you feel the same about me, then I need to hear those words from you.  But don’t say them if you don’t mean them. It would only hurt more later if you was to be dishonest with me.  If you don’t care for me like that, just tell me, and I won’t ever mention this again.”

    
Oh if he only knew,
she thought. 
Her feelings were even stronger than ever.
Looking into his eyes once more, she proclaimed, “Alec, I think this has to be some of the happiest moments of my life.  First, Sarah coming home, then Steven, now this, sitting here with the man I love.  I feel like I’m bursting inside with happiness.”

     Alec was in a state of shock. 
Had he heard right, did she actually say she was sitting here with the man she loved?
  He had longed to hear those words.  Touching her lips with the tip of his forefinger, he asked, with uncertainty in his voice, “Did I just hear what I thought I heard, Sam?”

     “Yes,” she whispered softly, as she tenderly reached out and touched his face also. Not taking his eyes off hers, he slowly lowered his lips to hers. Then closing his eyes, he reveled in the taste of her.  When the kiss ended, he opened his eyes and saw the love shining through hers.

     Gathering her in his arms, he said once again, “Oh Sam, I love you!”

     As she ran her fingers through his hair, she softly replied, “I love you too, Alec.”

     The rest of the evening passed by rather quickly, as Alec and Samantha enjoyed their time together.  They hadn’t even noticed the storm that was now overhead.  As the thunder began to roar, Sam looked at Alec with worry in her eyes, “I hope Steven and Miranda managed to find a place of safety.” 

     “Me too darling, me too,” Alec agreed, only half realizing what she had said.

                                             ***

     They had been returning when the down-pouring had begun.  Since they had almost reached the deserted home in which Steven had been staying, they had decided to wait inside until the rain had passed them by.  When Steven and Miranda had first entered the house fifteen minutes earlier, they were soaking wet, and since it was such a cold rain, they had needed to get out of their wet clothing.

     Steven had found them each a blanket, and finding a place for privacy they removed their outer clothing then wrapped the blankets around them.  Feeling a little uncomfortable this way, Miranda asked, “Steven, how long do you think this storm will last?  We really shouldn’t be here like this, you know?”

     Moving toward her, he soothed, “Relax, Baby, It shouldn’t last too much longer.  But until it does die down and our clothes dry a little, you must stay warm. I promise nothing will happen,   unless of course, you choose for it to.”

     He still had that same mischievous grin she noticed. Of course she wanted something to happen. She had waited such a long time for him to return to her, but she had resolved to herself that nothing would happen between them until they were married, and she wouldn’t change her mind. They had waited this long, they surely could wait two more weeks. Then as she looked at Steven, she knew it would be difficult.

     Slipping one hand through his blanket while steadying himself with his cane in the other, he motioned, “Come on, baby.  Let’s go over there and sit down.”  As he took her by the arm, he led her to the rug that lay on the floor before the fireplace.  He had only stayed in this house for one day when he was in hiding, but he had filled the fireplace with kindling, but now had no way of getting it started.

     Oh, this must have been a grand home at one time, Miranda thought.  It was a monument of brick and stone, but now the walls were partially blackened by the fire that had obviously sent the family who had lived here fleeing.  Such a shame, she thought, to have had to desert such a once grandeur place.  She could only imagine the many grand balls they must have had here, all the women in their beautiful gowns, sashaying across the floor.

     She was so into her thoughts, she hadn’t noticed Steven as he moved up close beside her.  When he began to speak, she jumped.

     “Just think, if you hadn’t come looking for me, baby, I’d be sitting here alone right now.  But I would still have been imagining you were with me.”

     Glancing at him, she saw him staring at her.  Seeing that desire in his eyes, she looked away.  Oh, this was going to be so difficult, especially knowing they both were sitting here in nothing but their undergarments, and the blankets they held around themselves.  She felt his hand as it first touched her face.

     He pushed her wet hair aside, and asked, “Are you cold, Miranda?”

     Shaking her head, she avoided his gaze, fearing if she looked at him, she would be lost.  “No, I’m fine,” she answered.

     Placing his hand on the other side of her face, he forced her to look at him.  “Miranda, you don’t have to be so nervous.  You know I’m not going to persuade you to do something you don’t want to do, I promise.”

     A flash of guilt ran through her.  “Steven, you know I want to more than anything right now, but it wouldn’t be right.   Besides, I made a promise to myself that I would wait until we were married.  I just never expected to be in a situation like this.  I want our wedding night to be really special, Steven.  Can you understand that?”

    
Yes
, he thought. 
He did understand how she felt, but it
didn’t help him at this moment
.  Since this is how she felt though, he did his best not to touch her. “Yes, Miranda, I understand how you feel, and I respect that.”  Feeling that need to get away from her until he gained control of himself, he arose.

     “Where are you going, Steven?”  She asked excitedly.

     “I’m going to check on our clothes, then walk outside and check out the storm.  I’ll be back shortly.”

     “Steven, you’re angry with me, aren’t you?”

     “No baby, I’m not angry.  You just don’t understand how it is with a man.  I need to do something to get my mind off these feelings I’m having.  Please don’t worry.”

     He was gone about twenty minutes when he finally returned.  “The rain has stopped Miranda.  Our clothes are still quite wet, but it won’t take that long to get home.  Then Sam can lend you some of her things until you get to your house.”

     As he handed her the garment, she saw he had already dressed.  He then announced, “I’ll wait outside.” Without waiting on a response, he just turned and left, leaving her to stare after him.

     “Oh Steven,” she spoke softly to herself, “I didn’t mean to upset you.  You know how much I’ve missed you and how much I’ve grieved.  I want to be with you more than anything, you know that.  Just two more weeks my love, just two more weeks then we can be together, forever.  Please, try to understand.”

     She pulled the dress over her head, leaving it unhooked down the back, wrapped the blanket around her once more and slowly made her way outside.  Steven was waiting for her in the wagon.  Reaching out his hand, he helped her climb up.  Making no attempt to move, he just sat there.

     When he finally spoke, he apologized.  “Miranda, I’m sorry.  You just have no idea what I was going through in
there, sitting that way beside you.  I had to get away before something happened.  Right now baby, two weeks seems like a lifetime.”

     “I know, Steven.  It does to me also.  It would have been so easy in there to have lost control.” Touching his arm, she added, “After we’re married, we can be together anytime we please.  Thank you for understanding.”

     Staring into her eyes, he replied, “I love you so much.  I just so long to touch you and be able to be one with you.”  He kissed her, then, as he pulled away, he added, “I guess I’m going to have to keep busy and do my best to keep my mind off all this.”  But said one last thing before picking up the reins and driving away, “I sure do feel sorry for you though, Miranda, once we are married.”

     She blushed at the thought.  Then looking over at him, she smiled, thinking to herself,
I can’t wait
.

     The rain had stopped completely, and there was now no sign of clouds.  As Steven drove up behind Alec’s wagon, they marveled at all the stars twinkling in the night sky.  So beautiful, Miranda thought, as she gathered the blanket close around her.  But it was beginning to grow chilly.  She guessed the rain had brought in the cold.  Seeing Alec’s buggy, she glanced at Steven, who was also staring at her.

     “Alec’s here,” she stated. “This is going to be most uncomfortable.”

     Slipping his arms around her, Steven replied, “Don’t worry, everything’s going to be fine, you’ll see.  Now come on.  The sooner we get this over, the better.”

     Dismounting first, he then helped her descend.  She paused a moment to gather her nerves, then nodded.  Taking her hand in his, they slowly walked to the house.  As they entered, they heard much laughter. Remaining in the hallway a moment before going in the rest of the way, Miranda whispered, “Sounds like they’re having fun, doesn’t it?”

     “Yeah,” Steven answered, “it’s a sound I’ve missed, having been alone for so long.  It’s going to take some time to get used to again.”

     As she stroked her hand down the length of his arm, she only nodded in agreement.  Miranda hated for anyone to see her like this, all wet and her hair sticking to the side of her face, but she had no choice.  So they made their way into the parlor.

     Amelia was the first to notice them.  Jumping to her feet, she declared, “Good land, look at the two of you!  You’re soaking wet!” Making her way to them, she added, “We were just saying we hoped you never got caught in this storm, but by the sight of you, we can see that you did.  Sam dear, please take Miranda upstairs and give her some dry clothes to change into, she’s going to catch her death, and Steven, go up and change.  All your clothes are still in your room.  I could never bear to part with them.  Then come back down and visit with Alec.  He’s been waiting to see you.  Hurry now.”