Bring You Back to Love

Chapter 9

With a sigh, Sam begins to speak and I raise my head to listen. "You remember that voicemail I left you like a month after we had that big fight and everything was different?"

I nod slowly and glance down at my hand on his chest before pulling it away. "Yeah, all you said over and over was, I'll bring you back to love."

"Yeah. And I kept saying it to myself over and over for a year after that. But last summer when you didn't come home, a big part of me thought you'd moved on and that it was really over, but there was still something inside of me saying it wasn't. When I heard you were coming home this summer, I told myself I didn't wanna push you into anything, so I didn't. But here we are kissing yesterday and..." Sam sighs and fiddles with the blanket before looking up at me again. "I still love you, Mallory. With every ounce of me. It's impossible to stop. I tried to, but it didn't work."

I sigh before sitting up and crossing my legs, folding my hands in my lap and fiddling with them. "Sam, I-"

"No, don't shoot me down so fast. Just please listen." He sits up too and reaches for my hand. "You, Mallory Taylor, are the very best thing that's ever been mine. I was an idiot for letting you get away from me and I swear I'll never do it again if you just give me one more chance."

Our eyes are locked on each other now as his thumb rubs the back of my hand. I lick my lips as I think about my answer. God knows I love him and miss him too, but there's still doubt. "Sam, I can't go through that again. I can't have you and then lose you again. That was the very worst part of my life. It hurt. I'm not putting all the blame you, I'm just saying it was rough and I don't think I could take it if it happened again."

"It won't." He almost pleaded, but sounded so confident at the same time. "I swear it won't. I can't take it again either. Just... Please?"

Thunder sounded outside while lightning flashed through the window, that's when I realized I was tearing up. Sam noticed it too and leaned forward slightly to wipe my falling tears. "I love you too, I do. But I'm scared, Sam."

"I know, and I'm sorry that I've even put a doubt into your head that I love you, but if you let me, I swear I can fix it." Looking into his eyes, I could see the pain he was feeling and I felt it too.

Sam's not the kind of person to pour his heart out this much, not even to me. Never has been. And that's okay. But now that he is, I know that he's really hurting and that only makes me cry more.

Before I realize what I'm doing, I lean up and wrap my arms around his neck, leaning the side of my head against his as I let the tears fall freely now. His arms wrap around me and rub my back.

After a couple minutes, I lean back and sniffle before looking into his eyes again. He was confused and worried until I let out a sigh and a small smile pulled at the corner of my lips, making him do the same. "Okay."

"Okay?" His eyes lit up and wider smiles grew on both of our faces. When I nodded, he yelled out "nigga, we made it!" Scooping me up I. His arms and hugging me tight, we fell onto the living room floor again.

I laugh slightly as he pulls me on top of him. "You're gonna knock over our fort, you goon!"

Sam's looking up at me with a sweet smile before replying, "I'll build it again for ya, babe."

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The next morning, I wake up to the sound of Sam's light snore just above my head. I lift my head from his chest and smile tiredly up at him before running my hand up his chest and cupping his face. Leaning up slightly, I place a gentle kiss at the corner of his lips and a few more random ones around his jawline.

"Mmm is it time for my sponge bath again, nurse?" He says with sleep thick in his voice and a grin on his lips.

Through narrowed eyes, I smirk at his closed ones before looking down and flicking his little nipple so hard it makes him wince and his eyes fly open, smiling wider. "Ow! Shit, I was just kidding."

"Better be, dingus." I grin slightly and prop up on my elbow, my hand still on his chest.

He laughs and kisses my forehead. "Good morning to you too, sunshine."

I move my leg slightly and that's when I feel him against my thigh. I let out a laugh before raising an eyebrow up at him with a smirk. "Is it a good morning?"

"Shut up, thot. You know I always have morning wood." He closes his eyes again and grins before yawning as I roll off him.

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I hopped out of the shower about an hour later and changed into some of Ali's old clothes that were still in her old room. After blowdrying my hair and letting Sam get in the shower, I went downstairs.

When my stomach growled and made an ungodly noise, I moved into the kitchen and got some ingredients out to make us a couple omelets.

As I was cooking, I turned on the radio. I wasn't surprised when country came on, that was Sam's mom's favorite, and truth be told, one of mine too. Not Sam's though. I never got to listen to when he was with me. So I cranked it up and started cooking again.

"She was like, oh my god this is my song-" I sang along to Luke Bryan's latest single as I flipped Sam's omelet and wiggled my hips and shoulders. When I turned to flip it onto a plate, I noticed I wasn't alone.

With a broad smile on his face and damp hair, he leaned against the kitchen door frame with his arms crossed. "No, no, keep going. I was enjoying the show."

When he winked, I rolled my eyes, grinning and turned back to the stove, turning it off as I was finished. "Shut up, Samantha."

He laughed and came over to me, wrapping his arms around me from behind. His 6'4 frame never lined up with my 5'3 one, but we never cared. "How did it go again?"

Sam grabbed my hips gently and started to move them with his hands the way I was just moments ago as another song came on. I giggled and suddenly felt embarrassed. "You don't have to make fun of me all the time, ya know."

He nuzzled his face in between my shoulder and my jawline, kissing my skin just lightly and I could feel the grin he had on his lips. "I'm not making fun of you this time, I swear!"

I twisted around so that I was facing him and stood on my tiptoes, grinning as I pecked his nose. "Just go sit at the table, babycakes. I made your omelet just the way you like it."

"Ham and cheese?" He smiled brightly as he looked down at me. When I nodded he placed a sloppy, wet kiss on my cheek before going over to the table. "Man, some guy is lucky to have you."

I smirked and took our plates to the table as he poured the orange juice into 2 cups. "I know, dude."

He smiled and winked at me before stabbing his fork into his omelet and shoving it into his mouth, letting out a "Damn that's good eatin'!" with a mouthful of food.