Chapter 19

As the night progressed the flames from the fire pit were now a resting ember. The warm orange glow barely reflected its heat onto the faces of some of the drunken bodies huddled around it as they listened to the small iPod set-up that plugged into its speaker’s dock. Sami watched on at Zack’s attempts to charm Jackie while they splashed one another through shrills of laughter while Jackie struggled to hold the empty bottle of whiskey above the water.

At this point Nicole was too busy sucking the face off Peter McCluskey, her on and off again, so called boyfriend of three years. They had known each other since high school and his family were very good friends with the Jensen's. Both Arthur and Peter's father, Mayor Marcus McCluskey grew up together. Arthur chose law and Marcus chose politics before being elected East Pines' Mayor the last three years running. They were indubitably East Pines’ power couple.

Sami wouldn't say it was fate but almost expected or even suggestively forced for Nicole and Peter to become a couple. It was a good political image for both families, a relationship of status if you will. Nicole of course was never one to be pushed into being with someone she didn't want to, but Peter was East Pines most popular jock, brushed under the rug bad boy and unknown to her, East Pines playboy. Peter being arrested was never a sentence to be spoken, his family always made sure to keep anything and everything hush hush when it came to the shenanigans of East Pines golden boy, that also included his infidelities. Sami had yet to witness him with someone else, but she wasn't deaf when his name would come up by an upset woman crying to her girlfriends on a night out at Mick's. She was always interested but not ignorant to the fact that the women he had undoubtedly slept with never, not once, exposed him.

Sami’s thoughts were interrupted by a merry Tara collapsing next to a drunken Katelyn as they sat watching the glowing red resting against the charred wood,

"You know you’re my best friend, right?”

Katelyn presented her friend with a drunken half smile and nodded,

“Promise me that I won’t lose you to your husband!" Slurred Tara leaning back into the camping chair.

Katelyn laughed lightly. "That will never happen. My dear husband to be is too busy dating my father,” she protested,

Tara chuckled. “Hold that thought, I need the ladies’ room. When I get back…I want all the dirt on Arthur and Richard's love affair," stated Tara steadying herself.

Katelyn giggled before shifting her gaze back at the sleeping ember. The corner of her eye catching a glance at a slouched Sami who too, kept her eyes on the dying fire.

"Maybe you should be nice and help your girlfriend...friend...whatever she is to the bathroom?" suggested Katelyn,

Sami looked over as Tara staggered toward the lake house. "I think she's got it," she replied noticing that familiar coldness in Katelyn's voice appearing.

She shifted her sights to Katelyn staring deeply into the fire almost as if she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, but still unable to prevent the smirk as she took in the woman's soft features, her unknown seductive eyes, soft cheek bones, soft full lips... But damn those eyes,

 "Can I help you?" Katelyn asked catching Sami's gaze.

 "Nope I'm good, are you good though?"

She rested her chin into her palm moving her gaze from Sami.

"I couldn't be better," she lied forcing a small smile.

Her knee's slightly swaying as she sat there gazing into the dimmed warmth, the alcohol had set in and any niceties she tried to keep for the sake of her friendship with Sami were dwindling just as fast as the last flame against the timber.

“How’s the injury feeling?” Sami asked lightheartedly,

Katelyn rewarded Sami with a half smirk. Opening her palm and placing it into Sami’s line of sight,

“Much better, thanks doc.”

Sami jammed her whiskey bottle in the cup holder on the arm of her chair and grabbed the small stick that laid between the camping chairs vacated by her and Katelyn before prodding the dying fire, struggling to revive it. Maybe it was the alcohol thinking, but she was still hopeful for a flame to ignite the unburned wood.

“You realize it’s pointless doing that, right?” Katelyn questioned,

Sami looked over her shoulder, “I don’t give up so easy.”

“I admire that…but there comes a point when it’s time to give up,” Katelyn countered,

"Maybe you should go to bed," suggested Sami as she looked out to Zack and Jackie in the moonlit lake.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?" Katelyn asked.

"Not at all, but you don't seem to be in the best of moods."

"I’m perfectly fine," insisted Katelyn leaning back into the chair, and tucking her elbows between the arms.

Sami lifted a small rock by her feet, lightly rubbing the dirt off it with her thumb, "I think your brother’s tactics might actually work," she stated.

Katelyn looked over, squinting as she tried to focus on two figures and not the four her eyes were deceiving her with.

"I hope so; he has certainly grown into a good man. Any woman would be lucky to have him."

Sami agreed as she took a sip from her now warm whiskey. Instantly she felt a building inferno travel down her chest and into her stomach,

"Augh, I think it's time to throw this bottle."

Katelyn shook her head in disagreement before snatching it from her.

"Don't be such a wuss."

Sami grinned as she watched Katelyn swallow the burning whiskey, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

"Oh...God, that is...horrible!" Katelyn explained, unable to prevent her scrunched nose at the distaste that now filled her mouth before spitting the remainder out onto the fire pit.

Sami held her stomach, laughing hard. Katelyn couldn't help but laugh with the highly amused Sami.

"Shut up, I didn't think it was going to be that bad," stated a nauseated Katelyn as Sami tried to contain herself,

"Whatever you say, wuss..."

Katelyn giggled, before she knew it their laughter soon paused, and their eyes rested on one another. She couldn't help but enjoy under the moon’s silk lighting, the sight of Sami’s darks as they cautiously dropped to her lips. The small skip of her heart instantly taking her breath away; and pushing her bottom lip between her teeth.

"Stop..." Escaped from Katelyn’s whispered lips, she turned her gaze from Sami.

She saw it… Saw the want inside the dark eyes, admittedly it scared her almost half to death. How was she already having affects from the woman who she hadn’t even kissed or slept with. She had kept the woman at arm’s length always, why on Earth was her body reacting to the simplest of stares? She sensed the warm, and dark drawing eyes almost burn into the side of her cheek, and she dared to meet them,

"Stop...what?" whispered Sami, slowly.

Katelyn turned to her. "You think I don't see what you're trying to do here?"

"You were just laughing with me a minute ago… I could be even crazy enough to say you were finally enjoying yourself. But God forbid you enjoy yourself in my company, right?" countered Sami,

"Do I sense some attitude in that tone of yours? Katelyn snapped.

"Do you always blow this hot and cold?"

Katelyn laughed lightly. “In regard to you, always cold.”

“Ah, maybe you should practice a little more, you blew hot…not a minute ago.” Sami whispered.

Katelyn threw her head back. Sami's soft whisper had once again sent an unexpected wave of arousal through her body,

“There’s an oath preventing such things…” Katelyn whispered back, weakened. Even though Sami had read her perfectly, she couldn’t muster enough strength to even try and deny it in that moment.

Sami cleared her throat, her eyes shifting to her best friend who was oblivious to everything.

"Do I sense some disappointment in that tone of yours?" questioned Sami,

 Katelyn leaned her elbow against the arm of the camping chair, moving in closer, her eyes dueling the now daring stare,

"I think you should go and make sure Tara is okay," said the soft whisper.

Sami dropped her stare, clamping her eyes shut before clearing her throat once again. Katelyn's purposeful whisper sent shivers down her spine. She turned her face back to Katelyn's, their eyes locking, their faces inches from one another and both clearly not caring of their surroundings while letting their rushed breaths mix together as they knowingly fed into one another's sudden insatiable wants and neither of them preventing either from witnessing it. Their silence just being filled with pounding hearts.

Sami dropped her head once again, clutching the arm of the chair, as she fought hard to resist the intensified temptation to brush her lips against Katelyn's.

"Jesus..."

Katelyn couldn’t help but relish in the reaction she caused and for the first time she felt sudden chills move over her, never had she been drawn to kiss anyone like she did at that moment, her mouth filling with an unexplainable desire. Never had she witnessed herself to be as nearly out of control as she was right in that moment. The true concept of having and dealing with the need of self-control, hit her.

She sat back slowly, brushing her hair from her face to tuck it behind her ear. What was that sudden hunger? Why had she never felt such an intensified need and want to have Richard... Or anyone for that matter?

“You're dangerous, Sami Wilson. But I am wise to your games," she stated clearing her throat,

Sami nodded slowly. "I don't play games."

"You know...I'm not like the others."

"I couldn't agree more."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katelyn asked

"Don't ask questions you don't want to hear the answers to."

Katelyn watched the mysteriously daring gaze burn into her again. Even with Sami's warning a part of her almost ached to hear the answer,

“Try me…” whispered Katelyn.

Sami smirked and shook her head, “Careful… You’re blowing hot again,”

Before another word could be muttered Nicole ran toward them, breathless, wrapping a towel over her shoulders,

"You guys need to come into the lake, it feels so good!" Stated a shivering Nicole.

Sami got up from her seat smiling at her friend.

"I think I'm going to call it a night."

 "Come on, just five minutes!" Nicole pleaded as Sami began making her way toward the house,

"Tomorrow," Sami promised over her shoulder. Aware of how much she enjoyed Katelyn's reaction more than she should have, she knew she wanted to kiss the insatiable lips that had only been inches from her. Hell, she wanted Katelyn, not like she wanted the others... She knew this was different… This was… dangerous. Damn. 

"Do you want to come in? I swear you’ll love it," declared Nicole as her gaze shifted to the laughter at the lake.

"No, I think I’m going to go too, I’m not feeling so good I think I just need a good night sleep," replied Katelyn as she got up and smiled softly at Nicole’s forced pouting of her lips.

"You guys are boring!’ Nicole stated,

"Good night.’ Katelyn said quietly with a small smile before turning to make her way up toward the house. God, I nearly kissed her...she nearly...she stopped it, not me. Katelyn swallowed hard as confusion of the ache from being untouched by Sami, consumed her.

Chapter 20

Katelyn looked over her shoulder at Zack entering the kitchen with an unusual spring in his step while she sat contently next to Richard at the breakfast bar with Terri and Billy, enjoying her fruit salad.

"You seem...had a good night I take it?" Katelyn questioned suspiciously.

Zack grabbed a peach slice from her bowl before popping it into his mouth,

"Let’s just say...your little brother...." He soon paused noticing Tara and Sami joining them,

"Damn, you look like you had a rough night. Want to hear about mine though?"

Zack winked as he began pouring two cups of coffee from the machine,

"Rough, and not for all the right reasons," snapped Tara as she grabbed an apple from the pine fruit bowl in the center of the breakfast bar, "I’m going for a walk, Terri, you coming?” Tara finished, the annoyance in her voice apparent to everyone.

Katelyn eyes studied Terri’s sudden nervous demeanor. Everyone stared to Sami, who said nothing and continued pinching the bridge of her nose. Terri cleared her throat, sliding her stool back she nodded subtly before following Tara out.

"Ugh..." Sami groaned, taking a stool opposite Richard.

Slowly she spread her arms across the bar as Zack slid a much-needed cup of coffee in front of her.

"What's with her?" Asked a sniggering Richard before sending a nudge Katelyn’s way. "Looks like somebody didn't give the woman the service she expected," he added.

He had certainly hit the nail on the head. Sami wasn't in the mood to deal with Tara that night. All she wanted was to go to sleep and try to escape the visions of Katelyn's eyes that pierced her chest, and remove the consuming images of her lips on Katelyn's. The ache was real, of all the women, why was it her who she needed to... Want? The sight of Tara laying above the covers in her red French lingerie did nothing but increase the growing knot in her stomach.

 Sami raised her head giving Richard a hard-unamused stare before sliding her sunglasses from the top of her head over her eyes. Saying nothing, she grabbed the coffee cup in front of her, taking a short slow sip, she let a long-exhaled moan escape as the coffee tantalized her taste buds,

"... always--"

 "Hits the spot," Katelyn finished, interrupting Sami but making sure she kept her eyes on the morning paper.

A smirk crept across Sami's face as she ran her thumb and finger under her glasses pinching and praying her headache away. Zack sat down next to her, tapping his fingers on the bar top,

"Yes, Zack?" Sami asked, unable to ignore the ants in his pants,

"Want to hear about my night?"

Sami exhaled deeply, "Do I have a choice?" She asked wrapping her fingers around her cup.

"We did it…" He announced grabbing her arm and giving it a light squeeze.

 Sami scrunched her eyebrows, "We did…what?" She asked, her tone low and tired.

 Zack exhaled with a hint of irritation, "Not us, me and Jackie..." He whispered, his eyes widening as he motioned his head back and forth. "You know..." Said Zack desperately needing her to catch on to his back and forth subtle head thrust, unknowingly entertaining her with it instead. Sami grinned behind her cup enjoying his growing irritation with her.

 "She's playing with you Zack; she knows exactly what you mean, and what’re you? Twelve?"

Sami instantly chuckled at Katelyn’s comment.

He shook his head before swiftly smacking the back of Sami’s head,

"Why do you always do that to me?" He asked, rubbing the now tingling sting from his fingers,

"Congratulations with the whole Jackie thing," her smirk remaining.

"That’s all I wanted…was it so hard? Any way are we still doing that thing today?" Zack asked,

"What thing?" Asked Katelyn, sucking on a strawberry.

"I wanted to take Sami down to the waterfall, and maybe bring Jackie...it would be romantic, right?"

Sami looked up at him, "Wait…with me there? And you two? I’m not the most romantic person here bu--" she paused as Katelyn choked on her freshly squeezed orange juice, while purposefully avoiding any eye contact with her, “I don’t think me being there would really set the mood.” She continued.

Zack suggested Sami bring Tara, but instantly she shook her head. She knew it would make the weekend worse, "No thanks, I think I have a date with some whiskey, and I wanted to do some night fishing tonight…alone."

Katelyn looked over at Richard then at Sami,

"I could go...I’d love to go see the waterfall again, we haven’t been in years. What do you say, honey?" she asked, playfully nudging Richard as he read over his case.

"Let's bring everyone down!" Suggested a noticeably optimistic and excited Zack, "It'll be fun, take a cooler, and some chairs. We can head back up before dark, so Sami can be a bore and go fishing…alone." He finished dryly.

Richard frowned. "It sounds like it would be fun but..." He glanced over his shoulder at Katelyn,

"I really have to get this done...you should still go. I thought we would have time to take a hike today, but your father emailed me with more details on the case. When we get home, how about I take us out for a nice romantic meal?" Katelyn forced a pout, even though she was surprisingly relieved at him not going. It was hard for her to let loose; she had never let him see that side of her. His friends were conservative, serious and without hesitation they quickly became her friends. It was nice to be around people who thought of the world as she did, but recently along with her feelings toward marriage, even that was beginning to change.

Being back home, with her family and friends she knew she was beginning to see things differently, see how closed out her mind was to other things and other people. Sami for instance, being one of Zack's friends would have been an instant turn off, he's never been a great judge of character and Sami was someone Katelyn would have walked past in the street and not batted an eyelid expecting the stereotypical trouble maker, no responsibilities, no respect, fuck the world and everyone in it type of person. But... She wasn't, she was kind, warm and funny not to mention the sarcasm that tugged at Katelyn, who in fact loved it. The mystery behind her eyes, tempting her to come closer, and those stolen glances without fail luring her. Every time.

 "I understand honey, a nice meal will be perfect," replied Katelyn, a genuine smile appearing across her face.

Sami too admitted she was relieved to know Richard wasn’t going to be there, her unusual feelings of jealousy subsided. She was shaken up from Katelyn’s hungered reaction the night before. Was it just the alcohol? She was never a woman to get jealous, ever. But damn did she envy the man that sat next to the woman who took her attention, effortlessly. Snap out of it, Sam.

Chapter 21

"Katie, are you ready?!" Nicole yelled, fixing her very short denim shorts.

"Do you think those will hold while we try to make our way down to the waterfall?" Peter asked his tone doubtful.

"Who cares, they won't be on for long," Nicole announced before winking her lover’s way.

Katelyn grimaced at Sami a little repulsed to hear Nicole’s words, Sami’s eye roll and sly grin confirmed her agreement. She couldn’t help but notice the distance between Peter and Sami, it didn’t surprise her since witnessing their discontent for one another at The Wallace. She didn’t question as to why Sami would even agree being in the same company as him after all, he was dating one of her closest friends. She knew Sami enough to know she would tolerate whoever she had to for the sake of the twins.

 Soon the gang began following the long winding man-made trail Zack insisted was the safest way down the steep mountain. Sami looked back as she held onto the evergreen in front of her, checking on Katelyn, immediately she noticed the woman struggling in keeping her foothold along the uneven, and loose ground beneath them.

"Here, grab my hand," Sami offered.

Katelyn looked down at her before reluctantly grabbing the hand being held out to her. Sami noticed the tight almost bone breaking grip, a small smirk following.

"Relax, I got you," Sami said calmly as Katelyn allowed her to guide her down the steep, loose earth and gravel mountain side.

She couldn't ignore how much trust she easily put into Sami to guide her safely down the harsh uneven trail. The lack of sunlight between the trees didn't help either.

 Before reaching the bottom, Sami stopped in her tracks as Katelyn bumped into the back of her wondering why the sudden stop. She held onto the woman’s sides as her eyes fixated on a nearly nine-foot drop,

"You got to jump, bro," Zack yelled, barely being heard over the rumble of the water as it thrashed against the rocks below it.

"I'm sorry...what did that imbecile just say?" Katelyn asked, her grip tightening against Sami.

"Zachary, I don't ever remember dad taking us this way!" Katelyn yelled pinning her body against Sami’s back. Sami wasn’t oblivious to it either, but she said nothing while trying to keep her mind on the drop and not on the images of the woman’s skin against her own.

Zack began scratching the back of his neck noticing the irritation in his sister’s voice, insisting it was a short cut for them,

"It cut about an hour off our hike!" He explained as Nicole shot him the look of death with Peter dusting the dirt from her lightly wounded knees, her experience hadn't been as pleasant as Zack attempted to make it seem.

Sami turned to an almost terrified Katelyn whose eyes were fixated on the rock drop beneath them. Breaking her grip, Sami placed the woman's trembling hands into her own, she tilted her head to grab Katelyn’s eyes to her instead of the looming drop,

"I need you to hold this tree, I'm going to jump down and once I'm down get on your stomach and slide over the edge, I’ll be right there guiding you," Sami explained.

Katelyn investigated the soothing stare, that relaxed her almost effortlessly, "But…" she whispered, reluctant to let go of Sami’s hands,

"You're going to be okay, just trust me," said Sami and without fail Katelyn's worry began to dwindle, she didn't understand why or begin to even wonder all she knew was Sami had the power to silence her fearful demons.

 "Okay," she whispered.

Sami smirked, "See ya at the bottom...I’ll be right there waiting."

Sami slid her backside over the edge and leapt down onto the uneven dry rock infested ground beneath her, letting the ground break her fall. She dusted herself off before looking up, ignoring the impact inflicting pain in her ankles from the drop,

"Okay, I'm here...now it's your turn, just slow and steady."

 Katelyn looked down at the group as they began gathering the supplies that survived the drop too, and Sami was there waiting and watching, "Don't embarrass yourself, Katelyn," She whispered to herself, before turning her back to those below her, and laying down on her stomach. She gripped hard on the roots that escaped the earth surface but rooted in enough to steady her motions as she slid her stomach slowly over the edge an inch at a time. She dug her fingers into the soft but durable mud and moss not a care in the world that her manicure was ruined, still guiding over what seemed to feel like an endless drop. Her feet searching for the bottom but catching nothing but air, gradually her arms began to tire, and holding her own weight was proving difficult. Maybe it wasn’t the right time, but she noted a gym membership after this weekend was a must.

"That's it, you can drop now, I'm right here...I got you…just let go," said Sami, appreciating the view from where she was, and allowing a grin to move across her face.

 Katelyn's heart pounded against the earth. She could feel the adrenaline rushing through her veins as her breathing became harder to control. Taking in a deep breath, she closed her eyes as she slowly released her grip praying Sami did in fact have her. Suddenly without warning she felt her body slide off the edge, she gasped as her heart moved into her throat causing a stomach flip. The fear had gripped her entire body forcing her to let out a small scream, just before feeling Sami’s grip on her legs, their bodies colliding.

Sami braced herself as much as she could, thankfully she managed to hold her ground and keep them upright. Katelyn opened her eyes as the group cheered, before letting out a huge sigh of relief, her feet were back on solid ground, but still the adrenaline flowed through her as her body shook against the woman behind her. She threw her head back as a wave of relief moved over her again, followed by a laugh as she thanked God that she had made it without embarrassing herself too much. Lightly she let her hands fall onto Sami's that remained tightly gripped against her waist.

"I told you, I got you..." Sami whispered softly, causing the hairs on the back of Katelyn's neck to stand up as the soft traces of Sami's breaths brushed against her ear.

"Thank you," Katelyn's voice trembled under sudden staggered breaths.

Both women froze as their bodies stay pressed against one another, Katelyn felt her body weaken as she leaned back into Sami. Unknowingly, tracing her fingers over the soft hands that still rested on her hips. Arching her neck, she closed her eyes, sucking in her bottom lip. The overwhelming hunger to feel Sami's lips against her skin even if just for a moment returned, damn did it feel good. That tempting guilty pleasure. Sami's body molded to hers keeping her pressed right there, a soft groan escaping without control. Sami wasn't a fool to Katelyn's reacting body... But she also wasn't a fool to the company they were with either.

She cleared her throat. "You’re blowing a little hot again…” she whispered against Katelyn.

"Christ." Katelyn's breathless moan left her lips. Their hunger soon being interrupted by Nicole’s screams as Billy threw her into the water.

Chapter 22

They had found the perfect spot, right along the edge line of the woods with soft enough ground for their chairs and the waterfall was far enough away for them to talk without yelling. Katelyn watched on as Zack quickly grabbed an unsuspecting Sami, throwing her over his shoulder he ran into the shivering cold water, interrupting the perfect reflection of the sun settling behind the tree tops. She laughed lightly as her brother dunked Sami in the deeper parts of the lake.

Sami quickly rose from the water gasping for air,

"Motherfuc-!" She yelled before the piercing water took her breath preventing her from finishing her colorful word as the numbing cold clutched on every nerve in her body.

Sami brushed her fingers through her hair as she slowly walked out of the water. She was thankful she chose to wear her black plaid cargo shorts and black tank top, or she might as well have gone naked to the falls. She noticed Tara giggling, allowing a mischievous smirk to appear on her face. Sami made a bee line for the giggling woman. Tara pointed at her, the smile soon disappearing from her face, quickly she warned Sami not to even think about throwing her into the water.

Katelyn couldn’t help but giggle at her best friend’s distress, she had spent hours doing her hair and she knew within seconds it would have been for nothing. Sami scooped her up over her shoulder ignoring the kicking, screaming, and numerous threats as she ran her toward the lake before throwing her in.

 Sami spun around, staring at the remaining group as they watched her shenanigans unfold,

"Who's next?" She asked with a widening grin.

"Don't even think about it," Katelyn mouthed pointing to Sami as she sat down on one of the camping chairs Billy put out for her.

Zack jogged toward the cooler next to his sister,

"Are you coming in, sis?" He asked, grabbing two cold bottles of beer from the blanket of ice.

"I will soon.”

He handed an approaching Sami a beer. She grabbed another camping chair, unfolding it and placing it next to Katelyn,

“I mean it Zack, I’m leaving before dark.”

He rolled his eyes, “Okay, party pooper. You’ll miss all the fun.”

***

Katelyn gazed peacefully as the water sparkled from the splashes of the group playing by the waterfall. She closed her eyes taking in that moment of tranquility. It had been so long since she could enjoy the sounds nature had to offer, it made a change from the roars of V8 engines that zoomed passed her apartment window as she endured the sleepless nights of studying.

"Want one?" Katelyn looked over as Sami offered her a potato chip,

"No, I don't eat fat, thanks,"

Sami smirked and shrugged. "More for me," she replied before shoving another handful into her mouth.

"I have a figure to watch," Katelyn stated before taking a sip of her fresh orange mixed with vodka.

"Looks perfectly fine to me," Sami replied without thinking.

 Katelyn turned her face from Sami as she felt herself blush. Neither one of them willing to bring up what had happened earlier. Both too embarrassed to even admit it to themselves.

 "Whatever helps you sleep at night,” she paused, glancing toward the waterfall nearby, “Do you want to maybe check what's behind the waterfall?" Katelyn asked as if not caring whether she did or not. What was she doing? Inviting the one person causing her to feel side effects from, the one person who went against every moral and rule she lived by... The one person who ignited something she had never experienced before, not even with the man she was eventually promising herself to.

"Really?" Sami questioned.

"I always wanted to when we were kids, but my father wouldn't allow it," Katelyn explained before finishing the remains of her glass.

Sami grinned, the grin that melted Katelyn. "Well...look at the rebel he has created now."

 Katelyn hit Sami's arm playfully, "Are you coming or not?" She asked, getting up from her chair.

Sami placed the chips down beside her. "Sure, just let me grab a beer real quick."

Katelyn nodded, asking Sami to bring her one too as she slipped her sandals on. Not the best footwear to trek over wet, moss covered rocks. But she had nothing else and the opportunity to finally explore behind the waterfall and possibly being alone with Sami blinded her from considering the risks she was taking.

"Careful these rocks are slippery," Katelyn stated as she led Sami, making their way across the edge line, toward the back of the falls,

"Wouldn't it have been safer to just swim under?" Asked Sami, noticing the lack of grip her sneakers provided.

"I am in no fit state to go against the current, come on. It'll be fine."

 Sami looked over toward the group in the lake as they dunked one another, without a care in the world.

"I wonder if they will even realize we are gone."

 Katelyn moved her gaze from the rocks under her toward the merry group,

"I doubt it, I'm pretty sure the double vision they're possibly experiencing will make them think we’re there."

Sami laughed as she strategically placed her feet on what she could only describe as black ice under her.

Katelyn looked up to study the water racing down toward her, forcing her squint as the back spray hit her face,

"Okay, we just leap in…I think," Katelyn yelled over the roar of the fall in front of them, trying to examine the best method.

 "You think?" Sami asked, her eyebrow arching with concern, just before Katelyn disappeared through the rushing water wall,

"Kate! You good?" Sami yelled as she tried to look through the rushing water in front of her.

"Yeah! Just jump!" She heard faintly from Katelyn.

 Taking in a deep breath Sami closed her eyes and leapt through, instantly feeling the ice-cold water as it beat down onto her back.

Katelyn watched her jump through the roaring wall, splashing her lightly, laughing, she ruffled Sami's already drowned hair.

 "That wasn't so bad, was it?" Katelyn asked with a beaming smile.

 Both fixed their eyes on the beauty that stared back,

"It's...it's..." Katelyn found herself to be speechless.

"Beautiful…" Sami finished,

Katelyn nodded slowly admiring the darkened cavern, covered in a sheet of moss. Sami took a seat on a slab of rocks,

"This is the first time I have ever been in one of these," she stated, before cracking open her bottle. Katelyn moved to her sitting down beside her, and nodding.

"It's just so...peaceful...I feel like I am miles away from everybody," she replied.

Sami smiled as she placed a bottle in Katelyn's hand. Both sat in silence as they watched the water mask the outside world in front of them, taking it in, embracing it. They listened to the echoed sounds of rapid water, each bouncing back and forth between the rocks behind them but still offering a peaceful serenity. Katelyn looked back noticing a narrow opening between the rock walls. She nudged Sami,

"Let’s go see what's back there," She got up from the rock, bending down slightly to avoid hitting her head on the hanging rock above her.

Sami took in a deep breath; she was happy enough right where they were, but Katelyn's curious, and somewhat adventurous side pleased her. She followed behind as they made their way through the dark narrow corridor, to Sami’s surprise the rocks were bone dry, the humidity began thinning the further they moved through the narrowing walls.

"Oh my..." Katelyn gasped as she entered another cavern.

She swiftly began rubbing the tops of her arms unable to ignore the sudden temperature drop. Her eyes mesmerized by the open space around them, it was dark, but above them the rocks separated allowing the moons welcoming light to creep along the group of rocks that lay underneath. Sami observed the shallow carvings in the stone, carefully tracing her fingers over them trying to decipher what they were, soon realizing it was lovers before etching their undying love for one another. Setting it in stone, if you will.

Katelyn looked back at her before sitting on the group of rocks that were lit up by the moonlit night sky. She gently patted the one next to her directing for Sami to sit with her. She could see the reluctance written all over the flawless face,

"So simple yet so beautiful," stated Katelyn as she pressed her palms around her bottle of beer, jamming them between her thighs attempting to remove the chill that had settled in.

"I think I just found my favorite place," replied Sami.

"Did you and your family ever go to places like this?"

Sami looked out in front of her as a warm smile rested against her cheek,

"Me and my dad, every weekend we would go out to the local reservoir and fish. Man, we would get so excited to catch the five-pound catch of the day. Largemouth bass, catfish, sun fish, trout. You name it we caught it."

Sami laughed, being reminded of the images of her father's enormous smile as he held that five-pound trout. The picture that always stood on pride of place above the fireplace wherever home was. Warming her.

"Then we would bring our catches home and mom would cook up a storm.”

Katelyn watched on as Sami's face lit up when she’d talk about the memory she was sharing. But her eyes imaged a dark memory that she assumed Katelyn knew nothing about. Deep down she wanted Sami to trust her, she wanted to be the person Sami talked to about her past, open up to. She decided to dig further,

"Can I ask you something?" Katelyn asked.

 "Depends on what it is," Sami's voice lowering before finally sitting down next to the curious woman.

Katelyn ran her thumb around the tip of her bottle nervously, the butterflies in her stomach increasing.

"What are your family like? I've never heard you talk about them. I understand if you don't want to talk about it, I guess I'm just curious..." Katelyn stopped,

"They’re like any other family I guess," replied Sami as she looked over her shoulder, her eyes meeting Katelyn's.

“Details?”

Sami took in a deep breath, she wasn’t used to or even comfortable when divulging into her personal life and especially her past with anyone,

“I have a mom, dad and sister, detailed enough?”

Katelyn sighed, “Must you always be a stubborn ass? Tell me about your family Sam. You know damn near everything about mine and I know nothing about yours.”

“Is it really that important?” Sami asked,

“Yes, it’s important. Is it such a bad thing that I want to know more about you?”

"Well...my mom is an accountant, my father is a retired paramedic, he runs the ranch over on Cedar Meadows and my sister…she left here years ago, been trying to break out as a musical artist for years now."

Katelyn noticed but ignored Sami's reluctance to disclose more, “Cedar Meadows? That’s where my father wants me to consider for the wedding. It’s an absolutely beautiful venue.”

Sami nodded slowly, “Yeah…he worked hard to make it the beautiful place it is now.”

"What kind of music does your sister do? Does she play an instrument, or sing?" Katelyn knew she was clutching at straws with her questions, but she genuinely wanted to know more about the tattooist and she knew she would never get Sami alone like this, it was the perfect opportunity to have her curiosity answered.

Sami released a small grin, a part of her appreciating Katelyn's efforts of genuinely wanting to know more about her.

“Why did you choose a career in Law?”

“What’s that got to do with anything?”

“Well…you’re asking things about me, I’m keeping it fifty-fifty,” replied Sami, her cheesy grin amusing Katelyn.

“That’s not how this works.”

“And what is this exactly?”

Katelyn dropped her stare from Sami, she wasn’t exactly sure what it was, but she knew she needed it, ached for it.

“Ten out of ten for an attempted subject change, on to more pressing matters…tell me about your family. I want to know…”

Sami sighed lightly, "They're a good family, a hard-working family. We moved up here about nine years ago from Arizona. My dad knew the guy who owned the ranch, heard he was selling and made an offer. Mom got a job almost immediately and my dad worked to bring the ranch back to life. My sister plays the guitar and sings; she performs at bars mostly. She tries to get as many gigs as she can, but she’s struggling. I guess there are just so many bands trying to make it, they’re taking her time slots and she can’t seem to catch a break. She still bartends at the same place, but the money just isn’t cutting it. She’s making just enough for rent,” she paused, “She’s begged me not to tell our parents, so every week I send her some money to keep her head above water." Sami paused, taking a sip from her bottle,

"Twice a week I call to check in, and every once in a while I’ll go visit my parents, help my dad with whatever he needs done around the ranch and then listen to my mom’s constant lecturing about finding the right gal to settle down with,” Sami laughed lightly, “She is big on family values, always telling me to find someone to share my life with, and when she isn’t at me about that, she is lecturing my sister Donna but more so her because she will be the one to give her grand babies." Sami revealed a small smile.

"Sounds like a good mom," Katelyn replied returning the smile.

"She is...although overbearing, I could have it worse."

"So, you’re pretty close with them all?" Katelyn asked, moving her damp, wavy hair behind her ear.

Sami cleared her throat, "Mhm.”

“Okay and now the truth?” Katelyn asked, her brow arched instantly letting Sami know she knew there was something else,

“Please Sam… I swear it will stay with only me.”

She watched Sami close her eyes and take in a long, deep breath, “That’s all you’re getting, Katelyn.”

Katelyn sighed, “Why is it so hard for you to just open up about things?”

Sami turned to her, “Talking about it doesn’t fix it, it just brings up things you’ve tried so hard to lock away.”

“And what is it you’ve been trying to lock away, Sam? Jesus, just talk to me, I’m right here.”

“It’s not that easy, you’re Katelyn Jensen for Christs sake,” Sami snapped.

Katelyn examined the now clenching jaw. Sami was going to be a lot harder than she had hoped, she decided it was time to push a little further,

“Who I am has nothing to do with it…talk to me, please,” she pleaded, lightly resting her fingers against the fingers Sami had wrapped around her beer.

Sami forced out an exhale, closing her eyes to Katelyn’s soft touch,

“Katelyn, drop it…we should get back.” She looked over catching Katelyn’s sympathetic stare,

“No. I’m not letting you leave until….” She paused as her stomach flipped.

Sami raised a brow, “Until what?”

Katelyn’s mouth suddenly dried up as her nerves were now in full swing, “Until…” she grabbed Sami’s hand and held it between her own. Holding on hard. Here we go.

“Until you tell me the something you want to keep locked away is…Christine…”

She watched Sami’s curious stare turn into a devastated one. Her stomach sank as Sami’s olive complexion turned completely grey. Her darks turning black,

“Sam…I’m not judging, I just want to—”

Sami abruptly stood up, turning her back to Katelyn, and throwing her beer bottle against the cavern, the smashing glass echoing between the damp rock walls. Katelyn stood up, unable to prevent her body from shaking. She was scared but she dared show it, until Sami turned to her slowly. Her stare displaying an anger she had never witnessed in the months she had gotten to know the woman. Katelyn swallowed hard. For the first time she feared the woman in front of her,

“Sam…please.” Her trembling whisper requested,

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Sami moved closer pointing her finger. She watched as Katelyn began backing away from her, observing nothing but fear in the face that haunted her for weeks, forcing her to stop in her tracks. Katelyn was afraid of her… Her heart sank. She never wanted to be feared, especially by Katelyn.

She tried settling her angered breaths, swallowing the raging throbs.

“Are you…are you afraid of me?” She asked tilting her head,

Katelyn swallowed hard, “Should I be?”

Sami’s stare weakened, “No, never…” She paused clenching her jaw, “I…I should go. I’m sorry. All I ask is that you never bring Christine up again. Believe whatever stories you want, I’ll stay away…I’m sorry if I…scared you. I need to go.”

Katelyn’s staggered breath pushed out a tear as she watched Sami storm out of the cavern. She sat back down on the slab of rock, rubbing her palms back and forth over her thighs. She couldn’t stop the images of Sami’s hurt… Especially when she thought she scared her. Christine’s memory haunted Sami more than she had ever thought imaginable. She swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt so sorry for the suffering Sami must go through at the mere thought of Christine’s name even being mentioned. She never knew Sami to ever express an emotion other than anger or amusement, but a hurt Sami just tore her up inside.

Chapter 23

Katelyn fell back into the sectional kicking off her flip flops as the rest of them put the remaining liquor back in the fridge. It was nearing one a.m. Everyone else was exhausted and highly intoxicated, except her. After Sami left her in the cavern, regardless the amount of liquor she had consumed, she had sobered up rather quickly after their altercation. She persisted to tell everyone Sami left because she wanted to start fishing right at night fall.

She kissed her sister and waved everyone good night with a heavy heart. She dared to tell Nicole what happened, after promising her she would never let Sami know she knew. She groaned getting up and moving to the refrigerator to get a bottle of water, she was sure Sami was fast asleep. She grabbed the knitted blanket made by her grand-mother and wrapped it over her shoulders before going out onto the deck to listen to the falls off in the distance. She took a slow sip of water before noticing a small light out on the lake at the edge of the dock. She squinted trying to focus through the darkness. From what she could make out, it was a figure sitting. Instantly Sami came to mind. Surely, she wasn’t still fishing? Katelyn bit the inside of her cheek. She had to go check, she had to try and talk to her, try and fix the mess she caused.

As she walked the creaking dock her stomach churned, trying to figure out what to say, how to say she was sorry. Would Sami forgive her? She took in a deep breath as she drew closer. She stopped for a moment taking in the sight of Sami sitting in her camping chair with a cooler on one side and a tackle box on the other. It was quiet, she wondered if she was still awake, she tip-toed quietly, jumping as a clearly startled Sami turned sharply,

“It’s just me…” she whispered, tightening the blanket around her.

 Sami turned back around saying nothing. Katelyn moved the bottle of beer out of its holder on top of the cooler and took a seat. Her eyes gazing over the moonlit lake, the subtle waves shaking the peaceful moons reflection, now she could see why Sami adored night fishing, its serenity was quite apparent,

“It’s so beautiful…” she whispered, keeping her eyes on the lake.

“Yeah,” replied the now raspy voice.

Katelyn looked over her shoulder resting her chin on it. For a moment she took in Sami as she sat there, her eyes glued on the lake, “I hope you can forgive me…”

Sami’s eyes shifted under her brows toward Katelyn, her face emotionless, “I’m sorry for scaring you like that.”

Katelyn softened to the sorrowful darks, “Please don’t be sorry. You warned me, and I kept pushing you.”

“That’s still no excuse.”

“I’ll never push for you to talk about…anything you don’t want to. Just know I would never judge you…”

Sami cleared her throat, “She’s just kind of out of bounds, you know?”

Katelyn nodded, “Yes, I just hope you one day find the peace you deserve. From what I was told, and I’m not meaning to bring it up,” she paused pulling her blanket tighter, “I hate watching you punishing yourself for something you didn’t do,”

Sami shuffled in her seat, “That’s really what you think?”

Katelyn nodded slowly, not ignoring the sudden intensity in Sami’s tone, “Yes.”

“Well why don’t I tell you the whole story, right from the horse’s mouth, huh? Let’s see how sure Miss. Attorney is, shall we?”

Katelyn put a hand up before straddling the cooler to now face Sami, “That won’t be necessary Sam. There is nothing you will tell me that will change my mind on your innocence...stop blaming yourself.”

Sami’s dry laugh unnerved her as she watched her sit forward to rest her elbows on the tops of her knees, “I dealt drugs…ran them, took them. I even dealt them to your brother. Did you know that part?”

Katelyn swallowed hard, trying her hardest not to break the stare Sami dared her to hold.

“Sam, stop.”

“Now you want me to stop? Earlier you did nothing but poke and prod at a subject I refused to divulge, now suddenly you get shy? You tell me I’m not to blame for what happened to her? Let me change your mind real quick.”

“There is nothing you can sa—"

“Oh, yeah. I was Zack’s dealer…”

Katelyn clasped her eyes shut, holding tears. “I don’t care, look who he is now…because of you.”

“Because I’m such an outstanding citizen, huh? I didn’t want to do what everyone else did in the Pines. Back then…I didn’t want to work like a dog…have my blood sweat and tears be the price to make a guy in a suit richer. I didn't want to work behind a desk, the nine to five jobs bored my thoughts, and that’s all there was. That or working with and doing drugs on the West side." Sami paused to take a drink of her beer, “When my parents moved here, the extravagance of it all sickened me, and the people sickened me more. They all acted like their shit didn’t stink…that’s just not me. Instantly I didn’t fit in…but there was one person who no matter how much of an asshole I was, told me about myself and tried to let me see the good in me. That was her…and I killed her,” Sami dropped her head with a long exhale. “I’m not going too fast, am I? Because the good parts about to come up.”

 “You didn’t kill her, Sam…” She whispered.

Katelyn stared into the bloodshot stare presented to her. She swallowed hard, her throat hurting as she held back tears. She didn’t want to cry in front of her, she didn’t want her to think she was making it about her, so she chewed the inside of her cheek and let her continue,

Sami held her palm up. “Wait…there’s more, and for the record, after a while weed just wasn’t cutting it for him, he wanted a different high...wanted me to hook him up with one of my coke contacts. After that…I cut him off. We fought, he threw a punch and I threw a few.  I didn’t cut him off because I wanted to…she made me do it. She loved your brother, if it wasn’t for her helping me get him completely clean…I don’t know where he’d be right now, so know…it wasn’t just me,” she stopped to clear her throat.

Katelyn leaned forward resting her palm on Sami’s thigh, “But a part of it was still you…”

Sami clenched her jaw, shaking her head as a tear slid down her cheek. Katlyn bit her lip as she still fought her own,

“She’s the one you should be thanking…she always made me want to be fucking better. Christine always persisted to come to those damn parties on the West side with me. I knew she’d be safe, she had me and Zack. But that night…we were fighting. She had an opportunity to go to a prestigious nursing school in Ohio. She didn’t want to go because of me. Her father begged me to talk some sense into her, but she wouldn’t fucking listen. That night there was a bunch of people there, the usual East and West suspects including my sister, Christine, and Peter was there with some of his football buddies. I was selling a few bags of weed that night to some of his boys. We were down in the basement making a deal with a new supplier…Bobby something. I don’t know. The next minute I just hear all of this screaming and yelling upstairs, I run upstairs and right there on the kitchen floor…” She stopped to look up at Katelyn’s sorrow, “Foaming at the mouth, her body was…lifeless. She was gone.”

 Sami clenched her jaw together before clearing her throat once again, "I'll never forget the look on my dad’s face when he walked into that kitchen...of all the paramedics, he was the one to respond. He ripped me from her and continued CPR.”

“I’m so sorry, Sam…”

“Me too,” Sami whispered.

“Is that the reasoning behind a somewhat strained relationship with your parents?”

Sami confirmed her question with a nod, “It wasn’t them who caused the strain, it was all me. I couldn’t deal with the guilt of having my father witness that because of me.”

“How did you become the suspect in it all?”

Sami shrugged, “I don’t even know. Everyone told them I only dealt weed. Her Tox report came back that she overdosed on Ecstasy. Now anyone who knows anything about drugs, you have to be a pretty ballsy dealer to deal that shit out. You’re never guaranteed to come out alive, they put so much shit in those pills. I would never be able to live with myself if I had taken someone’s life by dealing it to them. That’s why I stuck to weed, no one’s ever died from that.”

Katelyn smiled a little, technically it was the truth, “Everyone I’ve spoken to about it told me you’re innocent. The one person I’ve never brought it up with is my father.”

Sami shook her head, “He was hellbent that it was me. And through it all do you know her parents still tried to comfort me?” She paused with a dried laughter, “Those poor people…if their daughter had never met me, she would still be here. It was my job to protect her…And I promised her father I would, and I didn’t.”

“This isn’t your fault…you didn’t force those pills down her throat, no one did. You need to realize that just because you were in her life…you weren’t the one who took her life, Sam.”

“That’s the thing Kate, she never had any desire to take drugs, why did she all of a sudden take a bunch of Ecstasy pills?”

Katelyn couldn’t help but question that too, “If you want…we can re-open the case and find the real killer.”

“No, I wouldn’t dream of putting her parents through all of it again. The only way we will even come close to finding the fuck who did it is if someone finds the bitch dealing ecstasy in a clear bag with a clown emblem on it, and trust I interrogated everyone I knew…they had no idea, or their bitch ass lips were sealed. That’s the drug game.” Sami groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose,

“She was the reason you instantly took to Billy…”

Sami nodded slowly, “He’s a good guy. Helping him…in a twisted way helps me deal with never being able to help her. He needed me, just like she did.”

Katelyn clamped her eyes shut unable to fathom Sami’s daily demons. Her heart felt a deep sorrow. A woman, who was care free, took each day as it came, hid her fears to the world, changed into a vulnerable being right in front of her very own eyes. She quickly realized the reasons behind Sami's determination to avoid commitment. She had lost a love and blamed herself. All she wanted to do was hold her, comfort her... Gently she rested her hand on Sami's as it trembled.

Sami took in a deep breath and quickly wiped away any remanence of tears, “There you have it…that’s my story.”

“Can you promise me something?” Katelyn’s whisper asked.

Sami looked up through her brows. “What?”

“That you’ll work each day on not blaming and punishing yourself for her death? Because I hate to break it to you…but listening to everything you told me, in a bold attempt to make me punish you for how you feel you should be…in my eyes, along with everyone else…this wasn’t your fault, not even a little bit.”

Sami clenched her jaw, shutting her eyes. “I can’t promise you anything but…I’ll maybe give it a try…” She trailed.

Katelyn smiled tracing a fingertip under her eyelid to catch and wipe dried tears, “That’s all I can ask and well Sami Wilson I do have to ask…how can I hate you now? You’re all vulnerable to me now…”

Sami matched her laughter, “Real funny, Jensen. Tell anyone you seen me cry and I’ll be forced to…beat you.”

Katelyn laughed with a lighter heart as she sat there under the moon with Sami. While they sat in silence, for the first time in a very long time Katelyn felt at peace, she sighed lightly hugging the blanket that wrapped her.

“Thank you for telling me…opening up to me…”

Sami took a sip of beer. “Don’t get used to it.” She paused with a smirk. “So…how’s the wedding plans going anyway?”

Katelyn cleared her throat, nodding slowly, understanding the subject change. “They’re exactly that right now… still plans.”

Sami scrunched her eyebrows together, “Isn’t it happening soon?”

Katelyn nodded, keeping her eyes on the lake, “Yes…” she said quietly.

“Why are you stalling?”

Katelyn looked over her shoulder toward Sami, “What? I’m not stalling. I’ve just been busy… as has he.”

Katelyn watched Sami’s doubt mask her expression, “You’re stalling, Kate. Why?”

She shook her head, “I’m nervous, Sam…” Katelyn swallowed hard, she wanted to scream her anxieties… She wanted someone to tell her what she was feeling was normal and not something else, “It’s normal to doubt, right?”

“Doubt what?” Sami asked,

“That you’re marrying the right person, that’s normal, right?”

Katelyn slowly shut her eyes as Sami slow head shake confirmed it wasn’t.

“I…I don’t think so. I’m not an expert on love but, I imagine if you had the opportunity to marry the one person you love…there would be no doubt…nervousness, sure. Doubt…I don’t know girl.”

Katelyn sighed, “Everything was perfect…then we come here and…I…Things have changed and it’s not…him…”

Sami grabbed Katelyn’s hand reassuringly, “I don’t think I’m the best person for this kind of thing, I don’t have a good track record,” she paused laughing lightly, “Have you spoken to your mom maybe?”

Katelyn shook her head then raised her eyes to meet the sympathetic darks, “I couldn’t. She adores him… My father adores him,”

“But do you?”

Quickly she dropped her stare closing her eyes, “Yes…he’s the perfect gentlemen….”

“But…” Sami interrupted, hooking her finger under Katelyn’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet.

Katelyn swallowed hard, “Sam…”

Sami watched a seduction grow in the eyes that she hungered to hold, “What is it about you…” she whispered.

Katelyn placed her hand on the soft hand that cradled her face, tracing her thumb back and forth along the top of it. Their eyes reunited, the silence between them becoming almost deafening. Katelyn's heart instantly raced as she felt Sami turn her hand over, their fingertips meeting for the first time. She closed her eyes, lightly tracing her teeth across her bottom lip. Her breathing becoming heavy as Sami traced her fingertips slowly into her palm, the lightest touch sending waves of electric to every nerve in her body.

Sami stopped, abruptly pulling her hand away, before getting up from the chair. She stood, looking toward the lake as she fought with herself and the oath with Zack, not to mention Richard,

"I think we should go back," Sami’s low voice insisted.

Being alone with Katelyn made controlling her urges for the woman almost impossible to fight. Feeling her skin against Katelyn's made her body ache for more. The hunger she possessed for her right there under the stars made respecting Katelyn's relationship and the oath with her best friend damn near unachievable. Regardless of Katelyn’s unsaid confession of her feelings toward Richard… They were getting married.

"You’re right…we should, but why aren’t we?" Katelyn asked in a soft whisper as she stood up to face Sami.

Her mouth filling with the want of Sami's lips on hers. Katelyn felt powerless to the unspeakable desire she had possessed for the woman standing in front of her, the pounding of her heart causing an instant ringing in her ears,

Sami looked over her shoulder to the darkened lake house, "Kate…your brother...and..."

Before she could finish, she swallowed hard as the soft touches of Katelyn’s fingers intertwined her own making her almost powerless to the spell that consumed her. Sami weakened, she pulled Katelyn in closer. Their heavy breaths brushing lightly across their faces, she could almost taste Katelyn's tongue on hers.

Katelyn's heart skipped with that all too familiar delight as she felt Sami's body lightly press against hers, their eyes dueling,

“I want to respect them…but there’s something about you…” said Sami’s soft whisper,

"I... won’t be like the oth--" Before Katelyn's soft whisper could continue Sami pressed her lips lightly against Katelyn's. She held the kiss before feeling the tip of Katelyn's tongue slide against her own, dancing slowly.

Katelyn submitted easily as Sami’s spread fingers caressed the small of her back pulling their body’s tighter together as the soft slow kiss turned into an ignited passion, their mixing breaths becoming lost in the soft moans that passed through their lips. The taste of one another consuming the sudden euphoric sensations as Sami's tongue traced the edges of Katelyn's. Lightly Sami's bottom lip slid teasingly against Katelyn's forcing a hungered moan from her.   

Katelyn could feel her blood rushing through her veins, her heart pounding against Sami’s, another small moan escaping as Sami's teeth lightly danced against the side of her neck. Sami groaned as Katelyn's soft moan echoed through her ears.

 Katelyn threw her head back as a wave of euphoria erupted throughout her entire body, and without any control another moan escaped from her. Never had she hungered and ached to be touched as she did right at that very moment. Sami's light exploring touches fed Katelyn's hunger. She didn't want it to stop, the guilty pleasure overcame her, the want exploded inside of her. She wanted Sami's tongue on her, inside her.

Suddenly she gasped, breaking from Sami's clutch, pushing her away. She pressed her fingers against her throbbing lips as the realization of what had just taken place overcame her. She felt almost drunk again. Slowly she placed her fingers over Sami's mouth, and bit down hard on her own lip, her breaths still chaotic. Never had she experienced that burning rush of desire and addiction,

"I... I can't...we...can't," she whispered through her frenzied breaths that made it hard to mutter a single sentence, right then she knew her desire for Sami had become too much. That kiss... Scared her, and as she stood there frozen, her body ached against the pound from her rapidly beating heart. She shook her head, moving her fingers feverishly through her hair, the cold breeze pressed against her hot skin, tingling as it brushed across her perspired chest.

Sami stared at her, watching as she tried to control her pounding heart with every unforced heavy breath,

"Kate...." Sami whispered.

Katelyn pointed her finger at Sami, slowly moving from her.

"No... don’t. I'm not...I won't be like the others..." Katelyn paused as tears formed across her horrified expression, "This was a mistake, I let what happened earlier and this...place get the better of me!" She lied.

The realization of how out of control Sami's touch made her feel, the uncontrollable weakness frightened her to her very core.

"Katelyn...God damn it!" Sami snapped as she reached for her but quickly Katelyn distanced herself further as tears fell slowly down the woman's flustered cheeks,

"How could we let this happen? How could...think of Zack. Oh, God... What have we done…? I have to go.” Katelyn rushed her trembling words.

"Kate don't go..."

Katelyn turned from Sami every ache in her body told her not to, but the fear took over and she left Sami standing there, under the star filled night sky.

Sami swallowed hard, clenching her jaw as she watched the woman who drove every sense wild, stole her every thought, just walk away from her. Damn..

Chapter 24

"Black ball in the middle pocket..." Zack called his shot before hitting the eight ball off the cushion.

"Dammit!" He said, missing again.

"Don't sweat it, the easiest shots are always the hardest." Sami said trying to soften the blow of him failing to yet again make a shot.

 It was the usual Friday night for Sami and Zack, their very own pool tournament the winner buying the next round of drinks, but to them it also meant bragging rights for the rest of the week and the morning coffee runs. Zack drank the rest of his beer before offering Sami another one. Chalking up her cue she carefully set up her next shot, her eyes shifting from the cue ball to the brunette waving as she sat at a table with her red head friend. Sami had noticed the two women looking over occasionally as her and Zack played their important weekend tournament, but she ignored them mostly. She hadn't seen or spoken to Katelyn since their kiss. She was relieved to say the least; she knew the woman had a fiancé not to mention she was her best friend’s sister. She needed to shake Katelyn off. Regardless of the unforgivable consequences that would take place if anyone found out about the kiss, the ache of missing Katelyn, haunted her every day.

Zack made his way back to the table with two bottles of beer and four shot glasses filled with whiskey, as he set them on the small tabletop next to Sami, he noticed the pretty little brunette staring over at his friend, he nudged her lightly interrupting her next shot,

"Looks like you have another admirer, stud," Zack announced, as he shot a smile toward the red head sitting with the brunette.

Sami shrugged, "Not tonight man, I just want to play some pool and relax, no women."

A shock ridden Zack looked at her, his eyebrows low as he felt her forehead,

"You feeling okay? You've been a little off this last week, usually you would be all over that, plus her friend is cute." He handed Sami a shot,

"You shouldn’t be looking, remember your girlfriend, Jackie?" Sami stated before downing the shot just given to her.

"I'm just looking! There’s surely no harm in that is there?" Zack asked as he shrugged off Sami's words.

"I'm sure looking is fine, but winking and smiling at her isn't something you would do if Jackie were here, am I right or am I right?" Sami asked grabbing the other shot glass waiting for her.

"Yeah...yeah...I forgot you're a Sain--Oh hey Richard! Katie!" Zack yelled across the bar. "The whole clan is here."

Sami looked over her shoulder as she watched Richard and Katelyn walk into the bar with Nicole and Peter. Nicole waved over to her as Peter made his way to the pool table with his usual smug expression,

"Can I play next?" He asked Sami, throwing his jacket on the back of a seat next to her.

"Go ahead, Zack needs some easier competition," she replied ignoring the growing hatred of the fake facade she had no choice but to be accustomed to when in his presence with Nicole.

Peter nudged Sami, taking the cue from her,

"Thanks buddy." His condescending wink leaving a bad taste in Sami's mouth.

"Zack, stack them up and prepare to get whooped!"

"Give me a minute, I’m just going to get these guys a drink…. vodka tonic for you both?" Zack asked.

Richard nodded with a smile, "Yes please, Zack."

Katelyn said nothing as she tried to contain her interrupted thoughts and pounding heart from the sight of Sami. She couldn't shake the fact that as she walked in, and even through the crowd of patrons, Sami’s face was the first she saw.

"Uh...don't think you're going to play pool all night babe!" Nicole's words echoed in Sami's ears. "Sami baby!" She continued before hugging her tightly.

"Have you been avoiding me? You haven't been answering my calls or texts!" A curious Nicole asked, placing her bag on a table.

"I've just been busy is all, the shop has been non-stop,” Sami explained grabbing her beer.

Katelyn and Richard sat down, Sami nodded toward him, and he met her nod respectfully.

"Here you go guys," Zack said with a smile.

Richard thanked him as he took his vodka tonic from the tray. Katelyn stiffened as Richard’s arm moved over her shoulders to bring her closer to him,

"Are you okay? You seem quiet." Richard asked her quietly.

"I'm fine honey, I just have a small headache, it will pass I’m sure," Katelyn replied smiling sweetly at him.

Her heart still pounded at the thought of Sami being just feet away. The guilt ate at her as she sat there with a man who treated her with nothing but respect and love, but the woman who her heart undeniably pounded and ached for was right there too. She admitted she missed seeing Sami, she missed laughing, being comfortable, carefree, and missed not feeling like she had to entertain other people’s ideas or expectations of her.

She watched as Sami left the pool table and moved to the bar, hating herself for caring where she was going, a part of her thankful she wasn't leaving but the other part wishing she would.

Nicole leaned up against Sami as they ordered their drinks, wrapping her arm around her,

"What's going on with you?" Nicole asked,

"I'm good, girl. I'm just tired," Sami lied.

"Oh please, I know you...does this perhaps involve a woman?" Asked Nicole.

Sami could feel Nicole’s eyes burn into the side of her face, but she persisted to avoid any eye contact with the curious woman.

"I'm Sami Wilson. You're imagining things I'm afraid."

"I know you Sam...and you haven't been you in a while now. I’ve had Tara in my ear for days now. What's going on?" Asked a doubtful Nicole.

Sami forced a smile, "Drop it Jensen...life's just been a little hectic."

Nicole knew something was up when Sami point blank refused to join them all at the drive in that previous Thursday, never mind the constant ear bending she was receiving from Tara about how quiet and distant Sami was being toward her. She even went on to tell Nicole they hadn't slept together since before the weekend at Cedar Falls. Nicole knew Sami more than Sami would like to admit. She was never someone to turn down a beautiful woman especially Tara, and she highly doubted Tara was the reason for Sami's ever-growing distance. Hell, the only way Zack managed to get Sami out to take part in their little weekly tournament was a phone call from Mick, explaining he needed the weekend tournament to cheer him up after receiving no cards or even a phone call from his kids on his birthday.

Nicole sighed, "Okay I'm not going to keep pushing, I'm here when you decide to open up."

Sami sent her caring friend a small smile before Katelyn stole her attention. She watched her walk into the restroom. Swallowing hard, she knew it was probably the only chance she would have to talk to her alone. She needed to talk, maybe clear the air. Even knowing her and Katelyn could never be more than friends, she needed closure from the woman who had a hold of her. Was it really a mistake? Sami wasn't going to wait around to find out, she had to know, now. I need this to move on. She pressed a kiss against Nicole's cheek before leaving her friend at the bar.

Katelyn flushed the toilet, walking out of the stall to wash her hands, she was met with Sami leaning back against the sinks. Her dark but warming eyes instantly locking Katelyn in. Her heart jumped into her throat forcing out a gasp,

"Jes...you scared me..." said Katelyn brushing passed Sami to wash her hands, trying to rush herself, she knew she had to get out of there.

Sami looked down at the dirty peach floor below her,

"Can we talk?" Sami asked, her voice low almost a whisper,

"I... I don't think--"

“Kate, that wasn’t just any kind of kiss…I felt it.”

Katelyn ran her fingers through her hair as her frustration and guilt consumed her, “You felt nothing, don’t try and play me like that. Give me some credit.”

Sami clenched her jaw, “I’m not trying to play you…I don’t do…this. Trust me, I know nothing can come of it because of Zack. You have my word that…I’ll keep my distance…”

"Your word?" Katelyn laughed dryly, "I'm sorry but forgive me if I don't believe you. I'm pretty sure you've given my brother your word on certain things and haven't managed to keep those," she spat.

Instantly regretting her words Katelyn clutched the sinks biting her bottom lip, she knew what happened between them wasn't entirely Sami's fault.

Sami cleared her throat unable to muster up the strength to bite back at Katelyn's harsh words,

"Sam, I have to go. We kissed when we shouldn't. I got caught up on all of the emotions we both went through together that night…we got caught up in a moment, that’s all it was," she explained, keeping her eyes from Sami's stare.

"I'm not going to push the idea of it, because I simply can’t for the sake of my best friend. I guess I wanted to hear you tell me it was a mistake, and you feel nothing. I need to hear that," Sami whispered.

Katelyn dropped her head as her eyes closed, she bit her lip as the thoughts came flooding back of that night behind the falls. Her heart began to race,

"I am with Richard," Katelyn whispered as she placed her palm against her stomach, the nauseating anxiety getting the better of her.

"You don't think I know that? Jesus. I kissed another man's fiancée...I could lose my best friend and yet...you..." Sami paused as the ache in her chest stabbed her, "Do you hunger for Richard? Do you ache to feel him against your fingertips? Does he make your heart pound through your chest? Does he invade every thought of every minute of every hour of every fucking day?" Sami asked placing her finger under Katelyn's chin forcing her browns to lock in their gaze. The uncontrollable want, there again, "Kate, I don't know what this is but--"

"Don't you dare bring him into this! How he makes me feel is none of your concern!" Katelyn interrupted, as she leaned against the sink behind her before taking in a staggered breath, "Sam, I can't think about that night. What we did is unforgiveable. What about your best friend, my brother who trusted you with an oath? We both can't lose my brother's trust. Please Sam…that night never happened," Katelyn pleaded as her eyes met with Sami's, the want she witnessed in Sami's darks, clutched at her,

"Kate...I love Zack like a brother...of course I don't want to hurt him or lose his trust, but...you," she paused taking in a deep breath, "I can't get you out of my mind...I can't stop thinking—I need you to tell me, it was a mistake and you don’t feel anything…"

Katelyn could see the pain in Sami's eyes, a part of her wanted to believe her, but a larger part, maybe her fear, was forbidding her to do so. As Sami stood there holding her, Katelyn wanted to pull away, but she couldn't, she was right where her heart wanted to be, "Even if it was in a disgusting bar restroom," she thought to herself. The feelings of desire intensified but her head and heart were torn, she knew what she had to do as the fear of Sami and her brother's hurt not to mention Richard would always be too much of a burden for her to live with.

"You...you are too dangerous Sam; Christ you have the inability of even falling in love. At least with Richard I know how my future will be," Katelyn snapped as she pushed Sami's hand away, “I'm very comfortable with my heart being with Richard. It meant nothing, Sam, on your side or mine. I weakened, like all of the others, but I stopped it from going any further. It was a mistake…" Katelyn finished with a whisper.

Sami chewed the corner of her mouth as she stared at Katelyn. She began to understand why the woman who unknowingly owned her heart was fearful of her. She knew her record sheet with women wasn't clean. But to even try to convince Katelyn she wasn’t like the others was pointless… They could never be together. Lightly Sami gripped Katelyn's elbows forcing their eyes on one another,

"You can scorn me for my reputation, but that wasn't just a kiss that was," she paused as that familiar wave of electric moved through her, "Even at the fact of possibly losing my best friend, no matter what I do I can't get you out of my damn head. Hell, if I'm honest, it's been like this even before the falls. I'm not going to put my friendship with Zack on the line for the thrill of one night with you. Kate...you affect me. That whole damn weekend was...damn torturous to say the least. Knowing you weren’t effected like I was…helps me in some fucked up way.”

"I can’t hear this. I have to go Sam...I'm marrying Richard. It was a mistake, probably the biggest mistake I have ever made. If it was right, it wouldn't cause so many people to get hurt in the process. I'm sorry."

"Kate..."

"You are Sami Wilson...I can't. I am Katelyn Jensen...you can't. We have to forget it...please," she whispered. "I can't risk their hearts or mine...and I won’t be like the others."

Katelyn rested her hand softly on Sami's chest. Right then as she stood with her hand pressed against Sami’s chest, for the first time she could feel another heart pound just as hard as hers did. At that moment, her heart seemingly shattered as she moved away from Sami, walking to the door she closed her eyes, gripping the door handle and telling herself not to look back and, she never did.

Sami turned to the sinks gripping the edge tightly. Trailing her eyes to the mirrors that stared back at her. Inside felt numb as her reflection looked on. In that instance Sami, didn't recognize the person staring back... Her eyes... Soul, lost. Katelyn's words echoed an unexplainable pain in her chest, "You aren't like the others..." She whispered.

Katelyn pretended to listen to the conversation between Richard and Peter at her table but her attention kept shifting to Sami as she played pool with Zack. The pale, and emotionless face pierced Katelyn’s chest. The regretted words she exchanged with Sami kept playing over in her mind, even with the guilt of going behind her brother’s back… Her skin still ached for Sami’s fingers.

She cleared her throat, shoving the notions of their kiss away. Telling herself what she did was for the best. Sami was a risk, was she worth the risk of losing Richard? Not to mention how her parents would react to her choosing someone like Sami over someone like Richard, they couldn't have been more opposite if they tried. Katelyn doubted it, she was just like every other woman who was drawn to Sami, she just prayed it was nothing but a phase.

 As Sami lined up her shot she was interrupted by a soft tap on her shoulder, she looked up over her shoulder recognizing the brunette from earlier,

"I don’t do this…at all but, here it goes…I’m Laurie and I was…was wondering if…God I sound like such a dork. Can I buy you a drink?" Her shy smile hiding her blush,

Sami smiled at the timid voice of the petite woman in front of her,

"Well…I’m Sami; why don’t I buy you the drink?" Sami asked, her smile noticeably soothing the bashful woman.

Sami placed her cue on the pool table winking at Zack,

"You win this week."

Katelyn watched Sami’s hand press against the small of the stranger’s back as she led her to the bar. Her eyes narrowed as an impulse of hurt revolved into an anger, she quickly let out a dry laughter. It was only a couple of hours ago Sami had her in the restroom, weakening her and there she was… With another woman. You fool.

As the night progressed Katelyn attempted every method to ignore Sami as she did nothing but laugh and play pool with Zack, Jackie and the stranger. Sickened by the fact that Sami hadn’t glanced over to her all night.

 Katelyn pressed her fingertips against her neck contemplating whether she had made a mistake in not believing how she effected Sami. Surely her brother would be happy if he knew Katelyn wasn't just any woman. Richard would appreciate her honesty rather than marry him and pretend to be happy, right? But Katelyn wasn't even sure herself. She knew she felt a raging jealousy, she understood the ache and hunger Sami spoke of in the restroom. Quickly she shook her head once again trying hard to remind herself that it was Sami Wilson, she was having farfetched scenarios about… She can't love, or even try to commit herself to anyone. Katelyn’s heart suddenly sank into the pit of her stomach as the two women left the pool table motioning to the restrooms.

 Laurie pushed Sami against the sinks before slowly resting the tips of her fingers between Sami’s stomach and the buckle of her belt, her eyes examining back and forth over Sami’s. Lightly she pressed her lips against the soft lips of Sami, kissing her slowly as Sami’s spreading fingers traced her back, gently gripping the petite woman’s sides she lifted her, Sami turned placing Laurie on top of the counter. Slowly spreading the woman’s knees, she slid in between them. Their hands moved expeditiously over one another. But quickly their kiss was broken. Sami’s breaths were hard and heavy as she pressed her forehead against Laurie’s.

Laurie cupped the strong jaw, "What’s wrong?" She asked, breathless.

Sami closed her eyes, shaking her head. The thoughts of Katelyn flooded her mind throughout the entire kiss, her fingertips weren’t exploring Laurie, they were exploring Katelyn. What the fuck is wrong with me?

"I’m…sorry Laurie…I can’t," replied a panting Sami, lifting her head from the confused woman’s,

"What do you mean?"

Sami looked into the woman’s blue eyes, clenching her jaw. Laurie was naturally beautiful, the bronzed glow of her cheeks showed off her warming browns that disappeared every now and again under her long lashes. Any other time, someone like Laurie would grab Sami’s attention… But not this time…

"We can’t… I… I’m using you to get my mind off someone else and…’ Sami sighed as she moved herself from the woman. She stood there for a moment, dwelling on the fact for the first time in years, a woman had a hold on her and not just any woman… Katelyn damn Jensen.

Laurie got down from the counter while pulling on her top, fixing it from resting above her hips,

"I take it; it wasn’t working out so much huh?” An undeterred Laurie asked as she leaned her back against the counter crossing her arms,

Sami shook her head before her eyes fell onto Laurie’s soft, sympathetic gaze,

"I guess not…I’m sorry."

Laurie grabbed a pen from the back pocket of her jeans, lightly she grabbed Sami’s hand,

"Well if you ever change your mind…here’s my number," whispered Laurie,

Sami smiled as she closed her palm with the woman’s number etched inside it,

"I’ll keep that in mind…" replied a deflated Sami before Laurie placed a soft kiss on her cheek,

"Or if you just want lunch sometime, I’ve been told I’m a great listener on a full stomach."

Sami's appreciative smile mirrored Laurie's,

"You got it girl."

Chapter 25

"Okay Mrs. Timmons, please call me if you need anything else...good bye."

Katelyn hung up her phone as she sat behind her desk at the office. Another case closed. Another small civil case, but a case non-the less. Katelyn was itching to get the bigger criminal cases; she knew she still had to prove herself as a prosecutor. She wasn’t deaf to the comments about her being daddy’s girl in daddy’s law firm. Arthur had offered her a substantially high-profile criminal case in the neighboring state, without a doubt it would have put her name out there, but she also knew she hadn’t worked and won enough cases to have the opportunity for a criminal murder case. She was determined to show her co-workers that whatever high-profile cases she got in the future she had earned them.

"This time next week I will be Mrs. Sinclair." She thought to herself as she leaned back in her leather orthopedic chair, a special order from her father. She closed her eyes to listen to the birds singing outside her window, enjoying the bright blue sky and soft light clouds, it was a beautiful fall day. After her last interaction with Sami she swamped herself in her work, wedding dress shopping and the occasional flower luncheons with her sister and mother. A failed attempt to forget her she admitted, but still she prayed it would all go away when the day came for her to promise herself to Richard. The hold Sami had on her scared her more than anything she had ever experienced, and it never went away. She prayed every morning when her eyes opened that the sinking in her stomach reminding her of Sami would eventually subside. A knock on the door quickly distracted her thoughts,

"Katelyn, your sister is here to see you," stated Candice.

Katelyn smiled and nodded toward her secretary to let Nicole in. She straightened her white pristine shirt as she stood up from behind her desk to greet her sister.

"Hey gorgeous!" Nicole expressed excitement in her voice.

"Hey, you...what're you doing here?" Katelyn asked hugging her sister tightly, secretly thankful she was there to take her mind off other things.

Nicole sat down on the brown leather padded chair in front of the large executive desk,

"I just thought I would come and say hi and see if you wanted to go for some lunch? Maybe talk about Zack."

Katelyn looked up through her thick black framed reading glasses,

"What do you mean? What's wrong with Zack?" She asked,

"Well, he didn’t want me to tell you...but it's not getting any better. He and Billy are struggling at the parlor and I have already asked dad for help, but he just shrugs it off and just keeps saying how he's made his bed." Nicole mocked.

Katelyn waved her hands excusing the mockery of her father,

"What's going on at the parlor? You asked dad to help with what? What's been going on? And why has nobody brought any of this to me until now?" A concern-stricken Katelyn asked.

"He made me promise not to. You've been so busy lately with the wedding, it's just a mess Katelyn."

"Nicole, what's going on?" Katelyn rested her hands on her hips, her stricken expression putting even Nicole on edge,

"Well...since Sami left, he has had to refuse work because there's just too much for him and Billy to take on. I guess before she left, she hired this guy, Reggie or something. Well, Zack caught him helping himself to their profits and threw him out. Not to mention his work was an absolute disgrace. After all of that went down, he tried calling Sami but it goes straight to voicemail. Now work is slow, barely anyone is showing up for appointments or even calling to make any. It's a total mess. He’s a damn mess. I can't believe she left this load on them, it doesn't make any sense," Nicole explained, throwing her head back in the chair, and frustration escaping through her loud sigh.

Katelyn fell back in her chair as she felt a knot tighten in her stomach, a rush of panic soon overwhelming her,

"What do you mean, Sami left? She's gone? Where? When? What..." Katelyn pressed her hands into her hips, a wave of dread quickly consuming her. She knew her panic was obvious but right at that moment, she didn’t care… Sami was gone…

Nicole arched her eyebrow, her eyes widening as she watched her sisters unexpected reaction,

"Why did Sami leave?" With clamped eyes Katelyn asked in a timid whisper,

"I'm not sure. He just…told me that she just said she had to go...eventually it got too much and finally he told me."

"When did she leave?"

Nicole stood up shrugging, "A couple weeks, I guess. Why?"

Katelyn ran her fingers through her hair,

"Do you know if she will be coming back?"

"I don't know...Zack didn't tell me anything else. He is the one needing our concern right now, you remember Zack, your brother, right?"

"I just need to know Nicole is she coming back?" Katelyn snapped,

"I told you I don't know Katelyn. If she does, she does. But God help her when I get my hands on her, and if not...we need to help our brother regardless!" Nicole snapped back.

Katelyn knew her apparent ignorance to her brother’s circumstance was beginning to irritate Nicole, but Zack she could help... Sami leaving, that was a different story.

She waved Nicole’s comment away, "I will help him with whatever he needs, I will write him a check and we can find someone who is able to tattoo and help bring money back into his business. I won't watch him fail, I want our father to eat his words as do all of us, but right now Nicole I need to know did Zack say anything else about her?" Katelyn's voice sharpened, her pained glare intensifying.

"Why are you so concerned about Sami? I thought you weren't so fond of her?" A now clearly annoyed Nicole asked.

"Because I kissed the idiot!" Yelled Katelyn, her voice echoing between the law certificate shielded walls. Before Katelyn realized what escaped her lips, she knew it was too late, a part of her felt almost relieved that she had finally told someone,

"Hold on…what?"

Katelyn sighed as the memory of that kiss once again pierced her chest. Gripping the edge of her desk the realization of it all hit her, she dropped her gaze from her sister to the varnished mahogany floor,

"Nicole, it’s all I keep thinking about…she is all I keep thinking about,” she paused, biting her lip, “Now I'm the idiot."

"You kissed Sami? Our Sami? Sami Wilson?"

Katelyn nodded slowly, biting down on her lip as tears balanced,

"We kissed the night we went to the waterfall...and not just any kiss...God."

Nicole’s mouth fell open as if to catch flies,

"The lake house weekend?" Nicole could hardly contain the oncoming giggle that tried to escape her clenched lips. "Well, shit...how was...it?" Nicole asked as she chuckled quietly.

"This isn't funny Nicole...”

“I know, I know but Jesus, Katelyn you can see where my shock is coming from. Is more going to come of this?”

“I’m not a complete idiot…of course nothing is going to come of it. I told her nothing will ever happen between us and that I was engaged to a wonderful man. I can’t be with someone who goes with the flow of life with no plans for the future and," Katelyn paused sighing as she repeated the words she once said to the woman who she swore would never affect her, 

"What am I going to do Nicole? She has been sleeping with my best friend for crying out loud, not to mention she is my brother's best friend who she swore she would never make any attempts with either of his sisters. I am supposed to be marrying a man, I don't love. Everything is just a complete cluster fu… Ugh."

"Hold on...you kiss her and suddenly you don't love Richard anymore? Katelyn, you can't deem yourself not in love with your fiancé just because you shared a kiss with someone else."

"Nicole, since I got here...she has affected me. I have been fighting with myself, she literally invades every thought. She weakens me. How the hell does she do it? I'm an idiot, just like the others."

Nicole ran her fingers across her forehead as she tried to make sense of her sister’s admittance,

"Katie, I don't know what to say...The fact she affects you like this kind of says a lot..."

Katelyn held her tongue as the realization of everything hit her again, her mind racing,

 "I’m supposed to be marrying Richard, a good, and faithful man. Instead I can’t stop thinking about someone who leaves my brother and a close friend to deal with a now failing business and not to mention her inability to even commit..." Katelyn paused remembering Christine. She opened a drawer from her desk revealing a bottle of whiskey and two large crystal glasses, she poured them both a drink.

"I guess it all makes sense now, the constant grilling about her and Tara...but...what are you going to do? I mean, what if Sami doesn't come back? But what if she does? Are you going to marry him? It's a week away you haven't really given yourself much time." Nicole’s words raced out of her mouth.

Katelyn knew of Nicole’s shock but at the same time she was sure it left Nicole highly amused at the fact it was daddy’s perfect daughter who for once was in a jam. Katelyn downed the large whiskey she poured, before pouring another considerable amount, and bringing her gaze back to her sister,

"Nicole, I have to call off the wedding...it wouldn't be fair to him nor me, regardless if she comes back or not, it isn't right. For the first time, I’ve admitted out loud how she makes me feel, and how I lack feeling even an ounce of it for Richard. Christ, I officially sound like every woman who's been involved with her...dad is going to completely freak out."

Katelyn downed another glass as the trepidation of having to deal with her father set in,

"Now I'm going to feel what it's like to be you and Zack."

She groaned lightly laying her head onto her arms resting on her desk, feeling powerless. She felt appalled at herself, the thought of breaking the heart of a man who dedicated years to her, he moved from everything and everyone he knew just to be with her, and she was about to shatter his world.

Nicole laughed before taking a drink of whiskey, releasing a groan, and gagging as it hit the back of her throat,

"I'm not going to talk you out of stopping the wedding, I was never overly fond of him, but I have to say, she was acting weird...when we got back after that weekend, really weird in fact..." Nicole paused, “I tried talking to her right before she up and left. I knew a woman was involved, she was just so different, of course she denied it…”

Katelyn looked up at her sister, her sinking heart engulfing her. Was she the reason?

“I have to break it off with Richard, it’s not fair on either of us, and once I get that over and done with, we’ll help Zack, it’s the least I can do. But please you can't tell him about our kiss, it will eat him up inside to know his best friend and sister betrayed him in the worst possible fucking way."

Katelyn couldn't help but feel at fault for her brother’s suffering, a small part wondering if she was the reason behind Sami leaving. Did she in fact affect Sami like Sami told her? Soon her doubt set in. Of course not, it’s Sami Wilson for crying out loud.

"I'm glad you said something, I was just about to text him and let him know his best friend and sister made out while under his strict instructions not to." Nicole's sarcasm causing Katelyn's eyes to roll.

"Honestly Katelyn if you affect Sami how she affects you, I'm pretty sure Zack would be delighted at that fact. His worry is that Sami would sleep with one of us and treat it like--"

"Every other woman she's been involved with in East Pines, like nothing?" Katelyn interrupted.

Nicole sighed heavily,

"We aren't getting into this debate again; he just doesn't want either of us to get hurt and Sami tends to do just that."

"And now you see why I have the problem, don't you?" Replied Katelyn.

"Yes but...God, Sami had been like a zombie since the lake house and I honestly can't see her putting her friendship with Zack on the line for just--"

"Sami has only ever loved one woman…but that one time was all Sami needed to never fall again."

"And you know this for sure?"

"Yes...I know her heart can’t deal with the fear of losing a love..." Quickly she paused,

"Uh-huh…I forgot all about your psychic abilities,"

Katelyn shook her head as she stared into the bottom of her whiskey glass,

"Please stop."

"Fine. But the Sami I saw after the lake house...that wasn't--"

Katelyn raised her hand stopping Nicole from uttering another word,

"I'm no fool. I am no different from the others except I'm the one woman out of bounds, I know how people like her are, always want what they can't have. Save it."

"But Katelyn..."

"No Nicole. I could never trust her with my heart...I need to forget about her and fix the mess of what is my life right now."

Part 5

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