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Second Time Around Ch. 02

By: LilMami07



Hey guys. Here's chapter 2. For those of you who are confused, this is a continuation of CRAZY IN LOVE. Thanks to the best editor alive, Mococoa :)

*

The obnoxious buzzing of the alarm went off, waking Samantha from her somber slumber. She let out a loud groan and rolled over, pulling the pillow over her head.

The buzz wouldn't stop. She dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom and looked into the mirror.

"Ahh shit," she mumbled staring at her reflection. Her wild black hair was just that -- wild and tangled. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and headed for the shower.

The warm water cascaded down the slopes, flats and curves of her toned body. Samantha grabbed her Caress shower gel and lathered. The fruity scent filled her nostrils and she sighed. She grabbed her conditioner from the corner of the shower and massaged it into her scalp. She was content. Sleepy, but content.

She looked down at the new ink edition on her ribs and smiled. Sketch had done a really good job. Sketch. Tanner. Tanner? Whatever. Too bad she'd forgotten to call him that night. And the next day. And the next day...

Her mind snapped back to the dream she had. The dream she'd been having. That's where she remembered him from.

It was always a fuzzy dream. One that really had no purpose or any form of meaning: a dream where you only remember faces and bits and pieces of happenings.

She remembered looking at him. Like they were sitting beside each other. In a car. She remembered being in a large building. Something like a barn. Bits and pieces.

Samantha shrugged it off and rinsed off. She stepped out of the shower and shivered as the cool air hit her damp body. She quickly towel dried herself and looked at the clock.

"Fuck. I'm gonna be late."

She quickly applied lotion to her body, smeared A & D ointment on her tattoo and got dressed. She brushed her now manageable hair back and put it up into a wet messy bun. She looked at it in the mirror.

"Eh. Not the prettiest, but at least it smells good."

She headed for the front door but stopped at Mia's bedroom door. Samantha quietly opened it and tiptoed in. She smiled at her cousin's sleeping form and looked around at the tidy room. She stared some more until snatching the sheets off of her. Mia opened her eyes slowly and looked up.

"What?" she asked with a sleep-laced voice.

"I just wanted to let you know I'm going to work."

"Oh, okay," Mia said turning to her side. "Have a good day."

"Thanks. Now, wake your ass up!" she yelled, smacking Mia's plump backside.

"Oww! Stop it! I'm gonna beat your ass when you get back."

"No you're not. You might break a nail," she said as she walked toward the door.

"We'll see. Now get out."

"Yea, yea, yea."

********************

Samantha stared as she watched the line get longer at her register.

"Fuck," she thought. "Why don't these people just go home?"

She plastered on a fake smile as an older lady took her place at the register.

"Did you find everything okay today, ma'am?" she asked politely.

"Oh yes, dear. Thank you."

Sam smiled. She liked pleasant customers. She rang up the woman's items quickly.

"That'll be $7.35. Would you like to donate a dollar to the Children's Network?"

"Yes dear," the older lady said fishing around in her purse. She gave Samantha the money and put a dollar in the jar on the counter.

"Thank you very much. You have a very good day, ma'am. Come see us again."

The lady smiled and was off. Before she could turn around, the next customer threw his items down on the counter and started mindlessly chatting with the girl behind him in line.

"Rude ass," she thought.

She quickly scanned his items and rung him up.

"That'll be $38.04."

The guy ignored her and continued his conversation with the young girl.

"Excuse me. I said that'll be $38.04," she repeated louder.

"Whoa! Chill out little lady," he said, holding a finger up at her. The girl behind him giggled.

"Look, this isn't a lobby or a lounge. If you want to talk, step out of line. I have customers waiting," she snapped, staring down the back of his fitted cap clad head.

"Ouch," he said finally turning around.

Samantha could have pissed herself. There he was. Sketch. Tanner. Whatever the hell his name was.

"Calm down, Sam. I was just having a little convo with the lovely lady behind me. You know friendly conversation. The thing you and I were supposed to have when you were going to call me."

Sam stood there in disbelief for a moment before regaining herself.

"This isn't Facebook. It's Rugged. You shop. I ring you up. Now, that'll be $38.04."

"Oh, Sam, Sam, Sam," he said digging out money from his wallet and handing it to her. "You and that mouth of yours. I see you haven't changed a bit."

"You don't know anything about me," she said hostilely.

"That's where you're wrong. I know everything about you, Samantha."

He stuffed a few dollars in the donation jar and grabbed his bags.

"Keep the change, doll face."

For the second time in 10 minutes she stood there in disbelief.

*****************

Samantha couldn't wait to get home. It was late, she was tired and she had homework to do.

Tanner put out his cigarette and followed Samantha to her car. She hit the alarm and threw her bags in the back. When she went to open the driver side door, a hard body blocked her. She went into fight mode automatically and started swinging violently.

"Stop! Damnit, Sam stop!"

Samantha stopped her assault when she heard the voice. She looked up and into those blue eyes. She backed away and scoffed.

"What the fuck do you want?" she asked, getting one last hit in.

"I wanted to talk to you. And ouch."

"You had your chance to say what you wanted earlier, asshole."

"And I did except I have more to say."

"Well I've had my helping of bullshit today. I don't want anymore."

"Sam. Don't be difficult," he whispered, grabbing her hand.

"What are you doing? Don't touch me," she said snatching away from him. "You don't know me."

"Sam. We've been through this. I know a lot more than you think."

"Maybe if you got your head out of your ass you'd know it would be in your best interest to leave me the fuck alone."

"You're very hostile. Always have been."

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"This. Acting like you know me so well. I just met you, and you're acting like we've known each other forever."

"Not forever. But for a very, very long time."

"Okay. Tell me," she said shutting the door. "Tell me about me."

"Nah, it's getting late. Maybe some other time. Over coffee?" he asked walking away giving her that "I know something you don't know" look. "Call me," he said walking across the dark parking lot until he disappeared out of sight.

Samantha cruised down the highway thinking about Sketch. Tanner. Whatever the hell his name was. He had said that he'd known her for a long time. He intrigued yet bugged the hell out of her at the same time. Her apartment came into sight, and she slowly turned in, preparing herself for a long night full of homework and Red Bull.

She grabbed her bags out the car and headed inside. The blaring of the sound system gave her a headache. She looked around but didn't see Mia. She knocked on her door and called out for her. No response. Whatever.

Samantha fought the urge to close her eyelids for just a moment, but she couldn't. She had to finish her autotech homework. Maybe a little nap wouldn't hurt.

**************

Samantha sighed out of frustration as she tried to explain to Mia her situation.

"I don't know. It's crazy. When I met him that day in the parlor, I knew I had seen him somewhere."

"It's a big town, Sammy. There's no telling who you've seen around here."

"I know. That's what I told myself, but there's something about him. He acts as if he knows me. He's so comfortable around me. He's such an ass."

"There are people like that. He's an extrovert. Remember Reggie? He'll talk to anyone."

"No. His name. Tanner," she said pacing in her pink pajamas. "Something about that name seems so familiar. Like I've meet him already."

"Maybe you have," Mia tried to reason. She saw how this was getting to her cousin. It was really no big deal, but Samantha was known to read too much into things. "Stop worrying. Let's do something later. Just the two of us."

Samantha sighed and plopped down on her queen-size bed.

"Okay. But I have stuff to do first. I'm meeting him at Starbucks in a few hours. And I didn't finish my homework last night because I fell asleep, so I have to do that."

"What? Girl, let's go get our nails and hair done."

"What's wrong with my hair?" Samantha questioned, running her fingers through her wild mass of curls. "Oww," she yelped when it got stuck."

"Exactly. You need to get it straightened or something. And it's in dire need of some moisturizer."

"Okay. We can get our hair done, but I'm not getting my nails done."

"Whatever. You can watch me get mine done."

"That doesn't sound like much fun."

"What? You don't want yours done but I do. I have to look good for CJ."

"Oh my fuckin God Mia. Get over dude."

"I can't do that. He's mine and mine only. I just have to make him see that."

"Okay, stalker."

"Oh I'm no stalker. I just like to get what I want."

"Sure you do," she said rising from the bed. "I gotta go shower and get ready. Later okay?"

"Later. And don't do anything I wouldn't do!" she yelled at Samantha's retreating form.

***************

Samantha walked into Starbucks with her laptop in her bag. She had become one of those people she couldn't stand. She searched around until her eyes fell on a pair of familiar ones. She sighed and walked over.

"Glad you could make it, Sam. You know I was a little surprised when you called on such short notice. Good thing I was able to fit you into my very tight schedule."

"Whatever, I knew that if I didn't call you'd just keep on stalking me."

He let out a deep laugh and watched as she powered up her laptop.

"Wow. You fit in nicely."

"Ugh. I hate when people come in here and order fancy coffee just to type on their fancy shmancy computers. Me? I actually have work to do. Why not kill two birds with one stone? Now talk."

"About what?"

"Don't play games with me."

"Oh. I remember now. So like I was saying, I know you probably more than you know yourself."

"Are you some secret spy or something?"

"Guess again."

"Did somebody put a hit out on me or something? Was it Gianni? Cuz I told him that was an accident. How was I supposed to know that he was --?"

"What? No. Wait, who's Gianni?"

"Nobody."

She sighed and started on her assignments since she wasn't getting anywhere with him.

"What you doing?"

"Work."

"No shit. What subject?"

"Autotech. Why, you wanna help?"

He laughed and shook his head.

"Yeah right. You know I was never any good at cars. You were always the wiz kid when it came to shit like that."

"What's this all about?"

"You're gonna think I'm crazy."

"Too late for that."

"Okay," he said scooting his chair closer to her. "You asked for it."

****************

Second Time Around Ch. 03



Hey guys. Here's the final chapter of Second Time Around. Hope you like it :) As always, thanks to Mococoa. You're the bestest!!

--LilMami07

*

Tanner leaned in closer to her and she could feel his warm breath on her face. Samantha gave him a skeptical look before scooting away from him.

"You don't have to be all up on me to talk."

"You want other people to hear about the type of people we were in our past life?" he asked loudly. 

A few curious heads looked up from newspapers, books and laptops and over at them. He smiled as she noticed the wandering eyes on them. 

"Okay," she said quietly. "But not too close. I shouldn't be able to smell what you ate last night." 

"That's my girl," he said smiling. "And pussy. Pussy is what I ate last night."

"Oh my fucking God, will you come on?"

"Okay, okay. So we were together once upon a time. We met back in high school and were inseparable since."

"High school? I don't remember you from high school. You're full of shit," she said, her voice raising a few octaves.

"Shut up."

"Excuse you?" she asked taken back.

"You heard me. Shut your mouth and listen for once," he said seriously. She shut up.

"This is past life shit, okay. Not stuff that happened like 5 or 7 years ago. This happened like... a lifetime ago. Understand?"

Samantha nodded slowly and listened.

"Home life wasn't the greatest for either of us, so we ran away. We kinda lived day-to-day. We did a lot of dumb shit. I would steal cars, and we would take them to a warehouse where we kept them. You were into cars big time. Your dad taught you all about them when you were younger. When he got put away, you used what he had taught you to get shit."

"Put away? My dad got locked up?" she asked.

"Yeah. He went to prison, and you lived with your mom for a while. Things didn't work out between you two, so we left."

"My dad's not in prison though," she said nervously. Tanner's eyebrows shot up, but he was quiet, so she continued.

"He's dead. My mom was a pain in the ass afterwards. I didn't run away, though. My aunt and uncle took me in."

"Really?" Tanner was quiet for a while. "What happened to your father?"

Samantha gave him a look -- a blank stare.

"You say we left. Where'd we go?" she asked ignoring his question.

"Umm... Around. Abandoned buildings and barns. Basically anywhere we saw fit."

"So you're trying to tell me I, no, we were homeless runaway hobos?"

"We weren't hobos. We had nice rides, okay?" he smiled. "Anyway, we were young and dumb. Got into a lot of trouble. Our relationship was...strange to say the least. Kinda shitty."

"How so?" she asked interested.

"Well for starters, you were fucking nuts!" he said excitedly, causing people to turn around and stare.

"And I'm guessing you were the angel."

"Oh no. I wasn't an angel. I was fucking nuts too, but you were on a different level of nutty. I was a dick then. Always snapping on you and treating you like shit. You were the crazy, violent one though."

"Me violent? No," she said, her voice oozing with sarcasm.

"Anyway," he said dismissing her, "we were both crazy in our own ways, but we were crazy about one another. And I do mean crazy. The last thing we did together was take a road trip to California. Well, I guess you would consider it like half a trip."

He focused downward at his phone as it lit up. He smiled and his fingers moved a mile a minute as he sent a text message.

"What happened?"

"What? CJ wants me to take over the shop for him today," he said looking away from his buzzing phone.

"No dumbass. What happened next in the story?"

"Whoa, missy. Do I sense hostility?" he asked smiling. She sighed loudly.

"Can you tell me what happens next in the story?"

"Okay. That's better, but it's not a story. Stories are like a bunch of fake shit written to entertain people. This is real life. Everything I tell you is truthful and real "

"Tanner!"

"Okay! The good part. You killed us."

"What?"

"You blew us up. Kaboom! I'm still not exactly sure how it happened. I don't know shit about cars. You went under the hood and came back talking crazy and shit. You said maybe we'll get it right next lifetime. So here we are. Next lifetime." He leaned back in the chair trying to gauge her reaction.

Samantha looked at him wide-eyed and in astonishment. She couldn't believe it. She wasn't sure if she could trust anything that fell from his lips, no matter how beautiful they were. But when he stared at her with those playful baby blues, how could she not? 

She wasn't going to.

She powered down her laptop as quickly as she could and fished her keys out of her purse.

"I gotta get out of here."

"What, why?" Tanner stammered. "You asked. I told you. It's not a big deal, Sam."

"Shut up. Just shut up," she hissed. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

"Whoa, potty mouth. Tell yourself what you want, Sam. You know I'm telling the truth. How do you think I know so much about you?"

"I don't know. Stalk much these days? You read my shit on the sign-in sheet at the parlor, and it hurts your ego that I never called, so you stalk me. You find out where I work and try to lure me in with some psycho story. Get a shrink, sweetheart."

"First of all, don't flatter yourself. I don't have to stalk anyone, sweetheart. Look at me," he smiled, eyes gleaming.

"Fuck you."

"You offering?" Sam sighed loudly out of frustration.

"Sam, calm down."

"I am calm, Tanner. I'm leaving. I would say this has been fun, but I would be lying."

"You never answered my question."

"What question?"

"What happened to your dad?"

Samantha grabbed her laptop and tucked it under her arm before answering. She shrugged.

"I killed him."

************

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn.

But that's alright because I like the way it hurts.

Just gonna stand there and hear me cry.

That's alright because I love the way you lie.

I love the way you lie.

Samantha sat up in bed breathless. She held her hand to her chest and felt her heart beat through her chest. 

She blew up.

Tanner had told her. They were together in a different lifetime. Their relationship was reckless. Destructive. They loved each other, but it was a different type of love. An obsession maybe. She killed them both. He was telling the truth. Samantha looked around her dark room before reaching over to the nightstand to flick on the lamp. She looked over at the clock, 12:47. 

She hopped out of bed, walked to the bathroom and looked into the mirror. She wasn't a killer. There had to be more to the story. She wouldn't just kill them without reason, unless she WAS crazy. Samantha opened the medicine cabinet and reached for the Celexa. She took two with ease and cast another look in the mirror. 

Samantha walked over to her desk and opened her auto tech book. She tried to read over the chapter and take notes as she went along. She couldn't focus because thoughts raced through her mind a mile a minute. She closed the book and sat there and stared off. She was alone in her thoughts, and a strange sense of possessiveness washed over her. 

She was going to go talk to Mia. Samantha walked down the hall to her room. She put her ear to the door but didn't hear anything. She turned the door knob and walked in. She saw Mia lying in bed wrapped in her pink comforter and clothes scattered about the floor. She walked in and sat on the bed but felt something hard. She stood up and looked at what she had sat on. She hit the spot on the bed with her fist a few times before it moved.

"Oww. What the fuck?" a muffled voice asked.

Mia stirred and looked toward the other side of the bed and then over at Samantha. CJ's head popped up from underneath the bundle of covers.

"CJ? What the fuck!" Samantha yelled. 

"Sammy, get out! We're naked," Mia whined.

"Oh my God! I'm gonna go burn my eyes out," she said heading for the door.

She went back to her room and slammed the door. She looked at the clock again, 1:02. It was going to be a long night. 

****************

Samantha walked into the parlor and saw CJ standing at the front desk. He gave her a shit-eating grin, and she scoffed.

"I can't believe you're fucking her."

"Don't say it like that. You make it sound so dirty. We're just having fun."

"Y'all didn't have to try to hide it. I mean, I really don't care."

"It wasn't my idea. It was hers. She said she didn't want to rub in your face that you don't have a man and haven't had one for a while."

"That bitch," Samantha laughed. "Don't listen to her. I've had guys."

"Yea, she said you'd say something like that."

Samantha laughed. Mia was right. Samantha hadn't been with a guy in a while. Guys just weren't too high on her priority list. 

"When are you going to finish my sleeve?"

"Whenever you want baby girl, but not now. I have an appointment in about 15 minutes."

She shook her head in agreement and heard Tanner's voice in one of the rooms accompanied by another. She walked around until she saw him in the first room. A light-skinned girl was laying on her stomach with her shirt rolled up getting a tattoo on her lower back. The girl had her neck craned awkwardly trying to stare at Tanner. He looked up when Samantha walked in and then back down at his work. Samantha stood there a bit longer watching.

The girl he was tattooing turned and looked at Samantha irritably before turning back toward Tanner.

"Umm...can we talk?"

Tanner nodded slowly, concentrating on the tattoo at hand as the machine hummed.

"After I finish this though. It'll be another 10 or 15 minutes."

"Okay," she said before giving the back of the girl's head a last dirty look. Tanner was able to catch a quick glimpse of her ass before she disappeared. The girl cleared her throat and Tanner looked down at her and smiled. 

Samantha walked out of the small room and over to the row of blue chairs and sat down. She reached on the end table and picked up an auto magazine. 

"There's a music festival going on at the waterfront tonight. You going?" the girl asked.

"Nah. I'll probably be working." 

"That's too bad. I would love some company. I mean my girlfriends are going but a male companion would be nice. You should take off after this and come with me," she blabbed.

"I'm sure you girls will have fun without me. But if I knock off early, I'll check it out."

"That's what's up," the girl said excitedly. "You want my number so you can get up with me if you come?"

"Umm...yea. There's like a 99.9% chance I'm not going though, but okay. I'll get it when I finish, but you gotta be still sweetheart. I've come too far to fuck this tattoo up now."

"Oh, I'm sorry," the girl laughed.

Samantha looked up from the book. She could overhear their whole conversation, and for some strange reason she wanted to strangle the bubbly girl. For one, the girl was getting a tramp stamp. Secondly, she was trying way too hard. 

Tanner finished the tattoo and guided the girl to the full length mirror 15 minutes later. 

"It's gorgeous," she said excitedly looking at the "Redbone" tattoo. 

"I try," he smiled.

She gave him a $100 bill and he went to go get change for it.

He looked over at a cross-legged Samantha. She chewed on her full bottom lip as she concentrated on the magazine. He laughed inwardly. She looked like a goddess but had the mindset of a felon. She wore a long black and white t-shirt that molded her boobs and torso nicely, with a black biker jacket with half sleeves over it. She had on those stretchy tight pants girls were wearing nowadays, and her hair hung around her face. Her studded nose ring twinkled. She suddenly looked up at him, and he smiled. She gave him a blank look.

"You almost done with her?"

"Yea," he laughed. "I just gotta get change."

"Oh, okay," she said before looking back down at the magazine.

"Everything okay with you?" he asked over his shoulder as he walked over to CJ to get change then back over to her.

"I guess," she said rising from her seat. She turned around and placed the magazine back on the table.

He noticed how her black leggings clung to the glorious curves of her thighs, ass and legs. The things he would do to her. The girl came out from the room and stood awkwardly.

"Umm..." the girl said clearing her throat. 

Tanner whipped around quickly.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry. Here's your change. Forty bucks. Thanks and come again," he said before turning back toward Samantha. "So..."

"Thanks," the girl said flipping her wavy hair. "Now about that number."

"Number? Oh yea. It's on the card," he said absent-mindedly.

The girl sighed and walked over to the counter and picked up a card. She shot Samantha a dirty look before leaving.

"So what did you want to talk about, gorgeous?"

She tried not to smile and get all schoolgirl giggly, but she couldn't help it. He was so fucking cute. 

"Your hair. It's different," she said.

"Different? How?" he asked removing his fitted and rubbing his short hair.

"It's shorter. It used to be much longer then. It was all fluffy and Fabioish."

He was confused for a bit, but then it dawned on him and he smiled. She remembered.

"Yea. I cut it. I keep it short now. Fabioish?"

"Yea. The 'I can't believe it's not butter guy'. And how about that black 1982 Mustang with the broken doors? You still got that?" she asked slowly smiling.

Tanner laughed loudly. 

"You know I don't. You blew it up."

He smiled beautifully at her. Tanner always had a nice smile. His eyes made blue half-moons, and his dimples showed when he smiled like that.

"Just asking," she said innocently. "What are you driving now?"

"The 68 Charger."

Samantha's smile dropped. 

"The one you got from that girl?" she asked snappily.

"Calm down, Sam. I gotta drive something."

"Yea well whatever. Look, I don't usually do this, but I'm sorry for blowing up on you the other day. All of this is just so weird."

"Wow, Sam," Tanner said holding his hand near his heart.

"What?" Samantha asked suspiciously.

"You're getting soft on me," he teased.

"Fuck off," she said shoving his chest.

"It's okay. I know you love me. And ouch," he said rubbing the spot where she shoved him.

"Don't be weird," she laughed. 

"So what'd you come by for?"

"I had these wild dreams."

"Yea. Those are the best, aren't they? You wake up with the biggest hard--"

"Eww," she said putting a hand up to his face, interrupting him. "Shut up."

"Sorry. I get a little carried away sometimes."

"Whatever."

They stood there silently and stared at each other awkwardly before Tanner decided to break the ice."

"You wanna go to that music festival shit?"

"You mean the one you promised to go to with that girl?" she scoffed.

"I didn't promise her shit."

"Yes you did. I heard you. Don't lie."

"Aww. Is someone jealous?" he asked grabbing her hand.

"Don't do that," she said snatching away from him. "I'll kill you."

"Oh don't I know it. But anyway, I didn't promise her anything. She wanted to give me her number but she didn't. Tough shit."

"Aww, Tanner. Don't leave her broken-hearted," Samantha mocked. "I'm sure her number's on the sign-in sheet."

"Probably, but I don't wanna talk to her. I wanna talk to Samantha."

"Don't call me that," she snapped.

"What? Everybody calls you Samantha except Mia."

"Yea..." she said confused. She didn't know why she snapped like that. He was right. Everybody called her Samantha. But somehow it didn't seem right when he did.

"So let's go. CJ can handle the shop."

She looked deep into those friendly blue eyes that she knew she'd stared into a thousand times before and felt a sense of security. She trusted him. She nodded.

************

Light poles and strings of lights lit up the boardwalk. Music blared through large speakers and people, young people, danced wildly. Lots of familiar faces were scattered about. Tanner high-fived and gave a "what's up bro" to people. Samantha quickly spotted out the light-skinned girl from earlier. She was chatting with her friends and walking around with her cell phone in hand. She looked over at Samantha and Tanner and frowned. 

Samantha laughed on the inside. Silly girl.

"Oh shit," Tanner muttered.

He spotted the girl out and grabbed Samantha's hand, turning the other way. 

"What's the matter?" Samantha asked innocently. "See someone you know?"

"Let's just go over here Sam," he said laughing.

"Too late. She's coming over here," she said in a sing-songy voice.

Tanner, still walking, turned quickly and saw the girl and her friends walking toward them. Samantha silently sized them up. She tugged on his arm, and told him to stop walking. He sighed and obeyed. The group caught up with them, and the three girls gave them dirty looks.

"So...I thought you weren't coming Sketch?" the girl from earlier said.

"Yea," he said sighing and smiling. "I guess I changed my mind."

"Hmm..." the girl said. "Why didn't you call or text?"

"It slipped my mind. I was in such a rush, you know."

Samantha stood there and shot daggers at the girl. So many things went through her mind. She contemplated ripping all three of the girls' faces off and making a coat with their skin. She wanted to toss them into the water. She wanted to leave a fist imprint in each of their faces. 

"Excuse me, but umm...don't you see me standing here?" she asked calmly.

The girl rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"If you wanna keep them in your head, I advise you to not roll them at me," she said smiling. She was smiling on the outside but boiling on the inside. One of the other girls took a step further and Samantha's gaze locked on her.

"Ladies, ladies, ladies. There's no need for this hostility," Tanner mediated while grabbing Samantha's arm tightly.

"You're right Tanner. Some people don't take rejection well. There's no need to get angry over it though. You win some, you lose some," Samantha said cheerily.

"I'm not mad," the girl said angrily. "I just don't like to be played," the girl said stepping toward Tanner. Samantha stepped in front of him.

"Problem?"

The girl examined Samantha and didn't really want to fight. Whatever. She backed away slowly and walked off. Samantha grabbed his hand violently and walked.

"You need to be more careful with the girls you play with," she said. "You're going to make me go to jail which is something I've yet to do this lifetime."

"You've changed, babe. This time last lifetime you'd be charged with murder and we'd be trying to elude the cops. You have gotten soft."

"Don't. You don't know the things that were running through my mind back there."

"You still take medicine?" 

"Yea," she said quietly. 

"So you're still a basket case?" he joked.

"Fuck you," she said forcefully yanking on his arm.

"Promise?"

"Shut up," she smiled. 

The two walked around and laughed some more. He thought she was so beautiful with her head thrown back laughing, and he was glad he was the one who made her laugh. 

Rihanna's "What's my name" echoed through the air. 

"That's my shit," Tanner said excitedly, moving to the music. 

Samantha laughed at his offbeat moments and covered her face. His tall lean frame glided, bopped and dipped. 

"What?" he asked smiling but still dancing.

"God, please stop. You're embarrassing me," she said stepping away.

"Don't be ashamed. Come on baby. Dance with me," he said reaching for her.

"No thank you," she yelled over the music. 

He sprinted over to her and grabbed her, lifting her off her feet. She instinctively wrapped her legs around him and he provocatively humped her. She laughed hysterically and pushed at his chest.

"Put me down, weirdo," she yelled laughing.




Second Time Around Ch. 03



"I don't think you really want me to," he said walking them further into the crowd of people dancing. She contemplated hitting him in the neck so he would put her down. She looked at his smiling face, and she wore a bright smile that rivaled his. She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his chest.

************

Tanner looked around the apartment once they entered.

"She's not here," Samantha said tugging at the button on his pants. He laughed at her impatience. 

"Then what's the rush, Sam?"

"No rush," she said fidgeting with the buttons on his shirt. "I just need dick. Now."

She grew frustrated and ripped at his shirt. He heard a few buttons hit the floor and laughed loudly. 

Samantha smiled and reached for the hem of her shirt before lifting it over her head. She kicked off her shoes and shimmied out of her leggings.

Mia was right. Majority of Samantha's body was covered in ink. But it was sexy as hell. She had the body of a pin-up doll, with perfect perky breasts, wide womanly hips and an ass to die for. It felt like a lifetime since he'd gotten to see her like this. Actually, it was a lifetime.

Samantha cocked her head to the side and cleared her throat, snapping Tanner out of his stupor. She was beautiful, but there was no time for romancing. He had to be inside her. He threw her over his shoulder and ran down the hall. She couldn't stifle the giggles she had.

He tossed her onto the bed and slid off her panties. Her neatly trimmed triangle came into view, and he felt himself grow hard. He kicked off his pants and boxers as she undid her bra. She took time to take in the sight of him. He was still lean, and his dick was still beautiful as it jutted out from a fine patch of blonde hair.

Tanner kissed Samantha before lying down beside her on his back. 

"Ride me."

She smiled and shook her head at his bluntness. Samantha rode Tanner back and forth. She worked her hips seductively and rhythmically on his throbbing dick while he pulled and tweaked on her quarter-sized nipples. She bit her full bottom lip and moaned as the pain turned into a sick painful pleasure. Tanner grabbed handfuls of her soft fleshy bottom while he forced her further down on his dick. Samantha felt as though she would shatter into a million little pieces. He was ruthless with his strokes as he reached deeper than any other before him. With each stroke, she let out a hot throaty gasp.

"Tell me you want it," he commanded.

"God, I want it," she said picking up her pace. "Fuck, it feels so good."

Samantha worked circles over him and arched her back as she rode him harder. Tanner was mesmerized as he watched her smile down wickedly at him. He watched as her smile disappeared and her finely arched brows knitted up in concentration.

"Hold it in," he commanded. "Because when you cum, I'm gonna make you lick all the juices off my dick."

His dirty words and promises pushed her over the edge. He skillfully thrusted his hips up to meet her downward thrusts. She felt that familiar flutter in her lower belly, and a warm feeling came over her. She reached out in an attempt to grip whatever was within her reach. Her curses turned into cries and whimpers. One hand grabbed a handful of her sheets while the other hand scraped down the planes of his torso, leaving bright red claw lines. Her pussy clenched violently around his dick while Tanner continued his brutal assault on her slickened insides. 

Sounds of moans, curses and wet sex filled the room. The room smelled of sweat and sex. Her soaked sheets were in disarray and smelled of sex too. Sweaty, messy, satisfying sex.

But Tanner wasn't done yet.

He waited until she came down from her high and focused her hooded brown eyes on him. 

"Turn around and lick it off."

She gave him a weak smile and slid off of his erect member. She climbed on top of him and turned her back to him. He watched as she wiggled her bottom in his face and temptation got the best of him. He gave her right cheek a hard slap and she let out a throaty moan. She went down on his dick, and her warm mouth felt like heaven. 

Her swollen, juicy and wet pussy lips looked like heaven. He slipped in his middle finger and slowly fucked her with it. She moaned and he inserted another. She wiggled her ass again in anticipation. He removed his pussy soaked fingers and lapped at them before slowly inserting one into her ass. He pumped his finger as he felt himself about to give. It started in his toes and worked itself up. Before he knew it, he was exploding in her mouth as she swallowed every drop of his pearly essence.

He removed his finger and Samantha winced. She slowly turned around and kissed him hard on the mouth before plopping down beside him. She felt the stickiness between her thighs and knew she would be sore in the morning, but she didn't really care. 

She felt at peace with everything, and she felt Tanner was the reason for that. She reached over and threw an arm across his torso.

"The fuel line," she said out of nowhere.

"What?"

"I cut the fuel line with my pocket knife. That's what caused the explosion."

"Wow."

"Yea."

Silence.

"I remember like it was yesterday," she said changing subjects. "My dad and I had been working on a car. It was actually a Jeep. I liked it because it made me feel rugged. We souped it up pretty nicely, and I was super excited when he gave me the keys to it. I was 16 and I had just gotten my license. You could say I was hanging out with the wrong crowd of people. I was smoking and drinking and was just reckless. My dad took the keys away from me so I wouldn't go out, but I snuck out anyway. I did it too many times to count before I finally got caught. He came looking for me one time and found me about 2 in the morning at a friend's house. He was so pissed at me that he didn't say anything to me. He just went in, grabbed me and took me to the Jeep. The ride home was so quiet. It had never been like that between us before. We were so close. Oddly enough, I wanted to be like him when I got older," she laughed.

Tanner held her and listened as she spilled her soul to him. This was how he wanted it to be between them. 

"I remember looking over at him and seeing a bright set of headlights coming right at us on his side. We got hit by a drunk driver, and my dad died instantly. I felt like shit. I wanted to die. I would've taken his place that night. It was my fault. It was all my fault. If I hadn't snuck out, he wouldn't have had to come looking for me. Me and my mom had never really gotten along anyway, but after that it got real bad. She blamed me for everything. We argued all the time and got into a couple of fist fights. I remember the first time I hit her back. I was in my room one day and she came in starting shit. She said I was the reason we were struggling. My dad had been the bread winner, and without him we were basically broke. She starting knocking my shit over, and I told her to keep her hands off my shit. She started throwing stuff at me so I snapped and hit her. I punched her right in the face."

Samantha laughed bitterly at the memories of her past.

"She had it coming. I'm surprised it took me that long to finally do it. I didn't become angry until after my dad died. School sucked because word had got around about what had happened. I got into so many fights with bitches and even a few guys. Then I had to turn around and fight with my mom when I came home. I hated her and she resented me. The tension was crazy in that fucking house. It was like hell. We got into it a few more times after that until I had enough. I packed my shit and called my dad's sister. She took me in and I've been getting along ever since. They got me on anti-depressants and whatnot. That helps a lot, but I still get really angry sometimes. I managed to graduate high school. Me and Mia got this place together after. I haven't seen nor spoken to the bitch since I left. Good riddance."

"Wow babe."

Samantha managed to let out a chuckle.

"I don't really have a story to tell. But I appreciate you sharing with me, Sam. That shows me a lot."

************

Samantha stared at the contours of Tanner's face as he focused on her arm. He was working on the latest ink addition to her skin. This one meant a lot to her. CJ strolled in and halted. 

"Whoa, what you doing, Sketch?"

"He's finishing what you started, slacker. You were too busy doing Mia to do my tattoo."

CJ laughed. 

"Ouch. I deserved that. I'll give you a complimentary tattoo. Free of charge to make up for it."

"No thanks," she smiled. "I found myself a new favorite artist."

"You don't mean that," CJ joked.

"Yes, she does," Tanner chimed in. "Trust me," he said winking at CJ.

They heard Mia's voice echo throughout the parlor calling out for CJ. 

"Mia?" Samantha called out.

"Yes?" she answered following Samantha's voice. 

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Mia blushed and looked over at CJ.

"Well, I got a little something, something done," she said in a sing-songy voice, lifting up the hem of her shirt. Samantha saw a small tattoo near her lower abdomen.

"You didn't!" Samantha screamed.

"I did!" Mia screamed back in excitement.

"You hypocrite," Samantha smiled.

"I know, I know. I just wanted to see what it was all about and I love it. I plan on getting more already."

"Well welcome to the dark side, cousin."

"Hold still, dammit. I'm almost done."

Samantha laughed sheepishly and apologized, causing Tanner to smile.

"Okay. Done," he said wiping away the excess ink and blood."

"What is it?" Mia asked stepping closer to see.

Samantha turned and showed Mia her arm. She heard Mia gasp as she took in the artwork. It was a beautiful detailed cross with her dad's name on it. 

"It's beautiful," Mia said gawking.

"I know," Samantha said smiling over at Tanner. "It better be. If not, I'd kill him."