Sinner: Devil's Sons MC by Kathryn Thomas Page A

the stove. There was something different about Afia. Sam wondered if it was his influence or her simply coming into herself. If she was just being herself, he liked it. Very much.
     
    He pulled cutlery from a kitchen drawer and pulled napkins out of the napkin holder. He set the small dining table that stood in front of the French doors to the backyard, and he took his seat, waiting patiently for her to bring his meal. He had plenty of things planned for their day, which he couldn't wait to get started. They had made an agreement. Afia didn't want to be seen out and about in public with him too much. Sam realized, after his discussion with her the night before, she was trying to keep from being caught by her protective older brother.
     
    That left him with his house and his things as the only stuff to keep her entertained. Thus, Sam had planned to kick the day off teaching her how to play pool in his billiards room. When she sat down to eat with him, they fell into easy conversation. Then, he washed the dishes, despite her protests. He took her to the pool room where they played like teenagers, making bold calls and blustery insults. She was giggling so hard her sides were hurting. It was around noon, and Sam still wasn't done with her.
     
    "You ever shot a gun before?" he asked.
     
    Her eyes widened. He took her to his backyard where he had set up targets. The weapon he handed her was nothing more than an airsoft rifle, but Afia didn't have to know that. At first, Sam shouted instructions from the sidelines, but eventually Afia asked him to show her personally, and she allowed him to cup his arms around her shoulders to show her how to aim and fire correctly. All of which proved to be more detrimental to his libido.
     
    "Hot as snake balls out here," he remarked after the second hour of target practice. "Let's get inside under the air conditioner. Woman, I swear, I haven't had this much action in decades."
     
    "Is that good or bad?" she asked.
     
    He pulled off his cowboy hat and slapped it over her hijab, grinning at her with a darker tan. In the cool interior of the house, they sprawled out on the living room couch to watch television together, and Sam didn't say anything when Afia shifted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder. He just dropped his hand over her arm, safely out of danger of accidentally stroking her breast, and kept his eyes pointed forward. She fell asleep in his arms. It was crazy. In a different world, or maybe with a different sort of woman, he wouldn't have thought twice of propositioning her. As it was, Sam respected Afia too much to debase her like that.
     
    His eyes drifted shut, as he wondered if—over the course of knowing her—it wasn't just Afia who was changing.
     
    ***
     
    There wasn't anywhere she could go to escape the heat. Afia tossed and turned in her bed, knowing it wasn't the temperature of the house that was making it hard for her to sleep. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face. He was right next door, so close she could almost believe she could smell him. After the day they had spent together, she couldn't ask for a more interesting and fun time. Well, she could...and that was the problem.
     
    Afia sat up with a sigh. She glanced at the clock. It was only nine. They stayed up much later than that most nights talking on the phone. She eased out of the bed and tiptoed out into the hall in case he was already sleeping. Pressing her ear to his door, she listened for snores, but she didn't hear any, and she knocked tentatively.
     
    "Yeah," came Sam's laconic response.
     
    Afia took a deep breath and turned the knob. The door swung open to reveal Sam's room. Thick beige carpet covered the floor, and the walls were painted light brown. He sat on top of his bed in a t-shirt and lounge pants, reading glasses sitting on the tip of his nose. Sam looked up expectantly. "Did you need something?" he asked, putting the glasses aside.
     
    She moved deeper into the