Author's Notes: This is a fun bit of Valentine's froth I concocted. It takes place in Season 2 after Coop's death and before Jack was shot, a fun and skewed departure from the canon.
"Welcome to an Introduction to Love's Valentines Dating Marathon," a middle-aged woman with too much make-up told Jack as he stood at the desk. "If you'll just write your name on a name tag and put it on, you're at table four with Lisa for the breakfast. Have fun and get ready to meet your perfect match!"
Every instinct begged Jack to run, but instead he walked into the hotel ballroom where three hundred men and women were seated and hoping to find love by the end of the day. Two days ago, his mother told him she'd signed him up at Introduction To Love, Atlanta's premier dating service and that she'd agreed on his behalf that he would participate in their Valentine's Dating Marathon. Eighteen hours long from a 7 AM breakfast to a dance that ended at 1 AM. Every three hours a different date selected by the agency until he found the perfect woman. Although Jack wanted to run, he didn't feel right about abandoning the six women on Valentines Day. He would be polite, go through the motions and just get this over with. Samantha was moping over Coop's death and wouldn't be going anywhere and Sharon was furious over his killing Newsstand Louis.
As Jack was sitting down and forcing a polite smile for Lisa, Samantha was seated several tables away listening to Dave her first date drone on about his precinct. Apparently the dating agency felt that since they were both in law enforcement that was grounds for true love. The minute she got home, Angel was dead, Samantha decided. Yesterday, Angel told her that her Valentines gift from her was a year's membership at Introduction to Love and that to ensure Sam didn't cheat on her questionnaire had filled it out for her. Today Sam was starting what promised to be 18 hours of hell.
Dave was obnoxiously aggressive and had been divorced three times. Listening to him, Samantha was surprised there had been three women desperate enough to marry him. In addition to being rather pompous and pushy, Dave had greasy thinning hair and alcohol on his breath already. Looking around the room, Sam hoped that some of the other men were at least more human. Several tables over, a man caught her eye and Sam wished she was over at his table. Well dressed, with honey colored hair and a sexy smile that was offset with a small goatee. Samantha had never been a fan of facial hair, but looking at the handsome stranger she found herself imaging all the places his goatee could tickle and blushed.
What's wrong with you Sam! She scolded herself mentally. Coop has been dead for three months and you're having erotic thoughts about a total stranger! Conflicting thoughts began to argue, yes but the gum chewing was so irritating. Admit it you were glad when he was gone because Jack took the responsibility away for you, Coop was gone and you didn't have to feel guilty for breaking up with him.
Two women moved to the front of the room and picked up microphones, the bleached blonde introduced herself, "I'm Alexa Thomas."
Beside her a stout red head countered, "And I'm Rachel Travers. Welcome to Introduction to Love's Valentine's Dating Marathon! We'll be spending meals and the dance here in the hotel ballroom. And this afternoon we'll be going across the street to watch Casablanca."
"Now," Alexa said. "Over the course of the day you'll be paired with six prospective mates. Although we think all our matches have a great chance of success, we are starting you off with the least compatible of your most compatible matches that way everyone can meet a variety of people and there won't be too many pairs refusing to try another date until later in the day!"
Rachel interjected, "Throughout the day there will be girls selling roses. Gentlemen you may give a yellow rose for friendship. A pink rose should be for a lady you're interested in seeing again. And for those who think they've found the perfect match, there are red roses as well. Now start getting acquainted and have fun!"
Samantha gritted her teeth as Dave put his hand on her thigh for the third time and she had to remove it. This was horrible. There were six other people seated at her table besides Dave and herself and they seemed equally ill-suited. Longingly Sam looked across the room at the attractive man who'd caught her eye earlier. Maybe she would be matched with him later. Breakfast went on for three hellish hours, with coffee and conversation occupying the last two hours. When a girl passed their table with roses, none of the men went to buy.
"I'd buy you one if you wanted babe," Dave smirked at Samantha.
Politely she assured him she appreciated the thought but to save his money. Looking around the room her eyes rested again on the sexy man in the pale gray shirt. The rose seller had just wandered to his table and he was taking out his wallet. Samantha felt a stab of disappointment, had he fallen for his first date? A moment later she sighed with relief and decided he was quite charming as he presented each woman at his table with a yellow rose. While any man might present his date with a rose, the gesture struck her as sweet and gentlemanly.
As breakfast was ending staff members went around with sheets of paper directing each person at the table to where they would be sitting in the hotel's conference room across the hall where they would sit and talk as matchmakers went around and encouraged them and guided them. Jack rose from the table and politely held Lisa's chair. While she'd been a nice enough girl, simply put, she wasn't his Samantha. So far it hadn't been too bad and the ladies had been pleased with their yellow roses. Today he would give a lot of yellow roses to be polite, but not a single red rose.
Ah Samantha, Jack thought. You're probably at work investigating Newsstand Louis' death if the police were bright enough to realize it was my work. If only I were spending the day with you. Courting you is pleasant enough but I'll be so glad when you finally realize that you're mine and I can hold you at last.
When the group funneled into the conference room and were seated at their tables with their dates, Samantha was disappointed to see her stranger was again seated at another table. Her current date was a quiet bald man with thick glasses that stammered and wouldn't meet her eyes. Damn you Angel, she thought. This is going to be one of the longest days of my life and it isn't even halfway over.
Three hours later, Sam was almost falling asleep with boredom. The most exciting thing that had happened on the second date, was her stranger had gone outside to smoke and he had walked past her table and she'd gotten a chance to see his body as he slid past. Although he hadn't been looking in her direction, Samantha caught a faint whiff of his cologne as he moved past and she blushed as she realized she'd been ogling his backside.
At the conclusion of the second date, several men bought roses at various tables and again Samantha's crush bought a round of yellow roses for all the ladies at his table. When the staff had gone around with their next round of seating assignments and prompted the group to go back to the ballroom for lunch at one in the afternoon, Samantha was disappointed to find that not only wasn't she paired off with Mr. Honey-Colored Hair, but that he was on the opposite side and she couldn't even get a really good look at him.
Jack sat next to his third date and was relieved that after this he would only have another three dates and nine hours to go. In contrast to some of the other men at the Dating Marathon he'd fared quite well. All of his dates had been relatively pretty and were nice, but they simply weren't what Jack wanted. Samantha was the only woman he'd ever really want. Although he'd attempted to mold Sharon into Sam's image, she never pleased him and he left every encounter with his Jill feeling more frustrated than ever.
Across the room there was a woman who's hair reminded him of his Samantha and she had on a severe suit like the armor his beloved wore to keep the world at arm's length. For a moment he fancied it was Samantha, but that was absolutely impossible. No doubt she was pouting over Coop still and even if she weren't Samantha would never be involved in something like this. Heaven only knew Jack didn't want to be there.
Towards the end of the third date, Jack bought another round of yellow roses for all the ladies at his table. Samantha was coming back from the ladies room as Jack was giving out the yellow blossoms and she got a nice glimpse of him. As he presented the flowers, she watched and hoped that she would be paired with him soon. Granted she didn't know much about him, but he was handsome and definitely a gentleman. Resuming her seat at the table, Sam noticed one of the women at her table had a yellow rose and she asked her about if it was from one of her dates.
"I wish. No it was from another woman's date. It was so charming, he gave friendship roses all the way around the table."
Samantha's heart raced, it had to be her mystery man. Hesitantly she asked, "Was it that handsome guy in the light gray dress shirt?" When the woman nodded, Sam pushed, "What was he like? I keep noticing him and I wondered about him."
"Good luck. He's only here because his Mother signed him up. Too bad too, he looks like he's got money from the cut of his clothes and he's very charming," the woman replied.
Samantha shamelessly pushed for more details. By the end of lunch she knew he did something with computers and had never been married. As they were given seating assignments and got up to go to the movie theater, Sam noticed him peeling off his name tag and leaving it on the table. Breaking away from the group, Samantha went to the table and picked up the discarded tag.
Her heart raced as she picked up the tag and read in very familiar writing the name Jack. She would recognize the writing anywhere, she should call Bailey. Instead she found herself walking over to the movie theater and finding her seat. Her seat was two rows back and a few seats over, in the dim light she could see him clearly. So this was Jack, he was nothing like she expected and yet exactly what she'd dreamed of in her innermost fantasies.
As the movie began, Sam ignored her date and watched Jack as he watched the film. She was stalking her stalker! Watching Jack was a revelation. Clearly he had seen the film many times because his lips moved silently with the dialogue. Seeing the play of emotions on his face entranced her as he became absorbed. Casablanca was the kind of old fashioned film that was quintessential Jack and watching it while watching him was quite an experience. Once she saw him surreptitiously brush away a tear and she had to resist the urge to run over to him and hug him.
What is wrong with me? Samantha thought. This is Jack-Of-All-Trades, he killed Coop and Tom. You should want to kill him or at the very least get the VCTF to arrest him. And instead, you want to hug him! But he's handsome and charming. He has a girlfriend. Jill is nothing but a surrogate, you know you're the one he wants. Would it be so bad to talk to him? Talk to him? Look at that mouth and be honest, you want to kiss him and you want to feel exactly all the places his goatee would tickle. Jack is bad. Don't even think of-
The man would die for me, he's killed for me. How many women can say that about their nice normal husbands and boyfriends. So what are you going to do Sam? Samantha. Maybe I want to be Samantha. Even before she'd seen Jack, she'd secretly fantasized about what he would be like, what it would be like to be with him. What could a life with a man like Jack offer? Passion, pleasure, everything nice girls were supposed to shun. But was this merely attraction? No, if she surrendered to her darkest desires, there would be no turning back. Jack wouldn't let her and if she were honest with herself, she wouldn't want to.
At the conclusion of the film, the lights came partially up for the couples to be able to talk about the film and ge acquainted. Sam struggled to be polite to her hapless date as she watched Jack purchase and distribute another round of yellow roses. Watching him she smiled, Jack would only give red roses to her and she knew it. As Rachel and Alexa came up to Jack, Samantha strained to hear what they were saying.
"Jack, we're really sorry about this, but your scheduled dates for your fourth and fifth dates have paired off and so, we don't have another date for you until tonight," Rachel told him apologetically.
Feeling far from disappointed, Jack assured them it was quite all right and took off for a bar he sometimes frequented that was located a few doors down. He would have liked to have simply gone home, but there would have been Sharon to contend with and also he had to go through the final date of the night. When Sam was approached by the ladies and told the same thing, her heart leapt. Quickly she followed after Jack and watched as he disappeared into the bar. Standing outside for a couple moments, Samantha paced around.
This is crazy, she told herself. You can't be seriously thinking of doing this. Have you completely lost your mind? After several minutes of pacing and berating herself, Samantha found herself opening to the door and going into the bar. Inside the bar looked like it had been a small club back in the 40's and that little had changed over time. It had an aura of slightly decayed elegance and Samantha decided she liked it.
Lurking quietly she watched as Jack lit a cigarette and downed a glass of amber liquid. No doubt the day had been stressful for him as it had been for her. After he finished his drink the bartender poured him another. Friendly smiles between them suggested that Jack had been there before. The old fashioned aura of the place suited Jack's personality and Samantha watched with interest as he walked to the jukebox and selected a song. The mournful sound of The Platters filled the air with The Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Jack danced by himself for several minutes and sang along softly with the plaintive song.
Samantha quietly moved past him and got a drink at the bar. There were old leather tufted booths that curved around tables through out the room and Samantha moved to one where she could observe Jack without his noticing. Soon she would approach him, but she wanted to watch him for a bit first. After so many years of Jack watching and observing her it was only fair that she get to watch him. When the song ended he went back to the bar and nursed his drink while the bartender produced a small dish of Cheetos. The non-traditional bar fare made Samantha smile, so Jack was here enough they kept Cheetos for him. Another fact to remember about her- Enemy? Nemesis? Friend? Lover? Unbidden, soulmate popped into her mind.
His drink half-finished, Jack got up and went to the jukebox again. Samantha took her jacket off and unbuttoned the top two buttons on her blouse at the table. As the strains of Nina Simone's I Put A Spell On You filled the air, Samantha moved towards Jack. For a moment he sang along with the song, and somehow the pathos of his tone told her he'd listened to and sung the romantically obsessive song many times. When the song ended, he put more change in and the song began again. As Jack turned around he gasped when he saw Samantha.
Holding out her hand, Samantha beckoned, "Dance with me, Jack."
"How?" Jack murmured in confusion.
Placing her fingers to his lips, Samantha gently shushed him and then placed one hand on his shoulder and waited for him to take her hand in his. Staring at her with a mixture of confusion, disbelief and joy, Jack lead her into a slow dance. Looking into his eyes, Samantha felt the connection he'd always claimed was between them. Slowly they moved as though they'd danced together for years, their breaths shallow and synchronized.
Invitingly, Samantha tipped her head slightly and whispered, "Jack."
A moment later, his lips descended on hers in a soft kiss. Gently he brushed her lips with his, before softly probing her mouth with his tongue. Tenderness warred with intensity as their lips met and their tongues mated. Samantha found herself melting against Jack as he held her. Sensual and sweet, his kiss ignited a fire in the pit of her stomach and Samantha clung to him. When their lips finally parted, Samantha worried for a moment how he would react to her eagerness. However, Jack looked pleased and surprised as he gently placed a hand on her back and lead her to the table where he spotted her jacket.
Samantha sat as Jack went to the bar and got his drink and ordered a drink for her as well. Bringing the drinks back to the table, Jack tried to steady his breathing. His Samantha had just danced with him and kissed him! Was he dreaming? If he was, he didn't want to wake up. Her lips had felt soft and eager beneath his, the kiss had been as he'd always imagined, but what had prompted this?
As Jack sat a white wine spritzer down in front of her, Samantha stared at the outline of his arousal. Tom and Coop had been rather average in that regard, however like everything else about Jack, it appeared that he was extraordinarily blessed in that department. Sam blushed as Jack sat down, afraid he'd realized what she was thinking. Looking at Samantha blushing, Jack's heart caught in his throat. So many times he'd dreamed of her allowing him to talk to her and be near her, now he was at a loss. Of all the things he'd expected out of the day, this was the furthest from his mind.
"Jack," Samantha smiled shyly and thanked him for the drink.
"Samantha," Jack breathed softly as though the slightest move might shatter the illusion. "I don't understand. What are you doing here?"
Ducking her head slightly, she admitted, "Angel signed me up. I'd been noticing you all day and decided to follow you."
"Then how do you-" he trailed off. Did she really know who he was? How could he ask her?
"Know how you are?" Samantha supplied helpfully. "I saw you take off your name tag and went to look at it. I wanted to know your name."
Slightly disappointed that she didn't know who he really was, he replied, "Oh."
On impulse, Samantha reached out and stroked his hand that rested on the table as she informed him gently, "Jack, I know who you are. I recognized your writing. After all these years I know your writing almost better than my own."
"I would have thought you would have called in the VCTF."
"So would I. But somehow I couldn't."
"Why did you follow me?"
"I wanted to be near you," she answered.
Pleased, Jack pressed, "And the dance?"
Biting her lower lip slightly, Samantha confessed, "I wanted to touch you."
Taking her hand in his, Jack caressed her palm with his other hand as he asked, "And the kiss?"
Samantha shivered slightly as Jack caressed her hand. Even though it was an innocent enough sort of touch, it was oddly arousing and she was having trouble formulating a coherent answer. At last she admitted truthfully, "I needed to kiss you."
Her answer took Jack by surprise. Although her candor was rousing and a refreshing change from her usual head in the sand approach to what existed between them, he felt slightly wary. If she was trying to stall him until the VCTF arrived, she would have pulled a weapon or hidden from him so he would continue through with the Dating Marathon. Could Samantha really be ready to surrender to seduction that had been started years ago when he first started killing for her?
"Why Samantha?" Jack demanded. Taking her hand he began to kiss her wrist and palm as he gently insisted, "Tell me Samantha. Waiting so long I've learned a great deal of patience. Tell me the secrets of your heart and mind."
"You already know them all," Samantha gasped as he slid around the curve of the booth and wrapped an arm around her.
Sighing hotly against her neck, Jack ordered, "I want to hear it Samantha. Admit it or I'll leave right now."
"Maybe I'm here because I'm tired of fighting. Maybe I've known this would happen all along," she confessed, torn between embarrassment and arousal. "All this time I've been resisting, I've wondered how it would feel to surrender."
As he held her in one arm, Jack moved his other to caress her face with his hand. Trailing his hand down her throat, he could feel her pulse racing, Casting a glance to make certain the bartender wasn't watching to preserve Samantha's modesty, Jack moved his hand lower to brush the curve of her breast with his knuckles. Instantly her nipples hardened against her blouse and involuntarily a small moan escaped her.
Sibilantly, Jack murmured in her ear, "Surrender can be very sweet my Samantha. But you realize I hope that if you give in that the rules of the game change. I'm not your malleable mama's boy or your latin lothario."
"No you're not," she agreed. Then added, "You're Jack-Of-All-Trades and I know that after this there's no turning back."
Kissing her intensely, Jack plundered her mouth with sensual abandon that left them both breathing raggedly. Lifting his mouth from hers, he rasped, "We're the same. You realize that don't you?"
Nodding, Samantha replied, "I know we're the same. When you left the message that it could and should have been me, it tore me up inside."
Pleased, Jack offered tenderly, "I'll kill Sharon for you." Seeing the puzzled expression on Samantha's face, he clarified, "Jill."
"Oh no you won't," Samantha told him and pressed her mouth to his. "Tonight is for us and I think you'll have to wait in line to kill her. I want to."
Capturing Samantha's mouth, Jack sighed against her mouth, "Let's get out of here."
"Where?"
"The hotel. It's closer than my place and I don't want to bother with Sharon right now."
Samantha nodded her assent and rose shakily as Jack placed her jacket around her shoulders. After paying their tab, he lead her out of the bar and towards the hotel. When they approached the front desk to secure a room, they were offered a standard room and Jack shook his head. Bringing out his Black American Express card, he demanded the best room they had and instantly the clerk offered them their choice of the honeymoon suite or the presidential suite.
Not taking her eyes from Jack, Samantha said, " We'll take the honeymoon suite."
As they accepted their key card and headed to the elevator, the Alexa and Rachel stopped them. Rachel smiled, "Wonderful, you two have met. Both of you left the movie theater before we could introduce you, you're each others date for the dance tonight."
Amused, Jack inquired, "So Samantha was my best match?"
"Actually," Alexa told him. "You two are single most compatible couple of anyone here."
Jack and Samantha laughed and made their way toward the elevator. When Jack spied one of the rose vendors, he paused.
"Another yellow rose, Sir?" the girl queried.
"No, red this time. In fact I'll take every red rose you've got," Jack smiled and gave her several large bills as she handed him the flowers.
Presenting Samantha with the roses, Jack urged her into the elevator and pressed the key for their floor. Kissing her as the doors closed, he drew her close and savored holding her in his embrace. When the doors opened and they stepped out, they were met by the exclusive floor's concierge who tried to hide his amusement that they had no luggage. While the pair had headed upstairs he'd received a call that a guest with a Black American Express card was headed up. Ignoring the concierge, Jack swept Samantha into his arms and carried her to their suite.
Clutching the roses and clinging to Jack, Samantha melted against him as he carried her into the room. As he gently sat her on her feet, she felt a tingle of anticipation. Samantha sat the roses down on a table as Jack took her jacket from around her shoulders and hung it up. Pressing her mouth to Jack's, she moved towards the bed and pulled him down on top of her. Anxiously her hands moved to the buttons on his shirt.
"I want you inside me," Samantha moaned eagerly.
Suddenly, Jack grabbed her hands and pressed them over her head and looked into her eyes. Whimpering slightly, she moved her hips up against him to try and get him to continue.
"No, my Samantha," Jack corrected her gently. As she looked into his eyes in confusion, he explained, "This can't merely be fucking. We've both waited so long for this. Always you hide your feelings and try to avoid emotion, I know you my Samantha. Tonight, you will have to let me make love to you. However frightened you are to face yourself and your emotions, it's time for you to confront them."
His words both terrified and aroused her. Jack knew her better than she knew herself, Samantha realized. Always she tried to focus on just the physical aspect of sex rather than delve into the emotional. You can't hide from him, she thought. Why have I always tried to avoid my emotions? Because they're dark and ugly. Jack is the only man you've ever truly desired and you feel guilty about it. When he acquired Jill, you hid in the bathroom at work and cried. This is real, you're really here with Jack and he won't allow you to hide from yourself. You want to be touched by a man you should hate and secretly you've longed to kill by his side.
Aroused and uncertain, Samantha begged, "Please Jack."
Even as she pleaded with him, Samantha wasn't completely certain what she was pleading for. Reassuringly, Jack sought her mouth and kissed her gently. There was passion and intensity behind his kiss, but it was tempered with affection and almost reverence. After several minutes, he released her hands. As he released the grip on her wrists, Samantha tenuously threaded her fingers through his hair.
Jack trailed his lips down her throat slowly and kissed down to the vee of her blouse. His fingers undid one button and he nuzzled the exposed swell of her breasts. His hand moved over her shoulders and his fingers traced her collar bone. Looking into his eyes, Samantha shyly sought his permission and with shaking hands unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. As his mouth moved up to capture her earlobe, she planted kisses at the base of his throat.
After several moments of teasing her ears and neck, he kissed her and massaging his tongue against hers in a languid tango. His hand moved to her blouse and undid a second button. The sensation of his fingers burned her flesh as he teased one fingertip along the top of her bra and made Samantha gasp. Her skin felt like it was on fire as he touched her. Every movement was so slow and delicate, it was almost as if he were exploring her in slow motion. Her nipples strained against her bra in painful points in anticipation of his touch.
Moving her hands to the placket of his shirt, Samantha undid another button and pressed her lips over his heart. She could feel his heart racing under her lips and felt pleased when he moaned softly. Drawing her wrist to his mouth, Jack undid the button on her cuff and flicked his tongue over her wrist. Gently placing her hand back on the bed, he took her other hand and released the other cuff button. Raising up slightly, Jack smiled reassuringly at Samantha and unfastened his cuffs.
Jack moved to the side so he wouldn't press down on Samantha and he unbuttoned his shirt as she watched. Sitting up, Samantha ran her hands over his chest and slid her hands under the edge of his shirt and slid it from his shoulders. Wrapping his arms around her, Jack embraced Samantha for a moment. Savoring the sensation of his chest against her face, Samantha inhaled the scent of his cologne and decided she liked it very much.
Pressing back against the pillows, Jack looked into Samantha's eyes as his fingers moved over the buttons on her blouse and it fell open. Lowering his mouth he kissed Samantha's throbbing nipples through her lacy white bra. The sensation of his hot breath through the fabric was both erotic and frustrating as she ached to feel his mouth on her flesh. When his fingers trailed along the expanse of skin between her bra and the waistband of her skirt, she cried out as his touch ignited flutterings in her stomach.
Gathering Samantha up, Jack slid her blouse of and let it fall off the bed. Laying her back down, Jack cupped her breasts through her bra and made her gasp. His fingers unfastened the clasp of her lacy bra and drew the fabric away from her breasts. Grasping her breast gently in his hand, he sucked gently on her nipple and flicked his tongue over the hard peak. After unhurriedly tormenting one breast, Jack turned his attention to the other, inciting a soft whimper from Samantha.
Turning his attention from her breasts, Jack kissed Samantha fiercely, the kiss left her breathless as he ravished her mouth. Arching underneath him, Samantha wriggled her bra from her shoulders and shoved it off the bed. Wrapping her arms around Jack, she stroked his shoulders and relished the sensation of his chest against hers. The slow pace Jack was forcing them to take was rousing her to a frenzy. Against her skirt, Samantha could feel Jack's arousal pressing against her as she moved her hips wantonly against him. Jack moved away from Samantha and stood up. A small mewl of protest escaped her as the heat of his body left hers.
Taking her hand, Jack's voice was ragged with desire as he ordered, "Stand up."
Aching with need, Samantha complied and stood up unsteadily. Jack's hands trembled slightly as he wrapped his arms around her waist and sought the zipper at the back of her skirt. As her skirt fell to the floor, Samantha stepped out of it eagerly and mentally groaned because she'd worn pantyhose instead of sexy stockings. Not like I knew I would be doing this today.
Kneeling before her, Jack slipped his fingers into the waistband of Samantha's pantyhose and gazed up at her. For a moment he watched the play of desire and uncertainty on her face. Should you really push her this much? Jack wondered. Samantha always hides from her feelings and desires, you can't allow her to do that with you. It isn't enough for her to want you to take her body, she has to want to give you her heart and soul.
Jack was pulled from his reverie as Samantha shifted impatiently. Looking up at her, he nuzzled against her thighs and told her, "Your pantyhose are soaking wet."
Samantha blushed slightly at his words. Gently, he pulled her pantyhose down and guided one foot, then the other out of them. As he cast them aside, Samantha saw that the discarded nylons were not only saturated between the legs, but halfway down the inner thighs. Her embarrassment rapidly faded as Jack brushed a finger over her panties and a shudder of pleasure went through her. Placing one hand against her lower back to steady her, Jack continued to lightly trace his fingertips over the silky white fabric. The gentle teasing of Jack's fingers continued to torment Samantha until she keened against his caress and came with a shudder.
Standing quickly, Jack embraced Samantha to prevent her from collapsing to the floor. As she caught her breath, Samantha felt slightly panicked. With only a few soft touches, he had brought her to orgasm. It wasn't that she hadn't cum before, but not like this. This was different and looking into Jack's eyes and seeing the love shining from them was terrifying. Every woman wants to be loved, she told herself. Why are you scared of this? You wanted to surrender. Because I think I might love him back. Not school girl crush like Tom or Coop, but truly love him.
Sensing Samantha's discomfiture, Jack kissed her and said, "We're the same my Samantha. I want us to be equals in every sense."
"The same," Samantha echoed in agreement.
"But right now, it seems we aren't quite equal. I seem to have on far more clothing than you do," Jack drawled and stepped out of his shoes.
Samantha slid her hands down Jack's chest and lowered her mouth to his flat nipple. As she licked him, Samantha reached for his belt and unfastened it. Jack closed his eyes and tilted his head back as she moved her hand over the front of his pants and stroked his cock. Under her hand, Jack hardened further and was relieved when she finally moved to unzip his fly and pull his pants down. Pulling his pants down, Samantha was surprised and pleased to find he wasn't wearing underwear.
"We have a problem," Samantha murmured. Jack gave her a quizzical look and she explained, "We're unequal again. Now I have on more than you do."
"Allow me to remedy that," Jack teased and pulled Samantha's panties off.
Jack drew Samantha close and she relished the sensation of his erection pressing against her arousal. Although Samantha had had sex many times, she'd never felt such hunger and longing for completion. Lowering Samantha to the bed, Jack knelt between her legs and took her foot in his hand. Bringing her foot up towards his face, Jack slowly sucked on each of her toes. His hands massaged her foot and he gently teased the spot in the center of her foot where the the vein connected into the femoral artery. Samantha's eyes went wide as Jack's caress on her foot seemed to send shivers up between her thighs.
Lowering Samantha's foot, Jack reached for her other foot and began similar attentions, making Samantha writhe. Releasing her foot, Jack moved upwards and started to kiss the soft skin around her navel and just above her mound. Feather light, his fingertips teased the skin on her splayed thighs, roaming from just above her knees to an inch away from her weeping slit. A litany of needy whimpers rose from Samantha's throat as she arched underneath Jack's caresses.
Sliding down slightly Jack kissed a trickle of wetness from Samantha's inner thigh and moved his fingers to trace her pussy lips. His mouth was sweetly tormenting as his goatee lightly tickled her skin adding to the sensation. Although he caressed along the edges of her sex, he made no move to push his fingers inside her. Samantha was so wet, she could feel a trail of moisture running down her buttocks. Had anyone else seen her so ravenous with need and desire, she would have felt embarrassed; but having Jack see her this way made her feel very womanly and sexy.
Jack mouth moved over Samantha's sex, his tongue sought her clit as his goatee teased her swollen lips. As his tongue began to swirl around her nub, Samantha gasped with pleasure. Slowly, Jack pushed a finer into Samantha's heated center and sought her g-spot. Finding what he was seeking, Jack slid another finger inside and gently manipulated her fevered core. Tremors shook Samantha's body as Jack coaxed her towards the edge and made her explode. For several moments, Jack continued his ministrations before withdrawing his fingers and moving up Samantha's body.
Looking into Samantha's eyes searchingly, Jack urged her, "Taste yourself on my mouth."
She'd never done so before, the idea had always seemed unappealing, yet as Jack suggested it, her mouth eagerly moved to his. Tasting herself on his mouth was oddly erotic and she moved her tongue to the small patch of hair under his lip, licking him clean. When Samantha had licked Jack's mouth clean, he pulled his face back slightly and studied her expression intently. Under Jack's gaze she flushed from the intimacy and the uncertainty that she felt. Trying to read his thoughts, she searched his dark eyes looking for answers.
This was more than sex. And even more than an expression of love, Samantha thought as she gazed up at Jack. Jack was liberating her from all the restraints she'd always placed on herself. He was freeing her soul a little bit at a time. Jack-Of-All-Trades wouldn't merely want a union of flesh, he wanted to mate their souls. God help her, she wanted him to. She had never felt more feminine or alive than she did at that moment. Not only was he making love to her, he was making her his and forcing her to stop pretending to be perfect and to be a woman. It was terrifying and wonderful all at once, Samantha decided.
"My Samantha," Jack murmured. Although his tone was affectionate, there was no mistaking the implication of his meaning, she was now his.
Afraid and aroused, Samantha felt the words of confirmation and assent, slipping from her lips as she responded, "My Jack."
Tenderly, he kissed her and averred, "I love you."
Part of her wanted to reply that she loved him too, but she felt like she couldn't say the words. Not wanting him to stop or feel rejected, Samantha replied, "Then make love to me. Please Jack."
Slowly Jack ground his arousal against her sex, causing Samantha to shiver in anticipation. Gently he pushed his erection inside her, eliciting a gasp from her as she stretched to accommodate him. Although Samantha had slept with Tom many times over the course of their marriage and recently she'd had sex with Coop, never had the act felt so right before. As Jack moved inside her, Samantha felt a stirring that was beyond the pleasure of sex and she closed her eyes in fear.
Just focus on the feeling, this feels so good, Samantha told herself. Keep your feelings under control. Maybe you do belong to him, but you can't love him. To soon Samantha, much too soon to fall so far. Don't relinquish control, if you do you'll have to face the terrible truth. Would it be so bad to face the truth about yourself? Yes, I'm so damned scared right now. This is so wrong and it feels so right.
After a moment of Samantha's eyes being closed, Jack stopped moving. Samantha's eyes flew open and she asked, "What's wrong?"
"Don't close your eyes," Jack commanded and slowly began to move again.
Under the intensity of his gaze, Samantha tried to turn her head away, unable to face him. Again Jack stopped until Samantha met his eyes. Aching, Samantha begged, "Please Jack."
Moving at a deliberately slow pace, Jack brought his hand gently under her chin and ordered, "Look at me Samantha."
"Please," she begged.
Why was he doing this? Couldn't he be content to just touch her? Looking up as his face, she quivered with need and from teetering on the precipice of the emotional abyss he was trying to pull her into.
Perceptively, Jack told her, "I know you're frightened my Samantha. You're afraid of who you really are and whether even I can love that person. But I already know the darkest recesses of your soul."
Vainly Samantha tried to turn her head away and whimpered, "Please Jack."
Kissing her tenderly Jack whispered against her mouth, "Surrender Samantha. Not to me, surrender yourself to who you truly are and to what you feel. Trust me Samantha. Just let yourself feel."
Again Jack thrust within Samantha and she forced herself to meet his gaze. His eyes were so full of love and tenderness. All these years he'd been killing for her and instead of hating him for it, she- she admired him. She- No! Oh God! She loved him. Every last part of him, they were the same. They belonged together and she was his. For several moments she matched his thrusts and met his eyes while trying to keep her feelings under control.
Unable to hold the floodgates back a moment longer, Samantha cried, "I love you."
Jack murmured reassuringly and continued their coupling. Staring into his eyes, Samantha realized she couldn't deny what she felt any more. Again the words fell from her lips, "I love you."
Desperately, Samantha clutched at the sheets and quivered. Part of her wanted to turn her head away, but she was trapped in his gaze and found herself unable to move. Closer and closer to orgasm, Samantha started to lose control. Contracting hard around Jack's arousal, Samantha came, her juices soaking the bed and she began to sob over and over, "I love you. God help me I love you Jack. I love you."
Even after her orgasm subsided, she continued trembling and sobbing. Jack wrapped his arms around her and slowed his movements to just enough to maintain his arousal as he kissed Samantha's tears. Mentally she kicked herself as she continued to cry incoherently and tried to regain control of her emotions. Still quivering, she tried to apologize for her outburst.
"Shh," Jack hushed her. "There's nothing to apologize about."
Calming slightly and still burning with need, Samantha begged, "Love me, Jack."
Touching his lips to hers, Jack promised, "Always my Samantha."
Joining their mouths, Jack kissed her hungrily as he thrust deep inside her. Samantha put her hands against his shoulders reflexively and fought to keep her hands clenched, she knew she would scratch him if she didn't. Wrapping her legs around Jack's waist she urged him to continue. Although Jack's movements were very slow and carefully controlled, there was a barely restrained savagery to the intensity of his thrusts. Samantha's hand's went around his back and her fingers trembled as she fought to keep from hurting him in her pleasure.
Sensing her dilemma, Jack groaned, "Don't hold back on me Samantha. I want all of you."
Unfurling her fingers, Samantha allowed her fingers to scratch his back as she began kiss his neck. Nipping his earlobe, she commanded, "So do I. No holding back for either of us Jack."
Capturing her lips, Jack plundered her mouth ravenously and kissed down her neck sucking on her skin and marking her as his. The play of his mouth brought her closer to the edge, but this time, Samantha forced herself to hold back slightly. Looking up into Jack's eyes, she watched his expression and savored his approach to release. Spacing his thrusts even further apart, Jack made each thrust deep and hard. His movements were almost bone jarring and would have hurt if there had been anymore strength behind them. Instead the intensity took Samantha to edge and her cries of pleasure mixed with his as Jack cried out his release.
For several moments they lay staring into each other's eyes and planting kisses on one another's faces. Brushing the few remaining tears from Samantha's eyes, Jack assured her, "I love you my Samantha and nothing will ever change that."
Noticing a suspicious shininess in Jack's eyes, Samantha smiled and murmured, "I love you Jack. I belong to you now."
Burying his face in her neck, Jack allowed himself to shed a few happy tears, then pulled back and reached for a one of the roses he'd given her earlier. Teasing the blossom against her nipple, he whispered, "The rose speaks of love silently in a language known only in the heart. I read that in a book once and have wanted to tell you that for a long time."
Responding to the delicious teasing sensation of the flower, Samantha pulled his mouth to hers and told him, "I know another language known only in the heart."
Throughout the night, they coupled, laughed and cried, as they discovered their love for one another.
Several days later, Jack read the newspaper at Samantha's insistence with her cuddled up next to him:
Sharon Lesher, age 31 was found tied to a tree and stabbed to death late yesterday afternoon. Although the official autopsy hasn't been released yet, Dr. Samantha Waters is wanted for questioning in light of her recent disappearance and the message, "Love You Jack" carved into the torso of the deceased. Dr. Waters long the object of obsession of serial killer Jack-Of-All-Trades is believed to be in his company...
Jack laughed and set the paper carefully aside, he would have to save the article since it documented Samantha's first Valentine's gift to him.
"I wondered why you wanted to kill Sharon alone," Jack smiled.
"I didn't want to spoil the surprise. But since you've given me a sparklie," Samantha told him wriggling her left hand and making her engagement ring shine in the candlelight. "We'll have to let them know when we get married. I rather fancy the idea of seeing Samantha Trades in print.
"So do I," Jack agreed and kissed her.
Scooping his future wife off the sofa, Jack carried her into the bedroom...