Sam sat there beside her, just looking at her. His eyes penetrated deeply into hers, yet he remained silent and motionless.
He looked so serious, thoughtful and even for a moment tentative. But, God he looked so good too, Andy thought. It had been three very long, uncertain and lonely months. She really had thought about him every single day, and not just for his scintillating companionship at that!
His face was like perfect sculpted marble, his smouldering brown eyes deep and more mysterious than ever. Just what was he thinking?
She watched his gaze drift from her eyes to her lips. For a brief moment there was a new transparency in him. This was secretive, moody, mysterious Sam, with all his walls and boundaries, actually appearing uncomfortably exposed, vulnerable even.
She could see the wavering uncertainty in his eyes, and with a sharp stab in her gut, for the second time in one day, she realized just what her sudden flight had done to him.
She had unilaterally and spontaneously decided to run, always the easy decision for her. The brutal impact that had had on him, had played out stormily between them all day.
She looked into his eyes almost pleadingly, willing him to let it go. She needed to feel that he really did forgive her and that he still wanted her. Wanted her the wild way he did before she fled.
His pensive gaze lingered on her lips. The softness in her expression, the earnestness in her eyes, the warm silkiness of her arm rubbing against his, all of this melted his final last wisps of frustration and anger. His lips parted as his eyes drank in her soft voluptuous mouth. Yet he continued his slow deliberate tack.
His eyes returned to hers once more and in them he read her fears, qualms and even sadness. There were also some soft, dreamy flickers of hope creeping into their amber depths.
He couldn't take it anymore. He was finally alone with Andy again. She looked so vulnerable, unsure, wistful and as usual, unfathomably desirable.
He thought that she had never looked more inviting. Her still-wet hair gleaming in the low light, her face bright and clear, stripped of all makeup.
Her black wispy night shirt revealed the tantalizing swell and curves of her soft breasts. He took one more look at her lips and knew he was done for.
He slowly dipped his head and leaned forward and toward her. She responded immediately bringing her head closer to his, tilting her mouth eagerly upwards to meet his.
He took only a moment to take in her eyes and lips one more time, before he bent lower and brought his mouth to hers. He kissed her softly at first, almost like a first kiss, tentative and hopeful.
The magic of his lips on hers again, sparked her body back to life in delightful and sensual ways. Yet, she sensed his hesitance. It was reflective really of the heavy silence between them moments earlier.
He felt her instant response to his touch. Her lips were enticingly soft, just as he remembered. At last she was finally tangible, within reach, and seemingly on the same page as him.
The knowledge gave him a determination and confidence. He leant in closer with a gentle assertiveness as he felt her body rise towards him. He was sure he heard her emit a soft moan of pleasure, as he brought his hand to the side of her slender neck.
He relished the touch of her silky skin once again. There was an intriguing satisfaction to the way she responded to him and how she tilted her face, so as to perfectly mold with his mouth.
He probed her mouth open gently, exploring it languidly and lustfully as his thumb pads ever so gently caressed her cheeks. Her body sparkled and trembled as she responded to his kiss, and when he finally pulled away she pressed her forehead to his.
It was then he noticed a single tear escape from her watery eyes. It tore a part of him as he realized that he had caused her anguish. He had shown her only anger and resentment all day. Hell, he had even been bluntly and unusually insensitive of her feelings.
It was only at the end of the day when he told her what he had wanted, as opposed to what her heart sought the most, that he had actually exposed his own vulnerability and bruised feelings. Until then he had jibed her and berated her, loading her up with both guilt and blame.
And now seeing her like this, peering transparently into her very soul, he realized she was racked with fear that her unflappable commitment to her work, had cost her the chance to be with him again.
Admittedly it did give him a deep thrill to know she could be that affected by the worry of losing him. But, as usual he really didn't want her to be hurt by anything ever.
He rubbed the offending tear away with his thumb and kissed her lips softly once more.
He caught a glimpse of her relieved smile, as she reached up to his neck to pull him closer. Her fingers gently traced his hairline, and her familiar sweet touch spiked his desire for her all over.
"Sam, I am really sorry," she whispered. He clutched her waist and pulled her against him, emitting a soft grunt before gently, yet urgently pressing her back into the soft cushions behind her.
She sighed softly her hands running though his hair, her eyes shimmering as she met his gaze. Her lips twisted into a smile before parting to meet his. But before he kissed her again she felt a sharp jab in her back.
"Owe!" She gasped uncomfortably, jerking upward swiftly, causing the offending paddle to slide down the sofa and clatter to the ground. She looked up and saw laughter building in Sam's dark brown eyes.
His face twisted into a chuckle as he pulled her to him. It was such a relief and thrill to see him laugh again. She had missed that unrestricted laughter. It was quite rare from Sam really.
"McNally, only you would drag that thing all the way here from Temagami," he taunted her.
"Hey," she replied curtly. "It's made of solid maple. It's perfect for canoeing, and it's a nice souvenir." She tilted her chin upward challenging him almost petulantly.
His eyes said it all. "Is that so," he muttered, as he swooped down and picked up the paddle that he himself had transported practically across Toronto that day.
He gently dropped it on the other side of the sofa, where it could cause no further damage. "Well it's true." She said obstinately as he pushed her back onto the soft cushions, allowing his fingers to run through her soft, wet hair.
As he looked deeply into her eyes, she noticed the spark of amusement was gone from his. All that was left was the unmistakable silvery glint of desire. It made her pulse start racing frantically.
"I'm sure," he whispered, his voice raspy with need, leaning further into her.
The only clattering sound she heard now was her heart hammering against her ribs, as Sam gently and sensuously nuzzled the silkiness of her neck and jawline.
"Sam," Andy whispered, her eyes fluttering as she unwittingly combed her hands through his hair. "We really should talk a little you know." Her voice was slow and breathless as she tried to resist his remarkable ministrations.
"Right talk. Yeah, that's where I was going with this." He momentarily stopped grazing her skin with his lips. Sarcasm dripped from his voice, yet it was still muffled by her hair and skin.
She felt the delicious tingling of her skin and gave up her feeble protests. Having Sam's arms around her, his fingers roaming freely over her body once more, was so magical, so incredible, so perfect.
How did she manage without him for all that time? Right now she really couldn't get enough of him. Her body ached for him and she felt the same hot urgency in him.
In a moment like this it all snapped into crystal clear focus. Of course she had to run like a frantic mouse. Had she stayed there was no way she would have been able to stay away from him.
She couldn't resist him, she had even told him so today. "I didn't know how not to see you." She closed her eyes and suppressed a giggle, remembering how he stared her down through his dark sun glasses when she had admitted that.
"So you missed me," he whispered now. His breath was warm on her neck and the proximity of his lingering lips there made her quiver and tingle all over. How could she have forgotten for one single moment how incredible it felt when he touched her like this?
She laced her fingers deeper into his hair, pulling him closer. "Tell me.." he whispered as he nipped her ear lobe with teasing gentleness. "Tell me something about how you missed me!" His breath tickled her skin and she gave another involuntary giggle.
He loved the sound of that laugh, and thrived on the feel of her lithe, firm body again. She was like some intoxicating drug he was seriously addicted to. He simply couldn't get enough.
No wonder he was so wound up and frustrated at her. Three months without the feel of her close to him had driven him ragged.
Her giggles stopped as she breathed in deeply. She pulled back and leant her head on the cushion looking into his eyes. "Well let's see, yesterday, when I jumped out the plane I-"
"What," he pulled back and gave her one of his most pointed tongue in cheek looks ever.
"McNally what the heck-"
"Yesterday when I took my first solo skydive…dummy… I was thinking that it would have been really neat to share that with you." She looked straight into his eyes.
"I would have liked it if you held my hand." She licked her lips and gave him the most wistful of smiles. It reminded him of the way she looked that incredible night when she had come back to find him at The Alpine.
He crinkled his face, smiled and looked away from her for a moment, contemplating that it wasn't the best time to discuss his… uh… difficulty with flying. He looked back at her locking his eyes intently with hers.
"You have a real thing for this holding hands business," he said with deep intensity in his voice.
He dipped in to nuzzle her nose, in a soft deft move that made her heart pump faster. She loved those nose caresses.
Then as if to prove his point, he ever so slowly lifted her hand and teasingly palmed it against his before collapsing their hands. Then he ever so intricately laced their fingers, a movement that seemed completely sensual and playful at once.
She bit her lower lip, breathless by the sheer intimacy of the way he held her hand.
"Just with you," she whispered, wondering if he heard her really. He must have since he immediately dipped in to kiss her moist lips.
His tongue licked her lower lip and darted in when she opened her mouth. She sighed with anticipation as he passionately invaded her mouth and mind. The whole time he never neglected to twist their fingers together, intertwining and, lacing them. She felt his thumb gently stroke her upper hand… it was magical.
He trailed his lips up to her ear, giving her a moment to breath. "Andy," he whispered into her ear.
"I wanted to hold your hand from the moment I told you I wouldn't be holding it," he completed his sentence.
She smiled at the memory of that first awkward ride together as rookie and training officer. He felt her facial muscles move into that smile from the memory it invoked.
He pulled back and stood up gently pulling her with him. "So can you give me the tour?" He asked hoarsely. He continued to hold her hand in that extremely intricate manner as she slowly led the way to her room.
He dropped light kisses on her exposed shoulders as they padded there. She stopped in the doorway feeling him finally release her fingers, only to seize her hips and pull her against him.
"Andy," he whispered her name again and she felt his dark hair brushing against the side of her face. She arched against him and thrust her head back onto his shoulder giving him full access to her neck. He responded by gently nipping and kissing every inch of her soft exposed skin.
"It was hell these last three months without you," he murmured deeply. She felt his grip on her hips tighten and she leaned further into him, craving his touch more than anything else.
These things he admitted to her now were especially meaningful coming from Sam, who she knew found it difficult to vocalize his feelings. For once Andy was speechless.
Yet, while she couldn't find any words, her body responded on a will and whim of its own, as she rotated her head sideways so he could focus all his attention on the other side of her neck.
He couldn't explain it, the way she was made to respond flawlessly and completely to his touch. Everything fit with her when they were together like this. The flow and ebb of the way they touched, felt and experienced each other was subliminal.
Her breath came fast and constant as she relished in his searing caresses. But somehow she managed to emit a few words between her frenzied breathing, "Sam, I really missed you so much!"
She felt him move, and a moment later he had effortlessly swept her up in his arms, just as he had their very first time at the undercover loft. She looked up into his glinting eyes and snaked her arms around his shoulders smiling at him with complete boldness.
He lowered her on the bed, and she didn't give him a chance to let her go as she hungrily met his kisses with an urgency of her own.
While their past, present and future was still an ocean of angst, one thing was true and real. Right now they had weathered the storm and paddled their way back to each other… even if just for while.