Disclaimer: All of these characters are Hallmark's, I'm just borrowing them...Because we need a little bit of steam (tasteful steam, hopefully) for Cassie and Sam, and to live vicariously through them! I have tried to use several details from the TV series, but have certainly taken liberties too. I hope you enjoy!
The Wedding Night:
A Little More (than Hallmark will show you) of Cassie & Sam
The door closed behind Sam and Cassie as they retreated to her bedroom….their bedroom. As soon as she heard the latch click, Cassie turned to face him and slipped her arms around Sam's neck. Sam took her into his arms. "Well, here I am, finally, in Cassie Nightingale's bedroom. I was starting to think that I'd never get to see this part of Grey House," Sam quipped as he looked around. His eyes returned to rest on Cassie's face, "This space is beautiful, just like its owner. Although now that I'm here, I think I have eyes only for you, my dearest Cassie."
"A few more lines like that, Sam, and I just might invite you to move in here with me," Cassie teased with a coy smile. Sam leaned close to Cassie, "Oh, well in that case: you look even more stunning than the woman I married earlier this evening, and she was pretty breathtaking." "Oh, that was smooth, Sam," Cassie appreciated, pressing her cheek to Sam's, "Mmmm, you know Sam, there's that moment right before you taste something when it's actually even better than when you taste it." "Now, that I disagree with," Sam whispered as his lips found hers. Lips delicately touched and parted, sharing breath and taste. Sam deepened the kiss as Cassie warmed into his embrace, tightening her arms around him. Mmmm, honey, champagne..."And a hint of mint," Cassie finished Sam's thought for him as their mouths came apart. Sam just shook his head. How does she do that? I'll probably never know.
"You are the love of my life, Cassie Nightingale, and I have wanted you from the first moment I saw you." She rested her cheek against Sam's again, to take in his crisp, clean scent, Cassie smiled, "And I think I have wanted you to want me from the moment you first saw me. It took us a while, but now that we're finally here, now, everything is just the way it should be." "Yeah it was starting to feel like we'd never get to say 'I do' and walk down the aisle," he admitted, luxuriating in the feel of this woman in his arms. "Cassie, I could hold you like this all night long, and for the rest of our lives," Sam said softly into her ear. She pulled back slightly, tilted her head, and trained her dark brown eyes on him, "Hmmmm, well I really hope you do more than hold me all night long, Sam." Sam blinked with mild surprise at her, chuckled softly at his wife, and dipped his mouth to kiss the skin at her jaw and neck, "My dearest Cassie, don't worry, I won't just hold you. I know exactly what to do with you all night long...Just as soon as I get rid of my coat. It's getting, mmmm, warmer in here with you."
As he shrugged out of his tuxedo jacket, Sam took a moment to take in his surroundings –Cassie's bedroom –now his too. Sam had of course seen this room in Grey House before, but only in passing while moving some of his stuff into the office retreat Cassie had prepared for him down the hall. As with every other part of Grey House, this room had been lovingly restored by the beautiful creature who just now was removing her shoes and kicking them into a corner. From the 19th century neoclassical four-poster rosewood bed to the Queen Anne brocade sofa sitting in front of the French marble mantel and cast iron insert, this space was all Cassie. The reds, golds, natural woods, and hints of cinnamon and wild orange everywhere all coalesced to bring renewed warmth to Sam.
With another smile, Sam kicked off his own shoes, turned off the overhead lights, and went to the writing desk by the fireplace. Once there, Sam plugged his phone into the docking station and turned on some soft jazz, and then poured two glasses from the waiting bottle of champagne. He walked over and handed one glass to his stunning wife. Sam brushed his fingers from her wrist to the curve of her neck, pausing for a moment to feel her pulse with his thumb. Sam's hand traveled further where his thumb could ease over Cassie's lips. "You are amazing Cassie Nightingale, and I love you very much," Sam breathed before replacing his thumb with his lips. "But the real question is: Do you know what to do with me all night long?" His dark eyes twinkled with amusement, as Cassie's sparked playfully.
Cassie took Sam's wine glass from his hand. She placed both glasses on the desk, turned to face him and leaned against the desk with both palms on the edge of the wood. Cassie turned her gimlet eye on Sam and made a show of appraising him. She let her gaze travel down his length and then raked her dark eyes back up, "Oh I'm sure I can come up with a few things to do with you. It's not every day I have a handsome man like yourself in my bedroom."
"I'm handsome, am I? That's good, right? It must be the tuxedo that makes me look so good," Sam bantered as he watched Cassie. Before she answered him, Sam saw her lovely, expressive eyes spark with love and...something. "Mmm-hmm, you are very handsome, Sam. And as good as that tuxedo looks on you, I am really looking forward to getting you out of it later." Desire. No, barely controlled desire...that's what I see in her eyes. Cassie crossed the space between them, "Yes Sam, I wantyou very much, but first...Want to dance with me?" she asked with an extended hand. How does she do that?
Sam took her hand and brushed his lips over her fingers, "The pleasure would be all mine." Cassie's brown eyes blazed again. "Are you sure about that?" she asked as she brought her free hand to rest on Sam's shoulder, while his found its way to her throat, trailed down to her chest, lingering softly before dropping to her waist, and eventually drifting to the swell of her hip. "Because your hands on me feel really amazing, Sam," Cassie breathed against his cheek.
They held each other and swayed to the music for quite a while. The mellow sounds of Rob Vuono Jr.'s 'Just When I'm Thinkin' 'Bout You' started to fill the room. "Ooh, I really love this song," Sam commented. "Me too," Cassie agreed as they increased their tempo from a slow sway and stretched their movements out. Around the room, Sam led Cassie in the rhythmic walking- and side-steps of the Foxtrot. As the song came to an end, Sam dipped her and turned Cassie so she came to rest with her back to him, both of them breathless from exertion and laughter. "Well that was fun!" Sam smiled before pressing a kiss to Cassie's cheek. "It really was." Cassie left Sam's arms stranded at her waist and brought her own up to lock her fingers behind Sam's neck while she leaned her back against his chest.
You get to that point where the whole thing changes, almost in an instant. Then it's all suddenly different, except you realize that it's exactly the way it's supposed to be. The words sounded in Cassie's mind, and the energy of the room shifted –they both felt the change. "Cassie," Sam hesitated for a moment, "are you nervous about what comes next?" "No," she responded right away. "Are you, Sam?" He rearranged his hands at her waist and turned her to face him, his stormy blue-gray eyes studied Cassie's luminous cinnamon-colored ones. "No, not really nervous. But it has been a long time –for both of us, Cassie, and I just want everything to be perfect for you." "Sam, you are perfect for me. I love every minute we spend together. How about we just take things a moment at a time, and then see what happens next?"
"You know, I think your let-things-happen-as-they-happen-attitude is starting to rub off on me Cassie. I really do want to go slowly and enjoy each other. But for right now, can I just touch you, my dearest Cassie?," Sam asked, his voice low. "Yes, I would really like that, Sam," she whispered as his hands edged down her arms and back up, softly exploring her, finally settling on her abdomen.
Sam nuzzled the right side of her neck, letting his lips part, nipping and tasting with teeth and tongue, his splayed hands wandering from Cassie's abdomen and coming to rest on the sides of her hips. Emotion and desire shivered down Cassie's length, and her own hands came to rest upon Sam's as she closed her eyes. Sam shifted his mouth to the other side of Cassie's neck, teasing and sipping, as his right hand escaped hers and gently dragged upward to the underside of her breast. With light pressure there, Sam pulled her even closer to himself. "Oh Cassie, I have wanted, needed, to touch you like this for so long," Sam spoke softly against her black hair, inhaling the fragrance there.
"Cassie, do you remember the first time I said 'I love you'?" Sam asked after a couple of minutes. "I will always remember that, Sam. It was quite a night," Cassie recalled as her eyes fluttered open. "When I said 'I love you too,' Sam I could feel you everywhere. Just like right now. Before that night, I already knew I loved you, but something changed in that moment. I felt a...spark, something that really surprised me because I hadn't felt it in a really long time."
Sam tossed his head back and laughed, "You? Surprised?" Sam tightened his hold on her, bringing her yet closer, marveling at her confession. It was usually the other way around –Cassie stirred emotions in him in a way he had never imagined, and in a way that only she could. Plus, it was really hard to surprise Cassie. Letting go of her ever so slightly, his hands guided her to face him. Before taking her lips with his own, he chuckled again and said, "Well then it's a good thing you like surprises." Sam drew his face back from Cassie's, "But what I was going to say was that when we kissed that night, all I wanted was to carry you upstairs to this very room and make love with you on that bed." A muscled worked in Sam's jaw as his stormy eyes burned into hers. Cassie glanced shyly at the floor and boldly brought her gaze back to his, "And I probably would have let you do just that, Sam." Sam arms contracted around her, "Well, there's no time like the present," he breathed before he dipped his face and took her lips with his own.
A few minutes later, a bit weak in the knees and breathless, Sam and Cassie broke apart. His hands trailed along her neck and arms once more. He felt like he couldn't touch her enough, like if he stopped touching her she might disappear. Bringing her hand to his lips, "But if I don't slow myself down a little bit, I won't be able to stop, my dearest Cassie," Sam admitted. "Come over here and just sit with me for a while?" Sam asked as he refilled their champagne glasses. "I'd like that very much, Sam."
Both settled onto the sofa. Sam held his glass with his right hand and wrapped the other arm around Cassie's shoulders as she cupped her own glass with two hands, tucked her legs to her side and allowed herself to soften into him. She could still feel his fingertips as living embers along her arms, on her neck, and his mouth lingering on her lips. Cassie closed her eyes and inhaled Sam—sandalwood, vetiver, and bergamot. If she didn't know better, she'd think he'd been shopping for soap at Bell, Book and Candle...
Cassie sipped her champagne with a smile and asked, "Hmmm, what is that aftershave you're using Sam?" Cocking his head to the side, Sam answered, "Well, actually it's not aftershave. It's a soap from your shop, one that Tara recommended to me. She seemed to think that you'd like it. It's made with coconut oil, almond butter, and some essential oils. Want a bite?" he teased. Sam could feel a tremor of laughter course through Cassie. "Yeah, I should have known," he said, not bothering to hide his own amusement. "Well I had a feeling it would suit you…and me," admitted Cassie as she turned her body to look at her husband –sandy hair, flecked with a little bit of gray, dark blue-gray eyes, sculpted jawline, and wide pleased grin.
Sam and Cassie were content on the sofa for quite a while, just listening to and watching the crackling fire that George had started for them earlier. No more going slow. I want him, and I need him. The words coursed through Cassie's mind, and the current in the room altered again. Cassie stood up, handed him her champagne glass, "I'm going to go and freshen up just a little, maybe slip into something more comfortable. Would you mind unfastening my dress for me, Sam?" Sam stood up and carried their glasses to the desk. "That, too, would be my pleasure," Sam replied as he moved to see to the stays of her dress. Cassie turned to him, slipped her arms around his waist and let her hands fall boldly to Sam's backside, "Are you still sure about that?" She pressed a kiss to his lips, tugged him to herself, "After all, the pleasure of dancing wasn't all yours." Cassie noticed Sam's eyes widen and spark with surprise and desire and felt his body respond to her touch. With a wink and a small laugh, she let her hands fall away from him, "Now don't go anywhere, I'll be right back." "My wonderful Cassie, I wouldn't even dream of going anywhere else.
Once inside the bathroom, Cassie marshaled her thoughts and her own desire as she slipped out of her wedding dress and placed it on its hanger. She hurried into a silk nightgown and checked her appearance in the mirror. Cassie made her way back to the bedroom and watched his back as Sam removed his cuff links and tie. He certainly does make a handsome groom…
Sam had watched her walk away and then went back to the desk and finished his champagne. After removing his cuff links and bow tie, Sam started to unbutton his shirt. A breath of Cassie's perfume suffused the air around him, and he hesitated, feeling her right behind him. "Here, let me help you with that, Sam." He turned to see her, ankle-length cream-colored silk flowing down her body, with her black hair spilling down, framing her face, and her cinnamon eyes looking at him with love and desire, and a little bit of something else too...Mischief. Sam recognized it for exactly what it was.
Cassie acknowledged the grin that tugged at Sam's mouth with one raised eyebrow and a quirk of her own lips. "I have an idea, Sam. Why don't we turn this into a little game? How about you keep your hands to yourself until I tell you you don't have to anymore?" The smile melted from Sam's face as his eyes traveled from Cassie's face to the spaghetti straps of her nightgown and bare shoulders, then lower to the full shadows of her breasts, and then even lower, taking in the way the fabric clung to her hips and fell to her bare alabaster feet. "Cassie I will do anything and everything for you," Sam found his voice, finishing his visual survey and fastening his eyes on hers.
Cassie leaned forward and caught notes of his soap again, "Mmmm, you do smell nice, Sam." Her eyes never left his as she worked the buttons of his shirt. Upon reaching the last visible button, Cassie tilted her head slightly and smiled. Slowly, deliberately, she unbuckled his belt and pulled it free of the loops. Sam's eyes sparked and smoldered as Cassie's twinkled brightly. She let the belt fall to the floor and reached for the stays of his pants. She heard and felt his intake of breath when her fingers brushed against him through the fabric. "Cassie….." Sam breathed and reached for her. "Uh, uh, uh," she teased, "Hands to yourself, if you please." She tugged the front of Sam's shirt free from the waistband of his pants. Placing her hands on his hips, Cassie slipped her fingers between Sam's skin and the starched white of his shirt. "Cassie," Sam repeated, "This isn't really fair –I didn't get to undress you." She raised one finger to her lips, then dropped her hand and continued to drag both hands backward until she had all of Sam's shirt free from his pants. Cassie's hands dipped under the waistband of Sam's trousers, roaming over his muscled backside, pulling his hips toward her own, "Well, that is true. But Sam, I know you're enjoying this." Sam was almost painfully conscious of the layers of fabric between supple curves and velvet firmness. "That is true, but not nearly as much as you are. But you know, my dearest Cassie, you didn't say anything about not touching you with my mouth," Sam growled before taking her lips with his own.
It was all that Sam could do to keep his arms at his sides. As he tasted her lips, their bodies touched through one layer of poplin and one of silk. Desire roiled through Sam in waves. How long can I stand this? How long can I keep from touching her, from making her mine? Cassie pulled her lips from his and whispered, "Soon, Sam. You can touch me soon." How does she do that? Making quick work of the last few buttons of Sam's shirt, Cassie pushed the fabric off his shoulders. The crisp cloth gathered at his wrists where those buttons still held fast.
With Sam's arms and hands still constrained by his shirt, Cassie pressed kisses to his muscular chest, using teeth and tongue to nip and taste. She splayed both hands on Sam's shoulders, let them travel up his neck, down to his collarbones, further to his abdomen. At Sam's groan of impatience, Cassie gave a small laugh, finally unfastened the buttons at his wrists and let the shirt fall to the floor. "Cassie, you are stunning. Come here," Sam breathed against her mouth while bringing his arms up to her.
"Nope, not yet," Cassie side-stepped away. She hooked two fingers over the front waistband of Sam's undone trousers and led him to the Queen Anne sofa. "Have a seat, Sam, and then you can touch me too." Sam sank down onto the raised fabric of the sofa's cushion, his dark blue-gray eyes roaming over his wife's lovely curves shadowed behind the silk of her nightgown.
Seeing him with his shirt removed, pants unfastened, looking at her, Cassie caught herself for a moment. So masculine, yet a little bit vulnerable with such naked emotions in his eyes—Cassie understood that this man loved her beyond any measure he'd ever considered, and she felt exactly the same way about him. You get to that point where the whole thing changes, almost in an instant. Then it's all suddenly different, except you realize that it's exactly the way it's supposed to be. The words whispered through Cassie's mind again, and she saw them mirrored in Sam's blazing eyes.
Though he now had permission to touch this beautiful creature before him, Sam hesitated. He wanted to drink in the look of her—her fierce, lovely eyes, exquisite, full lips, silk clinging to her chest and slim waist, long, graceful arms and warm hands, hints of long legs through silk. Sam wanted to savor this woman who had gifted him with herself –body and heart. Brimming with his own full, simple love and stark desire, Sam read her expression and echoed it, "Cassie, you are my soul mate. You are my everything. And I love you more than anyone or anything," said Sam as he finally reached for her.
"Sam you are perfect for me, for now, for always, I'm yours. I love you." Rather than taking Sam's hands, Cassie pulled the hem of her gown up and went forward. Sam jolted when his stunning wife settled herself astride him. Well, maybe I do like some surprises after all. Laughter rippled through Cassie, "So you like this surprise?" Sam feigned exasperation, "Are you ever going to tell me how you do that, how you always know when I come into the room, how you read my mind?" Cassie crossed her arms behind Sam's head and leaned forward to relax against his warm chest, "Hmmm, do I do that?" "You know you do," groaned Sam as his lips and arms claimed and engulfed her.
Cassie felt Sam's hands and lips everywhere –satin caresses through more silk. When Sam's hands traveled up her legs and thighs, the cloth of her gown dragged up with them. His hands discovered her bare thighs and buttocks –desire hastened through both of them and the room suddenly felt ten degrees warmer. Sam pulled back from her slightly, "Raise your arms for me, my dearest Cassie," he whispered. Locking her gaze on Sam's turbulent eyes, Cassie did as she was told.
Tugging the silk gown up and over her head and arms, Sam discarded it to the end of the sofa. Cassie lowered her arms and watched Sam as he looked at her. "See, you got to undress me after all," Cassie toyed while watching his handsome face as he gazed at her bare curves. With her own, Cassie felt his body respond. "That's true. I did technically get to undress you just now, but I didn't get to torment you the same way. Not that I'm really complaining, mind you," He brought his hands up to touch her and pressed sweet kisses to her chest and trailed more of them up her neck.
Sam's hands left rivulets of heat everywhere. They feathered over Cassie's thighs, hips, belly and chest. Cassie arched backward in an effort to bring herself even closer to him. Her movement was Sam's undoing. "You are setting me on fire, my dearest Cassie, and I can't wait any longer," he breathed against her. Holding her to himself, Sam stood up from the sofa. Cassie brought her legs up and locked them around his waist, "Then I guess it's time for you to carry me to that bed and make love with me."
Sam required no further encouragement. He passed the distance between the sofa and bed, used one hand to pull back the duvet and top sheet, and lay Cassie down on the cool expanse. He quickly rid himself of the rest of his clothing and covered her with his body. "Cassie, am I hurting you at all?" "No, you feel wonderful, Sam," she spoke softly as she reached for him. Cassie's cinnamon-brown eyes met his slate gaze as their bodies finally came together.
Afterward, Sam moved to Cassie's side and gathered her to him. They lay replete in each other's arms for a long time. Finally, Cassie spoke, "Oh Sam. If it's going to be like that every time we make love...I mean, I think we were both more than ready, but that was…" "Perfect," Sam finished for her and kissed her temple. As if she'd been doing so every night for all of their lives, Cassie snuggled into Sam's side, hooked a leg over one of his, and was asleep almost instantly. Sam lay awake. This feels like the most natural thing in the world. As soon as Cassie's body had fully relaxed, the tension drained from Sam's too. "Perfect," he whispered again to the soft light from the fireplace. Feeling as much as hearing Cassie's soft sounds of sleep, Sam let his mind wander through some of his memories of their day and night.
Cassie had been absolutely breathtaking in her wedding dress –he had no idea how she'd managed to find it, Elizabeth Merriwick's own wedding dress –ivory lace layered over off-white Georgette fabric, flowing to the floor; an empire waist with a fitted bodice, tooled with golden thread and seeded pearls, capped sleeves and the initials 'EM' sewn into the back collar. (Of course, he only knew all of those details since Abigail had thought it necessary to educate him.) He just knew that he'd never seen Cassie look more lovely. He had watched her walk down the aisle toward him, with Brandon on one arm and George on the other. She was radiant with some other-worldly light, making magic in his world, in his life. All else had faded from Sam's view as they exchanged their vows, said 'I do," and bound themselves together. In that moment Sam knew that he would never let her go. The rest of the evening, celebrating with their family and friends, had been enchanting. They hadn't left each other's side all night, constantly sharing touches, kisses, and looks of love and happiness. Sam again thought how he'd never seen Cassie look more stunning.
But now, as he entertained that notion a little longer, he chuckled softly. Well, okay, maybe there was that one other time that came a little bit later in the day...Thinking of Cassie astride his lap, naked in his arms, heated from head to toe with her liquid brown eyes blazing and her black hair framing her face, falling all around her shoulders and his face, warmth stirred in Sam. So beautiful! And how pleasantly surprised he had been by her boldness. Of course, he already knew how much they loved each other in every way, but it was marvelous to finally touch and be touched. Sam was delighted and once again amazed by Cassie. She was usually so reserved and patient –he hadn't quite expected the depth of her physical passion for him, or her eagerness to show it.
Lost in his thoughts, Sam gazed into the near-darkness of the room. She truly is perfect. Sam smiled when he realized he felt her eyes on him...Mmm, and not just her eyes, he thought as her hand traveled below his belly."And just how long have you been awake, my dearest Cassie?" "Long enough to watch you thinking about our day.," she confessed as her hand continued its path. "Tell me, Sam, how far did you get in your thoughts?" she wondered aloud with merriment, "To the part where we were together on the sofa?" How does she do that?
Sam started to laugh, but his droll reply caught in his throat as Cassie eased herself on top of him. Sam was speechless and could only wait to see and feel what she would do. "This is what I had in mind earlier when we were on the sofa, but you got a little bit, mmmm, impatient, didn't you, Dr. Radford?" Sam finally found his voice, "Well, you know, I just assessed the situation, and then took decisive action, that's all. It's what any good doctor would do." Sam could feel laughter quaking through her body, around his own body. "Well, you certainly are a good doctor. Have any good medical advice for me now?" Cassie teased. "Well, there is one procedure I would recommend. It is invasive, but I assure you, the side effects are quite pleasant. Give me a kiss, and I'll describe it to you, Cassie. Cassie did as she was told, and neither spoke again.
After a time, Cassie slept again, and so did Sam.
Several hours later, Cassie awoke to morning light streaming into the room, and to find Sam gone from the bed. With a smile she threw back the covers and moved to stand up. Conscious of a pleasant ache in her hips and thighs, Cassie padded to the bathroom, thinking that a warm shower sounded nice. She paused in the doorway and leaned against the jamb. Sam stood at the double vanity with a towel around his waist, rinsing away the remnants of soap from his shave. As he patted his face dry, Sam caught sight of Cassie in the mirror and was brought up short.
"Hi, Handsome," she smiled and crossed the space between them. "Looks like you already have the shower warmed up for me. How sweet." "Good morning to you too, my dearest Cassie. You look amazing," Sam observed, turning to face her. Cassie laughed, soft and low. "Really? I mean, I'm naked and my hair is a mess." "Exactly," Sam said with frank appraisal.
"Cassie, do you remember that time we all went to the lake house? When you walked into the bathroom that morning while I was shaving?" "Yes, I do remember that, Sam. Why?" "Well because I had never seen you look more beautiful than at that moment. And what I really wanted to do right then was this," Sam spoke against her mouth as he enfolded her in his arms and turned them so her back was against the vanity.
"So why didn't you hug and kiss me then, Sam?" Cassie asked breathless. "Because I really wanted to do this too," Sam admitted as he lifted her onto the vanity and settled his body between her knees. "And then I wouldn't have wanted to stop. Just like I don't want to stop right now." "Yeah, I guess that could have gotten pretty awkward with the kids around, huh? I mean, what if you didn't have any clothes on?" Cassie teased. Sam started defending himself, "Hey, I had shorts and a shirt on that morning, not a..."
Sam's voice trailed off as Cassie's fingers tugged at where the towel was tucked at his waist. She laughed into his chest, "Sam I do remember what you were wearing at the time. Significantly more than what you're wearing right now." Her gaze dropped, as his towel fell to the floor, and then raked back up the length of his body. "You know, Sam, that shower over there looks really inviting, and it's big enough for two. Care to join me in there?" Sam glanced at the shower with multiple rain-shower heads, "Yep it's definitely big enough for two..." He gathered Cassie into his arms and stepped over the towel. Once inside, Sam set her feet down and turned on the water, which felt warm right away.
After that, it wasn't just the water that warmed Sam and Cassie. His lips found hers as his fingers traced a path on her body. Finding her ready, Sam lifted her hips and pressed her back against the tiled wall. The porcelain cooled her back, but Cassie barely noticed because nothing else felt cold at all. The water cascaded all around them as desire simmered in them and then boiled over.
"My lord, Cassie, I love you with every part of me." "Mmmm, I can tell Sam, and I love you too," she breathed against his neck. "Cassie," Sam hesitated a little, "I have been day-dreaming about being with you like this for months. And now that I get to, I have to say that I can't get enough of you –your beautiful body, your eagerness, your magic. How do you it? How do you touch me in all of these ways, all at the same time?"
Cassie sighed, still pressed against the wall by Sam's weight, "I don't know what I'm doing to you, Sam. I just know that I love you, and knowing that you love me too makes it really easy for me to just do and say anything and everything that comes to mind. I don't mind confessing that I am enjoying making love with you even more than I thought I would. I guess you inspire me, Sam," Cassie smiled and exhaled, her lips brushing the skin at his jawline.
It was several minutes later before Sam eased away from her and let Cassie's feet touch the floor. It was then that Sam tossed his head back and snorted with amusement. She narrowed her cinnamon eyes at him, "What on earth is so funny, Sam?" "Well my dearest Cassie, I just remembered that before you came into the bathroom, I'd already showered," he managed to say through his mirth. She added her own chuckle, "Well, then I guess I inspire you too, huh?"
Once they had both finished washing and stepped out of the shower, Sam wrapped his towel around himself again and leaned against the shower door. "I can't stop looking at you, Cassie. Every part of you enchants me," he said as he watched her towel her body and hair. "Well I'm hungry and I need tea," she informed him, "So you'll have to be enchanted by the look of me going downstairs. Want to come with me?" Sam worked quickly to dry himself, "Since I'm starving too, I'd follow you anywhere, Cassie Nightingale."
Fifteen minutes later, both of them presentable in jeans and sweaters, Cassie and Sam went downstairs in bare feet. There was no sign of Nick or Grace, but Abigail was in the kitchen, taking something out of the oven. "Good morning to the happy couple," she beamed from ear to ear as she scrutinized the two of them. "There's tea ready, and I made blueberry muffins, since I thought you'd be hungry. I'm sure you both worked up quite an appetite last night," she ribbed with a sly simper. Sam grinned knowingly back at Abigail and took a seat at the table. Cassie replied with an impish smile of her own, "Yes, Abigail, we really did work up an appetite last night and this morning" Abigail's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide, as Cassie continued, "Thank you for the muffins. Oh, and Sam, it looks like Abigail made coffee. Let me pour some for you."
Sam grinned at Abigail's expression and gratefully accepted the steaming cup from his wife, as she sat down next to him. Abigail finally closed her mouth and found her voice, "Oh my, Cassie, you're a surprise! I thought I'd get a rise out of Sam. But instead...you? Who knew?" Sam threw his head back and laughed, "Abigail, I'm a doctor. It will take far more than your references to mine and Cassie's time together to get a reaction out of me." Abigail turned a gimlet eye toward Sam and her gaze narrowed.
"Good morning, Nick and Grace," chimed Cassie just before they walked into the kitchen. Upon seeing their two kids, Sam blushed to the roots of his sandy hair, while Abigail crowed, "Ah yes, there we go! This is perfect! That's what I wanted to see!" Grace had the good sense to keep her mouth shut, grab a muffin, and have a seat at the end of the table opposite of Sam and Cassie. "Wait, what just happened," Nick queried, looking confused, stuffing a muffin into his mouth. "Oh, nothing, just Abigail-ness," Sam quickly volunteered before burying his face in his coffee mug. Cassie chuckled and shook her head in the direction of Abigail's satisfied smirk. Under the table, her hand found her husband's. Their fingers twined together, and Cassie gave Sam a reassuring squeeze.