His reply was simple but just, "Well you see that's what i thought at first but that's not it, because you see, i want to be the one who takes you to the opera, I want to be the one who looks out for you, keeps you safe".
She knew she couldn't turn, if she did he'd see it in her eyes, see that she was his since the very first day he sauntered off that helicopter and asked her out for a drink she was his, she always had been. But she'd been through this before with Dylan she couldn't let her heart be broken again she needed to protect herself.
Her answer came out more angrily than she'd expected it to, a single word, "Why". Mentally she cursed herself but stayed silent waiting for him.
Did she not get it? He loved her the daft sod, he was in love with tomboy Sam who he knew could throw him to the ground in 10 different ways, who handled a gun with expert attire who protected her heart like it was made of gold. But he knew there was a different side to her, he'd seen her with her younger patients and though her soft nurturing side was embarrassing to her, he thought it was as beautiful as her fierce side was sexy. No strings attached? She had him wound round her little finger she just didn't know it.
"Because I don't want no strings, not anymore. I actually want lots of strings, all of them attached to you".
As her stomach plunged she realized he did want her and he did want a relationship, did she have him wrong, had he changed? But once again her niggling doubts returned, could anyone ever change? She knew for a fact Dylan never did and with memories of Dylan and everything he'd put her through she knew what she had to do.
"Why now, because someone else wants me?" Her reply was cold and he realized she still couldn't admit he loved her.
His eyes were pleading with her begging her to let him love her but all he could get out was "Sam I would not do that".
She could only manage a half smile as she mustered all the strength it took to leave him, turned on her heel and left.
I've lost her.
I've left him.
I love her.
He'll never know I love him.
She marched away furious with herself for leaving him, furious with Tom for messing with her head, with her emotions.
And that's when she felt the hand on her arm, he hadn't let her go, as soon as she had left the room he'd followed her, he could never let her leave.
She felt him grab her and she turned towards him ready to pull back but he was leaning towards her and she felt herself leaning towards him, she felt herself parting her lips and then they were kissing and it felt like their first kiss again but better and she was spinning and twirling and -
She broke away, "Tom this isn't gonna -"
And he had kissed her again, this time she drew him closer and he felt her cool hands on his chest and as their kiss grew more passionate they were lost in their own world.
Brought back only by the sound of clapping and Noel cheering, they turned only just then remembering they were in the middle of the ED, the look on Tess' face made it almost worth the embarrassment. She buried her head into his chest and he smiled back at their amused colleagues and spun her under his arm and they left together, into the cold air - happy.