Chapter 2

It was nearing 8 o'clock and Connie was sitting in her room wishing she could curl up in bed and go to sleep. Instead she was standing in front of her mirror looking down at the tight black dress she had on. Her hair was in curls around her shoulders and her make-up was simple. Picking up her phone and keys she headed downstairs to get her coat on and leave for the evening.

Already in the bar Rita was sitting with Zoe and Dixie as Iain had agreed to look after Phoebe for the evening. Sam was at the bar with Cal, Lofty and Max ordering drinks to celebrate his job offer. "Congratulations, who'd have thought you'd actually be this close to being a consultant?" Sam sarcastically threw a smile in Cal's direction before they all had a drink.

Connie walked through the cold night pulling her blue coat tighter around her slim figure. She pushed the door open to the pub and stepped inside wandering towards the women gathered around the table. "I was just about to call you, I thought you'd bailed on us." Connie smiled taking her coat off and putting it over a chair. "Do you guys want a drink?"

She went to the bar not noticing Sam already there. "Can I get a glass of white wine please." Sam looked sideways and noticed her standing there. He seemed to notice every little detail about her now, ever since they called things off it was like he realised new things about her every time he looked. "Hey." She looked up before looking back to the barman "Hi, I thought you said Emily was coming out tonight?" He shook his head "Doesn't enjoy it, but wanted me to still go."

Connie left the bar after the short conversation with him, if you can call it that. Sitting down she began talking to the other woman who were all gossiping about a male patient that had been in earlier on that day. As Connie tried focusing on what they were saying, she couldn't help but feel a pair of eyes burning into her. She knew he was watching her and had been most the night. "I'm just going to get some fresh air, I'll be back in a bit." She grabbed her coat and walked around the bar towards the door.

Standing outside she took a breath and looked off into the distance. Why didn't she just stay at home and forget the world even existed. She heard someone come outside but didn't think anything of it, after all the bar was pretty busy tonight. "Connie…" Turning round she saw Sam walking towards her. She didn't answer just watched as he stopped leaning against the wall next to her. "Connie I-" "Please, don't say it." She had known that something like this would happen, and she had been desperately trying to avoid it.

Instead of walking away Sam pushed off the wall and stood in front of her. He had planned to say something but instead he stood their almost frozen to the spot looking down at her. Connie knew she should have walked away or at least pulled her eyes away from his. Sam carefully leant forward and put his lips on hers remembering how good it felt. Connie didn't know how to react, she didn't want this but she didn't move away either.

As he stopped kissing her she looked up at him. "I've got to go, this can't happen." Connie walked past him as he loosely held onto her wrist. "Con, please-" "We can't do this, ever." She moved her hand walking away towards the taxi which had just stopped and climbed in heading home. Once she was inside she realised how bad everything was becoming again. She thought they were past all this, it had been almost 8 years since they'd ever had anything and she thought they were finally getting to the point where they could call each other 'friends'.

She lay in bed consumed by her thoughts. She'd been there for almost two hours and couldn't feel herself falling asleep any time soon. All she could think about was him. Connie sat up in bed when she heard someone knocking on the front door. Checking the time she realised it was almost midnight and wandered who would be out at this time visiting people. Picking up the small dressing gown from the chair she threw it on and held it together at the front making her way downstairs.

Opening the door she found Sam standing there. Almost instantly she went to close the door again but he put his hand against it hardly touching it. She stopped and let him speak. "If you want me to go, just say…" As she stood there her head was screaming for her to tell him to leave. To go back home, to go back to Emily. Instead when she didn't say anything Sam stepped closer until he was in the doorway.

Who initiated what happened next neither of them knew but soon enough the door was closed and Sam's lips were pushed firmly against hers. He snaked his hand around her bare waist pulling her into him as he deepened the kiss. He had his other hand at the back of her head holding her where she was. Connie had hold of his jacket as she kissed him back.

Sam took his arms out of his coat as Connie went for the buttons on his shirt. Dropping his jacket to the floor he moved his hands to her thighs lifting her up. Connie wrapped her legs around his waist as he walked further into the house, still kissing her. They made it to the hallway before Connie broke away from his lips. He trailed his down her neck as she had a hand resting on the back of his head. "Sam-" he kissed her again stopping her from speaking. "Don't…" That was all it took and she moved her lips back onto his.

He carried her the rest of the way upstairs, pushing her bedroom door open. He knew the way like the back of his hand so it didn't take much effort. Connie took off his shirt before he laid her back on the bed and leant down over her. His lips on hers felt so good, and she had missed how it felt when he ran his hands across her body.

As soon as Connie's head hit the pillow next to him she hated herself. She gritted her teeth as she thought about what they'd just done, what this was going to do to them. Sam had an arm around her, gently moving his hand across her back. She pulled away and moved further from him. "What's wrong?" Connie had a hand to her mouth feeling physically sick as she let it sink in. "What have we done?" Nobody spoke for a while until she sat up and wrapped her dressing gown around her once more.

Connie went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror at her reflection. She hated the person staring back at her and couldn't believe she could have been so stupid. Splashing cold water over her face she picked up the towel and wiped it before going back into the bedroom where Sam was now rubbing his forehead with his hand. "Connie-" "This can never happen again Sam." He looked at her knowing what they'd done was wrong. "I know… I know, but it's happened can we just pretend like it's fine, for tonight."

She carefully crawled back into the bed next to him, resting her head on his chest as she felt his arm tighten around her once more. She closed her eyes concentrating on her breathing. She found herself watching the rise and fall of his chest while feeling his fingers lightly move across her back. She rested a hand on his toned chest turning further onto her side into him. A tear fell down her cheek as she thought about everything she'd given up and this messed up situation they were in, this was her life now…