By the end of Mickey's tutorial Sami had forgotten much of what had happened in the morning, but the tap on her shoulder brought her face to face again with EJ, and everything Jamie had said about him came flooding back. This time though she gave no inkling of her thoughts, but smiled when she saw his face.

He smiled in return, and said, "Hello again. I have returned your notes as promised, darling."

Quirking an eyebrow at the endearment, she chose not to "Thanks. You didn't need to rush with them, though."

"I made a promise so…" he kept pace with her as she walked out of the classroom, sending a brief wave to Mickey. "Where are you off to?"

"Going to relax. My brain feels like it is going to explode from overload."

"Under a tree?" He teased, because of where he had found her that morning.

"Yeah, actually," she chuckled, goodheartedly.

"Do you spend a lot of time under trees?"

"Enough for people to think I am a tree-hugger."

"Maybe I'll join you some time," he invited himself along, "but not today. I think I've disturbed your… peace enough."

Rolling her eyhes at the suggestive tone in his voice she shot back, "What makes you think you have any effect whatsoever on my… peace?"

He laughed a deep-throated laugh before biting his lip in mischief, "Is that what the kids are calling it these days?"

Stepping in a little closer conspiratorially she whispered, "I wouldn't know."

He chuckled again before saying, "I'll see you later, Samantha."

It sounded far more like a promise than a simple farewell.

"Bye, EJ."

Sami turned away realizing that she had enjoyed that conversation more than any she had in a while.. Deciding not to dwell on it too much, she moved off because the peace and serenity of the Biology Gardens was calling her name.


EJ Dimera enjoyed women, and if 'enjoyed' also happened to include biblically, well he did that too, but there were few he found intriguing. That number had suddenly been racked up to a total of one. Samantha Brady was captivating. Maybe it had been the stormy depths of her eyes, hinting at far more than he knew she showed, maybe it was that he enjoyed talking to her or maybe it was a combination, not negating her beauty in that entire package. So he found himself watching her.

After their encounter after Professor Horton's class, he saw her as she indicated under a tree not far from the café, two girls he met quite by chance had been more than willing to show him. They also wanted to show him a lot more but for the first time in years he refused and it had a lot to do with the woman sitting her back against the tree slippers thrown off, her bare feet feeling the grass. He hadn't been feeding her a line earlier when he spoke of joining her. He could see the appeal of spending those few minutes alone in quiet solitude, appreciating the simple things. It would be heaven to forget school, forget his life with its headaches and just breathe because there were no immediate problems or issues. It would be refreshing, so that he could tackle the world again, and the company, well, the company would be interesting.

Meeting her had been different, to say the least, and it intrigued him. He wanted to know her, had to know her, with an intensity that was foreign. EJ thought that maybe he ought to send Horton a gift because he couldn't thank the professor enough for sending him to the most enthralling woman he had ever met. She was alluring - with womanly curves and rounded features, ivory skin that seemed to blaze in the sunlight. EJ immediately tamped down on the rising desire he could feel filling his veins. He would leave her alone for now, for today, but he wasn't sure how long that would last.