Chapter Two

Clinking his beer bottle against hers, Jack injected warmly.

"Cheers."

Smiling contently, Sam relaxed against the back cushion of the sofa they were currently occupying. Watching her close her eyes as she laid her head against the back cushion, Jack smiled to himself. Happy to see her so relaxed and intended to saver the moment as Carter relaxing was a rarity in and of itself, let alone around him.

Feeling his eyes on her, Sam opened hers to find him smiling down at her in a way she'd never seen before. The familiar warmth she could see in his gaze was accompanied by an all too constant notion she had been afraid to register until now.

Just as she was about to speak, a sharp pain cut off her sentence as she winced in agony.

"Ow. God, that hurts."

Seeing her reach for her neck, Jack replaced her hand with his and gently applied a massaging pressure to the injury. Closing her eyes tightly at the initial contact which caused her to release a pained gasp, due to the pressure, Sam almost immediately began to relax to his touch, which in turn caused her to release a contented sigh.

Turning her head to allow him better access, Sam hissed as the movement inadvertently more pain to shoot through her neck. Flexing his fingers to reach the now other injured part of her neck, Jack's eyes snapped up from concentrating on her neck to her face when he heard a soft moan from her throat. Noting the small smile that spread across her face, Jack was relieve to discover it was not a moan of pain but pleasure.

Quite happy to have him continue his ministrations, Sam almost whined at the loss when he slowly drew his hand away. Opening her eyes, Sam found him staring longingly at her as if he too didn't want halt the massage either. But at his sad smile she returned in kind, she realised they probably shouldn't continue this as it is more than likely they would be interrupted by some catastrophe at the opportune moment.

"Well.................I guess I should let you get some rest. You've had a pretty hard day."

Smiling warmly at his thoughtfulness, Sam stood with him as he picked up his dress jacket and tie he'd rid himself of earlier that evening.

Shrugging his jacket back on hanging his tie loosely round his neck, Jack glanced up to find an amused smirk on his former 2IC's face.

"What?"

"I just it hard to believe you picked a profession with such regulated dress code, and you still complain about having to wear it."

"Yes, well......................can't have everything."

Shaking her head with a smile at his double meaning, Sam took a deep, calming breath before saying.

"Goodnight, sir."

Noticing the laughter in her eyes, Jack raised a single eye brow in an uncanny Teal'c-like fashion as he opened his arms in a silent gesture before uttering.

"C'mere."

Not needing to be asked twice, Sam stepped into his embrace gladly, fisting her hands in his jacket as her arms came up to his shoulders. Cradling her head with one hand and holding her to him with the other at her waist, Jack dipped his head the side of her neck and breathed in her scent.

Feeling his head dip, Sam moved one of her hands to the nape of his neck and closed her eyes as she said in a whisper.

"God I missed you, sir."

Tightening his hold on her slightly at her words, Jack retorted softly.

"Me too, Carter. Me too." Before turning his head just a fraction so that his lips came into contact with her skin.

Holding him closer as a shudder passed through her at the feeling of his lips on her skin, Sam ran her fingers lightly up into the silver hair as he started to move slowly up her neck, kissing each patch of skin he could reach.

When he found her sweet spot just below her ear, she gripped him fiercely as she said breathlessly near his ear.

"Sir....................."

Summoning all of his self control, Jack pulled back, taking a deep breath before saying.

"Carter, I – "

- "Sam, it's Rodney, come in."

Closing her eyes in frustration, Sam leaned her forehead against the General's as she struggled to control herself.

"Damn it."

Smiling in agreement, Jack retorted gently.

"You should probably get that."

Sighing as she pulled away from him, Sam nodded mutely as she touched the mike to answer with just a hint of annoyance.

"Rodney, this better be good."

"We've kinda got a situation down here and I'm........fairly certain we could handle it ourselves but........Zelenka says he would feel much better if you were here."

"Alright, Rodney. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Looking back up at the General, Sam couldn't help but smile at their situation.

Smiling in kind, Jack commented.

"Someone must really have it in for us up there."

Chuckling at his train of thought, Sam retorted.

"Yes sir." after a pause, she added. "Well I better get down there."

Jack nodded in agreement as Sam turned back around and walked reluctantly out of her quarters.

TBC........