The gala is a big success. The hotel ballroom is filled with flowers and twinkling little lights and all the hard-core cops are caught up in the fairy-tale atmosphere. The band is great – they play everything from big band to the latest Grammy winners (well, except for the rap and hip hop categories – too hard to dance to).
"This is nice," Andy sighs as they dance cheek to cheek. "I like the big-band numbers the best because they are great for slow dancing. I could do this forever."
"Yeah, it is nice," Sam agrees, pulling her even closer, enjoying the feel of her in his arms. He lets one hand drift down her back, over her hip, until it suddenly stops. He moves his hand cautiously, trying to be discreet, feeling around for the top edge of the panties that should be there. They aren't. He moves the hand farther around to where a thong might be, but that's not there either. Sam is hit by a sudden realization. "McNally, where's your underwear?"
"Underwear? Oh no," she gasps theatrically. "I must have forgotten!" She tries, not very successfully, to look horrified. She gives a little shimmy in his arms and his hands grip her reflexively, all that smooth muscle under the dress. "Sam, we should go home right away so I can get some."
"I don't think so," says Sam. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that this was her plan all along. "We should probably get off the dance floor though. Come here." He pulls her towards one of the doors. In the brightly-lit corridor outside the ballroom he turns his head from side to side, and Andy knows he's looking for somewhere a little more private. The main coat check is right across from the ballroom doors, but down at the end of the corridor it looks like there might be another one. Sam heads in that direction, pulling her along with him until she tells him to slow down.
"These heels aren't made for running," she complains, and without breaking stride Sam swoops her up over his shoulder and continues towards the semi-darkness of the cloakroom. Once inside he puts her down carefully, looks her over quickly, gives her what basically amounts to a pat-down, then shakes his head.
"I can't believe you're practically naked under that dress," he mutters. "I get that you couldn't wear a bra, but I didn't think that even you would do this!"
"I'm sorry, are you offended?" Andy asks, head tilted to one side.
"What do you think?" he growls, and suddenly he's gathering the skirt up her legs until he can get one hand underneath, feeling for himself. He cups her left cheek and gives a squeeze that almost but not quite hurts, then slides around to her front. Suddenly his fingers are working their way inside her, and Sam grins as he hears Andy gasp, then moan a little, those sounds that make him crazy.
"When you said I'd want to see what's under the dress, I didn't know it would be just you," he murmurs in her ear.
"Disappointed, Detective?"
"What do you think?" he asks for the second time, and his fingers move and twist and Andy gasps again.
"Maybe not too disappointed," she manages to get out, and Sam leans back a little so he can look at her face, all pink and flustered-looking.
"Not disappointed at all, Mrs. Swarek," Sam says, and makes his point by suddenly grabbing her and lifting her up so her legs wrap around him reflexively. It only takes seconds and he's got his zipper down, and seconds after that he's inside her.
"God, Andy, you're so ready for me," he groans, "So wet. You feel amazing."
"I've probably been ready since I got dressed at home," she confesses shyly, and he has to kiss her. He's constantly surprised by how much she excites him, even after all the time they've been together, all the times they've made love.
They don't very often take chances in public places, so there's an urgency about this that brings them both to a climax pretty quickly. They're both breathing hard and Sam moves to get a more secure grip on her. They rest, forehead to forehead until their breathing slows down a little, and then he lowers her gently until her feet are on the floor.
"Um," Andy begins, then stops, looking slightly embarrassed. "I need something to clean up with or my dress will be ruined, not to mention that people will know exactly what we've been doing."
Sam reaches into his pocket and pulls out a clean white handkerchief with a flourish.
"My mother always told me that a gentleman should carry a handkerchief for emergencies. I think this qualifies."
"A handkerchief? Where did you get one of those?" Andy asks with amusement. "I can't remember the last time I saw a real one. Most people use tissues."
"We may be married, but you don't know absolutely everything about me," Sam replies with a certain satisfaction. "I have my little secrets."
"Well, I'm glad you do. Could I have it please?"
"Oh, you want to do it yourself? I'd be happy to help," Sam says with exaggerated politeness.
"I don't think so, thank you very much. We have to get back," Andy says sternly, finishing her little clean-up operation and looking around a little anxiously.
"What's the matter?" Sam asks, and Andy answers with another question.
"What do I do with this now?"
Sam spots a wastebasket in the corner of the cloakroom and points it out to her. "It's not a family heirloom, Andy. Just drop it in there and let's head back. I feel refreshed and ready for another dance."
"Who are you, and what have you done with my serious, sometimes even grouchy husband?" Andy says, shaking her head. She loves the changes she is still discovering in this man she adores. Life with Sam is never dull, she thinks as they start back towards the ballroom, where the band is still playing and their friends are probably wondering where they are.
"Everybody will know what we've been doing," she frets. "We've been away too long."
"McNally, we've been gone less than ten minutes!" Sam points out, a touch of smugness in his voice.
"Are you serious? Only ten minutes?" Andy asks incredulously. "I suppose you're pretty impressed with yourself, huh?"
"Well, speed isn't my normal preference, but under the circumstances I thought it might be advisable. I can demonstrate a more leisurely approach at home."
"I'm sure you will," Andy says with a laugh, and they head back in to the party.