"Salvation"

CHAPTER TEN

Title: "Salvation"

Author: Michelle Heath

Rating: MA for adult language and situations

Summary: He was her salvation.

Date Written: October 26, 2010

Disclaimer: The author makes no profit from this work of fan fiction and no copyright infringement is intended.

(Sam pulls herself together about the time their bottle of wine arrives and keeps it together throughout dinner. The food is excellent and, by the time they've finished dinner, she's feeling much better. Although he's been doing his best to keep things upbeat, Sam's anguish is tearing Steve up inside.

Sam tells Steve she'd really like to go down to the beach when they get back to his house and, once they've changed into shorts and tee shirts, they take a couple of blankets, a bottle of wine and some glasses down to the beach. Sam is beyond beautiful in the moonlight but there is a sadness in her eyes that cuts Steve to the core.)

"I had a good time tonight, Steve. Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"It's so beautiful here; so peaceful. I could stay here forever."

"You could. I mean, you sold your parent's house in Virginia, so it's not like you're tied down anywhere right now."

"That's a thought. I was going to call a realtor and look for an apartment on Monday. Know a good one?"

"Yeah, only I think you should look for a house instead; be a better investment."

"You sound like my accountant. He's forever saying, 'You need to put your money to work.'"

"Smart man."

"And just what would happen to my house when I'm deployed for months at a time?"

"I'd keep an eye on it for you."

"You're working awfully hard to convince me to move here permanently."

"It's logical: you told me yourself that you moved around so much when you were growing up that you never really felt you 'belonged' anywhere, you only lived in the Richmond house with your folks a year before you went to the Naval Academy, Oahu is like a piece of Heaven on Earth, weather's always good, I'm here .What more could you want?"

"Let me see if I've got this straight; if I move here, I can live on an island that has some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen, great year-round climate, live right on the beach, and have really hot, intense sex whenever I want."

"Yeah."

"It's tempting. What do you get out of this deal, besides the really hot, intense sex?"

"I get to spend more time with you."