Both had very sleepless nights that night and by early morning they were both very eager to leave the hotel room.
They walked the streets of Vegas in silence. Sam was too embarrassed and angry to talk, and Jack just had no idea what to say.
After eating breakfast at a local restaurant without a single word said between them Jack decided he finally had enough. "Look Sam, I'm really sorry about last night, but I thought it was the right thing to do."
"That's fine Jack, you don't like me that way, believe me your not the first to feel that way. I mean I'm a geek, I guess I should just live with it." She said while looking at the table between them.
Jack knew that he had a way out with what was said. He knew Sam wouldn't pressure him into anything sexual anymore, but he also knew that he would hate himself if he let her continue to think of herself so degradingly.
"Sam, Sam look at me" and she lifted her gaze from the table and looked him in the eye. "Sam, you are so beautiful, and brilliant, and I enjoy every minute with you, but as cliché as this sounds, and believe me, if you knew me you would know how much I hate those. It's not you, it's me. I have major issues and you don't need to be dragged into them right now."
"I'm not asking for marriage Jack, I'm asking for a week of fun, something I've never had."
"We can have fun without having sex Sam." Although that would be a great way to spend the week.
"Fine, whatever. Not to change the subject, because I must admit I really enjoy hearing excuses for why people don't want to have sex with me, but what are we going to do today?"
"I don't really care, it's your trip, you decide."
"Okay, I want to go to the Stratosphere." She told him.
"What is a Stratosphere?" he asked her.
"I saw a brochure at the hotel, its supposedly got this amazing rollercoaster and I've never been on a rollercoaster before."
"Never?" he chocked out as his eyes grew wide. "Well then Stratosphere it is. Good practice for our want-to-be astronaut." He told her with a sexy grin.
Sam just smiled to herself, amazed that they could go from awkward silence to comfortable bantering.
They took the city bus to their destination and soon found themselves at the top of a sky scraper. "So Sam, am I going to have to here you scream for the whole ride?" he asked her with a smile on his face.
"I'm not sure Jack, I told you this will be my first time, I'm not sure if I'm a screamer or not" she told him with a twinkle in her eye.
Jack became suddenly aware that she probably wasn't talking about the rollercoaster anymore. "So, after you" he said as he gestured with his hand for her to go first.
As it turned out Sam was born for speed. After they got off the rollercoaster she couldn't stop smiling or talking. She was running formulas through her head regarding gravity and velocity so she could calculate the G forces. She only realized that she was talking allowed when Jack told her his brain was too small for her to continue.
"Okay Sam, as much fun as going on the same ride a dozen times in one day is, I need food."
Sam laughed and said, "I'm sorry Jack, I didn't realize how late it was. How about we go to a club, and we can just spend the rest of the night there?"
Jack had resigned himself to the fact that Sam was here to party, and nothing he was going to say would change her mind. So instead of his usual protests or excuses he just lifted his arm in the typical, "after you" gesture and followed her out to the club.
Well I did it. Another Chapter and in a lot less time then a year! Probably about a week until the next one too. I work about 70 hours a week. So it's the best I can do. And of course...please review!