The Cost
Chapter 12
Unaware Danny had just driven by, Jack watched Samantha intently as she walked up the street. "Hey," he said when she drew to a stop beside him.
She smiled. "Hey, yourself."
"Any thoughts on where you'd like to go?"
When she named a popular grocery store, he looked at her, his eyes questioning.
"We'll pick something up and cook it at my place," she explained. "It won't take much longer than dinner out and it'll be more relaxing. You can help." He needed to concentrate on something besides a man murdering young boys. They both did.
She saw him consider the idea and felt relieved when he nodded. Smiling, she took his arm and started walking towards the subway. "What do you feel like dicing?"
* * *
They'd dined in fine style, having also stopped to buy a favourite wine and a dessert. Sitting across from him at her her small dining table, she smiled, happy with what she saw. He'd removed his tie, opened the top couple of buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves before they'd begun their meal preparation. With each action, she'd noticed that he seemed to shed a little more of his tension. Now, candlelight smoothed many of the remaining lines of worry from his face. His dark eyes glowed as he gazed back at her, the haunted look replaced by something warmer and more familiar.
And more dangerous.
Not daring to hold that look too long, she glanced down at the coffee cup she held in her hand and commented, "You know what? I think this is just what we needed. And I've been dying to try that recipe, but it was way too much work to put myself through for just one person."
He grunted, thinking of the armfuls of groceries they'd brought back to her apartment and processed, just to get two plates of food. "It was too much work for just two. But it was good. Thank you." He smiled. "It was definitely better than hunkering down at Honest Fred's for a burger."
Her eyes widened. Fred's was a burger joint reknowned for it's fried onions and greasy half pounders. "That's where you were going to take me?!" She sat back in her chair. "I'm glad I saved us from the coronaries by cooking here."
"Well, I did offer you the choice of where to go, remember. Fred's was just sort of a back up plan if you couldn't come up with something." His lips curved upward. "And you weren't the only one dicing and slicing and saute- ing. I was there, too, remember."
"So you were," she smiled in return. Seeing him glance at his watch, her mood immediately changed. "What time do you need to be home?"
"Maria said she'd phone around ten thirty, eleven o'clock."
Samantha nodded, relief and sadness sliding across her shoulders with equal measure. Having him here had been dangerous - they'd both known that. Maria's phone call was the safety net they both needed.
"Then you've time to help with the dishes," she said.
He nodded, glad for one last bit of domesticity to keep his thoughts at bay. Time enough later, when he was at home and alone, to think dark thoughts. "I suppose that's fair. I want dibs on washing, though."
Rising, they collected their dishes and moved to the kitchen counter.
* * *
He shovelled his arms into the jacket she held for him and turned to say good bye.
She stood smiling at him and he stopped, staring at her with dark eyes. She had eased his mind tonight. And now, more than anything in the world, he wanted to take her in his arms and seek another, familiar and more intimate solace.
She looked at him with eyes that reflected everything he was feeling. "Jack," she said softly, "Please don't. I know what you're thinking. Don't make this harder." Needing to touch him in spite of her words, she reached up and fixed his collar. Patting his shoulders with hands that didn't want to let go, she reminded him, "Maria will be calling. You need to be there."
He nodded, but bent his head and touched her lips softly with his own. "Thank you," he murmured. Leaning his forehead against hers, he breathed deeply before kissing her on the forehead and reluctantly standing back to reach for the door knob.
Willing herself not to step towards him, she shook her head. "I needed company too."
He stared at her a moment, then nodded. "See you Monday," he said in a low voice. The door closed quietly behind him when he left.
They didn't know it then, but it was to be the last quiet moment they would share for some time.
End Chapter 12
Unaware Danny had just driven by, Jack watched Samantha intently as she walked up the street. "Hey," he said when she drew to a stop beside him.
She smiled. "Hey, yourself."
"Any thoughts on where you'd like to go?"
When she named a popular grocery store, he looked at her, his eyes questioning.
"We'll pick something up and cook it at my place," she explained. "It won't take much longer than dinner out and it'll be more relaxing. You can help." He needed to concentrate on something besides a man murdering young boys. They both did.
She saw him consider the idea and felt relieved when he nodded. Smiling, she took his arm and started walking towards the subway. "What do you feel like dicing?"
* * *
They'd dined in fine style, having also stopped to buy a favourite wine and a dessert. Sitting across from him at her her small dining table, she smiled, happy with what she saw. He'd removed his tie, opened the top couple of buttons of his shirt and rolled up his sleeves before they'd begun their meal preparation. With each action, she'd noticed that he seemed to shed a little more of his tension. Now, candlelight smoothed many of the remaining lines of worry from his face. His dark eyes glowed as he gazed back at her, the haunted look replaced by something warmer and more familiar.
And more dangerous.
Not daring to hold that look too long, she glanced down at the coffee cup she held in her hand and commented, "You know what? I think this is just what we needed. And I've been dying to try that recipe, but it was way too much work to put myself through for just one person."
He grunted, thinking of the armfuls of groceries they'd brought back to her apartment and processed, just to get two plates of food. "It was too much work for just two. But it was good. Thank you." He smiled. "It was definitely better than hunkering down at Honest Fred's for a burger."
Her eyes widened. Fred's was a burger joint reknowned for it's fried onions and greasy half pounders. "That's where you were going to take me?!" She sat back in her chair. "I'm glad I saved us from the coronaries by cooking here."
"Well, I did offer you the choice of where to go, remember. Fred's was just sort of a back up plan if you couldn't come up with something." His lips curved upward. "And you weren't the only one dicing and slicing and saute- ing. I was there, too, remember."
"So you were," she smiled in return. Seeing him glance at his watch, her mood immediately changed. "What time do you need to be home?"
"Maria said she'd phone around ten thirty, eleven o'clock."
Samantha nodded, relief and sadness sliding across her shoulders with equal measure. Having him here had been dangerous - they'd both known that. Maria's phone call was the safety net they both needed.
"Then you've time to help with the dishes," she said.
He nodded, glad for one last bit of domesticity to keep his thoughts at bay. Time enough later, when he was at home and alone, to think dark thoughts. "I suppose that's fair. I want dibs on washing, though."
Rising, they collected their dishes and moved to the kitchen counter.
* * *
He shovelled his arms into the jacket she held for him and turned to say good bye.
She stood smiling at him and he stopped, staring at her with dark eyes. She had eased his mind tonight. And now, more than anything in the world, he wanted to take her in his arms and seek another, familiar and more intimate solace.
She looked at him with eyes that reflected everything he was feeling. "Jack," she said softly, "Please don't. I know what you're thinking. Don't make this harder." Needing to touch him in spite of her words, she reached up and fixed his collar. Patting his shoulders with hands that didn't want to let go, she reminded him, "Maria will be calling. You need to be there."
He nodded, but bent his head and touched her lips softly with his own. "Thank you," he murmured. Leaning his forehead against hers, he breathed deeply before kissing her on the forehead and reluctantly standing back to reach for the door knob.
Willing herself not to step towards him, she shook her head. "I needed company too."
He stared at her a moment, then nodded. "See you Monday," he said in a low voice. The door closed quietly behind him when he left.
They didn't know it then, but it was to be the last quiet moment they would share for some time.
End Chapter 12