Author's note: Just wanted to tell everyone thank you so much for reading, reviewing and or favoriting Moonlit Wishes. What started last year as a one shot for EJami turned into my biggest story ever. I really appreciate everyone who has been with me along the way as the story continues. I am so grateful for your support and love you have shown me. Hope you enjoy this latest part, please if you have time let me know your thoughts.

Hugs,

Karen

Moonlit Wishes
Book II, part XXXIX

Pretend they did during the entirety of the evening, from which EJ would be extremely thankful when they could make their escape. They both carefully evaded any further questions about their relationship and if the conversation veered in that direction, they quickly diverted it to something else, each playing off what the other would say until something new could be brought into the discussion.

EJ was impressed, Sami could still fool everyone so well when she put her mind to it, the only exception to her act was that she studiously avoided Nicole, and it was almost like she had created an invisible barrier in which she was deaf to anything the other woman said in the conversation during the meal they all partook together.

Well that along with the fact that Sami kept getting her wine glass refilled each time the bottle was passed along the table during the meal. It wasn't like she was getting tipsy or anything from what he could gather, but she wasn't saying no either whenever the wine came by her way. Since he was driving tonight, he had abstained from partaking; besides he had figured Samantha would need more fortification the wine could provide against her family instead of him anyway.

He had to give Samantha credit, any time Nicole even glanced their way she never made Samantha's veneer crack once. Then again, why was he surprised? When Samantha made up her mind that something wasn't so or didn't exist even when it plainly did to all around them that was what she held onto with such an unrelenting strength it would astound anyone if they truly knew what she was doing.

Then again, he was an expert when it came to knowing how Samantha would pretend something or someone didn't exist. She had done it to him so many times in the past either ignoring their attraction to one another or ignoring him in general especially when he had tried to make her admit that she had feelings for him other than him being the father of their children.

How many times had he wanted her to just let go and see what could happen between them? Too many and now it was too late, he had seen the error of his ways. God knew it had taken more than a bullet or two to knock some sense into him, but this time he was stronger against her feminine wiles.

He knew they weren't good for each other, even if she could still make his insides melt with just a mere kiss from her lips. Those lips that could do such amazing things if and when she would let them play…

"EJ, are you all right?" Belle asked gently tapping him on his forearm after EJ had failed to answer her questions she had directed to him.

"Of course, please forgive my lack of manners for not answering you sooner," EJ broke out into what he hoped was one of his most charming grins and somehow managed to drag his eyes away from Samantha's face to look into her younger's sister eyes instead. He hadn't even realized he'd been staring at Samantha until Belle's insistent voice had broken through his latest musing of Samantha's lips.

He shook his head, trying to clear his errant thoughts of wanting to kiss those lips of Samantha's again when of course that wouldn't be a good thing at all, especially since he was pretty sure Samantha was pissed at him for kissing her earlier to divert a nasty catfight with Nicole. Samantha might have played along with him to fool her family, but he knew better. She was mad as hell at him, no matter how sweetly she smiled at him, occasionally even touching his hand during the feast they were sharing with her family tonight.

Belle looked at both EJ and her sister thinking something more was going on between them then the just being friends excuse Sami had used explaining EJ's presence to her right before dinner had started after they had shared a quick hug of greeting with one another upon Belle's arrival. While they might be fooling most of them here at the dinner table, she wasn't buying it, especially after catching EJ looking at her sister in a more than friendly manner more than once.

Belle simply smiled as a plan dawned on her, she was going to help her sister whether she realized it or not because it was plain as day to her that Sami and EJ were more than just friends. Or they would be if she had anything to do with it.

"That's all right EJ," Belle patted his arm once more thinking her sister was still oblivious to the man's feelings that had been right in front of her for such a very long time. "You know I was wondering since Claire and I have been away from Salem for quite a while that it would be so nice for all of the kids to stay here tonight where they could all get reacquainted with one another again. Claire has missed her cousins so much since we have been away."

EJ looked back to Samantha trying to gauge her thoughts on this invitation to which he met a puzzled expression on her face, almost like the one she'd had when he had kissed her until he had spouted off that lie to her that he had only kissed her to stop a fight between her and Nicole.

"Belle, I'm sure Mom and John isn't prepared for all of the children to spend the night," Sami began only to have Marlena interject quickly.

"I think that is a wonderful ideal Belle," Marlena smiled warmly at her youngest child as John grabbed Marlena's hand and squeezed it signaling that he fully agreed with Marlena.

Of course her mother would think any suggestion that came out of Belle's mouth was golden even if Sami wasn't completely sure she needed to go home alone with EJ tonight especially without the buffer the kids usually managed to provide for them. So if she disagreed to Belle's offer she would once again be the bad guy because her mother would find some way to turn this around to Sami being selfish and not wanting Belle to be happy.

Her mother was always finding something to fault her with and she knew if she said no it would probably raise more suspicion that she had a problem with being alone with EJ and it would negate all their protests that they were only friends.

Because true friends had no problem being around one another alone, so this would be a piece of cake. Wouldn't it?

That's all she and EJ were, friends and not friends with benefits like that skanky Nicole had said either.

All those thoughts swirling in her head at one time could be pretty confusing so to keep them all off of her back, she wouldn't let any of them guess she wasn't sure of anything when it involved EJ especially after he had kissed her tonight in front of all of them no less.

"Of course the kids can spend the night," Sami agreed her voice so sweet it didn't seem like her own which immediately put EJ on alert. Sami didn't want them to stay, but she was trapped. They would all know something was off with them if they didn't want the children to stay and go home with them instead.

And now so was he, how would he ever survive a night all alone in the house with Samantha without the kids being around?

God help him he was almost afraid to go home, but here was their one chance to escape even if escaping her family meant they were going to be alone with one another.

Surely they could manage one night alone, right?

After all they were just friends.

Yeah right…