Mercedes sat on the deck, letting the sun beat down on her as she did. Sebastian walked over to her whistling and sitting next to her.
"And how are you this morning?"
Mercedes eyed him. "Well aren't you in a good mood?"
"You're actually gonna meet her on deck?" Blaine asked in surprise. "What if someone sees you?"
Sam shrugged. "It's the running track. There's never anyone back there at lunch time. Maybe a rogue runner, but no one that's gonna care who we are or what we're doing. I just... don't wanna wait to see her again."
Sebastian shrugged. "It's a beautiful day, why wouldn't I be? You seem pretty docile yourself...feeling ok?"
Mercedes just sighed instead of engaging. In an hour she would be seeing Sam, that is all she cared about.
"You're so impatient," Blaine teased.
"And you're not going back to anyone's room tonight?"
Blaine tucked his legs up underneath him and shot Sam a look from his top bunk. "Tonight isn't lunchtime. And you know... he isn't as bad as he seems."
"Please don't." Sam held a hand up and shook his head.
"What is going on with you? I called you Docile and you didn't bite my head off?"
"I have more important things to do with my time than to go tit for tat with you."
Sebastian stared at her for a moment then his eyes widened. "You had sex!"
Mercedes sat up looking at him. "What?!"
"Oh, c'mon," Blaine whined. "I know he's entitled and pretty full of himself, but I swear there's something else underneath that all."
"You didn't hear the way he talked about Mercedes," Sam shot back, pointing a finger at Blaine before he turned back to the mirror. "And she's way too incredible to have to deal with that shit. Oh, and dude, you should hear her voice. She blew me away. And later she blew me," he added with a little chuckle.
Mercedes glanced around looking at him. "I don't know what you are talking about."
He laughed. "Hey I'm not mad, got me some too I just thought maybe we had something in common finally."
Mercedes shook her head. "Unlike you I am a lady and we don't kiss and tell...though if I did anything in would have been left thoroughly satisfied in ways I never knew."
"Slut...and I never knew...I feel like I don't even know you. Is it weird in proud."
Blaine shook his head. "You're horrible."
"Sorry. It was wide open. But really, it's more than that," Sam insisted. "I mean, the sex was awesome. But there's something about her that makes me wanna know even more."
"You know in a week she's gonna disappear and you'll never see her again, right?" Blaine reminded him. "That's how it always goes."
Mercedes turned towards him. "You really don't care?"
"Mercedes this is what I told you I wanted, you have your fun, I have mines it can work."
Mercedes sat up. "I don't want fun Sebastian I want love. And maybe somewhere deep down you do too."
Sam frowned in the mirror as he fixed his hair. "It's possible," he admitted. "But all the more reason to make it the best week of my life, right? I'm telling you, bro. I've never met anyone like her."
"All the more easy it is to get your heart broken," Blaine warned.
Sebastian looked away from her. "We can't have it all guys, you either get love and happiness or power and riches."
Mercedes looked up to see her father watching her and Sebastian. "I don't want power I want love in any way I can have it." She stood kissing him in the cheek. "I will see you later, that was a freebie. Tell my dad his "wild" daughter is close to being tamed."
"Maybe it's worth it," Sam mused as he checked the time. "I gotta go pick up some food for my lunch date. I'll see you at dinner service, okay?" He gave Blaine a quick high-five before heading out of the room.
Mercedes made her way to the track, following Sam's direction. This was dangerous but she had to see him, his smile, laugh. Had to feel him. One night and she was already addicted.
Sam appeared soon enough with a couple food containers in hand. "Hey there," he greeted with a smile, already feeling his heartbeat a little faster at the sight of her. The chairs there were three rows deep and he nodded his head for her to follow him to the back row.
"Hi." She said smiling way too hard. Fixing her face she followed him. "How are you?"
"Better now," Sam replied easily, reaching out to take her hand as they walked through the maze of deck chairs. "Just been hanging out with Blaine though. How 'bout you?"
"Same." She said as he guided her to the back. I just hung out in the deck, talked to Sebastian, pretty sure he found someone to play with this week. Thought the blush on his face says he likes this one."
Sam very obviously clamped his mouth shut and covered it over with his hand, his eyebrows shooting up slightly. "Did he? Interesting," he muttered quickly before handing her one of the containers. "Got you some fried chicken."
Mercedes shook her head. "Uh huh I suspected it was him and you just proved it!" She laughed. "Love fried chicken. "
"Him?" Sam asked with a crack in his voice. "I don't know any hims." He shook his head as he opened up his own food.
"Uh huh well more power to them. " She said opening her food. "So tell me more about you."
Sam brought one leg up and rested his ankle on the other knee, leaning towards her. "What do you wanna know?"
"I want to know it all. How old you are, where you grew up. What you like, hate."
Sam nodded slowly as he considered. "25, Nashville, Tennessee. Comic books and brussel sprouts. That about sums it up."
Mercedes nodded. "Okay. Favorite color?" She asked taking a bite."
"Green," Sam answered before he scooped some coleslaw into his mouth. "What about you?"
Mercedes swallowed and smiled. "Purple."
"Good choice. Not that any favorite color would really be a bad choice," Sam laughed. "What do you like to do for fun?"
Mercedes laughed. "Fun? I guess I really don't know." She sighed. "Did you grab drinks?"
Sam leaned down and picked up a bottle of water and one of Coke. "Didn't know which you wanted, so you can pick," he offered. "Have you ever been jet skiing?"
Looking between the two she grabbed the water. "Pepsi girl." She smiled. Taking a drink she shook her head. "I have not."
"I'll remember that," Sam promised her. "Oh, man, you've gotta try it. It's like... exhilarating. The wind in your hair and the ocean spraying you and it's like you're flying, but you're on water."
"Do you guys get free days when we stop at ports? Cause maybe we can do it tomorrow?" She asked hopeful.
"Unfortunately, I still have to be back for dinner service," Sam explained, shrugging. "Captain always has dinner on board. But we could go in the morning, if you're up for it?"
"Anytime I get to spend with you is okay with me." She leaned over and kissed him softly.
Sam smiled, reaching over to take her hand and tangle their fingers together. He didn't know what he was getting himself into, but he couldn't seem to stop himself anyway. "So tell me... if you could be anything in the whole world, what would you be?"
Mercedes smiled down to their fingers, then looked back up to him. "Hmmmm a teacher, what about you?"
Sam's eyebrows lifted, slightly surprised but enjoying her answer. It wasn't one you heard often enough. "Musician," he told her. "But right now I'm just shooting for head waiter on my next contract."
Mercedes moved closer to him. "If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?"
"Hmm, probably a tropical island somewhere. Or maybe Greece. It's amazing there," Sam mused. "What about you?"
"You have been to Greece? Okay that's awesome. But me I don't really know, somewhere ican be me for sure."
Sam nodded. "I mean... not for longer than a day at a time and I always have to be back for dinner service, but what I've seen is really beautiful." He brought her hand up to his lips and met her eyes. "If it were up to me, that'd be anywhere you went."
Mercedes blushed shaking her head. "Okay tell me about your family."
Sam took a drink from his soda and leaned against the arm of his chair. "I've got one sister, one brother, one father, and one mother. And yes, I said it in that order so it would rhyme. I'd ask you about yours, but I think I get the idea."
Mercedes laughed. "Older? Younger? Are you close?"
"I'm the oldest. And as close as we can be with me living at sea and them being in high school," Sam explained with a shrug. He did miss his family when he was out here, but it was one of the best paying jobs he could find.
Mercedes held in a swoon, the man just kept getting better. Was there no end to his perfectness. " I am sure they miss you very much."... she bit her bottom lip. "Do you think they would like me if I met them?"
Sam smiled slowly. "I can't imagine why not. You're kind of amazing and they're pretty good kids. And anyone with a good heart and a decent sense of adventure usually fits in pretty well in my family."
Mercedes placed her hair behind her ears and smiled looking at Sam. "You are kinda amazing too."
Sam couldn't stop himself from leaning over and kissing her then. She was like a magnet that he couldn't stop being drawn to.
Mercedes smiled into the kiss. "Okay you are more than amazing." She said kissing him back.
Sam let out a soft chuckle. "How do you do that?"
She pulled away looking at him. "Do what?"
"Make my heart beat so fast. I thought the butterflies in my stomach had died a long time ago, but then... here you are." He blushed slightly, looking down at his hands.
Mercedes smiled taking Sam's hand and placing it over her heart. "You feel my heart beating fast? That's what you do to me."
*Sam let his thumb graze back and forth gently before pulling his hand back and leaning back in the chair. His smile fell somewhat, Blaine's words ringing in his ears.
Mercedes noticed his face, the look of sadness and took his hand. "What's wrong?"
Sam shook his head, mostly at himself. "It's stupid. I mean, we just met yesterday, right? But I already can't stop thinking about the fact that in six days... I might never see you again."
"I don't want to never see you again..." she said sadly. "I need you in my life Sam." She looked at him with glossy eyes.
Looking up again, he brushed his fingers gently over her cheek. "Thought you were gonna marry the crabby boy and make your daddy's dreams come true. You think I could fit into that?"
"I'm confused. I don't want to end what this could be but I can't ask you to be with me in secret. I'd want the world to know about you."
"I mean... it is pretty hot for a week," Sam admitted with a smirk. "But I probably couldn't last long either. And if you were married, I just..." He scratched at his head, quickly shaking it. "I shouldn't have brought it up. I want to enjoy the next six days with you. I want to go jet skiing with you. And I want to sneak into your room again tonight. And I want to kiss you again right now."
She didn't even realize her heart was aching until he said he couldn't do it. She had more to say, wanted to confess she was already falling but what good wild it do. "Well if you want to kiss me I say do what you feel."
"I've always been pretty good at that." He leaned in again until their lips met. His fingers came up to hold her chin so he could deepen the kiss and his heart sped right back up again.
Mercedes moved closer to him, straddling him in the chair as her hands went to his neck and hair.
Sam gasped softly as he felt her move into his lap, his body already starting to respond with need. "You do make me want you."
"You make me want you too Sam." She said wrapping her arms around his neck.
He looked up into her eyes and just stared at her for a moment. He had no idea what the future would bring, but in this moment, she was all his. He kissed her again and held her close, his hands sliding up her back.
Kissing Sam back she wondered what he saw when he looked at her, wondered if she could ever be enough for someone like him.
Sam turned his head, his eyes narrowing slightly. "You hear that?"
She listened then shook her head. "Hear what?"
Sam smiled slowly. "Get up, follow me. I wanna show you something."
Mercedes nodded moving from his lap and taking his hand.
Sam guided her through the rows of chairs to the very of the ship. "You spend enough time on these things, you start to hear things over the deafening engines," he chuckled. He stood at the railing and pointed out at the wake the ship was creating. "Just watch. There's a pod of dolphins out there. They'll jump soon enough. Can't resist a good time."
Mercedes moved where Sam told her and waited until she saw the dolphins. "Oh wow! Sam, wow..."
Sam moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He was already so comfortable with her as he watched the animals play in the water. "They love to play in the wake."
She leaned against Sam talking inthe fun picture and for the first time in her life feeling happily content. "Thank you for showing me this."
"They helped a little," Sam pointed out, gesturing a hand out at the dolphins with a laugh.
She leaned up kissing his cheek. "You make me fine pleasure in anything and I love it."
"Sooooo... you're saying you'd like to have some more fun?" Sam asked with a raised eyebrow and a playful grin.
"Oh yeah as much fun as we can have here!"
Sam pulled his phone out of his back pocket and opened his music app, scrolling through it until he found the song he was looking for. His hips started swaying back and forth dramatically and he beckoned her closer with his fingers as he sang along.
In a little café
Just the other side of the border
She was just sitting there and givin' me
Looks that made my mouth water
Mercedes watched Sam and laughed as he began to dance and sing. She moved closer to him as he beckoned her to him and danced around him before taking his hands.
Sam spun her under his arm before he pulled her close, one hand on the small of her back. His hips continued to swirl gently as he sang.
So we started to dance
In my arms, she felt so inviting
That I just couldn't resist
Just one little kiss so exciting
He winked at her playfully.
This was fun, she was having fun enjoying herself and enjoying just being with Sam. She puckered up and puckered her lips pretending to kiss him.
"Now you're just teasing," Sam laughed as he spun them both around on the track.
Mercedes laughed. "Well I don't wanna be a tease." She said as she leaned in and kissed him.
Sam hummed happily against her lips as he held her hand against his chest. His forehead rested against hers and he smiled down at her as they continued swaying. "You make me feel so damn happy."
Mercedes leaned in against him. "I do? Why?"
Sam shrugged slightly. "I'm not even sure I can put it into words," he admitted. "Your laugh, the way your eyes light up. Everything."
"You make me so happy, you make me just want everything good in life... with you."
"You deserve everything good in life," Sam assured her. He shook his head slightly. "You think we're crazy? Talking like this the day after we meet?"
Mercedes shook her head. "I don't know. But I do know that I am happy to know you, happy to have you, happy to spend as much time with you as I can."
"Mmm, same. Very much the same," Sam agreed as he smiled down at her.
"Sam!"
Sam startled and stepped back, his eyes widening and his hand coming up to his chest as he spotted Blaine. "DUDE! You almost gave me a heart attack!"
"Sorry!" Blaine waved cutely at Mercedes. "Ryan wants us to comCeeMonkeyLast Thursday at 1:50 PM
Sam nodded and programmed his number into her phone. "And I guess I'll see you at dinner tonight." He glanced over at Blaine and twirled his finger in a request to have him turn around. Once had, Sam leaned down to kiss Mercedes goodbye.
Mercedes nodded and returned Sam's kiss. She watched him leave sadly and turned back to the ocean. "What the hell are you getting yourself into girl..."
Sam glanced over his shoulder as he walked away, his heart still fluttering like crazy in his chest. Now he just had to get through dinner service without giving away how much he wanted her in every conceivable way.
