Chapter 4

            Samus held her arm around Peter's elbow as they slowly walked through the empty park.

            Peter clenched his teeth and kept himself from going crazy from actually having a woman holding onto him. His jaw muscles ached and he felt quite nervous, which made him shake slightly.

            Samus looked into his face and asked, "Are you cold? I can feel you shivering."

            Peter kept his gazed turned away as he replied in a half nervous voice, "No, I'm fine."

            Samus smiled, "You're nervous aren't you? Don't be. I won't bite… I'll only bite if provoked." She chuckled and slowly ran her hand up Peter's side.

            Peter suddenly jerked his arm out of Samus' grip and jumped away. "Whoa! I think that was a little too much closeness!"

            But… I kind of liked it. Peter thought.

            Samus laughed, "Damn, you're jumpy, aren't you?" She laughed again. "Are you scared of me or something?"

            Peter lowered his head to try and hide his blushing face, "Well, I've never exactly had a girlfriend before."

            Samus smiled and approached Peter. She held his face with her hands to raise his head up. "Then let me be the first." Samus closed her eyes and suddenly brought her lips to Peter's.

            Peter's eyes lit up with surprise as Samus gently kissed his lips.

            She wrapped her arms around his neck and came closer to Peter's body.

            Peter's eyes widened even more as the young woman pressed her body into his.

            Whoa! This is a dream! This has to be a dream! You're dreaming! Damn it! Open your eyes! Peter tightly closed his eyes. Maybe I'll just try the reopening eye trick… but that never seems to work either. He slowly reopened his eyes, but nothing seemed to have changed.

            Well, if I'm dreaming, I might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Peter closed his eyes and hesitantly wrapped his arms around Samus' waist. He savored the feel of the soft lips pressing into his. He also liked the sensational feeling as Samus ran her fingers through his hair.

            Peter gripped Samus' hips gently and softly squeezed them. He quickly pulled his head away and turned away to escape Samus' embrace. "I can't do this.." Peter muttered softly.

            Samus blinked in bafflement and came up behind Peter. "What's wrong, Peter?" Samus asked quietly.

            Peter shook his head and replied, "I just don't have time for a relationship."

            Obviously, I can't tell her who I really am… Spider Man doesn't have time for relationships. He's too busy saving the lives of people… I cannot put her through heartache while waiting for me.

            Peter turned to face Samus, "I'm sorry… We shouldn't do this.. We should just be friends."

            Samus smiled kindly, "That's understandable. As a bo- cop, I can hardly have time to do anything! Let alone a relationship."

            Holy shit, I almost slipped! I cannot allow anyone to know what I really am. Samus thought slightly nervously.

            Peter turned to face Samus and blinked in amazement, "Least we have one thing in common."

            Samus placed her hands on Peter's shoulders lightly. "We could have a lot more in common."

            Peter smiled. Maybe Spider Man can hold off fighting the goblin once in a while. He took Samus into his arms to embrace her and pressed his lips to hers.

*          *          *

            Spider Man swung merrily from his web lines above the darkened city far below.

            He cared for nothing and the Green Goblin was the least of his worries. He felt like he was a spider on top of the world.

            Wow! I've never had sore lip muscles before! And I haven't ever gone two straight hours of kissing! It was amazing! Peter thought while trying to open his jaw without it aching. Now I just hope I don't get punched in the face.

            He swung over the busy streets and toward his apartment building. He let loose his web line and did a series of flips and acrobatics in the air as he came down to cling on the side of the apartment. He crawled in through his open window of his room and hopped onto the floor.

            "I feel light as a feather!" Peter flopped down onto his back on his bed.

            He reached up and took off his mask and let his arm fall onto the bed.

            Peter stared dazedly up at the ceiling with a wide grin on his face. "She's amazing!" He whispered as he thought of Samus' face painted on the ceiling.

            Soft footsteps came from the hallway and a dark figure stood in the open doorway.

            "Hey, Pete, are you here?" Harry's voice came from the figure.

            Peter quickly sat up, realizing he was still in his Spider Man costume, but remembered that the room was dark.

            "Yeah." Peter replied in a quiet tired voice. He had to hide his joyfulness from Harry to make his friend think that Peter been asleep.

            Peter tugged out the blankets from under him and covered himself.

            "Did you just get home? Where were you? It's five o'clock in the morning." Harry spoke tiredly.

            "I was out." Peter answered.

            "Doing what?"

            Peter narrowed his eyes, Is he trying to be like Aunt May? Does he have to know where I go and what I do?

            "Harry, if I didn't know better, I would say you're trying to be like a worrying mother that goes frantic if she doesn't know where her baby is."

            Harry sighed, "Come on, Pete. We both live in this apartment and we both pay for it. Wouldn't it be reasonable, as friends, that we let each other know where we're going and for how long?"

            Peter smirked, "Are you sure that's all you want to know? You're probably thinking that me and Samus did something naughty together and you want to hear the tale about it."

            Harry was silent for a long moment.

            "You know me too well, Pete." Harry muttered. "Good night." Harry turned shaking his head as he left the doorway.