I feel the plane jolt and my eyes bolt open. "Turbulence," Jack answers as
I clutch onto Jack's leg without even realizing it.
He lifts my hand, holding it in his as he gently thumbs my wrist. I close my eyes, hating the roller coaster feeling from flying and feeling my stomach in a knot from Jack's feather-light touch.
"We're almost home," he whispers and I let out a soft moan as his mouth brushes the lobe of my ear accidentally.
After the plane eventually lands, he follows me towards baggage claim to get my suitcase.
We wait around several minutes, watching as the bags slowly emerge along the conveyer belt. Jack eyes his watch with a sigh.
"I can take a cab back if you're in a rush to get home." I eye him with a yawn, still trying to wake up from my earlier nap.
"There's your bag," he nods towards the large suitcase slowly making its way towards us. I step in front of him to retrieve it.
As I lift it from the conveyer belt, I stumble backwards and feel Jack's left hand snake along my waist to support my weight and his right hand latch onto my hand holding the bag.
"Thanks." I regain my footing and feel Jack's hands on mine.
"Switch bags with me. Mine's lighter."
"Jack, I can carry mine."
"I'm sure," he muses with a grin as I roll my eyes and take hold of his lighter duffel bag.
"Thanks," I repeat again. I feel his hand on my lower back as we head out to his car in the parking garage.
He opens the trunk and we toss both bags inside before he heads towards the passenger side to unlock the door for me.
"You hungry?" I take a seat in the car as Jack looms over the door.
"Starving," I answer.
"Does Italian sound good?"
"Anything sounds good." I smile as he shuts the door and heads around towards the driver's side.
I close my eyes, feeling the car pull away and Jack's hand on my arm.
"You okay?" His voice holds concern and I nod my head.
"Tired."
"I'll wake you up when we get there," he offers.
"Thanks," I mumble, feeling myself drifting into a light slumber.
I feel a warm hand in my hair and my eyes flutter open to see Jack watching me.
"We there?"
He nods his head and I wipe at my eyes, trying to awaken myself as I unbuckle and follow Jack inside.
We take a seat at a table and I feel his gaze on me. "Are you sure Maria won't mind me stealing you for dinner?"
"I'll doubt she'll even notice," he answers as he glances through the menu.
"Jack?"
He looks up and I see so much heartache it hurts me.
"It's been rough," he tells me.
I nod my head, not sure what else to say. I know how the job can put a strain on one's marriage. I can only imagine that's what's happened with Jack.
We both put down our menus as the waitress comes over and takes our order. Once she leaves, I feel Jack's gaze on me.
"You look like you caught up on some much needed rest."
"Yeah," I nod with a yawn and a soft smile. "I think I slept all of six hours since we flew down to Palm Springs."
"Does that include your in-flight nap?" he teases.
I nod my head as I see the puzzled look on his face.
"I'm fine," I reassure him. "Me and hotel beds just don't mix," I answer with a smile.
"Has it always been that way?"
"As long as I can remember," I respond and glance up to see the waitress bringing us dinner.
"That was fast." Jack seems pleased and we both start in on eating.
When we're finished and the bill has been paid, he walks with me down to the car. We stand outside in the cool spring air, and I feel slightly chill. "Here," Jack offers me his jacket, pulling it over my shoulders.
He guides me away from the parking lot. "Where are we heading?"
"I want to take you someplace," he answers, and I nod as I follow him willingly down the street.
"How much farther?"
"A few more blocks."
"We should have driven."
"It's not that cold," Jack answers, drawing his hand over my back to warm me up. I slip my arm around his waist, using his body heat to keep warm. "Any better?"
I shiver from the cold and feel his hand latch on to mine. "A little," I smile, closing my eyes for a brief instant as he leads me to sit down on a bench in Foley Square.
He leans back against the bench, leaving his arm around the back for me to sit close beside him.
"I've always loved this place," he whispers into the night air. It feels as though he's bearing his most trusted secret to me. As crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't want to be with anyone else right now. "I used to come out here to get away from it all," he tells me.
"And now?" I eye him curiously.
"I wanted to be with you," he answers.
I feel slightly taken back by his honesty and I lean into his chest, taking comfort in his warmth. "Mmm," I moan softly, bathing myself in his warmth and his body against mine. My palms move to his chest, as I feel his hands gently stroking my lower back and creeping between the waistband of my slacks along my skin. I bite down on my lower lip, suppressing the desire to take him right then and there on the bench.
My head moves towards his as I capture his mouth with my lips. I feel my chest pressed up against him and I slide my hands under his shirt, drawing my nails over his skin.
"Sam," my name on his lips makes everything so real. My eyes catch his and I see his swollen lips and feel his ragged breathing against my body.
"It's getting late," I remind him.
He nods his head, a slight look of defeat on his brow. "You're welcome to come over for coffee," I offer as his eyes catch mine.
"I don't want this to affect---"
"Come on." I don't let him say another word as I move my lips to his again. I no longer feel the cold spring air. Instead, I feel the blood pumping through my veins as his mouth continues kissing me passionately in return.
We stand up, heading back towards the restaurant for his car.
He lifts my hand, holding it in his as he gently thumbs my wrist. I close my eyes, hating the roller coaster feeling from flying and feeling my stomach in a knot from Jack's feather-light touch.
"We're almost home," he whispers and I let out a soft moan as his mouth brushes the lobe of my ear accidentally.
After the plane eventually lands, he follows me towards baggage claim to get my suitcase.
We wait around several minutes, watching as the bags slowly emerge along the conveyer belt. Jack eyes his watch with a sigh.
"I can take a cab back if you're in a rush to get home." I eye him with a yawn, still trying to wake up from my earlier nap.
"There's your bag," he nods towards the large suitcase slowly making its way towards us. I step in front of him to retrieve it.
As I lift it from the conveyer belt, I stumble backwards and feel Jack's left hand snake along my waist to support my weight and his right hand latch onto my hand holding the bag.
"Thanks." I regain my footing and feel Jack's hands on mine.
"Switch bags with me. Mine's lighter."
"Jack, I can carry mine."
"I'm sure," he muses with a grin as I roll my eyes and take hold of his lighter duffel bag.
"Thanks," I repeat again. I feel his hand on my lower back as we head out to his car in the parking garage.
He opens the trunk and we toss both bags inside before he heads towards the passenger side to unlock the door for me.
"You hungry?" I take a seat in the car as Jack looms over the door.
"Starving," I answer.
"Does Italian sound good?"
"Anything sounds good." I smile as he shuts the door and heads around towards the driver's side.
I close my eyes, feeling the car pull away and Jack's hand on my arm.
"You okay?" His voice holds concern and I nod my head.
"Tired."
"I'll wake you up when we get there," he offers.
"Thanks," I mumble, feeling myself drifting into a light slumber.
I feel a warm hand in my hair and my eyes flutter open to see Jack watching me.
"We there?"
He nods his head and I wipe at my eyes, trying to awaken myself as I unbuckle and follow Jack inside.
We take a seat at a table and I feel his gaze on me. "Are you sure Maria won't mind me stealing you for dinner?"
"I'll doubt she'll even notice," he answers as he glances through the menu.
"Jack?"
He looks up and I see so much heartache it hurts me.
"It's been rough," he tells me.
I nod my head, not sure what else to say. I know how the job can put a strain on one's marriage. I can only imagine that's what's happened with Jack.
We both put down our menus as the waitress comes over and takes our order. Once she leaves, I feel Jack's gaze on me.
"You look like you caught up on some much needed rest."
"Yeah," I nod with a yawn and a soft smile. "I think I slept all of six hours since we flew down to Palm Springs."
"Does that include your in-flight nap?" he teases.
I nod my head as I see the puzzled look on his face.
"I'm fine," I reassure him. "Me and hotel beds just don't mix," I answer with a smile.
"Has it always been that way?"
"As long as I can remember," I respond and glance up to see the waitress bringing us dinner.
"That was fast." Jack seems pleased and we both start in on eating.
When we're finished and the bill has been paid, he walks with me down to the car. We stand outside in the cool spring air, and I feel slightly chill. "Here," Jack offers me his jacket, pulling it over my shoulders.
He guides me away from the parking lot. "Where are we heading?"
"I want to take you someplace," he answers, and I nod as I follow him willingly down the street.
"How much farther?"
"A few more blocks."
"We should have driven."
"It's not that cold," Jack answers, drawing his hand over my back to warm me up. I slip my arm around his waist, using his body heat to keep warm. "Any better?"
I shiver from the cold and feel his hand latch on to mine. "A little," I smile, closing my eyes for a brief instant as he leads me to sit down on a bench in Foley Square.
He leans back against the bench, leaving his arm around the back for me to sit close beside him.
"I've always loved this place," he whispers into the night air. It feels as though he's bearing his most trusted secret to me. As crazy as it sounds, I wouldn't want to be with anyone else right now. "I used to come out here to get away from it all," he tells me.
"And now?" I eye him curiously.
"I wanted to be with you," he answers.
I feel slightly taken back by his honesty and I lean into his chest, taking comfort in his warmth. "Mmm," I moan softly, bathing myself in his warmth and his body against mine. My palms move to his chest, as I feel his hands gently stroking my lower back and creeping between the waistband of my slacks along my skin. I bite down on my lower lip, suppressing the desire to take him right then and there on the bench.
My head moves towards his as I capture his mouth with my lips. I feel my chest pressed up against him and I slide my hands under his shirt, drawing my nails over his skin.
"Sam," my name on his lips makes everything so real. My eyes catch his and I see his swollen lips and feel his ragged breathing against my body.
"It's getting late," I remind him.
He nods his head, a slight look of defeat on his brow. "You're welcome to come over for coffee," I offer as his eyes catch mine.
"I don't want this to affect---"
"Come on." I don't let him say another word as I move my lips to his again. I no longer feel the cold spring air. Instead, I feel the blood pumping through my veins as his mouth continues kissing me passionately in return.
We stand up, heading back towards the restaurant for his car.