Author's Note:
Thank you so much for all the reviews and kind words. I'm glad that you enjoyed chapter 4 – I enjoyed writing it.
A lot of you asked me for more clues to my identity…well here goes:
1. I'm from a unique country where we talk about color and colour, neighbor and neighbour.
2. This same country knows what's popular in Brittan and America at the same time.
3. One of the titles of my stories under my previous identity started with the word, "Ten" in it.
Hehe, that's enough for now. Remember that I mentioned before that one of you had guessed correctly my identity in a review. Anyway happy guessing and I hope you enjoy the next chapter too.
XXX
When he realized that she was not about to say anything he continued on, "Do…" he appeared to struggle the right words to say. "Do you want to go down this road with me…maybe see where it may lead us?"
XXX
THE DATING GAME – CHAPTER 5
"I…" she stared at him, but was unable to finish the sentence.
Turning his head slightly sideways he asked softly, "Carter?" When she still did not respond, only advert her eyes from him, he nodded his head slowly before turning it away and whispering in a hoarse voice, "I see…then that's the way it's going to be."
Picking up on his gloominess Sam darted her eyes back to Jack and took a deep breath, before saying, "It's not the way you think. There is nothing more I would like than to go to this dinner with you too, but…what then?"
He turned his gaze back to her and the bright streetlight behind her accentuated his raised eyebrow.
"W-what I'm trying to say is…I'm scared..." the rest of her words followed in barely more than a whisper, "I'm scared of the future and the unknown. I'm scared of maybe making the biggest mistake of my life and-"
The rest of her sentence was interrupted with the sudden sensation of his hand on her knee. "I know…me too," he whispered.
For the next few moments they just stared at each other, each one of them silently acknowledging the fear and uncertainty in the other's heart and realizing that they had finally reached a turning point in their lives – either they returned to the safety of their former way of living or they decided once and for all to take a brave small step into the unknown of the future.
As the atmosphere gradually became electrified between them it was Jack that broke the silence by abruptly removing his hand from her knee and turning his attention back to the area around the vehicle while playing a silent tune with his palms on the steering wheel.
"So…we're still on for tonight?" he asked after a while in what appeared to be a neutral tone of voice.
Nodding her head and then realizing that he would not be able to see her, she replied, "Sure."
Allowing a fleeting smile to cross his lips his turn his attention back to her and commented softly, "Sweet."
Without another word he started the engine again and proceeded to get back on the main road once more. They had barely driven a few minutes when he spoke up again while still appearing to be concentrating on the road in front of them, "So Carter…wanna explain to me what exactly happened between you and my secretary?"
"Excuse me?" Sam asked, genuine confused as to what exactly he was referring too.
"I believe you two had quite some interesting conversations during the past week?"
"You're supposed to know…I mean I assume you know what we talked about since you left me an equally interesting message with her."
Nodding his head he quickly turned left into another street before replying, "Last night before I left DC I happened to stumble upon some fascinating reading material that was left on my desk."
"Oh?" Sam inquired absentmindedly; at the back of her mind she could not help but to be grateful that the atmosphere between them had returned to the way it used to be in the past – one of friendship, with just the slightest hint of something more.
"You know…the usual that a man in my position normally gets."
When he did not continue immediately she surprised herself by playfully asking, "Planning to let me know any time this century?"
Turning his gaze quickly to her and then back to the traffic in front of them, she was not quite sure but she could have sworn he had grinned at her, he coughed once before responding, "Oh…it was quite a revelation to me, I didn't even know so many booklets about that subject existed in the world…let alone the Air Force and-"
The rest of his sentence were interrupted by him swearing loudly as a huge truck tried to enter their lane without indicating and realizing that there was a vehicle directly alongside it. With a swift movement Jack managed to avoid a collision by moving his car to another lane, while simultaneously leaning heavily on his horn.
"You okay?" he asked after a few tense moments when it became apparent that there was going to be no further potential accidents destined for them in the near future.
"Except for my heart that was left back there…yeah I guess so," she replied jokingly, but her casual remark was belied by the way she had to force her hands to let go of her safety belt.
Turning his head quickly to her and then back he said, "Sorry 'bout that. Luckily we're not that far from our destination anymore."
Preferring to change the subject Sam asked, "So…you were going to tell me about what was left on your desk last night?"
Nodding his head Jack replied, "Yep...about ten pamphlets was neatly arranged on my desk, clearly meant for my eyes. It ranged from tales from victims of sexual harassment in the workplace to what one must do if you become such a victim. There was even one explaining in detail what sort of punishment an officer in the Air Force can get if he happens to be the perpetrator."
It was too much for Sam.
At first she merely smiled at the realization of the identity of the person that had left the material for Jack and then, when she begun imagining what must have been going through the poor secretary's mind at that stage, the smile changed to a soft giggle and not before long it turned into a full-scale laughter. Sam had tried to stifle the laughter with a hand against her mouth, but the idea of Jack O'Neill's secretary actually believing him to have harassed her and the picture that it formed in her mind was just too much. Gradually she just gave up any pretense and allowed a spontaneous laughter to escape from her lips.
"Right..." Jack commented seriously, "Just as I thought."
"I…I am sorry," she tried to explain between fits of laughter, "It is just…your secretary…and me…she must have been sincere…must have thought she was doing me a favor."
"You a favor?" Jack asked. "What – pray tell - had you exactly said to that poor woman?"
Biting on her lip hard, taking a few deep breaths in an attempt to gain control over her laughter, she hesitated slightly before replying, "I'm sorry Sir. It's just that from my many telephone calls she kinda concluded that I was the victim of sexual harassment and that-"
"I was the culprit?" Jack completed the sentence for her.
"Uh-huh."
"I see."
Realizing that he might not be finding it as amusing as she Sam immediately sobered up. "I'm sorry, I tried to explain to her that it wasn't that way, but your secretary…she can be quite stubborn."
"Yeah…and that's actually one of her better characteristics," Jack responded wryly.
During the next couple of minutes neither of them said anything more. Sam pretended to be completely fascinated with the view outside of her passenger window and every now and again she would afford a quick glance in Jack's direction, wishing that she knew what was going on in his mind at that moment.
It was only when Jack came to a stop with slightly screeching tires in the parking lot of their intended restaurant, switched off the engine and turned his attention back to her that Sam took her chance to apologize once more.
"I'm really sorry about what happened. If it will make you feel better I'll phone her at the earliest opportunity to set things right."
Turning his head slightly sideways Jack asked with a small smile that threatened to force itself to the foreground, "And what will you tell her?"
"What should I tell her?" Sam replied, while struggling to unbuckle her safety belt.
"That retired General Jack O'Neill intent to date his former 2IC with or without his secretary or anybody else's approval," he replied and bent over slightly to help her with the belt. Whether it happened by accident or whether he had meant it she would never know, but as he proceeded to work on her safety belt his fingers fleetingly caressed hers.
Feeling her whole body tinkling from his touch, Sam swallowed before managing to find the correct words to respond, "Then it's going to be a hopeless cause. No matter what anybody says she's going to believe whatever she wants to."
"Yeah…that pretty much sums it up." Without saying anything further he got out of their car and walked around to help her out of the passenger seat. When he reached her side he continued talking while opening the door for her, "I guess that leaves me with no choice but to accept your apology for having scandalized my otherwise spotless record."
"Really?" Smiling, Sam carefully climbed out of the car, very much aware that if she was not careful her dress might reveal more to her companion that she wished him to see – at least for now. When she finally stood with her feet planted safely on the gravel of the parking lot she gazed up at him and remarked, "Last time I checked your record was a bit far on the other side of spotless."
"A matter of opinion," he replied flippantly, "all the guys at Washington, including the President, just adores me. My record only helps to emphasize to them just how wonderful I am."
Sam was unable to prevent herself from grinning at his statement. "YeahSureYouBetcha," she muttered.
"HEY!" he exclaimed, pretending to be offended by her remark, "I heard that." Locking the car behind them he indicated to her that they should proceed to the entrance before adding, "And here I was about to accept your sincere apology on only three conditions."
"And what may these conditions be, if you don't mind me asking?" Sam asked with a chuckle in her voice, stopping just in front of the double glass doors that will lead them to the inside of the restaurant.
Jack pretended to be deep in thought before answering her question, "One…that you DEFINITELY not contact my secretary."
"I think I can somehow manage that," Sam said, struggling to keep a straight face.
"Two…that we be totally honest with each other from now on…that's an order," Jack continued on, almost like she had never interrupted him.
"Yes Sir!" Sam exclaimed sardonically, "I will do my best."
Nodding his head in mock approval Jack reached out for the handle of the glass doors before completing his list of conditions with, "And thirdly…that you stop calling me Sir from now on."
For a few moments Sam stared into his gentle eyes. "I think I can do that…Jack."