Chapter 11 – Not a date

Disclaimer – Not mine, never will be etc. etc.

A/N – Sorry that this has been posted slightly later in the week than normal. I got totally slammed with real life issues this week which messed up my writing schedule. As I type this my husband is in bed in a strop as I've 'ignored' him all night with my 'head in a computer' to get this out so I hope this chapter is worth it.

Neither Sam nor Jack could remember the last time they spent the early part of a Saturday evening getting ready for a date. Not that they were going on a date! Nor could they think of a time when they questioned their actions so much while simultaneously anticipating with such hope. Even though it wasn't going to be a date!

In Jack's apartment he reminded himself that he had to keep up the pretense that this was just a dinner between colleagues which, he realized, was a little hard to do after he had blurted out that Sam should "wear something nice". He intended to mitigate that by taking her to a restaurant that was upscale while not being renowned for it's romance quotient. A place he would go with Daniel if they had something to celebrate.

'Yeah right! Who was he trying to kid?'

The conversation in his head continued as he admitted to himself that he was in fact trying to kid Sam. Ensure that she didn't think he was trying to make it into a date. He had told her it wasn't and he would make sure that it wouldn't be perceived as one.

He decided that part of the plan needed to include him not over-dressing for the occasion and he pulled his chosen attire from his closet. Khakis, pressed white shirt and dark brown blazer. No suit. No tie. He smiled to himself as he looked at the time, realizing that he would soon be picking Sam up for their "not-a-date".

Across town, Sam was putting the finishing touches to her make-up. Her mood continued to fluctuate as it had since the moment Jack had asked her to have dinner with him. She moved from elation upon realizing that he had finally asked her out, to a sobering caution that he had stressed that it wasn't a date, to optimism wondering who they thought they were kidding. It was a date. And finally back to the emotions that plagued her at that moment. A mixture of nervousness and hope.

This was her chance to show Jack what they could be like outside of the SGC. What a normal relationship could be like between them. She had dressed carefully, wanting to show Jack that she was an attractive woman when she got out of her BDU's. Yeah, he had told Dorothy that he loved her and thought she was beautiful but did that equate to him desiring her, wanting her in a physical way? She didn't need to be a genius astrophysicist to know that if that piece of the equation was missing, the chance of them having a relationship outside of superior and subordinate, just wouldn't add up.

She sprayed a little perfume in the air and stepped into the mist just as her doorbell rang. She took her time walking to the door, there was no point in showing anxiety after all. She took a deep long breath, in through her nose, out through her mouth, and opened the door.

Jack stood on her doorstep with a tentative expression on his face as he involuntarily looked the woman who faced him up and down, taking in her appearance. Almost immediately he broke into a grin and said, "You look beautiful, Sam".

And he meant it. He couldn't remember when he had ever seen her in a skirt other than her dress blues. But here she stood in a simple, demur, little black dress with nude stockings and a simple black high heel. She wore a silver necklace with a drop diamond falling from her neck with matching diamond stud earrings. Her hair was perfectly mussed, or at least that was the word Jack used to himself, and her makeup looked perfect to him. Subtle with just the right shade of pink coloring her lips. From Jack's point of view, she looked perfect – subtle, sophisticated and beautiful. Sam.

He shook his thoughts off and refocused on the woman in front of him. She now wore a smile of her own and she gently shook her head and murmured "You did say to wear something nice". He looked into her bright blue eyes shining with laughter and mischief and replied with just a little awe. "Yes, but I said nice. Not drop dead gorgeous."

Jack tried to keep his expression neutral as he mentally kicked himself for letting that slip. You are definitely not supposed to call your 2IC 'gorgeous' on a 'not-a-date'. He half turned to hide his embarrassment and quickly asked, "Should we go?" Sam nodded in agreement, grabbed her purse from the small table by the door and closed the front door behind her as she followed Jack to his truck.

He was the perfect gentleman holding her elbow as she navigated climbing into the truck in her dress and heels. She gave him the 1000 watt smile after thanking him and Jack had to restrain himself from leaning into the passenger side and stealing a kiss from her. Instead he smiled and composed himself as he walked to the driver's side, climbed in and started the engine.

They drove in what only could be called a companiable silence to the restaurant. Sam felt no need to ask him where they were going since Jack knew what kind of food she liked to eat. Jack felt no need to talk since he was enjoying too much the sight of Sam's long legs, one crossed over the other in the passenger seat, giving him a lovely view of her thigh where her dress had accidentally risen. He needed to concentrate if he were to arrive safely while committing that sight to memory.

In a matter of minutes, they pulled up outside what Sam would describe as a very very nice french bistro. It wasn't one of those restaurants where people went to get down on one knee and propose, but it was very fine just the same. It was small and reasonably intimate with subdued, but not low, lighting and tables far enough apart to ensure that someone would be unable to hear every word you said. And the best of it was that the food was reasonably priced and rumored to be excellent.

Sam had never eaten there before but she could tell that Jack had carefully chosen the spot. She knew that while it said "I wanted to take you for a nice dinner", it certainly didn't scream "Date". She smiled to herself at his subtlety.

They were quickly seated at a table in the corner, away from the window and the door and Sam got the distinct impression from the nod he gave the maitre'd, that Jack had asked for this specific table. Sam flinched slightly as she realized this meant that he was worried about someone seeing them eating together in this setting. This didn't strike her as a good sign that he wanted to pursue a relationship with her no matter her feelings. She kicked herself for getting her hopes up as she took her seat at the table.

However, she quickly relaxed once they began to look at the menu and discuss their dinner choices. They both shared such a love of decadent food that the mood quickly helped Sam to relax. For the next ninety minutes, they didn't stop talking with topics ranging from work, at least the declassified stuff, and their colleagues and friends, which for the most part meant the same thing. They ate truly luscious, rich cuisine while indulging each other with tidbits of their lives before the SGC.

Sam talked about her childhood with General Jacob Carter as her father and Jack smiled openly as he imagined the man he called 'Dad' with a 10 year old Sam trying to win a tickle fight with him. Jack related stories of the good times with Charlie and told tales of himself as a mischievous child. He looked at Sam with a twinkle in his eye as she talked of her hopes to eventually have a family of her own and her concerns about combining the SGC with children.

And so they continued through wine and dessert having a wonderfully relaxed, and slightly flirtaceous, meal that belied their respective nerves. They shared laughs about situations at work, most of which seemed to include Siler, debated politics and learned things about the other that they never knew.

Towards the end of the meal a lull came in the conversation and Jack looked Sam straight in the eye and said "I suppose I need to make a toast." Sam looked slightly confused and asked, "You do?".

"To Major Samantha Carter. Congratulations on your promotion".

Sam couldn't believe that after two hours together, having such a good time, he had to go and spoil it. Sam shook her head, frowned and said, "You know Jack, we've been working together for so many years now, that I actually view us as friends. Do you?".

"Of course I do!", he replied incredulously as if he couldn't believe she had asked such an innane question.

"And is Daniel your friend?", she continued.

"You know is he Sam. Now where are you going with this?", he said, starting to get irritated by her line of questionning.

"Well do you need an excuse to have dinner with Daniel?"

"No".

"So why do you think you need an excuse to have dinner with me?"

Jack just stared at her and then sighed, pushed his hands across his face and looked into his wine glass. He played with the stem until the light hit the glass and reflected a shimmer of red on the white tablecloth. He didn't look up as he answered.

"Because it's different and you know it".

"Because I'm a woman?"

"Because you're a woman and I'm your commanding officer. I know that it shouldn't matter but it does. For many reasons and I don't think that there's anything that you and I can do right now to change that. Now I'm sorry if what I said upset you, but is there any chance that you'll just forget it so we can continue the really great evening we were having."

Sam sighed and looked up from where she had been intently stirring the spoon in her coffee cup and slowly smiled at him, knowing that it took a lot for Jack to make the effort to stop the conversation before it got out of hand. She quietly said, "OK" and Jack broke out in a trade-mark grin.

At that moment, the waiter brought over the check that Jack had requested minutes earlier and Jack paid quickly.

"Are we ok ending our evening this way?", Jack asked tentatively taking Sam's arm as she stood up from the table.

"We're ok, Jack. And our evening isn't over yet is it?".

Jack looked away and decided that he must have misheard the intent in her statement and went straight to his truck without answering. They drove back to Sam's house in relative quiet both absorbed in their thoughts which were remarkably similar. They had thought that this was their chance. Their date. Their opportunity to see what a relationship would be like. And they both were taken aback by the comfort of their dinner. No first date awkwardness. No wondering if they would see each other again. No pressure to move fast or slow, back to one or others house for 'coffee' or nervous asking if the other wanted to see them again. Had they both made a mistake in thinking that their friendship which had grown into love could move into being 'in love'. They were very confused and it unnerved them into silence.

All too soon they pulled into Sam's driveway and Jack helped Sam out of the truck and as she stepped down he once again caught a glimpse of her toned, soft thigh. It brought out the desire in him and he didn't remove his hand from hers as he walked her to the door. She was surprised but didn't pull away finding comfort in his touch and relief from her confusion. She squeezed his hand gently as she indicated that she needed to get to her purse. She pulled out her door key and unlocked the door.

She turned back to Jack and asked gently, "Would you like to come in?".

"No, I think it's better if I don't."

Sam nodded sadly and knew that tonight was not the night to push him on his choice. However she made a spontaneous decision and leaned into Jack, brushing her lips against his. He responded immediately and the kiss deepened. Neither moved to reposition their hands to the other to continue the touch beyond the lips, as if this somehow chastened the action.

They finally broke apart when oxygen became scarce and Sam looked into Jack's eyes. She saw the desire in them and smiled slightly with satisfaction. "Goodnight, Jack", she said and turned to enter the house.

Jack hastily recovered from the encounter and reached out to grab her arm. The momentum swung her back to face him and she held her breath.

"Sam, I just didn't want you going in before telling you that I really had a great time tonight. Thank you."

She gave him one of her "Jack" smiles, turned one last time and entered the house, shutting the door behind her.