As the credits rolled, Sam sighed, knowing she now had no reason to remain in Jo's arms and not wishing to leave them.
"Think Abi'll like it?" Jo's voice sounded dreamy as she drifted on her cloud of ecstasy, valiantly fighting to stay awake.
"Yeah, I can see it appealing to her. Are you sure you don't mind her keeping hold of it tomorrow? What time does it have to be back?" Sam went to move but felt Jo's arm tighten around her.
"It's fine, anytime before seven I can return it without being charged an extra day's rental. Do we have to move just yet? I could happily stay like this all night. I feel like I could sleep through, right here." Sam raised her head to look at her drowsy colleague.
"You'd regret it in the morning when you came to move and you had a numb arm and a crick in your neck! Why don't we move upstairs?"
Jo lazily traced the back of one finger down Sam's cheek as she answered with a smile, "Sam, you'll get yourself quite a reputation if you go round asking lesbians those sorts of questions! Still, bed does sound good." As though illustrating her point, Jo's eyes fluttered closed involuntarily. Sam pulled herself from the embrace holding a hand out in invitation to her friend. She led the weary detective up the stairs and into the spare room, finding an old t-shirt for her to sleep in and leaving her to change while Sam herself got ready for bed.
"Want me to stay with you for a while?" Sam asked on returning to find Jo under the covers shivering slightly at the feel of the cool bedclothes against her skin.
"I'd love you to." Jo stretched out on her back, reaching one arm along Sam's side of the bed inviting her back into a similar embrace to that which they had shared downstairs on the couch. Without a moment's hesitation, Sam pulled the covers back and climbed beneath them, rolling onto her side and resting her head back in the crook of Jo's shoulder. Huddling close, seeking one another's warmth, Jo dropped a kiss onto the top of Sam's head. "Sleep tight, sweetheart."
Sam looked up into Jo's face at the use of the term of endearment, her heart threatening to burst from her chest at hearing it directed at her by this stunning woman. Their eyes locked, both stomachs somersaulting and temperatures soaring. Inch by inch, they drew closer, neither daring to blink or look away for fear of breaking the spell. Their lips brushed together, feather-light touches igniting wild fires within both women. The kiss deepened as Jo sought entrance into Sam's mouth with her tongue, teasing her lips and relishing in the sensations created by the intimate contact. Both women drew back slightly as they relented to the need for air, gazing warily at one another, searching for a reaction, trying to gauge whether it would be favourable.
"Jo…"
"Sam…" Both women started to speak at the same time, voices breathless in the still night air. "You go first." Jo prompted, smiling tentatively.
"I've been wanting to do that for so long," Sam began, faltering slightly as she searched for words to express how mixed up and yet also surprisingly at ease she felt. "I know that it's too soon after Tessa to consider anything happening but I want you to know I don't regret kissing you. Don't get me wrong, I've not had an ulterior motive befriending you, helping you through all this, I didn't do it just to get you into bed…" Jo effectively stalled any more of Sam's ramblings as she captured her lips for another scorching kiss. When she was satisfied that Sam was sufficiently incapacitated to let the brunette get a word in edgeways, Jo released her.
"It's what I've wanted too, but I never thought you'd be interested, not in a million years. Yes it's soon after Tessa and I split up but we can't help when we …" Jo hesitated, about to tell Sam that she was in love with her but had second thoughts opting for a safer line instead, "develop feelings for other people any more than we can help who we find attractive but if you're willing to take it one day at a time, slow and steady, I'd like to see where this takes us."
Jo was rewarded with the most endearing tearful smile from Sam. "I'd very much like that." Sam's voice was thick with emotion, wondering how she could have been so blind for so long, not opening her heart to Jo before despite all their previous flirting. She felt herself being drawn closer to Jo and allowed her full weight to rest along the length of the taller woman's body, moulding her petite frame to each curve she encountered and holding Jo tenderly.
"Sweet dreams Sam." With another chaste kiss on the lips, Jo settled back resting her cheek against the top of Sam's head, once again breathing in the sweet scent, a blissful contentment washing over her as sleep claimed them both.
Sam climbed the stairs quietly, knowing she would have to wake Jo up but wanting to catch one last glimpse of her in repose before awareness intruded. She had lain awake for an hour before stirring, content simply to watch Jo sleep, studying the contours of her face which seemed so much more beautiful when totally relaxed than Sam thought possible. Abi was already up and about when Sam had finally made it downstairs, grilling her mother for details as soon as her feet hit the kitchen, disappointed when none were forthcoming but hoping to work on Jo before she too had to leave. Sam re-entered the bedroom she had shared with her lover, could she call her that or was it too early to be giving her such status? Sam certainly knew what she wanted, or at least thought she did, exhilarated and scared in equal measure by the thought of sharing her life and her bed with Jo on a more regular basis. Depositing the black coffee and painkillers on the bedside cabinet, Sam perched on the side of the bed brushing hair from Jo's face, remembering how she had done the same thing the morning Tessa had been found and how she had wanted, even then, to run her hands over the contours of Jo's body. The object of her affection stirred beneath her ministrations, squinting against the light as she opened her eyes for the first time.
"Morning sleepyhead!" Sam grinned as Jo groaned, herself feeling better for the aspirin she had taken earlier.
"Geez remind me never to drink again!" Jo grimaced as she hauled herself up, resting against the headboard in a semi-sitting position, trying to filter the images flashing through her brain into fact and seriously steamy fiction. "How come you're so bright and chirpy this morning and I have a head stuffed full of cotton wool?" Sam fought hard to conceal her amusement – she had found Jo funny last night when drunk but hung-over was even more endearing, grouchy in a sullen, petulant way whilst flashing her pleading looks to put her out of her misery.
"I've been awake slightly longer than you sweetheart, my painkillers have already kicked in!" Sam handed Jo the coffee and tablets watching with a motherly eye as the brunette knocked them back. "Give it ten minutes, you should be feeling a whole lot better." Jo flashed Sam a look warning her she would pay if she was lying.
"Erm Sam, I know I was a bit…erm," Jo desperately sought to cling onto one coherent thought, images flashing through her mind of kissing Sam, feeling like something was different between them this morning.
Sam frowned, wondering if Jo was going to tell her that last night, their kiss, had been a mistake, realising that Jo must have been more drunk than she had thought.
"It's ok Jo, I understand. We'd both had a fair bit to drink, it was late. I won't hold you to anything and it doesn't have to change things between us." Jo looked at Sam intently, memories and fantasies finally beginning to separate themselves more successfully.
"We kissed." Jo's tone was ambiguous, Sam wasn't sure what her point was, feeling her temper rise as fears of rejection gripped her heart.
"I'm glad it was so memorable for you!" Sam went to stand, feeling Jo's hand wrap around her wrist.
"Memorable? Sam, give me a few minutes here – you just woke me up from the middle of an incredible dream, my head feels like it's floating some three miles away from my body and my hormones are on overdrive! Do you have any idea how sexy you are? Sleeping next to you has done things to my body that haven't been done in a long time – and certainly never without anyone touching me." Jo paused, gratified to see that Sam was at least not making any further attempts to leave. "You told me you wanted me last night. And whilst I my rational brain doesn't want to rush things, I'm not made of stone, knowing that you want me as much as I want you is…an incredible aphrodisiac." Sam felt her fears wash away, hearing Jo's heartfelt declaration, feeling her cheeks burn as she remembered her own dreams from a night spent in the arms of this incredible woman.
"So what now?" Sam slowly turned back towards Jo, a slight frown still creasing her brow as she considered all the possibilities.
"Well, how about you come here so that I can give you a good morning kiss…" Sam moved in towards Jo's lips, feeling her knees weaken as contact was made, surprised to find herself suddenly on her back, lying on the bed with Jo looking down at her. "And then another kiss…" Jo leant in again softly but thoroughly exploring Sam's mouth, moving away to place delicate nips along her jaw-line, finishing up around her ear, igniting Sam's core as she whispered, "and then I think you ought to get to work before I hold you captive right here for the rest of the day!"