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"Love means to commit oneself without guarantee, to give oneself completely in the hope that our love will produce love in the loved person. Love is an act of faith, and whoever is of little faith is also of little love."- Erich Fromm

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Chapter 46

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Despite the chill in the air Sam felt warm inside. She didn't know if it was from drinking the martini's or the result of such a wonderful night with Martin but either way she was relishing the feeling. She sighed and leaned in closer to Martin as they headed to the jeep.

Tonight was probably one of the most romantic nights of her life and it wasn't just the dinner and dancing, it was the company. Most of her dates were preoccupied by trying to impress her by appearing cool or charismatic whereas Martin was just being himself. That was probably what she liked best about him; there wasn't any pretension or phoniness about Martin; he was he who he was and that's it. Of course, it was an added bonus that he was also focused on making sure she was comfortable being who she was and having a good time.

She wrapped her arm around his waist as his pulled her close, his arm slung over her shoulder. She tilted her head so it rested on his shoulder and softly said, "I had a really great time tonight."

"I'm glad." He replied with a sly grin. "We all went through a lot of trouble planning it."

She laughed softly as they reached the jeep. Martin clicked the button to unlock the doors and stepped up to open her door. She started towards the door but before she stepped inside she pulled him close and kissed him. He leaned closer to her and pressed his body to hers until her back was up against the back door of the jeep.

She liked being this close to Martin. He was solid and real and safe and she knew that when she went home tomorrow she was going miss being with him like this.

He slowly started running his hands along her waist as she rested both of her hands on his chest. As they kissed, their tongues probing and mingling, she could feel his arousal pressing against her thigh. He moved his kisses to her neck and she started to move her hips against his when she heard him moan with pleasure.

She knew that she needed to get him home before they completely lost themselves in the moment because while it was tempting it was also cold and they were parked along a busy street. So as he started to nip and suck on her neck she murmured into his ear, "You better get us home before we get arrested for public indecency."

"Don't blame me, you started it." He laughed against her neck and replied, "Okay, you're right, we should stop." He gave her neck a final kiss and stepped back so Sam could slip inside the jeep.

A few minutes later they were on the road and as Martin drove Sam leaned into her seat not able to believe how much had changed since her first car ride with Martin just after she had arrived in Chicago. She didn't think it would be possible for her life to change so drastically in such a short period of time and yet it had. When she arrived she was estranged from her family and resigned to her single-hood. Now, a mere week and a half later she had reconnected with her mom and sister. Sure, there was stuff that needed to be talked about but at least the door was open. As for being single, well, technically she still was but now there was Martin.

Her gut instincts on that first night were right when she thought that there would be no such thing as a simple fling with Martin Fitzgerald. How was she supposed to walk away from someone as wonderful as him? She had been dating long enough to know you don't just throw something like they had away. It was hard enough finding a someone you could actually like but the odds of that guy not only being just as into you as well as one who is handsome, smart, sexy and makes you laugh, well, it's too rare to lose.

Sam knew this, so she decided that she wasn't going to lose it, lose him.

The problem was now that even though she had accepted that fact that they both wanted more there were still plenty of obstacles; namely, the distance of living in two different cities and also the matter of dating another agent. If by some miracle they were able to pull off a long distance relationship, if either one of them were to transfer they would most likely have to change jobs. It was one thing to start dating someone after they were already on your team; it was another for someone to willingly place two agents who were romantically involved with each other on the same team after the fact.

Sam couldn't help but wonder if the big meeting Jack wanted to have when she got home was to announce that Kyle was leaving their team. That would leave an open spot in the NY missing persons unit…..and Martin would be extremely qualified for the position. But as quickly as she considered the idea she dismissed it. First of all she wasn't so keen on working on a team with a man she was currently seeing along with someone she used to have a relationship. She was certain that Jack would find it just as uncomfortable. Then there was also the fact that she and Martin were moving fast as it was. It would be borderline insanity to have him pull up roots and move to another city to be with a woman he had only known a week.

Sam sighed, as romantic a notion as it was she knew it was completely irrational. But she wanted some assurance that she was going to see Martin after she went home to New York so she reached out with her hand and tugged playfully on his earlobe, "You know there are a lot of great places to go dancing in New York."

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and replied, "Really?"

"Yeah," She kept her eyes on him as she said, "Maybe if you come up and visit I could take you out."

He reached up, took her hand and kissed it. "I'd like that." He turned to her with a smile and keeping his hold on her hand, he rested them on the space between their seats. He returned his focus to his driving when he licked his lips and quietly, hesitatingly asked, "So does this mean that you are willing to risk it? Try to have some kind of relationship?"

The car slowed to a stop as the streetlight switched from yellow to red. Free to shift his focus, Martin turned to face her, waiting for her reply.

Sam sighed and looked down at their intertwined hands and said, "I've thought about it and I decided that I'd rather take a gamble on having a relationship with you and all the complications that are sure to come, and there will be complications Martin, but I'd rather take that chance rather than risk never seeing you again." She looked up and added, "That is, if you were still willing to take a chance on me as well."

He lifted his hand off of the steering wheel, touched her face and whispered, "I'd risk anything to be with you Sam." He leaned forward and kissed her.

The car behind them honked their horn, presumably to remind them that the light had switched back to green. With a smile on his face, Martin pulled back to return to his driving.

Sam laughed and said, "We have got to get home already."

Martin laughed, shifted in his seat and replied, "I'm trying."

They finally pulled into the garage a few minutes later and after a long night of making out and stopping Sam was quite ready to take Martin upstairs so she could have her way with when she heard loud, frantic barking. She looked over at Martin who exhaled loudly and said, "The cat's back."

He exited the jeep and hurriedly walked to the door that led to the backyard. As she stepped out of the jeep she could hear Martin yelling, "Milo!"

She gave a light laugh and decided to just leave Martin to his peacekeeper duties and went inside the house. She removed her coat and hung it on the coat rack deciding to just head into the living room to wait for Martin. It wasn't until she was half-way through the dining room that it occurred to her that it was the only place that had not yet made it into the competition for 'favorite room'.

A naughty idea entered her mind and she made quick work of stripping off her dress. She hung it on the back of one of the chairs, sat on the edge of the table, crossed her legs and leaned back, supporting herself with her hands on the table.

She heard the back door slam shut and Martin muttering, "Fucking cat….." followed by footsteps headed in her direction. The door swung open and Martin appeared.

He stood shock still at the sight of her. If she thought he looked cartoonish at seeing her in the black dress it was nothing compared to the gaping look on his face at finding her sitting on his dining room table wearing nothing but a smile and her hot pink bra and panties.

"You said you wanted to see it on me," Sam purred. She gave him a coy smile and asked, "What do you think?"

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A/N: Yeah, yeah, the next chapter will be smutty. Sheez, bunch of dirty readers who always have smarty sex on the mind……. ;-)