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The next night Janet found Sam a mess in her bathroom. "Sam, sweetie, what are you doing?" she asked her, seeing her sitting on her bathroom floor in her underwear.
"I can't go, Janet. I can't. I mean this is ridiculous, I'm going to date Jack? What's wrong with me? We already have two kids, why am I so nervous?"
Janet laughed. She couldn't ever remember seeing Sam so nervous before. "Well, technically, you have never been on a date with the Colonel before. Sure, you have two kids, but you were both brainwashed at the time. It is perfectly normal for you to have first-date jitters. I promise everything is going to be just fine, Sam. He's probably just as nervous as you. Now, get up and dust yourself off and I'll do your make-up for you. How do you want to do your hair? Are you going to wear that black cocktail dress you bought a few months back? I think you should, you look gorgeous in that," Janet rambled on while Sam stood up off the floor and allowed Janet to take over.
By the time Jack showed up Sam had been transformed from a wreck to a goddess. She let Janet talk her into wearing the black cocktail dress with matching heels. She had piled her somewhat long hair on top of her head and curled the shorter strands that refused to stay in the clip. Janet was a whiz at applying just the right amount of makeup in just the right spots and Sam glowed with beauty.
Jack was led into the house by Cassie. "Sam will be out in a sec. She's just finishing getting ready. Mom's in there with her," Cassie told Jack and led him to the kitchen where she had been pulling out snacks for the twins.
"Okay, so what are you doing? Are you staying here until I get back with Sam?"
"Um, actually, I'm just going to crash here for the night, so if it just so happens to get too late and you don't want to bring Sam all the way back here when your house is closer, then feel free to have her spend the night. I'll take care of the rugrats until she gets back," Cassie informed him, grinning mischievously.
Jack grinned back. "Why Cassandra Frasier, I have no idea what you are implying but I am sure your mother would not be happy about it."
Cassie laughed. "Who do you think suggested it?" she told him, and watched in amusement as he lightly choked on the pretzel he had popped in his mouth.
"You're evil, Cass," he choked out, shaking his head in disbelief.
Cassie laughed again.
"Hi, Dad," a small voice sounded from beside Jack. Jack looked down to see Jonathon standing next to him.
"Hi, Dad?" Jack asked in an incredulous tone. "What happened to Daddy? Don't tell me you're already all grown up."
Jonathon giggled. "No, I'm still two," he replied, climbing up on the stool. "How come Cwoe and I can't go with you and Mommy?"
Jack popped another pretzel in his mouth and ran one of his hands through his son's hair. "Well, because Daddy was a jerk and has to suck up to Mommy tonight."
Cassie giggled behind her hand.
"A jerk?" Jonathon asked.
"Yup, don't worry about it. You'll have to go through all this yourself one day," Jack told him.
"Why?"
"Because you will more than likely fall in love with a beautiful woman who will confuse and fluster you so much you will have no idea what you're doing and only know that you want to make the woman happy no matter what."
Jonathon looked at his dad with a confused look. "It's okay, Daddy, Mommy confuses me sometimes, too," Jonathon told him and patted his arm with his hand.
Cassie choked back a laugh and Jack tried to keep from grinning at the young boy.
Just as Jack reached for another handful of pretzels, Sam and Janet walked into the kitchen. Sam was fixing her earring in her ear and had her head tipped and both hands playing with the small piece of jewelry in her ear. "Sir, you're going to fill up on pretzels and not be able to finish your meal if you eat anymore of those."
"Carter, what did I say about sirrr….." Jack turned around and stopped mid-sentience when he saw Sam. "Wow! You're gorgeous!"
Sam smiled shyly. "Thank Janet, I was a wreck before she got here," Sam told him, picking up her heels off the floor to slide them on her feet. "Are you ready?"
"Yup," Jack answered, wiping his hands on his pants to rid them of the salt that had stuck to them.
Sam walked over and kissed Jonathon on the top of the head. "You be good for Cassie, slugger, or no treats for a week, got it."
"Okay, Mommy," Jonathon replied, turning around and wrapping his arms around his mom's waist. "Have fun with Daddy sucking up."
Sam crinkled her eyebrows and looked over at Jack.
Jack shrugged and snatched another pretzel. "What the heck are you teaching my kids, Carter?" he asked, smirking.
Sam shook her head at Jack while Cassie suppressed another laugh. "I'm going to say good-bye to Chloe," she responded, turning around and walking away, still shaking her head.
The entire ride to the restaurant, Jack had a hard time keeping his eyes on the road and off the woman sitting beside him. She was absolutely beautiful! He had already known this. He had worked with her for years. The first time he met her, he was speechless. But, this! This was different. He had never seen her look so…….womanly before. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid eyes on. Boy! He really had it bad!
Jack had picked out an expensive restaurant and he stood to his full height in pride as the other patrons in the restaurant paused to stare at his date while they followed the maitre d' to their table.
The night was turning out quite nice. Jack and Sam conversed happily while waiting for their food to arrive. Their food soon arrived and the two ate in a companionable silence. Both being full, but neither ready to leave just yet, Jack ordered a small slice of chocolate cake for the two of them to share.
While eating his side of the cake, Jack finally built up the nerve to ask Sam the question he had on his mind all evening. "Uh, I, uh, need to go to Chicago for a few days to take care of my things there. I was hoping maybe you and the kids could come with me. I told Sara I would be back tomorrow, it'll only be a couple days, tops and I'm sure ol' George will give you the time off."
"I can't," Sam replied, looking apologetically at Jack. "I'm sorry, I have to be back at Area 51 tomorrow."
"It can't wait?" he asked hopefully.
"I'm afraid not. The X-302 is ready for a test run and I have to be there."
"X-302?"
"Yeah," Sam replied, her voice dropping drastically to avoid anyone listening in to their conversation. "We built our own version of the death glider.."
Jack groaned.
"This one is all ours, sir. We built it completely from scratch. The Asgaard shared their hyper drive technology with us and the prototype is ready for testing. Not even the death gliders have hyper drive capability. This is a huge advancement for us," Sam rambled on.
Jack had always loved the way Sam's eyes lit up when she started rambling on about something or other, and this case was no different. He watched, mesmerized, with a small smile gracing his face as she explained the engine and flight capabilities of her newest project.
Sam stopped talking when she noticed Jack's eyes were glazed over. "Uh, if you still want to, you can take the twins. I'm sure Cassie would love to get out of school for a few days to help you take care of them and pack up your things. We can ask Janet, but I don't think she'll have a problem with it."
Jack smiled even bigger. "That sounds great," he replied, happily.
Sam smiled back. Yeah, the night was turning out quite nice.
Before long, the plate the cake had been served on was completely empty, not even a crumb left behind. With nothing else keeping them there, Jack paid for their meal, tipped the waiter, and the couple left the restaurant, hand-in-hand.
"Wanna….take a walk?" Jack asked, nervously.
"Sure," Sam softly said.
Jack cleared his throat, still holding on to Sam's hand and walked along the lit path that led from the restaurant to the shopping mall a short distance away. They walked the path, passing other couples as well as teenagers and college students doing late night shopping or heading off to dinner.
"So, uh, when I get back from Chicago….I'd like to take you out again, if you want. Maybe a dinner and movie next time?"
"You mean, like a second date?" Sam asked, teasingly.
"Yeah," Jack answered, grinning as he noticed the teasing tone in her voice. "I mean, I have to get to date three as soon as possible because we all know what happens at the end of the third date."
Sam reached her empty hand up and slugged Jack in the shoulder, playfully.
"Ow!" Jack laughed. "Come here," he ordered in a soft tone and pulled Sam to him, capturing her lips and pressing her body closer to his. He ran his tongue along her lips until she opened her mouth to him and he dove in, exploring her warm mouth with his tongue. After his long and detailed exploration, he slowly pulled his tongue back and lightly bit her lower lip, smiling into her lips as she moaned in his mouth. He kissed her softly one more time before pulling away to look at her beautiful face.
Sam's face was flushed and her eyes were filled with desire. She didn't know what to do or say. Being with Jack in this way was completely new territory for her. This was Jack! Not Jonah, but Jack! She wanted him so badly, but at the same time, she was scared to death.
Deciding there really wasn't anything to say between them, she tossed him one of her mega-watt smiles and turned around to head back to Jack's truck.
Jack caught up to her after a second of being frozen in his spot and recaptured her hand with his. Swinging their hands, playfully, back and forth between them, Jack began whistling a familiar tune the rest of the way back to the truck.
Jack, not wanting to push her into anything she might later regret, drove back to her house. It was only 2200 when they arrived back and Cassie came running to the door, disappointed that their date was already over.
"Oh, come on! Even I am allowed to stay out later than this!" Cassie complained as they walked through the house.
Sam just turned and smiled at Jack, ignoring Cassie. "Would you like a beer, Jack?"
"Sure, Sam," he replied, grinning back at her.
Cassie looked from one to the other, feeling like she was left out of some sort of joke.
Jack asked Cassie if she wanted to go to Chicago with him and the twins for a few days while Sam called Janet and asked if it was okay. Janet was fine with it and Cassie was thrilled. Deciding she wasn't needed anymore, Cassie headed home to pack with plans for Jack to pick her up before heading to the airport.
Once Cassie left, the house fell into silence. "Uh, you can stay the night again, if you want. It is getting kind of late," Sam finally interrupted the quiet, sitting nervously next to Jack.
"I'd like that, but, unfortunately, I don't think my back can take another night on your couch."
"Oh," Sam replied, disheartened.
Silence
Silence
"Uh, you could take my bed. It's comfortable," she said, gulping down the lump in her throat.
"I don't want to take your bed, Carter," Jack replied, softly.
"I don't mind, really."
Silence
"We could…share it," Jack whispered.
"Sir?"
"Jack!"
"Jack?"
"What?"
"Share?"
"Why not?"
Sam looked at him, scrutinizing his look? "We have slept closer off-world," she reasoned.
"Exactly!" Jack announced, a little happier than he probably should have been.
Sam sighed. "Okay, but no funny business. This isn't the third date," she teased, grinning at Jack.
"I wouldn't think of it!" Jack exasperated. "You know, technically, and I use that word lightly, if we count that time you, me and Teal'c ate at O'Malley's and that time you and I had lunch together on the planet with the blue trees, we could consider this a third date…"
"No." Sam cut him of.
"No?"
"No."
"Alright, first date it is, then. Jeez!"
Sam smiled and stood up, Jack following. "Come on, let's go to bed," she announced.
"Carter, you have no idea how long I've waited to here you say those words," Jack teased again.
Sam shook her head and punched Jack in the arm again.
"Why you…" Jack said, rubbing his arm and chasing Sam into the bedroom.
Sam laughed as she ran from Jack. In the bedroom, he cornered her, picked her up and dropped her on the bed, hopping on top of her before she could move. He pinned her arms above her head with one hand and then tickled her side with the other. She squirmed and squealed, begging for Jack to stop.
Finally, he stopped tickling her and instead, attacked her neck with his lips, gently biting and sucking his way around her neck and shoulders. Getting very much into his oral assault on Sam, he slowly lessened his grip on her hands and they came out and slowly started roaming around Jack's back.
Sam was very turned on, in fact, Sam could feel Jack's own arousal and this scared her. She wasn't ready for this, yeah she wanted it, but she was soooo not ready for this! She moved her hands from his back to his chest and tried to push him off. "Jack. Jack, stop!" she gasped out.
Jack immediately stopped his assault and pulled up off Sam, staring at her for an explanation.
Sam looked at him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm just not ready for this, yet."
"It's okay, it's okay. Jeez, Sam, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you," Jack cried, rubbing Sam's cheek with his thumb and giving her featherlike kisses all over her other cheek.
"I know, I know, it's okay. Let's just go to sleep, okay?"
"Yeah, okay," Jack said, kissing her one last time on the lips and moving them both under the covers. Jack spooned up behind Sam and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her comfortably into his warm embrace. "Good night," he said softly, kissing her on the back of the head.
"Night," Sam replied, still feeling Jack's arousal pressed into her back. She could so easily just turn around and forget about her own stupid fears. It wasn't like she didn't already know and love him. It was still quite obvious how he would respond! Sam sighed and closed her eyes. 'Good night, indeed,' was her last thought before falling into oblivion.
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