Title: Stolen Glances
Author: Linnea
Pairing: M/S, what else?
Disclaimer: As usual, I own nothing and if I did, something like this would happen in the show and there would be a lot more M/S-moments.
Rating: K, just to be sure.
Summary: Martin wants Sam. Sam wants Martin. But neither will do anything about it. That's when Danny decides to help.
A/N: I know it's the stort of June and this is a Christmas.fic, but I want to post it anyway, so I will.

Maybe something simular to this has been done before, but in that case, please forgive me. This is my first fic I've ever written that's not a song-fic or a one-shot, so please be nice to me. This is also the first thing I'm posting here, which makes me even more nervous. R&R!
Here goes:

Part 1 – A big night

Three days left until Christmas, Sam thought as she sat at her work-laden desk. They had more paperwork than ever to finish in order to get a few well deserved days off over the holidays and on top of that she just had to get off early today to have enough time to get ready for the Office Christmas party that same evening. She certainly had a lot to do and it took time to get her hair and clothes and nails ready. So after letting her mind wander a few seconds she quickly got back to work and stared down at all the reports before her that had to be signed and filed.

She worked for 5 minutes before feeling her gaze drift back up again towards a certain person standing with his back to her over at the coffee machine. Martin had been the center of all her non-work-related thoughts for quite awhile now, and more than often, she let her mind daydream about him. It wasn't easy with them working so closely together everyday and the mass of sexual tension hanging in the air didn't exactly make things easier.

She often let her drifting gaze stop at his back and she was scared he would notice. She had absolutely no idea what he thought or felt about her, sure he had expressed he wanted more then friendship with her before, but that was a long time ago and a lot of things could have changed since then. Sometimes she caught him staring at her too and she couldn't help but feel that he could read her like an open book and yet she had no idea what was going on in his head. It was a very disconcerting feeling.

Yet she still felt extremely attracted to him. Every time he met her gaze something melted inside of her and for everyday that passed she fell more and more in love with him.

What! What was she thinking? Was she really falling in love with Martin? Seriously? She simply couldn't be. Not after all the mistakes she had made with Jack. She promised herself she would never let herself walk into that trap again.

Her head was spinning so she suppressed all the spiralling thoughts of Martin and got back to her paperwork.

Meanwhile Martin had finished his fifth refill of coffee for the day, and it wasn't even noon. He was heading back towards his desk opposite Samantha's and saw the blond beauty look down at her papers and blush slightly, something he had noticed she did more often lately. Was it him?

He shook his head, how could he even think those thoughts? She had made it clear a long time ago that she didn't have any aspirations to be with him like that, and he really should respect that. But he guessed it was like he told her that day, old feelings die hard. No matter how hard he tried to forget the way he felt about her, he didn't seem to succeed. It was so hard; she was a beautiful woman and amazingly unique. His eyes always got stuck watching her during work-hours and he didn't want anyone to notice. It could become really awkward if anyone did. So he quickly diverted his gaze back to the computer screen and concentrated on the reports. No more thoughts of Samantha today, he decided.

What neither of them knew was that that through the window of Jack's office someone was watching their little game of stolen glances. And it wasn't Jack. As Danny saw them throw hot looks at one another a smile crept onto his face. It was kind of fun coming to work watching them everyday, and he was even more amused as he knew nothing would happen. Despite the sexual tension that had always been between them, Martin thought Samantha didn't want him when in fact she did. But sure, Danny could see that. She had blown him off before and if something were to happen, it had to be Sam who initiated it. And that was exactly why nothing would happen. She was way too scared of getting hurt in the end to even flirt casually so that was a total dead end. Seeing as they didn't have any case and only paperwork which Danny was almost finished with, he figured he had a lot of time to figure out a solution to this little problem, hopefully before the Christmas party tonight.

Twenty minutes later Martin was out of coffee again and desperately needed the energy boost, so he got up to get some more but kept his eyes on the floor along the way. He was afraid that if he met Sam's gaze he would blush and he just couldn't do that, he was a man for Christ's sake. Sam had just gotten her coffee and was heading out of the break room but since she also kept her gaze on the cold grey floor for the same reason as Martin, she didn't see him coming and they bumped right into each other.

She spilled half of the coffee in her newly refilled coffee mug over her shirt and squealed at the hot burning sensation rushing over her chest. Martin looked up stunned but couldn't get a word out of his mouth. His instincts took hold of him though and he quickly pushed her inside the break room again. He went and grabbed wet paper towels and quickly started to wipe the steaming hot coffee off her chest in rapid motions. She just looked at him, amazed at the secure way he handled it all.

"I'm so sorry Sam," he said while wiping her blouse clean. He couldn't even look her in the eyes.

"No, no. Don't be. It was my fault. I should've looked up and seen you coming."

"You couldn't. It was totally me." Martin felt really embarrassed.

"Let's make some new coffee," Sam suggested.

She went over to the shelf and reached up to bring down the coffee powder. Both she and Martin went for it at the same time and they nearly bumped heads but Martin saw it coming just in time and let her take the powder. When they stood straight again he finally looked into her eyes. It dawned on her just how close they really were and she froze in his blue gaze. Time seemed to stop and the both got lost in each other. Sam was so close to reaching up and kissing him but just couldn't bring herself to do it. They probably stood there like fools for at least two minutes until he finally averted his gaze and stepped away. Martin, she's not interested in you in that kind of way. You know that. Get yourself together man, he thought.

Sam started making the coffee and dropped a spoon on the floor. She turned around and picked it up but when she did that Martin stood behind her so he got a real good look at her ass. Once again he froze, but came back down to earth quickly again as it would be really awkward if she caught him staring at her ass. Not good. But she just handed him his cup of coffee and apologised again for bumping into him earlier. Then she walked out the door.

Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for them, Danny was in a place where he had managed to catch this little scene between the two of them. It was funny the way all their actions spoke so loudly for them and still neither dared to make the first move. It was then that he decided he just had to do something about this little "problem".

It was quite amusing, but he was beginning to get tired of watching them walking like cats around hot plates at the office and well it was obvious that neither was going to do anything about it, so he just had to do it for them. They just needed a little help and then he was convinced everything would be fine and they would forgive him for what he was about to do. He sure hoped it would work. Tonight's Christmas party was the perfect place and this was the perfect time. He had his plan all worked out...

After her and Martin's encounter earlier Sam fought hard just to concentrate on work and to get home soon. She didn't look up and meet his blue eyes, even though she was very tempted to as she could feel him looking at her. She tried not to think about a potential relationship with Martin since it really scared her and it would make her run. She didn't want to run. Not this time.

On the one hand she really was scared of getting involved with Martin, she didn't know what he would be like in a relationship and if they would work out. She could easily become the center of gossip at the office and it would ruin her already tainted reputation to have slept with two guys on the same team. But on the other hand she was having a really hard time fighting her attraction to him, it was inevitable. She felt like they had the best chemistry and she really wanted him, he was after all hot. But was it worth risking everything for?

No. It wasn't. At least not yet. She didn't dare follow her heart.

It was soon time to leave for the day and go home to get ready for their "big night". Martin was just finishing the last reports. He stood up, grabbed his coat and packed his things.

"Well I'm done here. See you later tonight guys"

"Yeah, see you soon" Viv and Danny both replied.

"You got much left there Sam?" he asked her trying to sound casual.

"No, not much. I'm surprised I got it done so quickly actually. Thought I wouldn't have anytime to go home and get ready," she said and smiled at him. He fought hard to come up with something sweet and charming to say but couldn't so he decided to talk to her more at the party.

"Good then, I'll see you later on the "big night". He gave her one of his breath-taking, very cute smiles and walked off towards the elevators.

Both Danny and Samantha were left smiling inwardly, tiny grins plastered on their faces after his departure. Sam smiled at Martin's smile, his cute comments and that he wanted to talk to her more. Danny smiled because they didn't know how much of a "big night" this would be for them. But he did.