Okay – this is an M rated chapter (not a strong M but certainly M). If you don't like that feel free to skip this chapter – it doesn't advance the plot. And I apologize to my readers in advance. I very rarely do M-rated stories because I'm not very good at writing them. Still – I know some like them so this is for those of you who want a bit of heat ….

"They sure like any excuse to party", Jack commented as they stood and watched their neighbors dance and sing and eat. Kleitos and Eugenia had decided to throw a house-warming party for Jack and Sam, and the whole village had turned up.

"That they do", agreed Sam. "I guess they work really hard and so it's nice when they get a chance to relax. And you have to admit, it was really nice of them."

"It was", Jack agreed. He turned his head towards the small pen in back of their new house and grinned. "And I have to say they outdid themselves on the house-warming gifts.

Sam giggled, following Jack's eyes with her own. "I don't know if that was exactly a gift", she told him. "More like a cruel joke."

Jack laughed but then shook his head. "No, it really was a great gift. Marvin and I have developed a mutual respect for one another, and as long as I don't turn my back on him, he behaves. And besides which, he is one of the best studs in the village. His offspring are hardy and produce really fine quality wool. With him we'll be able to start our own herd."

"With him and his harem", Sam motioned towards the three ewes who were all contentedly munching grass in the other pen. One of the ewes still looked a little raggedy – it was Zenobia, the first sheep he'd ever sheared. Kleitos had assured him that she was a good breeder, although he wondered if Marvin (aka Plato) would want anything to do with her in her present state.

"I don't think he cares Jack", Sam had smirked. "I'm sure Marvin can see past the surface down deep, to where she's a really lovely sheep."

"She's got a great personality", he agreed.

They both laughed at that and stood there watching for a few more minutes then turned towards their house. Right now it was filled with women and children, running around, talking and playing. The kitchen table was overloaded with all sorts of food and Jack decided he was ready for round two. Since he put in so much physical labor now he could afford to eat some of the really yummy looking treats.

"I can't believe how generous everyone was", Sam said as they entered their new home. Everyone who had come – the whole village – had brought some kind of housewarming gift. They now had dishes, linens and basic furnishings for the house. The biggest surprise had been the bed. Kleitos himself had hand carved the headboard and a number of the others had worked on the frame. A group of the women, under Eugenia's direction, had sown the down mattress and beautiful embroidered bed linens.

Jack kept thinking of that bed as the day wore on. He and Sam had decided they wanted a life together but had also decided not to rush into anything. They'd spent too many years with him leading, her obeying. This was followed by all the turmoil and uncertainties of the last few months. They agreed that they needed time to simply be together, to get to know one another without all the restraints of rank or saving the world.

But now they were moving into a real house and they had a real bed. He didn't think he could wait any longer.

And things had been good between them. Not perfect – but then what relationship was perfect? They'd had their squabbles – usually when he barked an order and she got the courage to tell him to go to hell. It wasn't what either of them was used to and life together sometimes required negotiation.

Then there was his tendency to not talk about things. That was okay when he was the commander, not so much when he was the boyfriend – or husband. He knew it was what had ultimately doomed his marriage, and he didn't want that to happen again so he tried hard to open up. It was difficult but Sam knew him well enough to appreciate how hard he was trying and to give him space when he needed it.

Now they were moving into a house – a home, and he felt that it was time they moved forward. He didn't want to think too much into the future, because who knew where they would end up. But for now that didn't matter. He was tired of thinking about the rest of the world or about consequences. He wanted to live and to enjoy life and that meant loving Sam, in all ways.

It was almost midnight by the time all their friends left. They waved the last of them off from the doorway of their new house. Once the last person was out of sight Jack reached down and picked Sam up.

"What are you doing?" she laughed.

"Carrying you across the threshold", he told her with a kiss. Once inside he set her down. "Welcome home Sam."

"Thank you." She put her arms around him and rested her head against his chest. "Welcome home Jack."

They stood there for what felt like a long time, each enjoying the closeness and the peace after a full and very active day. Finally Jack lifted his hand and gently touched the side of her face. "Marry me?"

She tilted her head. "Marry you?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah."

"Where? How? The villagers think we're already married."

"So. Marry me. Here. Now. Forever."

She looked deeply into his eyes as if to see what he was thinking. After a few seconds she nodded. "Okay. Yes. Yes I'll marry you."

With that he smiled and leaned down and kissed her. "I love you Sam."

"I love you too – Sir", she smiled.

He laughed softly and touched his nose to hers.

"Good Carter. And I promise to love and cherish you for the rest of my life."

"And I promise to do the same."

"In sickness and in health", he said softly.

"In sickness and in health."

"For richer, for poorer."

"For richer, for poorer."

"To infinity and beyond!"

She giggled at that. "To infinity and beyond."

"And I now pronounce us -"

"Husband and wife", they both said together. They continued to smile at one another until they came together in a gentle kiss – a kiss of promise and commitment. It was Sam who finally pulled back with a sigh.

"So, now that we're married Jack -"

"Mmm hmm?" he said, still enthralled with the fact that was now his wife.

"Don't you think it's time we consummated this marriage?"

She could feel, rather than see him grin. The next thing she knew she was again lifted up into his arms. "I think that can be arranged", he growled. He moved them quickly into the attached room where the brand new bed had been set up. He laid her carefully on top and then sat on the edge. "I can't believe we're finally here", he said with wonder.

"In bed together?"

"That too", he smiled. "No, I meant - just together. It didn't feel like it could ever happen."

"I know. All it took was -"

"Spring cleaning", he chuckled softly. "That, and a few miracles."

"Jack?"

"Mmm?"

"Love me?"

He smiled – that lop-sided smile she saw so rarely, but which she knew meant so much. "I do."

"No, I mean love me."

He smiled even wider. "Yes Ma'am."

He kicked off his shoes and then rolled onto the bed until he was lying beside her. He propped himself up on one elbow and looked down at her. He didn't say anything, and his expression was serious. His eyes traveled slowly down her face, stopping briefly at her lips. He lifted his hand and gently traced them with his fingers, making them part for him. At that he leaned down and softly kissed her, allowing his tongue to gently caress her soft, rosy lips.

"Jack?" she panted softly.

"Shhh." His lips then travelled down, stopping next at the point just below her ear lobe, blowing on it softly and then gently sucking on the skin. She began to squirm, the heat and desire growing.

But Jack didn't stop. Instead he continued the light touches, the tender kisses all the way down. When he reached the V between her breasts he stopped and carefully undid the buttons on her blouse. By this time she was breathing heavily and reached out to touch him, but he took her hands in one of his to stop her. "No. My turn", was all he said.

He pushed aside her blouse, exposing the simple white bra she wore. It was far from sexy, but that didn't seem to bother him at all as he leaned down and kissed first one nipple, and then the other, right through the cotton. She could feel them harden, causing her to groan and wiggle. She again tried to touch him but he stopped her, making the longing grow even stronger.

Jack took his mouth from her breast, replacing it with his fingers. He gently caressed them – causing them to harden even more. At that point he pinched one nipple between his fingers, making her writhe in an agony of desire.

Her back lifted off the bed as she tried to get closer to him and he took the opportunity to slip his hand in behind and quickly undo her bra. A moment later it had been tossed onto the floor and he was now focused on her naked breasts.

"Beautiful", he breathed. He now took both hands and began to fondle the rosy tipped mounds – alternately licking, biting and kneading them.

"Jack" she said again, the agony almost too much to bear. "Please".

At that his mouth released her left breast and he began to move down, although his hands still caressed her soft mounds. Soon he reached her belly, which he enjoyed for a few more seconds before resuming his journey down her body. He finally stopped when he reached the waistband of her skirt.

It didn't take him long however, to figure out how to get the skirt off of her and soon she was lying there in nothing more than her panties. He stopped moving at that point and simply looked at her, the desire burning in his eyes.

She watched him in awe, her breathing fast and shallow. She needed him with a passion she had never felt before. She could no longer take not touching him, and reached down so that her hand was threaded in his hair. "Jack, please."

At that his head moved down until his mouth was just above her panty line. She could feel him smile and then shivered as his tongue gently stroked the area just above the elastic. She whimpered and lifted her hips – needing him to continue, to stop teasing and touch her.

"Please", she whimpered again.

"You're so impatient", he whispered, his voice husky with want. His fingers suddenly hooked her panties, and before she knew what was happening they'd been pulled down and off. She now lay there, completely naked in front of him.

Sam had a brief moment of confusion and guilt. It suddenly felt as if she were doing something wrong, something not-allowed. The feeling passed quickly and she laughed.

"What?" Jack looked up at her, after pulling his eyes away from her naked body.

"Just that I can't believe we're here", she said, practically repeating his words of earlier. "And that this is okay."

He smiled. "It's not just okay, it's amazing." With that he again lowered his head until it was resting on her stomach. His fingers then touched her – her very core – and she gasped and again lifted her hips, this time wanting, needing more from him.

"Yes", she panted, as his finger began to circle her sensitive clit. Her breathing stopped and then started again as the feelings swirled through her.

"Jack", she cried out as another finger moved and entered into her, its way eased by the hot moisture of her passage.

Jack's breathing was becoming faster and shallower, his own desire growing so intense he didn't know how much longer he could go without having Sam touch him. She seemed to realize this because she suddenly moved and the next thing he knew, she had flipped him on his back and she was straddling him.

He blinked in surprise, but then grinned. He'd almost forgotten he'd married an expert in hand-to-hand. Soon the grin faded, however, as Sam's hands began their own journey.

It didn't take long for her to have him in the same state she was in – that was, totally naked. He closed his eyes in wonderful agony at the feeling of her flesh against his, her softness against his rough skin.

She began the same journey he had taken – starting with kissing and licking his lips and moving down, and down. He could barely breath – gasping as her lips touched him, as her tongue licked him, as her nipples stroked his chest and as her soft curls caressed his stomach.

"God", he breathed, and it really was a prayer – a prayer of thanks and of awe. This woman was –

"Sam!" he gasped as she took him in her hand and squeezed.

"Jack?" she smiled as she began to move her hand, pulling and stroking him. By this time her lips had travelled down until they circled his belly – and he knew he was about to go mad. This time he begged her with a please.

"Please what Jack?" she whispered, reveling in her power over him. "Is this what you want?"

The next thing he knew, she had taken him in her mouth. Now, rather than her hand, it was her mouth and her lips and her tongue that caressed him, that tasted him.

As he felt her take him deep into her throat he groaned – in both ecstasy and agony. His hands reached down and grasped a handful of hair, holding her head in place as she brought him to the edge of sanity.

"God – Sam – I can't -" his hips lifted again and his breath stopped. "Sam!"

She slid her mouth one last time over his length and then moved up so that they were chest-to-chest, mouth-to-mouth.

Jack groaned again and flipped her on her back, his mouth descending on hers. He tasted her – and himself – and his tongue plunged into her mouth because he couldn't get close enough.

He could feel her hand on him then – holding him guiding him. She too needed to be closer, as close as it was possible to be.

He moved slightly, and reached down, feeling her center, her hot and wet core and helped as she guided him in.

His head touched the velvet opening and he couldn't hold on any longer. He plunged into her, feeling more alive at this moment than he could ever remember.

They came together in an explosion of passion and heat and love – and it didn't consume them, but made them whole.

It was a long time later – and the two of them hadn't moved. They were tangled up together, two bodies and two souls joined forever. It was Jack who finally moved, only to lift his arm and gently move her hair out of her face. He noticed briefly that his hand was still shaking.

"So -?" he whispered.

"So", she answered, reaching up and touching his lips gently. "That proves it."

"Proves what", he smiled.

"That I was right all along."

He lifted his head and looked down at her – at her flushed face, wild hair, and shining blue eyes. "And what were you right about all along?"

"Oh – that Colonel Jack O'Neill would be one hell of a good lover!"

He laughed softly and lowered his head until it was resting on her chest. "You thought I'd be a good lover, did you?"

"Mmm hmm. Used to fantasize about it quite a bit actually."

"Naughty Major!"

"Well, naughty Captain and then naughty Major."

"That long?"

"Oh yeah. I think from right after our trip to Antarctica. Before that I was too much in awe of you – but after that trip -"

"Really?" He laughed again, his hand now caressing her bare stomach.

"How about you?" she wanted to know.

"When did I start lusting after you?"

She rolled her eyes but then nodded. She placed her hand on his head and began stroking it. "Yeah, when did you start lusting after me?"

"When you walked into the room."

"Which time?" she frowned.

"The first time."

"What?" she lifted her head and looked at him. "The first time? But I didn't think you even liked me then."

"I didn't", he agreed. "I mean, I didn't know you – I just didn't like scientists – or anyone I hadn't chosen for my team. Doesn't mean I didn't lust after you."

"Jack", she chuckled. "You didn't like me but you lusted after me?"

"Mmm hmm. What's wrong with that? You're a gorgeous woman and I'm a guy. And yes, I fantasized about you all the time – at least until I realized it was getting out of hand and I was getting way too attached so I made myself stop."

"Really?" she asked softly. "When was that?"

He sighed. "After the Zatarc thingy. I didn't want to, but I knew if I didn't stop – well, I might do something we'd both regret."

"Yeah", she sighed. "Same with me."

"But I was right all along", he said after a few seconds.

She grinned. "About what?"

"That you, Captain Major Doctor Carter – are one helluva fine lover! My fantasies didn't even come close."

She sighed happily and kissed the top of his head. "And now we don't have to fantasize – we've got the real thing."

He lifted himself up and gazed down on her, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face. "Yes we do – and I have never been so thankful for anything in my life. I love you Sam."

"I love you too Jack – my handsome, real life lover."

He smiled and lowered himself until they were again touching. "So – wanna try the real thing again?"