She heard the familiar noises of coffee being made and a couple of minutes later Jack emerged from the kitchen holding two cups of steaming liquid. He handed one to her and sat in the chair opposite her. She noted he was wearing gray sweatpants and that pink sweater. She blushed remembering the shopping day. 'God he looked good.'
Suddenly she realized she was sitting opposite her CO in her nighties wrapped in a blanket. She panicked. Did she even had panties? She started to get up.
"Carter." he said. "Sit. Down." She obeyed. Jack got up putting his coffee cup down on the table. He added a couple of logs into the fire, picked his coffee up again and sat at the couch near Sam. He rested his arm on the back rest of the couch near her head. Then he lifted it slowly to her temple and caressed that same lock of heir than before. She couldn't breathe. She closed her eyes leaning into the gentle touch.
"Sam." he whispered softly. She opened her eyes and looked up. In his eyes she saw everything he would offer her. Everything she could ever want. And more. If she was willing to take it.
"Why" she started.
"Daniel." he interrupted. "He's been bugging me for days..weeks... years actually." he confessed.
"Why now?"
"Well" he said with a tone she knew meant he was only half joking. "I figured this was my last chance before actually standing up in the church and shouting I object!" She giggled.
"Uh uh." he reminded her still stroking her hair gently.
"You know" she started. " I love you too".
And then all hell broke loose.
Almost.
Jack removed his hand putting it in his lap. A hint of annoyance flashed in his eyes.
"No, actually I don't. " he said bitterly. Sam jumped.
"What?!" her head jerked up. "You must.."
"How?" he interrupted. "If i remember correctly YOU are the one who's getting married!" he spat.
She got up so quickly she almost spilled her coffee. The blanket forgotten she started pacing in the living room. Suddenly she was angry.
"You really got some nerve, don't you"she mumbled, quite loudly actually. "You.." a soft voice interrupted her. One look at her and his bitterness and annoyance faded away. He reached for her arm and touched it gently. "I'm sorry." Sam wasn't going to forgive him so easily but when she turned around and met those chocolate brown eyes it turned out she couldn't angry with him either.
She let him pull her into his lap and rested her head against his chest. He breathed into her hair inhaling her scent. She turned to face him expecting him to kiss her. When he didn't she leaned a bit closer closing her eyes. She was stopped by a hand on her lips.
"No. I'm not touching you when you're wearing another man's ring." he said firmly. Softly but firmly. She huffed putting her coffee down and removing the ring putting it next to the coffee cup.
"No, not good enough."
"What about earlier?" she asked taken aback of his refusal.
"I had to give you some comparison, didn't I." he said a bit smugly. "And just to make it clear..." he leaned to her and kissed her. It was just as passionate as earlier but longer. Caring. loving, and it made her dizzy.
"Sam, I'm serious" he said pulling back. " You need to make a choice first. You can't fool around with me and then decide to go back to him. If you choose him, I will live with that. Obviously not very well, but I will."
Sam sighed. She rested her head against his chest again, her arms wrapped around him.
" You're right. Of course you are."
They sat there silent for a long time. Jack thought he'd gone crazy. There he was, half naked Samantha Carter sitting in his lap and he refused to lay a finger on her. And it had nothing to do with the regulations. He happened to know they wouldn't be an issue for much longer. At least he hoped so because it wasn't totally up to him.
"I better go." she said eventually getting up.
"Just a second." Jack said also getting up and disappearing into his bedroom. A minute later he came back holding a pair of socks and sweatpants.
"Put these on, it's cold out there". He turned his back to her giving her privacy. She giggled. This time he didn't bother to call her on it. Then he slid the sweater over his head and handed it to her too. He walked her to the door.
"Let me know what you decide" he said softly brushing his knuckles lightly on her cheek.
"I will." she nodded and turned to leave. Halfway to her car she turned back.
"Just for the record" she said grinning. "You look sexy without the sweater too." She blushed.
Jack's stomach turned around and he had a feeling she had already made her choice.
A/N: Phew, I got scared there for a while. Those two never take the easy way do they... anyway, thanks for all your support. Couple of more chapters coming along I'm afraid and then we're done. I hope you're enjoying this but if you're not, skip to the next story and we'll all be fine :)
