Chapter 6

Author's Note: So now we're getting into developing Sam and Andy's relationship. So their first date is a big thing, it's setting the foundation of their relationship, but also showing that awkwardness of two people who like each other, but don't really know each other and have also slept together. Added to this, Andy is still slightly pissed off at Sam, so hopefully you guys like the McSwarek development.
Freedom-In-Fantasy

"Where do you want to go?" Sam asked Andy as they left the station, getting into his truck that Oliver had bought to the station a few hours prior.
Andy shrugged. "Probably not The Black Penny."
"Definitely not The Penny, everyone will want to know how we know each other." Sam agreed.
Andy decided to test how much Sam would pay for his mistakes. "How about that new restaurant that got really good reviews in the paper last week?"
Sam though about it for a second. In his experience, restaurants that got really good reviews overcharged even more than normal restaurants. But he wanted to impress Andy and besides, after 8 months of undercover, he had 8 months worth of untouched wages. "Ok."

There was a line to get into the restaurant. "Must be popular." Sam commented.
"The food better be worth waiting for." Andy added.
They stood side by side in silence for about a minute before Andy couldn't take it. "So are you coming back to work tomorrow?"
"Nah, I got a week off." Sam said.
"So what are you planning for your week off?" Pressed Andy.
Sam shrugged. "The usual."
"Which is?"
"Go visit my sister." He laughed dryly. "Prove I really am still alive. Listen to lots of lectures on how undercover work is dangerous and how it's cruel to my family and maybe I should think about settling down, having a family before I get too much older." Sam snapped his mouth shut, embarrassed, and another minute of silence ensured.
"So you do a lot of undercover work?" Andy broke the silence.
Sam smiled, relieved he hadn't freaked her out and that he could talk about something he enjoyed talking about. He just wasn't into that personal stuff. "Yeah, I prefer working with Guns'n'Gangs."
"Why?" Andy asked curiously.
"I enjoy the thrill. Besides other than Sarah I have no family, so they might as well use someone like me rather than someone like Oliver who has a wife and 100 children."
Andy raised and eyebrow. "I don't think that's physically possible."
Sam gave a naughty grin. "It would be easy enough with 100 women."
Andy lightly whacked him. "Sam!" Then she frowned. "Did you change the subject?"
Sam laughed. "Unless you want to know how Guns'n'Gangs function, how we get barely any time to learn our cover stories and the shitty measure of all the places I've stayed. I'm pretty sure I've told all that is worth telling."
Andy looked thoughtful. "I do have one question."
"Ask away."
"Is it hard living as someone else?"
"I forgot that side. Yes and no I guess." Sam thought for a second. "It can be hard at first with little stuff like remembering to respond to your name, remembering you can't go for a drink with your friends and getting in with the right people. But I've just never found it hard. The first rule about undercover is stick to the truth as much as possible because it's easier to remember and I guess my story has just worked well."
"So you're still JD?"
"The side of JD you saw was similar to Sam Swarek."
"So you pick up women in bars, give them a fake name, sleep with them and promise to call but never do often?"
"No, I'm not like that. I tell them my name is Sam."
"Ma'am, Sir, your table is ready." The rest of Sam's response and Andy's responding fist were interrupted by a waiter leading them to their table. But as Sam pulled out Andy's chair and leaned to whisper in her ear, he redeemed himself. "Just like JD, I'd want to get to know a beautiful woman like you though."
Andy blushed and floundered for a moment, then leant forward with a grin, "so what would you like to know?"
Sam grinned wickedly. "Underwear colour."
"What!" Andy exclaimed. "You can ask any question, and you want to know what colour my underwear is?"
Sam grinned unashamedly. "I'm a guy. So what colour is it? You're leaving me is suspense here."
"Black." Muttered Andy.
"What was that? I couldn't hear you." Sam said grinning.
"Black, my underwear is black." Andy said louder. Loud enough the next table over heard and looked over curiously. Andy flushed with embarrassment.
Sam saw and deflected the attention off her. "Cool we can match. I'm either wearing black underwear or no underwear." He said boldly, drawing all attention to him.
Andy gave him a grateful smile.
Their comments had drawn a nearby waiter too. Sam noticed him and decided to call him out on it. "Oh good, you're here to take our order."
The waiter stammered for a second. "Ok what would you like?"
"I'll have today's special and a bottle of red for the table. Andy pick the red you want." Sam remembered that Andy had mostly drunk red wine last time they had a drink or 20 and he wanted to impress her with his more 'sophisticated' taste, but really he'd had her pick the brand because he had no idea what was good."
Suddenly Andy was faced with a dilemma. She had intended to get their most expensive cocktail, but only have 1 or 2. Their most expensive wine bottle was more than both their meals put together. She wanted a little revenge on Sam, but she also liked the prospect of a second date, and if she cost too much, he might decided she wasn't worth the price before he got to know she was a pizza and beer kind of girl. So she decided on an above average but not hugely expensive wine then ordered oysters, their most expensive main. But really it was only about $10 more than Sam's. It wouldn't kill him, but made her feel pleasantly vindictive.

"So next question." Sam said after the waiter was gone. "Why did you become a cop?"
"My Dad was a cop, so I've grown up with serving and protecting ideals. But right now, I just want to restore honour to the McNally name."
"I don't doubt for a second that you will achieve it." Sam said softly.
"Thank you." Andy said equally as softly. She cleared her throat. "So why did you want to become a cop?"
"I wanted to save people." Sam said.
Andy chuckled. "Let me guess, you wanted to be a superhero growing up?"
"Fireman actually."
Andy outright laughed. "Yet you joined the rival."
Sam's grinned dampened. "Firemen didn't serve justice."
Andy nodded and they stay silent till she couldn't bear it. "Ok, favourite ice cream?"
"Pistachio."
"Who like's pistachio?" They were in the middle of a friendly disagreement over ice cream when their meals arrived. Sam couldn't help but notice how much fancier Andy's oysters were than his steak burger. He hoped she wasn't the fancy type of girl or he'd never be able to afford her. "Ok favourite alcoholic beverage?"
"Red wine or beer." Andy answered.
A girl who liked beer. Sam approved. "Do you like pizza too?"
"Who doesn't like pizza?"
Maybe she wasn't so high maintenance after all, especially when she grimaces before eating an oyster.

When dessert time came around, Andy was pleased to see the two most expensive desserts were what she would have eaten normally.
While they were waiting for their dessert, Sam continued to break down the awkward walls by joking "it's a good thing I'm great in bed or it would have been really bad manners to sleep with you before taking you out on a date."
Andy scoffed and played along. "Please, you good in bed, as if."
"Now, now sweetheart. Playing hard to get isn't the way to get a replay."
Perhaps it was a good thing the desserts arrived then and both tucked in.

After Sam had paid the bill they got back into his truck and headed homeward. On the way they saw a bar advertising a live band that night. "Want to have a look?" Sam asked.
"Sure."
Sam ordered himself a beer and Andy ordered a cocktail which confused Sam for a minute. He was sure she'd said she preferred red wine and beer. Then it hit him. This was a subtle revenge. She was making him pay for his sins – literally.
"Are cocktails the new red wine?" Sam asked dryly.
Andy gave a guilty grin. "Yep."
Sam gave her a knowing look and she knew that he knew.
"Am I forgiven yet?" Sam asked at last.
"The grin turned cheeky. "I might forgive you if you dance well."

Sam couldn't believe how much fun he was having. He'd never liked dancing before, but with Andy it felt...natural. He watched her dance energetically to the fast songs, her eyes aglow. Then he enjoyed touching her as the came together for the slow songs, sneaking a hand on her bum. He couldn't deny he desired her, but this time he was going to do it right.
Andy felt like she was on a high. They were having a successful date. Good food and he didn't care that she liked to dance on her own. But the more she danced with him, the less she wanted to do that. But every time they touched, she got that tingly feeling below. No matter what, she wasn't going to take him to bed that night, she resolved. Like him or not, it was time to do thing conventionally.

A few hours later, they were sagging against each other. "Time to go?" Sam asked.
Andy nodded reluctantly, enjoying the warmth Sam's body provided. "Let's go." Arms wrapped around each other, they made their way to Sam's truck and flopped into the seats. "Do you remember where I live?" Andy asked tiredly.
"Of course I do. You made quite the impression." Sam mustered a grin as he put the key in the ignition.

Pulling into Andy's driveway, "give me your phone." Sam suddenly said.
"Um, why?"
"Cuz I asked."
"Tell me why you need it first."
"Don't you trust me Andy?"
"I'm still trying to figure that out." Andy said truthfully.
"Fine then, as an officer of the law, I demand you give me your phone so I can return the favour and give you my number." Sam said playfully.
Andy chucked and handed over her phone. "You gonna call this time?"
"You can count on it." He then behaved like a gentleman and walked her to her door. Standing in front of the door, Andy said. "I had a good time tonight." Then she leaned up and gently kissed Sam on the cheek.
Sam smiled. "I'm glad."
"Think you could cope with a second date?" Andy asked shyly.
Sam scratched his chin. "That depends. Can you cope with a third?"
"I'd like that." Andy replied.
"Well I'll see you when I get back from my sister's." Sam said and began walking back to his truck.
"Sam!" Andy ran after him. "You're forgiven." Then she leaned up and kissed him properly this time.
When Sam drove away, he was smiling.