A second chance
Chapter 3 - Dinner and trash
Some say; 'you never know what you have until it`s gone'.
Truth is - you knew what you had all along, you just never thought you`d lose it. That is exactly how Sam felt. Not for anything in the entire world, does he want to know how it is to have lost something he once had. Again. Like Andy McNally.
He 'had' her. He was an ass to show just how much he appreciated and loved her. Ran away when he felt her coming too close, and chased her so far away when Jerry died, that she probably wouldn`t have found her way back on her own. God knows he loves that woman. Always have and always will. It`s as simple as that.
The night at Cherry Beach(and every day after that), he had told her that he would spend his (their) whole life proving to her that he meant every damn word he said to her.
How do you show that the love you have for someone is so incredible strong, that no words can explain just the extent of it?
You show them.
Sam was going to show Andy just how much he adored her, loved her, wanted her, needed her, cherished her, respected her, appreciated her and how insanely much he wanted a future with her.
On a Thursday - he had asked her out on a date. Not just 'a date', but their actual first date, because not once did he actually take her out on one the first time around.
His first week as a detective couldn`t have gone more smoothly. A part of him felt he had taken Jerry`s place, but all he wanted was to proof to him that he wouldn`t disappoint.
Sam hadn`t been this happy in god knows how long. Because after the talk (and kissing and hugging and more kissing) they had the day he might as well could have lost her to a bomb, he felt a ton of weight being lifted off his shoulders. Felt that life might happen for him to, having something important to offer, having something he never knew he wanted so badly - with her. And that, is a whole lot to be excited about.
From his desk in the d`s office, he saw her. Discrete (he thought), he watched her doing what he assumed to be paperwork from the day`s more or less uneventful happenings.
Watched her collapse back into her chair, yawning and stretching her arms all the way up over her head. When she was getting down to business again - well, that`s when she noticed him watching her.
Giving him a big smile, she got up and walked towards the coffee station.
Sam? he was still in this aweh, from watching her, and didn`t notice her standing there until he heard Oliver`s voice in the background trying to locate 'Peckstein'.
He smiled back ,and quickly, but not to seem to desperate, he got up and made his way down towards her. When she saw him walking towards her, she poured him an cup of hot coffee too.
"Hi", she said a little shyly, and held out a cup for him to take.
"Hi. Thank you", he said back as he placed his hand around the cup.
"How`s the pile of paperwork going?"
"Oh you know, that stuff just rolls of my back", she complained.
"Yeah, I know you Andy. Need someone to give you a ride home after shift?" he offered with his lips pulled up in a smile.
Relieved, she accepted it. "That would be great, thank you Sam".
"Meet you at my truck in 30?"
Almost an hour later he pulled up outside her building. "Thank you for the ride Sam. I appreciate that", she smiled, letting her fingertips barely brush over the hand he was resting on top of the gear shift.
"Let me walk you up Andy", he offered.
Once outside her door, he gently grabbed her arm as she was about to unlock her door.
"Go out with me Andy", he blurted out. She moved closer to him. "Sam Swarek wants to take me out an a date?"
"Funny. And yes, I do want to. So, go out with me on Saturday".
"I`d love to", she said as she closed the gap between them completely. "Do I need to dress to impress?", she whispered against his lips.
"Uh, you always impress me Andy. Besides, those clothes are coming off eventually.. I mean, if you need help or anything".
"Help huh? I suppose I could use a hand", she smirked, covering his lips with his again.
"You ah, want to come in? for a drink or something?", she asked nervously.
"No. I mean, I really, really want too, but we`re going to do this the right way Andy. No funny business... yet".
He then pulled her in for another kiss, before he watched her enter her apartment and made sure she locked her door before he left.
On the first date, he had asked her out again. This time he wanted to do something more than go to a fancy restaurant, because truth is - that wasn`t who they were.
Took her out on the following Sunday, told her to dress for outdoor. Told her he would pick her up at her apartment at two. Sharp.
Drove to High Park, said they were going on a picnic and took out a picnic basket with everything delicious.
He placed her hand in his and pointed to a nice spot in the crisp, yet beaming April sun. Right by a large oak tree, and most important, not a single soul for at least a hundred meters away.
"This is amazing Sam", Andy spoke as they were laying in their sides on the wool blanket Sam had brought. After eating through an whole basket of goods, they had too let the food sink. "Food was great, this place is great and you..-", she begun as she leaned in and let her lips brush across his for a chaste moment, "are the best".
He snuck his hand around her waist and pulled her as close as possible. "You...", he whispered in her ear before he kissed her neck, "are the most beautiful woman I`ve ever seen". Andy giggled and placed her hand on his jaw, pulled him closer and kissed his lips again.
"I want to cook for you tomorrow night Andy", he said against her lips. "I`m going to make you a nice dinner, I`m going to take out your trash and I`m going to give you the best dessert you`ve ever had".
"What do you say McNally? You want to let me keep my promise to you?", he asked silently hinting to the pleading conversation they had the day she almost got blown up by a bomb.
Her smile grew big. "Only if I get to chose dessert", she smirked.
He looked her straight in her eyes and asked "And what would that be?"
"I chose you Sam... and chocolate cake. With strawberry filling in the middle", she said seductively and licked her bottom lip. Only for him to build his expectations a little.
"You`ve got it sweetheart. Everything for you". He brought her in for another kiss and said to her while meeting her eyes in the most honest, loving and devoted way, "I love you Andy. I really, really love you".
"I love the way you say you love me. I love the way those words are filled with the greatest sincerity and honesty. In fact...-", she continued. "I really, really love you. So much".
At that, he pulled her into his arms, buried his face in the palm of her neck and kissed her wherever he could reach, laying down. In fact - made him wish they were someplace alone. Just the two of them, in his or her bed, with no one except the two of them, to share their deepest love declarations.
"Hey Andy wait up!", Traci called as Andy was about to leave the station. When she caught up with her best friend, she placed her arm underneath Andy`s and said " You want to go to the penny? Have a few drinks or something? I could really use one after this crappy shift", Traci complained.
"Oh, uh, sorry Trace. I have plans tonight. Sorry", she smiled secretly.
"Really? With Swarek I assume?"
Andy nodded excitedly.
"And where is he taking you tonight?" Traci asked curiously.
"Actually, he is coming over to make us dinner. And take out my trash and make me dessert". When Traci didn`t understand the part with her trash, Andy told her the whole promise plead Sam gave her a few weeks ago.
"Have a great night Andy. You two really deserve everything. And uh... Tomorrow, I want to hear everything about it", she smirked, blinking her eye before she left.
Once she was home, she shredded all of her clothes and stepped inside her shower. Letting the hot, spray run down her body, washing away everything work related, because tonight, it was all about the two of them.
After narrowing it down to two outfits, she decided on a black skirt and a dark blue blouse without arms.
Right on time - at seven PM, she heard a soft nock on her door. She took one more look in the mirror, and decided that this would do.
"Hi", she said as she opened the door for him.
"Uh..Hi, you, uh, are... I mean, you look beautiful", he stammered - mouth wide open, eyes big and staring.
"You too. You look very handsome. Come on in", she said as she let him walk in and shut the door after him.
He left the bags with all the ingredients he had brought over on her kitchen island, and as he turned back around, his heart jumped when he found her only inches away from him.
"I`ve wanted to do this all day", she breathed out, closing the small gap between them entirely and completely, and covered his lips with her own.
The kiss intensified pretty damn quickly, and before she knew it, he had her lifted up on the kitchen island. Their lips never parted, and he made room for himself between her legs.
When they was desperate for some oxygen, Sam broke the silence. "Andy, I promised to make you dinner. Dessert comes later. I promise."
"Oh, yeah? I`m getting to really like the promises you give me you know", she smirked as she kiss down his jaw.
"Good, because I intend on keeping every one of them", he said as he kissed her back once again. "You ah, got any music to put on?"
After searching through her phone, she got it linked up to her surround system and a low, yet calming sound of Aloe Blacc, was pushing through the speakers.
"So, what can I help with?", Andy asked joining him behind the stove.
"Nothing. Nothing at all. I said I would make you dinner, so just let me will you?", he smiled at her and placed a kiss to her hair.
"Fine, I`ll set the table then".
He smacked her ass and gave her a gently push. "Yeah, you do that".
"Oh, my god Sam. That was so, so good. Probably, I should have stopped after the first portion, because I literally can`t move".
Sitting back in the chair she patted her stomach. "I think I`ve gained like ten pounds in one hour".
Sam laughed. "Huh, I doubt it. Get used to it though, cause I`m going to cook for you for the rest of our lives Andy".
"Really? That so?"
He nodded and let his foot accidentally brush against hers under the table.
"Well, in that case, I`m going to need a bigger apartment if I`m going to gain 10 pounds every time you make me dinner", she joked.
He hesitated for a second. Not sure if he would scare her, but he couldn`t help it. "Try days Andy. I`ll cook for you every day if you`ll let me. And you won't need a bigger apartment. By the time you reach two hundred and fifty pounds I`ll buy us a house".
Wow. Where did that come from? Why did he just say that? You fool! He thought for a second.
But the second her face grew the biggest smile, he was done for. Made him not regret it at all.
"Really? Is that a promise?", Andy asked shyly.
"Only if you want it to be Andy".
She got up from her chair and sat in his lap, making Sam put his arms around her.
"I do. I `d really like that."
"Good, then that`s a deal". He pulled her in for a kiss. After a minute she pulled back a little.
"Hey Sam, how fast can I reach two hundred and fifty pounds you think?"