CHAPTER 14

Sam groggily brought a hand to her pounding head. She could hear her cell phone ringing, but it sounded distant. Sighing, she resigned herself to the fact that she would have to get up and answer it; it could be the base. As she began to shift onto her side to get up, a warm arm tightened around her waist. Slightly panicking, Sam realized that she was cuddled into someone's chest- a very male someone's chest. 'Where am I?'

Compelling her weary eyes to open, she lifted her head to study the man's face. Sam forced a gasp down her throat as she recognized the bed's other occupant. Pete Shanahan was next to her, displaying a large grin in his slumber.

'This is wrong,' her mind screamed. She quickly took inventory of the situation. Pete wasn't wearing a shirt, and to her horror, neither was she. But, their pants were both firmly in place and she was thankful to feel her bra still snugly fastened around her chest.

Gently attempting to extricate herself from his arms, Sam tried to remember how she had ended up here. She didn't even know where 'here' was. She recalled only bits and pieces of the evening: she and Pete getting drunk and playing pool, them getting into a taxi, him supporting her as they got into an elevator. What happened next? She didn't know.

Finally, Sam succeeded in moving off the bed without waking Pete. Finding her jacket flung across a chair, she reached into the pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Twelve missed calls from Daniel! Worry for Emily immediately overtook her, but then she saw what time it was: two a.m. 'Oh, God.'

She located her crimson top on the floor across the room and slipped it on. She could see one of her shoes next to his dresser, but couldn't find the other one. Frustrated, Sam got to her knees and discovered it under the bed.

She froze as Pete grunted and switched positions in his sleep. 'Okay, just put your jacket on and get out of here, Sam. Please don't wake up, Pete. Please don't wake-'

"Sam? What are you doing down there?" Sam grimaced and slowly rose to stand.

"Pete. I, um…was just leaving."

He sat up fully now and rubbed the sleep from his eyes, "Why? You don't have to go…"

She put an arm through her jacket and looked back at him apologetically, "Yes, Pete, I do. This shouldn't have happened. We didn't, uh, ya know…do anything, right?"

"No! What kind of guy do you think I am, Sam? You passed out on the cab ride and I didn't know where you lived, so I brought you to my apartment."

"What about our tops…?"

Pete blushed, "You were a little…persistent…when I tried to put you on the couch. Said something about being able to have whomever you wanted…"

"Oh." Shit.

"Yeah. Listen, Sam. I still care about you, a lot actually," this made her eyes snap to his in shock. "But I understand that you need time. Last night, you kept saying his name, and I got the distinct feeling that you only went out with me to prove a point to yourself, or to spite him. And that's not how I want this to be."

To say that she was taken aback by his confession was an understatement. "Pete, I'm sorry. I didn't know that was how you felt. But there is no 'thing' between us and there can't be. I went to O'Malley's to be with an old friend, and that's it."

He quickly rolled out of bed as she left the room. He reached her just as she entered his front hallway. "Please, Sam. You don't know what you do to me. I thought I'd gotten over you, but now I know that I didn't. You came back into my life and stirred all of these…feelings. You can't just walk away now. We can take things slow."

She turned to face him, "I can't, Pete. There is Emily to consider and I have to sort things out with Jack. I really am sorry." Sam once again moved to leave, but he gripped her arms to halt her retreat and bring her to face him again.

His tone wasn't threatening, just hurt, "You're sorry? That's it?"

Steadily, Sam looked him in the eye, "Yes."

"You are going to give that bastard another chance, aren't you?"

"I don't know," she answered honestly. "But whether I do or not, it won't change our relationship. I'm not ready to date, Pete, and I thought that we could be good friends and put the past behind us."

He still held her arms and sneered at her in disgust, "I thought you had finally seen O'Neill for what he really was. But I guess you're so pathetic and blinded that you can even take him back after he fucked your best friend. For goodness sake, Sam, look at what he's done to you! He made you unhappy, made you give up your job, made you stay home and take care of his kid, made you to fit his life! And now you are so brainwashed, you cannot see what a wonderful opportunity I am giving you!"

Sam's voice was deceptively calm as she shook off his hands, "What a wonderful opportunity you are giving me?" she snorted. "He didn't force me to do anything, Pete. I did all of those things because I loved him, and you know what? I think I understand you a lot better now. Do not contact me."

She opened the door and was unprepared when Pete yanked her by the back of her shirt. Once he had maneuvered the door shut, he painfully wrapped his fingers around her wrist. Now fuming, Sam glared at him.

"What do you think you are doing?"

He matched her fierce look, "I am not letting you make another mistake. I love you."

"No, Pete. You love who you think is me. Now I remember why we broke up. You always did have your own distorted version of reality."

He dragged her by the arm into the living room and then abruptly released her so that she fell onto the couch, while he remained standing over her.

"And you never did know what was good for you. I saw the way he hurt you. It was inevitable, you know. Who knows, you may have gotten off lucky. Considering his last family was broken apart when he murdered his kid."

Sam had had enough and was steaming with rage. She hadn't wanted to hurt Pete before, but he was leaving her no choice. Practically leaping to her feet, Sam's ice blue eyes stared him down.

"You shouldn't talk about things you know nothing about, Detective. I am leaving now and if you try to stop me, I will not hesitate to break your neck- housewife or not. Do I make myself clear?"

Pete opened his mouth to protest but she shook her head determinedly at him. He only nodded as she traveled the short distance to his apartment door. He just couldn't help himself, though, "You won't be happy; he will only hurt you again. It is in his nature."

Pausing only for a moment, she replied, "That is where you are wrong. I learn from my mistakes. No man has ever hurt me twice and gotten away with it, and you, Pete Shanahan, were a mistake."