A/N: I am really really sorry for the long wait! But I worked super hard on this chapter and at over 13,000 words, it's the longest one yet. So I hope that makes it up to you guys. And as promised, this chapter does earn the story's M rating with a lemon near the end. Hope you guys enjoy and let me know what you think. :D
Chapter Eleven
Sam felt antsy and nervous. She stared at the pictures she had printed from her laptop and the reservation confirmation beside it. She and Carly agreed on a date when she was free to come over, Sam had booked the hotel room, and now all that was left was to tell Freddie.
It had been two weeks since Carly had offered her services as overnight baby-sitter so that Sam and Freddie could get some alone time. In that time, it had become increasingly clear just how much they needed it. Charlie was now three months old and seemed to take a new turn in fussiness. She spent most of the night crying and screaming and only seemed to calm down in Sam and Freddie's presence. They didn't know what had brought it on since Charlie had mostly settled down since her bout of colic. Sam had spent most of Charlie's three month party with Marissa, who reassured her that it was completely normal for infants to be fussy and for their sleeping patterns to change in the first few months. Normal or not, Charlie was severely cutting into Sam's time with Freddie. The baby seemed to have a sixth sense for when things were getting particularly heated and would choose that moment to interrupt. As much as Sam loved Charlie, she was starting to get really frustrated and she knew that Freddie was too, though he would never say it.
Charlie was sleeping soundly in her crib while Sam sorted through her clothes in the dresser, packing away the onesies and shirts that were already too small, as well as the toys that Charlie didn't want. Babies grew really fast, it seemed like Sam had to make a shopping trip every couple of weeks. Freddie had offered to help her but she had pushed him out the door, knowing that he needed to spend some time with his friends. She wasn't completely unobservant, Sam knew spending everyday in a small apartment with a baby could get tiring and lonely even for the most patient and sweetest of people, like Freddie. It was just like back in high school when she, Carly, and Freddie spent all their time together. Freddie hardly ever complained about all the girly things she and Carly did, but he did leave them to hang with his nerd buddies once in awhile. Even if they were together now, or maybe especially because they were together now, Sam figured she could give the guy every other weekend or so to get away from baby duties.
She folded up the papers and tucked them into her back pocket and proceeded to tape up the box with Charlie's clothes and toys. She'd thought about giving them away but felt an unexpected sentimental pang in her heart. These were Charlie's first clothes, some of them Sam had bought and some were presents from her friends at the baby shower. She thought that maybe she could show them to Charlie one day when she's older or maybe even use them again if Charlie ever has any sisters...
Sam shook her head. She couldn't believe she'd just thought that. A year ago she wouldn't have been able to fathom having any children at all, it wasn't in her plans, not something she'd ever thought about except in silly little girly daydreams that she knew would never happen. Now, she not only had a child but she was thinking about more? This whole motherhood thing was really getting to her head.
"Do you want me to bring that down to the basement?"
Sam jumped, landing on her butt as she crouched next to box.
She looked up to see Freddie standing in the doorway and felt her face heat up at the thoughts that she was thinking, like he could somehow read her mind.
"Are you okay, Sam?" He asked, moving towards her and offering a hand up.
"What were you doing sneaking up on me like that?" She demanded.
Freddie looked taken aback at her anger. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was just trying to be quiet because I knew Charlie would still be napping."
Sam pushed him into the hallway, still feeling dazed and uncomfortably like she'd been caught red handed.
"What are you doing home so early?" She asked.
Freddie looked at her strangely. "It's five o' clock, Sam. I told you I'd be home before dinner."
"Oh."
"Hey..." He put his hands on her hips and pulled her against him as he leaned against the wall. "What is it?" He asked gently.
She couldn't meet his eye. "Nothing. You know I don't like being surprised. I'm going to start dinner."
She moved away but Freddie simply pulled her back.
"Hey," he said so softly and gently that Sam couldn't help but look into his eyes. As soon as she did she was lost in those chocolate brown depths. He bent his head and kissed her, his fingers grazing her cheek lightly. Sam pushed her fingers through his hair and deepened the kiss, her tongue seeking entrance into his mouth. All thoughts left her head, there was nothing but this. Her body pressed up against Freddie's, pushing him back onto the wall, the soft strands of his hair between her fingers, his hot, sweet kisses...
She moaned into his mouth and Freddie gripped her hips tighter, his fingers slipping beneath her shirt and gripping her bare skin. Sam couldn't get enough him, it was like her flesh was crawling, itching to get as close as possible. And she could feel that he wanted her too. She could feel it so well that she knew he must be getting uncomfortable. Sam untangled her hands from his hair, moving them down his chest with the intention of giving him some relief. Her hands reached the top button of his pants when the crying came.
Sam pulled away, taking in big gasps of air. Freddie dropped his head down onto her shoulder.
"She must have some sort of radar," he grumbled, his warm breath hitting her neck and not helping the situation any.
Sam took a few minutes to catch her breath and to wait for the dizziness to stop. Charlie screamed louder, probably wondering where her parents were and why they didn't come running as usual, ready to attend to her every need. Sam finally felt like she had a grip on herself and reluctantly pulled away from Freddie, making her way into Charlie's room.
She picked up her crying baby. "You're hungry, aren't you?" She cooed, rubbing Charlie's back.
"Get her bottle ready!" Sam called.
"Hold on," Freddie said, his voice sounding strained. "Give me a minute."
Sam giggled into Charlie's hair and walked out to find Freddie still leaning against the wall, his head tilted back and his eyes closed. Charlie saw him and began crying louder.
"Hey, I think she wants you," Sam said as the baby squirmed in her arms.
Freddie breathed out slowly and opened his eyes. "I'm okay now."
He took Charlie, who whimpered into his chest once she was safely ensconced in his arms.
"I'll get her bottle," Sam said.
Freddie followed her into the kitchen and rocked Charlie while Sam prepared the bottle.
"I don't feel like cooking," she said. "You want Chinese?"
"Yeah, sounds good."
Sam handed him the bottle and picked up the phone to order. She watched as Freddie fed Charlie, it was a sight that she could never get tired of. She finished ordering, it didn't take long since she'd been ordering from the same Chinese restaurant since high school and they knew her so well that all she had to say was that she wanted the "Sam Puckett", which was basically two of nearly every pork, beef, and chicken entree on the menu.
She put down the phone and just watched Freddie and Charlie. The papers felt like they were burning in her back pocket, so aware she was of them. She was anxious and excited, and wondering what Freddie's reaction would be to her plans.
Freddie looked up at her. "You're quiet," he said. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," Sam said quickly, too quickly.
He frowned and moved towards her but was hindered from touching her by Charlie in his arms.
"Seriously, Sam, what is it?"
Our best friend is going to come over next weekend so that we can go away and I can jump your bones.
See, that's easy. But Sam felt tongue tied just looking at him and the butterflies in her stomach were multiplying. The longer she was silent, the more worried Freddie looked.
He smiled nervously as Charlie sucked away at her bottle, oblivious to the growing tension in the room. "You're freaking me out here, Sam."
She opened her mouth but no words came out. Fortunately she was saved from standing there looking like an open mouthed idiot by the buzzer sounding. Sam moved quickly to the buzzer to buzz the Chinese delivery guy up. It also gave her an excuse to stay in the living room to wait for him. She could feel Freddie's eyes on her as she sat on the couch but she knew that he couldn't confront her as long as he had Charlie in his arms.
Sam pulled out the papers and twisted them in her hands. Why was she so nervous? It's not like he wouldn't want to. They've come so close too many times to count in the past two weeks. If it weren't for Charlie interrupting them they would have done it already. She had no reason to be nervous. That's what she kept telling herself until the knock on the door came.
She shot up and stuffed the papers back in her pocket, opening the door and pulling out the money to pay the delivery guy. There two large brown paper bags full of containers and Sam carried them into the kitchen. Charlie had finished eating and Freddie had her over his shoulder, rubbing her back in circles. Her eyes were closing sleepily and Sam knew she would be down soon. She and Freddie would have a couple of hours of alone time before Charlie needed a diaper change.
Freddie watched her unpack the containers, Sam knew that he was biding his time until the baby fell asleep. When he left to go into Charlie's room, she breathed out and took out the papers, unfolding them and smoothing them out and placing them on Freddie's usual spot at the counter. She picked up some chopsticks and a box of noodles and sat on her stool, trying to look casual as Freddie walked back into the kitchen baby-less.
"Okay, what's going on?" He asked.
"I'm eating, Freddifer," Sam said over a mouthful of noodles.
He grabbed chopsticks and a container and walked around the counter, stopping when he saw the papers.
"What's this?" He picked it up.
Sam bit her chopstick nervously as he looked through it. His eyebrows rose up when he saw the printout of the hotel reservations.
"Carly had this idea that maybe we should get away and have a night to ourselves," she said.
"But what about Charlie?"
"Carly will come over here and take care of her."
"Oh."
He stared at the pictures of the hotel and he was quiet for so long that Sam felt her stomach flip over, worried that he didn't want this after all.
"It was just an idea," she muttered, pulling a container of sweet and sour chicken towards her. "We don't have to go if you don't want to."
Freddie looked at her. "Are you crazy? Of course I want to. I just...I thought...Aw chiz."
He leaned over and kissed her, erasing any doubt in her mind that he didn't want her as much as she wanted him.
"You were so quiet, I thought you were going to break up with me or something," he said, pressing his forehead to hers.
Sam looked at his lips, his soft soft lips that she wasn't done kissing yet. "Now who's crazy?" She said and closed the small distance between them.
They did eat dinner. Eventually.
Freddie watched in amusement as Sam made her fifth pass around the apartment, making sure that all of Charlie's things were organized and in proper view for Carly to see. He held the baby and looked down at the five pages of instructions that Sam wrote for Carly. To say that Sam was going overboard in preparations for leaving Charlie for one night was putting it lightly. She almost reminded Freddie of his mother, a thought that he's keeping to himself for fear of getting his balls cut off. He would need them later tonight, thank you very much. If he ever managed to get Sam out of the apartment, that is.
She walked over to him, kissed Charlie's cheek and gently stroked her hair back.
"Everything's going to be fine, Sam," he assured her.
"I didn't know it would be this hard to leave her," she said, pressing her face into Charlie's hair. "What if she needs us? What if she can't sleep? I love Carly but she's never really taken care of a baby before..."
"We'll only be a phone call away," Freddie said. "I'm sure Carly can handle it."
Charlie squirmed in his arms as Sam pulled away, letting out a disgruntled cry, obviously searching for her mother. Sam immediately took her and cuddled her close.
Freddie looked at them, feeling his heart swell with overwhelming love for the both of them. It wasn't that he didn't share Sam's concerns or that he was any less anxious about leaving Charlie for the first time...his teenage boy hormones were just overriding everything else. In his defense, his teenage boy hormones were very very frustrated. They haven't had any relief in three years. Sure, he's dated some girls after his break-up with Sam, he even had a girlfriend very briefly last year. But none of them lasted long enough or were serious enough for him to go past first base with. Freddie was aware that this fact was vaguely pathetic and that if he had any friends who weren't just as nerdy and even more socially awkward than he was then he'd be teased mercilessly. As it was, Freddie was considered the "stud" of his group at school, with his fairly normal and almost athletic appearance (they counted fencing as a sport), his two best friends being extremely hot girls, and because he managed to score dates with normal, good looking girls at least twice a year. But his hormones would just have to take a backseat because Sam and Charlie came first. Always.
"We don't have to go," Freddie said. "If it makes you uncomfortable then we can stay here."
Sam raised her eyes, her cheek pressed against Charlie's head. "No...I want to. I just...Dammit," she said in frustration.
A knock came at the door and they knew it was Carly.
"Get that, will you?" Sam asked. "I'm going to make sure I marked the page on the story we're reading."
Freddie watched her disappear into Charlie's room, not telling her that he saw her mark the page half an hour ago. He went to open the door.
"Hi!" Carly said brightly.
"Hi, Carls," Freddie said, taking her duffel bag from her and placing it on the love seat. "Thanks, uh...Thanks for doing this." He found it hard to look her in the eye. He was essentially thanking her for taking care of the baby so that he could have sex with Sam.
Carly smiled at his discomfort. "No problem. I'm always here to help my best friends. Where's Sam?"
"In Charlie's room. You're going to have to pry the baby out of her arms," he warned her.
"Separation anxiety?"
"Like you wouldn't believe," Freddie said.
Carly walked towards the baby's room and he followed behind. Sam was in the rocking chair with Charlie.
"Okay, I'm here, ready to do my baby-sitting duties," Carly announced. "Are you all packed?"
"Yeah," Sam answered, holding Charlie closer if that was possible. She looked like Carly was there to take all of her bacon away.
Carly looked at him and he raised an eyebrow. She cocked her head in the direction of the door and he sighed and walked out. He went into his and Sam's bedroom and picked up his duffel bag and Sam's small suitcase and took them out into the living room. He didn't know how Carly was going to tear Sam away from the baby but he hoped she did it soon. The hotel wasn't far, it was right in the heart of downtown Seattle, but he was hoping they could have a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant before...well, before. He heard the door to Charlie's room shut and knew that was the signal for girl talk. Freddie sat down and turned on the TV, resigned to waiting however long it took for Sam and Carly to emerge.
Carly looked at her best friend, who was rocking in the chair and talking softly to Charlie, placing kisses on her cheek and on her head.
"Sam..." Carly said. "I think you and Freddie need to get going."
Sam looked up. "If she gets sick or anything, you should call Freddie's mom. And the number of her doctor-"
"Is on the fridge, I know," Carly finished.
"I made a list, it's in the kitchen, on how to tell what she needs from her cry. And her feeding schedule, and the temperature her milk needs to be. Did you know that milk of a certain temperature settles better in a baby's stomach at night? Mrs. Benson told me. The thermometer is in the kitchen, I should show you. And use the hypoallergenic diapers, the ones with the green packaging. We still had some of her old ones when we bought the new ones. Maybe I should have thrown out the old ones..."
"Sam!" Carly cut in to her rapid paced rambling. "It's just one night. Charlie and I will be just fine. And no offense but you sound like Mrs. Benson. Next you'll be telling me how to give Charlie a tick bath," she laughed.
Sam looked down at Charlie. "Do you think babies can get ticks? Or bed bugs...I should make Freddie clean her mattress...
"Sam!" Carly exclaimed. This was more dire than she thought. She closed the door and kneeled in front of Sam, gently taking the baby from her arms.
"It's alright, Sam," she soothed when Sam protested. "I'm just going to put her in her crib so that you and I can talk."
She succeeded in taking Charlie, laid the baby down in her crib and gently nudged the mobile above so that it turned slowly.
"Okay," Carly said. "What's really going on? Do you not want to go anymore?"
"No, I do," Sam protested. "I just...I'm nervous."
"Oh, Sam." Carly smiled. "I'm sure it'll be just fine. It's Freddie."
"Yeah," Sam said, letting out a breath. "Just Freddie."
"You've been taking the pill everyday, right?"
"Yeah."
"And you know you still have to use a condom because the pill doesn't take full effect for a month?"
"Yes, mom." Sam rolled her eyes. She stood up. "I guess we should go."
Carly couldn't contain herself anymore and reached out and hugged Sam hard. "We're all growing up," she said, tears springing to her eyes.
"We're not dying, Carls," Sam laughed but hugged her back.
Carly squeezed her once more and pulled away. "Okay, it's time to go."
"Yeah," Sam smiled shakily. She picked up Charlie from her crib. "Freddie will want to say goodbye to her," she explained when Carly frowned.
They left the room and found Freddie in the living room, the bags already sitting beside the door.
"Ready?" He asked when he saw Sam.
"Yeah, just thought you'd want to say bye to Charlie here."
Freddie stood up and took Charlie, holding her close. Carly watched as both of her friends showered the baby with kisses and sweet baby talk. It was a sight that she never could have imagined five years ago and yet it looked so right.
Several minutes passed and neither Sam or Freddie looked they were about to let go of Charlie any time soon so finally Carly had to step in and take the baby from the arms of the couple.
"Okay," she said. "Time for you guys to go."
Freddie smiled at her gratefully, pressed one last kiss to Charlie's head and opened the door. He picked up the bags as Sam also gave Charlie one last kiss.
"You'll call us if you need anything?" She asked.
"I'll call you if there's an emergency," Carly amended. "Don't worry, Sam. Charlie and I will be fine. Won't we?" She cooed to the baby. "You're going to have a lot of fun with Aunt Carly, aren't you?"
"Thank you, Carls. Really," Sam said.
"You just have fun. Go on." Carly gave her a little shove and Sam turned and followed Freddie out the door.
"I thought they'd never leave," Carly said to the baby once the door had closed. "Your parents are just a tad bit protective, little one. But now it's just you and me."
Charlie let out a little sound, drool dribbling down her chin.
"Yep, just you and me..."
The ride to the hotel was quiet, Freddie glancing over once in awhile to the passenger seat where Sam had her head turned and was looking out the window. He reached over and took her hand and Sam looked back at him and smiled. He felt his heart race at that smile, but the nerves in his stomach settled somewhat. Without a word Sam had reassured him that she wanted this too.
The hotel had valet parking and Freddie handed over the keys and carried their bags in while Sam checked in. She met him in the middle of the lobby and they made their way up to the tenth floor.
"So..." He said once they had entered their room. It was a beautiful room with a large king sized bed and large windows that led to a balcony with a view of the Space Needle. And that was all Freddie had time to take in before Sam launched herself into his arms, kissing him hard. He dropped the bags and wrapped his arms around her, returning the kiss with just as much force and enthusiasm.
When Sam started to pull him towards the bed, Freddie made himself pull away, taking big gulps of air as he did so.
"Sam...wait..." He panted.
"Wait for what?" She asked, toying with the buttons on his shirt, undoing one and then two. "Isn't this what we came here for?"
"No. I mean, yeah. Yes, of course. But..." He grabbed hold of her hands as she tried to unbutton a third button. "I thought we could have dinner first."
Sam laughed. "I think we're kind of past that now, aren't we?"
"Are we? We haven't even really been on a date since we got back together."
"No, we just have dinner together every night, sleep in the same bed, and take care of a baby."
Sarcasm dripped from her voice but Freddie had known Sam for too long to not be able to see behind that. This night was important to the both of them. He can't guarantee that it will be perfect, in fact he knows that it won't be. But he can make it special. Something that they'll both remember and cherish forever. Sam deserved that.
He pushed a lock of hair behind her ear, letting his fingers trail gently down her cheek. "Please Sam? I just want to do this right. I made reservations for us in the restaurant downstairs."
Sam sighed but smiled as she pulled Freddie down by his shirt to kiss him. "You're such a sap, Benson. A hopeless romantic."
"When it comes to you, Samantha Puckett? Always."
She rolled her eyes but he could see her cheeks turn a rosy pink and it made him feel warm inside.
"I don't have anything to wear," Sam said, turning to her suitcase. "I didn't exactly expect to leave this room until tomorrow."
"Look inside." He nodded at the suitcase.
She looked at him quizzically.
"Open it."
Sam lifted the suitcase onto the bed and opened it. Right at the top was a carefully folded blue dress wrapped in plastic. She took it out, the silky material unfolding perfectly in front of her.
"When did you...?" She asked in awe.
"I had Carly pick it out and I snuck it in there."
Freddie knew that Sam prided herself on not being a daffodil. But he also knew that she had her moments - though they were small and didn't happen often - when she appreciated girly things. He knew that this was one of those moments. Sam beamed up at him, her smile so radiant that it was physically impossible for him not to kiss her.
"Go, get dressed," he whispered into her ear, leaving a little kiss there.
Sam took out a few more things from her suitcase and walked into the bathroom. Freddie let out a huge breath once the door shut and started to make his own preparations. He was more nervous than he could ever remember being but also happier than he'd ever been. Tonight was going to change everything.
Carly felt like she was losing her mind. Was there anything in the world more terrifying and more sad than a baby's sobs? After two straight hours with a crying Charlie, she didn't think so.
She was on the verge of tears herself as she took out her cellphone. She had promised herself before she came here that no matter what she wouldn't ask anyone for help but desperate times called for desperate measures.
"Yo kiddo, what's up?"
"Spencer!" Carly cried, relieved that her brother had picked up.
"Is that crying?" He asked.
"Yes, it's Charlie. You have to come over to Sam and Freddie's and help me!"
"Where's Sam and Freddie?"
"They're out. I'll explain when you get here," she answered impatiently. "Just come over. Come over right now!"
"Okay, okay. I'm on my way."
Carly hung up and lifted Charlie out of her playpen.
"Come on, Charlie, what's wrong?" She asked desperately. "I just changed your diaper, you don't want to eat, you won't sleep..."
She rocked her in the same way that she'd seen Sam do and that made her scream louder. Carly looked down at the poor red faced baby, her little body squirming so much that Carly struggled to keep hold of her. She sat down on the couch in case Charlie broke out of her grip.
"Oh, you miss your mama and daddy, don't you?"
All she got was more crying in answer.
"They'll be back soon, sweetie. If you go to sleep, time will go by faster."
Charlie screamed and she winced.
"That's a no," she said, rubbing her ear.
A knock came at the door and Carly sighed in relief. She placed Charlie in her playpen and opened the door for her brother.
"Help me," she pleaded.
Spencer looked at Charlie, wincing at the volume of her cries.
"How long as she been like this?"
"The crying started about half an hour after Sam and Freddie left. I think she realized that they're not coming back anytime soon. Who knew babies were so smart? Did you know babies were that smart?" Carly demanded, the pitch of her voice climbing higher and higher in decibel.
Spencer pulled her into the kitchen so that they could talk at a normal volume and not have to yell at each other over Charlie's crying.
"Where are Sam and Freddie?"
"They're...at a hotel," said Carly, hoping that her brother would get it and she wouldn't have to spell it out.
"Why?" He asked, looking confused. "And why would they leave Charlie with you?"
Who was she kidding? This was Spencer after all.
"They needed a night by themselves..."
"Why? They already live together here."
"They just wanted some time without Charlie. You know, just the two of them..." She looked at her brother meaningfully, willing him to get it.
"Why?" Spencer asked, still absolutely clueless.
"Gee, I don't know. What could two nineteen year olds possibly be doing by themselves in a hotel room?" She asked sarcastically, losing her patience.
"Oh." The answer dawned on Spencer slowly. "Ohhh..."
He made a face. "Eww. I didn't need to know that..."
"You asked!"
"Okay, just calm down, Carly," he said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Deep breaths...Atta girl."
"What do we do?" She asked once she had calmed down somewhat.
"Don't worry, baby sis," he said cockily. "Spencer's got this."
Carly watched him swagger into the living room, feeling dread build in the pit of her stomach.
The dress that Freddie (and Carly) had gotten her was gorgeous. Sam wasn't much for girly things but even she had to admit that the silky material was just exquisite. It was sleeveless but the straps offered full shoulder coverage with a deep v that elegantly highlighted her not inconsiderable assets. The empire waistline was emphasized with a finely beaded strip beneath her breasts, and below that the dress flowed loosely with the front portion stopping a few inches above her knees and the back portion trailing a few inches below the middle of her calves. The dress must have cost a fortune and the sapphire blue color just happened to match the underwear and negligee set Sam had bought with Carly. Sam had to hand it to her best friend's genius.
She debated for several moments on what to do with her hair before deciding to just leave it down since Freddie seemed to prefer it that way anyhow. He loved running his hands through her hair when they were cuddled together on the couch watching TV or when they were in bed. She put on some light make-up, mostly eyeliner and mascara that emphasized the blue in her eyes and which matched her dress. Carly had also packed her strappy blue high heeled sandals. Sam was grateful that the restaurant was just downstairs. She didn't think she'd last long in the three inch stiletto heels.
When she came out of the bathroom, Freddie's jaw literally dropped. She smiled and twirled around, letting the fabric of the dress fly up and swirl around her.
"Wow...Just wow..." Freddie said, not taking his eyes off her.
Sam was glad for the distraction of showing off because Freddie looked absolutely amazing. He was wearing a black suit with a blue shirt inside and a tie in a deeper shade of blue that matched her dress. His hair was gelled up but not too much, just enough to do a little of the spikey thing in front that she had always loved.
"You don't look too bad yourself, Benson," she said. "You sure you want to go downstairs?"
Freddie wrapped his arms around her. "Don't tempt me, Puckett."
"Like this?" She asked, running her hands up his chest before encircling them around his neck.
She trailed kisses down his chin and then down to his neck.
"Dammit, Sam," he groaned.
She giggled into his neck and pulled away.
"Let's go, Benson," she said, marching to the door. "Mama's hungry."
She stepped out of the room and Freddie quickly caught up with her, closing the door behind him. He took her hand in his, intertwining their fingers as they walked to the elevator and Sam smiled up at him, her heart soaring with happiness. It was going to be a good night.
"Waaaah...Wa-haha-haaaa..." Spencer cried, contorting his face in a desperate attempt to get Charlie to stop crying with his classic fake crying bit.
Carly watched from her spot on the couch, too exhausted to try and stop him, and she had run out of ideas herself. Though after the hour they had spent trying to stop Charlie crying to no avail, Carly was starting to think that her brother's fake crying was becoming real. She felt like crying herself, nothing they did pleased Charlie! She had read over Sam's insane list three times and tried everything from giving Charlie her bear to re-enacting old iCarly skits to singing to her and none of it worked. She had no idea how Sam and Freddie did this and as much as she didn't want to disturb them on their night alone, Carly was coming perilously close to calling them.
She leaned back and closed her eyes. She could really use a shower, maybe the water will drown out the sounds of crying. She had just decided to go ahead and use Sam and Freddie's shower when the apartment went silent.
Carly opened her eyes. "Have I gone deaf?"
"Shhh..." Spencer said. "It worked! It really worked. Look, she's not crying!"
Carly breathed in relief. "Oh thank god..."
"She just needed a bit of Spencer magic..." He cooed to her and Charlie cried again as he brought his face close to hers.
"Spencer!" Carly scolded.
"Not my fault! She needs a diaper change." He held her out gingerly and tried to pass her off to Carly.
"Why me?" She asked, shying away from the smelly baby.
"Because you volunteered for this! I did not!"
Carly hopped around, trying to get away as Spencer insistently held the baby out to her.
"But I don't wanna do it!" She cried helplessly as she finally took Charlie, holding her out a safe distance from her body.
Spencer grabbed his cell phone and made for the door.
"Hey!" Carly yelled. "You can't leave me!"
"I'll be right back," he said over his shoulder. "I just need to call someone."
She looked at Charlie mournfully. "He's not coming back."
The crying continued and Carly took her to her room, resigned to her diaper duty.
Sam looked down at her phone for the fifth time in half an hour.
"Sam..." Freddie said. "I'm sure Charlie is alright." He took her hand across the table.
"Maybe I should call Carly just to make sure..." She said uncertainly.
The waiter came over, pushing a cart in front of him. He placed a plate in front of Sam and on it was the biggest, juiciest looking steak she'd ever seen.
"You were saying?" Freddie asked, a smirk in his voice.
"Huh?" She looked up at him, feeling dazed. The scent of perfectly cooked meat wafted up her nostrils and she forgot everything else, picking up her knife and fork to tear into it.
She thought she heard Freddie chuckling but at this moment nothing existed in her world but this steak.
To her surprise and relief, when Carly came out with a freshly diapered and still crying Charlie, she found Spencer sitting on the couch.
"You came back," she said, taking a seat next to him and arranging the wiggly Charlie in her lap.
"Of course I did," said Spencer, looking insulted. "Did you really think I'd leave you alone in your hour of need, little sis?"
Charlie screamed and he flinched.
"Man, that kid has a set of lungs."
"I think I should call Sam," Carly said, feeling defeated.
"No no, don't do that," Spencer protested.
"We can't let her cry all night, Spencer!"
"You're right, you're right," he said, trying to placate her. "But I think we should wait."
"Wait for what?" Carly demanded, the crying making her feel like tearing her hair out.
Rapid knocking on the door broke through the sounds of sobbing.
"For that!" Spencer jumped, a big grin on his face.
He opened the door to none other than Julie. Carly really shouldn't have been surprised that she'd be the first person her brother would think to call.
"You needed help?" Julie asked brightly.
Normally Carly would insist that she could do this on her own. She didn't like to admit it but she was a bit jealous of the close friendship that Sam had built with Julie. Up until recently Carly had even felt replaced in Sam's life and she had let her hurt feelings fester into a small rift with Sam. Carly liked to think that she had gotten past that and she did actually like Julie as a person so she never said a word about it to Sam. But even as a small competitive part of her wanted to keep Charlie to herself, the even bigger part of her that was exhausted, worried, and desperate won hands down and Carly willingly handed the baby over.
The night had been perfect so far and yet Sam couldn't shake the nagging feeling from her gut. The feeling that something was wrong.
Dinner was wonderful, she had finished her steak in record time and they had a rich chocolate cheesecake for dessert. Freddie knew better than to order one dessert for them to share, despite the waiter's suggestion, and he had even given her half of his when Sam finished hers. Afterwards, Freddie had led her out to the terrace that had a view of the back garden of the hotel, the darkened water of the swimming pool twinkling with the reflection of the city lights.
They stood there, with Freddie's arms wrapped around her from behind, protecting her from the chilly wind.
"What's wrong?" He asked, his breath warm in her ear, sending a shiver down Sam's spine that made Freddie hold her tighter, thinking she was cold.
"Nothing," Sam said. "Tonight has been perfect."
She fidgeted with her small beaded purse where her phone was.
"You still want to call, don't you?"
Sam sighed and turned to face him. "I just have a feeling, Freddie."
"Okay," he said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I want to know how Charlie's doing too and if you're worried as much as you are then there has to be a reason."
Sam eagerly opened her bag and pulled her phone out. It seemed like an eternity before Carly picked up. She thought it was going to go to voicemail and was about to tell Freddie to get the car when Carly answered with a breathless "hello?".
"Hey, Carly," Sam said. "How are things going?"
"Oh. Good, good. Things are great! How's the big night out going?"
"Great. Listen, Carls, I know it sounds silly but I kind of had a bad feeling. How's Charlie? She's not giving you any trouble is she?"
"No, no trouble at all," Carly said in a voice that sounded forced to Sam's ear but maybe she was imagining it. "She ate and we watched TV and she's perfect. You shouldn't worry at all."
"Can I talk to her?" Sam asked, leaning back against Freddie's chest. "I mean I know she can't talk or anything but...I just want to say goodnight."
"Oh, she's already asleep. Yeah, we had so much fun she just conked out."
"Oh. Okay. Did you read her a story?"
"Yes, I did," Carly assured her.
"Did she eat right before going to sleep?"
"Um...Yeah."
"Then she'll need a diaper change in a couple of hours. And if she didn't finish her bottle she'll need another feeding a couple hours after that. Sorry, Carls, you're not in for much sleep tonight."
"Pssh...I'm a college student, I'm used to it. Who needs sleep?" Carly said. "You just enjoy your night, Sam. Don't worry at all, I've got things under control here."
"Okay...Thanks, Carls."
"Have fun!" Carly chirped and hung up.
Sam stared down at her phone.
"So is everything okay?" Freddie asked.
"Yeah, Carly says it is."
"You don't look convinced," he observed.
"She just sounded kind of weird...I don't know."
"Do you want to go home?"
Sam looked up at him and knew that with just one word from her, Freddie absolutely would sacrifice their romantic night alone to go home with her to their baby. He wouldn't even think twice about it, just like he didn't think twice about taking on all the duties of being a father without her having to ask. As worried as she was about Charlie, Sam knew that she left her baby in the care of one of the most capable and responsible people she knows and someone that she trusted with her life. She just had to set aside her own feelings of separation anxiety and trust Carly with her baby because tonight, tonight was about Freddie. It was about the two of them together and being able to give each other their undivided attention, something they haven't been able to do since they got back together, not with a baby always in the next room. And which Sam realized she wasn't doing a very good job of so far tonight. But she certainly planned to make up for it.
"No," she said, wrapping her arms around his middle and kissing him.
"I want to go upstairs," she murmured against his lips.
"You read my mind." He smiled.
After Carly hung up on the phone with Sam, the panic really started to set in. She'd had to escape out into the hallway so that Sam wouldn't hear the crying. Something she only thought of after running around like a headless chicken when she saw Sam's name on her ringing phone. Julie was trying her best but she had as much luck in calming Charlie as Spencer and Carly did. Which is to say, none. After talking to Sam she called Ian, if for nothing else than that she just needed someone to hold her before she had a complete and total mental breakdown.
Ian arrived and not long after that, Spencer for some reason called Gibby. And now they were all gathered around Charlie, who still couldn't be consoled no matter who held her.
Carly pulled Spencer into Sam and Freddie's bedroom.
"I lied to Sam! I lied and told her Charlie was okay, that she's asleep. But she's not!"
"Carly, you have to calm down," Spencer said.
She hit him. "What did I tell you about telling a girl to calm down?"
Spencer brought his arms up to shield himself from her attack. "Okay, okay!"
"What are we going to do?" Carly asked, feeling tears start to prick her eyes. "Sam trusted me with Charlie and I can't make her stop crying or make her eat or sleep. And now I can't call Sam because I lied to her and told her everything was fine when it's not and now she and Freddie are probably...you know, so we can't bother them."
The tears slipped down her cheeks and Spencer enveloped her in a hug. "It's going to be okay, Carls."
"You're lying," Carly said, letting herself melt into her brother's embrace for a moment before pulling away and wiping her cheeks. "But thank you."
"Hey, do you hear that?" Spencer turned his head to the door.
"Hear what?" Carly asked. And then she realized. "It's quiet!"
They raced out of the room to find Julie and Ian sitting on the couch, Gibby standing over them with Charlie in his arms and drinking from her bottle.
"You got her to eat!" Carly cried.
"Yeah. I guess all that crying made her hungry," Gibby said.
Carly could have wept from the relief that she felt. She sat down next to Ian, who put his arm around her. Spencer squeezed in beside Julie despite the fact that the love seat was unoccupied. They all sat there just enjoying the blessed quiet. Carly leaned against Ian and let her eyes close. She was drifting off to sleep when Gibby cried out. Her eyes shot open and she looked up at Gibby who was still holding Charlie but now had a very very wet shirt.
"What happened, Gibby?" She asked.
"I was burping her and she spit all over me!"
It was a comical sight. Gibby held the baby away from his body looking distressed while Charlie looked the most serene she'd been all night since Sam and Freddie left.
Carly stood up. "Relax, Gibby. I'll get you one of Freddie's shirts."
"Here, give her to me," Julie said. "I think she'll actually go to sleep now."
Carly quickly ran to the bedroom and grabbed the first shirt she saw in Sam and Freddie's closet. It was a little odd to see their clothes hanging there side by side. Her best friends really lived together, like grown-ups. It was so strange.
She gave Gibby the shirt and looked at Julie, who was rocking the miraculously still quiet Charlie.
"We should take her to her room," she said. "And read her a bedtime story. Sam really wanted me to do that."
"Why?" Gibby asked as he pulled off his wet shirt right there in the middle of the living room, which made Carly flashback to six years ago when this was a normal sight. "She's a baby, she can't understand it."
"It's actually really good for a baby to be read to and sung to even though they can't technically understand the words," Ian said. "It helps develop their brain."
"Yeah," Carly agreed, smiling down at her boyfriend. "And it's a tradition. I'm not going to be the one to break it."
She took the baby from Julie and carried her to her room, everyone following behind her. Carly was about to protest that this didn't have to be a group activity but Charlie seemed to like having a crowd of people around her. Her eyes roamed around, looking at everyone and her little hand waved around. Carly caught sight of Gibby and burst out laughing. Freddie's shirt fit him well enough around the neck and arms but the height difference between them and Gibby's thicker torso made the shirt hang to his belly button. It looked like he was wearing something that had shrunk two sizes in the wash. Everyone else took notice and laughed.
"Hey, it's not my fault Freddie's so short." He put his hands on his hips and struck model poses. "Personally, I think I can rock this look."
"Oh Gibby," Carly said, wiping tears from her eyes. "You really can't."
She handed Ian the baby. "I have an idea, guys," she said, as she picked up the storybook and opened it to the right page. "How about we all play characters in the story and read in their voices?"
Everyone agreed and Carly laid Charlie down in her crib. She protested at first, kicking and crying out but Carly put her bear beside her and once everyone had been assigned their roles and the storytelling got underway, Charlie calmed down. The baby had surprising energy, though maybe not that surprising considering she was a Puckett (and Melanie's at that, who had always been a little more high strung than Sam), and she stayed awake for nearly all of the story. Finally, her eyes closed and her breathing evened out and everyone in the room breathed a collective sigh of relief.
It was only nearing midnight but it had been the longest night of Carly's life.
When they made it back to their room Freddie was on her like a starving man and her lips were his last meal. It took every ounce of Sam's willpower to pull away and drag herself into the bathroom. She didn't want the negligee she'd bought to go to waste, after all. And as eager as she was for this to happen, she was also maybe a little nervous. Sam smoothed down the silk that barely covered her thighs and tried to pull the top up a little more but only succeeded in pushing more of her cleavage out. Okay, she was a lot nervous.
In the three years since she and Freddie had broken up, Sam had dated very little. Mostly because she was so busy with Gibby's and getting through high school that she didn't have time for it and also because there just weren't many guys that interested her after Freddie. Sure, Sam has had her share of crushes and flirtations but she'd never been as boy crazy as Carly. She didn't go into withdrawals if she hadn't been kissed in three months and she wasn't always on the hunt for her next potential boyfriend. Sam truly falling for a guy was rare and when she did, she fell hard. She'd fallen for Freddie the hardest of all, and now she could admit to herself that maybe she'd never gotten back up again. And now she didn't want to. She was ready to give all of herself to him. Her heart, soul, and her body.
It felt like her whole life had been leading up to this moment. She wondered if there was ever really any option, anyone else she could have given herself to. The answer in Sam's mind was a resounding 'no'. She had no shame in being a nineteen year old virgin. Sam knew of girls who had given it up in high school and had no shame in it, and also of some who regretted it. She and Carly had agreed years ago that they wouldn't do it until they had found the right person and they both stuck to it. Sam was glad to be leading her life in a different way than her mother and Melanie did. Sure, she'll make mistakes. That was a given in life. But she'd have no regrets.
After she had brushed her teeth, flossed, brushed her hair, and fidgeted more with her nightgown, Sam realized that she couldn't stall anymore. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She thought about Freddie...she pictured his lips, that eyebrow raise and smirk thing that he does that she finds unbelievably sexy, his biceps, his hands...Suddenly Sam couldn't get out of the bathroom fast enough. She was ready.
Freddie paced in front of the bed after Sam went into the bathroom but the constant motion was just making him more nervous. He sat down on the bed and spent several minutes trying to decide how to sit or lie before realizing how ridiculous he looked and sat down at the end of the bed. Sam was taking a long time in the bathroom. Freddie took off his blazer and tie and then his shoes and socks, and after some internal debate, decided to keep the rest of his clothes on. He really wished there was some sort of protocol for this. And why was Sam taking so long in the bathroom? A glance at the alarm clock told him that it had been twenty minutes. Should he say something? No, he didn't want to make it seem like he was rushing her.
And so Freddie sat there, growing more nervous by the minute. His mind was picturing the worst case scenarios. What if Sam didn't come out? Maybe she climbed out of the window, he'd heard of girls doing that...The situations he's heard about was usually their wedding day but still. No, they're on the tenth floor. Even Sam couldn't manage that feat. What if they did it and he was bad at it? What if he couldn't put the condom on properly? He hadn't really done it since that time in sex-ed class with the bananas. Maybe he should have practiced. Condoms! Freddie remembered suddenly.
He jumped up and dug the box of condoms he'd bought out of his bag and placed it inside the nightstand drawer. He had closed it already when he abruptly opened it again and ripped the box open, taking out one foil pocket and placing it on top, ready to go.
"Whatcha got there?"
Freddie started and turned, catching sight of Sam's head peeking out of the bathroom, and nudged the drawer close with his thigh.
"N-n-nothing!" He stuttered.
Sam came out of the bathroom completely and Freddie's jaw dropped as he looked at her. She was wearing the tiniest silk nightie that he'd ever seen. It fell down to the top of her thighs, making her legs look unbelievably long and tempting. The top of it...was there even a top of it? All Freddie could see was Sam's cleavage, looking full and round and how embarrassing would it be if he started hyperventilating?
"Eyes up, Fredward," Sam said.
"You can't wear that and expect me to keep my eyes up," Freddie choked out, his eyes staying firmly down.
"At least wipe the drool from your chin."
He finally looked up and Sam was standing right in front of him. How did that happen?
"You like?" She asked, looking up at him shyly and tugging at the nightie self-consciously.
He couldn't take it anymore. Looking at Sam standing before him, so beautiful and vulnerable, he forgot all of his nerves and anxiety from just minutes before. His body pulsed with desire, he had to have her.
"Sam," he growled and pulled her to him, her body flush against his. Her eyes darkened at his show of aggressiveness and she was on him, her lips attacking his.
Freddie fought valiantly for control of the kiss before giving up and surrendering to her. She was half naked and her breasts were pressed up against his chest. As far as Freddie was concerned, Sam could have anything she wanted. All of him, every little piece, it was all hers.
"Freddie," she gasped. "Wouldn't we be more comfortable lying down?"
"Oh," he said, dazed. "Yeah, um, bed...where?"
"It's behind you." Sam smiled.
"Right...Um..." Freddie had trouble moving his feet. His brain felt like it had been short-circuited. Sam shook her head, still smiling, and moved out of his arms. His body trembled at the loss. She lay down on the bed and Freddie automatically moved towards her, his body following her, a slave to her will.
He positioned himself on top of her, being careful not to put his weight on her, and she kissed him, her hands tangling in his hair. After a few minutes, Sam's hands went from his hair to his shirt, her fingers moving lightning fast through the buttons. Freddie broke away and peeled it off, throwing it to the side of the bed. Sam sat up and placed kisses on his neck, trailing them down his chest.
Liquid heat pooled in the bottom of his stomach, rushing down to his groin, causing him to harden impossibly as Sam's tongue circled around his left nipple. She switched to the other one, dropping kisses across his chest, and Freddie groaned as she bit down lightly.
"Sam!" He said desperately. "Please..."
She made her way back up, peppering him with kisses until she reached his lips.
"What do you want, Freddie?" She asked.
"I want to see you."
Sam flushed, her skin turning the prettiest shade of pink, but raised her arms above her head for him. Freddie raised the silk material, his heart pumping fast as more and more of Sam's beautiful flesh was revealed to him. He pulled it over her head and tossed it in the same general direction of his shirt. She wasn't wearing a bra and now she only had the tiniest blue panties on. Freddie couldn't stop staring.
Sam turned a deeper shade of pink and put up her arms self-consciously to cover herself.
"No, no. Please don't," Freddie said. "God, Sam, you're gorgeous."
He put a hand on her shoulder and trailed it gently down her arm. He looked up at Sam to see her watching him, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.
"What? What's wrong?" He asked gently. "If you don't want to do this..."
"Freddie, I'm pretty much naked in front of you and you touch my arm," she said.
"Oh...is that bad? I'm so-"
Sam grabbed his face and kissed him fiercely. "I love you," she said, pressing her forehead against his.
He smiled. "That's good. Because I love you too. So, so much."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her chest to his. "Show me."
Freddie kissed her and laid her back down on the bed. The nerves were still there, an irritating voice in the back of his head that was telling him that he was going to screw this up, but his desire for Sam drowned it out. She told him to show her how much he loved her and god help him, that was what he was going to do. He was going to worship her body, he was going to spend the night showing her how much he adored her.
He kissed down her neck, pausing to lick and suck that special spot below her pulse point that he knows drives Sam crazy. Right on cue she let out a moan that went straight to his groin. He went further down, stopping as he reached the top of her breasts.
Sam lifted her head up. "What? Why are you stopping?"
"Sorry, reflex. I was waiting for the baby to cry."
She laughed and Freddie laid a kiss in the valley between her breasts. They never got much further than this, with clothes on, at home when Charlie would start to cry through the monitor and demand their attention. But there would be no crying baby tonight. Tonight was just for them and Freddie planned to make the most of it.
He cupped her left breast in his hand, feeling amazed. How could anyone be this perfect? He brushed his thumb over her nipple and watched as it puckered up and hardened. Sam gasped. Encouraged by this, Freddie circled it harder and watched as Sam's eyes closed in pleasure. He brought his mouth down and traced the same pattern with his tongue that he did with his thumb before latching on and sucking. Sam's body writhed beneath him as she moaned and clutched his hair, keeping his head where it was. Freddie's hand played with her other breast and he switched, giving as much attention to the other breast as he did to the first.
Sam squirmed beneath him and moaned in protest when he abandoned his ministrations and started moving further down. He left wet kisses all down her stomach, his tongue dipping into her belly button. Sam bucked up and giggled.
"Ticklish?" He grinned up at her.
"Just keep going, Benson," she retorted, her voice sounding deep and breathy and so sexy that Freddie couldn't stand it.
He reached the top of her panties and traced the line of it with his lips. He could see that the silk fabric was a little damp and his chest swelled with pride. He tugged down on the little fabric and Sam lifted her hips to help him. Finally, she was completely bare before him and Freddie felt his breath catch at the sight.
"So beautiful," he whispered as he parted her thighs. "Sam..."
"Mmm...Freddie..." she mewled.
"I..." He looked up at her. "Tell me what to do, Sam. What do you want?"
"Touch me..."
He laid a kiss on her thigh. Sam probably thought he was teasing her but really, he was gathering courage. This was the first time he'd done anything remotely like this but he had done some research on the internet. As he lightly traced her outer lips with his finger, he just hoped that he could remember what he'd learned.
"More," Sam begged.
Freddie, feeling encouraged, parted her lips and found that magic little nub which, according to what he'd read, held the key to her pleasure. And apparently it was right, as Sam moaned and writhed beneath his touch. He put more pressure on it with his thumb as his middle and pointer fingers explored her wetness below. He looked up at Sam, her eyes closed and her head tossed back. He wanted to give her more pleasure than she's ever felt before.
He laid a kiss at the top of her pubic bone and trailed his lips down, not stopping until he reached his thumb. Sam gasped and sat up.
"Freddie, wait!"
"What?" He pulled away, feeling panicked. "Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you?"
"No...no. It's just...you don't have to..."
"I want to, Sam," he assured her. "Please. I just want to make you feel good."
She bit her lip nervously but nodded and laid back down. Freddie parted her lips again and licked the little nub. Sam gasped again and bucked her hips. He used one hand to hold her hips down while the other explored her opening. He started licking her more fervently, egged on by Sam's moans. He slid one finger in, she was so wet and tight that Freddie groaned out loud. Sam liked that, her moans lengthening and her legs parting further. He slid another finger in, her walls squeezing him deliciously and his dick jumped. He couldn't wait to be inside of her. The scent and taste of her arousal filled him, stoking his desire even further.
"Freddie..." Sam moaned, her hips arching up. "Oh god, Freddie..."
There were no words for what it felt like to hear Sam moan his name in the throes of passion. If he thought he was hard before, he was steel now, and his pants were uncomfortably tight. But he wasn't about to abandon his task. Sam gripped his hair almost painfully, desperate to keep his lips in place as he licked and sucked her clit. He remembered a trick that he had read about and started licking the letters 'I love you' onto her nub at the same time that he crooked his fingers up and searched that spot, that special spot that would make her...
Sam's hips arched up at the same time that she screamed out his name and she tightened around his fingers, squeezing them in a vice grip. Freddie laid kisses on her hip as her body quaked, riding out the aftershocks of her orgasm. He pulled his fingers out and she mewled at the loss of him. Freddie made his way up her body, licking up the sweat forming in the valley between her breasts and her neck before kissing her deeply.
He laid down on his side beside her, watching as she panted and tried to regain her breath. He brushed her sweaty bangs from her forehead and she smiled up at him.
"Wow," she said.
"Yeah..." Freddie said, feeling more than a little proud of himself. He didn't think he'd done such bad job for his first time.
Sam rolled her eyes. "If I looked on your computer exactly how much porn would I find?"
He blushed. "It's not like that. I mean, I did some research but not like that. Not the dirty stuff..."
Sam pushed him onto his back and climbed atop him. "I did some research too. Wanna see what I learned?" She grinned.
Freddie gulped as she kissed down his neck, licking and sucking his pulse point much like he did to her. He moaned as she bit down lightly and then soothed the sting with little kisses. She made her way down his chest, pausing to lavish attention to his nipples again. He was painfully hard and he knew that she could feel it.
"Sam, please..." he begged as she placed kisses on his stomach and her hand lightly, teasingly brushed his dick.
He could feel her smirk on his skin before she began undoing his belt. He sighed in relief as she unzipped his pants, finally feeling some release on the pressure. Sam pulled his pants down and he lifted up to help her. Next was his boxers, which she pulled down slowly.
He felt nervous as Sam looked at him, suddenly understanding what she must have felt when she laid naked before him. She leaned in and kissed his thigh, again mimicking what he did to her. He might have protested her obvious copying except that he was distracted when her hand gripped his erection. He groaned as she started moving her hand up and down.
"Sam..."
"Do you like that?"
"Y-yeah..." He groaned as she gripped him a little tighter and moved faster, swiping his precum and spreading it around his dick, using it for lubrication. Freddie couldn't believe how good it felt, it was a thousand times better than his own hand.
He thought he knew the height of pleasure with Sam's hand wrapped around him, but it was nothing compared to the feeling of her mouth closing around his tip. He moaned and gripped the sheets as Sam took him in little by little. Pleasure burned through his body as she started moving up and down, her hand wrapping around what she couldn't take in. He was seeing stars beneath his eyelids and Freddie knew he wouldn't last long like this. He looked down and caught sight of Sam looking up at him. It was the most amazing sight he'd ever seen, her big blue eyes staring into his and her mouth stretched around his cock...She flicked her tongue against the tip and he bucked up his hips, crying out. It was all too much.
"Sam...Sam!" He said desperately, his muscles tight and aching with the effort of holding his orgasm back. "Please...You've gotta stop."
He placed his hands on her head and gently moved her away.
"Why? What's wrong?" She asked as she crawled up his body. "Did I do it wrong?"
"No! You're perfect...I mean, chizz, that's amazing," he breathed and she smiled at him, looking pleased. "But if you keep doing that I'm gonna come."
"Oh." Sam looked up at him shyly. "I don't mind...I mean you can, you know, in my mouth..."
Freddie groaned and kissed her. The offer was almost irresistible. But there was one thing he wanted more.
"Another time. Right now I really need to be inside you."
Sam bit her lip and nodded. He laid her down on her back, kissing her deeply. His tip brushed against her wetness and he groaned into her mouth. Breaking the kiss, he reached over to the drawer he had put the condoms in and pulled it open, taking out the one that he had placed at the ready. He sat up on his knees and tore the packet open but fumbled a little as he tried to unroll it onto himself.
"Need some help?" Sam asked.
He put all of his concentration into the task and managed to put it on properly. He grinned down at her in triumph and Sam giggled back at him, pulling him down and kissing him.
"I love you," he said, looking into her eyes and hoping that she saw that he meant it with all of his being.
"I love you too," she said.
Freddie positioned himself at her opening and Sam spread her legs wider. He looked at her as he placed the very tip in, her wetness soaking him. She nodded her head and he pushed in.
She was so wet, so tight...The feeling was indescribable. Every nerve ending in his body felt like it was on fire. He went slowly, knowing that it must be uncomfortable for Sam. He watched her facial reactions carefully, looking for any signs of pain. She winced when he was halfway in and Freddie stopped. His hands gripped the sheets and the muscles in his back and arms flexed with the effort of holding back and not just plunging into her body like his animal instincts were telling him to do.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
Sam nodded. "Just give me a minute..."
His body was tight with tension and she felt so amazing around him that it felt physically painful to hold back but he'd do it. He'd do anything for this girl. Her needs came first, always.
Finally, Sam let out a breath and relaxed. "Okay, just...go fast," she ordered.
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah."
Freddie slid the rest of the way in quickly, feeling her barrier rip but her inner muscles tightened around him so much that he almost came on the spot. Only Sam's cry of pain held him back and he held still, his length buried deep inside her.
He kissed her forehead and her eyelids, silently apologizing for the pain he had caused her.
"Keep going," she said.
Freddie kissed her and pulled out slowly then slid back in. He expected it to feel amazing to be inside of Sam but this was so far and beyond amazing that he couldn't wrap his mind around it. It was more than the physical pleasure of being wrapped up in her exquisite warmth and tightness. It was the look in her eyes, so open and full of love for him, he could see it all. For the first time Sam was opening up completely, giving him her soul as well as her body. He was inside her in every way and it completed him in a way that he wondered how he had ever lived without this - without her.
Breathless, Sam stared up at him. "Faster," she demanded.
Freddie all too willingly complied, plunging in out of her at an increasingly rapid pace.
"Yes..." She moaned, bending her knees up and spreading her legs further. "Oh yes...More!"
She started lifting her hips up to meet his thrusts and Freddie couldn't hold back his own moans. He gripped her hips tightly as he plunged in and out of her, unable to hold back any longer. Every instinct, every fiber being of his being was urging him on, telling him to take her, to make her his. Now, always. Forever, his.
Freddie rained kisses down her face and neck and used one hand to caress her breast. He could feel Sam's wetness coating his cock as every plunge brought him deeper into her tight warmth than before and he was grateful for the layer of protection the condom provided from the sensation. Without it, he surely would have come already.
He was so close but he wanted to bring Sam over the edge with him. He had one more trick up his sleeve that he learned and he brought the hand that was playing with her breast down between them to find her hardened nub. He rubbed her desperately as he quickened his pace and Sam cried out.
She clawed at his back, her fingers slipping against the slick sweat gathered there. She wrapped her legs around his waist, arching up frantically to meet his pace. She screamed his name as he hit that spot deep inside of her. The sensation along with the pressure from his fingers on her clit made her body shake and tremble as she came undone. Her walls contracted and squeezed him tightly, sending Freddie free falling off the edge and into the greatest bliss he's ever known.
"Sam Sam Sam..." Freddie repeated like a mantra as he trembled above her.
His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of her, breathing hard. Sam wrapped her arms and legs around him, keeping him close. They laid there for several minutes, trying to regain their breaths and the use of their limbs, which felt as if the bones had been replaced with jelly.
Freddie knew that he had to move, he had to get his weight off of Sam and take care of the condom. He laid a kiss on her shoulder and moved up. Sam whimpered as he slid out of her, keeping a careful hold on the condom to make sure that it didn't come off. When he was free of her body, he took it off and threw it in the trash can beside the bed. Sam held her arms open for him, inviting him back, and he happily fell into them, rolling onto his back and bring her with him so that half of her body rested atop his.
"That was..."
"Incredible," Sam finished.
"More than." He grinned and kissed her forehead, resting his nose on her wet bangs.
"Good work," she said, her eyes twinkling up at him.
"You too."
"I love you," said Sam, breaking script.
Freddie knew in that moment that even though this was another first for them. Another huge, life-altering first that they chose to share with each other, that things were different. This time there was no hiding behind their game, no concealment of feelings and going back to the status quo. This time they were just Sam and Freddie, giving their hearts and bodies to one another.
"I love you too, Sam."
Sam's eyes opened slowly as she dragged herself out of the deepest and longest sleep she'd had in a long time. She didn't use to be a light sleeper but having a baby didn't lend itself to the deepest of slumbers. Warm arms were wrapped around her and she turned to look at Freddie, surprised that he was still sleeping. He was a morning person and usually got up long before her. She giggled quietly as she realized that she must have really tired him out last night.
She took the opportunity to simply watch him sleep. He looked so cute, she imagined that he must have looked like this when he was a little boy. Though there was nothing boyish about what he did to her last night. No, last night he was all man...Sam flushed as her thoughts turned in a naughty direction and she became acutely aware of the ache in her thighs. She had used muscles last night that she didn't have much practice in using and she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat.
Unable to stay still and silent any longer, Sam began kissing Freddie's neck, wrapping her arms and legs around him. He groaned and his eyes opened, immediately wrapping his arms around her.
"Morning," he said, his voice thick and gravelly with sleep.
"Morning." Sam smiled. "Tired?"
"Mmm...Good tired." Freddie buried his face in her hair and his hand traced down her bare ass underneath the sheet, gripping it tightly and making Sam gasp.
"Again?"
He pressed his very prominent morning erection onto her stomach in answer.
"Baby, I don't think we have time..." Sam protested even as heat spread down her belly, making her ache for him.
"It's only..." Freddie turned his head to look at the clock. "Eleven. Shit!" He sat up, his ardor momentarily forgotten. "Check out is at twelve!"
"And I told Carly we'd be home by lunch," Sam said, sitting up as well. Her stomach growled, making it known that she hadn't fed it breakfast. "Lunch..." She groaned.
Freddie stopped her as she made her way to the bathroom and kissed her forehead. "Go get dressed. I'll pack our stuff and we'll have brunch downstairs before we leave."
Sam nodded, wishing that she could kiss him but her own morning breath stopped her. She settled for pressing her face into his neck, leaving a kiss there that made Freddie groan and threaten to throw her down on the bed and ravish her. Check out time be damned. Sam giggled and disappeared into the bathroom before she seriously took him up on that offer.
Sam didn't know what she was expecting when she got home but an apartment full of her friends wasn't it. Spencer and Julie were curled up together on the love seat, Ian lay on the couch, his feet dangling off the end, and Gibby was stretched out on the floor with only a couch pillow under his head for comfort. All of them were fast asleep. And yet Carly was nowhere in sight.
Sam and Freddie looked at each other and ran to Charlie's bedroom. Sam breathed in relief when she saw her baby safe and asleep in her crib. Carly was in the rocking chair, holding an empty bottle in her hand and sleeping with her head on her shoulder in what Sam knew from experience was an extremely uncomfortable position. Sam kneeled down and gently shook Carly awake.
"Wha-what?" She looked around in confusion and sat straight up, flinching as pain shot up her neck. She saw Sam and Freddie and her eyes widened.
"I am so so sorry!" She cried.
Sam put her finger to her lips to quiet her, glancing quickly at the baby. She took Carly's arm and led her out to into the hall.
"I'm sorry!" Carly repeated. Her next words came out in a rush. "Charlie wouldn't stop crying last night and I didn't know what to do so I called Spencer but he couldn't make her stop and he called Julie and nothing we did worked, so then Ian came and then Gibby. And Gibby managed to get her to eat and we all acted out a story to get her to sleep. But then she kept waking up through the night so no one could go home...I'm sorry! I thought I could do it alone but I couldn't!"
"Carly! Carly!" Sam yelled and shook her shoulders to make her stop her rant. "It's okay! It's okay, Carls."
Carly stared at her. "You're not mad?"
"Mad about what? That you did everything you could to take care of my baby?"
"But I lied to you last night when you called," she said in a small voice. "Charlie wasn't fine...she was screaming her head off because she missed you so much."
"It's okay, Carly," Freddie said. "We had a great night because of you. Thank you."
Carly's face crumpled and she hugged Sam tightly. "I don't know how guys do it! Babies are hard!"
Sam laughed. "Yeah, no chizz."
Freddie smiled at them and joined in the hug.
"Is everyone still sleeping?" Carly asked when they pulled away. She tried in vain to smooth down her hair, which Sam had never seen so tangled and messy before. She felt bad for thinking it but it was pretty funny to see the chaos that a three month old baby managed to wreak on her best friend. She'd been put through the same wringer everyday for the last three months but it was a lot more comical on the other side of things.
"Yeah," Freddie said.
"How about we wake everyone up and go to the restaurant for lunch?" Sam suggested. "My treat."
Carly smiled and nodded. Freddie put his arm around Sam as they followed Carly to the living room.
"Should we be worried at how good Charlie already is at throwing a party when we're not home?" He asked.
Sam laughed and kissed his cheek. "She's got Puckett genes, baby. You should always be worried."