Chapter ELEVEN
EJ knocked on the door again, as loudly as he could, trying to contain his frustration. He'd finally been able to give chase to Sami earlier that afternoon but then the phone had rung and stupidly EJ had answered it, thinking that it might be Sami for some reason. It hadn't been. It was a client who had just gotten arrested and needing EJ to come down to the jailhouse and get him out. He was a big client and EJ simply couldn't say no, especially as he had a duty of care as his lawyer. It had dragged on and on and EJ had been almost beside himself by the time all the paper work had been done. That was why he was standing on the doorstep of Sami's ladies boarding house at nine o'clock at night and praying that he would be able to see her tonight. EJ desperately needed to talk to Sami, find out if she was alright and what she had made of their heated kisses. EJ raised his hand to knock again when the door was jerked open.
"And what time of da night would ya be callin' dis den?"
EJ dropped his hand and put what he hoped was a charming smile on his face as he smiled at the annoyed looking Irish woman standing in the doorway. She looked to be in her early fifties, greying hair all wrapped up in strips of material and fleecy house coat on. She was quite a tall, solidly built woman who didn't look like she suffered fools easily. He'd obviously disturbed her from bed and her expression told him that she wasn't happy about that.
"I'm so sorry to disturb you but I was hoping to talk to one of your boarders," said EJ politely, "A Miss Betty Jones."
"At dis time of night - get away wit ya?" asked the woman in horror, "It's gone nine o'clock. What kind of man calls on a respectable young woman in da middle of da night?"
"I'm sorry but I'm Miss Jones employer and there is somewhat of an emergency," lied EJ smoothly, "I just need to see her for a minute."
"Dere are no gentleman callers allowed after eight," the woman informed him.
"But…" EJ began to protest.
"Dere are no gentleman callers allowed after eight!" she reiterated very determinedly, hefting her rather ample bosom and glaring down at EJ from where he was three steps below her on the stairs.
EJ looked back at her and as formidable as that bust line looked he still thought he could take her but then that was hardly going to be the way to gain Sami's trust again now was it. You're safe with me Sami - don't mind that I just tackled your land lady to the ground to get to you.
"Right," said EJ reluctantly, "I suppose I should go then."
The woman arched both her eyebrows and folded her arms in front of her impressive bosom and just looked back at EJ, not saying a word.
"Right," said EJ ruefully, turning around and heading back down the stairs.
He got to the footpath and looked back up at the building, hoping against hope that he might see Sami but it wasn't to be. EJ blew out a frustrated breath and headed back towards his car slowly. It looked like tomorrow morning was going to be the earliest time that he got to see Sami and EJ wasn't happy about that fact but there wasn't anything he could do about it. First thing in the morning he was going to be back on this doorstep and straightening out this mess, particularly seeing as they'd never managed to resolve that whole Peter issue either which EJ was really beginning to regret.
Betty watched EJ walk back down the street from her vantage point behind the curtains on the second floor of the boarding house. Betty bit her lip as she watched him leave, unable to believe what an idiot she'd made of herself that afternoon. She shook her head despondently, how was she ever going to turn up at work on Monday she wondered hopelessly? Once EJ was out of sight she went and sat back down on her bed and closed her eyes. She could still feel the touch of EJ's lips on her own and Betty's body still throbbed uncomfortably from their encounter, all these hours later. The fact that EJ hadn't followed her right away told Betty that she'd done something terribly wrong. She flopped down on the bed and put a pillow over her face and wished more than anything that she had to power to turn back the clock.
oooOOOOooo
EJ was on the steps of Sami's boarding house bright and early the next morning after a particularly sleepless night. He'd contemplated just sleeping in the car in front of her building but decided in the end that Sami might find that a bit strange so he'd forced himself to go home and be awake all night there instead. Come hell or high water though he was going to sort this all out with Sami and get their relationship back on track. A red headed woman emerged from the building just as EJ was about to go in.
"Well hiya handsome," she said, smiling up at him flirtatiously, "Here for me?"
"Actually I was looking for Betty," said EJ with a smile to the confident young woman, "Betty Jones."
"Oh you're out of luck honey," he was informed easily, "She's gone already."
"Gone?" asked EJ, his stomach dropping, "Gone where?"
"Brooklyn," she said with a smile, "She and Nancy left real early this morning - going to visit Nancy's folks for the weekend."
"Nancy?" repeated EJ, his stomach starting to churn nervously, "She's gone away for the weekend with Nancy?"
"Aha," said the woman blithely, "They said they'll be back late Sunday if that helps."
"Do you know where in Brooklyn they went?" asked EJ urgently.
"North Brooklyn I think," she said blithely, "Does that help?"
"Not really," said EJ flatly.
"Sorry hun," she said, carrying on down the stairs, "That's all I know."
EJ didn't even remember to thank her as she walked off down the street, too stunned by this latest turn of events. Sami had gone away with Nancy for the weekend… Nancy with the brother Peter who sends Sami flowers and she'd already gone out on a date with. Seeing as they were going to Nancy's family's house then it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that Peter might well be there too. Sami and Peter sharing a roof for the weekend… after EJ had just taught her how to kiss a man in such a way that it made him lose all reason.
This was bad… this was very, very bad.
oooOOOOooo
EJ stood in the middle of his office, arms folded in front of his chest and stared unblinkingly at the door. There were 2880 minutes in a weekend and EJ had lived through each agonising one of them filled with absolute dread as to what was happening over in Brooklyn with Sami and Peter. At one point he'd become so desperate that he actually got in his car and drove to Brooklyn, cruising the streets on the off chance that he'd see Sami walking around. The plan was that if he had by some miracle seen her EJ would have just kidnapped her right there off the street and whisk her away with him. So it was probably just as well that he hadn't seen her as it turned out.
EJ wasn't even sure that Sami was going to turn up to work that day after the events of Friday. He'd had a lot of time to think what he would do about that if she didn't but hadn't come up with any more of a plan than simply storming the castle that she was staying in, braving the dragon at the door and riding off into the sunset with the damsel whether she wanted to or not. Basically all of his contingency plans came back to kidnapping at the moment but EJ couldn't seem to come up with anything else that would ensure that he'd never lose Sami again. He was a more than desperate man.
He cricked his neck noisily, his neck stiff from two days of holding himself tensely. The whole weekend he kept picturing Sami and this Peter guy being together. EJ's facial expression didn't change as he continued to stare at his office door but his hands unconsciously balled into fist. He swore to God that if that man so much as laid a single finger on Sami he was seriously going to kill the man and not lose a moments sleep over the violent act. It was destroying EJ inside to think of Sami being in any way intimate or even mildly friendly to a man other than himself. He was worried what he might do if Sami told him that things had progressed between her and Peter over the weekend because his murderous urges hadn't abated any since the weekend. He would die before ever hurting Sami of course and it was hardly her fault if something had happened because EJ had gone and confused her royally and then basically shoved her into another man's arms. She was so innocent that who knows what this Peter might have talked her into. EJ's teeth ground together at the thought.
EJ managed to drag his eyes off the door to glance at his watch. Sami was now six minutes late. In all the time she'd worked for him she'd never been late and EJ was getting the urge to start scouring the streets for her again. Maybe it really had been too much for to face coming back here? Maybe Sami was even now trying to find a new job? Maybe this Peter wouldn't let him out of his bed because EJ sure as hell wouldn't be? That last thought galvanised him into action, even the idea causing EJ physical pain. He stormed over to the door and ripped it open only to be confronted by a startled looking Betty standing in the hallway.
"OH!" she said in surprise, putting her hand to her throat, "EJ!"
"Sa… Betty!" said EJ, catching himself just in time before calling her by the wrong name.
The two stared at each other in shock.
"I'm sorry I'm late," she said quickly, "The tube was running late."
"Th… that's fine Betty," said EJ, a little dazedly.
Just being in her presence again was making EJ's head spin and the urge to start kissing her was almost overwhelming.
"I'll stay back and make it up," she offered nervously.
"Don't be silly Betty," said EJ with a shake of his head and a little frown.
EJ looked down at her and knew he had to clear the air between them as quickly as possible, hating this new awkwardness.
"Betty I…"
He was interrupted by the phone ringing.
"I'll get it!" exclaimed Betty, very happy to have something to do because she didn't like the look on EJ's face just then.
She hurried past him and picked up the phone.
"Mr DiMera's office this is Betty, how may I help you?"
EJ's frown deepened, not caring about having his phones answered right then.
"Yes I'll just put you through, one minute please," she said and then looked over expectantly at EJ, "It's Mr Taylor - he said it's important."
EJ grimaced, not wanting to deal with anything other than the situation with Betty right then but not really having a choice.
"Put it through," he said grudgingly, heading towards his office.
Betty did just that and sighed a deep sigh of relief when EJ was in his office and on the phone. She'd so been dreading that first meeting between the two of them and as awkward as it had been at least it was over with now. She was still very nervous about what EJ was going to say to her but the fact he hadn't fired her on the spot had to be an encouraging sign right? Betty had spent a very confusing weekend trying to work out what had happened exactly on Friday afternoon between the two of them and she still had no real answers except for the fact that she was pretty certain she'd made an absolute fool of herself and may have well lost her best friend in the process. Betty could see that EJ had wanted to talk to her when she first got there and been grateful for the phone call to distract him while she tried to gather what little composure she had when it came to her boss. It was with a real sense of dread that she saw EJ finish his call and get up from his desk, walking from his office the general area where she worked.
EJ had rehearsed this a thousand times in his head over the weekend. He'd put Sami at ease and through gentle questioning find out where she was at and address any of her fears and concerns as they came up. He was going to be tender, loving and make her feel safe and reassure her that he was someone she could still trust. That had been the plan anyway.
"You went a way this weekend."
It was a statement, not a question and Betty looked a little taken aback by the brusqueness of his manner and the question.
"Ah… yes," she nodded, not sure if he needed her to confirm that or not.
"With Nancy."
Again a statement.
"Aha," she nodded hesitantly, trying to work out where he was going with this but EJ's face wasn't giving anything away.
The reason for that was that EJ was about to ask her about Peter and he was keeping such a tight rein on his emotions that he couldn't find the strength to soften the questions at all, just forcing them out and bracing for the answers was taking everything out of him right then.
"Did you have a nice time?"
Finally this was an actual question.
"Yes," nodded Betty, still unsure of EJ in this strange mood.
"Was it just you and Nancy?" asked EJ tightly, walking over to stand in front of Sami as she stood by her desk.
"And Nancy's family of course," said Betty.
A vein began to throb in EJ's temple at hearing that he suddenly became rather frighteningly still, except for the throbbing vein of course.
"And you had a good time with her family?" asked EJ, his jaw beginning to ache from holding himself in so tightly in check.
"Yes," said Betty with another nod, having no idea why EJ was so interested in her weekend.
"So I guess you and Peter got your second date then?" asked EJ, his lips curling slightly over the other man's name.
Betty's brow wrinkled at that, looking up at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?" she asked him.
"Well you spent the weekend with Peter's family so I just assumed…" said EJ, trying for a casual shrug.
"I was with Nancy's family," said Betty with a shake of her head, still looking confused.
"Who is Peter's sister and therefore his family as well," pointed out EJ, wondering why Sami was being so pedantic about it.
"This is a different Nancy," Betty informed him.
"Wh… what?" he stammered.
"I have two friends called Nancy," she said blithely, unaware of the effect this information was having on EJ, "One is Nancy Morgan that I worked with at the temp agency and she's the one with the brother Peter. My other friend is Nancy O'Connell and she boards with me during the week and goes home for weekends and this weekend she invited me to come along so I did… EJ!"
Betty called out his name in surprise as EJ kind of staggered back and leant heavily on her desk with one hand, looking positively shell shocked.
"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, putting a concerned hand on his arm, "Do you need to sit down?"
"You have two friends called Nancy?" asked EJ faintly when he could get his faculties to work again.
"Yes," she nodded and then as an afterthought, "Sorry."
Betty wasn't sure why she was apologising for that but his unexpected reaction to this information kind of made her feel like she should.
"And does the Nancy you spent the weekend with have any brothers?" asked EJ weakly, just needing to make sure he was getting all his facts straight at last.
"She has three sisters," said Betty, "That's why she said for me to come home with her - one more girl in the house wasn't going to be a big deal."
EJ leant back on Betty's desk and put a shaky hand to cover his face as he began to laugh.
"EJ?" asked Betty, even more confused now, "Did I say somethin' funny?"
"No sweetheart," said EJ with a self deprecating laugh, dropping his hand away from his face and looking at her ruefully, "I've just had a long weekend that didn't include much sleep."
"Oh," said Betty and still looked pretty unsure, "Um… sorry."
EJ looked at Sami then, the relief that she'd spent the weekend without a man by her side still washing over him. He wanted to hug her so badly it hurt but first things first.
"Betty we need to talk about what happened on Friday," said EJ, just wanting to deal with this now so they could move on.
"I know," said Betty, making a stressed face as the moment of truth was finally here, "I'm real sorry for what I did EJ and I promise you, nothing like that will ever happen again. I don't know what came over me but I…"
"Have dinner with me," EJ interrupted her, unable to keep the words inside anymore.
Now it was Betty's turn to look shell shocked.
"Have dinner with me Betty," repeated EJ, standing up from where he'd been leaning on her desk.
"Why?" she asked faintly.
"Because I want us to start dating," said EJ simply.
He'd worked out a far more elaborate and eloquent way to get to that point over the weekend but just like before EJ couldn't seem to make himself go slowly with her anymore. He couldn't hide his feelings from Sami anymore and EJ just wanted to be able to show her how much he truly adored her.
"But… but you're my boss," she stammered, "I can't possibly date my boss, it wouldn't be right!"
"Then you're fired," said EJ, not missing a beat and keeping his eyes on her unblinkingly, "Shall I pick you up at say six?"
"You're firing me?" asked Betty in horror.
"I'll still pay you," said EJ blithely, only fixated on getting Sami to agree to go out with him on a proper date and not thinking beyond that.
"So you're going to pay me to go out with you?" asked Betty, looking even more distressed by this information, "Like I was a hooker you mean?"
"NO!" exclaimed EJ, taken aback by her interpretation, "No of course not Betty. I don't want you to stop working for me at all but I want us to be more than just co-workers."
"You… you do?" asked Betty in amazement.
This was beyond her wildest dreams to have EJ saying something like this to her and she was beginning to wonder if this actually was a dream.
"I was hoping that you might want that too?" said EJ hesitantly, looking at her very seriously.
"I… I…" Betty was flabbergasted by these turn of events and didn't know what to say.
"I can see that I've shocked you Betty," said EJ with a grimace, "And I'm sorry about that, it wasn't my intention. I promise you, we can take this slowly but more than anything I'd like for you to consider giving us a chance."
"But you're my boss," repeated Betty, not able to get past that.
"I'm your boss during working hours Betty," said EJ firmly, "Outside of that I'm just a man who would dearly love to spend time with you and get to know you better."
"What if when you get to know me better you wish you didn't?" she asked him worriedly.
"I certain that isn't going to happen Betty," said EJ with a little smile.
"You want us to go on a date?" she said, still very unsure, "For real?"
"For very real Betty," nodded EJ, not letting her look away from him, "Tonight? We could go back to that Italian restaurant that you enjoyed, how does that sound?"
Betty just looked back at him, a little frown marring her forehead.
"But I made a fool of myself on Friday," fretted Betty, "Why would you…?"
"You think you made a fool of yourself?" asked EJ in surprise and then groaned, "Oh Betty, far from it. Kissing you was simply the most wonderful experience that I've had in what feels like forever now."
"It was?" asked Betty shyly.
"It really was," said EJ softly.
Betty pondered this for a minute whilst EJ held his breath, waiting for her answer.
"Yes," she said and bit her lip.
"Yes?" asked EJ excitedly.
"Yes," said Betty, unable to stop a large smile coming to her face that matched EJ's.
"Yes," said EJ with satisfaction and it took all his internal fortitude not to hug her right there but it was unlikely he'd be able to stop himself there so EJ restrained himself.
oooOOOOooo
"I had so much fun tonight," said Betty, smiling over at EJ as they sat in his car just along the street from her boarding house.
"So did I," said EJ with a grin, "I'm very glad you agreed to come out with me Betty."
"Me too," said Betty and couldn't help but suddenly feel a little shy now.
Everything had flowed so easily between them the whole day and over dinner that now it was the end of the night Betty was suddenly nervous. She looked back over her shoulder at the boarding house and then back at EJ.
"I should go in," she told him, "Mrs O'Reilly is pretty tight with the curfew, and she locks up at ten o'clock sharp every night."
EJ had a strong urge to suggest that Sami forget about Mrs O'Reilly and her curfews and come home with him tonight but he didn't want to undo all the ground they'd covered today. Sami was back to being comfortable around him and EJ wanted to keep it that way.
"Is she a rather formidable Irish woman by any chance?" asked EJ with a quirk of his lips.
"Aha," nodded Betty with a bit of a laugh.
"We've met," said EJ and his smile grew, "I don't think I made a very good impression on her."
"She's alright," said Betty with a shrug and a smile, "I think she takes the welfare of all of us pretty seriously."
"Well I can't hold that against her," said EJ softly, "I like knowing your safe Betty."
Betty felt a little thrill go through her when he said that, her face flushing slightly. Even in the dim light of the car EJ saw the blush colouring her cheeks and felt his blood quicken as it always did at the sight.
"Betty I'm going to kiss you now," he told her huskily.
She looked over at him wide eyed at his announcement.
"I…"
Betty didn't get to finish what she was going to say and then forgot completely what is was she had been going to say when EJ leant across from his seat and captured her lips with his. If their previous kisses had built slowly then this was completely different. EJ confidently sought and gained entrance to her mouth and Betty was instantly transported to another world. She felt one of EJ's hands go to the back of her head, cupping it and allowing the kiss to deepen. All the sensations that Betty had begun to think she'd dreamt up suddenly rushed through her and she couldn't help but quiver against his lips.
EJ pulled her closer to him on the bench seat of his car, dragging his lips from hers and beginning to kiss along her jaw line, down her neck, revelling in the taste of her skin and finding he couldn't get enough. The passion that had been so abruptly halted on Friday burst back into full life and EJ was finding it difficult to live up to his promise of taking it slowly.
"God but you taste amazing!" he groaned helplessly, reclaiming Sami's mouth hungrily.
Betty couldn't breathe, as his kisses stole her breath and her reason along with it. The ache at her core was back again and so was all that embarrassing wetness as EJ continued to taste deeply from her mouth. Betty wanted more, so much more but she didn't know what that might be so she just clung to EJ and returned his ardour as best she could. The hand that had been at Betty's head moved to her neck, his long fingers wrapping around its slender length as their kisses grew ever more heated. EJ then dragged his knuckles softly down her throat and fanned out over the top of her chest. Betty knew he must be able to feel how fast her heart was beating then but could do nothing about it.
EJ's hand ached to touch Sami's bare flesh, to feel her softness properly underneath his hand but knew that it wasn't to be this time. But even so he couldn't completely deny himself. EJ's hand slipped lower and Betty gasped as she felt him cup one of her breasts but EJ wouldn't stop kissing her so she couldn't protest. Her hand flew to his wrist but made no real effort to dissuade him, it was more of a reflex than anything. EJ groaned as he felt her softness fill his hand, his thumb going to one plump nipple that had already beaded in expectation of his touch. Sami may not remember him but her body certainly did. He began to rub the pad of his thumb across the bud and felt it tighten even more, even through all the layers of her clothing. Sami groaned loudly into his kiss and EJ began to rub harder, responding to her excitement.
He knew what an erogenous zone her breasts were for Sami and the times he'd managed to bring her to climax just through touching them. Oh god but he wanted to make her climax right there and then, show her the pleasure her body was capable of under his hand. Before he could stop himself EJ tightened his hold on her breast and pinched her nipple between his forefinger and thumb hard. Sami threw her head back then, breaking the kiss as she squeezed her eyes together and moaned loudly for him. The sound almost made EJ come right then and he gritted his teeth against losing control utterly.
"Oh god!" he groaned, his lips going to her neck again, "Betty the things I'm going to show you, you have no idea!"
"EJ!" she said weakly, barely able to talk because she was panting so badly now.
Her whole body was just aflame and the sensations that had just rocketed through her body when he'd done that were making Betty shake very badly. The beginning of a strange fluttering was happening between her legs that felt simply wonderful and Betty had lost herself completely.
Fortunately EJ had slightly more control and reluctantly took his hand from her breast, cupping her face and beginning to kiss her more gently.
"Calm down sweetheart," he said raggedly, his kisses gentle against her swollen lips, "We have to calm down."
His kisses remained soft and languid as he murmured soft words to her until finally they both did manage to calm down somewhat. EJ finally found the strength to stop kissing Sami, resting his forehead against hers.
"I want to see you again," he rasped, his voice uneven and rough.
"You will," said Betty breathlessly, "Tomorrow at work."
"Not at work," said EJ with a little shake of his pulling back and looking at her almost urgently as he held her face between his hands, "I want us to go out again, on another date."
"Yes," sighed Betty, sure she would die from being this happy, "Oh yes EJ."
EJ smiled and then allowed himself one last lingering kiss before he grudgingly had to let her go to beat curfew. For the entire drive home EJ smiled the smile of a man who had just been given everything he'd ever dreamed of.