I'm back with a new chapter. It's the one everyone has probably been waiting for because...well...let's just say for this chapter I'm changing the rating to M, so if that's not what you're looking for there is no need for you to go further than this paragraph.
THANK YOU all for the wonderful reviews I got for my last chapter and THANK YOU for sticking with me!
Tomorrow
by Serataja
-Chapter 5-
Interludes and Examinations, Part 5
September 2001
Special Agent Susan Croydon looked at the agents in disbelief.
"Are you telling me that a whole town - of about 200 people - kept this secret for twenty years?"
Jack shook his head.
"Only about twenty people knew the real story. The Gales and the Scopes were pretty close. Some of their closest friends knew. So did three other people who went up to the cabin with the Scopes brothers on that day. All the others got fed the same story as the sheriff. A few suspected the truth, but no one was interested in shaking things up. Nick Scopes and some others were quite relieved when the truth finally got out, but most of them would have been just as happy to let sleeping dogs lie."
He looked at Sam.
"Anything you want to add?" he asked.
She shook her head.
"Since I was out sick most of the time I wasn't that involved in the case. But everything I learned later confirms that story."
Jack put the folder he was holding down on Agent Croydon's desk.
"For your reading pleasure," he said.
Susan Croydon smiled at the two New York agents seated in front of her.
"Well, what can I say - I really appreciate your help. And I hope you'll have a good trip home."
"You will notify us if Felicia turns up - dead or alive?" Jack asked.
"You'll be the first one to know," Agent Croydon confirmed.
000
Sam dropped down on the seat beside Jack. Boarding would begin soon. She faced him.
"I look horrible," she said.
He blinked in surprise. There was no doubt about what she wanted to hear, but her face looked so matter of fact that he was not sure if she was making fun or being serious. She might even be flirting.
"I just saw myself in the bathroom mirror. I look positively horrible," she continued, a smile of pure innocence appearing on her lips.
"Oh," he said and let his eyes travel down her body. Yeah, she was trying to flirt with him for sure and she didn't seem to mind the way he was looking at her either. With amusement he remembered trying that look on Maria a couple of times while they were still dating. He had been teasing her then because he knew she minded and would start a hot discussion about the subject – something about being treated like a sex-object. He had never been sure how serious she had really been about that because each time it had led to…well, never mind. Sam was smiling into his eyes.
"So…" she asked.
He considered her for a moment.
"You're trying to seduce me," he finally stated, staring at a spot over her right shoulder because the way she looked at him made him feel weak.
The playfulness went out of her and the sparkle left her eyes.
"Sorry, Jack."
He hated to see her look so serious all of a sudden. For a moment he hesitated, knowing that every action he took with her would have consequences. But in the end he couldn't help himself, so he lifted his hand and trailed his fingers over her face, lightly touching her eyelids and her lips on the way.
"Oh, Jack…" she sighed in resignation.
"Yeah, I know," he murmured.
"I'm tired of fighting this," she said.
He rested his thumb on her lips as if to silence her.
"Me too," he said. He tried his best to stay cool but could feel a slow tremble start in his muscles that betrayed his desire. Sam could feel it, too. She slid both hands beneath the unzipped vest he was wearing, resting them on his chest. He was tense.
Sam looked around. There were few people waiting for the flight and none took any notice of them. She let her hands slide further upwards, caressing his throat and the line of his jaw.
"You're killing me, woman," he said with a growl.
She inched a little closer and Jack placed his other hand on her leg, fingers splayed, his thumb caressing the inside of her thigh. A fog settled in Sam's brain. Jack seemed to feel the same way. His caution was gone and male strength shone out of his eyes, enquiring about her needs but ultimately sure of itself. She had only ever seen him sure of himself as the FBI agent, never really as a man. She was glad he was sure of himself now, with her.
She leaned even closer, their faces inches apart.
"What do you want, Jack?" she asked.
He traced her lips with his thumb and then touched them lightly with his - a feathery, moist kiss that made her heart leap in anticipation.
His hand then dropped away from her face, but the other one stayed on her thigh, its warmth felt through the fabric of her jeans.
"You look wonderful, by the way," he said.
Boarding was announced and Jack rose, his movements awkward, hindered by his bad knee. Sam felt a now all too familiar stab when she saw his pain. It passed like a cloud over his face and was gone, and she understood that he was so used to living with it, that he sometimes hardly noticed. He extended his hand to her. When she took it, he squeezed it hard and didn't let go. It felt like a promise.
000
They reached Seattle three and a half hours later, and would have to wait another two hours for the next flight to New York.
They had hardly spoken on the plane, ample time for Jack to make up his mind. A lot of things had been going through his head, not the least of them being that he trusted her with his life and that he was sure that she would never compromise him. All he knew, now, was that he wanted Sam, and he pushed the voice telling him that he might regret it later far to the back of his mind. He longed to find a place where they could be together, in private. For a brief moment he considered checking into a hotel at Newark airport but dismissed the thought – too many hours away.
"Wait for me," he told Sam. "Wait for me right here. Don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."
He left her standing in the middle of the terminal, and she saw him striding off toward the airline counters. She sat down on the nearest bench, nervous about what he was planning to do. She didn't really know what to expect of him. She only knew that whatever happened had to be his call.
Fifteen minutes later he was back, leaning over her, placing their tickets in her lap.
"I changed the flight to tomorrow at noon."
He looked at her, wary of her reaction. When he got a delighted smile he felt relieved. Heaven knew what that woman saw in him. There were so many attractive men out there; he couldn't understand why she had chosen him.
000
"But this is the Hilton, Jack," Sam pointed out.
"I don't care," he answered, "it's closest. I'll pay for it."
"The Best Western is right down the street, the woman at the information said."
"I don't care," he repeated stubbornly. "Do you want to fight me on this? Come on!"
"Are you bullying me?" She looked up at him. "Maybe I'll just go back to the terminal then."
She pretended to turn around, but he caught her, cupping her neck and pressing a soft kiss on her mouth. She opened up to him, willingly. Their tongues met briefly before he drew back again.
"Very convincing," Sam said. All her nerve-endings were tingling. Jack brought his mouth close to her ear.
"Sam, I need you," he whispered.
000
The door clicked shut behind them.
"Why don't you sit down on the sofa," Sam told Jack who stood close behind her, his hands on her hips, nuzzling her neck. "Or better yet, make us some coffee. I really need to take a shower first."
Jack groaned, his hands sliding around her, gliding over her stomach, lifting up her sweater and finding the smooth skin beneath. He tucked them under the waistband of her jeans.
She turned around, forcing him to remove his hands.
"I want to take this slow, Jack." She smiled, putting a kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Do you mind?"
He groaned again but didn't protest. As if by accident she brushed her hand across the front of his jeans, noting the way his breath hitched in his throat.
He swallowed.
"Are you going to torture me?" he asked.
"Coffee, please?" she said.
With a smile that seemed to say 'just wait until I turn the tables', he went over to the coffeemaker. She watched him busy himself with scooping just the right amount of coffee into the filter. He stopped to think for a moment then added another two spoonfuls.
"I thought you said you wanted to take a shower," he said without turning around, sensing that she was still standing there.
Without a word Sam unzipped her jeans. She wriggled out of them, watching Jack tense at the sound of rustling clothes. He turned around, coffee-spoon still in his hand, staring at her.
She pulled off the sweater and the t-shirt she was wearing, her movements as casual as if no one was watching her.
She unhooked her bra, the memory of standing in the underwear aisle of a drugstore in Anchorage, thinking that he would never see that side of her, touching her mind.
Almost completely undressed, she faced him fully, smiling. He stood very still, coffee-spoon trembling slightly in his hands, his eyes following her every movement, grazing every inch of her body. Still smiling she removed her panties.
"Come on over here," he said, his voice so low she could barely hear it.
"Oh no," she shook her head. "I'm going to take a shower first."
"The hell you are."
Suddenly very aware of what she was doing, standing naked in front of a man who was not only married but also her Supervisory Special Agent, she raised her fingers to her lips. Her breast were now covered by her arms but all the rest of her was gloriously exposed and, to Jack, seemed even more desirable by her sudden shyness.
"Sam?" He was puzzled by her reaction. Here she had followed him all the way into a hotel room, practically cast off her clothes and now she was standing there looking as if she didn't know how she got herself in that situation. Had he done something wrong?
Jack felt a moment of panic. What else did she expect of him? Did she want him to say that he loved her? He knew exactly how he felt about her, but he was not ready to bare his soul. Why did women always want confirmation? Why couldn't they just-
She made a move to turn away from him and he finally knew what to do, approaching her with two quick strides, catching her in his arms, pressing her naked body to him and trapping her arms against his chest. She let out a nervous giggle that changed to a delighted sigh. Pressing her hips against his, she said:
"This is so different…"
"Different from what?"
"I don't usually feel this giddy."
Jack cleared his throat.
"I really don't care how you usually feel…"
She clamped her mouth shut. That she'd had dates and maybe something more in the two years she had worked for him so far had never been a secret, although Kellar had been the only one he'd ever met. She'd never thought, though, he would mind in the way she now saw in his eyes.
He bent his head and began to nuzzle his way up the side of her neck, sending shivers through her body. He explored her earlobe, marveling in her skin and her smell. Finally he resurfaced and looked at her once more.
"So, I'm different?" he asked hopefully.
"Very," she said matter of factly without elaborating further. "Listen Jack, I really need to take that shower."
He sighed and released her, watching her walk to the bathroom and close the door behind her. He stood transfixed, still staring at the door when it opened again a moment later and Sam popped out her head, looking at him expectantly:
"You want to come along?"
She didn't have to ask him twice.
000
He let her help him undress. To tell the truth, she did most of the undressing. He enjoyed the feel of her fingers on his skin and noticed that she didn't miss his reaction. When she was done it was his turn to be shy although he tried not to show it. She was so perfect and he was aware of that he had not been keeping himself in shape. Judging by her reaction, though, he must have been the most handsome man on earth because she pressed herself against his naked body with relish, her face radiant, before taking him by the hand and leading him to the shower.
000
Jack was not happy. He had been doing fine, standing under the hot shower, a beautiful woman in his arms. Then she had handed him the soap and asked him to lather her. The feel of the smooth soap against her skin had excited him beyond words and he had been allowed to touch her everywhere. He had lost himself totally in the task until she had been tensing against him, crying out his name. He had been pleased with himself, wanting to take things a little further and that was when his leg had started to bother him once more. Having fun while lying down might be all right. Having it standing up in his condition, supporting her weight was out of the question. On top of this the excitement seemed to have been too much for his most private part. It gave out on him just when he wanted her most and no, he was not happy about that at all.
000
"Sorry about that," Jack said.
He was sitting on the bed, wearing a white bathrobe, coffee cup in his hands, watching her brush her hair.
"Sorry about what?"
He rolled his eyes.
"You know…"
"Oh that," she smiled. "Jack, I didn't really expect to have sex in the shower, so it's quite all right."
She put the brush aside and went over to him, kneeling down between his legs. She looked up at him and he smiled down into her eyes. Putting the cup of coffee aside he said:
"But I think I may be up for it now."
"Sex in the shower?"
"Sex on the bed - if you don't mind?"
"I don't," she answered, pulling at the sash of his bathrobe and inching closer. "Can we do this the way I want?"
"Anything."
"If you're still up to it afterwards you can do anything to me you want."
"Whoa," he said, a smile spreading over his face, "Now that's a promise."
He looked at her. His hands traced the contours of her face, stroking her hair as if he was really seeing her for the first time.
"Anything," she said.
A look of worry crossed his face.
"Look, Sam, I'm not really into the kinky stuff, so if you…"
She pushed him down on the bed.
"Me neither – well, not much anyway. Don't worry, I have the feeling we'll do fine together."
He pulled her down with him.
"Okay…"
"Just keep your hands at your sides. Don't touch anything."
"That's impossible."
"You're a tough guy. You'll manage."
She knelt down between his legs.
"No touching," she warned one more time.
"You got it."
He looked at her, reaching out and brushing his fingers over her cheek.
"No touching," she said with a smile.
"Sam?"
He sat up, bringing his face close to hers and kissed her. It was different than the kisses he had given her before. Those had been kisses of need. This kiss was so tender that Sam felt tears well up in her eyes. She held them back, not wanting him to see how deeply she was affected. In that moment she knew full well the depth of his own feeling. There was no need for him to tell her that he loved her. It was evident.
He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against hers.
"What do you want me to do?" he whispered.
"Just let me make love to you," she whispered back. "Please, Jack, just let me make love to you."
He lay down again and dropped his hands at his side.
"I'm all yours," he said.
TBC