Okay, so this chapter is a little bit of a teaser. (Hands up in the air!) Don't shoot me! :) lol You guys are simply fantastic and the reviews have been super encouraging. I hope you like it! I'm in the process of deciding if I will continue a second story picking up where this one leaves off when it's done... Just a warning... I'm pretty sure that this is going to get a bit darker before it gets better... I suppose it's about time I let Luke resurface...

Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

Nikka

o o o

Dinner at the restaurant had been a noisy affair. Three kids running around being chased occasionally by their Uncle Sam could be heard in the main dinning area away from the private room that had been booked. Every once in a while Andy would find herself being used a shield protecting the girls from Sam who only looked at her with a raised eyebrow daring her to do something.

"Sam," she said in a sassy voice. "Please don't make me lay you out, I wouldn't want to wound your ego in front of your nieces."

Sam caught her teasing tone and smirked as the girls clung tighter to Andy. Her arms were effectively trapped by his nieces tight grasps as they both tried to struggle to stay completely hidden behind her. Andy hadn't missed the mischievous gleam in his eyes and tried to take a step away from her but her body backed up into the girls behind her. Her eyes begin to dart around a bit, but she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of squirming and trying to get a way.

Sam smirked and took a menacing step towards her only to stop dead in his tracks as his mother reached out and snagged him by the ear. "Ow! Ma!" He whined.

"Oh hush Sam," she chided with a smirk, her own dimples showing a bit. "Leave that girl be. I honestly don't know how she gets through a whole day without boxing your ears."

"Barely!" Andy chimed in with a giggle at Sam's embarrassment. His mother still hadn't let go of his ear and was leading him toward the table.

"Watch it McNally," he warned.

"Hush," Rachel said still holding her son's ear and guided him towards his seat. "Sit," she said simply and then turned towards Andy and pushed her down in the seat next to Sam before she went about getting everyone's attention.

Sam did a sideways glance over to Andy and saw that she was struggling to keep a straight face. He narrowed his eyes at her and turned towards her. "Go ahead McNally, laugh. I dare you. See what happens."

He was satisfied that he had gotten the words out in a menacing tone and that he hadn't laughed at the discomfort he saw washing over his face. Just as he thought he'd won this little battle she stuck her tongue out at him in a teasing manner.

"Keep doing that McNally," he smiled and continued in a teasing manner, "and I'll show you how to put that tongue to good use!"

Andy's smile was promptly wiped from her face as the blush began to explode across her skin. Not only did a retort fall off her lips, (she wasn't even sure she could form one to his comment let alone say it to him), but she began to feel overly warm and knew that her entire body was blushing a deep scarlet.

Sam threw his head back and laughed at her predictable reaction. Catching side of his mother's warning glare to calm down, he merely kept laughing at her as Andy fidgeted and tried blend into the back ground so she wouldn't be noticed at all.

O o o

Dinner had proven to be an amusing affair with the alcohol flowing freely and everyone laughing. Just after midnight the party had started to break up and everyone was headed on their own way. Sam and Andy had naturally found themselves heading out together when Sam stumbled a little bit. Noticing Andy's raised eye brow he just exhaled loudly as though she was bothering him and held out his keys for her.

"Had a little bit too much?" She teased him with a slow smile.

Sam held up his fingers and spaced them a mere inch apart as he looked at her with a lazy smile. As they said their good byes and headed out, Sam had had his hand on the small of her back but removed it to wrap around her shoulders effectively pulling her into him as they laughed. When they got to his truck, Andy helped Sam in and then hurried over to the driver's side and headed back to his house.

Their conversation was easy and slipped gradually into light banter with. When they got to his house, Andy parked his truck in the driveway and help him out of the truck. She was trying to contain her amusement at his expense when his voice broke into her thoughts.

"How are you getting home McNally?"

She looked up at him and smiled a bit. "I'll walk. It's really not that far."

"No you won't," he begin to get a little belligerent on her and she could tell it would be a struggle to get away from him now.

"Yes, Sam," she stated in a firmer voice. "You're going to bed and I'm going to go home and get my beauty sleep."

"Stay." It wasn't a question, but it didn't quite have the gusto to be a command. He was standing on his porch steps staring at her with this intensity that made her want to kiss him.

"Sam..." her voice trailed off.

"McNally," he whispered catching her chin in his hand making her look into his eyes. "Stay... Stay with me tonight Andy."

Andy could feel her resolve melting away. Words failed her at the moment so she simply nodded at him. He gave her a slow smile and reached for her hand pulling her inside the darkened house behind him and locking the door.