Chapter 4

He placed the steaming tea on the bedside table and pulled the covers back for her, then he kicked his shoes off and jumped on his side of the bed with a soft groan. The night was becoming more fraught with wild speculation and his mind was struggling to keep pace.

Just moments ago he had hung up with Tommy McNally, who wanted to know how Andy was doing. Then his cell had buzzed with a text. It was Nash.

She was right with him questioning the suicide theory. What could that all mean dammit!

Only police personnel had access to the evidence room. That hard drive was scanned for explosives. It was clean.

"How the hell did an explosive get in there?" He whispered to himself rubbing his eyes with stubborn intensity.

He picked up the remote to distract himself with something on screen. Anything would do really, anything. Thank God McNally was staying the night, he sure as hell needed to hold her close and feel her silky skin pressed right against him.

He wished to god she would accept the key to his place; better yet just move in with him so he would never have to go another night without her. Hell he couldn't imagine his bed, home or life without her anymore.

"A Friends rerun. Great I love Friends." Andy announced suddenly slipping into the bed beside him.

"That's why it's on." he responded moving closer, but refraining from touching her. For now he just wanted to feel her proximity, hear her laugh and watch her relax. After all he had become an expert at observing her from the corner of his eye.

God how he loved the way her lips twitched when she laughed spontaneously; the pointed tip of her chin when she questioned something and the crinkles in the corner of her eyes as she smiled. When they used to ride together on patrol he had quickly learned how to read her expressions, reactions and mood from the driver's seat, and even on occasion, the passenger side.

She seemed so vibrant, yet so relaxed with him nowadays. There was so much more calmness and ease in her than when they were first together. Then she seemed to always want to know what was coming next. It was a time when he was still commitment weary and tentative himself. Now Andy just seemed so much more free and giving. She was somehow learning to go with the flow; and he sure as hell had divested himself of all of his phobias and qualms.

The sitcom ended with Andy's giggling out loud. Ross and Rachel never failed to elicit a bit of hysteria from her. He turned the TV off and shifted closer, hovering over her and smiling down, deep down into her eyes. Her hair was still a little wet and he imbibed wafts of its sweet vanilla fragrance.

She took in a soft intake of breath and he felt the anticipation brimming within her. God it never got old with McNally. She knew it too. It was like each time they touched she responded with such robust, fiery passion, desperately wanting to know and experience his touch in every way possible. It brought him indescribable satisfaction as well as insatiable desire.

His hand slid ever so gently across the arm she hugged to her ribcage, as he dropped his head and softly dribbled feathery kisses at her temple. His eyes were open to see her eyelids flutter in response to his touch.

It felt like tiny delicious sparks igniting her skin. Within seconds his hand pressed more urgently on her ribs. She felt a sudden stab, reminiscent of what she had experienced earlier today.

"Ow!" she emitted almost reluctantly.

Sam exhaled, his curious glowering eyes penetrating hers.

"You were in the middle of a room when a bomb exploded. You walked away without a scratch, but it hurts to kiss?" He asked with a quirkiness in his deep voice.

"Yes," she crackled. "My ribs hurt."

"Well I will try to be more gentle. Sorry" he pledged with eager sincerity, his fingers lingering beneath her breast, before he gently rolled his hand back over her fingers.

"What about here?" His voice invaded her senses like soft velvet, as his fingers articulately trickled over her jaw.

"Ow, my jaw hurts too, It's probably because I landed on it," she reacted, her voice slightly croaky from the tingly touch of Sam.

"What about here?" He spoke with a quiet inflection and a ripple of desire. None of what he did was lost on Andy. His arm came to rest across her rib cage again and his firm insistent lips fluttered on her eye.

"Ow," she barely managed, closing her eyes, eager for his mouth to travel and explore more of her.

A smile escaped Sam's lips, as he looked down at her face. Her eyes were closed tightly so he couldn't see the teasing twinkle or pleasurable glow in them. Her mouth however had already melted into a smile. Even with her eyes closed, he read her ruse easily. It would be nothing short of adorable if he wasn't so hungry for her right now.

"And here?" His voice dropped several decibels, as his mouth brushed the top of her nose with immaculate tenderness.

"Ow" she responded playfully.

He lifted himself higher and looked at her for a moment, twitches of a smile in his face.

Even with her eyes closed, happiness emanated from her.

"What about here?" He asked dropping his lips over her mouth. Her eyes were still closed, but she smiled in excited anticipation. His lips lingered for a second as he watched her wait for his kiss.

"Ow" she managed in heightened expectation, unable to wipe the silly smile from her face. He pulled back ever so slightly, and spontaneously her head rose subtly to follow his lips. He waited a second longer as she tilted her head.

Then he kissed her. He kissed her so softly that she felt like she would crumble into a thousand pieces. Yet as easily as he could undo her with his mouth, hands and touch; he could also make her whole with his love. For love her he did.

Where did this man always find the answers to her physical needs? How is it he always knew exactly how and where to touch her in the moment? Her bandaged hand came up to clutch the back of his head and she savoured the feel of his thick dark hair rippling between her fingers. It felt so good to have Sam so close and present, experiencing every second of stimulating pleasure with her.

His hand traveled to close over her upper arm and hold her in a cocoon of tender vigor. She sighed as his kiss deepened and a hoarse needy groan lifted from his throat. When his mouth left hers it slid over her face to her neck and throat with a dreamy finesse making her sigh and moan.

"Ow," she mused in roused breathlessness as his mouth nibbled her jaw line again. She didn't want him to stop, even if her jaw hurt a little. Her body was too enraptured now, and she needed him quite desperately.

"I can't get enough of you Andy. I can never get enough of you," Sam whispered in her ear as he smothered the side of her face with kisses.

"Me… neither…," Andy managed gulping for a breath, before his lips found hers again, drawing a passionately vigorous response.

"But I can wait… we can wait." He had, after all, become a master in the art of waiting for her multiple times over the years.

He growled into her hair as his nose sampled its smooth texture and aromatic allure. He dipped his head into her neck for more delicious nibbles of her tantalizing skin, feeling her head tilt to give as much of her neck to his lips as she could.

He groaned as he disentangled himself releasing his hold to look into her eyes.

"We don't have to do this tonight." He whispered, his eyes gleaning the vivacious wantonness in hers. It was impossible to ignore or deny.

Her hand slipped behind his neck bringing his face closer to hers.

"Sam," she said deliberately. "I've already told you. You get me through the night?" His eyes blazed in response and she knew there was no going back now.

He stared into the depths of her sparkling eyes a moment longer, before dropping his head so his mouth could ever so softly devour hers again and again. Her body rose up to meet his and he held her like fragile china, as he softly peeled her clothes away and artfully moved his hands and lips all over her body. He whispered words in her ears that evoked blissful passion from her. It was subliminal, especially after the wayward day they had just left behind.