The air was so thick you could practically see it. It screamed of smoke, alcohol, gambling, and sex. Which was exactly the way Harper knew Coleman demanded it. Throwing back his shot of whiskey with a flourish, he pounded the money onto the rough, splintered bar top, meeting the owner's eye to let him know he was settling his tab. Pulling his denim jacket on to his broad shoulders Harper let out a sigh as he made his way through the crowded floor full of two types of couples: those pretending to dance and those who were pretending to not be engaging in foreplay.

Ever since he had moved out of the apartment, a trip to Red's figured prominently in his routine. He could hear Samantha taunting him with every step he took across the threshold. "What?" she would demand of him, her eyes flashing, "I can't be near a bottle but you can?" He could even hear his answer back. It wasn't for the drink. Some nights he wished he never neared the bar. No he came to Red's to be among people. It kept him focused on his goal. Coleman may no longer launder money for the mob, but he still kept company with the slime and the cream of the criminal crop. A trip to Red's was often just plain good investigative sense.

Reaching the door, he turned to scan the crowd once more, making sure there was nothing to peek his interest tonight. There were rumors of an increase of Meth-related incidents over at the college. And along with the reputation for quick hookups and violent fistfights, Red's was also infamous for never checking the IDs of the customers who braved its doors. Any rash of illegal anything over at PCU seemed to find its beginnings in this seedy bar on the wrong side of the docks.

Taking a step back, he felt rather than saw the person he ran directly into. Turning around to apologize, he felt a smile form on his face without his permission. He shouldn't be happy to see her here of all places. "Well look what the cat dragged in." He drawled.

"What are you doing here?" Sam demanded, folding her arms across her chest. "I thought you were too good for places like this."

"I'm working. What's a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?" He knew it was a lame line, but figured it accomplished its intended aim of keeping her talking to him.

"Me?" She brought one hand to her chest innocently. "Why, I'm looking for entertainment. Or trouble. Whichever I find first."

Taking in her outfit in a long glance, Harper raised one eyebrow. "Looking like you'll find both."

Stiffening her shoulders, she gestured toward Coleman. Leaning across the bar toward him, knowing the end of her white dress was dangerously close to leaving nothing to the imagination, she whispered her drink order into his ear.

Moving back toward the bar, Harper eased himself onto the seat next to her. "You didn't have to be that obvious with Coleman. All you needed to flash was your face Gorgeous and your drinks are on the house."

"Who said I was drinking?" Sam threw back with an almost smile.

"So you came all this way for the nachos?"

"What can I say?" She only paused for a moment before she said something she knew would piss him off. "A girl gets lonely."

So that was the way she wanted to play this? He had to admit he was amused. He had been betting she would try to ignore him, not sit here and try to drive him crazy with her smile and curves. Two could play at that game. Running one finger down her arm, he smiled slowly. "But a woman like you deserves more than just something 'cause she's lonely.

"My expectations aren't really that high." Sam told him.

He mimed being shot through the heart. "She speaks to wound."

"Would you mind not talking to me? You're scaring off potential one-night-stands."

Leaning in close to her, he whispered directly in her ear. "I hate to tell you this, but you're more likely intimidating any boy in this place. You are clearly out of their league."

"Well maybe I'll just take a page out of your book and go for someone beneath me." She smiled at the unintended joke.

"Well they would have to pass your screening process first."

"Shouldn't you be working or something?"

"I am always working."

"That's a real shame." Sam climbed off the bar stool, mouthing her thanks to Coleman when he set her drink down. "Go ahead and smell it if you don't trust me. I'm going to dance."

"What a coincidence." Harper smiled as he took her drink from her hand, placing it down on the bar. "So was I." Turning back to Coleman as he grabbed her hand, he winked. "Just put it on my tab Coleman."

"What are you doing?" Sam asked sharply. "I didn't say I wanted to dance with you."

"I don't recall asking." Harper shrugged as he led her out to the floor.

Well this she hadn't been expecting. Some idiot had cut her fast song short and replaced it with a much slower one. She wasn't completely convinced Harper hadn't done it himself. No matter what, she could not make a big deal about this. One dance was not going to change anything. He was still overbearing and she was still going to do what she wanted. "Don't step on my toes."

"Don't knee me in sensitive areas." He shot right back, resting his hand on her lower back, gently leading her to the beat of the song.

She hadn't thought the dress this thin, but how else could she explain being able to feel the warmth from his hand? Forcing her eyes to stay open, she let her gaze wander.

Catching her eye, he winked at her. "See anything you like?" he teased.

Sam met his eyes. "I'll let you know when I see something I like."

"You always do."

Narrowing her eyes, she focused instead on his right shoulder. She could make out the indention of muscle through his teal cotton t-shirt and, though she would never admit it aloud, she felt safe.

"Any luck on your search?" It was a relatively safe topic of conversation and he didn't want to give her any excuse to pull away from him before the end of the song.

"What?" Sam blinked.

"Your search? Have you found out any more information?"

"Nothing concrete. My mother didn't exactly put me up for adoption so there are not a lot of records to scour through at this point. I'm hoping to find someone who knew her and work from there. I mean, I know she lives here, or did at one time. So, no I guess."

"I could always help you know."

"You're volunteering to be around me?" Sam couldn't hide her incredulity.

"I said I couldn't live with you and watch you self destruct Samantha. You're the one who cut off all contact."

"You moved out." Sam reminded him.

"You ignored my phone calls."

"Only after you moved out. So see? Your fault."

He pulled her closer to him, causing her to rest her hand on his chest to keep their bodies from colliding completely together. "Because you want to push me away Samantha." He whispered into her ear.

"No." Sam shook her head. "I don't. I have—I have to go." She disentangled herself from him and made a beeline for the door.

*****

Maxie ran the tip of her finger around the rim of the plastic glass in front of her, any pressing matters a million miles away. She couldn't make it through the day without at least one triple-shot white chocolate mocha latte. There was just something so amazing about the combination of coffee, chocolate, and whipped cream. She used the end of her straw to pick up a tiny speck of chocolate sprinkle and place it on her tongue.

Work was basically done for the day, but she had promised Mike she would stay long enough to show the new waitress, Louisa, how to close and then lock the door behind them since an old army buddy of his had blown into town. A twenty-seven year old black and white photo with tattered edges was the only proof of the man's existence and it was tacked to the back wall of Mike's office.

The only difficulty with doing a favor for someone was the time spent doing it. There was nothing that needed accomplishing for hours. Georgie had been unavailable to meet her up here and, logically, Maxie could have left Louisa alone until closing, but Mike was depending on her and the poor girl could barely make change. Pulling out her cell phone, Maxie dialed the familiar number and pressed it to her ear, waiting. There was always the off chance that he was busy, but he might answer.

"Lansing." Ric ran his fingers through his hair as he turned and stalked down the hallway. It didn't matter who was on the other end of this phone, they were a life saver. The other night had involved drinking with both Kate and Charlotte and ended somehow with him promising to spend the day with his father. Hung-over and on the receiving end of yet another lecture from the Colonel was not a combination that led to a pleasant state of mind.

"Hello Doctor." Maxie laughed.

"Maxie." In spite of the pounding in his head, Ric felt himself smile his first genuine smile of the day, instead of the strained one he planted on for his father's benefit. "Aren't you supposed to be working?"

She lowered her voice considerably, "I'm actually getting off soon."

Finding an empty office, Ric let himself inside with a chuckle. "Of course you are."

"What are you implying there, Sir?" Maxie leaned back in her chair and sucked off a bit of whipped cream from her straw.

"Exactly what you think I am." Ric confirmed.

"How's everything going?" It was as close as she was going to get to asking him when he was coming back.

"The same." There was no way he was going to drag her into his current family drama. Especially not with the current tear his father was on about the demise of his and Kate's marriage.

"Meaning?" Maxie didn't want to push him because she knew the subject was sensitive. Still, she wanted to feel useful. At least when he was here she considered her presence mildly helpful.

"Meaning my father still has to be reminded he's not running a boot camp. And I still have to explain to my father that yes I do know what the doctors are talking about." He paused and lowered himself onto the couch he found there. "I'd much rather talk about you."

"About me?" The shyness caught her by surprise. She usually loved having all of the attention focused on her. Maybe it was the phone because she couldn't remember being self-conscious around him any other time.

"Yes you. You've been scarce since our last call." He smiled as the memory danced through his mind. That particular night was not one to be forgotten anytime soon.

"I've...been busy." It wasn't a lie. It wasn't the complete truth either. Her face flamed at the memory.

"Busy?"

"Well...not busy, but preoccupied."

"Preoccupied? Oh, the dress. How is Miss Lucy these days?"

"She flew to Rome to see Brenda and Jax. I always had this image of a honeymoon being a private endeavor, but maybe that's just me." The ceremony had been absolutely magical. Maybe Maxie was asking for trouble, but it had gone a little too smoothly. No chandeliers falling, no ex-girlfriends/boyfriends storming through the door, no interruption whatsoever. It was clear as they said their vows to one another just how much they loved each other. Maxie couldn't believe Robin had missed it.

"So you do dream about honeymoons and wedding often?"

"Now you know better than that." Maxie shook her finger at him as if he were standing in front of her.

"How am I supposed to know what kind of images you have?"

"Well I assumed you listened when I talked, but maybe your focus was elsewhere." Maxie rolled her eyes. "I don't imagine a wedding or a honeymoon for me."

"Weddings are overrated parties anyway. Now I have no complaints on honeymoons."

Maxie's lip turned upward in disgust at just the idea of Ric and Kate together. This was a very disturbing conversation. She needed to turn it around and fast. "How's the visit with your sister?"

"Charlotte is Charlotte. She is doing better, but she's still terrified about not being able to buy the solution to this with her current husband's money." Ric shook his head. "Is your sister home?"

"Yes and no. She's in town, but never around. Something's going on. Something happened in Paris; I'm just not sure what yet."

"You'll find out. I know how determined you can be when you want something."

"I do have this insatiable need to have what I want when I want it, don't I?" Maxie tossed the spent drink into a nearby trashcan.

"For the record I have never found insatiable to be a bad thing."

"That should make your trip back even more interesting then." Maxie deduced.

"It was going to be interesting with you being there Blondie."

Louisa gave Maxie a pleading look when their eyes caught in the window. "Shit. I have to go. Listen, call me if anything changes with your dad."

"I'll do you one better. Call me tonight when you finally get off."

Maxie smiled in spite of herself. "I was going to do that anyway."

"I'll talk with you then. Don't forget about me."

"Don't worry. I'll hold the new guy off as long as I can." Maxie promised with a giggle.

Previews:

Ignoring the annoyed look on Patrick's face, Lucky pushed past him and strolled into the apartment. "We're bonding." He explained as he patted his cousin on the chest.

"Bonding." Patrick mouthed and ended his call.

"Bonding. It's a great plan that Cruz came up with."