"Wake up, Sansa," Sandor whispered into her ear, the scruff of his beard tickling her cheek as he spoke. His voice startled her, for she had forgotten she had stayed the night at Sandor's place. I cannot believe I spent the night with him on the first date. My mother would turn over in her grave if she knew.
Even though they really didn't do anything more than kiss, in the light of day Sansa felt extremely shy to face him. What time is it? Cautiously opening one eye, Sansa looked out the bay window to see the early morning light slowly emerging in spite of the weather. The rain was still pouring down, pattering pleasantly against the roof and lulling her to sleep with its steady timbre.
When she peeked at Sandor, he was grinning at her, his face relaxed in a way she had never seen on him before which gave the sound side of his face a boyish look. She wasn't ready to face the day, and more than that, she wasn't ready to be separated from him.
"No, too comfortable, want to stay here with you." Sansa muttered while trying to turn over on to the hard expanse of Sandor's chest. She pressed her hand against his stomach and was stunned when her touch was met with warm skin and soft downy hair rather than the cotton t-shirt material she expected.
Sometime during the night, Sandor managed to remove his shirt. I should get up at once, this is most inappropriate. But Sandor felt so good that Sansa instead gave in to temptation. Blushing heatedly, she allowed her eyes to travel over the hardened musculature of his chest, then down to his rippling abdominals and down further still to the trail of black hair that disappeared below the waistband of his sweatpants. Sandor watched her heatedly, chuckling as her eyes traveled lower still.
Much to her great embarrassment, she noticed he was very aroused and though it shamed her, Sansa could not help but stare at him. I should get up. It isn't right to tease him in this way. Unable to resist, she snuggled against him instead, reveling in the feel of his skin against her cheek, even though she was a bit scandalized by his state of undress and at the sight of his hardened manhood clearly defined by the cotton material of his pants.
"How did you manage to take off your shirt?" She asked while brazenly running her nails lightly through his chest hair. "You are so beautifully built, Sandor, truly."
Sandor stared at her with a slight frown before he shrugged off her compliment, though he looked most pleased. "I don't know, in the middle of the night. Too hot with you on top of me, in both ways your pretty little head can imagine, woman." Sandor laughed devilishly at her before taking her hand and kissing it soundly. "If I had my way, we'd wake up every morning like this." He then nuzzled kissed her neck.
Though she did not feel pressured by Sandor, Sansa's desire for him certainly was testing her resolve to hold off on the physical aspect of their relationship. Without thinking, Sansa ran her hands through his hair and arched into him, pressing his hardened manhood flush against her thigh as she did so. It felt so good that she did it a second time, which Sandor responded to by grabbing her thigh and pulling her tightly against him.
"Yes," she half moaned, half sighed, "me too. You feel so good, I wish we could stay this way." Her desire for him returned even stronger than before, making Sansa was very aware of how needy she both sounded and felt. Hooking her leg around his waist, she drew his hips flush against hers as she arched against him a third time, kissing his neck as she did so.
Sandor groaned at the contact and languidly placed soft kisses along her collarbone and down to her neckline. "You can if you want." He said in between kisses. Vaguely Sansa became aware of his hand moving over her ribs and cupping her breast. "And you could wake up here. Wake up with me, every day."
Did I hear him right? Drawing a deep breath, Sansa struggled to clear the pleasurable haze clouding her mind. She tilted his face up to hers to find him heatedly staring at her, waiting for an answer from her. "You want me to move in with you, truly?"
Sandor nodded sheepishly, the fear and hope in his eyes shining through his normally keen gaze. Suddenly, he turned away from her, gritting his teeth and setting his jaw as though he said too much. Sansa watched him with widened eyes, waiting for his answer.
When Sandor turned to her once more, he looked guilt ridden, and his deep gray eyes were filled with longing. "I ought not to have voiced that." He clenched and unclenched his hands. "Bloody hells but you loosen my tongue, woman."
"What is it that you want, Sandor? Tell me. It won't ruin things between us, I swear it." Sansa rested her hand on his shoulder. "Please, don't hide from me."
Sandor shifted uncomfortably away from her. "Let it go, lass."
His behavior was utterly puzzling to Sansa. "Is this about the fact that I said I wanted to rent from you while you're deployed?"
"No, Sansa, for fuck's sake," Sandor sighed deeply before facing her. "I want you to be more than my roommate. I want…." He paused. "It's too soon," Sandor held her face in his hands and kissed her softly, reverently. "But one day, yes I want you living here with me. When you're ready, lass; that is, if I haven't come across like some creeper and scared the shit out of you."
Sansa barely heard his last words, so thrilled she was by his admission. Live with him? Now? Could she really do that? Things were moving very quickly for them, but Sansa had to admit that it felt right to consider it. Moving in with him now was out of the question, she couldn't do that, but perhaps in the future, if things kept going well between them. Pulling him close, Sansa mulled it over. She would at least like to be engaged to him first. Though Margaery teased her relentlessly for it, Sansa still kept to her somewhat old fashioned sense of morality and after the disaster that was Joffrey, she was glad she did.
Sandor's behavior was so peculiar though…as though moving in was only part of what he was suggesting. What did he mean when he said he wanted her as more than a roommate-did he mean he wanted her to marry him? It was true that it felt far too soon to consider such a thing and yet the more she thought on it, the better she liked the idea. Slow down, Sansa, you're getting ahead of yourself. Your hormones are getting the better of you. Suddenly she was pulled out of her thoughts by the feeling that Sandor was waiting for a reply.
"One day, when you are ready," she whispered against his mouth, kissing him deeply while pressing herself further against him. "You will ask me again, and I'll say yes."
"Don't tempt me woman, or I'll move your things over here today," Sandor chuckled wickedly. He rested his forehead against hers, the man struggling to regain his self-control. "Do you mean it?"
Despite his joking manner, something in his tone left Sansa in no doubt that if she pushed him a little further, he would do just that. She chewed her bottom lip as she regarded him, stroking his closely shorn hair.
"Yes, I do."
Groaning, Sandor carefully moved out from under her. "You must think I'm some kind of psychopath, what with last night and now this. I'm not-I'm normally not a man given to my emotions, Sansa. I don't know what's gotten into me."
Saddened, Sansa rested her cheek against his chest. "No, I could tell that from the moment you walked into The Daily Grind. Perhaps you are just overwhelmed at finding yourself at home."
Sandor shrugged, averting his eyes.
She ventured further still. "I think you should talk to someone about the nightmares. We can go together if you like."
"Hush with that, lass. You needs get up now. You have to go to work. Come now, I'll take you there, or by your place first, if you'd rather."
Work! Sansa sat bolt upright at the word. I haven't even been home yet! The neighbors will see me leaving with him and they will think…they will think…Sansa's cheeks flushed hotly at the thought. And what of Margaery and Loras and Podrick? If they see him drop me off wearing the same dress as yesterday, I'll never hear the end of it. Groaning, Sansa flopped back on the couch and put her hands over her face.
"Go on, you can clean up here and then I'll take you by your place for fresh clothes," Sandor stood up with her in his arms and then settled her on her feet as though she weighed no more than a dry leaf. "I'll take you to work."
"Thank you," Sansa kissed him and then ran toward the bathroom. After she finished showering, Sansa rummaged around in her bag until she found a piece of paper and a pen. On it she wrote:
Sandor,
Thank you so much for a beautiful evening. I really loved getting to know you better. Being with you makes me feel so very happy. I have been quite lonely here until I met you.
Below is my home and cell phone numbers. I hope to hear from you soon. And should you be plagued with nightmares, please call me anytime, day or night and I will come over.
Sansa 3
Quickly she ran her lipstick over her mouth and then kissed the note right below her name before she laid it on his pillow.
Since it was still raining, Sandor brought her back to her apartment in the old Ford and Sansa felt as though everyone in town was staring as they pulled in the driveway. The elderly landlady Olenna happened to be sweeping the porch when they pulled in.
"Oh no," Sansa slid down in the seat. "That's Margaery and Loras's grandmother, Olenna. She's my landlady and very kind but she also gossips something awful."
"So?" Sandor frowned at her. "What do you care what she says? It's none of her bloody business if you stay out all night."
"I-I just don't want her to get the wrong impression."
"And what impression would that be?" Sandor shut off the engine and glared at her. "That you spent the night in my arms?"
"Y-yes," Sansa stammered. She could feel the anger rolling off of him. He is man, I wouldn't expect him to understand about reputations and the like.
"Well, she'd have the right of it, then, because that's exactly what you did. No shame in that. And even if we had slept together in truth, so what? It's nobody's business but ours."
He's right. Sansa giggled at that. "Yes, that's true."
"Then what are you afraid of?" Sandor raised his brow at her.
"I don't…" How could she make Sandor, a man who didn't care what anyone thought of him, understand that she didn't want people to think she was, well, easy? "I don't want her to think I sleep with men on the first date, and she's likely to tell Margaery and Loras just that. They tease me enough already about my "Brady Bunch" morality. I don't want them asking me questions, or giving me a bad reputation with their gossip."
Sandor leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Bugger that. Bugger them. You live your life and stop worrying what they think about it. Neither Margaery nor Loras has a right to talk about "morality" as you call it. She's been with half the officers on my base and so has he. If they talk shit about you and I hear of it, they'll answer to me."
Sighing heavily, Sansa smiled at him and teasingly needled his stomach. "You can't kill every person that vexes me, you know that, right?"
"Who said anything about killing? There's more than one way to skin a cat, and if they keep on, they're liable to find it out the hard way just how miserable life can be."
"Good morning, my dear," the elderly woman called to her before Sansa could reply.
"Good morning, Mrs. Olenna. I hope the weather isn't treating you poorly."
"No, not at all." Olenna looked Sandor up and down and then winked suggestively at her. "I am so glad you have a nice, strapping young man with you this morning, for I need a package brought into the house and it's far too heavy for this old woman to carry."
"Mrs. Olenna, allow me to introduce Master Sergeant Sandor Clegane." Yes, telling her he is in the military will go a long way to gaining her approval.
"A pleasure to meet you, ma'am. Please, call me Sandor."
"The pleasure is mine, my good man. Come, help me with this package, will you? You seem more than up to the task."
"Aye, gladly." Sandor lent the old woman his arm and winked at Sansa.
After the two of them walked away Sansa hurried into her apartment. Lady must be starved by now. "Meow, meow," she called out, shaking the bag of food. "Lady kitty. Come here, girl."
At the sound of her name, the large grey and white Norwegian Forest cat eagerly came out from her hiding place and began rubbing against Sansa's legs while her mistress filled the bowls. "I'm sorry, Lady. I'll go to Petsmart and get you a feeders with a reservoir later today so this doesn't happen again." The cat purred contentedly, the happy sound filling the tiny apartment.
Quickly she put on a clean bra and panties, garters and hose, and a turquoise dress and matching ballet flats. Then she carefully drew on cat's eye eyeliner and rolled her hair into the Veronica Lake peekaboo hairstyle before swiping on pink lipstick.
Her new garters pinched and so Sansa stood in the long mirror adjusting them as she waited. When Sandor walked into the room, he stopped stock still and stared heatedly at her, wolf whistling when she met his lustful gaze in the mirror.
"You're a fucking knockout," he growled his eyes roamed appreciatively over her. "Bloody hells you've got great legs. You always wear those?"
It seemed to her that it would take very little encouragement for Sandor to take her into his arms at that moment, and his reaction thrilled her. Blushing deeply, Sansa smiled shyly at him and nodded, the young woman resisting the urge to pull her skirt down over her legs as she continued loosening the clasps and adjusting the seams. "They aren't in style anymore but I've always loved the look of the 40's starlets."
"Might be I'll have to stay and watch you work today." Sandor looked at her once more in such a way that he reminded Sansa of a dog ready to devour its favorite treat.
Would he really sit in the coffee shop all day just to stare at her legs? Her cheeks flushed hotly at the idea. "I would like that very much, but don't you have to go back to your job today?"
"Not until next week." Sandor settled onto the couch and placed his hands behind his head as he watched her secure the hose to the garters. "They let me stay home the first week I'm back so I can adjust a bit."
An awkwardness fell between them. Crossing the room, Sansa took his hand in her own. "I hope today will be better for you."
Sniffing, Sandor rose. "Thanks to you, yesterday was much better than my usual first day home. I slept well last night, so I'm already better." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed her. "Come now, let's get you to work."
"Sandor, before we go, I just want to thank you for a lovely first date," Sansa's cheeks reddened as she spoke. "It was the best date I've ever been on, actually. I hope to see you again soon." She fidgeted with the handle of her purse uncertainly as she waited for him to answer.
Sandor's deep gray gaze fell her, both intensely personal and yet somehow exciting, while the man seemed to try to put his thoughts to words. After what felt like an eternity, Sandor finally replied, "It was the best date I've ever been on, lass. Now that I know you feel the same, you just try keeping me away. Can I see you later?"
"I would love that-" Sansa's face fell. "But I have class later."
To her great satisfaction, Sandor looked as disappointed as Sansa felt.
Fidgeting with her purse, she added, "But I would love it if you came and ate supper with me, say, around seven?" Sansa hurriedly jotted down the address on a piece of paper and handed it to him. "If you don't mind driving downtown, that is."
Sandor's mouth twitched into a smile. "Aye, for you I will. I'll see you at seven." He placed the address in his pocket.
"Great!" Sansa gushed.
When Sansa entered the coffee house, she struggled to act calm and collected while patently ignoring Margaery and Loras' shocked faces. Sandor took a seat at a small table in the corner and grinned at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Blushing, Sansa tried to focus on the job at hand as she waited on her first customer. As soon as she went behind the counter, Margaery handed her an apron and helped her fasten the ties in back.
"You fucked him, didn't you?" Margaery hissed in her ear. "Why you little vixen, coming off all prim and proper and then fucking the first guy who pays attention to you on the first date. Now I can relate to you!"
Sansa's cheeks flushed hotly but she said nothing. "Oh my god, you did!" Margaery waved over Loras. "I was just giving you a hard time but now I'm sure of it. Loras, Sansa's lips are sealed but I think she fucked that big military guy from yesterday. What do you think?"
"The one with the body?" Loras grinned as he leered at Sandor. "I don't blame you, girl. His face is a hot mess but just look at his big-"
"I did not have sex with him, Margaery, Loras! So you would you please quit this nonsense and let me work?" Margaery rolled her eyes, while Loras leaned in closer to her and so Sansa added, "And even if we did, it's not any of your business."
Margaery threw her head back and laughed. "My, look who's grown claws overnight. She fucked him, I can tell."
Loras shook his head. "Hmm, I'm gonna go with no. She'd be in a better mood if she had. I'm calling no fuck last night for Sansa."
"Oh my god, you guys!" Sansa turned to them angrily. "Would you stop already? Someone might hear you!"
At the sound of her voice, Sandor got up and sat at the counter. "I'd like my coffee now, miss." He grinned at her, tapping the counter lightly.
"O-okay," Sansa smiled at him. "I'll have to go to the back to get a fresh bag for you." She glared one last time at Loras and Margaery over her shoulder, who were both still snickering behind her back as she walked to the storage room.
When Sansa came out, neither Loras nor Margaery were laughing and both were as far from Sandor as they possibly could get in the small shop.
Sandor grinned wickedly at her as she filled the coffee press with his blend. "That ought to hold them off for a bit."
"What did you do?" Sansa leaned in close. "I've never been able to shut them up."
"Never you mind, lass. Just give me that cup of coffee, will you?"
"Of course." When Sansa handed him his to go cup, Sandor leaned forward and tenderly kissed her on the mouth in front of everyone in the shop. Sansa heard a small murmur go up in the room but she was so happy she didn't care. Let them see that I care for him and that he cares for me, she thought, feeling somewhat rebellious and naughty.
"I'll see you tonight at seven." Sandor called out, grinning at her as he turned to leave the coffee house.
"That man has a mouth on him." Margaery glared after him.
"He certainly does." Sansa answered without thinking, her words causing another uproar of laughter from Margaery and Loras.