A/N: This wasn't what I planned for this chapter, but it's what came out when I sat down to write. Oh and, Rae, I worked in your bubble bath request as promised. ;)

15. [NC-17]

Jason lie awake in Sam's bed for the past half hour. He gazed absently out the window as the darkness of night slowly transitioned into the gray of early dawn. The sun would be up soon and so would Sam. He looked at her now, curled into his side, and reveled in the warmth of her nakedness against him. He marveled for the millionth time how he could have possibly lived so long without ever knowing the happiness he felt now at having her in his arms.

The feelings he had for her were stronger than any he'd ever known and that only made his actions last night that much more inexcusable. He sighed in quiet reflection. What was he going to say to her when she woke up? How would he face her after using her the way he had last night? He'd known better than to stay. He knew the anger and aggression he had bottled inside would surely run over into their love-making, and it had, yet he let her talk him into it anyway.

Images of the night before flashed in his mind and the arousal it caused added to his guilt. God, this woman next to him was so beautiful and so passionate. She'd not only allowed, but encouraged him to take his rage out on her body. She did it because she knew he needed release. She did it for him and he'd allowed himself to take advantage of the love she had for him, a love so devoted it would let him pound into her with such fury as to leave marks on her body.

He lightly traced the purple fingerprints along her tiny hip bone and felt a sting in his eyes and heaviness in his heart. He'd never lost control with any lover before. According to his family, he'd only ever had two serious relationships. He couldn't remember Keisha, but he'd been told she was his first and first love. It was a young and innocent love by all accounts and though he couldn't remember their time together, he doubted Jason Quartermaine had ever left her bruised. Jason trailed his hand up Sam's arm to her shoulder then pulled it closer to kiss and nuzzle her tenderly.

Robin was his first love as Jason Morgan. It too, had been young and innocent until the harsh realities of life placed them on opposites sides of an impossible situation. He loved Robin. A part of him always would, but he'd never regretted walking away after she revealed the secret of Michael's paternity. It was a betrayal that cut too deep and when she'd gone to Paris to study medicine he'd been sad, but relieved. Her presence was a painful reminder of the loss of the first real friend and love he'd ever known as Jason Morgan.

The only other relationship he'd ever had with any promise of something more was with Carly. He loved her and thought at one time they might make a life together, but after finding her in bed with Sonny that notion vanished. Somehow, probably by Carly's sheer stubbornness, they'd managed to remain friends. He'd learned his lesson though and had sworn off love altogether afterward. Of course, he'd been with other lovers since. He was no saint or celibate, but it was nothing more than one night stands to take the edge off and not once with any lover had he lost himself so completely in his own desire as he had with Sam last night. In fact, he'd never even been tempted into another relationship until the day he first met her.

Elizabeth had attempted to turn their friendship into something more at one point and Carly had tried her best to set him up with Courtney, but he'd never been anything more than friends with either of them. Now, he knew, his friendship with Elizabeth had always been one-sided. Sam and Michael's revelation had given him clarity. Elizabeth came to him whenever she was in trouble, but she'd never really been there for him when he needed it. That had been Sam, and Carly too for the most part, but Sam was the only one he'd ever known that had always put him first. He wanted to do the same for her. He wanted Sam to know how much she meant to him.

He decided a good way to start would be to shower her with love and attention. She was sure to be sore when she woke. A soak in a nice hot tub would help ease the aches. He attempted to lift himself out of bed to start her bath, but when he shifted he felt her arm wrap around him and hold him to her.

"Don't go." She rasped sleepily as she hugged him tight.

He rubbed her lovingly.

"I was just going to run a bath for you." He explained simply, but Sam heard the frown in his voice.

She looked up at him, but he stared at his chest without looking at her. He felt guilty about last night. She could see it.

"Hey." She cupped his cheek and guided his gaze toward hers. "You didn't hurt me."

Jason's eyes roamed her bare hip. "Those bruises say otherwise."

Sam noticed them for the first time. "Okay, so things got a little heated last night and I'm a little sore this morning, but I promise you Jason, it's a good hurt."

Sam smirked as she said it to lighten his worry, but Jason's frown only settled deeper. "Don't joke Sam. I never should have stayed. I was too angry. I lost control. I used you, took advantage of you and I'm sorry. It'll never happen again."

Sam sat up now so she could see him better. She stifled the flinch she felt in her thighs and lower abdomen as she stretched tender muscles she'd forgotten she had. "Please don't say that Jason. I wanted last night and I'm not embarrassed to admit I enjoyed last night, more than I can put into words. I don't regret a single second. I needed what you gave me, just the way it was. I needed us, just the way we were and at some point in our relationship I'm going to need that from you again. So please, don't take that from me."

His frown softened to her plea, but he shook his head. "I don't want to hurt you."

"Then don't deny me, don't deny us something so beautiful." Jason looked at her, confused by her words.

He didn't understand how Sam could think what they shared last night was beautiful. Amazing, yes, but when he thought of beautiful it was of their first time together.

"Jason, I needed to be there for you last night as much as you needed me to be there and you let me. You let me in, let me see a side of you I don't think you've shared with very many and you made me feel safe enough to tell you what I wanted, what I needed without feeling vulnerable or ashamed and that was beautiful." Sam explained.

Jason's heart swelled. He hadn't thought of it like that, but she was right. "I've never shared that with anyone. I've never felt that passionate with anyone, until you."

Sam smiled at those words. She'd hoped as much. "Well then that makes it all the more special because I've never shared anything that amazing with anyone else either, until you."

She leaned up as she spoke placing a lingering kiss on his lips. Her smile shined in her eyes when she saw guilt disappear from his and love take its place.

Jason's hands ran over the smooth skin of her bare back as they kissed and Sam moved her knee to his other side to straddle him. Sore or not, she wanted him. She deepened the kiss and felt him smile against her mouth. In one swift move, he rolled them over so he was now on top. He held himself up so as not to crush her and kissed her tenderly before smiling and pulling away.

"Bath first." He insisted as he scooted down the bed onto his feet. "It'll help soothe your aches."

Sam exhaled in sharp frustration, but she was never one to admit defeat easily. She spread her legs slowly and lowered her hand between them as her hips began to rock.

"I'd rather you help soothe my ache." Her seductive tone and suggestive movements were hypnotic.

Jason felt himself twitch as he watched her fingers disappear within her slick folds.

"Sam, what are you doing?" His voice was thickly affected.

"I ache for you Jason, but if you refuse to help me I'll have to soothe myself." She bit her lip to the delicious sensations as she peered into his eyes never stopping her movements.

Jason watched and swallowed hard.

"Sam, you're killing me." He groaned as her pace quickened and her other hand found her breast.

"I don't want to kill you. I want to love you. I ache for you, Jason. See how much I ache for you?" She opened a little wider and he could see her desire dripping.

"Every time I look at you." She told him then closed her eyes. "Every time I think of your hands and mouth on me, my body can't help react this way."

Her toes curled into the covers and her soft moans were his undoing. He knelt at the end of the bed and pulled her to him by her ankles. She perched her knees on his shoulders and cried out in ecstasy as his mouth replaced her fingers.

She gripped his hair in her hand, holding him to her as she moaned. "Oh, God!" She panted and thrust her hips. "Oh, Jason, baby. Thank you. Thank you, baby!"

She was already so close that he had her soaring among the clouds and crying out his name in a flash as he sucked and licked her into sweet oblivion. He nibbled and drank from her until her body settled on one of those clouds, still high from the love he'd shown her. He loved doing that to her. He loved her taste and her enticing scent. He loved how her body responded to him with such wild abandon. He'd never been more aroused by that act than he was each time with her and he knew he would never tire of pleasuring her that way. Seeing her reach such heights pleasured him as well. It did his heart good to know he could make the woman he loved feel so good.

She was amazing. Everything about their love life so far had been amazing. Soft, slow, rough, or fast every experience with Sam was incredible and he knew it would only get better with time.

Sam lie there on the bed, floating as Jason gently lowered her legs from his shoulders and stood. He was so hard it looked painful. "It looks like I've now left you with an ache that needs soothing."

"Later." He told her gently then disappeared behind her bathroom door.

Sam missed him, missed his touch already, but she closed her eyes and rested. She was still too weak from his attentions to move. Her body tingled with tiny aftershocks rippling through her. She smiled, but didn't open her eyes when she heard the water fill the tub. She let her mind wander to thoughts of him joining her in her bath. She must have been lost in thought longer than she realized, because she hadn't heard the water turn off.

"What are you smiling at?" He said with a hint of humor in his sexy voice.

She opened her eyes to him as he leaned over to lift her. He cradled her to him and carried her to her bath.

She caressed his cheek with her fingertips and placed soft kisses along his jaw. "I was just..." She kissed some more. "picturing..." More kisses. "You in this tub with me."

He chuckled. "Nope. This is all for you."

He lowered her into the tub and she moaned as her muscles relaxed beneath the hot suds.

"Too hot? I wasn't sure how much bubble bath to add." He told her as the bubbles nearly spilled over the sides.

"Mm, just right." She moaned without opening her eyes. He'd used her favorite scent and she loved it. It was a sweet tropical smell, but soft.

He stared at her there in the tub with her eyes closed as a gentle smile played on her kissable lips. He smiled. She was beautiful. She couldn't possibly know just how beautiful she was right now, how beautiful she was always. He was still so very hard for her, but he'd decided to put her needs before his own today. He would take a cold shower and then cook her breakfast while she soaked.

"Your towels are here on the edge. I'll be back to check on you." He told her as he pulled his arms from the warm soapy water.

She found one of his forearms beneath the bubbles with both hands and stilled his retreat.

"Stay." She whispered up at him.

"I want you to take it easy and relax. You won't be able to do that with my big body stuffed in that tub with you. Besides, bubble baths aren't really my thing." He took her hand in his, wiped the bubbles away and kissed it.

"Just your feet. Please? Just a few minutes? I'm not ready to let you go yet." She told him and hoped it worked.

When she looked up at him with that face, he knew he was in trouble. He'd never been able to deny her anything when she looked at him like that.

"Just a few minutes." He stood and stepped his feet in and sat on the edge of the tub behind her since the ledge was too shallow on the side.

It worked. Few had ever been able to resist her pout when she looked up at them through thick lashes with those warm mocha eyes. It was wrong to use her pout on Jason as if he were a mark, but the tiny pang of guilt quickly gave way to giddiness when she realized he fell for it. He was being selfless and caring for her ahead of his own needs. It was sweet, but he didn't realize one of her needs was to give him the pleasure he'd just given her.

She worked her agenda slowly. Step one, get him to stay followed by step two which was to take him in her mouth before he could object. She lowered her head beneath the water and carried on casually as if she were just content to have him near. Next, she handed him her sponge and innocently asked him to wash her back. She leaned forward so he would have to lean over more to reach her. She felt his feet on the sides of her thighs and his knees at the sides of her shoulders. She knew if she were to turn, his thick shaft would be only inches from her waiting lips.

She intended to wear his resistance down a little more first, so she reached back and pulled his hands to her breasts. "My front needs cleaning too."

Jason dropped the sponge as his hands slicked over her slippery breasts and toyed with her nipples until they hardened and he groaned. What she was doing to him just wasn't fair. "Sam."

"Mm, Jason." She moaned just the way he liked it and leaned back further between his thighs.

Her hair draped over one shoulder, leaving the other exposed to his mouth as he massaged generous handfuls of her breasts. He kissed and nipped up to her neck, each moan elicited only exciting him further. He could barely stand it. If he didn't stop now, he wouldn't be able to stop at all until he'd released inside her. His mouth lifted from her neck as he sat back up.

She turned to face him. Her eyes darkened with want and he knew his eyes must look the same. He wanted her so bad, but he was trying so hard to put her first. She ran her nails up his thighs and his penis sprung to attention. He watched as her eyes shifted to it and groaned again when she subconsciously licked her lips. He knew what that look meant, but he wanted her to know this morning was about her not him.

"Sam." He started to tell her, but was cut off as she took him in her mouth.

He moaned as she worked him. "Oh, Sam. Fuck!"

His hands found the back of her head. She stroked with a firm grip that had him begging not to stop as her mouth sucked and licked in a way that left him gasping for air. She let her tongue trail down to the base and show his neglected gentleman some love as she took them into her mouth one at a time. Her touch and tongue alternated between soft and hard before licking back up to the tip and swallowing all of him again. He was so close. He began to thrust as she sucked and stroked him hard with a relentless pace.

"Sam, Sam, I can't hold it baby. You're too good." He tried to pull away, but she held firm and sucked to the rhythm of his throbbing erection as it pulsed against her tongue. She smiled in self-satisfaction when she felt him explode in her mouth as he cried out with her name on his lips.

She moaned as she swallowed every last drop and continued to milk him dry. She loved his taste and she smiled up at him as she continued to stroke, lick and suck him clean as he caressed her back and fought to regulate his ragged breaths. "You don't play fair."

She smiled and gently released his sleepy shaft as he pulled her up to his mouth. He kissed her long and slow until Sam pulled away for air then grinned.

"All's fair in love and war." She told him before issuing sensual little kisses to his lips and teasing his mouth with hers.

"I'll have to remember that." He grinned back as they kissed once more good and long then rested their heads together.

"No more tricks." He told her as he stepped from the tub. "Sit. Soak. Bathe." He ordered with the sexy little smirk-smile she loved. "I'll be back."

"What are you gonna do?" She wondered as she rested her chin on her arms on the side of the tub.

"Shower, at least it won't be cold now." He grinned and she laughed.

"There's more where that came from!" She hollered as he made his way through her bedroom.

"I can hardly wait!" He shouted back to her and smiled when the lovable sound of her sexy laugh filled his ears.

It was true. He could barely wait, but he knew she was tender this morning and they also had a busy day ahead of them. Sam would be glued to the hospital, waiting on word of her mother's surgery today and Jason would be right by Sam's side. They also needed to discuss Elizabeth. Jason wanted to make the decision with Sam. He valued her input and knew whatever choice he made effected her too.

xxxxx

"Mm, Jason, you're gonna spoil me if you're not careful." Sam swallowed down another bite of her stuffed French toast topped with fresh sliced strawberries, butter, and maple syrup with a sip of her second cup of coffee.

Jason smiled, something he'd done more in the last few days than his entire life, he realized. "I'm glad you like it."

"I love it. I didn't even know I had ingredients to make stuffed French toast." Falling in love with an excellent cook had to be one of the luckiest turn of events in her life. He worked wonders in the kitchen. She grinned to herself thinking he worked wonders in the bedroom and on the stairs too.

"Do I even want to know what has you grinning now?" Jason shook his head with a half smile.

She blushed at being caught.

"Just feeling lucky." She shrugged happily and took another bite.

"I know what you mean." He told her as his eyes softened on hers. She felt her heart flutter every time he looked at her like that. She smiled again. She couldn't stop smiling this morning. Her troubles hadn't gone away, but the love he made her feel drowned out those worries until all she could feel was the happiness he gave her.

Reality was close at hand though, and Sam knew it couldn't be put off much longer. She just wanted to enjoy breakfast with the man she loved before all hell broke loose. She looked over at Jason. He'd finished eating and was staring into the bottom of his coffee cup. She wondered if he was aware of the goofy grin on his face. "Now it's my turn to ask. What are you grinning about?"

Jason's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed. He shrugged with a smirk.

"Come on, I told you." She really wanted to know after seeing his face redden.

"I was just wondering..." He paused trying to find the right words. "About last night..." He continued. "How, how did you... bend like that?"

Sam laughed. It tickled her to know Jason had been sitting there picturing them on the stairs last night and trying to figure out how she'd maneuvered so nimbly, but the answer kind of sobered her up. She didn't like to think about that time, that year between leaving her father and finding Danny. She would answer Jason honestly, though, as she always had whenever he asked her about her life. She was just thankful he hadn't asked her very much.

"I once trained as an acrobat." She smiled at Jason's surprise.

"Like at the circus?" She never ceased to amaze him.

Sam nodded. "I was in a traveling circus for a short while after I left my father."

She'd tried to keep her answer simple and lighthearted. It was just that there was no easy answer because it was tied to some of the worst memories she had. She never talked about her past for that reason. She'd tried very hard to forget. She averted her eyes hoping he wouldn't see the pain invading them. She maintained her smile as she busied herself with cutting another bite, but she couldn't eat it. She'd lost her appetite.

"I'm sorry Sam. If you don't want to talk about it, I understand." Jason felt bad now for bringing it up. Obviously any skill she'd learned was something picked up in her past and he knew she hated talking about her past.

She shook his suggestion away. "It's alright. Long story short, you remember I left my dad when I was sixteen." She stated more than asked and he nodded.

"Well, I had saved about a thousand dollars when I left to find Danny. The only lead I had to go on was how Evelyn always talked about moving to a giant mansion in historic downtown Charleston, South Carolina once Cody finally scored the big one. So that's where I was headed when I left Vegas, but um some... things... happened and well anyways I lost all my money and ended up stranded at a circus in a little town just outside of Oklahoma City." Sam summed up.

"So you joined the circus? That surprises me. From what you've told me I would have pictured you picking pockets for gas and food and hot-wiring a car to keep moving instead." Jason loved that she was opening up a little to him and hoped he didn't push too far.

"Actually, you're right, but um that's kind of what got me in that situation to begin with." She could see Jason didn't understand, but really wanted to and she sighed knowing she needed to explain a little further.

"I was saving most of my money for hiring an investigator when I got to South Carolina, so I'd been lifting wallets and food here and there. I even tried hot-wiring someone's ride to help get me there faster. Unfortunately, I picked the wrong somebody's car." A shadow clouded over her and Jason didn't like it one bit.

"Did somebody hurt you?" Jason inquired not really sure if he wanted to hear the answer. Whatever happened, it was done and he would never be able to go back and save her from it.

Sam shook her head and wiped her eyes with a brave smile. "Doesn't matter. It was a long time ago, but somebody's misfortune was my good luck. One of the acrobats ended up with a broken arm, saw me and eyed me for a runaway. The owner decided my petite frame would make the perfect replacement, so he offered me a temporary job until Tessa's arm healed. When I found out they were slowly making their way toward South Carolina I decided a traveling circus would be a good place to lay low for a while until I could get to Danny."

Jason took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb across the back of it until she managed to look up at him. "I'm sorry Sam. I'm sorry I couldn't be there when you needed someone."

Sam gave him a watery smile. "You can't apologize for not saving me Jason. You didn't even know me then."

Jason stood and pulled her up from her seat at the table and into his arms. "I know you're right, but sometimes it just feels like I've known you all my life and I really wish I had. I wish I could have been there for you, always."

Sam pressed her cheek against his chest and held him tight. "You're here for me now and you've been there for me since the first moment we met... and that's enough. You know, when you thanked me that day in the hospital and brought Michael's card to me, it was the first thanks anyone had given me that felt sincere. Everyone else seemed to be working some agenda, except you and Michael."

"You never have to worry again Sam. I'll always be here for you and I'll always be thankful Michael made you that card, so that I had an excuse to come visit you. I hadn't been able to get you out of my mind from the moment I first saw you. You looked so vulnerable. I couldn't understand what it was exactly Alexis was saying or doing to hurt you at the time, but I could see the moment your shield went up and I'd never had a stronger compulsion to protect anyone as much as I wanted to protect you in that moment. Not anyone, not since Michael was born." Jason smoothed his hand down her back as he held her.

"Really?" She pulled away so she could look into his eyes. "You never told me that."

Jason blushed just a little. "I know. I figured I owed you a secret since you shared one with me." He smiled gently and leaned down to kiss her soft and sweet.

"Hmmm." She hummed. "I could stay here like this forever." She told him as she held him.

"Me too." He whispered as his cheek rested next to hers with his mouth at her ear.

"We're having such a good moment. I hate to bring this up, but I feel like we need to talk about it before we're surrounded by an audience at the hospital." Sam sighed.

Jason sighed too. He hated it as well, but knew she was right. They did need to talk about it, it being Elizabeth. "You're right. Let me just put these dishes in the sink and we'll talk."

Sam nodded and helped him clear the table then they made their way to the sofa.

Sam folded a leg under her as she sat. "So, have you decided how you want to handle Elizabeth?"

Jason turned on the sofa to face her. "I've given it some thought, but I want you to help me decide. The decision effects us both, so the choice should be made by us both."

"I don't know what to say." Sam had hoped he would ask for her advice, but she hadn't expected him to take it.

Jason sighed. "Say you have some ideas where we go from here because if I confront her right now I can't promise her safety."

Sam chewed her lip in consideration. "I've been thinking about it too. I mean, we know Elizabeth has been having an affair, but there are still a lot of unanswered questions and I just don't trust her to tell us the truth if you confront her. I think I should continue my investigation and you should carry on with her as though nothing has changed until we know more."

Jason shook his head. "Sam, I don't know if I can even be in the same room with her without losing it. I couldn't possibly make her believe nothing is wrong."

He rubbed his face in frustration. "Does it really matter who she's seeing? I mean, I know now there's a chance that baby isn't mine so all I really need is the results to a paternity test. Other than that, it would probably be in her best interests if I never laid eyes on her again."

Sam was glad he felt that way, but he didn't know everything. "It matters. It might very well matter to both of us."

Jason looked at her with a quizzical brow. "What do you mean? Why would it matter?"

Sam took a deep breath. "I didn't want to lay it all on you at once, but you have a right to know."

Jason reached for her hand as if to brace himself. "Tell me."

Sam held his large fingers in hers and squeezed reassuringly. "There are two possibilities that I know of at this point I'm trying to rule out. The first one is only on my list as a result of a rumor and no real evidence and while I don't believe he's guilty, I haven't proven otherwise yet."

Jason took another deep breath. "Just tell me."

Sam held his hand in both of hers. "Nik. There was a rumor reported to me that Elizabeth has been having an ongoing affair for over a year... with Nikolas."

Jason's hand went weak in hers and he shook his head. "No. I, not Nikolas. I don't know him that well, but I've seen the way he looks at my sister."

He pulled his hand from hers and ran it through his hair. "He's totally devoted to Emily. He wouldn't do that to my baby sister, not unless he had a death wish."

Sam smoothed her hand over his shoulder. "I agree. Aside from the fact that he's my family and I care about him, I really don't think he would cheat on Emily."

Jason huffed and nodded. "You said there were two. Who's the other?"

Sam's eyes filled with tears.

Jason immediately grew concerned. He moved closer to her. "Sam?"

She closed her eyes.

"Ric." She hated the mere mention of his name.

Jason was shocked, but he really shouldn't have been. Ric always had a thing for Elizabeth. "Does, does Alexis suspect... anything?"

Sam shook her head no as a hot tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't think so."

"Oh Sam. Damn. Come here." He pulled her to him again. "I'm so sorry."

"I, I think it's him, Jason. I never really liked him so maybe I just want it to be him, but my gut is telling me it's him. How am I going to tell my mom? This is going to tear my family apart. It's the last thing they need right now." Sam told him as he held her.

"It's the last thing any of you need. I know this is hard, but I'm here for you. Okay? I'm here and I'm going to be here. Whatever you need, I'm here." He promised.

"Thank you, Jason." Sam closed her eyes and nuzzled deeper into his chest before looking up at him. "I'm here for you too. We'll both be there for each other, okay? I feel like I can get through anything as long as I have you."

Jason nodded. "Then it's settled." He kissed her then looked into his favorite shade of brown. "We'll get through everything, together."

Page 14 of 14 Created: 2011-04-17 Updated: 2014-11-09 Words: 5518 Characters: 28740