Enjoy!
Chapter Six
After Mike had meticulously explained the new state-of-the-art security system and made sure she understood every single detail, he and Sam departed from the premises. Sam gave a final nod of confirmation for their meeting later that evening before following Mike out the door. It had been quite some time since she had the house to herself, so she relished the opportunity by indulging in a long overdue bubble bath. The warmth of the water enveloped her body as she sank into the tub, the scented bubbles creating a fragrant oasis around her. She closed her eyes and let the stress of the day melt away as she savored this rare moment of solitude and relaxation.
As she sank into the warm, soothing embrace of her bath, there came a sharp knock at her door. She let out a deep sigh, reluctantly beginning to rise before remembering she could use her phone to see who was there. Turning on the screen, she followed Mike's instructions and saw Noah standing outside her door. Irritation welled up inside her as she braced for another interruption. But before she could even react, the knock turned into a forceful bang that jolted her out of her relaxation.
He remained rooted in place, and she was determined to put an end to his unwelcome visits. With a quick swipe of her finger, she activated the emergency feature on her phone, alerting the police to the unwanted person on her property. As she set her phone down, she sank into the warm bubbles of her bath, trying to relax despite the intrusion. But soon enough, there was another insistent knock on her door - this time, it must be the police. Tossing on a robe, she hurried down the stairs and opened the door to a group of officers, their eyes flickering between her and the man who had been bothering her.
"Ms. Jones?"
"Yes, that's me." She responded, her heart racing as she noticed Noah looking at her with anger in his eyes.
"This man claims to be your husband and says you changed the locks on him. Is this true?" The police officer asked, his tone stern yet concerned.
"No, he is my ex-husband and until today, he had no idea where I lived," she replied, trying to keep her voice steady.
"He also accused you of kidnapping his child," the officer added, his gaze shifting to Mercedes who shot him a look of confusion before her expression turned to one of fury. She lunged towards Noah but was quickly caught by the officer and placed back inside her home.
Mercedes took a deep breath and tried to compose herself as she remembered she was only wearing a thin robe. She turned away to fix herself, feeling exposed and vulnerable.
"I can't kidnap what is legally mine! He signed over his rights before our daughter was even born. And now I want to press charges against him for making false accusations," Mercedes stated firmly as she faced the officer once again. The tension in the room was palpable as they both stood their ground, ready to fight for what they believed was right.
The officer's voice was calm yet authoritative as he spoke, "You'll have to come down to the precinct and fill out a report there, but we can remove him from your property and have a unit cover your home for the rest of the night if you'd like." He finished with a small smile.
Mercedes nodded, grateful for the offer. "Okay, thank you. I'll head to the precinct now."
As he handed her his card, she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at his name - Officer Rashad. "Oh, so you're shamelessly using your first name to charm people now?" She joked before letting out a humorless laugh.
"Hey, it's worth a shot," he replied with a grin before turning to leave.
Mercedes closed her door with a sigh, muttering to herself about officers trying to use their looks to their advantage. "Damn man thinks because he's cute I'm going to give him the time of day. But no, you are here to do a job," she mumbled sternly as she headed back upstairs.
She quickly changed out of her robe and into a pair of jeans and sweatshirt, grabbing her purse and phone before heading out. She needed to text Sam and let him know what was going on and that she would be late. However, when she called him instead, she was surprised when he answered on the first ring.
"Hello?"
"Hey Sam, sorry to interrupt but I need to head down to the precinct. Noah showed up and I have some things I need to take care of."
"Are you okay? Do you want me to come with you?"
"No, I don't want to take up any more of your time. Go grab dinner with your girlfriend. Let's meet tomorrow instead, I'll be free all day."
"That's not a problem, my girlfriend already has plans so I can grab something and meet you at your place once you're done."
"I really don't want to inconvenience you like this-"
"Mercedes, I'm not asking. Just shoot me a text when you're done and I'll head over."
"Um, okay. But make sure it's okay with her first." She said before ending the call.
Penny's heels clicked against the tiled floor as she sauntered into Sam's office. She found him sitting behind his desk, typing away on his computer. A small smile spread across her face at the sight of him."Heading out soon?" she asked, leaning against the doorway with a casual grace.
"Mhm, I have a dinner meeting so I may be late coming back," Sam replied, looking up at her and returning the smile.
"Dinner meeting huh? Is it with a woman?" She asked, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at him.
"Yes, it's with a female colleague. We were teamed up to work on this case together and tonight was the best time for me since I had so many meetings today."
"Funny because I called your office and they said you were out... something about helping a colleague." Penny's tone turned slightly accusatory.
"It's the same colleague and it's nothing but professional between the two of us or are we forgetting that I didn't cheat?" Sam shot back immediately regretting it.
Penny's expression softened, hurt flashing in her eyes. "How long are you going to hold that over my head?"
"I'm sorry okay, but you're trying to imply that I'm sneaking around when I have no reason to do that. I really am having a dinner meeting, that's it," Sam explained.
"If you say so…" Penny replied before walking away and deep down Sam didn't take her tone to heart because if things were different he would definitely consider it.
He let out a sigh and gathered the files he needed before heading to a local BBQ place. The smell of grilling meat filled the air as he picked out some dishes to go along with their dinner. And for himself, he grabbed a much-needed cold beer to unwind after a long day of meetings.
Sam arrived just as Mercedes was pulling up herself and quickly got out to open her car door for her with a warm smile that she returned before getting out and going to open the door for them.
"I just need to change real quick and then we can get started," she said, starting to make her way upstairs. But Sam reached out and grabbed her arm, shaking his head.
"You look fine," he said, gesturing to her outfit. "It's going to be a long night, so you might as well be comfortable."
Mercedes smiled at his thoughtfulness. "That's kind of you, but I'm not wearing a bra under this and I don't want to be stuck in a sweatshirt all night."
She disappeared upstairs to change while Sam laid out the food he had brought over and poured her a glass of wine. He also pulled out the files they were going to go over.
"I got us some barbecue for dinner. I hope that's okay," he said when she came back down.
"It smells amazing! And you brought wine too? If I didn't know you had a girlfriend, I would think you were trying to get me drunk," Mercedes joked, making Sam chuckle.
"Well, now I know that wine is your weakness." He teased back with a grin, earning a laugh from her. They both settled down at the table to start discussing their strategy.
"So I think it would be best for you to go in alone first and then I can come in for the follow-up meeting. You're a force on your own, so I'll just be there for added support." Sam suggested, causing Mercedes to shoot him a shocked look.
"I didn't know you thought I was a force." She answered honestly.
His head tilted to the side in genuine curiosity as he asked, "Why would you think that?"
She hesitated before responding, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Well...you can come across as a bit of an asshole sometimes."
He let out a bark of laughter, his face contorting into mock offense. "Asshole? Really? I always thought I came off as more of a hardass." She couldn't help but smile at his playful banter.
"Well, either way, you don't always make it easy to be around you." His expression softened and he reached out to lightly tap her arm. "Hey, I may not always smile or chat with you, but I do appreciate your presence. And your yogurt, by the way, is top-notch."
She playfully hit him back, giggling. "I knew it was you who kept stealing my yogurt!"
He chuckled and nudged her shoulder. "Hey, what can I say? Your taste in snacks is impeccable." She rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from laughing along with him.
"You know they sell that yogurt at every grocery store, right?"
He shrugged nonchalantly. "But where's the fun in buying my own when yours is right there for the taking?" He raised his nearly empty beer bottle in a toast before taking another swig and grinning at her mischievously.
After meticulously going over every detail and strategizing the best approach for their upcoming meeting with opposing counsel, Sam and Mercedes were finally wrapping up their preparations.
"Can I ask you something?" Sam's gaze was fixed on her as he spoke.
"Of course," Mercedes replied, returning his look.
"What's it like...you know, being a single mom?"
Mercedes paused for a moment, considering her answer. "It's amazing, but there are times when I miss adult companionship. Not just in a sexual way, but intimate things like kissing. I just want to have a good make-out session."
Sam couldn't help but chuckle at her confession, knowing she was more than a little tipsy. He poured more wine into her glass and gave her a playful wink.
"Why don't you tell me about your girlfriend? What's she like?" Mercedes probed, genuinely curious.
"Hmm, well she's...complex. But that's Penny," Sam responded, his tone betraying something else.
"Who hurt who?" Mercedes pressed on, studying him intently and noticing his eyes shift from neutral to something more guarded.
"We both hurt each other. My focus on work and her insecurities..." Sam trailed off, not wanting to delve further into the details of their troubled relationship.
"No, don't tell me, sorry ha! No I'm not meaning to laugh… I'm just – shit I'm so sorry. Okay no more drinking for me." Mercedes stammered, her words slurring as she put her now empty glass down with a loud clink. Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes were unfocused
"No, it's fine. We went through a rough patch a while ago . I moved out… she cheated and we somehow found our way back to each other so I took that as a sign," Sam answered with a reassuring smile.
"Did you? Cheat, I mean," Mercedes asked, her tone curious yet hesitant.
"I don't believe in cheating, otherwise I would've kissed you already," Sam admitted, his eyes locked onto hers.
"Oh… umm I think we both should probably stop drinking," Mercedes replied, biting her lip nervously as she shifted in her seat.
"She's beautiful, your daughter I mean. She looks like you, especially when she smiles," Sam said softly, reaching out to toy with one of Mercedes' loose curls. A genuine smile crossed his face as he thought about the adorable little girl he had met earlier that day.
"You might be right… about drinking." He added softly looking at her deeply, noticing the slight glimmer in her eyes and the fact that her cheeks were slightly rosy. He looked at her lips wondering if they tasted like the wine she'd been drinking before looking back at her eyes and he could see she wanted him to kiss her.
Mercedes nodded slowly, her heart racing at the intensity of their shared gaze. "Sam..." she whispered, barely above a breath.
He hesitated for a moment before speaking again, the tension between them palpable. "Maybe we should call it a night."
"Mhm. You might be right, I haven't been this intoxicated since before I had Charlie."
"God, that little girl is stunning. I can't wait to have a child of my own... to experience it all. The thrill of getting my wife pregnant, watching her body swell with our baby, feeling her from the inside out while she carries our child." Sam's words dripped with explicit desire, sending shivers down Mercedes' spine as his dark eyes burned into hers.
"I wish my ex felt the same way... maybe we'd still be together. But he couldn't keep it in his pants and ended up getting his mistress pregnant." Mercedes' heart twisted at the memory of her failed relationship.
"Why would any man ever cheat on you?" Sam asked, leaning in closer without realizing tongue darted out to wet his lips as he watched her biting hers, his intense gaze causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. She knew they needed to end the night soon before things escalated.
"Sam, maybe we should..." Mercedes started but stopped as she felt his hand gently caressing her cheek. Her breath hitched when his thumb traced over her bottom lip.
"I bet you taste so sweet." Sam groaned, moving even closer until their noses were touching. "You always smell so sweet, which is why I've given you such a hard time. I could only resist being near you for so long before wanting to inhale your scent more deeply." He confessed, nuzzling her cheek and causing her to moan softly.
"Sam..." Mercedes breathed out, her body responding to his touch and proximity.
The tension between them was palpable, like a charged wire ready to snap. Sam knew he should stop, that it was wrong to give into his desires, but the magnetic pull of her was too strong. He gazed deeply into her alluring eyes before placing a gentle kiss on her lips. She responded eagerly, but then pulled away with determination.
"No...I won't let you be like him," Mercedes declared, putting distance between them. "You need to leave."
"I'm sorry...I didn't-" Sam began, but she cut him off with a firm hand.
"Don't. I wanted you to do it. But we need to create some space before we do something we regret," she reasoned, and Sam nodded in agreement.
"Mercedes...have a good night," he said, gathering his things and making his way to the door. She followed him, shooting him a small smile as he passed.
"I-" he started, but she silenced him with a tender kiss that left both of them breathless.
"Maybe in another life," she whispered, taking a step back as he walked through the doorway. Mercedes closed the door behind him and leaned against it, feeling the weight of their brief but intense connection. As much as she wanted to ignore it, that kiss held more fire than any she had shared with Puck.
But she couldn't forget what had been done to her in the past, and she knew it would be best for both of them if she removed herself from the case and handed it over to someone else. With a heavy heart, she made her decision and began making plans for the future without Sam by her side.
Lawwwd this man saying he don't cheat but he about to risk it alll. I meannnnnnnn... do we blame him though? until next time xoxox!