We had joined Sam's parents on the way home...home? How quickly you could find your way into such a wrong game. Now I was already lying in bed, trying to read a book while Sam got ready in the bathroom, but my mind just wouldn't stay with the words on the pages in front of me.

The evening had been extremely harmonious. No more taunts from Charlie and no more teasing or innuendos from Sam's parents. What a kiss like that could do...

I hadn't been able to stop myself after Sam had revealed to me that I was more than just a friend and colleague. I couldn't believe it, I froze and thought I was dreaming, while happiness washed through every vein in my body and made me feel like I was floating.

Then he left and wanted to clarify everything and I couldn't allow that. Not just to protect him from his parents' repeated taunts, but above all because I didn't want it to end. I couldn't let go of him, especially after his words. I didn't know how much I meant to him exactly, but even if it wasn't love, it was more than I ever dreamed of getting.

I let myself get carried away, just ran after him and kissed him. It had been breathtaking and I had almost melted in his arms. Sam was an amazing kisser and I knew in that moment that I would never be able to get enough of it.

A click snapped me out of my thoughts and I looked up to see Sam taking his hand off the key and crawling into bed with me.

"Did you just lock?!" I asked him skeptically and watched him lie on his side facing me, rest his head on his arm and look up at me.

"I didn't want anyone to bother us again," he replied seriously, too seriously. What was wrong with him?

"Should I be scared?" I asked, smiling to lighten the mood, but he didn't smile.

"What was that in the Cafe?"

"A nice evening with your family?"

"I meant the kiss. Why did you do that?" he asked now and something in his voice changed. He suddenly seemed...vulnerable?!

"I didn't think you'd complain about it," I replied, turning my gaze back to my book as my heart began to beat faster. What did this interrogation amount to? Had I previously misunderstood his words and done something wrong?

"I wouldn't either. Never. It was the most fantastic, breathtaking and wonderful kiss of my entire life."

"Mine too," I murmured quietly, feeling myself blush. Sam moved next to me and when I raised my eyes I was looking straight into his eyes as he took the book from me and leaned forward to place it past me on the bedside table. Our noses almost touched when he put the book down and he didn't back away.

"Was that just to stop me from telling them the truth?" he whispered now. "Was it part of the show?" That really hurt me. How could he believe that I would kiss him like that, let myself go like that in his arms, to someone for whom I felt nothing? I turned my face a little to the side so that I didn't have to look him in the eyes anymore so I could collect myself. Had he only taken part because he thought it was a show and that's why he let himself go? But his hand rested on my cheek again and I opened my mouth a crack to suck in a sharp breath. His touches were electrifying and took my breath away more and more, the more intimate they were. "I can see it in your eyes, but I'd like to hear it," he murmured softly against my lips and backed away as I wanted to bridge the last one centimeters impatiently.

"You're more than just a colleague and friend to me too. Much more," I breathed, my voice threatening to break from the excitement, but Sam seemed content with that because he placed his lips on mine.

We exchanged a few softer kisses, as if we wanted to get to know each other first, but they were already driving me crazy, and his hands on my cheek and on my back did the rest. As I slid my hands up his chest and buried one hand in his hair, sliding down his neck, he sighed softly and now it was I who took advantage of the moment and deepened our kiss. He pulled me so tightly that there probably wouldn't even fit a piece of paper between us. I let myself go completely, surrendered to the emotions that were raging inside me in a wonderful way and felt, as if from afar, that Sam was holding me close to him in order to slide down a little. He gently laid me down on the pillow without our lips separating. If I would had my way, they would never have to do that again. It was so wonderful to be close to him. Kissing him was exhilarating, his touch was driving me crazy in a good way and my happy hormones seemed to be overflowing as a recurring sound invaded my consciousness. A knock came regularly from somewhere in the house.

"Sam?" I murmured against his lips.

"Hmm," he replied between two kisses.

"What is that?"

"One is my back and the other is my butt," he replied smiling, but he didn't stop kissing me and it took me a moment to realize he thought I was talking about where my hands were.

"I'm well aware of that. I..." He stopped me from continuing with a kiss that made me forget the sound for a moment, but unfortunately not for long. "Sam, I can't concentrate."

"You don't have to. I can't even think straight anymore," he murmured in my ear and I shuddered. "I love it when you do that," he sighed, now grinning, as I saw when I turned my face towards him. The noise was gone and I decided to go along with his teasing and snuggled up to him, running my fingers gently up his neck and feeling his whole body tremble.

"Just like I do when you do that," I replied with a grin and he kissed me gently again when the knocking sounded again and this time in a seemingly faster rhythm. Sam raised his head and listened for a moment.

"What is that?"

"I asked first." He looked at me questioningly when he realized I hadn't meant his butt and blushed slightly.

"It's coming from further back in the house. I'm guessing your parents' bedroom."

His eyes widened and just a second later he rolled away from me and sat on the edge of the bed. I sat up a little, but I couldn't see what he was doing until he held his phone to his ear.

"Mum? What on earth are you doing back there?" he asked, totally horrified and I had to laugh. I couldn't imagine his mother would have answered the phone if they had done what Sam was thinking. "No, I didn't! You didn't hear what we heard...No Mum, I didn't hear it...By all saints, Mom! Now please turn off the treadmill and finally get some sleep! Good night!" Sam threw the phone onto a chair in the corner and touched his head. I immediately crawled up to him and snuggled against his back to comfort him.

"The treadmill, huh?!" I asked him now, but I had to control myself not to laugh.

"Yes," he sighed resignedly. "My Dad wanted to try it out. At eleven at night." He was still stunned and I didn't even want to imagine what his mother had revealed to him on the phone."

"Let's get some sleep too, Sam. It's been an eventful day and I at least have to get out early tomorrow."

"I would love to go fishing if it meant I could avoid shopping with my mother. As a child, I hated following her for hours and waiting while she tried everything she found," he explained to me as he lay down and took me in his arms so I could snuggle up to him, which I was only too happy to do.

"I won't force you to do this, I promise."

"You are an angel, but I would endure anything for you as long as it makes you happy."

"Shopping isn't necessarily number one on my list of favorite activities," I replied, smiling.

"I would still do it for you." I kissed him briefly again before cuddling up to him some more.

"You are and will always be my hero, Sam," I murmured contentedly and felt him laughing softly. "Sleep well."

"I definitely will. But so will you, my angel." He sighed contentedly again and I was happier than ever before and soon fell asleep blissfully.

To be continued...