Sam laughed at C.C.’s enthusiasm and pulled back from the hug. “C.C., would you think I was strange if I told you that I feel ‘married’ to her already?”

“Strange? No.” She thought for a moment, then continued. “Well… maybe, except for the fact that you two don’t live together.” C.C. watched the dreamy expression take up residence on Sam’s face. “You really are completely gaga over her, aren’t you?”

Sam blinked, looking away, then turned to focus her eyes on the brown of her roommate’s. “Gaga?” Sam smiled, leaning in towards the brunette’s ear. “I think it’s more than just gaga. It’s love, C.C. Speaking of which, it’s time I meet her at the door.” Sam wiggled her eyebrows as she got up from her bed and finished packing a few more items before zipping up her overnight bag.

C.C. held up her hands to her ears and grinned. “No details, please. Well, you know…then again…” C.C. stood up and placed one hand on her hip, tapping her chin with a finger from her other hand, “…you still haven’t told me that one little detail.”

Sam grabbed her overnight bag and started towards the door, stopping in the doorway, then turned back to wink at C.C. “You know, C.C., there are just some things a girl really shouldn’t know about her sister. See you tomorrow.” Sam laughed as she walked out into the hall, then closed the door.

“Damn.” C.C. spat out disappointed as she snapped her fingers, and then fell back into the bed.

Sam greeted Mario, then stood up and walked toward Brooke, reaching up on her toes to kiss her tall lover on the cheek. “Hey, Hon… how about I rustle us up something to eat while you go get your shower?” She took the mail out of Brooke’s hands, setting it down on the end table.

Brooke wrapped her arms around her young lover and began to kiss Sam on her cheek, whispering in her ear, “But what if I’d rather have dessert first?”

“Nope. You’ve heard that old saying ‘no supper until you wash your hands’? Well, no dessert until you’ve had your shower.”

The dark-haired woman continued to kiss her way down Sam’s jaw line until their lips were a mere breath apart. Brooke teased Sam’s lips with her own, allowing their lips to barely brush against each other. “How about a kiss? Am I at least allowed that?” Without allowing Sam the time to nod her answer, Brooke’s lips crushed against the opposite pair as the passionate kiss ensued.

The escaping moan from the back of Sam’s throat was all that Brooke needed to hear before her tongue brushed against the blonde’s lips, begging for entrance. As if in reply, two small hands tangled in ebony tresses as Sam held her lover’s head in place to erase any chance of leaving their haven. After long moments with endearing sensations, breathing finally became a necessity, and they broke apart, leaving Sam a little dazed as they came out of their kiss.

Sensing her effect on the woman, Brooke continued where she had left off, kissing Sam behind her ear. “You sure you don’t wanna come up and wash my back for me?”

The young woman tried to ground herself and regain the control she could feel slipping away from her. Inhaling deeply when she felt Brooke’s tongue begin to trace the outside of her ear, she struggled to maintain what little composure she had. “Brooke…” she felt the woman shudder at the sound of her name. “Baby, we could die of starvation if I let you have your way.” Sam pulled back and focused on her lover. “Wouldn’t we?”

“I don’t know about you, but I’d die happy.”

Green eyes grew larger as Sam gazed into Brooke’s eyes. “Happy wouldn’t come anywhere close to what I’d be.”

“Hmm…” the pleased purr started in the tall woman’s throat and continued to build.

Quickly, Sam turned Brooke around in the direction of the stairs, then she smacked Brooke on the butt. “Later, Stud Muffin. It’s shower time for you and you’d better make that a cold one. You’re way too hot already.”

Brooke sighed, having no choice but to head in the direction she was being pushed in. “Okay Darlin’, I can take a hint. I’m going.” The woman ran out of the room and up the spiral stairs, pausing to stop at the top just long enough to call down to Sam. “I love you.”

“Just like a five year old…” Sam shook her head, “…scold them and then they say something that totally melts your heart. Now I know where Julie gets it from.” Hearing the sound of water already running, she smiled, looking up to where the bathroom was on the second floor and whispered, “Love you, too!”

Sam was busy in the kitchen putting together dinner when she heard a knock at the door. Looking down at the dog that was now standing at her side, Sam grabbed a plate from the cupboard and unlocked the cabinet that held Mario’s food. “Now who could that be?” She wondered as she placed the plate on the floor, and instructed the animal. “Get your dinner, Mario.”

The Husky did as he was told while Sam wiped her hands off on the nearest hand towel. She then made her way to the front door. Pausing at the door that led into the hall, she then pulled the door closed to keep the still wet animal that had been outside in the rain confined to the kitchen.

“Sorry fella, but Brooke would kill us both if you got those wet paws all over her rug.” The blonde’s attention was once again drawn to the front door as the knocking started again. The closer she got to the door, the more she realized that the knocking had turned into banging.

“Okay, just a minute. I’m coming.” Sam looked through the peephole to see an irate James standing on the front porch, wet from the rain that had started to fall during their drive home.

Sam opened the door to a startled James. “Hi, James. Is there something you need?”

James’ entire demeanor changed as he wormed his way through the front door. “Well…hello there, Sweet thing.”

Sam could smell the alcohol on his breath and tried not to show her discomfort. “Ahh…if you’re looking for Brooke, she’ll be here in a moment or two. She’s busy with…uhm, well…that doesn’t matter what she’s busy with. Come on in and have a seat.”

Before Sam could get two feet away from the door, James had her backed against the door with an arm braced along both sides of her head. “James…?”

“No, no…I think I like it right here. So, tell me, how did you like having a taste of Loran on your birthday?” His voice seethed with maliciousness.

“Well, it wasn’t actually Loran now, was it? Brooke told me that was just a bunch of hype to sell more records.”

“Yeah,” he laughed in her face, “she would say that.”

Sam ducked out from under James’ arms and made her way into the living room. “I guess it’s just a perspective thing. You know, what you see and what they eluded to in her.” Sam kept her voice down, not wanting to seem confrontational as she made her way into the larger living area of the house.

“Where are you going, Sam? You know, I don’t bite…” James winked, “…hard.” He followed her into the living room.

“Me? Going? Ah…nowhere. I just thought that it was more ah…comfortable and airy in here.” Please, Brooke… hurry up with that shower.

“Oh.” He looked around the room for any sign of the owner. “So… did we live up to your high expectations or were we better than you could imagine?”

Sam turned around with her arms opened wide, strategically putting a chair between the two of them. “Well, the music was ah… the music was sensational. Just like the albums.”

James moved closer to her. “Yeah? You’re all about that, aren’t you?”

“About what, music? Why shouldn’t I be? Isn’t it all about music, the feel of the rhythm, the sense of the timing?”

An evil glare made itself present in James’ blurry, dark eyes. “Oh yeah, it’s all about rhythm. There’s a lot of rhythm after the music, too. And I must tell you… that I have excellent timing.”

Sam’s eyes narrowed and took on a puzzled look. “Well, your lead guitar work…”

“Sam… Sam… Sam. I think we both know what I’m talking about.” By now James had maneuvered himself around the chair, backing Sam into a corner with no chance for her to escape as he placed a hand on each wall to either side of her head.

“Uhm… I’m talking about music, James. Aren’t you?”

“You mean that bitch of a girlfriend of yours hasn’t been teaching you what rhythm is really all about?”

Sam looked James in the eye, as his point became clear. “Okay, I uh…guess we’re not talking about the same thing. I really think that I should just let Brooke talk to you. Why don’t you just have a seat and…”

“Wait? I think not. Now…” James let a laugh escape his lips as he ran a hand down Sam’s exposed arm, “…you, on the other hand…”

Sam jerked her arm away from his touch. “What are you doing, James?”

“Aww…what’s the matter, Sam? Can’t handle the real thing as opposed to the fantasy?” James turned his head from one side to the other, looking at her out of the side of his eyes.

“James… if Brooke walks in here, you’re going to be in so much trouble, fantasy or not.”

“To Hell with Brooke,” James raised his voice at the mention of her name. “That lying, scheming, sadistic, abusive whore.” He watched as Sam flinched. Spittle flew from his mouth each time he carefully enunciated a new word. “Luring Peter away from the band and me, and leaving like she did all those years ago…”

Sam could see the distant look in the man’s eye, like a dream gone up in smoke. Then her anger flared as she listened to James rip apart the woman that she loved. “Stop it, James. I wont’ let anyone talk about her that way. She’s not luring anyone.”

It was as if James had never heard her as he continued to ramble. “Fucking me out of those master tapes. All because of your little birthday.”