The dark-haired woman stopped before making the turn down the next aisle. “How close?”

The blonde giggled, “How close do you want me?”

“Honestly?” Blue eyes twinkled at the thought and Brooke smiled mischievously. “Close enough so I don’t have to call you in the morning.”

“What, you want to just nudge me instead?” Sam tugged at Brooke’s hip pocket on her jeans. “Sorry, Hon. There’s just not enough room in there for my clothes.”

“Yep!” Brooke grinned from ear to ear. “That’s it.”

“You do have a one track mind, don’t you, Brooke Gordon?”

“Yeah, and you’re that track.”

Shaking her head, Sam tried to salvage the shopping trip. “Well, let’s get back on track here in the grocery store and see what happens when we get home, huh?”

The tall woman let go with a dazzling smile at her lover’s use of the word. “Home?”

“Ah…Sorry. I just think of your place as home. Guess I shouldn’t take that for granted.” Sam bit at her lower lip, nervously.

Releasing the cart, Brooke placed both her hands on Sam’s shoulders and quickly corrected her. “No, Sam, it is home when you’re there…for the both of us.” The older woman watched as the expression changed on the blonde’s face. “I love the fact that you think of it as your home.”

Sam cleared her throat, loving the look on Brooke’s face. The young woman quickly looked around. “Well, let’s get home then.” She studied the few items in the cart and then looked up to Brooke. “So, what’s on the menu for tonight, Chef Gordon?

Blue eyes grew bigger, and then a dazzling smile overtook Brooke’s face.

With the last of the dishes from dinner safely tucked away in the dishwasher, Brooke came into the living room, and dropped down onto the couch, next to Sam. “I’m stuffed,” she announced as her extremities took up as much room as they could on the furniture.

“That was a great meal, Brooke.” Sam leaned back into the corner of the couch and viewed the woman next to her. “I never had a private chef cook for me like that before.” The blonde moved closer to the outstretched arms and was soon gathered in by them.

“I’ll cook for you whenever you’d like.” Brooke smiled as she pulled Sam closer to her. “I’d bring you breakfast in bed every morning, if you want it,” the deep voice purred.

“Anytime?” Sam asked warily. “Hmm…you better be careful there. I can have some wild cravings,” the young woman patted Brooke’s chest. “Especially in the middle of the night,” Sam smiled coyly as she waited for Brooke to get her thought.

Leaning over, Brooke nuzzled Sam’s neck and whispered, “I can handle it.” The tall woman placed feather light kisses down the blonde’s shoulder then she looked up into waiting green eyes. “Wild cravings in the middle of the night? Nothing like pickles and ice cream, right?” Brooke watched with teasing delight for a moment, then went back to giving Sam’s neck all of her attention. “I didn’t think I was that talented.” She chuckled, then kissed the delicate ear that her mouth was next to.

“No,” the blonde’s eyes grew bigger with each nuzzle and kiss. “At least not yet,” she laughed.

“Yet?” Brooke’s head popped up, “You mean…I’m gonna learn how to spit?”

Sam laughed at her lover’s eagerness to please her, if that was what she wanted. “I’m sure that if you’d put your mind to it,” the blonde winked at Brooke, “You’d find a way.”

Brooke laughed softly against Sam’s neck, the warmth of her breath sending chills down the young woman’s spine. “For you, Sam, anything.”

“Mmm…” Sam closed her eyes, then turned her face away from Brooke to expose more of her neck to the woman. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”

“Afraid…but why?”

“We just seem too good to be true. I don’t ever want this bubble to burst, Brooke.” Sam’s small hand cradled Brooke’s cheek.

Turning first to kiss the hand that was so close to her mouth, Brooke looked at the woman beside her. “Baby, don’t think like that. I think we’ve both gone through enough to deserve to be with each other.”

“Sorry,” the blonde shrugged. “I’m just not used to being this happy.”

“So, you are happy?” Brooke nuzzled into Sam’s neck, right below her ear. “What would make you ecstatic?” She whispered.

Sam smiled as she pushed Brooke away using her head. “Hmm…ecstatic, huh?”

Nodding, Brooke reiterated, “Yep, ecstatic.” Blue eyes watched as Sam pondered the question.

“Being with my sister again,” Sam shrugged, “That is, if she hasn’t been turned against me yet.” She bit at her lip, “I guess I’ll know that answer tomorrow, when I see her.”

Surprised by the answer that Sam had given her, Brooke thought for a moment then asked softly, “Sister? You get to see her tomorrow?”

“Oh shit. I forgot to tell you.” Sam sat up, turning toward Brooke, as turbulent green eyes searched the face of her lover for forgiveness. “Crystal is going to pick me up to see Sarah at Aunt Sandy’s tomorrow.” Sam bit back on her lower lip, “I’m sorry, Brooke. I know you were counting on me being here all weekend.”

Even though the older woman was disappointed, she couldn’t let it show. “Oh, that’s okay, Sweetheart, I understand.” Brooke put a finger under Sam’s chin and raised it slightly. “I think it’s great that you’ll get to see her.”

“My aunt called me on my cell phone right before I got to the room,” Sam rambled on.

“Honey…”

Sam sighed, then took in a deep breath as she looked up to Brooke. “Yeah?”

“You don’t have to explain yourself to me. I think it’s wonderful.” Brooke’s mouth turned into a smile as she chuckled. “I wondered where that bit came from when I got to the dorm, though.”

Brooke’s laughter was contagious, bringing a smile to Sam’s face. “Nice cover with Randi being there, huh?”

“Yeah, great cover.” Brooke thought for a moment about the feeling she had received from her older sister. “I don’t know, she still had a thorn in her ass though.”

“Only you would notice that, Miss Reach-out-and-touch-someone.” Sam bumped her with her shoulder, then reached out and gave her a one-armed hug. “You’d better be glad that I shoved that bag at you or we’d both be sitting there under cross examination by your sister the Assistant D.A.”

“Objection!” Brooke sprang forward as she raised her hand. “We’d be running.”

“Hmm…another family trait, huh?” Sam laughed at the woman’s antics then turned very serious, as she looked Brooke in the eye. “Really, Hon, I need a little more time without everyone knowing. Okay?”

“Baby, I’m sorry. I didn’t know she was there.” Brooke pleaded her case. “She was the last person I expected to see sitting there with C.C.” The older woman suddenly got very quiet. “I’m too touchy, aren’t I?”

“Hmm…” Sam made a face as she fought her inner feelings concerning Brooke. “A little…maybe, in public.” The blonde tilted her head to study the woman from a different angle. “Damn it, Brooke. But I love it though.”

“I’m sorry.” Brooke lowered her eyes to the floor.

“Hey, no need to be sorry.” Sam wiggled her eyebrows playfully, “I think it’s kind of cute. So unlike Loran that I just love it.”

“What…touchy or cute?” The dark-haired woman’s face reflected how serious she was.

The blonde burst out laughing. “Both.” She leaned over and kissed the older woman on her nose.

“I’m sorry, I just can’t help myself when I’m around you. I’ll try to be more careful from now on.”

“Well, don’t be too careful. I kind of like it when you find it hard to stay away from me.” Sam smiled at the woman, “So what’s on the agenda for the rest of tonight, as if I don’t already know?”

“Whatever you’d like. I told you…for you, anything.”

“What do you say we have a story-telling contest? You tell me yours and I’ll tell you my story.” Sam giggled, wiggling her eyebrows. “Only, Brooke…I think the best atmosphere for that is in the bedroom. You know…bedtime stories.”

Brooke started getting up from the couch, pulling Sam along with her. “Well, ah…Once upon a time, there was a record company executive, a beautiful student, and a bottle of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup…”

Green eyes twinkled with delight. “Oh, I like that one.” Sam laughed as she tugged at Brooke’s hand and followed after her. “Come on, my bard, lead me to that bed.”

The sound of the horn honking got Sam’s attention. She shook her slightly wet blonde hair into place as she came down from the second floor. Making her way down the short hallway and through the living room, she could see Brooke standing by the door, looking out one of the small side windows.

“Is she here, Brooke?” Sam asked as she finished buttoning her top.

“Yeah,” the woman by the door nodded unenthusiastically when she thought her lover wasn’t looking.

Sam came up behind the pouting woman, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Hey, look at me.” She waited until the dark head of hair revealed a somber looking face. “It’s only for a day. I’ll be back for dinner on Sunday.” Green eyes looked poignantly into Brooke’s eyes. “I promise.”

“I know.” The pouting woman was having a hard time hiding her feelings as she mustered a weak smile. “Have fun and tell Crystal I said hi.” She looked into Sam’s eyes, knowing that it was hard for both of them right now.

“I was here on Tuesday night this week,” Sam held the eye contact as her own golden brows edged higher knowing what they had shared that night. “Remember?”

Brooke smiled with that memory, “Yeah…” she drew the word out as if it would make the memory last longer.

“You know if it was for any other reason, I’d never go, don’t you?”

“I do, Baby.” Brooke took in a deep breath, then tried putting a more enthusiastic smile on her face. “Hey, have a great time with your sister. I’ll be here waiting for you.” The taller woman pulled Sam closer to her, giving her a hug. “I am happy for you, Sam.”