Rating: PG-13
Codes: C/P. Davis, others
Category: Het,Romance

Paul drew in a deep breath, surprised to find he had been holding it all this time. He looked down at his fingers, resting on the desk, noting the band-aid on his right index was starting to come off. A minor wound, gained in a good cause and healing already anyway—

He looked past his fingers to the paper under them, seeing the official documentation, the authorized signatures and countersignatures, the codes and official seal of the promotion board. There it was, in neat typing:

Lieutenant Colonel Paul D. Davis

He still felt strange. It had taken almost five months to get used to being a major, and that had been four years ago, back when the clusters still impressed him, when receiving salutes as he jaunted up the steps of the Senate or passed through the halls of the Pentagon still gave him a shiver of pride.

But now, after so many years, so many meetings and TDYs and functions, military habit had ingrained itself into him. It took weekends and vacations for Paul to remember the other parts of his life, and nurture them as best he could. Connie and the boys helped, certainly. And Max and hobbies and nights out with a few friends—

And now Sam.

It was a sweet irony that the military had given him both opportunity and motive in wooing her. Another major, his feminine counterpart in so many ways, but more than that, an amazing soul mate. Sam could make him laugh, could argue everything and anything with him, could take him from the first hot kiss to the last sleepy hug without hesitation. She matched to his needs, even the ones he’d denied having, and loved him all the more for it.

Paul let his glance drop to the second sheet of paper, drawing in another deep breath, his jaw tightening as he skimmed over the middle section. There was an enumerated list of three choices and farther down on the sheet, a deadline. In all honesty he didn’t need to look them over again—he knew them by heart. The three assignment choices to his promotion could have been labeled A track, B track, back burner, as predictable as tomorrow’s sunrise, but this time they carried an added weight, and Paul sighed.

First option, the gleaming rung up for career advancement was a well-earned and desired assignment—England. The Joint Chiefs thought enough of his work with the Gate program to offer him the plum of Senior Executive officer for the Gate Alliance in the UK. He’d be working under General Vidrine, monitoring and co-coordinating programs on an international level, working out of Mildenhall, Suffolk. Excellent pay raise, living expenses, a tour of Europe always looked good on the record.

Two big down sides.

No Sam.

Not an option.

No nephews either, although he’d be able to see them more often than he would Sam, but still—two strikes right there. Paul knew he’d regret missing the boys, but not seeing Sam was flat out of the question.

Pass on Mildenhall then. Vidrine would have to settle for another Executive officer, maybe one who spoke more languages than English and a smattering of Italian.

Paul grinned, thinking further that the Italian he DID know wasn’t the sort he wanted anyone else to hear, least of all a hard-ass humorless general.

He considered the second choice on the list. Not quite the plum, but with definite perks to it: Senior Staff administration for Area 52 and the Prometheus project out of Nellis AFB, Nevada. That would put him within a two-hour flight of the Mountain.

Definite perk. While being out in Nevada would make seeing the boys a little harder, the idea of being close to Sam had a hell of a lot of appeal. He took a moment to consider the assignment itself—mostly administrative, some hard science brush up would be in order, and chances were good he’d be working under Hammond on this one, if the rumor mill was accurate.

Paul gave a thoughtful nod and let his gaze take in the third option.

Chief Information Officer for the press offices of the Pentagon. Ugh—briefings and spin doctoring classified information all day—Paul winced at the thought. Although a canny and practical man, he couldn’t imagine spending his days censoring and filtering the thousands of bytes of information. That sort of job was for the NID and bureaucratic types who’d never actually faced a System Lord.

The only perk to it was staying close to the boys—but Paul knew his choice was clear. He reached for his phone and dialed the flightline.

***   ***   ***

The doorbell rang; Sam bit back a bad word and set her brush down, wiping her paint-covered fingers on her old blouse as she padded through the room. Part of her hoped it was just a UPS delivery rather than a summons back to the Mountain, especially now that she finally had a chance to change the color of the guest room.

A quick peek through the spy hole and she gasped. Yanking the door open, she blurted,

“Paul! What are you DOING here!?”

He grinned at her, looking endearingly casual in a green pullover and jeans, his goatee freshly trimmed, and Sam threw her arms around him before remembering the state of her blouse. Paul wouldn’t let her go, though, and they kissed so hard and enthusiastically her knees buckled a bit.

“Hi. What’s for dinner? I’m starved—“ he herded her back into the house, smiling at her slightly glazed expression. Sam let him push her forward into the living room as she tried to gather her thoughts.

“Why didn’t you call to let me know you were coming? I could have been gone—or out of town—“ she protested. Paul smiled.

“I checked with the Mountain before catching a hop out so I knew you were home, and I just wanted to drop in—I can do that, can’t I?”

Sam blinked and grinned.

“Oh COURSE you can, I just didn’t expect it out of the blue like this. I thought you’d be tied up in Washington until the end of the month. This is a terrific surprise, how long can you stay?”

“A while—got something in mind for dinner?”

“Not really—“ she gazed at him lovingly, blue eyes big. Paul dug in his pocket and fished out something silver.

“I picked up some salad in DC—“ he teased, holding out the oak leaf insignias. Sam gasped.

“Paul! It came through?”

“Yep. The official letter’s still sitting on my desk—“ he didn’t get a chance to talk further as Sam yanked him into another hug, this one full of fierce pride. He hugged her back, touched beyond words at her gesture.

“Wow. Lieutenant Colonel Davis. That’s wonderful, Paul, nobody deserves it more! I’m thrilled for you,” she prattled, blinking back a few tears, her smile wide. Paul reached out to stroke the side of her face, sighing.

“I haven’t even told my folks yet, or Connie. First thing I did was come HERE, Sam, to tell YOU—“ he confessed in a low voice. Sam cupped her hand over his, turning to kiss the palm. Moving swiftly Paul pulled her in again and kissed her hair, murmuring in her ear.

“Love you, baby.”

“Love you too, Paul. Love you MORE.”

“Okay, I’ll live with that—“ he teased. “But I wasn’t kidding about dinner—what do you want to do?”

She glanced down at herself and sighed.

“Let me take you out to O’Malley’s to celebrate. They changed ownership recently so I’m pretty sure they won’t throw me out—give me about half an hour to scrub up.”

“Sure—but it’s my treat—“

“But you’re the guest!”

“I’m also able to pull rank now, so don’t argue,” he reminded her, kissing her nose to soften his tone. Sam shook her head and darted out to the bedroom leaving Paul to look around her house.

He looked around, sighing a bit to himself as he re-pocketed the insignia. The last time he’d been here for the football game he’d been so focused on Sam and the Redskins that he hadn’t had a chance to actually notice the place. Paul heard the shower come on, and grinned. Moving quickly he stepped into the nearest bedroom, overwhelmed by the scent of paint, realizing this had been her project. Paul looked around, seeing the Museum prints neatly stacked on the bed, the drop cloths around the edges of the walls, the masking tape over the light switches and outlets. Apparently the room was going from a deep salmon color to a rich pale blue, and Paul approved.

He stepped out again and into the adjoining bedroom, smiling as he recognized it as Sam’s bedroom. It held a cool femininity to it, from the subtle florals of the décor to the sweet scent of her perfume, and Paul felt himself stiffen a little with anticipation. There were plants in abundance here: ferns and pothos, little African violets and potted bamboo gracing the windowsills by the gauzy curtains. He stared at the brass framed bed and stepped closer.

Sam’s bedspread was a lovely rich blue, striped with thin bands of lighter blue, very soothing to the eye. The white ruffled pillows hinted at the sensuality he well remembered, and he smirked to find a pair of panties hooked over the footboard nearest him. If he touched them, Paul knew they’d never make it to dinner, so he restrained himself and looked to her dresser.

Framed photos graced the marble top of the vanity, and Paul was moved to see the one he’d made for her at center stage, the photo of the two of them in the photo booth as charming and silly as ever. There were other shots too: One of her father and a man he supposed must be her brother Mark, a team shot of SG1 at some picnic, one of him and Max from the birthday week, one of Cassie’s school photos—

The display was a clear reflection of Sam’s heart, as open and carefully tended as a garden. Paul noticed too, that there were no career awards or honors in the room, no trace of her profession here at all. He looked at his reflection in the vanity and realized something else.

It was set at such an angle that the entire bed was reflected in it, and the sudden salacious image of making love to Sam while both of them could watch each other made his cock throb hard.

“Sam!” he called, desperate for distraction. There was still so much to discuss at dinner, and thoughts of nailing his darling through the mattress would definitely derail those.

“Okay, okay I’m out—“ she muttered, stalking into the room barely wrapped in a towel. Paul gave a little groan and swooped in, scooping her into his arm and kissing her hungrily. She laughed against his mouth.

“You couldn’t have missed me—I’ve only been gone about ten minutes—“

“One towel stands between us and hot, wild—“ Paul groaned. Sam pulled away from him and waved a stern hand in his face.

“Food first—“

***   ***   ***

O’Malley’s wasn’t crowded, and the hostess seated them near a window within a few minutes, leaving menus for the two of them.
Paul stared at it without reading anything. Sam let hers drop back onto the table.

In a quick move, Paul slid his hands across the table to lace his fingers with hers. Sam smiled.

“Hey—“

“Sam—“ Paul began, and then stopped. He sighed, looking at her for a long moment. “—I love you.”

Sam dropped her head and blushed, sweet shyness evident.

“Wow, what brought THAT on? I sort of figured it out when you showed up out of the blue, Paul—“

“It’s just—the future. We haven’t talked about it. About you and me in the future—“

Before he could say more the waitress was back with two bottles of beer; Sam let go of one hand and took hers, biting her lip before meeting Paul’s gaze.

“The future is the one thing we don’t have a lot of control over, Do-Right. A few weeks ahead at most, maybe a month or two at a time, but—“

“We’ve got more than that—“ Paul argued lightly, sipping his own his dark brew. “Right now, I have the option of knowing EXACTLY where I’ll be for the next two years: London, Nevada or DC, Nell baby. The next twenty four months boil down to one of those three.”

Sam nodded, mulling things over in her mind. Paul leaned forward.

“Penny for your thoughts—“

“Are we ready to order?” the waitress asked softly, cutting into the moment. Paul bit back his frustration as Sam smiled blandly up at the woman.

“Grilled bass sounds good—salad, ranch dressing and a diet Coke.”

“I’ll have the same, but regular Coke,” Paul chimed in absently. He was studying Sam’s right hand, his thumb lightly rubbing across her knuckles, touched that she was wearing the blue topaz. Sam followed his gaze, her expression softening.

“One of the last things Janet told me was how lucky I was,” she whispered to him. Paul squeezed her hand while they both let the silence swirl around them.

Gradually Paul leaned back and drank more of his beer.

“The first two are good choices—“ he tossed out lightly. Sam nodded.

“London would be the fast track—Vidrine is one to watch these days, and you’d be in the inner circle,” she agreed somewhat glumly. Paul nodded. More silence.

“And you speak the language—“ she added. That brought a grin, and Paul rolled his eyes.

“I suppose I do. But it’s a two year stint halfway around the globe. I wouldn’t be able to get back often to see—“

“—The boys, I know—“ Sam finished, but Paul shook his head.

“—You. To see YOU,” he insisted. For a long moment they looked at each other in the low light, focused by a lovely sense of intimacy. Sam felt the prickle of tears sting her eyes; Paul swallowed hard.

“God, Sam, I don’t want to be any farther from you than I have to be, baby. I can’t ask you to leave the Mountain, but I’d go out of my mind in London, no matter how much work or how many career points it might earn me.”

Paul’s confession stunned Sam with its deep low sincerity, and her grip on his hand tightened to an almost painful degree.

“Paul—“ Now it was her turn to stop, to look down at his big fingers wrapped around hers. She shook a little, and then managed to speak again.

“—All this time I’ve been trying to tell myself that I want what YOU want, but it’s a lie. I want what I want, and that’s you. I want you so much—“

“—It hurts to be without you. I know the feeling, babe. Believe me,” Paul sighed. He brought her hand up and kissed the knuckles, one by one. The waitress appeared with the two plates; Paul looked up at her.

“I’m sorry, but we need this to go—“


***   ***   ***

Paul barely let Sam unlock the door before he swept in behind her, arms locked around her waist, kissing her with wanton frantic passion. Sam swayed in his gasp, barely keeping a grip on the plastic bag containing their dinners. Breaking away from him, she hurriedly shoved it onto the counter then turned back to him in the semi-darkness of the kitchen.

“Hungry?”

“Yeah—but I’m going to start with dessert—“ he firmly announced, scooping her off her feet. Giggling, Sam let him carry her to the bedroom and drop with her onto the bedspread. Moonlight shone through the gauzy curtains, and Paul watched it light up Sam’s features, making her eyes dark and almost elfin. She reached to pull his sweater off.

“I’m in the mood for Davis Delight—“ came her soft tease, “--Something big and sweet to nibble on—“ Clever fingers slid through his chest fur and toyed with his nipples; Paul drew in a sharp breath at the sensual power in her play. He smiled.

“Feeling assertive, aren’t we?”

She nodded, dipping her head to press her mouth to one of his nipples, her teeth lightly worrying it. A long low groan erupted from Paul’s throat and he shuddered at the heat rocketing to his groin. Sam turned her attention to the other nipple, pushing him flat on the bed.

“I guess it’s been a long time coming, but I want to make this perfectly clear. You’re MINE, Paul. I’ve never really felt this—possessive about anybody before, but damn it, you really really are—“

“—Yours, oh yeah, babe,” Paul agreed huskily. He smiled up at her, reaching to pull her down, but she took his wrists and pinned them over his head as she kissed him and straddled his hips.

“You’re my dessert tonight, lover. Lie back—“

Startled at her firm tone, Paul did, watching as Sam slowly peeled off her shirt and bra in seductively coquettish moves. She dropped them over the bed and stretched her arms, flaunting her chest, smiling down at him.

“I can find the square root of almost any three digit number without a calculator, I can set up a Naquadah generator blindfolded, but I’m still learning about you, Paul Davis. Your taste, for example—“

Bending down, she slid her mouth over his collarbone, her hands curling around the broad frame of his shoulders. Paul’s hips arched up into her in a strong bucking motion and she giggled into his ear.

“I want you too—“

“So take me—“ Paul urged in a low needy voice.

Sam did. Swiftly she undressed him, tossing the clothes off the edge of the bed before sliding herself on his nude body, letting her own caress his. Paul growled a little, but Sam kept her splayed hands on his chest as she inched her way down his lightly furred stomach with kisses.

“Staking my territory, Paul—“

The warm weight of her on him, her breasts pressing against his thighs aroused him further, and by the time Sam slid her mouth onto his heated cock, Paul cried out in unabashed pleasure, thrusting up into her lips even as he tried to hold back. Sam laughed around his aching shaft.

“Allllll Mine—“ she gloated in the dark as he laughed helplessly, his hands tangling in her short hair.

“Yessss—“

She took his hands and cupped them to her face, then gently bent to suck again; Paul shuddered, feeling the muscles of her cheeks flex as she pleasured him. Sam moaned happily, bracing herself up on her hands, starting a light quick rhythm that left Paul straining to hold back.

“GodSamOhh—“ he groaned, striving hard not to come, to just ride the hot wild sensations as long as he could, but Sam slowed down and shifted gears, moving to a series of long slow licks along the throbbing length of him, blowing lightly between strokes as she cupped his heavy balls. Paul felt his ass tighten, knew the cords were standing out in his neck now, his thumbs stroking her cheeks.

“I’m, I’m too close, baby—“ he groaned, torn between the first wild desire to come hard all over her and the second, to pull her up and drive deeply into her.

Sam looked up then, and in the beam of moonlight pouring into the room Paul felt his heart pound hard as he took in the incredible beauty of her face, her almost worshipful expression. He blinked back tears.

“W-with you—“ Paul managed, and Sam understood. She scrambled up and slid her long legs around him as they both sat up, and reached down between them, guiding Paul’s cock to the plush folds between her quivering thighs. He grabbed her bottom and thrust, impaling her, making both of them cry out in a lovely duet of musical lust. The bed creaked as Paul pulled her into a rocking motion, the two of them sitting up, face to face in the soft light.

Paul kissed her, thrusting in short deep pushes as Sam arched and writhed, clutching his shoulders, her breasts bouncing.

“LoveyouloveyouALWAYSPaul—“ she whimpered, hot tears running down her face. He cupped one hand behind her neck, licking the wet tracks on her face as he felt himself swell deep within her.

“Yours, Sam, I AM yours babe ohohfuuuuuuck!” He groaned, feeling the hot tight pulses of her orgasm squeeze him unmercifully, forcing the hot sweet joy of his own moments later in deep powerful jets within her.

They lay back, not wanting to pull away from each other, staying as one until the sweat cooled from their skin and the deep drowsiness of sleep overtook them both.

Paul slept well, his lips on Sam’s forehead, arms around her.

He awoke once in the night and looked down at her, feeling her breath on his skin in a slow kiss of warmth, and the hot giddy awareness shot through him. He murmured a silent prayer for the amazing blessing of Sam before closing his eyes and sleeping once more.

End