stopped her placing a restraining hand on her wrist. She knew if Sam lowered
the boxers, she'd do something totally inappropriate.
"It's okay." She told Sam softly. "I can see fine with them on." She lightly squeezed Sam's wrist before releasing it. Riley carefully examined the incision
line below the boxers before gently pushing them up to expose the rest of the
incision. She rotated Sam's leg to check the second incision. She ran her fingers
over the incision lines in an almost light caress. Sam couldn't help it she groaned
as Riley's fingers ran lightly over the inside of her thigh. Riley's head popped up
at the sound. She met Sam's passion filled eyes and swallowed loudly. Their
gazes locked. Riley didn't even notice her hand was still on Sam stroking high
up on her inner thigh. Before she realized what was happening Sam had pulled
her down so she was sitting on the bed facing her. They continued to stare at
each other in a contest of wills. Riley gave in first, licking her lips, and breaking
Sam's gaze leaning toward her slightly. Sam sat up and leaned down her lips
inches from Riley's. She pulled back at the last second trying to read Riley's
expression. Riley couldn't stand it anymore. She leaned those last inches and
met Sam's soft lips. The kiss was electric. This time Riley pushed for entrance
into Sam's mouth. As she swept her tongue into Sam's mouth and began to
explore she forgot everything. She didn't care Sam was a patient or that they
were sitting on her hospital bed with Sam's sweats bunched up at her knees. All
that mattered was the incredible sensation racing through her body. They
continued to kiss passionately for several minutes. Riley was panting for air
when they finally broke apart. Sam clutched her to her chest in a tight hug. Riley
had to have more; she lifted her head and went back to Sam's lips again kissing
her deeply. Her hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they slowly slid off
Sam's back and around to her front. Riley felt Sam gasp in her mouth when she
began to knead both of her breasts through her t-shirt. Sam's hands came up
and returned the favor.
Riley would wonder later just how far things would've gone had they not been
interrupted. A sudden banging on the door was like a bucket of ice water being
dumped on Riley's over-heated libido. She jerked away from Sam and jumped
off the bed trying to block Sam from whoever was about to barge in. By the time
Riley called admittance and the door swung open Sam had managed to
rearrange her clothes and stood next to Riley.
It was one of the floor nurses. "Dr. Connolly one of your patients is asking for
you."
"Thanks I'll be right there." The woman left closing the door on her way out. Sam immediately reached for Riley. Riley stepped back away from Sam. She had to
get out of there. This woman was dangerous she made her forget everything,
who she was, what she believed in. Riley was terrified of the feelings coursing
through her body. Sam stepped forward again trying to take Riley back into her
arms.
Riley met her eyes; they'd turned the most amazing silvery blue. "I can't, I'm
sorry I just can't do this." She tried to explain.
"Why?" Sam demanded. "I know you feel something, you can't deny that!"
Riley felt the tears gathering behind her eyes. "You're my patient; I can't be
involved with you. It's unethical."
"Ethics be damned! I'm not your patient anymore." Sam shouted in frustration
snatching up the discharge papers off the table and waving them at Riley.
Riley felt the tears start to flow down her cheeks. She slowly backed away from
Sam. "I'm so sorry." She said reaching for the door handle.
"Riley wait!" Sam watched in disbelief as Riley ran from the room. She'd done it
to her again, kissed her senseless then insisted they couldn't be involved. I can't
believe it! That's the second time she's run out on me. What kind of game is she
playing? She slumped back down to sit on the side of the bed. I will not cry, I will not cry, she chanted to herself.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Frank stepped forward when the door started to open. He'd heard Sam's raised
voice but couldn't make out what was being said. Riley ran right into him. He
grabbed her by the shoulders trying to keep her from falling. That's when he saw
the tears trailing down her cheeks. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"
Riley pulled away from him and ran down the hall.
"What the hell?" He rushed into Sam's room to find her sitting on the side of the bed her shoulders slumped and looking like she'd just lost her best friend. He
approached her and sat down on the side of the bed putting an arm around her
shoulders. She crumpled throwing herself against his chest and began to cry.
Frank looked at Cheryl helplessly, not knowing what was going on or what to do.
Cheryl sat down on Sam's other side. She didn't know Sam as well as Kim did.
Living in San Francisco, they didn't get to see as much of Sam as Kim and Jess
did; nevertheless, she cared for her sister-in-law and wanted to help.
"Sam... do you want to tell us what happened?" Sam shook her head never
lifting it from her brother's chest. "Do you want to go home?"
Sam nodded yes. Cheryl gathered up Sam's belongings and the three slowly
made their way out of the hospital. Sam never spoke a single word all the way
home.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Riley wearily made her way home at the end of the day grateful she wasn't on
call tonight. She had struggled through the day haunted by her final glimpse of
Sam McKenna. She'd hidden in a patient's doorway and watched as an angry
Frank pushed Sam's wheelchair down the hall. Sam's face had been a blank
mask. Several nurses had said goodbye and wished her luck. She'd barely
acknowledged them. She looked so defeated it tore at Riley's heart knowing she
was the cause. She'd tried all day to convince herself it was for the best. She
threw herself down on the bed as the tears she'd been suppressing all day
finally poured out.
She woke to a darkened room. She sat up rubbing her eyes and decided to skip
dinner and just go to bed. She grabbed a quick shower pulling on a comfortable
tee shirt and boxers before climbing into bed. She tried to fall back to sleep
without success. Her thoughts drifted and a pair of silvery blue eyes appeared in
her mind's eye. She groaned rolling over onto her side. I'm not going to think of
Sam, she told herself , but her mind had other ideas. She was held captive as the images played out reliving the events of that morning. She felt again her tongue
in Sam's mouth their breaths mingling, the feel of Sam's breasts in her hands.
Then the scene changed. She watched as in her mind Sam approached
reaching out to gently pull her nude body into her arms. She felt the gentle touch
of Sam's lips on hers and the feeling of her arms surrounding her. Riley rolled
onto her back completely lost in the fantasy. Sam slowly lowered her to the bed
and began to caress her breasts. She kissed and lightly kneaded both breasts
rolling the nipples gently between her fingers. Sam leaned down tasting an erect
bud with her tongue before sucking it into her mouth. Riley moaned, her arousal
soaring. Sam continued to caress her sliding her hand down between Riley's