glaring at her. She smothered her laughter as best she could but couldn't help the snicker
that slipped out. She tried to take Riley in her arms only to be poked in the ribs.
Sam sobered. "I wasn't laughing at you Babe, honest. I just never pictured you as the
jealous type."
Riley blushed at her behavior. "It's a new experience for me." She admitted sheepishly.
"I... just the thought of you with her every day in that little car... I just... It makes me nuts."
"I promise, you have nothing to worry about, besides Kellie's not gay." Riley snorted.
"And even if she was it wouldn't matter. I love you Riley and I'm not interested in
anyone else." She told her seriously. Sam realized this had more to do with just being jealous. Part of it must be coming from Riley's insecurities. Knowing how Linda treated
her, she wasn't surprised.
Riley straddled Sam's lap facing her. It was time to change the subject; she was
embarrassed by her jealousy. She leered at Sam then leaned forward.
"Now what was that about showing me your equipment?" She husked in Sam's ear then pulled the lobe between her teeth and bit down lightly.
Sam groaned as all coherent thought was driven from her mind.
Chapter Thirteen
Riley had kept her promise to Denny to bring Sam over to meet Carol and Jeremy. She'd
been a little nervous, they had both despised Linda, but then again she could hardly
blame them. They were both immediately taken with Sam. At the first get-together, Sam
had come across as very open and friendly. Only Riley knew that despite Carol's probing
Sam had actually told her very little about herself personally. It'd been so skillfully done that neither Carol nor Denny had realized it. As time passed and Sam began to trust them
she'd gradually opened up a little more. Now over two months later Riley could honestly
say that Carol and Denny were Sam's friends as well as hers. Sam took great pleasure in
hearing all the tales Denny told about her from medical school and work. Sam had
laughingly told her it was payback for encouraging Jess to tell stories about her.
Riley looked up when the sound of laughter interrupted her thoughts. They'd invited
Carol and Denny to the condo for dinner and she'd been working on a salad to go with
the dinner Sam was making. Taking in the scene before her, her eyes narrowed. Carol
was standing behind Sam at the stove, her hands on Sam's broad shoulders and she was
leaning lightly against her back as they talked. Carol laughed at something Sam said.
Riley cleared her throat loudly and two heads turned at the sound. Carol raised her
eyebrow in question but never removed her hands from Sam. Sam got a good look at
Riley's face, Uh Oh! I know that look! Before she could move away from Carol Riley spoke.
"If you can't keep your hands off my girlfriend, I'm not going to invite you over any
more." Riley told Carol in an only partly teasing tone.
Carol flushed with embarrassment and quickly removed her hands from Sam. It wasn't
the first time Riley had mentioned her penchant for touching Sam. Carol didn't know
what it was about the beautiful cop that just seemed to draw her to her. She'd always
been a very tactile person but Sam just seemed to bring that trait out in her even more.
She grimaced to herself; you'd think I'd know by now how Riley reacts to someone
touching Sam. Carol was saved by a cry from the other room.
"I better go check on the baby." She said quickly making her retreat.
Riley got up and approached Sam. Sam wrapped her up in a loving embrace and leaned
down to kiss her. "She doesn't mean anything by it Babe." Sam tried to assure Riley.
"I know." Riley admitted blushing. "I can't help it. I hate seeing another woman's hands on you no matter how innocent. Poor Kellie must think I'm the biggest bitch around."
She said remembering her reaction to Kellie touching Sam the first time they'd gotten
together at O'Grady's for drinks. Sam had hoped by Riley getting to know Kellie it
would ease her jealously. Riley sighed. "Carol has always been the touchy feely type, it never bothered me before."
Carol came back into the room. She walked over to where Riley was still wrapped in
Sam's arms and put her hand gently on Riley's back.
"I'm sorry."
"No, I'm sorry." Riley apologized. "I just don't know what comes over me sometimes. I see a woman touch Sam, no matter how innocently and this jealous bitch just jumps
out."
Carol ran her eyes appraisingly down and back up Sam's body. "Can't say I blame you
Kiddo."
Riley grinned when Sam blushed at Carol's blatant appraisal. The three women shared a
laugh easing any remaining tension.
A banging at the front door announced Denny's return. "I'm going to kill him if he wakes the baby." Carol declared as she headed for the front door.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
They sat eating dinner and discussing Carol and Denny's plans for the upcoming holiday.
It would be Jeremy's first Thanksgiving. Denny's parents had yet to see the little boy and
would be flying out to spend the holiday with their new grandson.
"I bet you'll be glad to miss the 'command performance' next week." Denny commented to Riley.
Riley grimaced. "Yeah I sure won't miss spending an evening with those pompous jerks."
Sam looked over at her questioningly.
"Every year at Thanksgiving my uncle hosts a dinner to support the homeless. Part of the proceeds from the tickets goes to provide Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless at a
local shelter. These blowhards stand around all night in their fancy suits and pat
themselves on the back for their great contribution to the community. If they just donated
all the money it took to put on the dinner they could probably provide food to a local
shelter for a year." Riley ranted. "Since my uncle sponsors the event I was required to attend, with an escort he chose of course. I wonder how he'll explain my absence. I've
been there every year since I was eleven. He'll probably tell them I'm dead." She said bitterly.
Carol glared at Denny for even bringing up the painful subject. "So Sam, Riley
mentioned you're going to your sister's for Thanksgiving. Is that something you do every
year?" she asked trying to change the subject.
"We usually celebrate Thanksgiving at my folks but this year my Mom finally convinced
Dad to take her on the cruise he'd been promising her. So Jess said she'd have the dinner
at her place. It'll be a much smaller crowd than is usually at my folks. Just Jess and Kim, my brother Frank and his wife and I think Jess mentioned one of Kim's brothers might
come."
Carol noticed Riley's face pale at the mention of the family dinner. She quickly changed
the subject again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Denny and Sam volunteered to do dishes. Riley protested but was overruled. She sat
cross-legged on the sofa with Carol, keeping her company while she fed Jeremy. Carol
glanced around the room; she still couldn't get over how much the room had changed.
Gone was the uncomfortable white couch and wing chair; in their place was a huge
rolled arm burgundy leather sofa. The glass and metal tables had been replaced with
sturdy wood tables with butcher-block patterned tops. There were framed photographs of
Riley's parents including several with Riley as a child on the side table next to the sofa.
The impressionist paintings were gone from the walls and in their place were several