Sand, Sun, and Seduction for stargazercmc
Title: Sun, Sand, and Seduction
Author: lovellama
Rating: PG
Recipient: Stargazercmc
Prompts: towel, sands, beer, hat
Word Count: 3,603
Summary: Sam throws down a gauntlet, but will Daniel pick it up?
A/N: Thanks to my Beta, cincoflex, any mistakes are hers. I mean mine. :D Stargazercmc, I hope this fits what you were expecting.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"This looks promising." Ever the optimist, Daniel shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun reflecting off the brilliant white sands and clear blue water of a small cove on PX34-884 as he stepped out of the Gate. In a burst of uncharacteristic generosity, the IC had designated this uninhabited planet a rest and relaxation site for SGC personnel. Their bounteousness hadn't lasted long enough to budget money for decent lodgings however, but Landry had pulled enough strings and made enough of a fuss to get a few basic huts with running water and lights. There was enough of an ocean breeze that air conditioning wasn't needed and the IC figured that anyone willing to eat rations off world wouldn't mind grilling their meal over an open flame.
Sam made a small noise that could be taken for agreement or dispute. It was just her and Daniel this time; Teal'c had convincingly argued to take their three day down time with the Jaffa and Cameron had wheedled Landry into letting him get certified on the X-304. There were a ton of different things Sam would like to be doing-- working on refining the energy output on the next generation of Naquada generators, trying to figure out was what spiking the energy readings from PC2-744, even working on that book on wormhole physics she never got to finish…. However, admiring the back end view of Daniel awkwardly walking across the shifting sand with one of the supply crates, Sam decided she could start one thing she'd been meaning to do for a very long time, and that this might very well end up being a very nice vacation after all. Sun, sand, water, a number of longnecks… oh yes, a very nice vacation indeed. Operation Seduction was a go.
The two of them had the planet to themselves, as all ten huts minus their two were empty. After SG-1's last mission Sam welcomed the solitude. Too many questions and suspicious looks from Woolsey and his gang. Grabbing the handle of the other crate, Sam followed Daniel to the huts.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tying the stings of her bikini, Sam wished there was more than the small mirror hanging in the bathroom that she could see herself in and absent mindedly rubbed the sore spot on her hip where Janet had injected her thrice yearly birth control that morning. At least it wasn't bruising like last time when that ham handed Anders had stabbed her… a wide brimmed straw hat, sunscreen, and a towel rounded out what she needed for the beach. With a spring in her step Sam slipped on her sunglasses and walked the few yards to where a pair of donated beach loungers were set out above the high tide line. Thinking a moment, she pulled one slightly back and settled into the other, happy to be warm.
But not alone.
"Daniel!"
"What?" came the muffled reply from the hut next to hers.
"Are you coming out here?"
"Yeah, just… give me a minute!"
Sighing, Sam picked up a sun bleached stick and doodled in the smooth sand. Idle lines turned to physics equations and it wasn't until a shadow fell over her scribbles that Sam realized Daniel was standing over her.
"We were ordered not to work," he chided with a smile. He was wearing only a faded pair of swim trunks that were new in the 80's and the matching pair of sunglasses that came with his frames.
"Yeah, well, what's with the books then?" Sam grinned as a chagrined Daniel tried to hide a small stack of his notebooks behind his back.
Daniel awkwardly spread out his towel on the lounge and attempted to keep hold of the books at the same time, but the stack kept slipping and finally fell. Sam was able to catch them before they hit the sand, earning her another smile. From behind her sunglasses she delightedly watched the muscles ripple under Daniel's skin as he straightened the towel then sat beside her. Moving as if to get comfortable, Sam stretched out her legs, shifted her shoulders to gain Daniel's attention. Unfortunately with him sitting back from her, she couldn't see if he had noticed or not. She moved again, more deliberately this time.
"You all right, Sam? These old straps can be prickly, you should have laid down your towel first," came Daniel's preoccupied murmur.
Sam stilled, grumbling to herself under her breath. Watching the waves break against the sand, she waited, trying to figure out when enough time had passed so that she could make her next move. If she knew Daniel at all (and Sam was quite sure that she did), he would have forgotten to put sunscreen on. An age old trick, but to be honest Sam didn't have a lot of practice in the art of seduction.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Daniel's legs from the knees down. Strong calves from walking as much as they did, lightly covered with dark hair, and narrow feet with toes that echoed his long slender fingers. The sound of the water lulled Sam as she daydreamed about those fingers, how they would lightly skim across carvings in a temple wall, or delicately hold up an artifact they had sifted from a sandy clearing. She wondered how they would feel gliding over her skin, their firm grip holding her down as Daniel-
The raucous cry of a sea bird startled Sam out of her reverie; groping for the sunscreen she shook the bottle, pounding it against her hand to mix it well. "Did you put on sunscreen?"
"What? Umm… no, I forgot."
Sam swung her legs over the edge of the lounger so she faced Daniel. "You can use mine if you do my back." She waggled the bottle to take any hint of innuendo out of her words. Besides, actions speak louder, she thought. "Want me to do you first?"
Waiting as he nodded in agreement, Sam watched Daniel place the notebook he was reading on top of the stack of others beside him and presented his back to her. Sam grinned madly to herself as she flipped the top to the bottle and squirted a healthy dollop into her palm. A quick swipe of the palms against each other to distribute the sunscreen before the laying of the hands…
Over wide, muscled shoulders, down lean flanks, and back up the small valley of his spine-Sam took her time, being sure to work the lotion in well. Down the arms just a bit, then impishly she pulled back the band of his suit and rubbed lotion across Daniel's waist, ready with her 'excuse of his suit riding down later.
No response.
Piqued, Sam leaned over a bit to see that he had picked up his notebook and was reading again. "Done." Sam knocked the bottle against his arm to get his attention.
"Oh, ok. Let me finish." Sam mentally twiddled her thumbs as Daniel covered the rest of himself, only halfheartedly trying not to stare as those fingers smeared lotion all over his skin… "Your turn."
"Yeah! Erm, right." They both flipped and faced the other way. Sam reached behind her back and tugged on the ties to her top, catching the fabric against her chest. Brusquely, efficiently, impersonally, Daniel applied the sunscreen to her. "Done," he said all too soon for her, and before Sam knew it his nose was back in his notebook.
She nearly growled in frustration. Maybe she could contrive to 'lose' the notebooks. The scientist in Sam quickly squashed that thought; besides, it just wasn't nice. Going back to doodling equations in the sand, a few minutes at the most were wasted before the area within the reach of her stick was full of scribbles.
Was it too early to get a beer? Sam peered at the sun low in the sky over the water; it might be too early Earth time, but it was well into the afternoon here. Problem was she didn't particularly feel like a beer. Maybe with dinner…
Restless, Sam got up and resettled her hat as she gazed up and down the shoreline. "I'm going for a walk, want to come?" she tossed over to Daniel, passing in front of his lounger.
"Sure, see you later," he finally said to thin air. Sam was already yards away, having given up on getting a reply.
The stroll down the beach was-nice. She found some interesting shells, some exoskeletons of strange looking sea creatures, and a couple of dead land animals which she gave a wide berth. Sam tried to concentrate on the latest Naquada generator test results, but the feel of Daniel under her hands kept creeping back and she found herself unconsciously flexing her hands, wanting to feel him again.
Slow and steady wins the race, she reassured herself, but Sam wasn't sure if that was going to be quick enough for three days and two nights. Once she and Daniel got back to Earth he'd probably shutter himself away again and she'd be back to square one. So steady, but quick. Flirty, but serious about it.
Sighing, Sam turned to retrace her steps, beginning to collect driftwood for a fire that night. Or maybe she should just get Daniel drunk and jump him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sam dusted her hands off, looking at the pile of driftwood in front of her with a satisfied smile. It had taken walking the other way past the huts, but she had collected enough to get them through two nights. Hot and sticky now, Sam strode down to the water line and stuck a foot in. Warm, but cooler than she was. She plunged in, letting the waves surge around her, washing away the sweat and sand of her exertions. Slicing the water over her shoulders, Sam splashed some on her face too, glad the sea here wasn't as salty as Earth's. Not pure enough to drink-they had had to sink a well further back in the jungle, but enough to take a bath in.
Refreshed, Sam waded out of the water and struggled up the beach, her feet sinking into the soft, dry sand. The scent of charcoal came to her on the breeze, and Sam, now hungry, debated the merits of steak over chicken as she entered her hut to get the snug caftan she bought for the trip and tossed her hat onto the bed.
"What did you decide for dinner?" Sam called out to Daniel, twitching the sheer material in place over her shoulders and hips as she bounded down her steps and up his to the wide porch each hut had. Daniel had changed from his trunks to a pair of khaki shorts, but was still bare chested she was happy to see. Peering around him as her leaned over the small hibachi, Sam let herself press casually against one of Daniel's shoulders, her hand on the other.
"I didn't yet. What do you want?" He peered at the coals which were grey, covered in a fine ash. "I think it's ready," he added, slightly dubiously Sam thought.
"Chicken tonight. I feel like something light." She squeezed his shoulder gently before straightening and moving into Daniel's hut. "I'm sorry I forgot to help you put the food away."
"S'all right. You collected the wood." He voice floated through the door over the sound of the waves.
Sam pulled a ziplocked bag of marinated chicken along with two bottles of beer from the small refrigerator. Alcohol supposedly wasn't allowed, but those in the know knew that Landry could give a special dispensation. Tossing the bag on the small table the hibachi was on, Sam screwed off the cap and handed one to Daniel, then opened hers. The beer was cool and tingly going down, and Sam sighed happily as she lay back on the hammock stretched out in the corner of the porch.
"You cook the meat and I'll set the table," she told Daniel, waving her bottle in the general direction of the hibachi before taking another pull. Yep, life was good, thought Sam, admiring the way Daniel's muscles moved under his skin as he puttered over the meat and looking forward to tonight. Life was good.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Life sucked, thought Sam as she dragged her way up the beach and dropped onto her lounge chair. She eased her sandals off her feet, wincing as sand clinging to the straps abraded tender skin. Was it worth a walk to the water to rinse them off? No, she decided, they would just get sandy again.
Darn that Daniel. Sam's head fell back heavily against the lounge. Last night had started off so well. She was charming, flirty, and right after dinner Daniel had booted her off the porch and gone to bed. The next morning his proposed walk down the coast had seemed like a perfect idea until he had set a bruising pace with no time to rest except to eat lunch.
Sam snorted. 'Picnic lunch' indeed. Barely ten minutes to inhale a sandwich and a piece of fruit and they were off again. No chit chat, no conversation at all. I'm supposed to be on vacation, dammit, she groused to herself. Wrinkling her nose at her suspiciously too pink skin, Sam poked at her leg and watched as the white oval turned pink again. Some vacation.
Hauling her creaking bones out of the chair Sam hobbled to her hut, the vague sounds of Daniel taking a shower coming through his open bathroom window. Sam wondered if she flushed her toilet would his water turn hot? Giggling from the humor of it but also from fatigue, Sam was deciding a shower was just what she needed when she stopped. No, a bath was want she wanted. However, all the huts had were showers. However---
Sam turned to look at the ocean, calm under the mid afternoon sun. With a determination that put a slight spring back in her step, Sam detoured long enough to get a towel, then made a beeline for the open water. Her thrown towel made it to the lounge, but the top and bottoms of Sam's bathing suit were shed directly onto the sand, one after the other.
Bliss! thought Sam as she plunged in the warm water, letting it close over her head. Lazily she rolled over and floated to the surface, the water streaming off her face as she broke through. It wasn't a hot bath, but she wouldn't be able to float in a tub anyway. The slightly salty water stung her blisters and pinkened skin, but it was offset by the way her muscles were able to loosen, supported by the water. Sam idly toyed with the idea of falling asleep in the water, just a little nap. It was so relaxing….
Only the thought of being swept down the cove and having to walk back naked stopped her. With a regretful sigh Sam gingerly lifted her arms and scrubbed at her scalp, working the dirt and sweat out of her hair. Gently she sluiced water over the rest of her body, doing the same but trying not to aggravate her sunburn too much. With another sigh Sam stood in the shallow water, slowly making her way back up to her towel, picking up her suit along the way. Motion at Daniel's hut caught her eye, and quickly she wrapped her towel around her body. Sam kept her eyes in front of her as she made her way to her hut, feet slipping on the loose sand. Did Daniel see her come out of the water? She chuckled, amused at her modesty. Not that she would go strutting around in front of Daniel naked…
Her lethargy was gone, burned away by a flush of adrenaline as the image of her strolling into Daniel's hut burst into her mind. A dull ache settled low in her belly as Sam wondered what Daniel would do. Stammer? Bolt? Tell her to go put a shirt on for God's sake? A moot point, she conceded, as she shut the hut's louvered door behind her and opened a drawer of the chest that passed for a dresser. Sam's hand hesitated over one of her bras; her burn was hot and uncomfortable, and having snug bra straps rubbing against it all night was not something she looked forward to. Closing that drawer she opened another, taking out a loose, sleeveless batik shift Janet had given her last summer. The gauzy material floated over her skin, and thankful she had thought to bring it Sam finished getting dressed.
She could see Daniel lying on the hammock as she mounted the steps to his hut. He had placed the hibachi within arm's reach so all he had to do was reach out and flip the steaks when needed. Taking a drink of his beer, Daniel lifted the tongs in recognition. "How's your burn?" he asked.
"Not too bad," Sam answered, sitting in a rickety Adirondack chair. She slumped back, then quickly sat back up at the pressure on her skin. Flushing as her actions belied her words, Sam went into the hut to get a beer.
"Bring me one too, please," Daniel called out at the sound of the tiny refrigerator's door opening. Sam handed him the beers, waiting as he popped the caps off, then took hers to the chair, easing into it until she rested against the back.
"The steaks are almost ready, are you hungry?"
"A little." Closing her eyes, Sam drank from her beer, listening to the ocean. A sweet lassitude flooded through her body, the day's exertions catching up with her. Vaguely she was aware of the sound of steaks sizzling as Daniel turned them, the creak of the hammock as he got up, thumps and bumps as he moved around.
"Sam." A voice was soft in her ear, and Sam slowly turned her head to see Daniel close over her. His eyes were brilliant blue in the light from the setting sun, a warm smile graced his face. "Here," he said gently, placing a plate in her lap and silverware wrapped in a napkin on the arm of her chair.
"Thanks, Daniel." Sam began to cut into the meat, half aware of Daniel's hand dropping from the curved back of the chair to let his fingers trail over her shoulder. "This is fabulous," she told him, mouth full of steak. Slowly but steadily she ate, the first bite opening the floodgates of hunger. When she was done, Daniel took her plate and Sam contentedly watched the sun drop lower, the light fading as Daniel cleaned up.
"Another beer?"
Sam nodded, trading her empty bottle for new. Candlelight flickered, and the faint scent of citronella drifted by. Daniel came and sat in the other Adirondack next to her; together they watched the sun set.
"I saw you, earlier, swimming," Daniel finally said into the still night. It took Sam a moment to figure out what he meant. She shifted self-consciously as he continued. "I thought maybe you were continuing from last night, but you haven't done anything about it since then."
Floundering, Sam tried to formulate a reason for her action that didn't involve seduction, but could think of nothing to say. She should have known Daniel would have noticed, he may be absent minded at times but he was sharp as a tack and extremely observant to boot.
Daniel set down his beer and leaned over in his chair, resting on his elbow over the wide arm. "You've been trying to seduce me." It was a calm statement of fact, not a question.
Sam shrugged and looked over at Daniel, shifting toward him as she did. A wry, unapologetic smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "When did you guess?"
"The sunscreen made me suspect, that night I knew for sure."
"You did nothing though, and today kept us busy." Sam straightened, turning from Daniel and looked, unseeing, over the water.
"Have you reconsidered?"
She shook her head slowly.
"Beating around the bush never works, Sam. Next time you want something, you should ask." To her disappointment, he rose, standing over her a moment, then reached out a hand. Well, it was worth a shot, Sam told herself, wondering if she could grab a few more beers before she went back to her hut and the little battery powered device she had brought along on a whim. Placing her hand in his, Sam allowed Daniel to pull her to her feet.
And into his arms.
Surprise made Sam's mouth drop open, to which Daniel took full advantage. He kissed her, his tongue gently stroking against hers, tracing the curve of her lip. Teasing her with a light touch, Daniel coaxed a response from Sam, until she was moaning against him, her hands tangled in his hair.
A sharp pain made her gasp, causing Daniel to pull away. "Sunburn," Sam said ruefully, aware for the first time of Daniel's arms across her back, one hand splayed over the curve of her hip.
"You'll have to be on top then," he answered, with a grin, dropping little kisses down her neck and shoulder. "Then again, there's always-" Whispering the rest in her ear, Daniel led Sam into the hut as she pretended to be shocked. Laughter turned to other, softer sounds, blending with the wind and ocean outside.
Author: lovellama
Rating: PG
Recipient: Stargazercmc
Prompts: towel, sands, beer, hat
Word Count: 3,603
Summary: Sam throws down a gauntlet, but will Daniel pick it up?
A/N: Thanks to my Beta, cincoflex, any mistakes are hers. I mean mine. :D Stargazercmc, I hope this fits what you were expecting.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
"This looks promising." Ever the optimist, Daniel shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun reflecting off the brilliant white sands and clear blue water of a small cove on PX34-884 as he stepped out of the Gate. In a burst of uncharacteristic generosity, the IC had designated this uninhabited planet a rest and relaxation site for SGC personnel. Their bounteousness hadn't lasted long enough to budget money for decent lodgings however, but Landry had pulled enough strings and made enough of a fuss to get a few basic huts with running water and lights. There was enough of an ocean breeze that air conditioning wasn't needed and the IC figured that anyone willing to eat rations off world wouldn't mind grilling their meal over an open flame.
Sam made a small noise that could be taken for agreement or dispute. It was just her and Daniel this time; Teal'c had convincingly argued to take their three day down time with the Jaffa and Cameron had wheedled Landry into letting him get certified on the X-304. There were a ton of different things Sam would like to be doing-- working on refining the energy output on the next generation of Naquada generators, trying to figure out was what spiking the energy readings from PC2-744, even working on that book on wormhole physics she never got to finish…. However, admiring the back end view of Daniel awkwardly walking across the shifting sand with one of the supply crates, Sam decided she could start one thing she'd been meaning to do for a very long time, and that this might very well end up being a very nice vacation after all. Sun, sand, water, a number of longnecks… oh yes, a very nice vacation indeed. Operation Seduction was a go.
The two of them had the planet to themselves, as all ten huts minus their two were empty. After SG-1's last mission Sam welcomed the solitude. Too many questions and suspicious looks from Woolsey and his gang. Grabbing the handle of the other crate, Sam followed Daniel to the huts.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tying the stings of her bikini, Sam wished there was more than the small mirror hanging in the bathroom that she could see herself in and absent mindedly rubbed the sore spot on her hip where Janet had injected her thrice yearly birth control that morning. At least it wasn't bruising like last time when that ham handed Anders had stabbed her… a wide brimmed straw hat, sunscreen, and a towel rounded out what she needed for the beach. With a spring in her step Sam slipped on her sunglasses and walked the few yards to where a pair of donated beach loungers were set out above the high tide line. Thinking a moment, she pulled one slightly back and settled into the other, happy to be warm.
But not alone.
"Daniel!"
"What?" came the muffled reply from the hut next to hers.
"Are you coming out here?"
"Yeah, just… give me a minute!"
Sighing, Sam picked up a sun bleached stick and doodled in the smooth sand. Idle lines turned to physics equations and it wasn't until a shadow fell over her scribbles that Sam realized Daniel was standing over her.
"We were ordered not to work," he chided with a smile. He was wearing only a faded pair of swim trunks that were new in the 80's and the matching pair of sunglasses that came with his frames.
"Yeah, well, what's with the books then?" Sam grinned as a chagrined Daniel tried to hide a small stack of his notebooks behind his back.
Daniel awkwardly spread out his towel on the lounge and attempted to keep hold of the books at the same time, but the stack kept slipping and finally fell. Sam was able to catch them before they hit the sand, earning her another smile. From behind her sunglasses she delightedly watched the muscles ripple under Daniel's skin as he straightened the towel then sat beside her. Moving as if to get comfortable, Sam stretched out her legs, shifted her shoulders to gain Daniel's attention. Unfortunately with him sitting back from her, she couldn't see if he had noticed or not. She moved again, more deliberately this time.
"You all right, Sam? These old straps can be prickly, you should have laid down your towel first," came Daniel's preoccupied murmur.
Sam stilled, grumbling to herself under her breath. Watching the waves break against the sand, she waited, trying to figure out when enough time had passed so that she could make her next move. If she knew Daniel at all (and Sam was quite sure that she did), he would have forgotten to put sunscreen on. An age old trick, but to be honest Sam didn't have a lot of practice in the art of seduction.
Out of the corner of her eye she could see Daniel's legs from the knees down. Strong calves from walking as much as they did, lightly covered with dark hair, and narrow feet with toes that echoed his long slender fingers. The sound of the water lulled Sam as she daydreamed about those fingers, how they would lightly skim across carvings in a temple wall, or delicately hold up an artifact they had sifted from a sandy clearing. She wondered how they would feel gliding over her skin, their firm grip holding her down as Daniel-
The raucous cry of a sea bird startled Sam out of her reverie; groping for the sunscreen she shook the bottle, pounding it against her hand to mix it well. "Did you put on sunscreen?"
"What? Umm… no, I forgot."
Sam swung her legs over the edge of the lounger so she faced Daniel. "You can use mine if you do my back." She waggled the bottle to take any hint of innuendo out of her words. Besides, actions speak louder, she thought. "Want me to do you first?"
Waiting as he nodded in agreement, Sam watched Daniel place the notebook he was reading on top of the stack of others beside him and presented his back to her. Sam grinned madly to herself as she flipped the top to the bottle and squirted a healthy dollop into her palm. A quick swipe of the palms against each other to distribute the sunscreen before the laying of the hands…
Over wide, muscled shoulders, down lean flanks, and back up the small valley of his spine-Sam took her time, being sure to work the lotion in well. Down the arms just a bit, then impishly she pulled back the band of his suit and rubbed lotion across Daniel's waist, ready with her 'excuse of his suit riding down later.
No response.
Piqued, Sam leaned over a bit to see that he had picked up his notebook and was reading again. "Done." Sam knocked the bottle against his arm to get his attention.
"Oh, ok. Let me finish." Sam mentally twiddled her thumbs as Daniel covered the rest of himself, only halfheartedly trying not to stare as those fingers smeared lotion all over his skin… "Your turn."
"Yeah! Erm, right." They both flipped and faced the other way. Sam reached behind her back and tugged on the ties to her top, catching the fabric against her chest. Brusquely, efficiently, impersonally, Daniel applied the sunscreen to her. "Done," he said all too soon for her, and before Sam knew it his nose was back in his notebook.
She nearly growled in frustration. Maybe she could contrive to 'lose' the notebooks. The scientist in Sam quickly squashed that thought; besides, it just wasn't nice. Going back to doodling equations in the sand, a few minutes at the most were wasted before the area within the reach of her stick was full of scribbles.
Was it too early to get a beer? Sam peered at the sun low in the sky over the water; it might be too early Earth time, but it was well into the afternoon here. Problem was she didn't particularly feel like a beer. Maybe with dinner…
Restless, Sam got up and resettled her hat as she gazed up and down the shoreline. "I'm going for a walk, want to come?" she tossed over to Daniel, passing in front of his lounger.
"Sure, see you later," he finally said to thin air. Sam was already yards away, having given up on getting a reply.
The stroll down the beach was-nice. She found some interesting shells, some exoskeletons of strange looking sea creatures, and a couple of dead land animals which she gave a wide berth. Sam tried to concentrate on the latest Naquada generator test results, but the feel of Daniel under her hands kept creeping back and she found herself unconsciously flexing her hands, wanting to feel him again.
Slow and steady wins the race, she reassured herself, but Sam wasn't sure if that was going to be quick enough for three days and two nights. Once she and Daniel got back to Earth he'd probably shutter himself away again and she'd be back to square one. So steady, but quick. Flirty, but serious about it.
Sighing, Sam turned to retrace her steps, beginning to collect driftwood for a fire that night. Or maybe she should just get Daniel drunk and jump him.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Sam dusted her hands off, looking at the pile of driftwood in front of her with a satisfied smile. It had taken walking the other way past the huts, but she had collected enough to get them through two nights. Hot and sticky now, Sam strode down to the water line and stuck a foot in. Warm, but cooler than she was. She plunged in, letting the waves surge around her, washing away the sweat and sand of her exertions. Slicing the water over her shoulders, Sam splashed some on her face too, glad the sea here wasn't as salty as Earth's. Not pure enough to drink-they had had to sink a well further back in the jungle, but enough to take a bath in.
Refreshed, Sam waded out of the water and struggled up the beach, her feet sinking into the soft, dry sand. The scent of charcoal came to her on the breeze, and Sam, now hungry, debated the merits of steak over chicken as she entered her hut to get the snug caftan she bought for the trip and tossed her hat onto the bed.
"What did you decide for dinner?" Sam called out to Daniel, twitching the sheer material in place over her shoulders and hips as she bounded down her steps and up his to the wide porch each hut had. Daniel had changed from his trunks to a pair of khaki shorts, but was still bare chested she was happy to see. Peering around him as her leaned over the small hibachi, Sam let herself press casually against one of Daniel's shoulders, her hand on the other.
"I didn't yet. What do you want?" He peered at the coals which were grey, covered in a fine ash. "I think it's ready," he added, slightly dubiously Sam thought.
"Chicken tonight. I feel like something light." She squeezed his shoulder gently before straightening and moving into Daniel's hut. "I'm sorry I forgot to help you put the food away."
"S'all right. You collected the wood." He voice floated through the door over the sound of the waves.
Sam pulled a ziplocked bag of marinated chicken along with two bottles of beer from the small refrigerator. Alcohol supposedly wasn't allowed, but those in the know knew that Landry could give a special dispensation. Tossing the bag on the small table the hibachi was on, Sam screwed off the cap and handed one to Daniel, then opened hers. The beer was cool and tingly going down, and Sam sighed happily as she lay back on the hammock stretched out in the corner of the porch.
"You cook the meat and I'll set the table," she told Daniel, waving her bottle in the general direction of the hibachi before taking another pull. Yep, life was good, thought Sam, admiring the way Daniel's muscles moved under his skin as he puttered over the meat and looking forward to tonight. Life was good.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Life sucked, thought Sam as she dragged her way up the beach and dropped onto her lounge chair. She eased her sandals off her feet, wincing as sand clinging to the straps abraded tender skin. Was it worth a walk to the water to rinse them off? No, she decided, they would just get sandy again.
Darn that Daniel. Sam's head fell back heavily against the lounge. Last night had started off so well. She was charming, flirty, and right after dinner Daniel had booted her off the porch and gone to bed. The next morning his proposed walk down the coast had seemed like a perfect idea until he had set a bruising pace with no time to rest except to eat lunch.
Sam snorted. 'Picnic lunch' indeed. Barely ten minutes to inhale a sandwich and a piece of fruit and they were off again. No chit chat, no conversation at all. I'm supposed to be on vacation, dammit, she groused to herself. Wrinkling her nose at her suspiciously too pink skin, Sam poked at her leg and watched as the white oval turned pink again. Some vacation.
Hauling her creaking bones out of the chair Sam hobbled to her hut, the vague sounds of Daniel taking a shower coming through his open bathroom window. Sam wondered if she flushed her toilet would his water turn hot? Giggling from the humor of it but also from fatigue, Sam was deciding a shower was just what she needed when she stopped. No, a bath was want she wanted. However, all the huts had were showers. However---
Sam turned to look at the ocean, calm under the mid afternoon sun. With a determination that put a slight spring back in her step, Sam detoured long enough to get a towel, then made a beeline for the open water. Her thrown towel made it to the lounge, but the top and bottoms of Sam's bathing suit were shed directly onto the sand, one after the other.
Bliss! thought Sam as she plunged in the warm water, letting it close over her head. Lazily she rolled over and floated to the surface, the water streaming off her face as she broke through. It wasn't a hot bath, but she wouldn't be able to float in a tub anyway. The slightly salty water stung her blisters and pinkened skin, but it was offset by the way her muscles were able to loosen, supported by the water. Sam idly toyed with the idea of falling asleep in the water, just a little nap. It was so relaxing….
Only the thought of being swept down the cove and having to walk back naked stopped her. With a regretful sigh Sam gingerly lifted her arms and scrubbed at her scalp, working the dirt and sweat out of her hair. Gently she sluiced water over the rest of her body, doing the same but trying not to aggravate her sunburn too much. With another sigh Sam stood in the shallow water, slowly making her way back up to her towel, picking up her suit along the way. Motion at Daniel's hut caught her eye, and quickly she wrapped her towel around her body. Sam kept her eyes in front of her as she made her way to her hut, feet slipping on the loose sand. Did Daniel see her come out of the water? She chuckled, amused at her modesty. Not that she would go strutting around in front of Daniel naked…
Her lethargy was gone, burned away by a flush of adrenaline as the image of her strolling into Daniel's hut burst into her mind. A dull ache settled low in her belly as Sam wondered what Daniel would do. Stammer? Bolt? Tell her to go put a shirt on for God's sake? A moot point, she conceded, as she shut the hut's louvered door behind her and opened a drawer of the chest that passed for a dresser. Sam's hand hesitated over one of her bras; her burn was hot and uncomfortable, and having snug bra straps rubbing against it all night was not something she looked forward to. Closing that drawer she opened another, taking out a loose, sleeveless batik shift Janet had given her last summer. The gauzy material floated over her skin, and thankful she had thought to bring it Sam finished getting dressed.
She could see Daniel lying on the hammock as she mounted the steps to his hut. He had placed the hibachi within arm's reach so all he had to do was reach out and flip the steaks when needed. Taking a drink of his beer, Daniel lifted the tongs in recognition. "How's your burn?" he asked.
"Not too bad," Sam answered, sitting in a rickety Adirondack chair. She slumped back, then quickly sat back up at the pressure on her skin. Flushing as her actions belied her words, Sam went into the hut to get a beer.
"Bring me one too, please," Daniel called out at the sound of the tiny refrigerator's door opening. Sam handed him the beers, waiting as he popped the caps off, then took hers to the chair, easing into it until she rested against the back.
"The steaks are almost ready, are you hungry?"
"A little." Closing her eyes, Sam drank from her beer, listening to the ocean. A sweet lassitude flooded through her body, the day's exertions catching up with her. Vaguely she was aware of the sound of steaks sizzling as Daniel turned them, the creak of the hammock as he got up, thumps and bumps as he moved around.
"Sam." A voice was soft in her ear, and Sam slowly turned her head to see Daniel close over her. His eyes were brilliant blue in the light from the setting sun, a warm smile graced his face. "Here," he said gently, placing a plate in her lap and silverware wrapped in a napkin on the arm of her chair.
"Thanks, Daniel." Sam began to cut into the meat, half aware of Daniel's hand dropping from the curved back of the chair to let his fingers trail over her shoulder. "This is fabulous," she told him, mouth full of steak. Slowly but steadily she ate, the first bite opening the floodgates of hunger. When she was done, Daniel took her plate and Sam contentedly watched the sun drop lower, the light fading as Daniel cleaned up.
"Another beer?"
Sam nodded, trading her empty bottle for new. Candlelight flickered, and the faint scent of citronella drifted by. Daniel came and sat in the other Adirondack next to her; together they watched the sun set.
"I saw you, earlier, swimming," Daniel finally said into the still night. It took Sam a moment to figure out what he meant. She shifted self-consciously as he continued. "I thought maybe you were continuing from last night, but you haven't done anything about it since then."
Floundering, Sam tried to formulate a reason for her action that didn't involve seduction, but could think of nothing to say. She should have known Daniel would have noticed, he may be absent minded at times but he was sharp as a tack and extremely observant to boot.
Daniel set down his beer and leaned over in his chair, resting on his elbow over the wide arm. "You've been trying to seduce me." It was a calm statement of fact, not a question.
Sam shrugged and looked over at Daniel, shifting toward him as she did. A wry, unapologetic smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "When did you guess?"
"The sunscreen made me suspect, that night I knew for sure."
"You did nothing though, and today kept us busy." Sam straightened, turning from Daniel and looked, unseeing, over the water.
"Have you reconsidered?"
She shook her head slowly.
"Beating around the bush never works, Sam. Next time you want something, you should ask." To her disappointment, he rose, standing over her a moment, then reached out a hand. Well, it was worth a shot, Sam told herself, wondering if she could grab a few more beers before she went back to her hut and the little battery powered device she had brought along on a whim. Placing her hand in his, Sam allowed Daniel to pull her to her feet.
And into his arms.
Surprise made Sam's mouth drop open, to which Daniel took full advantage. He kissed her, his tongue gently stroking against hers, tracing the curve of her lip. Teasing her with a light touch, Daniel coaxed a response from Sam, until she was moaning against him, her hands tangled in his hair.
A sharp pain made her gasp, causing Daniel to pull away. "Sunburn," Sam said ruefully, aware for the first time of Daniel's arms across her back, one hand splayed over the curve of her hip.
"You'll have to be on top then," he answered, with a grin, dropping little kisses down her neck and shoulder. "Then again, there's always-" Whispering the rest in her ear, Daniel led Sam into the hut as she pretended to be shocked. Laughter turned to other, softer sounds, blending with the wind and ocean outside.