Chance Encounter

Samantha lay in Brian's arms, still shivering from the amazing sex they had just had. Brian played with her hair, twisting it round and round his finger, then letting it go.

"Whatcha thinkin'?" he asked softly.

"Not much of anything," Samantha murmurred happily. "I think my brain has fallen asleep from exhaustion."

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he chuckled.

Samantha looked up at him, then kissed his lips. "You're incredible," she whispered.

"So are you."

For the next few hours, they would make love, then talk some, then make love again, then talk. Samantha had never felt so close to anyone in her life. This just felt right.

"I'd better get my happy ass outta here," Brian said, as the sun began to peek over the horizon.

"Yeah, I guess so. The little man will be waking up anytime now," Samantha said, stretching her arms over her head and yawning widely.

"You're going to have a long day, missy," Brian laughed.

"I know, I know. I just hope he'll let me take a nap at some point. I feel like I've been rode hard and put away wet," Samantha replied. Brian let out a snort, then tried to stifle it.

"Oh you're awful," Samantha chided. "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know you didn't. It was just the way you said it."

Brian slid out of bed and walked across the room naked. Samantha watched him intently. He had such a beautiful body. And he had the cutest little ass with dents in the sides of his cheeks. It was a firm, tight ass. She wondered what kind of exercise he did to get his ass like that. Maybe she should try it. Brian returned to the bed and kissed her softly.

"I'll call you later," he said, his hand grazing her cheek.

"Ok," she said, smiling up at him. She watched him walk out, then listened for his car to leave. She got up and put on some pajamas in case Adam decided to hop into bed with her or something, and she slid back between the sheets. She was hoping to get a few hours of sleep before starting the day. No such luck. Within 20 minutes, Adam came bounding into her room and pounced on her.

"Mommy! Wake up! I'm hungry," he yelled. Apparently, her son didn't know what an 'inside voice' was.

"Oh, Adam Ant, please let mommy sleep a little more," she pleaded. Adam leaned over her and pried her eyes open with his fingers.

"No," he said stubbornly, "I'm hungry, and I want pancakes."

"Pancakes, huh?" she said, yawning. "How about IHOP? I don't feel like cooking."

"Ok," Adam said. "Can I get the blueberry ones?"

"If you promise you'll take a nap with me this afternoon, you can get the blueberry ones," she said, smiling. Her son was the most beautiful person in the world. He was her reason for living on the days she felt she just couldn't get out of bed.

"Ok, I promise," Adam replied, not sounding very sincere.

Samantha dragged her tired body out of bed and went into the bathroom. There was a hickey on her neck. Oh how embarassing! She hadn't had a hickey since she was in high school! She tried to cover it with makeup, but it looked terrible. She pulled on a sleeveless turtleneck sweater and just left it at that.

At the IHOP, Adam was unusually quiet and introspective. He picked at his pancakes that he had wanted so badly only an hour earlier.

"What's up sweetheart?" Sam asked. "You're never this quiet."

"Mommy, is Brian going to be my new daddy?" Adam asked, looking up at her with his big blue eyes.

"Oh honey, I..." Samantha didn't know what to say. Jeff, that sonofabitch, had deserted his son, and left Samantha to pick up the pieces. The poor kid. He wanted a dad so bad.

"I like Brian," Adam said, smiling a little. "He's funny."

"He is funny, isn't he?" Samantha agreed.

"Is he your boyfriend?"

"Well... I guess so," Samantha said.

"Ok," Adam said, as if it were no big deal. "Can he come to my baseball game?"

"Well, I don't know, baby. He might be busy, but you can ask him," Samantha replied, smiling inwardly. She was so glad Adam liked Brian so much.

"Can we call him?"

Samantha glanced at her watch. It was only 9:30. Brian would be sound asleep after the night they had spent together. She laughed as she thought back on the things they had done.

"Not right now. Let's wait til this afternoon, ok?"

"Ok. Mommy, I love you. You're the best mommy in the world," Adam said, smiling brightly.

Sam felt tears welling up in her eyes, and her throat felt tight. She loved her son so much, and when he said things like that, it just made her day.

"I love you too, baby," she replied.
*************************************************
"Lila! Come here! I need you!" Samantha yelled, not bothering to use the intercom.

"What's up?" Lila asked, running into the office.

"That was Judge Speigel's office. The jury's already reached a verdict in the Hanson murder trial, and I've got to get down there right now. Adam's got a game this afternoon, and I'm not sure if I'll be out of court in time to pick him up." Samantha's words spilled out like a rushing river, as she scurried around the office, picking up files, stuffing her briefcase with papers, and pulling on her shoes.

"I'll get him," Lila said calmly. "Don't worry."

"Tell him I'm sorry I missed it," Sam said sadly.

"I will. You go, honey. I'll take care of everything," Lila said, placing a motherly hand on Samantha's shoulder.

"Thank you, Lila," Samantha said, breathing a sigh of relief. What would she do without Lila?
*********************************************
The reading of the verdict was short and sweet. Not guilty on all charges. The Hanson kid was free to go. Samantha strode out of the courtroom confidently. Another success. She took a deep breath as she walked out of the courthouse, then glanced at her watch. It was only 4:15. She would be at the ballfield in plenty of time to watch Adam's game.

She popped in a Backstreet cd on the way to the game, and listened to Brian's sweet voice. She hadn't had time to see him in a few days, and she was really beginning to miss him a lot. She wasn't in love yet, but she was headed in that direction. She didn't want to push the issue with Brian, though. He was still stinging from his ordeal with Leighanne, and the last thing Samantha wanted to do was to spook him with talk of love and all that jazz.

Sam pulled up at the ballfield, and the kids were still practicing. As she walked up to the fence, she stopped in her tracks. Brian was standing behind Adam, showing him how to correctly hold the bat.

"Put your hands a little further apart, buddy. You get more control like that. Yeah, that's it," Brian said. "Now, swing level. Remember, if you swing up, you'll pop it up, and you'll get an out. If you swing down, the ball won't go anywhere."

Samantha smiled as she watched Brian interact with Adam. Jeff had never taken the time to do any of this with his son. His own flesh and blood. And here was Brian... with his infinite patience, teaching her son to play baseball.

The umpire blew the whistle to signal the beginning of the game. Brian took a seat on the bleachers. Samantha meandered over and sat down beside him.

"I never took you for a baseball player," Samantha said quietly.

"Oh hey! I didn't even see you," Brian said, kissing her cheek.

"Thanks," she said.

"Thanks for what?"

"For doing that with Adam. That means a lot to him. And to me. He likes you."

"I like him, too. He's a great kid. He loves attention, doesn't he?" Brian laughed.

"Oh yeah. He loves attention. He's got to be the center of attention, or else he's not happy," Sam agreed.

"Well, I'm used to being around people like that," Brian said, nodding and smiling.

"Like... oh, I don't know... AJ?" Samantha laughed.

"Bingo!"

"How's he doing, anyway?" Sam asked.

"He's good. He's coming to visit in a week or so. We're working on some stuff for the new cd."

"Oh good! I'll have to invite you two over for dinner or something," Samantha said.

"He'd like that," Brian said, smiling. There was a twinkle in his blue eyes that she hadn't noticed before.

"Brian Littrell, you're up to something," Samantha said, eyeing him suspiciously.

"No I'm not," Brian said, laughing, as he looked at his shoes. "Why would you say that."

"I get paid to notice things, and I am 100% positive that you're up to something," she replied, raising an eyebrow. "Now are you going to tell me, or do I have to beat it out of you?"

"Ohh beat me, baby," Brian said, giving her a naughty look.

"You're terrible!"

"That's not what you said the other night."

"Brian, please!"

"Yeah, I think that was more like it," Brian snickered.

"You're..."

"Say it." Brian said, pursing his lips.

"Perfect," Samantha said softly.

"Not perfect. Just in love."

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