Townhome #3820, Home of Samuel and Emilia Varez

[Samuel]

[Samuel]

The thrill of the bike was no other but combine that with a beautiful woman to ride with, it was a guilty pleasure. If he could, he'd ride with Teresita all the time. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since before the change in his relationship with Amelia. But he didn't even have time to dwell on it ... it didn't matter because that was done long ago.

Slowing down as he turned into the town home complex, Sam turned the corner and pulled into the driveway of his shared town home. The garage door opened at the click of a button and he drove straight into the garage.

"Welcome to the Varez house," said Sam as he cut the engine and pushed the kickstand in position. He placed his helmet on the table along the wall and stretched his body.

"Another good ride with my beautiful companion," he said, lifting the helmet off her head and smiling straight into her face. "The only thing I ask is you take off your shoes. My aunt has this thing about walking on the rugs in your street footwear." He shrugged. "I just do what she asks of me."

[Teri]

She laughed softly even as she absently caressed the motorcycle. "I didn't want the ride to end and I'm finding I'm oddly reluctant to get off. Maybe I can use some savings to get myself a motorcycle, but you'd have to let me borrow you so I could ride with you behind me."

"I don't mind taking my shoes off. It was a hassle to train Rico and the ranch hands to do it but Mom and I managed it."

[Samuel]

"Borrow me? That's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time," he laughed, strolling back to where Teri was still seated on the motorcycle. "The garage gets cold so I doubt you want to stay on it much longer." When she didn't move, just smiled at him, Sam pulled her off the motorcycle and cradled her in his arms. "You're silly, you know that."

Reaching, he grabbed the bag of food and walked up the four steps that led into the house. He placed Teri down on the floor and kicked his shoes off to the side. "I don't know about you but I'm hungry."

After Teresita's shoes were off, he took her hand again and led her into the very large, spacious kitchen. "This is my aunts sacred room. This is where all the food magic happens. We just installed new double wall ovens and redid the island with a grill," he explained, taking the food out of the bag, ready to eat.

[Teri]

She giggled when he swept her up in his arms even as she cuddled into him. She loved how he seemed to anticipate her desires. She'd wanted to be held by him, hadn't realized it until he'd drawn her into his arms. When he set her down she smiled and slipped out of her shoes, letting him draw her into the kitchen.

"Wow, this is amazing. Who did the kitchen work? I need to hire them!"

[Samuel]

"I won't charge you to much by the hour. Maybe if you cook for me, I'll do it for free," he offered, grabbing two plates out of the cabinet near the sink, along with two wine glasses. He set that all out on the table in their places and reached into the wine cabinet.

"I did most of the installing with the help of a "how-to" book. I did hire someone to look at all the wiring and stuff but I needed to be sure I did it alright. It had to be perfect for my aunt," he explained, pouring a soft red liquid into their glasses. "This is my aunt's homemade sangria wine. I usually don't drink wine but I love this stuff. It's sweet and spicy."

Scooting his chair closer to hers and gazed into her face. "Are you comfortable? Do you need anything else?"

[Teri]

"Samuel Varez! Are you telling me you did all of this? Oh my goodness! You are most definitely hired! I don't care what your price is. This is amazing work, Sam. You've got great hands." She ran one of hers over the island before reluctantly claiming a seat.

"I'm comfortable," she assured. "I don't need anything else." She had him and for tonight, that was more than enough.

[Samuel]

"Oh no, not all of it. Just a few improvements. The house was brand new when we bought it but it was missing a few things my aunt wanted. The wall ovens, the grill and deep fryer. I wasn't about to tell no to the woman who raised me. I knew contractors are generally expensive so I attempted it on my own. It wasn't that bad. I can definitely change careers if I needed to," said Sam, as he started to eat the food, the cheesy, noodle goodness enticing his tastes buds.

Sam loved her company more than anything at the moment and they'd gotten over the small hurdles they faced today.

"Are you trying to play footsies with me?" he asked her, looking underneath the table and back up into the depth of her eyes.

[Teri]

"Still, you did a great job. You should look at our kitchen and tell me just how hopeless it is. There's a few things I wanted done but like you said, contractors aren't the cheapest people around."

She turned her attention to her plate but not before a mischievous smile crossed her lips. "Me? Play footsies? I wouldn't dream of it," she claimed even as she drew her foot up along his leg and retreated.

[Samuel]

Sam nearly fell out of his chair when her foot crawled up his leg, her laughter bubbling in the kitchen. "Oh you're bad Teresita ... that was really ticklish," he said, although he enjoyed every minute of it. She could probably get away with most things around him and he'd let her.

"I can look at your kitchen if you'd like. But from what I had seen, it's really good. You had everything you need."

Sam easily cleaned the plate of all food. "That was the best pasta I'd eaten in a long time. Thanks for picking that out for me. Maybe I'll let you pick out my food when I take you to that special dinner ... that's if you still want to go with me."

[Teri]

She smiled and swirled her fork lightly over her food, never taking a bite. Despite her easygoing banter with Sam, her emotions felt all out of whack and the mention of her past had brought up a lot of unwanted thoughts and emotions.

"I still say you should take a look at it."

"I don't know if it's a smart move, Sam," she finally answered softly. She wanted to. She really did, but where before she'd been able to push back the past, it was now at the forefront and she could only think of the five beautiful people whose lives had been cut short. Because of her.

[Samuel]

"Of course I'll look at it for you...anything to have that pleasing smile on your face," he said flirtaciously, leaning back in his chair to rub his stomach. After sipping on his glass of sangria, he returned his attention back to her not surprised at the reluctance with the date. It felt like rejection was taunting him slowly.; as if she was retreating. It was the reason why he needed to express himself; allow her into what he had been feeling about her.

"Maybe I don't want to make a smart move Teresita. Maybe I want to step out of this box and attempt to live without overthinking. I really like you, as I've said and I just would like a chance to see where things could go," he said, reaching out hesitantly at first but once his hands felt her skin, he held onto her hands, pulling her closer to him.

"Aren't you the one that takes chances; to at least try?" He sighed. "If it seems like I'm pushing you, I'm not. I just want you to see that I'm serious about you."

[Teri]

Light flirting was easy. She could do that. She was born doing it. "So you like my smile do you?"

That easygoing facade dropped the moment he gathered her hands in his. She looked up at him, letting his words wash over her. She couldn't keep the disbelief from her eyes. "Did Rico tell you the whole story? Did he tell you that five people are dead because of me? Because I'm thinking you should know that before you ask me out," she said bluntly, needing to lay it all out on the table. "I'm pretty sure you don't want to step out of your box and get killed."

[Samuel]

"I honestly don't know the whole story. All I was told was snippets ... yes, I know the five people passed but that was not your fault and you can't keep blaming yourself for what happened," said Sam, meeting her sorrow filled eyes. "Why do you think it will change my mind about you? I like you ... the person I see, talk to, listen to, laugh with. Although your past is essentially apart of you, it's not who you've become."

Sam held tight onto her hands, scooting up on his chair to allow their knees to brush up against each other.

"My life is already at risk. Every time I put my badge on ... every time I stuff my gun in my holster ... every time I step into the precinct and take on a case. Who knows what can happen tomorrow? I can get killed at any moment which is why I want to live in the now."

Sam pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "Go out with me Teresita ... please."

[Teri]

"I can blame myself for it when it was my fault. You should change your mind. If you were thinking straight you would."

She was trembling. Her hand. Her arm. All of her. She hated it but Sam's continued tenderness was bringing her to her knees.

"It's not the same thing," she tried to argue stubbornly even as she closed her eyes at the feel of his lips on her hand. "With me, you're adding onto an already insane amount of risk, Sam. How am I supposed to feel when I get you killed?"