So...

It's been awhile since I updated. I'm so sorry. But I have a great...good...mediocre excuse.

I downloaded an app on my NookTablet that allows me to save articles or stories to be read later offline so I have access when I'm nowhere near a wifi connection. I have been saving Spike/Xander, Merlin/Arthur and Harry/Severus stories like crazy! I haven't done much of anything else except saving and reading fanfiction stories.

Told you it was a mediocre excuse.

There was silence in the car as Mercedes drove down the highway. Sam didn't know exactly what to say to the woman beside him. She had saved him from the horror of the ex-girlfriend with questionable fashion choices while not resorting to kicking and scratching. She only became argumentative in when Sugar didn't let it go. She laid claim to him, in public no less, with her mind-shattering kisses. Anyone who saw that couldn't deny they were together. They might as well have lit up a billboard screaming to the world "WE'RE FUCKING!"

Except they weren't. And Sam wanted to change that.

He needed to change that. Pulling away from her mouth was like removing a cup of ambrosia from a man who had been surviving on bread and butter. Her curves were like the lines of a classic muscle car that he couldn't make himself stop tracing.

He wanted her. He wanted her underneath him, sinking into her body. He wanted her over him, watching her hot wet pussy swallow his very hard throbbing cock. He wanted her on all fours, thrusting her hips back to match his thrust forward. He wanted his hands back on her ample ass, only this time he wanted no clothing impeding his touch. He wanted his hands roaming over every inch of her skin, starting in her long thick hair, entangling his fist and pulling her hair back to gain access to her neck where he would leave his mark for the world to see. He wanted to bend his head down and slide his tongue around her light blue toes. He wanted to raise his head, and led by his nose, find himself entangled in her sweet smell to discover the treasure that lies beneath. He wanted to feel her hands on his head pressing him deeper into her wet pussy and making her explode all over his face. It wouldn't matter if he had to work to be given the opportunity to find it. He had feeling that would make it all the sweeter.

Surely, he wasn't the only one affected.

He shifted in the passenger seat of his car to hide his erection from the beauty at the wheel. He opened his mouth to ask her her views on changing the terms of their arrangement, when she glanced at him.

"Think we pulled it off?" Sam blinked his wide green eyes like an owl.

"What?"

"You think we convinced everyone we're a couple? I think we convinced Sugar and if I know girls like her, she'll be on the phone telling everyone about how she dumped you and all you could pull was the fat bitch." Mercedes rolled her eyes.

"Who dumped, huh?" Sam couldn't seem to understand what she was talking about.

Mercedes gestured with her hand. "Girls like that have a reputation to maintain. They've always got to have the next big thing. If their relationship ended, it's because the guy had something wrong with him that made him below par and there not good enough for her even if they're the ones at fault. Basically, they are perfect and everyone is beneath them."

Sam had to take a minute to get his mind focused on the conversation that he seemed to be having with Mercedes. He couldn't believe that she wanted to talk about Sugar after that kiss. He shook his head and taking a deep breath, tried to will his erection away. But then he smelled her natural scent and it came back in an almost painful way.

"Um, I'm not going to worry about it." Mercedes gave him a puzzled look.

"I don't feel the need to live my life to please Sugar Motta. If she wants to delude herself, that's her business. I'm not going to put on a show for her or her simple-minded friends." Mercedes pulled into a spot in front of her building.

"I guess that's one way to do it." Mercedes seemed a bit subdued.

"What are you going to tell your friends?"

"The truth."

At Sam's raised eyebrow, she quickly added, "I'm not going to tell them about our arrangement but I'll tell them that we're friends and I was helping you out. There's no need to tell them anything else. Especially since there's really nothing else to tell."

"Right."

'Dammit, she doesn't seem to want anything more than the agreement. I guess she wasn't as affected by the kiss as I was.'

'But this is what you wanted.' A little voice in Sam's head reminded him. That voice sounded familiar. 'You didn't want someone who would become attached to you. You went to great pains to make sure they weren't attracted and that you wouldn't become attracted to them. Face it, Mercedes is not your type.'

'Well maybe I just didn't know what I was missing.' Sam argued.

'Are you willing to take her out and show her off and introduce her to your family, friends, and coworkers?'

'I don't have a problem doing it now.'

'But now, she can be passed off as a friend. Are you willing to declare your feelings for her?'

'I'm not even sure what my feelings are.'

'Well, maybe you should figure it out before trying to convince her of them.'

' We could figure them out together.'

'Remember, she has had men disappoint her in the past. Don't you think she deserves something more than friends-with-benefits? Like someone who would actually stay the night and make her breakfast the next day?'

'I don't stay the night with anyone.' That's the kind of commitment that Sam never seemed to be able to make.

'Don't you think she'd be the one to make you reconsider?' Santana's voice softly made her point. 'Figure out what you want before you try to make her see you differently. Don't hurt her.'

'I would never hurt her.'

'But you could and you know it. So make sure you don't.'

Sam looked over at Mercedes who had been watching him while he had his internal debate. He gave her a soft smile and got out of the car and walked around to the driver's side, opening the door for her.

"I got to go take care of some things. Let your friends know I'll make time to meet them properly later." Mercedes' face took on a worried look.

"Are you ok? Did I overstep the bounds of our agreement? I really was just trying to help. I know you don't like feeling cornered and I could tell that she was badgering you and pushing and I didn't want you to blow up at her because that wouldn't be good and she was making me angry because she wouldn't let it go when you were obviously trying to be nice and make sure her feelings weren't hurt and I didn't think before I did it and I just…" Sam's hand covered her mouth to stop her babble.

"It's ok. I appreciate what you did. It's not often I get rescued. It's quite nice to be the damsel." Mercedes chuckled. "I don't have many friends who would do that for me."

Mercedes' eyes briefly displayed an emotion that Sam didn't quite understand but it was quickly gone and a smile broke out on her face.

"If nothing else, you can count me as a friend. You know that."

He gave her hand a little squeeze.

"I do now." She stepped back and allowed him to get in the car. He waited until she was inside the building before he drove off to think about what his Santana-conscience said.

It had been 2 weeks since he last saw Mercedes. Other than a quick phone call, letting her know that he wasn't coming for their regular "date night", he hadn't gotten in touch with her at all. No phone, no email, no text, no nothing.

He lost himself in a big account and when he could finally breathe again, he took himself off to see his family in Memphis. He spent 3 days surrounded by family, including his sister and brother and their families. He had been the only one to make it out of Tennessee and the only one who's work didn't involve farm animals in some way. But he loved coming home and being with the ones he loved.

He avoided thinking about his new feelings for Mercedes as long as possible but after talking with his little sister Stacey, he realized he missed the easy friendship he had with Mercedes. He didn't have to try to impress her and he could be his dorky self and she didn't judge. He could throw out an obscure pop culture reference and she knew exactly what he was talking about. The girl went to a Halloween party dressed as River Song, for Gallifrey's sake! As much as he wanted to sink balls deep inside her, he wouldn't chance his friendship with her for anything. Sex was common, true camaraderie was as rare as a frakking unicorn.

As he entered back into the city limits of Atlanta, he made the decision to not let Mercedes know that he wanted anything more. But first he needed to apologize for disappearing.

Sam made a left, driving in the direction of Mercedes' apartment. He ran through the words he wanted to say in his head over and over again to make sure they were perfect. He was so engrossed in what he was planning that he almost didn't notice that he had almost arrived at her place.

He did however notice the massive blaze that engulfed the building.

I love story alerts, favorite alerts and author alerts. They're fantastic. Those emails I get telling me that someone has added an alert for my story makes me feel all gooey inside.

But I especially love the emails I get telling me that someone has left a review. and when I get a review that actually details what was good about my story, (character, dialogue, exposition), it's practically orgasmic.

Seeing as how I am a single mother who isn't having sex right now, that should tell you just how much I love those review emails!

Thanks!