Me Plus You

Not looking for anything long term

Sam's disappointment was palpable. Stella met up with him at a bar near his office. Guilt wracked her but she knew it was the right thing to do. She wasn't looking for a serious relationship right now. Stella hadn't had one of those since her late teens and Grant.

"I thought you were into me?"

He reached out to cover her hand and Stella gently moved hers away.

Confusion clouded his grey eyes.
He was dressed impeccably as always. Blond hair styled with just the right amount of product and smelling of expensive cologne.

"I..... it's just I'm.... just not looking for anything long term..." the right words eluded her. She was trying to find a way of letting him down kindly and failing.

"But we've been having a good time...." Sam insisted. "Especially in bed." His voice dropped to a lower pitch and he gave her a knowing smile.

He must think bringing up sex was a positive. They had had sex twice. Sam was as controlled in bed as he seemed to be in the rest of his attorney life. She had almost felt as if it he had had a law practice guide that he followed. And it hadn't left Stella anywhere near breathless or aching for more.

Stella squirmed uncomfortably. This was awful!
" But like I said I'm really not looking for anything long term. We've had a good time but my job requires focus and the hours I work means I don't have a ton of time for relationships." She carried on trying to explain.

She hated the awkwardness of breaking up with someone and almost wished she had done it via a text message but that was not Stella's way.
Running away from difficult situations wasn't how she did things.

"Yes but.. ....you're not going to be a firefighter forever. Those shifts you work are not ever going to be viable for a woman..... I mean it's a bit of an odd thing for a woman to do anyway.....firefighting..... living with all those men."

Sam was oblivious to Stella's suddenly stony expression. He had never mentioned her job before.
Nullifying her career choice was the catalyst that did it for Stella. She didn't want to sit here all evening listening to Sam tell her why they were good together. They definitely were not! Case closed...she thought with inward irony.

She opened her mouth to say that she had to leave when he leaned over and captured her mouth with his. Startled, Stella felt his tongue in her mouth before she could even react.
Pulling back immediately her face tightened in anger.

"Sam...don't!"

"Come on let's get out of here...we can go back to my place" he insisted oblivious to the glittering anger in her eyes.

Stella picked up her jacket from the bar stool next to her.

"I need to go. "

He genuinely looked taken aback as she put on her jacket realising she was leaving.

"Stella!.. come on.. where are you going?!...."

Stella walked out of the bar and didn't look back. Outside the chilly evening air hit her and she lifted her hand to hail a cab. It was only 8 pm and she didn't want to go home to an empty apartment.

"Molly's Bucktown please."

The name of the bar was all Sam heard as he arrived on the sidewalk to watch the cab pulling away taking Stella into the night and away from him. His face hardened. What a bitch. He reached into his pocket for his cell phone.

Emily and Sylvie waved at Stella from their table as she walked into Molly's twenty minutes later.

" What are you drinking Kidd?" Hermann was behind the bar. He had proudly told her at the firehouse that he jointly owned the bar with Mouch and his wife Trudy. "First drink for the newbie is on me"