One Night Love Affair *COMPLETED*

Chapter Fifty One

He was so beautiful there in my dreams
I left my heart and my memories 

Paloma Faith, 30 Minute Love Affair

***

The morning came earlier than either James or Lana anticipated. Neither got much sleep during the night, because they continued talking even after James put Sam back to sleep.

It wasn't the hard talk about the past that kept them apart, it was the pleasant, get-to-know-each-other-better kind of talk. Both wanted to know more about the other, and if Lana hadn't fallen asleep in the middle of James's talking about his plans for the company, they'd probably get no sleep at all.

When James saw Lana fell asleep, he simply smiled and covered her with a blanket laying over the sofa and carefully laid next to her. Sometime during the night, Lana moved closer to James and James wrapped his hand around Lana's torso, pulling her closer to his body.

This was how they woke them up in the morning, only it wasn't the sun or some kind of inner clock that woke them up, it was an extra little body, trying to squeeze in between them.

"Sammy, what are you doing here? If you want to sleep, you should go back into your bed."

Lana told Sammy, just like she always did when he came climbing into her bed, only to move a bit and make room for him, just like she always did in the end. She enjoyed cuddling with her son, because she knew he was growing up fast and soon he'll be too big to climb into her bed to cuddle in the morning.

Only this morning, when she tried to make enough room for Sammy, she slowly realized she's not alone on the sofa. And that she can't move, because there was a hand wrapped around her torso, not letting her go.

When Lana opened her eyes, she saw James watching her, looking like it was totally normal to wake up next to her on a hotel sofa, with a little boy climbing over him. For a moment more, he just watched her, refusing to move and make space for Sammy, and when he did move, he only let go of her body long enough, for Sammy to climb into the small space between him and Lana, and then wrapped his hand over Sammy to Lana.

"This is what family feels like."

Lana hadn't even realized that she said those words out loud, but James heard them loud and clear. He knew that Lana was planning on leaving New York City in less than a week, and she was taking Sammy with her. And just like that he'd be left all alone again.

Feeling the way he was feeling at this exact moment was something he hadn't felt in him life for a long, long time. Probably never felt it at all.

He felt content. At peace with the world, and strong enough to survive whatever life has ready for him. He had a plan to make this feeling last a lifetime, and a small mysterious smile curled his lips upwards.

"Did you sleep good sleep?"

But the feeling of peacefulness didn't last long, because a small boy was awake and alert and he wanted his parent's attention.

James reluctantly sat up and together with Sammy he got out of bed.

"Yeah, Sammy, I slept a great. But let's let mama a little more sleep, all right?"

It was funny really, how fast tables turned to James's advantage. Sammy began to love him, it seemed that Lana has forgiven him, and was even open to the possibility of starting fresh with him.

"All right."

Sammy didn't need much convincing to let Lana sleep a little longer. Even though she was a baker, which meant early hours, she hated getting up in the morning, while Sammy was an early riser, just like his father.