(no subject)

[theirlawyer]

Ainsley pinches at the bridge of her nose, trying to fight off the will to sleep. It's been so busy in the White House ever since the President had started to call meetings with a good deal of the legal staff, which meant they weren't available for the day-to-day and Ainsley's workload had dramatically increased. It meant that it was pushing ten at night and she's genuinely unsure if she should leave.

What she wants now, more than anything, is just a night off. The trouble is, if she's here, then she's tied to her phone and that means it's not really relaxing. What she needs is that hotel. Whatever strange logic governed it meant that no time had passed since she and Sam had accidentally wandered into it and right now, she loves the idea of a weekend away when all she does is sleep and relax and rest.

There are two problems in this.

The first being that she can't find a door that opens there and the second being that she doesn't want to go alone. She begins the long walk up from the Steampipe Trunk Distribution Venue towards Sam's office, not surprised to still find him at work. She raps her knuckles lightly on the glass separating his office from the bullpen and pokes her head in the door.

"Do you ever wonder what our lives would be like if we had normal 9 to 5 jobs?" she wonders, in place of an actual greeting. "I don't know what I'd do with myself, honestly."

Comments

[imnotrobin]

Sam chuckles a little. "You're a tough woman to impress, Ainsley. That was probably one of the better kisses in my short life. Of course, I have a lot of experience kissing, so maybe my breadth of knowledge on the subject should elevate your opinion on your aptitude for kissing."

[theirlawyer]

"Maybe you shouldn't follow up a first kiss with a comment about how much kissing you've done," Ainsley opines, giving Sam a dubious look considering how very much that isn't a charming thing to be on the receiving end of. "Even if you think it's a compliment. It's not."

[imnotrobin]

Sam winces a little. She has a point. Actually, she has a very good point but he's always suffered from a terminal case of foot in mouth disease.

"Since I can't be trusted with elocution right now, would you like to give me another chance at kissing?"

[theirlawyer]

"That does seem like the smarter plan," Ainsley agrees with a sage nod, not making the easy comment that because it's smart, she's shocked that Sam came up with it. Maybe she needs to keep some of her barbs to herself, if they're going to be doing this. Only some, though.

She inches back to sit on the edge of the bed, peering up at him as she splays her hands on the covers. "Let's try again," she encourages.

[imnotrobin]

Sam settles next to her and smooths one hand over her hair, just playing with it a little. He's always loved Ainsley's hair.

"I would love to try again," he says lowly, leaning in to kiss her soft and slow.

[theirlawyer]

Now, with them on slightly more even playing ground when sitting, Ainsley takes the time to press one hand to Sam's chest to sort of prevent her from completely laying on top of him, but she does fall into that kiss, liking the way Sam touches her hair while he kisses her and how he takes it so cautiously slow.

She's always liked her relationships to move with a little patience. When she eases back, there's a very fond look in her eye. "They just keep getting better."

[imnotrobin]

"Yeah? I guess I can be taught." It's a good thing because he's not really looking to mess things up with Ainsley right when they've just begun.

[theirlawyer]

"We're both highly intelligent people and quick learners," she says thoughtfully, and where they might falter, they've got each other to keep pushing and prodding and poking. "I'm sure even if we stumble, it won't be the end of the road. Neither of us are very good at accepting defeat, are we?"

[imnotrobin]

"I never accept defeat. I only concede when they tell me that I have to," Sam says brightly. It's true. It's a good thing he's never actually run for very many elected offices because he's not very graceful about calling it off early and congratulating the winner. He'd rather stick it out until the end even if his ship's sinking and he's bailing it out with his hands.

[theirlawyer]

"I know," Ainsley says fondly, making a slight little sound that might even be thinking of how adorable Sam is to say so. "It's what makes you even more adorable when you're fighting against losing issues. You get very, very huffy and defensive. It's a shame I find it so attractive."

[imnotrobin]

"I'm not wrong as often as you think I am," Sam says, getting a little hot under the collar and defensive. Nobody pushes his buttons like Ainsley and even when he recognizes she's doing it, he can't help but take the bait. It's why he's so fond of her.

"I'm thinking I'm probably not wrong about how good we're going to be together. How wrong am I about that?"

[theirlawyer]

"But I like when I get to prove you wrong," she replies all too calmly, enjoying the way he starts to get a little bothered and she gets a little more playful. "And no, you haven't been wrong so far about our partnership. At work, at play, we seem to get along just fine," she agrees. "Though, whatever will Josh say."

[imnotrobin]

"Josh can stuff it," Sam decides. He knows he'll get a little shit from Josh and Toby and the others but ultimately, deep down, they'll know it's a good match. There's no way Sam can be happy with someone who can't go head to head with him on occasion and he and Ainsley seem to be on the same page about the things that truly make a relationship work so he isn't worried.

"I'm happy and my happiness is wrapped up in you."

[theirlawyer]

"If I could only record you saying that, my week would be even better than it is now," Ainsley swears, and that's saying something because between the amazing meal and the intoxicating kisses, Ainsley is having one hell of a good week. She grins at him and leans her nose up against his. "I think Leo might actually not mind. He seems to tolerate me just a smidge more than some of the others."

[imnotrobin]

"Leo would say that he told me so," Sam says, grinning helplessly at her. "I've been into you for a long time, Ainsley, and most of my friends know it. I'll be teased mercilessly and I won't care a single bit."

[theirlawyer]

"How long is a long time?" she's forced to wonder, wanting to know if he's been wanting her almost as long as she's been wanting him, but it's always good to have some facts on your side before having to reveal your own cards.

[imnotrobin]

"Since you destroyed me on national television." There's no sense in being anything but honest and he has to be honest right now. There's no way he can say with a straight face that he hasn't been into Ainsley since he met her.

[theirlawyer]

"Well, I wanted you since you took my position paper and instead of throwing it out, you took it to the President. Admittedly, I also wanted to smack you at the time, but if you ask any of my ex-boyfriends, I think you'll find that I have a complicated relationship with the men I like," she says, idly toying with a strand of her hair as she looks at him. "Sam, are we sleeping together tonight?"

[imnotrobin]

"That's up to you," he says, grinning at her. "I mean, of course I want to but I want to be sure that's what you want before we go there."