AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story begins on that fateful night of the 29th December 2006 where a different deal is made between EJ and Sami to save Lucas' life. Now you're going to have to read the story to find out what that deal is but that night was the first of many fumbles when it comes to the telling of the EJami story. To be an EJami fan is to suffer through so many missed opportunities as the story was passed from new head writer to new head writer that I have up counting and decided to tell my own EJami story.

This is my fantasy EJami story - how I always imagined it playing out. It will be very soapy (particularly the end part) but hopefully with a twist or two that will catch you off guard. This is going to be a long story - I'm thinking around the 300 chapter mark so I hope that doesn't put you off. The first 100 or so chapters is mainly going to be about EJ and Sami and I'm hoping to capture the real essence of those two characters. I want Sami to be sassy, fiery, impulsive, impossible and frustrating - all the things EJ adores about her. And as for EJ I want him to be how he was originally portrayed - a grey character full of sharp wit, devilish charm, brimming confidence and not too much moral fibre to speak of - you're basic bad boy with one real redeeming feature - his love for Sami. I'm going to stay true to these characters (unlike the show itself unfortunately but that's another story) but I'm also growing to grow them up because basically where this story takes off they've both got a lot to learn but neither one of them realise it. The second half of the story really sees characters like Lucas, Kate, Stefano and Tony come into play and that is where it gets really soapy - I just love writing for such larger than life characters.

For me EJami are a perfect foil for one another and that is why I was so captivated by their story when it first began. At last there was a man who knew Sami inside and out and adored all the good and bad things about her and didn't want her to change one single thing. I think Sami has always craved and failed to receive acceptance in her life - there has always been strings attached in some way or other, that she should have to conform to be truly accepted by her family, whichever man she was with. EJ was different and I was excited to see where a story could go with two such grey characters and the possibilities that it gave for story lines. Unfortunately, TPTB never really explored that and have basically destroyed these two wonderful characters to sell an asinine story line so like I said - if you want a job done right... lol

I'll keep posting this story in blocks of roughly 10 or so. I am currently up to chapter 130 as I type this and I'm doing 4 postings a week over at a fan board called "Forbidden Love" which is a fantastic site for all things EJami and if you are in need of some EJami lovin' then that is totally the place to go. I have many other EJami stories over there under my forum of the same name - LouBlue - but with them I have the facility to add screen caps and getting regular eyefuls of James Scott can only help a story telling process from where I'm sitting. ;)

I hope you enjoy this imagining of the EJami story and comments are always welcome but this is an unapologetically EJami love story so know that going in won't you? :) Oh, and I'm Australian so I'm going to be using the Queen's English in my story - you know colour instead of color - I just can't bring myself to use the US spelling, it just seems so wrong! lol Also there is adult content in this fic but I totally make you work for it! I'm a great believer that the build up is just as important as the execution of romantic trysts and that is what makes them romantic - not just mindless bonking which gets pretty dull very quickly if there is no story attached... IMO anyway. :) I'll update as regularly as I can or as interest dictates so let me all know if you want more because I've got plenty of this story to tell...

FATED

(Chapters 1 - 10)

Chapter ONE - Promises, Promises

The only sound in the car was her uneven breathing, the snow outside falling silently onto the roof and surrounds as she waited with bated breath for the man sitting next to her to answer her. Her nerves stretched to breaking point as she felt the urgency of the situation only escalate. An urgency he didn't seem to be sharing.

"So let me get this straight…" began EJ calmly, moving his weight in the passenger seat beside her, the chair creaking a little as he did, "You want me to come with you and help rescue none other than one Lucas Roberts who seems to have managed to get himself caught under some falling debris… have I got that right sweetheart?"

"Yes!" she bit out tersely, knowing he was the last man she should be asking for help but she didn't have an option.

Lucas was back at that cabin under a pile of broken beams and she couldn't move them. He was going to freeze to death if she didn't do something. Her heart had nearly stopped beating in her chest when she'd gotten into the car and seen EJ DiMera of all people sitting there but right now, he was her only hope for rescuing Lucas and she had to take it.

"Well you know usually I would jump at the chance of helping a damsel in distress," he began mockingly, settling back in his chair and scratching at his chin with one long finger, "But here's the thing. I was dealt a rather treacherous blow by a young woman today and it's put me in a somewhat surly frame of mind."

"EJ…" began Sami, grimacing at his thinly veiled dig of her part in setting him up with the Salem PD.

"You see she came to me," continued on EJ as though she hadn't spoken, "Sprouting pretty lies about wanting to help me and being drawn to me despite herself. I decided to see if she could be trusted and wouldn't you know it… turns out she can't! I can't tell you how disappointed I was."

"Look," said Sami desperately, "I'm sorry, I had to do that, I had no choice EJ… my father…"

"Oh more pretty little lies," interrupted EJ with a sigh, "What am I to do with you Samantha? That luscious mouth of yours just can't seem to help itself."

Sami felt a shiver run over her that had nothing to do with the cold outside as his warm brown gaze dropped to her lips, watching intently as she nervously whet her lips.

"Please EJ," she said; determinedly attempting to keep her voice steady, "I'll do anything. You have to help…"

"Anything sweetheart?" asked EJ, his interest suddenly seeming to perk up at that last statement, "Would you really do anything to save your beloved Lucas I wonder Samantha?"

"Yes!" she said quickly, impulsive as ever but needing to save the life of the father of her child more than any other thing.

EJ turned in his seat so that he could look at her properly than, his eyes gliding up and down her body, taking in every curve and line that was presented to him with nerve wracking thoroughness. He took his time and Sami sat there, biting the inside of her lip and trying to keep still under such intense scrutiny, terrified about what he was going to ask of her.

"Hm," he said, considering this offer for a long moment before speaking, "In that case I have a proposition for you Samantha."

"What is it?" asked Sami, suddenly nervous; having the distinct feeling she was doing a deal with the devil all of a sudden.

"For a favour of the magnitude I would require two favours from you I think," said EJ, tapping a finger against his lips thoughtfully, dragging out her suspense as he didn't immediately volunteer what those favours might be.

"Two?!" she said in outrage, "What kind of man are you? Can't you just do the right thing for once EJ?"

"Ah now, interesting," he mused, "Right can be such an arbitrary concept now can't it? Didn't you feel completely in the right by keeping Austin and Carrie apart by telling that particularly diabolical whopper about any future children they might have? I mean, you reasoned that it was right because deep down Austin really belonged to you and would be happiest with you. Now in hindsight I'm not sure that all the parties involved would actually agree with that little justification on your behalf - what do you think Samantha? You thought you were in the right but I doubt Carrie and Austin agree… a bit tricky eh?"

"I am not giving you two favours EJ!" she said vehemently, ignoring his rather pointed comments determinedly, "You must think I've completely lost my mind to even suggest such a thing!"

"So the love of your life and father of your only child isn't even worth two measly favours?" EJ mused, feigning surprise, "Interesting."

"Of course he is!" snapped Sami, hating that she was being backed into a corner like this but not able to do much about it.

Sami blew out a frustrated breath than.

"What are they?" she asked tightly, pressing her lips together and steeled herself for the worst.

EJ's lips curled up into a little smile, knowing she had little recourse in their present predicament.

"Well seeing as you saw fit to drop me in it with the entire Salem PD," he began almost conversationally, "I'll need you to see your way clear to provide me with an alibi for tonight. There's been a little… unpleasantness up at the cabin and I'm going to need someone to vouch for my whereabouts to clear up any confusion in the matter."

"What kind of unpleasantness?" asked Sami in horror?

"Couldn't say Samantha," said EJ calmly, "Seeing as you and I were together remember sweetheart? That's how an alibi works."

"But they'll know that we weren't," protested Sami with a frown.

"No," said EJ sternly, his voice hardening a little now, "All they know is that I was to meet you and when you didn't show up I left. I then found you stranded beside the road and out of the goodness of my heart I stopped to help. Which, by the way, is exactly what did happen in case you're wondering? No one saw me at the cabin because I'd already left before all the unpleasantness started. It's that simple."

"Then how do you know that something happened if you were never there?" asked Sami, not believing a word of it.

"A little birdie told me," said EJ flatly, "Now do we have a deal Samantha? I don't think it's too much to ask under the circumstances. In fact it will save people like your father and uncle time because they won't be chasing after an innocent man and can concentrate on finding the real perpetrator of the crime."

Sami shook her head but she knew that she really didn't have a choice if she wanted to save Lucas' life.

"Yes," she rasped, knowing that it wasn't going to be as simple as he was making it sound though.

"Excellent," said EJ happily, "I'm so glad we managed to get that all sorted - aren't you sweetheart?"

"So can we go now?" asked Sami anxiously, conscious of how every second they were wasting could be Lucas' last.

"Now, now," he tutted at her, "I do believe I mentioned two favours and unless my maths has failed me… that was only one."

"Alright!" she said anxiously, "What's the second one EJ - hurry up! What do you want?"

"Why my darling," said EJ evenly, "What I've always wanted of course… you."

Sami froze at that, her eyes widening as she looked back at him. He returned her stricken gaze calmly, like a cat playing with a little cornered mouse.

"Wh… what do you mean?" she asked him, her voice sounding distressed now.

"I want you," he repeated calmly, holding her gaze steadily, "I've always wanted you Samantha. I don't think I've been unclear in that particular desire do you?"

Sami shook her head, praying he didn't mean what she thought he meant.

"You can't be serious," she said, the horror obvious in her voice.

"Don't I look serious?" he asked her, unmoved by her growing distress.

"So you want me to have sex with you in this car in exchange for saving Lucas' life?" asked Sami bitterly, hardly able to believe she could bring herself to say the words.

"Oh darling," clucked EJ with a shake of his head, "You underestimate me."

"Wh… what does that mean?" she asked him in confusion - she'd been so sure that was what he wanted and she felt a flicker of hope that it wasn't going to be as bad as she'd feared but he soon extinguished that hope.

"I've wanted you for such a long time Samantha," he told her, a hand reaching out and stroking her cheek even as she recoiled from his touch, "And you've teased me terribly this whole time, allowing me tastes of you but never anything more."

"That wasn't my intention EJ!" she protested hotly.

"Maybe not in the beginning," shrugged EJ, unfazed by her denials, "But certainly of late you have been using your extremely ample…"

His eyes drifted down to her breasts then, his hot gaze passing over them and it was almost as though he'd touched her and she moved uncomfortably in her seat, trying to retreat from that searing stare.

"… feminine charms to be particularly unkind to me," said EJ, his voice suddenly a little rougher than it had been before as he reluctantly dragged his gaze from her breasts and up to meet her gaze again.

"I told you EJ," she said and cursed the breathlessness in her voice, "My father wanted to find out about your ties to Stefano and for the protection of our entire family he thought I might be able to help."

"Is it just me or is there something a little unsavoury about a father prostituting his own daughter to further the Brady thirst for revenge against the DiMera's?" mused EJ, almost to himself and then he sent her a sly look, his voice almost a purr now, "Or did you volunteer I wonder, a willing lamb to the slaughter?"

Sami's chin came up defiantly then, glaring back at him for his choice of words and the implication behind them.

"Or is that a moth to the flame?" he finished off, his voice low and almost mesmerising now, "Poor Samantha… she knows she shouldn't but she just can't help herself being drawn to the dangerous things of this world."

"You don't have any kind of pull over me EJ DiMera!" she denied his claims bitterly, "You're nothing but a liar and a manipulator."

"I take that as high praise coming from you my darling," he smirked, "Didn't you write the book on those two particular subjects?"

"So what do you want from me EJ?" she asked him sharply, not willing to get involved in that conversation right now, "We're wasting time here! If you don't want sex then tell me what you do want!"

"You have teased and titillated me for so long now sweetheart," said EJ, leaning back in his chair and regarding her steadily, "I am not going to be satisfied with some furtive fondling in the back seat of a car now. No, I think I've earned much more than that don't you? After all I was a friend to you when no one else would be. I made you laugh; I was a shoulder to cry on and a voice of reason in your darkest hours. I think I deserve a little more than a couple of minutes of stolen pleasure eh darling?"

"It wouldn't be pleasurable for me," she said bitterly, her lips curling in distaste.

"Oh," said EJ, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear and letting his finger tips drag ever so lightly over the delicate outline of her ear as he did, "It's a little unfair to judge me when you haven't had the benefit of enjoying all the…"

EJ licked his lips slowly then and despite herself, Sami tracked his tongues' motion, an unbidden memory suddenly coming to her of him doing the same thing to her lips during one of their many interrupted attempts at love making before she'd found out who he really was.

"… delights I have to offer your body," he finished huskily, seeing her watching him and feeling the blood begin to quicken in his veins.

"What do you want from me?" she asked him one last time, her voice no more than a broken whisper.

"I want you for a week Samantha," he said simply, "You… me… and no one else around."

"What?" she asked him in confusion.

"You come away with me for seven days," he detailed for her calmly, "To a place of my choosing."

"Are you crazy?" she asked in disbelief, "I can't go away with you for a week! What would I tell people?"

"Oh Samantha," he said with a little laugh, "You are such a convincing and dare I say it, inspired liar that I'm sure you'll come up with something utterly believable to tell people. I have no concerns on that front."

"You must be mad to think that I would go away with you for seven minutes let alone seven days!" said Sami hotly, "You make my skin crawl! Even breathing the same air as you makes me want to be sick."

"So I'll be sure to chose somewhere that is well ventilated," said EJ smoothly, unfazed by her rantings.

"And what?" she asked him bitterly, "Once we're alone you'll be able to do what you want with me and no one will know any different - is that is EJ? Is that your sick plan?"

"Samantha," said EJ very seriously, "I would never hurt you, you have to know that. All I am asking is seven days of your life, nothing more. I won't force you to do anything that you don't want to. I promise I will be a complete gentleman the whole time."

"Yeah right!" she snorted inelegantly, "I go with you and no one will ever see me again - that's the DiMera's way!"

"If no one ever sees you again then that will be completely your choice," said EJ smoothly, "All I want from you is to have you to myself for seven days. I don't think that is too much to ask in exchange for Lucas' life do you?"

"You're one sick bastard!" said Sami, her voice trembling as she realised that there was little she could do about it if she wanted to save Lucas life.

"I prefer determined sociopath myself Samantha," said EJ with a little quirk of his lips, "It has a nicer ring to it I think."

"Alright!" she snapped, conscious of the fact that each minute she spent arguing back and forth with him was a minute Lucas might not have, "I'll do it but we have to go and rescue Lucas right now!"

"See here's the thing darling," said EJ, tilting his head at her thoughtfully, "You're really in no position to be giving any kind of directives right now."

"No," she said acrimoniously, "You've got all the blackmailing power on your side haven't you EJ?"

"Ah ah," he wagged a finger at her impishly, "Negotiating from a position of strength my love. Blackmail is such an ugly word and I don't want there to be any ugliness between us."

"Are you kidding me?" she asked in utter disbelief, "You're forcing me into lying to the police and then you're forcing me to do away with you so you can do god only knows what to me with no one else around! Explain to me how that isn't ugly?!"

"I'm a man who knows what he wants and is prepared to do what it takes to get it," said EJ unapologetically, "I would have thought you of all people would understand that Samantha. It's pretty much your hallmark isn't it darling? That's why we're so well suited; we're yin to the other's yang."

"Just save Lucas," she bit out angrily, "I don't care what happens to me but you have to save Lucas. I can't let him die and to make sure that won't happen I'll agree to your disgusting deal EJ DiMera but just know I'm going to hate you through every revolting minute of it. You watch me EJ, I'm going to make you regret that you ever thought of this sick plan and at the end of those seven days you'll be begging to be away from me!"

"Now there's the Samantha Brady I absolutely adore!" he said excitedly, brightening considerably at hearing her threats, "I do love how you don't take things lying down my darling."

Sami just glowered at his enjoyment of her venom and his smile widened then and became particularly lecherous all of a sudden.

"Although I have to admit sweetheart…" he said, his eyes running all over her body freely again, his tone dropping to a roughen purr, "…I am rather hoping you'll take some things lying down."

"Oh!" said Sami in outrage at his barely veiled innuendo, the blush colouring her cheeks, "You are a complete pig EJ DiMera!"

EJ threw back his head and laugh at her righteous indignation, suddenly feeling far less gloomy about the events of tonight. In fact, all things considered… things had turned out quite well for him in the end and the thought brought a self satisfied smirk to his face which only served to annoy Sami further.

Oh yes… things were turning out rather nicely after all for EJ DiMera.

Chapter TWO - A Friend In Need Is A Friend Indeed

Sami pushed open the door of the cabin and rushed inside, dropping to her knees beside Lucas and checking to see if he was still breathing.

"He's still alive!" she announced in breathless relief.

"Oh hooray!" said EJ sarcastically, following her into the room, "I was so worried."

"Help him!" she said, throwing him an angry look, "You promised EJ!"

"We both made promises sweetheart," he said calmly, "As long as you remember that."

"I said I would do what you asked," she said resentfully.

"You, my darling, say a great many things," pointed out EJ calmly, "And manage to deliver on so very little of it I might add."

EJ pursed his lips then and gave her a very considered look now.

"In fact one might even suggest that it might be somewhat of a folly on my behalf to give you what you want before I get what I want," EJ mused idly.

"EJ!" said Sami, shaking her head at him, "Don't do this! You said you'd help Lucas!"

"And I will," nodded EJ, taking a seat on the arm of a nearby sofa and stretched his long legs out in front of him, crossing them at the ankles, "But I'm thinking I'm going to need some kind of guarantee from you before I go too much further. A down payment if you will."

Sami's eyes widened frighten what he might mean by that. EJ saw her trepidation and grinned, enjoying having her so worried after what she'd put him through tonight.

"What kind of down payment?" she asked nervously, quickly looking down at Lucas as he still lay unconscious on the ground under snow and debris.

"Well how about this?" mused EJ, "Why don't we put that luscious mouth of yours to good use…"

He trailed off then, his hot gaze dropping to her lips making Sami bit at her bottom lip anxiously which he seemed to find particularly captivating.

"… that talented, undeniably gifted mouth," he continued on huskily, finally managing to drag his eyes from her lips to capture her gaze again.

Holding her stricken gaze EJ slowly moved a hand to the front of his jeans and Sami held her breath, the moment stretching out horribly, everything seeming to be happening in slow motion. Lucas was right there… he wouldn't… he couldn't expect… could he? But he was a DiMera after all and forcing her to do something like this would be right up his alley and the fact that Lucas was right there would probably only add to his sick thrill. Sami felt her nerves tighten unbearably as his hand hovered briefly over the front of his jeans before continuing on to his front pocket and pulling out his cell phone with a little flourish.

"Why darling," he said with a mocking smile at seeing the wave of relief wash over her face, "Whatever was that wicked little mind of yours thinking I wonder? I declare Ms Brady… you make me blush you do."

Sami glared at him, hating the sight of his smug face and especially hating how he was laughing at her. He was toying with her like a cat with a mouse that it had cornered and was enjoying himself immensely at her expense.

"What am I meant to do with that?" she asked him suspiciously.

"Why phone for help of course sweetheart," he said, feigning surprise she should even ask, "I was thinking seeing as your Daddy was in the vicinity he'd be an excellent one to call."

"You want me to call my father?" asked Sami sceptically, trying to work out his angle here.

"Of course," said EJ evenly with a little nod, "He'll be able to organise some medical help for Lucas to be at your doorstep in no time."

Sami frowned, wondering what he was doing.

"Of course you'll also feel compelled to mention that I am here with you," continued on EJ blithely, "And how unbelievably grateful you are that I happened to come along when I did. How I was running late for our little rendezvous and who should I see beside the road but the very woman I was meant to be meeting. She was in a state of distress and on hearing her plight and being the compassionate good Samaritan that I am how could I do anything other than come and help rescue her dearly beloved from under a pile of beams that he'd carelessly managed to get himself trapped under?"

"My father isn't going to believe that," said Sami with a shake of her head, "He knows you've already been to the boat house tonight."

"I don't see how," said EJ with exaggerated consternation, "I mean no one actually saw me or my vehicle there so I don't see why they'd be harbouring under that particular misapprehension. I mean the only reason I was going to be there at all was to sail away off into the sunset with you my darling but as I said… neither of us had managed to make that particular date with destiny as it turned out."

"He won't believe any of that EJ!" protested Sami anxiously.

"Oh but he will," said EJ swiftly, standing up now and walking over to her, "Because he's going to hear it from the lips of his own sweet little girl and she is going to be so credible, so utterly convincing that he won't be able to do anything else but believe it. You are such a very talented deceiver Samantha and I'm going to be expecting to use all of those talents to make a convert out of your father. I want you to put as much effort into it as though your life depended on it… well, someone's life anyway."

"I can't do this EJ!" she said shakily and just then Lucas gave a low groan and she looked over at him worriedly.

"Well that is very disappointing news," sighed EJ with mock regret, "For some of us in this room more than others I might add though. I myself would simply be forced to head out of town without further delay and I don't think you really want that Samantha - do you?"

"You wouldn't leave Lucas here to die EJ," said Sami with a desperate shake of her head.

"Wouldn't I?" asked EJ, feigning surprise, "To listen to you I'm up there with Hitler as the worst person who's ever lived. Surely you can't doubt that I would happily leave Lucas to the elements and his own stupidity if I didn't have the right… I don't know…"

EJ waggled his head back and forth a little, looking up at the ceiling and making a show of finding the right word.

"… incentive to do the right thing," finished EJ.

He fixed her with a hard stare then.

"So what's it going to be sweetheart?" he asked her mockingly, "An ittsy bitsy white lie or a turn to play the grieving widow? But then, why do I have the feeling that you will be as sexy as hell dressed all in black eh? Makes me almost want to forget our deal to find out actually."

Sami shook her head in pained frustration, knowing he held all the power at the moment and hating him for it. She held out her hand.

"Give me the phone!" she snapped, just wanting to get this done so he would rescue Lucas.

She went to snatch it off him as he handed it to her but his fingers closed around her hand and held her in place.

"Not that I don't trust you sweetheart," he said with a cold little smile, "But do you mind if I listen in? I just want to make sure that everything is done to my… satisfaction… you understand don't you?"

Sami scowled at him but EJ was unconcerned, simply standing up from where he was lounging casually on the sofa arm and without letting go of her hand came to stand behind her. Sami tensed as she felt him move closer to her, bending down so his head was level with hers as he leant over her shoulder.

"Tick tock darling," he prompted her, his voice low in her ear as his free hand went to her hip and stopped her from moving away from him, "Lucas doesn't look too good I have to say… but then again he never looked good to me so maybe I'm not the best judge eh sweetheart?"

Sami just jerked the phone out his hand, not dignifying his little quip with an answer, instead dialling her father's cell phone number with shaking hands. She held the phone to her ear and took a deep breath, trying to organise her thoughts but it was hard because EJ was now pressing his hard length up against her from behind, his arms wrapped loosely but determinedly around her waist. It was meant to make her feel small and trapped and it was working but she stubbornly wouldn't let him see that. Sami bit her lip, hearing the phone ringing and praying her father was going to pick up - it was Lucas' only hope.

"Roman Brady."

"Daddy!" said Sami urgently, unconsciously reverting to the name she'd called him when she was younger.

"Sami? Sami are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly, "But Lucas… Dad we were in the cabin and then the roof came down and he got trapped under some beams and I couldn't get him out…"

"Whoa, hold on there Sami," said Roman, breaking into her rush of words, "Are you sure you're alright?"

"Yes Dad," said Sami and keep her voice steady now, "I'm here with EJ and…"

"EJ DiMera is there with you?!" asked Roman, taken aback.

EJ's lips turned up into a humourless smile at the sound of horror in the other man's voice. He deserved it for the pathetic attempt he and the Salem PD had done in setting him up tonight. It was amusing to hear the worry in his tone now. Perhaps next time they'd think twice about organising such a subpar trap to try and take down a DiMera?

"It's alright Dad," said Sami, sounding very calm and confident and EJ silently applauded her for her composure under the circumstances.

But then Samantha Brady always did know how to rise to the occasion.

"I went to get help but my car broke down and EJ came across me by the road," she said evenly, "He was late for the meeting we'd set up and he stopped to help me."

"Sami listen to me," said Roman urgently, "John Black's been shot… and it was EJ who did it!"

Sami's eyes widened with distress at hearing this news.

"Is… is he alright Dad?" she asked anxiously.

"It doesn't look good honey," said her father honestly, "You have to get out of there right now!"

"I'm fine Dad," said Sami, the tears beginning to prick her eyes as she thought of John.

Theirs had been a complicated history to be sure but she didn't wish him dead and it was terrifying to think the man who had his arms wrapped around her was responsible for such a thing. EJ felt her tense even more in arms and tightened his grip on her in a silent warning, pressing his cheek against hers more firmly as he listened in on her phone conversation with Roman. Sami blinked rapidly, clearing her tears and focusing.

"EJ wouldn't hurt me and he… he was the one who got Lucas out from underneath the beams of wood," said Sami, staring at a point on the wall and putting her all into persuading her father, "He saved Lucas' life Dad."

"He tried to kill John tonight!" said Roman, dismayed that she didn't seem to be taking this more seriously.

"He couldn't have Dad," said Sami firmly and EJ's smile widened at how convincing she sounded.

Hell at this rate he was starting to believe her!

"His car was coming from the direction of Salem," said Sami earnestly, "Not the boat shed. It must have… have been someone else who shot John."

"Sami…" said Roman urgently but she interrupted him.

"Dad I need you to get help up here for Lucas," she said, her voice starting to raise with distress now, "He's out from under the beams but he's hurt and needs and ambulance. Please Dad - can you send one right away?! I'm so scared he might die here!"

"Of course Sami," said Roman hurriedly, "I'll do that right now. You sit tight and I'll be right there too. Don't do anything to upset EJ - I'll be there soon!"

"Thank you Dad," she said, feeling a wave of relief come over her knowing that he was on his way, "Hurry, please!"

EJ heard the click as Roman hung up and grinned before pressing a playful kiss to her cheek.

"Clever girl," he applauded her efforts, "Very convincing I must say Samantha."

Sami struggled out of his hold and he let her go. She whirled around and faced him, her face angry and distressed.

"You shot John!" she accused him heatedly.

"No Samantha," he said with a shake of his head, "Weren't you listening just then… I never made it to the boat shed - it must have been someone else who did such a terrible thing to poor John."

"You're a monster!" she yelled at him, her voice shaking.

"Be that as it may I'm a monster with some considerable upper body strength sweetheart," he informed her, "So you might try and be a little nicer to me eh darling?"

"You keep away from me!" she shouted at him, backing up quickly.

EJ laughed then to see her reaction and Sami just glared defiantly back at him.

"I was meaning you need my strength to get the beams off sleeping beauty over there," he grinned.

Sami gave a startled gasp and looked over at Lucas, still buried under the rubble and EJ smirked to see her face.

"Forgot about him didn't you?" he asked in amusement and gave her a playful wink, "We'll put that down to the excitement of being in my arms again shall we sweetheart?"

"I did not forget about Lucas!" she hissed at him although to her complete chagrin she had actually for a few minutes even though he was lying just there a few feet away but there was no way in hell she was going to tell EJ that, "I did what you asked and I've already told my father that you've rescued him so do it already!"

"Alright, alright, stop pestering me woman!" sighed EJ with a roll of his eyes, walking around to stand at the end of the beam trapping Lucas, "You know there is a verse in the Bible about it being better to live on the roof then to share a house with a nagging woman."

EJ squatted down at the foot of the beam as he said that and then squinted up at the gaping hole in the roof and then back at Lucas lying under that same hole.

"Say sweetheart?" he said, a thought suddenly occurring to him and giving her a teasing look, "That wasn't how this happened was it - Lucas up on the roof attempting some respite from your constant harassment?"

"Shut up and move the beam EJ!" she snapped at him, crouching down beside Lucas and ignoring his carry on.

"Yes dear," he said, feigning meekness and she would have scowled at him but was more interested in seeing how Lucas was right then.

"It's alright Lucas," she told him urgently, stroking his face, "Everything is going to be alright, just hang in there honey!"

EJ rolled his eyes at the display and grabbed the beam with both hands and lifting with his legs picked up the heavy length of wood and managed to move it off Lucas, falling to one side as he did, taking the weighty beam with him.

"Oh thank god!" exclaimed Sami with a choked sob, holding his still unconscious face in her hands, "Lucas, Lucas honey you're going to be okay!"

"Let's be realistic here Samantha," said EJ wryly, picking himself up and dusting loose bits of snow from his clothing, "The best Lucas Roberts can shoot for is mediocre… okay is way out of his reach."

"Shut up!" she barked at him, "Just shut up EJ!"

"Oh well there's a surprise," he said mockingly, "Got what you want from me and now you've no more use for me eh sweetheart? I think I'm seeing a pattern developing when it comes to you and men Samantha."

Sami tucked the blanket she'd previously put over Lucas more securely around him and prayed that he was going to be alright and ignored EJ's sarcasm. It had cost her dearly but at least Lucas was going to be alright - that was all that mattered.

"Oh Florence Nightingale," said EJ sweetly, "When you're done seeing to little Timmy over there I have a wound that needs tending to as well."

Sami looked up at him with a frown, sick of his teasing of her and now that Lucas was out from under the beam she didn't feel quite the same need to pander to his carry on. Besides, her father was on his way even as they spoke and she felt a surge of courage at that thought. EJ held up his right index finger to her and pouted unhappily.

"I have a splinter," he moaned, "Ouchy."

"I hope you get tetanus and die from it," said Sami bitterly.

"Wow," said EJ, feigning affront, "That bedside manner of yours needs some working on there Samantha. So I take it from that little sentiment that you're not going to be kissing my owwy all better."

"I'd sooner kiss a wart hog," she growled.

"Don't think he's quite up to that yet sweetheart," said EJ straight faced, looking over her shoulder at the motionless Lucas, "Best give it a couple of days eh?"

Sami got up then and walked over to him, her face set in angry determination.

"Leave Lucas alone EJ!" she demanded.

"Help Lucas EJ… leave Lucas alone EJ," he sighed, pretending confusion, "You can't seem to make up your mind about the man sweetheart but then who can blame you really. After all he appears to have the same problem doesn't he? Lucas only seems to be interested in you when Carrie is off the menu - it's hardly the stuff of that legendary love stories are made of is it darling?"

"What do you know about love EJ?" she scoffed at his observations.

"I know that when it's real it never feels like you're second choice," he responded quickly.

"I'm not Lucas' second choice," she protested, giving him a dark look and trying not to examine his observations too closely.

"That's true," agreed EJ readily, "You'd have to move up a few places to make it to number two I think sweetheart. There is Carrie… Nicole and of course Kate to bump off first."

"You're sick," she ground out between clenched teeth, "The thought of being anywhere near someone so perverted as you makes me want to dry retch EJ!"

"And yet you're strangely comfortable being with a man who has yet to cut the umbilical cord with his mother," he noted wryly, "How like you Samantha."

"You don't know anything EJ!" she spat out at him, his words a little too close to things she'd thrown in Lucas' face over the years but she didn't want to hear them from EJ.

"I know a great deal more than you're prepared to accept," he countered calmly, "None so blind as those who would not see after all Samantha."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she frowned.

"It means you're not just good at lying to other people but you're also rather gifted at lying to yourself as well," he said smoothly, "Tragic really when one is hoisted by one's own petard like that."

"Purtard?" repeated Sami in annoyance, "What are you carrying on about EJ - you're making no sense - what are you even talking about?!"

"To be hoisted by your own petard means that you become a victim of your own attempts to harm someone else," he explained dutifully, "A petard is a small explosive charge they used in the 16th century to attach to fortress walls and doors. An extremely unfortunate person would have to carry the petard though a battle and attempt to fasten it to the enemy's fortress. Often times the thing would go off and hence he would be hoisted by his own petard."

"Fascinating," said Sami flatly in a tone that suggested she was anything but.

"You asked," he shrugged.

"Why can't you just talk like a normal person?" she asked him disgust.

"Well I can revert back to clicks and whistles like a cockroach if that would make you feel like you were talking to dear old Lucas again," he suggested coolly, "Would that help sweetheart?"

"You just can't help yourself can you?" asked Sami, her lips curling in loathing at him.

"I have to make a confession to you Samantha," he said straight faced and then gave a rueful smile, "I'm not really trying to help myself when it comes to Lucas."

Sami went to turn on her heel and return to Lucas but EJ stalled her by quickly grabbing her arm.

"Let go of me!" said Sami angrily, trying to shake her arm free of him.

"I just wanted to make sure that you remember that you still owe me one favour Samantha," he said calmly, "You've gotten what you wanted and I'm only halfway towards getting what I want."

"You still expect me to go away with you?" she said, looking at him in disbelief.

"That was our arrangement wasn't it?" he asked her, his voice suddenly hard, "And you seriously don't want to test my patience on this matter Samantha."

There was something in his voice that made Sami shudder a little but she kept a determinedly unconcerned look on her face even as his eyes bore into her.

"I mean," he continued on smoothly, "There is nothing to say that I couldn't simply replace the house that was on top of the wicked witch of the west over there and still make good my escape now is there… my pretty?"

Sami looked over at Lucas still lying there helplessly and then back at EJ.

"You wouldn't!" she said hoarsely.

"Well that would be entirely up to you Samantha," he said calmly.

"Alright," she said hastily, "I'll do it; I'll go away with you like we agreed!"

"Promise me on the life of your son," said EJ, narrowing his eyes at her and correctly pin pointing the one thing that she would never trifle with.

"You leave Will out of this EJ!" she said in horror.

"Happy to," he smiled coldly, "Now give me your word and we can leave this unpleasant talk behind us."

Sami bit her lower lip and hesitated but had no choice to do as he asked.

"I… I promise on Will's life," she stammered, "I give you my word EJ… on my son's life - I'll go away with you."

"Excellent," smiled EJ, suddenly cheery again, "Now that wasn't so difficult was it Samantha?"

Sami just grimaced at him, not trusting herself to speak now.

"Let's seal the deal with a kiss," said EJ playfully and before she could react he'd pulled her into his arms and captured her lips in a hard kiss.

Sami was so shocked she didn't move immediately and her surprised gasp allowed EJ entrance and she suddenly had the taste of him in her mouth, his tongue confidently stroking hers. Sami began to struggle but EJ wouldn't let her go, not until he was good and ready and they were both breathless from the kiss. When he eventually released her Sami took a couple of steps back and roughly wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, giving him a disgusted look. EJ for his part was licking his lips, seeming to be savouring the lingering taste of her in his mouth.

"Just as I remembered," he purred happily to her, "Ambrosia Samantha, you taste of ambrosia - nectar of the gods."

Sami glared at him, hating him with his smug self assuredness. Lucas gave a little groan then and Sami whirled round, rushing to his side and dropping to her knees and ignoring EJ totally.

"Lucas!" she said frantically, "Lucas! Are you alright? I'm here, it's okay!"

"Sa… Sami?" he gasped weakly.

"Oh honey," she said unevenly, "Yes, it's me, I'm here. Everything is going to be fine, just lie still - help is on its way!"

"Ohh," said EJ straight faced, watching the emotional scene, "These family reunion scenes get me all choked up they do."

He cleared his throat then and frowned.

"Oh sorry," he said apologetically, "It was just some phlegm, my mistake."

Sami shot him a death look which EJ seemed particularly unconcerned about. There was a sudden wail of a siren off in the distance which made both Sami and EJ look at the door.

"Ah," smiled EJ, "Here come the cavalry - better late than never I suppose."

"Hang on Lucas," she told him as he closed his eyes again and seemed to fall back into unconsciousness, "Help is nearly here!"

Sami stood up then and went to hurry to the door but EJ grabbed her arm as she went by and stilled her progress. He drew her close to him and leant down so that his lips were at her ear.

"Now best foot forward my little snow bunny," said EJ with a warning arch of his eyebrow as the sound of the sirens drew closer, heralding Roman's imminent arrival, "Be a good girl and make sure you don't disappoint me darling. You wouldn't like me when I'm disappointed."

"I don't like you period," she snapped at him, "I wish you were dead EJ DiMera!"

"Can I just say how much I'm looking forward to our trip away Samantha," he said mockingly with a quirk of his lips as he let her go then, "It promises to be quite the memorable little retreat and I for one can't wait."

"That it will EJ," she growled back at him making herself a silent promise that it was going to be memorable for all the wrong reasons, "That it will."

If she wasn't going to like him when he was disappointed then he was going to hate her when she was forced into something.

Sami Brady was going to make sure of that.

Chapter THREE - Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire

Sami leant against a desk in the Salem police department and fidgeted nervously with her coat sleeve. EJ meanwhile looked like he could be sunning himself on a beach in the Cayman's for all the anxiety he was showing which was a little surprising really as he was the one handcuffed to a chair in front of her.

"Don't look so worried darling," he chided her lightly, seeing her unsettled expression, "Anyone would think that you had something to hide."

Sami gave him a disgruntled look at his mocking of her knowing full well she had everything to hide at the moment.

"You know," said EJ with a bit of a pout, moving in his chair a little to find a more comfortable position, "This is not quite the hero's welcome I'd been hoping for."

He jangled his arm and the handcuff attached to it and the chair made a metallic clunking sound as he did. EJ looked around himself and saw Roman and Bo huddled together in a corner and inwardly smirked to himself. He could tell by their body language that they weren't happy; obviously having difficulty pinning anything on him and it was hard not to feel a little smug in the circumstances.

"Since when is handcuffing hero's to chairs been the order of day in Salem?" he posed the question and arched an eyebrow at her in mild exasperation, feeling comfortable enough to have a little fun with Sami seeing as he had little to fear from Salem's finest.

"You're not a hero EJ!" said Sami, her voice low but fierce, "You wouldn't help Lucas until you got something in return - that's hardly a heroic thing to do is it?"

"Psh," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "This is a new age Samantha - heroism doesn't come cheap nowadays. I was merely offsetting my costs in requiring a little payment from you. It's a commercial era in which we live Samantha - give a little… get a little."

"Costs?" she snorted at him, "What costs? You lifted a beam off Lucas - where is the cost in that?!"

"Well it required a fair amount of strength to do so," he pointed out reasonably, "I had to gain that strength by working out so there was gym membership, appropriate clothing and footwear and that of course isn't counting the home gym I have set up…"

"Just shut up EJ," she said in disgust, wondering if he would ever tire of teasing her.

"I'm just saying that a quality hero such as myself doesn't come cheap," he shrugged, trying to look serious but the corners of his mouth had turned up a little, betraying his amusement, "You're just fortunate I look upon you as a close personal friend Samantha and offered you a discount."

"What you asked me to do was a discount?" she asked in horror, "What would have been the full fee?!"

EJ's eyes ran over her and his smile turned into a particularly lecherous one.

"Do you really need me to answer that?" he asked her with a little smirk and Sami flushed and looked away abruptly.

EJ smiled, watching that appealing pink hue colour her cheeks and wanting very much to touch the heated skin, feel the warmth beneath his fingers. He wondered what Commander Daddy would make of that and it made EJ want to do it even more. After arriving at the cabin Roman and his uniformed goons had manhandled him and immediately stuck the handcuffs on him. To her credit Sami had tried to protest his innocence and live up to her side of the bargain but Roman wasn't interested and in a very poor display of policing procedure they'd arrested him with no due cause. A fact that his lawyer was currently having a field day with no doubt and was almost certainly the reason for the unhappiness vibe he was getting from Roman and Bo currently. Even as they were hauling him away and throwing him with an unnecessary amount of force into a police car Sami was trying to convince her father that EJ had never even made it to the boat house.

Was it wrong that it got him so hard when she lied for him?

Probably… but he just didn't care.

Samantha Jean Brady seemed to be able to bring out the extremes in his personality for some reason. It was one of the reasons he felt so totally alive when he was around her or even when he was thinking about her. She made everything more intense to him, every emotion, every thought and action. It was like she galvanized everything in his life into this wondrous cacophony that he simply couldn't get enough of… she was something he couldn't get enough of.

Sami frowned at the way EJ was looking at her, her feeling of discomfort only deepening. She'd just spent the last hour lying through her teeth to her own father and felt sickened by what he was forcing her to do. Her dad had asked the same thing so many different ways she supposed to see if she'd slip up but as EJ pointed out… she was good liar and stuck resolutely to her story. Sami had no doubt that the consequences for her and the people she loved would have been dire and she couldn't risk that. EJ was a DiMera and as such capable of anything.

Even thinking that made her sense of betrayal at his hands deepen. She'd thought for months that EJ was her friend, that he cared about her but it had all been a lie, right from the beginning. All of his attention and flattering words had all had a hidden agenda and she knew that now. Not that she knew the full extent of that agenda yet and frankly she didn't want to. All she knew was that a man that she had counted as a friend and something more than that had betrayed her and it was a bitter pill to swallow.

Sami didn't make friends easily and she was even worse at keeping them and then suddenly this handsome stranger had swept into town and for the first time in her life a man had sought her out with no manipulation on her behalf. For a few glorious months she'd allowed herself to entertain the thought that she might actually be someone a man could chose first, over her sister Carrie even. She'd felt an undeniable pull towards him and amazingly he seemed to feel the same way.

Of course it had to be too good to be true, after all, she was Sami Brady and those kinds of things just never happened to her. It made perfect sense that when a man did seek her out, Sami - the anti-Brady, it would have to be a DiMera! There was a kind of perverted logic to it that made Sami despair that she was ever going to have the normal family life she longed for. But all that was going to change now she was sure of it. She and Lucas were together and it was going to stay that way. Lucas represented everything she'd ever wanted in her life - love, stability and acceptance by her family and she wasn't going to let the DiMera's take that dream from her - they'd already taken so much already. So what if she'd had a brief attraction to the man smiling up at her now? It was in the past and she was totally over it. She felt less than nothing for him except disgust of course and now all she wanted to do was be with Lucas.

"I have to go," she said abruptly.

"But I thought you'd be wanting to keep me company sweetheart?" he pouted.

"I've done what you blackmailed me into doing," she said with a twist of her lips.

"I thought we agreed we weren't going to call it that?" he sighed up at her, "Just like I'm not going to call your attempt to set me up as betrayal and calling it instead a momentary lapse in judgement instead."

"The only momentary lapse I had EJ was agreeing to this ridiculous deal," she growled.

"But you did and now here we are," he said smugly, "It was like it was meant to be… like we're fated to keep on crossing paths with each other somehow."

"It isn't fate," Sami disagreed darkly, "It's karma punishing me for all the bad things I've done in my life."

"Well if I'm some kind of karmic pay back for all your wrong doings…" pondered EJ thoughtfully, "… and only half the stories I've heard about you are true… then I'm going to be in your life for a long time to come Samantha."

He grinned up at her with that last part and as much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Damn it! But Sami wasn't one to just accept the hand life gave her - even if it was dealt out by karma. She just needed some time to think and regroup and then she'd be back and ready to wipe that smug smile off his face once and for all.

"I'm going," she said flatly, just wanting to be away from him now.

"Fair enough," said EJ easily, "I expect you'll be wanting to run along and pack for our trip away tomorrow anyway."

"Tomorrow?!" she repeated in horror, his words having caught her off guard again.

"We had a deal remember Samantha," he said calmly, "You promised on your offspring's life if memory serves me correctly."

"And I'll do as I promised!" said Sami, her voice low and urgent, as she leant forward, "But I can't possibly go with away with you tomorrow EJ!"

"Never put off until tomorrow what you can do today sweetheart," he tutted at her with a smile and waggled a finger at her, "Procrastination is the thief of time you know."

"I can't leave Lucas," she said in dismay, thinking she'd have far more time than this to wangle her way out of this deal, "He's hurt!"

"And in hospital," agreed EJ with a nod of his head, "And if I'm to understand the process correctly isn't that the best place for him? Surrounded by doctors and nurses so that if he gets so much as a sniffle he can have someone on hand to blow his nose for him."

"I can't leave him!" she reiterated, "He's still very weak. He could get and infection… he could still die EJ!"

"One," said EJ, leaning back in his chair and crossing his legs, "I don't think my luck is quite that good yet…"

Sami glowered at him for that but he continued on undeterred.

"And two," said EJ, "Only the good die young… the bland and uninspired have nothing to worry about… they're always the last to leave any party. In fact they're usually the ones left to stack the chairs and turn off the lights."

Sami shook her head at his mocking of Lucas.

"If you hate Lucas so much then why didn't you just leave him to die and flee when you had a chance?" she asked him bitterly.

"Again two answers to that question," smiled EJ, "One… I'd do anything you ask of me Samantha… you must know that by now?"

"Good," she snapped, "Drop dead!"

"Anything that you really wanted," he qualified with a little laugh at her vitriol towards him, "And two… I couldn't bear to be parted from you sweetheart. We've been through too much together and you've come to mean so much to me…"

EJ straightened up then and reached out and took her hand in his, bending down and pressing a soft kiss to the back of her hand. Sami tensed, taken aback by his unexpected and demonstrative gesture.

"… more than I think you fully realise yet," he continued on huskily, looking up at her with those liquid brown eyes of his as his lips brushed against the sensitive skin of her hand, "But I'm hoping our time away will change all that. I want you to understand and embrace my devotion to you Samantha… "

"And I want you to understand and embrace my hatred of you EJ," she spat back, pulling her hand free of his gentle hold, "I will never have feelings for you, never!"

"Hatred is a feeling," he pointed out mildly, straightening up, "And it's as good a place to start as any."

Sami opened her mouth to argue the point with him but Roman suddenly appeared over EJ's shoulder and she swallowed the words, smiling up at him instead.

"Dad," she said, a slight frown on her face now, "Have you heard how John is?"

"He's just gotten out of surgery," said Roman tightly, "Your mother's with him now Sami."

"And it went well I hope?" asked EJ, hoping nothing of the kind, "John's pulled through?"

It would be rather inconvenient for EJ if John did happen to do that very thing but there was many a slip betwixt the cup and the lips as they say and as Sami had just pointed out - there can be a lot of complications when you're in a hospital. Somehow if John Black saw fit to rally at this point EJ was quite sure he'd be on the receiving end of one of those complications… he'd make sure of it. After all John had betrayed the family and deserved no less and besides, EJ hated half doing anything. If a job was worth doing it was worth doing right.

"He's in a coma," said Roman flatly.

"Oh no!" gasped Sami in distress, "Poor Mom."

She looked at Roman then.

"Dad," she said quickly, "Do you need me for anything else? I really want to go up to the hospital and check on John and Mom and of course see Lucas."

"That's fine honey," nodded Roman, "We've got your statement; there is no need for you to hang around here. There are some real pieces of scum that you don't need to be having to spend any more time with then you already have."

"If you're referring to Baby Huey over there," said EJ blithely, pointing a finger at the heavily tattooed, long haired, giant of a man with several teeth missing that was currently chained to his own chair over in the corner as police questioned him about god only knows what, "I think you'll find he's just misunderstood and in need of love."

Roman looked utterly unimpressed by EJ's humour and EJ didn't care one whit.

"Not unlike myself really," he said with a mock regretful sigh before looking impishly up at Sami, "I'm sure my whole life would turn around if I could just find a good woman to love me…"

Sami stared coldly back at him, very conscious of her father standing right there and feeling the need to be careful in what she let him goad her into saying. EJ gave her a rakish smile and a wink then before continuing.

"… or better still… a bad woman to love me," he finished with real amusement in his voice now but there was something else as well, some kind of longing under the playfulness that Sami wasn't going to have anything to do with, "What do you think eh Samantha?"

"I think that it's a shame that Cruella DeVil isn't an actual person because then you might have had a real shot at happiness," she said with a sickly sweet smile as she delivered her barb, "But until that happy day when you're out of my life and some other woman's problem I'm going to go and be with the man who loves me and who I love more than anything in this world. So if you'll excuse me…"

EJ's lips twisted into a smile at her humour and her attempt to insert her own reality into the situation. He did so love it when she fought back.

"Bye Dad," she said, straightening up from the desk and pressing a kiss to Roman's cheek, "I'll call you from the hospital and let you know how things are going with John."

"Thanks honey," he said with a little smile, "You just go and be with Lucas and don't worry about anything okay. We've got it all in hand here."

Sami gave him a determinedly bright smile, pretending as though his words had reassured her when she knew it was anything but the truth and it was her lies that were going to make EJ a free man again. It was absolutely galling and the urge to just blurt out the truth to her dad then and there and have EJ thrown in jail was strong but Sami knew that his lawyers would have him out on bail quickly enough. Sami also knew that EJ would not take a second betrayal like that lying down and she shuddered to think what form his revenge would take. EJ turned his head so he could enjoy watching her leave, that wiggle in her walk doing things to him that should be illegal he decided. Roman saw how EJ was looking at his daughter and wasn't happy.

"Uncuff him," he barked at one of the uniformed officers.

"Oh," said EJ, managing to drag his avid gaze away from the door way Sami had just disappeared through, "Come to your senses and releasing me back into the wild eh Commander?"

Roman didn't answer, just waited for him to be uncuffed. EJ rubbed his wrist with his other hand, being quite certain the handcuff had been put on tighter than was strictly necessary.

"A moment of your time Elvis?" said Roman in a tone that suggested it wasn't so much a request as an order.

"Haven't you had enough of those already?" asked EJ in exasperation but then gave a shrug, "Of course - anything to help out the boys in blue you know."

Roman held open the door of his office and EJ walked in, Roman closing the door behind them.

"Alone at last eh Commander," quipped EJ with a grin.

"I don't know how you did it," said Roman, his face hard and uninterested in playing any more games, "But I know you were at that boat house Elvis and I know you were responsible for John getting shot. John Black is a good man, one of the finest men I've ever known…"

"Didn't that good, fine man do your wife on a conference room table a while back?" interrupted EJ innocently, "Or did I get that story wrong?"

Roman's eyes flashed with pure rage at that and EJ smirked internally knowing he'd found the right button to push. As long as he remained calm and in control and the likes of Roman Brady were on the defensive then he had nothing to worry about. EJ knew anger would cloud their judgement, cause them to make mistakes like they had last night and he was happy to add fuel to that fire.

"Oh sorry," said EJ, feigning regret, "Are you not laughing about that yet? My bad."

"You just shut your smart mouth EJ DiMera," said Roman in disgust, "You think you've got all the angles covered don't you?"

"I don't require any angles to be covered," said EJ, enunciating his words sharply to make his point, "Because I haven't done anything that requires any kind of covering. I simply helped out a dear friend who was in trouble tonight. And on that note can I say I'm a little under whelmed by the response I've gotten for that particular little charitable act."

Roman's face twisted in loathing at the younger man's smug self assuredness. He'd love nothing more than to wipe that gloating look off his face but he simply didn't have any evidence to do just that. Despite their best efforts they didn't have anything to place him at the boat house and his own daughter's statement wasn't exactly helping in that department either.

"Well if you haven't bought me in here to give me the keys to the city I was wondering if I might be able to take my leave Commander?" asked EJ calmly, "Not that I haven't enjoyed spending the night here of course, especially when I had the distinct pleasure of your beautiful daughter's company."

Roman tensed at Sami's name on EJ's lips and EJ saw it and determinedly turned the knife.

"Of course it's not like it was the first night we spent together," he continued on blithely, "But it was the first time handcuffs and an audience were involved… oohmf!"

EJ didn't get to finish his goading because Roman suddenly grabbed him, ramming him up against the window behind him, his eyes were blazing as he was forced to tilt his head right back to keep eye contact with the taller man.

"You stay the hell away from my daughter!" hissed Roman.

"Well now Commander Brady," said EJ calmly, not seeing the need to fight back seeing as he was the one winning this particular skirmish, "That would be entirely up to Samantha now wouldn't it?"

"If you touch her I'll kill you," said Roman, his voice low and EJ knew it was no idle threat.

"Samantha and mine's relationship…" began EJ evenly.

"You don't have a relationship with my daughter!" said Roman, pushing him harder against the window.

"Oh I beg to differ Commander," said EJ smoothly, his eyes hard now, "Samantha and I have a very deep relationship. She's told me things she's never told another soul in this world. I've been her friend when the rest of her so called family turned her back on her so don't tell me that we don't have a relationship Commander Brady."

"You will never be anything to my daughter," said Roman harshly, "Except a piece of murdering DiMera scum!"

"You know without proof those kinds of statements are generally regarded as slander," said EJ coolly, "So if I were you Roman, I'd tread a little more carefully."

"I know in my gut that you were at that boat house and that you were the one who shot John Black," snarled Roman, his face close to EJ's now as he shoved an accusing finger right at EJ's face, "I know it!"

"Well until that momentous day when your gut becomes admissible evidence in court I think I'll just be on my way now if it's all the same to you eh Commander Brady?" said EJ smugly.

The two men faced off but EJ knew ultimately Roman could do nothing to him and EJ could see how that fact was eating the other man up inside.

"So Roman," said EJ with a little smirk, "If you're going to continue to be this up close and personal with me I'm going to have to insist that you buy me dinner first… I'm just not that kind of girl to give it away for free."

"Get out of my sight Elvis!" said Roman in disgust, giving a final push on EJ's chest as he let him go and stepped back.

"Oh now don't be like that Commander," said EJ, gently chiding him as he straightened his jacket after Roman's rough treatment of it and him, "Just because it didn't work out between us doesn't mean we can't be friends eh?"

EJ grinned then, seeing how much the other man would love to take a swing at him right about now and quite hoping he would. It would be worth a bit of pain to see Roman Brady coming up against assault charges but rather disappointingly for EJ the older man managed to contain himself.

"Well I'll see myself out shall I?" asked EJ brightly, "I must dash; I've got a date with destiny."

Roman said nothing, just scowled at the younger man's cockiness. EJ got to the door and turned around and gave Roman an impish wink.

"I'll give Samantha your love when I do eh Commander?" he asked with a wicked smile and then before Roman could respond with more threats he simply closed the door on the other man.

"This ain't over EJ DiMera," said Roman after he was gone, his jaw clenched tightly, "Not by a long shot!"

EJ stood outside the door to Roman's office and straightened his jacket again, a pleased smile on his face. He began to make his way out of the police station, pulling out his cell phone and making a few important phone calls as he went. By the time he was back at his apartment EJ had made all the necessary arrangements and now all that had to be done was organise one last little detail.

"Samantha."

EJ smiled as he said her name and set about getting that last detail organised.

Chapter FOUR - Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Sami fluffed Lucas' pillow and gave him an anxious smile. He was stable but she couldn't help but still worry over him. He had broken ribs, his leg had required surgery that morning to repair the damage, there were after effects from being in the snow that long and he had some internal injuries that the doctors wanted to keep an eye of for a while. It was a miracle it wasn't worse really all things considered.

"Are you sure I can't do anything for you?" she asked him hopefully, "Do you need me to get you something or…"

"It's alright Sami," he interrupted her, "I'm fine, don't worry about me."

"You're not fine," she corrected him, her voice suddenly shaky; "You're in a hospital Lucas. You could have died last night!"

"But I didn't," he corrected her, squeezing her hand, "You saved me."

"Ohh," said EJ, suddenly appearing at the door, bouquet of flowers in hand, "Not technically correct I'm afraid."

Sami tensed at seeing him. She'd only left him an hour or so ago at the police station and now he was back again, clearly a free man. Damn but she wished she wasn't as good a liar as she was some days!

"What are you doing here?" growled Lucas, supremely unhappy at seeing the other man.

"Why visiting my good friend Lucas Horton of course," replied EJ, seeming surprised he should even have to ask, "Why else would I be here?"

"Because you're obsessed with Sami and anywhere she is you just seem to magically appear," said Lucas bitterly, "Or is that crawl out from under a rock?"

"Ah ah Lucas," he tutted at him, "Sticks and stones will break my bones… oh but I guess you already know that after last night's little adventure don't you?"

EJ grinned at that and Lucas just fumed silently.

"Actually I didn't even notice Samantha was here until you mentioned her," continued on EJ blithely, giving her a cheeky wink as she stood beside Lucas' bed, scowling unhappily at him, "You look such a vision in that hospital gown it was hard to notice anything else in the room."

"Go to hell EJ," said Lucas sharply, not in the mood for EJ's games… not that he was ever in the mood for those.

"Does no one in Salem know how to say thank you properly?" lamented EJ with a dramatic sigh and then he brightened, "Oh well, you can still have the flowers I bought you. It's an assortment of lilacs and pansies… I hope you like them, I saw the pansies and thought of you Lucas."

Sami could see that EJ's needling was getting to Lucas and he was about to open his mouth and just start yelling so she quickly leapt in.

"Lucas is really tired right now," said Sami hastily, squeezing his hand and giving him a reassuring look.

"He does look decidedly ragged around the edges now that I take a closer look," said EJ agreeably, pulling up a seat beside Lucas' bed uninvited, "These hospital fluorescent lights do you no favours I'm afraid Lucas."

"Get the hell out of my room Elvis," growled Lucas, his face twisted into a ferocious frown, "Or I'll have security throw you out!"

"For doing what?" asked EJ, feigning being greatly wounded now.

"Breathing," said Lucas sweetly.

"Hmm," mused EJ straight faced, "You should join the Salem Police Department Lucas - breathing is about the only thing they didn't try and charge me with last night."

"Sami told me John was shot last night," said Lucas, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at him.

"Yes I heard that too," nodded EJ and made a suitably concerned expression, "Simply dreadful news."

"And you wouldn't know anything about that now would you EJ?" asked Lucas, the look on his face telling EJ that he wasn't going to believe any protestations of innocence from him anyway.

"But how could I Lucas?" asked EJ looking extremely puzzled, "My evening was spent rescuing you after all."

"I don't believe you," snapped Lucas, unhappy at the thought of owing this man anything, "And the Salem PD mustn't believe you either otherwise you wouldn't have just spent the night there!"

"Actually I'm a little uncertain as to why the Salem PD felt the need to hold me over night," said EJ and looked truly perplexed and Sami grimaced internally at how good a liar he was, "Although I do think Roman may have developed the littlest bit of a crush on me."

EJ gave a regretful sigh and threw Sami a quick glance.

"After you left Samantha he couldn't keep his hands to himself," said EJ straight faced, "In fact it got so touchy feely there for a while that in some countries we'd be considered engaged now!"

"Whatever Roman did I'm sure he had a damn good reason for it," Lucas defended the other man.

"Well he certainly seemed to think so," nodded EJ and then gave Sami a vaguely challenging look, drawing her into the conversation, "What do you think Samantha? Do you think your father had a good reason for his wandering hands hmm? And if that's the case then why am I a free man right now? But I'm guessing I know the answer to that seeing as you're the reason I'm standing here rather than in a jail cell… and quite rightly so I might add."

"Sami?" asked Lucas in confusion, looking at a suddenly uncomfortable looking Samantha.

"Didn't she tell you?" asked EJ feigning surprise, "Samantha is my alibi Lucas. I was late heading to the meeting we'd organised… strictly professional of course you understand - nothing for you to worry your pretty little head about Lucas."

Lucas scowled but EJ continued on blithely.

"Anyway," said EJ, continuing in his narrative happily, "Who should I meet stranded beside the road but none other than the very woman I was meant to be meeting. It was quite the co-winky-dink I have to say."

"I asked EJ to help me," interjected Sami quickly, taking over the story for fear of what EJ might say next.

"Which I was more than happy to do," inserted EJ with a quick smile.

"And you're sure he was coming from town honey?" asked Lucas, not convinced at all.

"Of course I'm sure," said Sami, sounding very convincing now, "EJ couldn't have been at the boat house, it's just not possible."

EJ smiled to hear how very persuasive Sami was - talk about backing the right horse there!

"And you just helped me out because you're a good guy?" asked Lucas sarcastically.

"Goodness is its own reward," nodded EJ sagely and Sami rolled her eyes in disgust at that.

"I still think Roman and Bo wouldn't have detained you like they did without a good reason," said Lucas, unwilling to accept this explanation - especially when it meant that he was now indebted to EJ DiMera.

"EJ did lift the beam off you Lucas," said Sami, refusing to meet EJ's eyes and see the smirk in them.

"It just doesn't make any sense," scowled Lucas, "The whole thing… it's just too coincidental."

"I think of it as good fortune," smiled EJ, "For everyone involved… we all got what we wanted after all."

"And what did you get out of helping me Elvis?" asked Lucas sarcastically.

"Why the utter joy of knowing you're still in the world of course Lucas," said EJ wide eyed, looking surprised that he should even have to ask, "Knowing that the world is just that little bit richer for that being the case."

"And that's it?" asked Lucas flatly, "Nothing else?"

"What else could I possibly want?" shrugged EJ and Sami felt herself tremble a little at the way he said that last thing even though he didn't even look at her.

EJ walked up to the little bed side table and placed the flowers he was still holding into an empty vase that was rather handily sitting there. He then turned and had a closer look at Lucas as he took a seat on the bed beside him much to Lucas' displeasure.

"I see they couldn't do anything to fix that broken nose of yours," said EJ as he leant forward and scrutinised Lucas' face carefully, feigning great sympathy as he patted Lucas' chest reassuringly, "That's a shame old boy."

"My nose wasn't broken," said Lucas tersely, shying away from him, "It's fine."

"Oh," said EJ and pretended embarrassment, "Oh I'm sorry Lucas… I just never remember it being that quite that shape before now… my mistake."

"Are you enjoying yourself?" asked Lucas in disgust, "Seeing me hurt and stuck in a hospital bed must be really getting you off Elvis!"

"Lucas," said EJ seeming to be really distressed at that, "How could you say such a thing? I saved your life, how can you think I wish you ill now? In fact I'm still waiting for my thank you kiss from you but just remember… no tongue."

EJ seemed to think about that then and pursed his lips, reconsidering as Lucas just scowled fiercely at him.

"Alright," he sighed and rolled his eyes, "I can't say no to that face… just a little tongue then but keep your hands above the waist eh Lucas?"

Lucas countenance darkened at the other man's flippancy and would have loved nothing more than to just lean over and hit him if he didn't have three broken ribs.

"No kiss?" sighed EJ regretfully and then brightened and looked over at Sami, "Perhaps you'd like to jump in here and fill the breach eh Samantha - how about a thank you kiss from a grateful… what… are we saying girlfriend now or partner?"

"You stay the hell away from her!" said Lucas loudly and then promptly had a coughing fit.

"Lucas!" said Sami in distress, as he groaned in pain from coughing with broken ribs.

EJ calmly walked around and with one hand poured Lucas a glass of water. He handed it to Sami because he doubted the other man would have taken it from him somehow. Lucas gasped and wheezed and at last managed to get himself under control again, lying limply back against the pillows, clearly exhausted now.

"Something I said?" asked EJ innocently when the show was finally over.

"EJ," said Sami giving him a warning look as they both stood at the foot of Lucas' bed now, "I think you should go now, Lucas needs his rest."

"Well of course sweetheart," said EJ happily, "I only came to offer my sympathies for your misfortune Lucas. Which I have now, so I'll be on my way."

EJ started to stand and Sami gave a little sigh of relief but it was to be short lived as EJ sat back down and clicked his fingers and gave a regretful shake of his head.

"Silly me I almost forgot," he said and Sami felt herself tense again, "I also meant to finalise the details about your little trip away Samantha."

"Trip?" Lucas frowned, looking at Sami again and then back at EJ, "What trip? What are you babbling about now Elvis?"

"Oh didn't Samantha tell you about this either Lucas?" said EJ looking surprised, seeing Sami giving him a desperate little shake of her head at him but ignoring it, "I don't know what you two kids must talk about when you're together, I really don't."

"EJ," said Sami warningly but he pre-empted her.

"I'll fill Lucas in darling," he told her with a grin, "I'm rather excited about it myself."

"EJ don't," said Sami, her voice rising in anxiety but he continued on regardless.

"I've been approached by a Mr Rami Devlise a multi-millionaire high flyer who is very interested in investing in Mythic," said EJ evenly, "He is extremely keen to hear more about the possibility of doing business with us and had heard wonderful things about our very own Samantha from the Tampa trip and was wanting to deal with her directly."

"Sami?" said Lucas in surprise.

"The very one," nodded EJ, "I'm afraid he's rather insisting on that it is Samantha with whom he liaises. No one else will do… god knows I've tried to interest him in someone else…"

EJ looked at Sami there and he let her see the tiniest flicker of quiet need in his eyes before he quickly extinguished it and continued on with his narrative.

"But he simply won't hear of it," said EJ with a regretful sigh, "It's Samantha Brady or it's no one - his words, not mine. This has the potential for bringing in a great deal of money for Mythic so he's not someone I feel that we should be saying no to. Not only that, the last thing Mythic needs is any ill will from the likes of Rami Devlise now is it Samantha?"

He gave her a pointed look at that and Sami knew a veiled threat when she heard one. She pressed her lips together and determinedly held her tongue though.

"So what is this about a trip then?" asked Lucas, still not sure what was going on.

Sami knew how he felt.

"I was getting to that," said EJ, "Apparently he's got some big computer pow wow thing going on - that's how he made his money - software. The conference is in Jamaica and he has requested that Samantha fly over to spend the week there so not only can he speak to her about Mythic but so he can introduce her to other movers and shakers who will be there."

"Jamaica!" repeated Lucas in shock, "You want Sami to go to Jamaica? Why can't she just teleconference this guy?"

"He's a bit old fashioned unfortunately Lucas," said EJ smoothly, "Likes the personal touch as it were. Won't do business over phones and the such."

"Isn't that a bit weird for a guy who made his money in technology?" asked Lucas sceptically.

"When you're as rich as Rami Devlise than you get to call it eccentric," noted EJ wryly.

"But a whole week," complained Lucas, looking at Sami, "Do you really want to go away for a whole week by yourself baby and meet up with some man you've never met before?"

"First of all Mr Devlise is a perfectly respectable business man who will have his fiancé with him so there is no need to be worried on that front Lucas," said EJ before Sami had a chance to say anything.

Truth be told she was reeling a little from this latest little web of deceit that EJ was currently weaving and she needed a moment to catch up herself.

"And second of all the week is not negotiable," continued on EJ, "Mr Devlise was very clear on that matter."

EJ flicked Sami a quick glance at that which again she knew was for her benefit.

"But perhaps if we explain to Mr Devlise," Sami paused then and gave EJ her own pointed look, "That this isn't a good time because of Lucas' accident then maybe he might be understanding and reschedule?"

"I already tried Samantha," said EJ and he really did sound regretful which was a complete lie of course - another one to add to the many, "But he basically said it was this week or nothing. I really don't think we can afford to say no to the likes of Rami Devlise right now Samantha do you? I mean I don't think Mythic is in any position to say no to such a generous opportunity right now."

"He's right honey," said Lucas, not entirely happy in saying that but the business man in him couldn't argue with EJ's logic, "It you going to Jamaica and seeing this guy is the only chance your company has of bringing in someone with his amount of capital you really can't say no."

"Thank you Lucas," said EJ triumphantly, "That's what I've been trying to tell Samantha all along. She seems a little hesitant but I say once she's on that plane tomorrow…"

"Tomorrow?" repeated Lucas in surprise, "You have to leave tomorrow Sami?"

"Yes," she said unhappily, "That's why I thought it wasn't such a good idea. I really don't want to leave you like this."

"Don't worry about me honey," said Lucas with a shake of his head, "I'm just worried about you going alone to this thing…"

Lucas trailed off then and gave EJ as suspicious look.

"She is going alone right?" he asked and gave EJ a dark look, "You're not planning on accompanying her on this trip Elvis?"

"Oh heavens no," exclaimed EJ with mock horror, "What would everyone think? There would be no recovering from such a scandal! No, I have business in Paris that will take me away next week so Samantha will be all on her lonesome I'm afraid. Not that I have the least concern about such a thing of course. I have never met a more capable and resourceful woman as your good self Samantha."

"It's still a huge thing," said Lucas, mollified that EJ wasn't going to be on the other side of the globe to Sami but still worried about her.

"I'm sure that if Samantha puts her mind to it that there is nothing she can't do," said EJ calmly.

"I'm not doubting Sami's ability EJ," said Lucas with a scowl.

"Aren't you?" asked EJ sceptically, "Because from where I'm sitting it kind of sounds like you are."

"Lucas believes in me EJ," said Sami hotly.

"You bet I do honey," said Lucas with a confident nod and sent a defiant look EJ's way, "I know Sami will be able to give this Rami Devlise want he wants - isn't that right baby?"

Sami gave a weak smile whilst the tiniest smirk appeared on EJ's face.

"Well I know that's certainly my hope," he said straight faced and only Sami knew what he was really meaning, "I mean, Samantha is the kind of woman that could satisfy any clients' expectations I'm sure."

Sami glared at EJ's double en tondre over Lucas' head again and he just smiled sweetly back.

"It's just that Sami's never travelled overseas before," worried Lucas, looking up at her, "Have you honey?"

"Well no," admitted Sami with a shrug, not seeing the big deal about it herself but if it was going to get her out of this nightmare she was happy enough to play along.

"Well I suppose I could postpone my trip to accompany Samantha," EJ sighed heavily, feigning finding the thought inconvenient, "I mean if that would make you feel better Lucas?"

"You stay the hell away from her Elvis!" spat out Lucas, suddenly enraged at even the suggestion, "The only thing that would make me feel better if I never saw your face again after today!"

"Hm," said EJ with a little shrug, "Well that's gratitude for you. But you're lucky Lucas, I'm in a rather good mood today so I'm going to over look your rudeness and put it down to being a little addled by pain killers."

"And what do you have to be in a good mood about?" bit out Lucas.

"Oh just a little deal I've been working on is about to come to fruition," said EJ blithely and Sami gritted her teeth at his continued needling of her.

"The deal that you need to go to Paris for right?" asked Lucas a little suspiciously now.

"Correct," nodded EJ with a smile, "Well I can see you're on the ball Lucas. No one can pull the wool over your eyes eh?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be EJ?" asked Lucas with a twist of his lips, "I wouldn't want to keep you from anything important - you probably have a million things to do today - pull the wings off butterflies, drown a few puppies, take some candy from a few babies…"

"Oh I did all that yesterday," said EJ blithely, "I'm quite the multitasked you know. But I do need to sneak in some family time before I head off to gay old Paree."

"What do you know about family?" asked Lucas, his lips twisting unhappily, "You were raised by servants and nannies… isn't that right Elvis? The only family you know about is one that was paid to be there. You're hardly one to talk!"

"Hm," said EJ, pursing his lips and considering that statement before fixing Lucas with a bright smile, "I suppose you're right Lucas and while we're on the subject… how was military school? Lots of hot cocoa and hugs I'm guessing?"

Lucas scowled as EJ quite rightly pointed out his childhood had been far from warm and fuzzy as well. EJ grinned, knowing full well he'd won that last little verbal scuffle with Lucas so he decided to leave it there for the time being - too much of a good thing and all that.

"So I'll leave you two lovebirds to it then," EJ gave them both a winning smile at that, starting to walk over to the door, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do now will you?"

"Well that leaves our options pretty wide open now doesn't it EJ?" smirked Lucas.

"Oh Lucas," sighed EJ as he got to the door and turned around, rewarding Lucas' last little barb with a smouldering look, "You complete me."

If it wouldn't have hurt so much Lucas would have thrown the vase of flowers EJ had bought him at the door so he contented himself with glaring angrily at the man which would have been so much more impacting if EJ hadn't already turned his back on him and walked out the door.

But then again… maybe not.

Chapter FIVE - Time To Pay The Ferryman

EJ had just left a minute ago and Sami knew she couldn't let him have the last word like this.

"You know honey," said Sami, determinedly putting a bright smile on her face so Lucas wouldn't worry, "I forgot - I need to make a couple of phone calls. I was meant to meet Chelsea for lunch today and then I was going to go to grandmas."

"You don't have to cancel everything to be with me Sami," said Lucas with a shake of his head, "You go."

"No," said Sami with a frown, "I want to stay with you Lucas."

"Well I'm very glad to hear that honey," smiled Lucas, taking her hand and squeezing it, "And seeing as you're going to be gone for a week I won't say no to having you around as much as I can until then."

"Lucas," said Sami suddenly sounding urgent, "I don't have to go. I'm sure that we can find a way to re-schedule this conference thing. I don't want to leave you when you're like this."

"Honey you heard what EJ said," said Lucas with a shake of his head, "This is a once in a life time opportunity for the company to bring in some real heavy hitters in the way of sponsorship."

Sami opened her mouth to protest, desperate for Lucas to give her an excuse for EJ but he was being annoyingly understanding and decidedly unhelpful in that regard.

"Sami," said Lucas with a warm smile, pulling her over so she sat on the side of his bed, "I see how excited you get about being involved in the company - about being able to contribute."

"Yes but…" said Sami but he interrupted her.

"You know I have to confess," said Lucas with a little shamefaced grimace, "I didn't think you'd be able to do it… you know, do so well with the clients and getting people interested in the company."

"You… you didn't?" asked Sami, a little taken aback by this new information.

"No," he admitted and gave her an apologetic look, "I'm sorry Sami but you didn't have any experience in doing anything like this but boy, you sure showed me honey."

"I did?" asked Sami, a small smile on her face now.

"You're a natural," said Lucas with a smile, "People are drawn to you and you have this natural way, this excitement about you that gets other people excited too. I'm really impressed."

"Thank you Lucas," said Sami sincerely, "That means a lot to me to have you say that."

"Well it's the truth," shrugged Lucas and then grimaced as the small action reminded him about his ribs, "Ow… and I should have told you that before now. I guess having a roof fall on me has knocked some sense into me huh?"

"I guess," smiled Sami with a little laugh but then frowned, "But I still don't think me going away right now is a good idea Lucas. I'm sure that we can put this Mr Devlise off if we just explain the situation."

"You're just nervous," said Lucas patting her hand comfortingly, "This is the first time you'd be doing something like this on your own and you're worried about it. That's perfectly understandable Sami. But you shouldn't be nervous honey - you'll go away on this trip, work your magic on this high flyer Mr Rami Devlise and by the end of it he will be begging to get into bed with you - I just know it!"

That would be the actual main worry Sami had at this point but she couldn't say that to Lucas who was smiling up at her encouragingly after his little pep talk. The irony had not escaped Sami that Lucas was doing everything in his power to actually encourage her to go away with EJ DiMera for a week - a man that he was always telling her to stay away from!

"Well if you're sure you can manage without me," said Sami reluctantly giving in.

If she made more of a fuss about it then Lucas was going to start getting suspicious and the last thing she wanted was to get him anymore involved in this mess she'd found herself in then he already was.

"I'm sure," said Lucas with a definite nod, pleased with himself for talking her round and feeling a glow of self satisfaction that he could show Sami how selfless he could be and put her interests above his own, "You go and make those phone calls and then hurry back so I can enjoy the last couple of hours with my girl before she heads off and show 'em what she's got on this trip!"

"No one is going to see anything of what I've got!" exclaimed Sami in horror and then realised she'd spoken out of turn when Lucas looked at her in confusion.

"Ah… I just mean it's going to be a strictly professional week," said Sami hastily, trying to back pedal, "I'm not going to mess this up Lucas… trust me."

"Why would you?" asked Lucas with a little frown at how desperate that last statement had been, "You're going to be great baby - don't worry."

"Alright then," said Sami and giving him a bright smile, giving up on Lucas having a way out for her now, "I'd better go make those calls then."

Sami gave Lucas' had a final squeeze and headed for the door. She'd made the excuses about phone calls because she'd wanted to talk to EJ but she'd lingered so long with Lucas now that she didn't have a hope in catching him up now. It didn't matter though she decided as she closed the door to Lucas' room behind her and dug around in her bag for her cell phone. She'd ring him and have it out once and for all with him over this nonsense of her going away with him tomorrow. It was just too soon and basically she needed more time to work out how she was going to be getting out of it.

Sami found her cell phone and started to walk, intending on finding a private corner to make her phone call. It would actually be better this way - not having to deal with the man in person. She could say what she had to say and then simply hang up and not have to deal with the full force of his personality as it were. Sami smiled, happy at that thought but that smile quickly dropped from her face when she turned the corner to find EJ propped up against the wall, arms folded in front of his chest and long legs crossed at the ankles. His head was bent down as he seemed to be examining the top of one shoe for some reason but he looked up when he heard her little gasp of surprise at seeing him still there.

"Ah there you are sweetheart," he said casually and gave her a brilliant smile, "I was beginning to think you'd gotten lost."

Sami blew out a frustrated breath at seeing that smug look on his face. He'd known full well that she would be wanting to speak to him again and she hated being so predictable to him. EJ pushed himself away from the wall and strolled over to where she was standing, a cheeky look on his face.

"But then we always seem to know how to find one another eh darling?" he noted rather pointedly, arching his eyebrows at her as he shoved his hands in his pocket and came to a halt directly in front of her, "It's that irresistible pull thing we've got going on I suspect."

"What the hell are you doing?" hissed Sami, determinedly ignoring that last comment of his - there was no way she was going there right now.

"Well you seem to have a lot on your plate recently sweetheart," said EJ calmly, "So I thought I'd expedite matters re our little arrangement to lighten the load as it where. You don't have to thank me; it was my pleasure to help really."

"Thanking you wasn't exactly what I had in mind EJ," said Sami, her lips thinning ominously, "Kind of the opposite really! How can you think I'd leave Lucas helpless and in a hospital bed?!"

"First of all," said EJ calmly, "Lucas will always be helpless, hospital bed or no. He's one of life's victims Samantha and it puzzles me how you haven't worked that out already."

"Haven't you insulted Lucas enough for one day EJ?" asked Sami in disgust.

"Oh darling that's like asking a chocoholic if they want Easter eggs this year," he replied straight faced, "My only regret is that I have to sleep sometime and can't come up with these little gems 24/7."

"I can't leave Lucas right now," she said through gritted teeth, not even dignifying that last comment with an answer, "He needs me."

"I'm sure Kate will be happy enough to step into the breach whilst you're gone Samantha," he said calmly and then gave an amused quirk of his lips, "And I'm sure Lucas won't mind… he's probably missing his daily sponge baths from Mommy dearest nowadays anyway."

"You are disgusting!" growled Sami, "You/re one to talk about sick and twisted relationships with a parent! Your father is a monster and you worship at his feet like some mindless drone, begging to do his every bidding!"

"Don't talk about things of which you don't have the slightest understanding Samantha," he said, his voice suddenly hard and Sami knew she'd at last found a chink in that DiMera armour and filed the information away for future use.

EJ took a deep breath then, obviously getting himself back under control and Sami watched him transition back into the smooth and in control man of a minute ago in front of her eyes but it didn't matter, she knew she could rattle him now and that was all she needed to know. EJ fixed Sami with a determined smile, intent on getting this conversation back on tract.

"We made a deal my dear," he said smoothly, "And I expect you to honour that deal."

"And I will," she said quickly, "But you can't expect me to just…"

"I expect you to be at that plane tomorrow, 8:30am sharp Samantha," he said determinedly, his eyes slightly hardening now.

"EJ… " she began with a shake of her head.

"Samantha," he interrupted her again, his voice firm and inviting no further argument, "Enough. This is a done deal and even though I do enjoy watching you wiggle about I have to say…"

EJ gave a little smile at that, his eyes full of impish teasing.

"… no amount of squirming on your behalf is going to change the fact that by this time tomorrow you'll be on that plane and heading towards our little rendezvous," he continued on smoothly.

Sami frowned, frustrated that he seemed to have her so utterly backed into a corner at the moment.

"God I love it when you pout," he growled, his eyes fixed on her lips now, desire flaring in their warm depths, "It makes me want to kiss it all better."

Sami gave a horrified little gasp at that and took a little step back, worried that he might actually do just that. She looked around herself at all the people wandering up and down the hospital halls and scowled at EJ.

"Don't you even think about it EJ!" she hissed, giving another nervous look around, "There are people everywhere here. Someone might see us!"

"And from that am I to infer that you'd be more amenable to the idea if we were alone?" he asked with a little quirk of his lips, "Just another reason why our trip away should be so memorable eh Samantha?"

"I don't want anyone I know to think that I have anything to do with a DiMera," she said in annoyance, "So you just keep your distance okay?"

"Well enjoy that excuse while you can," shrugged EJ unconcerned, "Soon enough you won't be able to use it when we're all alone together."

EJ cocked his head at her then and gave her a very considered and rather intrigued look.

"I wonder what excuse you'll come up in its stead?" he mused softly.

"How about my loathing and disgust of you?" she asked sweetly.

"Hmm," EJ pondered this for a moment, "This morning you said all you felt for me was hatred… now we're up to loathing and disgust…"

EJ gave her a devilish smile then.

"I just knew your feelings for me would continue to grow Samantha," he said with a teasing wink at her.

Sami folded her arms in front of her chest and gave him an unimpressed look at that.

"Oh now I could stand here all day and talk to you sweetheart," he said and then gave a regretful sigh, "But I really must push on - things to see, people to do after all…"

Sami frowned as she realised that he'd gotten that last part the wrong way round and she highly doubted that it was an accident on his behalf somehow. Just another little example of him trying to unbalance her and make her worry about what he was up to she supposed.

"But I tell you what," he said, leaning down so that his face was more in line with hers, "If it will make you happy sweetheart we can continue this argument about you coming away with me tomorrow."

"You mean when I get to wherever I'm going?" she asked dryly, arching an eyebrow at him.

"Exactly," nodded EJ with a grin, "We are so simpatico you and I Samantha."

"In that case you should know exactly what I'm thinking right now," she said flatly, her expression one of death and destruction.

EJ threw back his head and laughed at that, the sound coming from deep inside of him.

"Oh Samantha," he laughed down at her, "Once we get where we're going I'm going to let you do all those evil things you're thinking to me… at least twice I hope."

He gave her a particularly lecherous look at that last part which Sami ignored.

"So where is it exactly that we are going?" asked Sami, "I'll need to know what to pack after all."

"I was rather hoping that this week would be a rather clothing optional kind of affair actually sweetheart," he said cheekily.

"Yeah well I'm rather hoping you'll be struck down by the plague," said Sami flatly, "Somehow I think we're both going to be disappointed EJ."

"Oh god!" said EJ, laughing out loud again at her dry humour, "You are so utterly delicious Samantha Brady, if I had a spoon on me now I'd eat you right up with it."

"If you even tried to do that you'd have that same spoon in you Elvis!" she growled to which EJ just laughed harder.

"Have I told you how much I'm looking forward to our little getaway?" he asked with a big grin on his face when he managed to stop laughing.

"Well that makes one of us," said Sami, sweetly sarcastic.

"I have enough enthusiasm for both of us sweetheart," he said with great certainty and then straightened up with a regretful sigh, "But now I really must take my leave of you beautiful girl."

"Yes and I really must be getting back to the man I love," said Sami coolly, intent on making him understand how things really were between them.

EJ just smiled softly, knowing exactly what she was doing and was unfazed by it. He gave a little inclination of his head and gave her a last warm look before turning around and heading back down the corridor.

"EJ!" called out Sami before he'd gotten too far.

EJ turned around and arched an eyebrow at her.

"You never told me where we're going," she reminded him with a bit of a frown.

"Oh you're right," he nodded thoughtfully and then he just gave her a slow smile and turned back around and started walking again.

"Damn you EJ," she said but he'd already turned down a corridor and she could no longer see him.

Sami shook her head in annoyance before setting her jaw determinedly.

"Alright Samantha Jean Brady," she muttered to herself, "Time to get your head in the game."

So Sami stood there for a little while in the corridor of the hospital doing just that.

Chapter SIX - Will You Walk Into My Parlour Said The Spider To The Fly?

THE SPIDER AND THE FLY

A poem by Mary Howitt

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to show when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

Sami moved uncomfortably in her chair, staring unseeingly out the little window to her right, lost in her thoughts and wondering how it was that she'd come to be here…

oooOOOOooo

Sami walked up the corridor to Lucas' room having left him for an hour or so to get some lunch but she also used the time to collect her thoughts about EJ. This was not working her just trying to blatantly get out of it – it was too direct. She had to come up with a side approach and half way through a chicken sandwich on rye she thought she may well have. All she needed was to find a way to put her plan into action without looking too obvious about it.

Sami knew she had to tread very lightly around EJ. He wasn't Brandon or Austin or even Lucas – he was just as cunning as she was but he did have one weakness and Sami intended to exploit that for all it was worth to get out of this trip away tomorrow. Her heart leapt to her mouth though when she got to Lucas' hospital room only to find EJ emerging from it.

"What are you doing?!" she asked in horror, "Why were you in Lucas' room EJ? What did you do to him?"

"Well hello to you too Samantha," he said with a little chuckle at her sudden panic, "I was just dropping off some magazines that I thought Lucas might enjoy reading whilst he's recuperating and you were out of town. He was sleeping so I let him rest and simply placed them beside his bed so he'd be sure to see them."

Sami had pushed past him and opened the door to Lucas' room and looked anxiously in but it was just as EJ had said, Lucas was fast asleep, his chest raising and falling comfortingly and there were a new pile of magazines on the night stand beside his bed. Sami closed the door again and frowned up at EJ as he led her a little away from the door. He arched an eyebrow at her expression.

"Really Samantha," he tutted at her, feigning being wounded, "There is no need for such concern on your behalf you know. It's not like I went in there and stood over Lucas' unconscious body with a pillow for five minutes contemplating whether I should just smother him to death as he lay sleeping."

Sami's eyes widened as the way he said that made it sound as though he did just that and EJ couldn't help but give a little laugh at her expression, relenting.

"Why would I kill Lucas now?" he asked in amusement, "If I wanted him dead I would have simply left him in the cabin to his fate. It seems like a lot of double handling to me to rescue him and then only have to turn around and off him at a later date. Work smarter, not harder – that's my motto sweetheart."

EJ grinned down at her then and Sami had to remind herself not to bite at his obvious teasing of her for her plan to work so she let him have his fun with her for the time being.

"So am I to assume you've been away packing for our trip away?" he asked her, "I'm certainly all packed and ready to go."

"You're not planning on us travelling together are you?" asked Sami in sudden concern, not knowing why that thought hadn't occurred to her before.

"Alas no," he sighed regretfully, "I'll be meeting you there I'm afraid – I want to make sure everything is set up just right for when you arrive darling."

"And you're not going to tell me where 'there' is are you?" she asked in mild annoyance although she didn't know why she was pushing the matter because she had no intention of being anywhere if she could play her cards right.

"You've always struck me as a woman who likes surprises Samantha," he grinned down at her.

"If I'd 'always struck you' then maybe we wouldn't be having this conversation right now and you would have moved on to some other poor unfortunate woman," snipped Sami, the words out of her mouth before she could stop them.

She cursed inwardly at her loose lips. For some reason she had even worse impulse control around him then she normally did with anyone else. He didn't seem fazed though, giving a chuckle of amusement.

"Or perhaps if you did I wouldn't have been able to wait as long as I have for you," he said with a waggle of his eye brows at her and a devilish wink.

"Trust you to be turned on by something like that," she grumped, unsure if he was teasing or not and telling herself she never wanted to find out.

"It's not my fault I lacked discipline as a youth and am looking to make up for it now," he said straight faced but couldn't maintain it when he saw her look of outrage and the way her cheeks flushed pink as she glared at him disapprovingly.

"So no spanking?" he asked with a regretful sigh, shaking his head and looking truly disappointed.

"I could be talked round if I was doing it to you and I could use a shovel," she shot back at him, realising that he was teasing her by now and not willing to let him have it all his own way.

"Hmm," said EJ, pursing his lips and really seeming to be considering it, "That doesn't sound so much erotic as homicidal my darling so we might leave that particular avenue unexplored eh?"

"There is a whole city that you and I are going to leave unexplored EJ," she told him sweetly, "Believe me!"

This was not helping her with her plan but there was something about EJ that always made her want to argue with him and despite telling herself she needed to focus on winning the war and not these minor battles she still found herself knee deep in their little skirmishes and not wanting to be the one to back down.

"Well you certainly keep telling me often enough about your complete indifference to me," he said, his lips curving in the barest of smiles as he reached out one hand to stroke her heated cheek with his long fingers, "But this lovely colour in your cheeks tell me another story Samantha."

Sami's breath hitched in her throat at his unexpected touch, the light caress causing her blush to deepen and she lamented the fact that she had so little control over such things. EJ moved a little closer when she didn't immediately pull away, taking it as a silent invitation. The world receded so that only the two of them existed and Sami tried hard to remain focused.

"Samantha," he said evenly, giving her a warm look, his voice low now as his hands went to rest lightly against her neck, "This trip away for us needn't be the chore that you are making it out to be. It's a chance at a whole new beginning for us, don't you see that? We can get to know each other all over again, with no more lies between us."

Sami wanted to spit out the words 'I know as much as I'd ever want to know about you EJ!' in his face but she saw the sudden vulnerable openness in his face and decided to go another route. There was no point in pushing him and having him revert back to his wise cracking smart alec ways. No, she had a better chance of winning this little game of his if she pressed the advantage that his feelings for her gave her. She made herself look suddenly uncertain, seeing the way his avid gaze picked up on her expression and there was a flash of hope in his eyes.

"I… I don't know EJ," she said, looking suddenly nervous.

Sami knew she had to play this just right. She couldn't just cave in completely because he'd be immediately suspicious but she had to give him enough so that he would start to have hope and drop his guard a little.

"A lot of things have happened between us EJ," she said, biting her lip bottom lip and not quite meeting his eyes, feigning being torn.

"And not all of them have been bad," he reminded her warmly, taking a step closer to her, "We have had some wonderful times together Samantha…"

Sami met his dark gaze then and felt a little tremor go through her despite herself at the longing she saw there.

"… and we can again," he finished off quietly, "You just have to give us a chance… that's all I'm asking from you for this week… a chance to show you what you mean to me."

oooOOOOooo

.

EJ shifted his weight from one foot to the other and then leant back against the passenger door of the little jeep, checking his watch yet again. He felt like a kid on Christmas Eve, willing away the seconds until it was Christmas morning at last. He hadn't felt this level of nervous anticipation about anything before in his life and it was so strange that one small woman could bring him so utterly undone like this but it seemed to EJ so utterly natural as well.

But then everything about them was a paradox after all from her being a Brady and him being a DiMera to the way Sami fought so desperately against them being together whilst he'd embraced the thought wholeheartedly. The way she made him want to strangle and kiss her all in the same conversation so many times. Sami stirred up so much emotion in him that he could barely see straight, hardly form his thoughts. EJ folded his arms in front of his chest, his mind wandering…

oooOOOOooo

"…A lot of things have happened between us EJ," she said, biting her lip bottom lip and not quite meeting his eyes, feigning being torn.

"And not all of them have been bad," he reminded her warmly, taking a step closer to her, "We have had some wonderful times together Samantha…"

Sami met his dark gaze then and felt a little tremor go through her despite herself at the longing she saw there.

"… and we can again," he finished off quietly, "You just have to give us a chance… that's all I'm asking from you for this week… a chance to show you what you mean to me."

EJ looked the play of emotions move over Sami's face, trying to decipher them. He was wary of this sudden softening on her behalf - he'd be a fool not to be and whatever else he was, EJ DiMera was no fool. But he also knew that deep down that there was a battle going on over the real Samantha Brady - whether or not she'd be true to her own nature and follow her heart or if she'd manage to quash all of that to fit into the mould her family had made for her. It was a battle to the death, EJ knew that and he had no intention of allowing Sami to surrender all the magnificence in her soul for the occasional pat on the head from a family that had never understood or appreciated her anyway.

"You… you don't know what you're asking of me EJ," she finally managed.

"I'm only asking that you allow yourself to be honest with yourself Samantha," he told her earnestly, "Honest with yourself and with me."

"And what if I honestly hate you?" she challenged him with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't," he said with great certainty, "The way you kiss me tells me that you don't."

EJ went to bend down then as though to kiss her and Sami made a horrified gasping sound, jerking away from his touch.

"Stop that!" she hissed, looking around nervously, worried that someone might have seen them.

All she needed was for Kate to walk around the corner and find her and EJ kissing and her life would be officially over. That woman had been looking for and creating reasons to crucify her ever since they'd met and Sami had no intention of handing her anything further on a plate.

"Someone will see us!" she reminded him fiercely.

"You are really hung up on what people think of you aren't you darling?" asked EJ curiously, never having been thusly afflicted himself, "I find that so very odd."

"That's because you have nothing to lose EJ," she huffed, a part of her angry at him because she knew he was right, "You're a DiMera."

"Whilst the name Samantha Brady is pseudonymous is with piety and virtue," he said mockingly.

"I'm working on that," said Sami with a frown, knowing her reputation was not exactly something to be proud of, "That's why I don't want anyone to know about… "

Sami trailed off and EJ could see she didn't want to complete that sentence.

"Us?" he offered up helpfully.

"There is no 'us' EJ," she said crossly, "There never was and never will be."

"On the contrary my sweet girl," he corrected her mildly, "There has only ever been us and only will ever be us."

"Why do you say those things to me?" she asked him hopelessly, "When you know it's not true?"

"You're wrong Samantha," he told her with a little shake of his head, "They are true, and no one else that has come before in our lives count. You can feel that right… like I do…?"

EJ moved closer to her again and ducked his head so that they were eye level again. He looked at light flush that was still on her cheeks, the way her blue eyes were sharp and guarded… but with something else behind them.

"… like it was just all pretend, make believe until it was time for us to find one another?" he pressed her.

Sami looked suddenly uncertain and EJ felt his heart start to beat unevenly in his chest.

"You fight against me so hard Samantha," he told her, his voice low and velvety, "But I have to wonder if it's you yourself that you are fighting the hardest against?"

Sami blinked a couple of times, seeming to be thinking hard all of a sudden and EJ pressed his advantage.

"Have you ever considered that you shouldn't have to work so to fight against something like you and I if it wasn't meant to be?" he asked her seriously, "And that you should have to fight so hard for something that supposedly is, like you and Lucas?"

EJ reached out a hand and trailed it lightly down Sami's arm and he saw the flash of anxiousness in her eyes as one of the nurses that had been looking after Lucas walked by. Sami determinedly shook her head and raised her hands, pushing on his chest and making him take a step back.

"Not here EJ," she frowned up at him and kept trying to push him to move backwards but he was being playfully difficult.

"Where are we going?" he teased her with an impish laugh and some little spark of optimism hoped it was going to be a spare hospital room – preferably one with a bed but it wasn't a necessity.

EJ always felt pretty inspired around Sami so the lack of an actual bed was not something he was particularly concerned with – he was confident he would be able to work round it somehow. EJ remained stubbornly uncooperative as she kept pushing on him, backing him up even though he was moving towards where she wanted him to go but he was definitely dragging it out. Her hands on his body, no matter how briefly and innocently was something he intended to enjoy for as long as possible. Finally she'd backed him up into a secluded corner, out of everyone's way. EJ was a little disappointed that they weren't more alone, not that it was going to slow him down at all.

"You haven't answered by question sweetheart," he reminded her, tucking a stray piece of blonde hair behind her ear and then smiled down at her.

"You make everything so hard EJ," she said with a shake of her head, looking up at him accusingly but there was a waver in her voice that gave him hope that she wasn't so much upset with him as herself for the feelings she was so clearly fighting for him.

"Welcome to my world Samantha," he said huskily, picking up her hand and he felt her nervously twitch under his gentle touch as he wrapped his fingers around hers and brought them up to his chest.

"You want me to do the impossible EJ," she whispered to him, blue eyes full of anguish, "You want me to turn my back on everything and choose you. That is a huge thing EJ and I don't know how you expect me to just make that choice overnight and go away with you."

"Well I'm not sure I can help you with that Samantha," he said softly, "Because loving you wasn't a choice for me."

Her eyes widened at that last part and she made a strangled gasping noise.

"L… love me?" she repeated, looking completely thrown by this new piece of information.

EJ lifted her hand to his lips, moving her finger tips back and forth his lower lip slowly, watching her track their movements nervously.

"EJ…" she hesitated, "I don't know what you want me to say to that."

"Say you'll come away with me sweetheart," he prompted her, his hot, moist breath playing over the sensitive tips of her fingers, "This time away could open your eyes to so many things… so many possibilities…"

Sami bit her lip and EJ held his breath as she really seemed to be thinking about it now and his hopes soared as he searched her face for some kind of indication as to what she was thinking.

"This is so much to deal with all at once EJ," she told him hesitantly, "I… I don't know what to think anymore."

"Then stop thinking and start feeling Samantha," he urged her urgently, his hand tightening around hers unconsciously.

Sami looked up at him and EJ felt his chest begin a nervous tattoo in his chest although he tried to maintain an outward look of calm…

oooOOOOooo

Sami moved in her chair again and blew out a frustrated breath. It had all been going so well, she had him right where she wanted him… hopeful, vulnerable and that thing about loving her. Sami screwed up her face at the memory. Like a DiMera even knew the meaning of the word! It had taken all her will power not to throw his words back in his face but Sami had bit her tongue, intent on using his supposed feelings for her to get her own way.

She had to admit though he'd caught her off guard with his declaration of love, as had the tiny lurch her heart had given at hearing him say the words. Sami just knew it was because she was so disgusted by him that any decrees of love were bound to cause a visceral response in her – it was the only thing it could be from after all. Sami rested her elbow on the little window ledge and put her head in her upturned hand and sighed heavily. It had all been going so well…

oooOOOOooo

"…This is so much to deal with all at once EJ," she told him hesitantly, "I… I don't know what to think anymore."

"Then stop thinking and start feeling Samantha," he urged her urgently, his hand tightening around hers unconsciously.

Sami looked up at him and could see his suddenly intent look on his face, the little flash of hope and looked to take advantage of that.

"EJ," she began hesitantly, as though she was struggling to put into words her feelings, "Everything is happening at once all of a sudden. Finding out who you were, Lucas' accident, Will going away, my head is just spinning…"

Sami leaned into him a little then, putting the hand that wasn't still trapped by his onto EJ's chest and was pleased to feel how erratic his heart beat was against her palms.

"Maybe… maybe…," she began tentatively, looking up at him through her long lashes, "Maybe if we just waited for a couple of weeks before going away EJ… I'd be able to clear my head and focus properly…"

"A couple of weeks?" he repeated, his gaze suddenly hardening a little, "You want to wait to go away?"

"Just until Lucas is out of hospital and is back on his feet," she said with a little nod of her head, "I just need to have some breathing space to take this all in EJ. You've given me so much to think about but if I go away now all I'll be doing is worrying and wishing I was back here and I know you can't want that for our time away."

"So you think that in a couple of weeks you'll be more relaxed and less distracted so that you could seriously consider a future with me, is that it?" he asked her, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly but otherwise giving nothing away.

"Is that too much to ask EJ?" she asked him hopefully, her eyes wide and pleading now, "We'll still be going away together but it won't have to be so rushed and who knows… in the interim…"

Sami trailed off, leaving the rest of her sentence to his imagination. All she needed to do was get him to postpone this trip and then she'd have more time how to plot to get out of this properly. If she dangled the hope of her returning his feelings in front of him he'd hopefully be distracted by that and off his game so she could find a way to get one over on him. Sami knew all she needed was time which was what he was trying to take from her by forcing her hand and making her go away with him tomorrow. Given the precious gift of time Sami was confident she'd be able to trump his blackmail of her but first she had to get him to give up this idea of going away together tomorrow.

"So you're admitting to feelings for me then?" he asked her softly, his eyes searching her face keenly now, "That you're torn…?"

"Yes," said Sami and managed to make that sound a little ragged and anxious.

"How torn?" he asked her curiously, leaning in so close to her that Sami could now feel his breath on her face, "Samantha, how torn are you?"

"Very," she whispered.

He was so close now, he was all she could see and once again as it had done before the rest of the world faded out of existence.

"And what would I get as a reward for such a sacrifice on my behalf?" he asked her, his eyes suddenly hooded as they dropped to her lips now.

Before Sami could stop herself she was licking her suddenly dry lips and she saw his eyes become almost predatory then as they watched her tongue dart out, his eyes flaring with sudden lust. She felt her heart begin to beat wildly in her chest and she worried that he'd somehow be able to hear it. The urge to run was strong but she felt utterly trapped by him somehow all of a sudden, mesmerised by that warm, chocolate stare and even though he only had the lightest hold on one hand she could seem to bring herself to break free.

"I'd… I'd be grateful," she managed an answer to his question.

"Grateful?" he said throatily, his head moving ever closer to hers and Sami knew she should put a stop to this.

She told herself that it was only because she didn't want to arouse his suspicions that she wasn't pulling away and slapping his face as hard as she could. Not because she wanted him to kiss her which was clearly his intent. No, his touch was something she would just have to endure – it was all a means to an end. Although she would have felt better about that justification if her next word wasn't quite so breathless and sounding so full of anticipation.

"Grateful," she whispered unevenly and nodded weakly.

He was so close now that she could feel the heat of his skin radiating from him and rolling over her, the smell of him in her nostrils. He didn't favour aftershaves so it was just the scent of whatever soap he used and the rest was all him. Subtle but unmistakably and Sami hated that she knew it so well now but there was nothing that she could do to make herself forget it she found. It was an indelible stamp in her subconscious along with so many other unwanted things when it came to him. Her gaze had been riveted to his lips up until then but he was too close now and now all she could do was stare into those liquid brown depths and pray that she would be able to get through this.

"Gratitude is good," he agreed, lips brushing hers now ever so slightly as he spoke, his breath in her mouth now.

Sami held her breath as she waited for him to close that final distance between them but he just continued to look down at her, drawing the moment out unbearably. Later Sami would wonder what she'd been thinking, standing there in some dark corner of the hospital with Lucas only a few feet away, anyone about to round the corner and find them like this but none of those thoughts entered her head just then, instead she just stood there, waiting helplessly for his kiss. If that wasn't bad enough Sami made things even worse for herself because when the seconds began to stretch out and still he made no move to bridge the ever so slight gap between them Sami did the unthinkable…

oooOOOOooo

EJ straightened up from the jeep and walked a few feet in front of him and then turned around abruptly and paced back, checking his watch again as he did, frowning at it like it was the watches fault somehow that time was dragging for him. EJ blew out an impatient breath and went back to leaning against the vehicle, one leg jiggling with nervous energy.

Just for something to do EJ undid his watch strap and held it to his ear, resetting the a few things seeing as he'd crossed a time zone to get where he was waiting so agitatedly. That done he absently strapped the watch back on and looked up to the skies again, trying to imagine that he could see Samantha's plane. When that didn't seem to be happening he went back to his memories, a finger going to his lips unconsciously as he thought about their memorable last meeting…

oooOOOOooo

"..Gratitude is good," he agreed, lips brushing hers now ever so slightly as he spoke, his breath in her mouth now.

EJ saw the way she was waiting so expectantly for his kiss and felt a thrill race through his entire body. Despite all her words of disgust and loathing she was still here, a hairs breath away and anticipating his kisses. It made him more determined than ever that she was going to be his and he held onto the moment, letting her realise how much she wanted him and was rewarded with her doing the unthinkable. EJ tried not to groan as Sami herself closed that last little distance between them, claiming his lips in a kiss. EJ's free hand went to the back of her head allowing him to deepen the kiss almost instantly his tongue demanding entrance to her mouth and wonder of wonders she allowed it and he feasted deeply on the taste of her.

EJ's hand dropped from her head to her neck, long fingers encircling the delicate length of it and stroking the sensitive skin as the kiss continued and deepened. He could feel the way Sami was responding to him and it felt so bloody real, like she needed him as badly as he did her but EJ wasn't completely convinced. He wanted to believe so much that she was as conflicted as she was making out but he somehow doubted that Sami had managed time yet to really think about him or her feelings for him.

He broke the kiss reluctantly, revelling in the way she was looking up at him with such a dazed expression on her face and he knew he must look no better, kissing her always made his head spin wildly but he had to try and remain focused and make sure that she wasn't playing him – there was just too much at stake. But there was one way to work out if she was serious or not about her supposed conflicted feelings for him. EJ leant back down and he saw her go as though to kiss him again and tried not to let himself be distracted by doing just that. He rubbed his beard roughened cheek against hers instead, his lips are her ear.

"Come home with me," he whispered in her ear, his cheeks nuzzling against hers.

"Now?" she squeaked, caught off guard by his sudden demand.

"Now," he said, his voice low and reverberating through her entire body, "I want you Samantha – come home with me and show me how much you want me too."

"EJ!" she gasped, pulling back from him a little, looking up at him with shock, "I can't do that, you know I can't!"

"But I thought you wanted me?" he asked her, his sharp gaze on hers now before dropping to her lips still slightly swollen from his kisses, "You kiss like you want me."

EJ felt his stomach muscles clench suddenly as he saw the look on her face and knew that it had all been an act for his benefit. Well, not all of it… the way she'd kissed him had told him that despite what she might say to the contrary that she wasn't as unaffected by him as she'd like to make out. The reaction to his kisses hadn't been fake EJ was sure of that but it drove him nearly mad with frustration that she was still hiding behind the delusional world she'd created where Lucas was a saint and he was the devil in disguise.

It convince EJ more than ever that they needed this time away so that Sami might actually have a chance to think about things and have her eyes open. But in the meantime he had her little act of defiance to deal with. EJ made an exaggerated frown, as though a thought had just occurred to him.

"I do hope you weren't attempting to toy with my affections for you again Samantha," he said calmly but there was a definite edge to his voice now, "I'd hate to think that you'd do such a thing after I bared my soul to you."

"I… I wasn't," she protested to quickly with an anxious shake of her head, "I do have… have feelings for you EJ… I just need to work them out by myself for awhile – that's all."

"Do you know what the really amusing… ironic… maddening… take your pick really… thing about this entire thing is Samantha?" he asked her with an arch of an eyebrow, "You think you're lying to me about having feelings about me right now but the truth is you're lying to yourself that you don't!"

Sami scowled at that as it was becoming increasingly clear that her ruse hadn't worked.

"I have listened to you do nothing but lie through your teeth these last 24 hours," he said with a rueful shake of his head at her, "Did you really expect me not to know when you were lying to me?"

Sami looked away and grimaced, wondering when it was exactly that she'd lost her touch at being able to food people but maybe it was just him which was pretty ironic when you thought about it because EJ DiMera was the one person she needed to be able to fool more than anyone else in her life! EJ's hand snaked around Sami's waist now and he pulled her tightly to him and she frowned up at him unhappily, knowing she needed to get away from him now and try and come up with another game plan but it was going to be nigh well impossible now – she'd had one shot at this and she'd blown it… spectacularly.

Why oh why had she kissed him?!

EJ for his part didn't seemed to be overly bothered by her continuing silence, seeming to prefer doing all the talking at the moment.

"Do you know what it does to me to hear you lie for me Samantha?" he asked her huskily, eyes dancing wickedly now, "To see those sweet lips drip untruths all to protect me. I'd like to say it makes me all soft and gooey inside but the truth is it makes me more hot and hard… do you want to see?"

Sami gave a horrified gasp and shook her head at him as he pressed himself more firmly against her.

"I lied for Lucas," she spat out at him, angry now that her plan had failed, "Not you EJ!"

"I doubt he'd be as appreciative of your talents as I am sweetheart," he said mockingly.

Sami just glared up at him now, her lips set angrily.

"So my darling girl," he said evenly, a hand coming up and his knuckles grazing along her cheeks gently, "We'll have no more of this silly talk about you not being on that plane tomorrow shall we?"

A mischievous grin lit his face then as his eyes dropped to her lips again, his fingers trailing to her chin now.

"Although if you absolutely insist I suppose I could let you try and convince me of your 'feelings' again," he said gruffly, running his tongue over his bottom lip as he did, "You never know sweetheart – you might have better luck the second go round."

"I'm never going to be kissing you again Elvis!" she hissed up at him, jerking her head away from where his knuckles had returned to lightly skimming her cheek, "Trust me!"

"Firstly darling I don't know if trusting you right now is in my best interest," he said with a little smirk, letting his hand fall from her face but only to find a home on one of Sami's shapely hips, "And secondly as you've just discovered darling… I'm really not the man to be making promises to that you can't keep now am I?"

EJ's smirk turned into a fully fledged smile at that as he lifted her hand to his lips and kissed the back of it.

"You'll be on that plane tomorrow Samantha," he said evenly but there was definite steel in his voice, "Kick and scream all you want… but you'll be there."

"Bite me!" she growled at him, wishing she could come up with something a little more original in the circumstances but that was all her brain came up with unfortunately.

"Patience my darling," he teased her with a saucy look, "There will be plenty of time for that when we get where we're going…"

Chapter SEVEN - The Eagle Has Landed

DAY 1...

EJ craned his neck, watching the speck in the sky get slowly bigger as the noise of the jet's engine started to be carried over to him, completely oblivious to the dark threats currently being made about his person. Not that he would have cared if he did. Any time Samantha was thinking about him EJ took that as a good thing to be perfectly honest. She'd captivated all of his senses and could find no way to be free of her. Not that he wanted to be. EJ had surrendered himself to the fate that was Samantha Brady and was ecstatic to do so. Now all he had to do was convince Sami to surrender herself to the same fate and everything would be as it should in the world.

He knew it wasn't going to be easy. Sami Brady was the most stubborn person he'd ever met in his life apart from himself. However as EJ had never failed to achieve anything he'd put his mind to before he saw no reason to believe that ultimately having Sami admit to her feelings for him would be any different. Things had always come easy to EJ in his life either through his station, birthright and or just his natural abilities. Now for the first time in his life he'd come across something that hadn't gone his way immediately and initially he'd been intrigued by that fact and loved the challenge but over time something had happened.

His pursuit of Sami was no longer a game to him or to please his father - if it ever had been at all he was beginning to realise. Every day that passed EJ was becoming more certain of the fact that they belonged together and nothing could make him falter in that belief - not even Sami's reluctance to accept the inevitable. A little smile touched his lips as he wondered idly what Sami had planned for this week. He just knew that she was not about to 'go quietly into that goodnight' somehow and EJ's. But EJ was unconcerned - after all what did Cervantes from "Don Quixote" say about this kind of thing - faint heart never won fair lady wasn't it and no one could ever accuse EJ DiMera of having a faint heart.

oooOOOOooo

Sami gave a low groan and then looked around herself in embarrassment in case the cabin crew had heard her but the pilot and the flight attendant up front gave no indication that they had so she relaxed a little. She scowled darkly to herself as she remembered her last conversation with EJ.

oooOOOOooo

"Patience my darling," he teased her, "There will be plenty of time for that when we get where we're going."

"You're nothing but a smug, manipulative, son of a…" began Sami, her eyes blazing fire at him seeing as she had nothing to lose now.

"Have I ever told you how hot you get me when you talk dirty?" he asked with a devilish smile, "It makes me very excited to think what other dirty things you can do with that mouth of yours."

"Oh you mean like telling my Dad the truth about last night and how you shot John?" she asked him sweetly, not to be outdone.

"That would not be in your best interest sweetheart," said EJ with an unconcerned shrug.

"You mean in your best interest don't you EJ?" she asked him sarcastically.

"Let's split the difference and say our best interest eh darling?" said EJ smoothly.

"You have way more to lose than I do EJ," said Sami, her lips pressed together in a thin line.

"That's debatable Samantha," he said and then smiled down at her, "And a moot point really. We both know that you're not going to say anything to anyone about our little arrangement now are you?"

Sami would have given anything to throw his words back in his smug face but she knew he was right. She couldn't risk getting on the wrong side of EJ, terrified what the fall out might be for herself and for her family.

"Now then my darling girl," he said, checking his watch and grimacing, "I could stand here all day with you but unfortunately I have my own plane to catch so I'll have to force myself to take my leave of you."

"Bye," said Sami flatly to which EJ gave a little laugh at her abruptness.

"Samantha," he said very calmly and waited until she was looking at him, "You will be on that plane tomorrow… don't make me come and get you…"

He leaned in closer again and Sami tried not to let him know that she was intimidated by him and looked him back steadily in the eye.

"… because I will," he said, his voice low as his eyes held hers, "I'll come back to Salem and throw you over my shoulder and take you kicking and screaming away with me on this trip if you're not on that plane at 8:30am… do you understand?"

Sami just tilted her chin up, her expression one of defiance, not willing to admit defeat even though she had been.

"Unless…" he purred and he had moved closer again and despite her best attempts Sami swallowed nervously, "… unless you'd like me to do that of course hmm darling...?"

His hand came up and a long finger ran over her bottom lip gently and the small action made her lip tremble slightly and she hated that it made it appear as though he was affecting her which he wasn't of course.

"Would you like me to simply walk in and claim you…?" he mused, his eyes suddenly dark and his eyelids heavy, "… in front of everyone eh?"

Sami bit her tongue, refusing to dignify that with a response but he seemed to find his answer he was looking for in her expression and made a regretful tutting sound.

"Poor Samantha," he sighed, "Too frightened of what everyone might think to admit to the truth."

"What?" she scorned him, stung by his criticism, "And what would the truth be EJ? This should be good – a DiMera giving me a lecture about truth."

"The truth is that a part of you," he began calmly, his fingers at her throat now, "A part of you that you've buried deep down inside of you wants that kind of wildness in your life. But you're so desperate for your family's approval that you pretend that you're this sweetness and light character when you're anything but Samantha."

"You don't know me EJ," said Sami bitterly, not wanting to hear what he was saying, not now, not ever.

"Actually sweetheart," he said, almost casually, straightening up now and taking a step back, "I'm the only one who knows you… and I'll prove that to you in this next week… you'll see. "

Sami opened her mouth to argue with him but EJ had already turned around and was walking away from her so she could either chase after him to continue their argument or let him have the last word… so she chose the lesser of the two evils.

oooOOOOooo

Damn the man – why did he have to always have to have an answer for everything?!

Okay, she was on his plane and she was god only knows where right now – all she'd seen was ocean for well over three hours now but that was the very last thing he was going to have go his way she vowed to herself, setting her jaw determinedly. EJ might think he had her right where he wanted her but there was nothing more dangerous than Sami Brady when she was cornered. He wanted her to get 'in touch' with her wild side – well that was exactly what she was going to do and by the end of it he would be begging for the sweet release of death.

If anyone knew how to make someone else's life a living nightmare it was her!

"Ms Brady?"

Sami started and looked up at the flight attendant who had introduced herself as Genevieve suddenly materialise at her elbow.

"Ah… yes?" asked Sami, trying to collect herself.

"The pilot tells me that we are about to land," smiled the perfectly turned out woman, "You'll need to fasten you're safety belt Ms Brady."

"Oh," said Sami with a distracted smile, her heart suddenly racing as she realised that the moment of truth was almost upon her, "Thank you."

Genevieve smiled serenely and then went and took her own seat next to the pilot whilst Sami did as the other woman recommended. She looked out the luxury jet window and saw a little island below her and could only assume that she was looking at her destination – the prison that she was going to be stuck on for the next seven days with the one person she hated most in the world. Any hopes of perhaps managing to get away from him was pretty much dashed now, seeing where he'd chosen. An optimistic part of her had hoped that they might go to somewhere heavily populated like New York or Las Vegas and she might be able to give him the slip or at the very least keep other people between them but Sami should have known that EJ would never take a chance like that. The plane circled round and began its descent and Sami gritted her teeth, a look of fierce determination coming over her face.

"Alright EJ DiMera," she muttered under her breath, "You wanted me for seven days well you got me and they are going to be the seven longest, most frustrating days of your life. Believe me – you'll be jumping in that ocean and taking your chances with the sharks rather than spend another minute with me by the time I'm done with you."

oooOOOOooo

He watched as the jet touched down, taxing along the small runway as it came to an eventual halt, the noise of its engines lessening as it powered down. EJ wiped his suddenly sweaty palms on the back of his jeans, feeling a wave of nervous anticipation wash over him. Even when Adam the pilot had contacted him to inform him that Ms Brady was on board the jet and they had just taken off EJ hadn't really allowed himself to relax properly. It was only now when she was but a few short steps away that EJ felt the tension leave his body knowing that Sami was at last with him and nothing was going to get in the way of their time together now. He rubbed his hands again on his jeans and took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down so that he didn't babble like an idiot when he saw her.

EJ began to walk over towards the jet just as the door opened and the little stairs stretched out. EJ took in another deep breath and hoped he looked calmer than he felt, the rapid beating of his heart making his breathing a little uneven. It had been less than a day since he'd seen her last but EJ felt like it had been a life time somehow. He was so used to seeing her every day, being around her that even this short time apart had been hard for him.

It had caught EJ off guard actually how many times he'd had the urge to orchestrate a meeting with her in the last twenty hours or so, making him realise how much of a habit it was back in Salem. But he couldn't this time of course because he'd been on the island and she'd back in the States and the separation had been a real wrench for him. Sami appeared at the top of the stairs then and EJ couldn't help the smile that burst out on his face. She started down the little stairs and EJ held out a hand to her to help her which she fully intended to ignore but then the stairs creaked a little and moved. It caused Sami to wobble and almost lose her balance so she was forced to grab onto his offered hand rather than fall down the stairs.

EJ's fingers curled around hers as soon as her hand grabbed his and he steadied her immediately. He helped her down the last two steps and as soon as her feet were on solid ground she tried to pull her hand away but he wouldn't let her.

"Samantha," he said, his voice deep and warm as he kissed the back of her hand lingeringly, "How wonderful to see you - how was your flight?"

"Horrible," she sniffed, finally managing to pull her hand free and glare up at him, "Three hours on that thing taking me away from everyone I love to be dumped on into this nightmare you've cooked up EJ. How do you think my flight was?! I hated it!"

"I think you've hurt Genevieve's feelings sweetheart," said EJ mildly, inclining his head to the long legged blonde woman standing at the top of the stairs.

"Oh," Sami blushed, feeling instantly guilty as she shook her head at the other woman, looking up at her, "Oh not you Genevieve - you and Adam were great - I didn't mean to offend you, I'm sorry."

"No apology necessary Ms Brady," she smiled warmly, far too professional to let on what it was she thought about all of this.

"I accept you're apology too," said EJ very seriously, "In case you're wondering."

Sami gave him an unimpressed look at that.

"You," she snapped, "I was trying to offend!"

"Ah," EJ mused and then gave her a brilliant smile, "Think you might have missed the mark then because I am completely unoffended sweetheart."

"Day ain't over yet," she said smugly and looked up at him challengingly.

EJ gave a shout of laughter at that and shook his head.

"I am so happy you're here Samantha," he grinned down at her, "You have no idea."

"What I still have no idea of is where we are," she grumped at him, looking around at the thick jungle on one side of the runway and then how there was a bit of a clearing on the other side and then there was suddenly beach and crystal clear blue waters on the other side of that.

"It's an island," smiled EJ.

"Yes thank you for that," she said flatly, "That part I'd worked out for myself EJ - what is it with DiMera's and islands anyway? Just how many of these things do you have exactly?"

"There was a fire sale at Neiman Marcus one year and we bought up big," replied EJ straight faced.

Sami rolled her eyes at his humour and shook her head.

"You're on an island in the Caribbean sea Samantha," he relented then with a smile, "The island of Ara Caman to be more specific."

"What kind of name is that?" asked Sami with a frown.

"Actually there is a story to it but we'll save that for a later day eh sweetheart?" said EJ smoothly.

"So we're nowhere near Jamaica then," said Sami flatly.

"En contraire mon chéri," said EJ playfully and touched her shoulder to turn her round and point her towards the ocean she'd been looking at before, "Head due west for about one hundred kilometres as the seagull flies and you'll find yourself in Jamaica."

"Then why are we here then?" asked Sami in frustration even though she pretty much knew the answer to that question, "Why don't we just get back on the jet and fly over there? That way I won't have to lie to Lucas quite as much as I am already!"

"See now I wouldn't have thought you would have found lying to be that big a burden sweetheart," EJ mused, almost to himself.

"He'll be expecting to hear from me," said Sami defiantly.

"Not so much seeing as there is terrible coverage where you're staying at the hotel," sighed EJ regretfully, "But on the up side you will be able to email him still."

Sami went to push the point but Adam suddenly appeared, with a suitcase in either hand.

"Excuse me Mr DiMera," he said politely, "Where would you like these?"

"Just in the back of the jeep thank you Adam," said EJ.

Adam looked over at the little vehicle and then back at EJ.

"Ah…," he began hesitantly, "You may need to make more than one trip Mr DiMera."

"Nonsense," said EJ blithely, "They'll fit."

EJ looked at the two suitcases - they were large but they would fit in easily to the open back of the jeep.

"Yes these will," agreed Adam calmly, "But the other four maybe not so much."

EJ's eyebrows shot up at this piece of information and he looked over at Sami, amusement tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"You packed six suitcases worth of clothes?" he asked her, laughing now.

"No!" she said defensively and then grimace a little, "… one of them has shoes in it."

"I'm sorry Samantha but I should have made it clear when I said a week I was thinking of the more traditional seven days," said EJ teasingly, "Rather than a week in dog years which is actually 49 days."

"You're hysterical EJ," she snapped looking anything but amused.

"I think the word you're meaning is that I'll be herniated actually darling," EJ chuckled as he took the two suitcases off Adam and addressing him directly, "I'll take these, you go and get the rest and we'll see about defying the laws of physic and fitting them all in the jeep eh?"

"Yes Mr DiMera," said the other man with a bit of a smile, thinking how they reminded him of his trips away with his wife.

"Well you bought it all on yourself EJ," she huffed unsympathetically, "Seeing as you didn't see fit to tell me where we were going I had to pack for every eventuality!"

"But an entire suitcase of shoes darling?" he questioned her with a grin, starting to walk over to the nearby jeep.

"Different outfits require different shoes," she said defensively, watching as Adam who had come up behind them and EJ tried to fit four of the six suitcases in the back of the jeep.

The two men exchanged silent looks then as they attempted to jam the offending items into the confined space.

"Oh shut up!" she said, reacting to their silent amusement and folding her arms in front of herself.

oooOOOOooo

Sami gripped the dash board of the jeep a little harder and sent EJ an unhappy look.

"You drive too fast!" she chastised him as they bumped along the rough dirt track.

"Force of habit sorry sweetheart," he said chirpily, "But it's not like there is any traffic to… ahh."

EJ suddenly slammed on the brakes and Sami was forced to grab the dash with both hands then to stop herself from being slammed face first into the very same. She made a strangled sound as the seat belt she was wearing did its job.

"EJ!" she squeaked, as she jerked back in her seat, "What are you doing?!"

"Sorry sweetheart," said EJ, putting out a hand to her, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," she grumped, rubbing her chest where the seat belt had caught her, "Why did you stop like that."

"Well when I said no traffic on the road I wasn't including the local wildlife," he explained and then pointed a finger at the road in front of him and said very simply, "Snake."

"Snake!" screeched Sami and instinctively pulled her feet up onto the seat which caused EJ some mild amusement, "What is a snake doing here EJ?"

"It's a tropical paradise sweetheart," he pointed out, "It's going to have the obligatory snake now and then isn't it?"

EJ looked at Sami as she looked back at him and he arched an expectant eyebrow knowing he'd given her the perfect opening for a pointed barb aimed at him.

"What?" she sniffed back, "Do you expect me to say something like… of course there are snakes, look who I'm stuck with for the week… or no problem - I'm used to dealing with snakes now that I've met you EJ? Well I'm not going to because it's too easy EJ - it's beneath me."

There was the barest smirk on her face at saying that and EJ shook his head.

"Well I'm glad you rose above the temptation darling," he said wryly.

"So can't you just drive over it or something?" Sami asked him with a bit of a shudder.

"I'm not going to kill it simply because it was in the wrong place at the wrong time," said EJ with a shake of his head.

"But it's a snake," she grimaced and gave a little shudder of disgust.

"It was born a snake and it shouldn't be punished for something it has no control over," said EJ firmly.

He looked over at Sami again and waited if she was going to take that opening and run with it but she shrugged.

"Still too easy," she said with a flick of her hair and then she frowned, "Is it venomous?"

"I think it's just a tree python," said EJ with a shake of his head, "They're harmless."

"If it's a tree python then why isn't it in a tree?" asked Sami flatly, not completely convinced.

"Perhaps it fancied a change of scenery eh?" suggested EJ and then gave her an impish smile, "Or maybe it was simply disoriented by how gorgeous you are Samantha… bedazzled by your beauty. And I for one know how he feels."

"I've changed my mind," said Sami flatly, looking decidedly unimpressed with his flattering words, "Forget about running over the snake, I'll get out and lie on the road and you can run over me instead… anything has got to better than listening to you sprout all this crap."

"You, sweetheart," said EJ with a grin, putting the jeep in gear again, "Need to learn how to take a compliment."

"And you, sweetheart," she mimicked him bitingly, "Need to know when they're not wanted!"

"Then you'll just have to stop being so luscious," he said with a regretful sigh, "And until you do I cannot be held responsible for what comes out of my mouth in regards to you."

The snake finally decided to be on its way, letting EJ and Sami pass. Sami blew out an unhappy breath as they drove along, putting her hands up to her hair. It was a desperate attempt to try and stop it from frizzing uncontrollably in the damp tropical air and from the fact that they were hurtling along at a great rate of knots in an open topped jeep. EJ saw what she was doing and grinned over at her.

"You look gorgeous sweetheart," he said happily, "Don't worry about it."

"I look like I've been in a wind tunnel!" lamented Sami and then threw him an annoyed look, "And now I'm stuck here with you on this island in some probably run down old cabin that won't even have electricity I bet so I won't even be able to plug in my hair dryer!"

A sudden thought occurred to Sami then and she grabbed EJ's arm as they drove along.

"But there is toilets right?" she asked him, eyes wide with worry now.

"Of course darling," he said with an emphatic nod, changing gears and avoiding another pot hole in the road, "Located rather conveniently by the back door."

"Good I don't… wait… back door?" queried Sami, her relief short lived, "EJ, are you telling me that this place you're forcing me to stay at doesn't even have an indoor toilet?!"

"You can't have a long drop indoors Samantha," he said casually, sending her a bright smile.

"What… the hell… is a long drop?" asked Sami, knowing almost positively that she didn't want to know the answer to that question somehow.

"Well you can't really expect proper plumbing on a little remote island such as this sweetheart," he said calmly, alternating between watching the road and looking at her, "So basically what you do is dig a really deep hole and put a box with a toilet seat over it and then there is a long drop when you…"

"STOP!" she shrieked and EJ slammed on the breaks again and Sami gasped as once again she was nearly choked by her seat belt.

"What?!" asked EJ, looking around at the road ahead, "What is it?"

"… talking," she gasped weakly, looking at him a little stunned, "Stop talking!"

"Oh," said EJ with a sheepish grin, "I thought you were warning me."

"I was," said Sami dourly and shook her head at him, "I can NOT believe that you're making me suffer out this week in some kind of… of…"

"Hovel?" offered EJ helpfully.

"Like it isn't going to be bad enough already," groaned Sami in desolation, leaning back in her seat.

EJ smiled at the self pitying picture she made, slumped next to him and calmly started to drive again.

"I knew this was going to be a nightmare," she moaned unhappily closing her eyes, "I just didn't realise how big a one! I can't believe you'd expect me to… to… use something like that EJ! What is wrong with you? No, don't answer that - it will take too long…"

EJ listened to her ranting, not fazed in the least and turned the last bend, the dirt road widening out into a clearing. EJ pulled the car up to the front of the house and turned off the motor.

"We're here Samantha," he informed her, looking down at her still wilting in her seat, eyes tightly squeezed shut.

"Oh god," she groaned, "I can't look!"

"Samantha," said EJ patiently, "You have to open your eyes."

Sami made a deeply unhappy noise at that and turned her head and very reluctantly opened her eyes.

"Oh… my… god…!" she said faintly, looking past EJ to the little cabin that would have been pleased to call itself a garden shed.

It was unlikely her suitcases were even going to fit in that little place let alone her and EJ! They were going to be living on top of each other which she rather supposed was his plan all along.

"You have got to be kidding me EJ!" she said darkly, shaking her head at him.

"No?" he said looking a little crest fallen and then gave a heavy sigh.

"You cannot be serious EJ," she said in horror, "That house is tiny!"

"I suppose it is a bit on the small side," agreed EJ thoughtfully, turning his head and scrutinising the little shack carefully now.

"Ya think?!" she asked him sarcastically.

EJ looked back at her then and pursed his lips.

"I suppose that is why we only keep the generator in it," he mused, almost to himself.

"What?" asked Sami in confusion, looking at the little wooden cabin.

EJ held her gaze steadily then, the barest of smiles on his lips and lifted a finger, pointing to some point over her left shoulder and then made a slight inclination with his head. Sami frowned and slowly turned around, looking in the opposite direction.

"Holy crap!" she gasped, her eyes nearly popping out of her head as she looked at the huge house, well mansion really, sitting in the middle of the clearing.

It should have looked incongruous amongst the tropical surrounds but it didn't, seeming almost at home somehow. Sami looked back at EJ, still too stunned to speak.

"I hope you'll be able to suffer through living in such a hovel Samantha," he said straight faced.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" she asked him bitterly as she realised he had been teasing her this whole time.

"Yes my darling I am," he said, a grin splitting his face, "Thank you for asking."

Sami made a disgusted sound and climbed out of the jeep, gritting her teeth when she heard him give a deep chuckle and all she wanted to do was wipe that smug smile for his face.

"You know," she said, turning around and facing him as she watched him unload the jeep, "It doesn't matter how impressive this place looks…"

"So I've impressed you then sweetheart?" he interrupted her impishly, tugging on one suitcase handle.

Turned out it was just as hard to get the suitcases out of the jeep as it had to get them in and EJ really had to put his back into it, finally tugging it free.

"The only way you'd impress me right now is if you dropped dead," said Sami and gave him a bitter look, "And like I said before you rudely interrupted me… this place, no matter how it looks - it's still a prison and I will be counting the seconds until I can get out of here and be with the man I love - Lucas!"

"Oh I'm glad you bought that up," said EJ calmly, stacking the suitcases by the door, "There is just one rule I'm going to have to insist on whilst you're a guest here on the island Samantha…"

"Prisoner more like," she grumped, looking at him unhappily.

"Guest… prisoner… tomarto… tomateo," he said with a little unconcerned wave of his hands, "It's all semantics really."

"Says you!" she sniffed, looking at him suspiciously, "So what's your rule EJ even though I'm pretty sure I don't want to know the answer to that."

"It's just one little rule Samantha," he said with a smile, "And it will make our time away together so much more pleasant I think."

"This ought to be good," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"You can't mention Lucas' name ever again on this island," he said evenly, "Let's call it the Golden Rule hmm?"

"What?" she sneered at him, frowning now.

"And if you do then I get to decide your punishment," he said easily, "Fair enough?"

"No!" she exclaimed, "Not fair enough - I'm not agreeing to that!"

"Because you can't do it," he said sympathetically, "I thought you wouldn't be able to."

"Of course I can do it!" she snapped at him, "I'm not some mindless idiot that centres her whole life around a man! It's not like I talk about Lucas 24/7 you know?!"

EJ didn't say anything, just looked steadily back at her and her annoyance with him hit and all time high.

"Like I give a damn what you think!" she hissed, "I don't have to justify myself to you. Lucas is the only man that I care what his opinions are then. Man EJ, if Lucas was here right now he would be kicking your butt! Lucas doesn't feel the need to control me like this!"

"Just so you know," said EJ casually, folding his arms in front of his chest and his face hardening a little at how oblivious she was to how she went on about the other man, "You just mentioned Lucas' name four times in the space of about ten seconds… it makes for quite the convincing argument on your behalf darling… it really does."

Sami pressed her lips together in a thin angry line and looked back at him.

"What do I get out of this?" she asked him finally, "I mean - you're so sure I can't do this EJ - what do I get when I prove you wrong?"

"Ah," said EJ thoughtfully, scratching his cheek with one hand, "A negotiation - I love these! Let's see… how about this Samantha… you don't mention Lucas' name for an entire twenty four hours and I will call up Adam and ask him to come back for you immediately and return you to Salem."

"Really?" asked Sami suspiciously.

"Absolutely," said EJ with a definite nod of his head, "I promise you Samantha. All you have to do is not say the 'L' word for twenty four hours and then you can go back home. Now I can't say fairer than that can I?"

"What's the catch?" she asked him sceptically, knowing there had to be one.

"It's a onetime offer unfortunately," he sighed, not actually sounding that upset about it as he was trying to make out, "If you say Lucas' name in the twenty four hour period you are here for the duration and you have to abide by any punishment I think up for you for breaking the Golden Rule. Now… is it a deal or not?"

Sami narrowed her eyes at him, mulling his offer over. It sounded simple - suspiciously so. But then what did she have to lose? Like she couldn't not say Lucas' name for twenty four hours - like she was that pathetic! If it meant she could get out off this island and away from EJ she would have been prepared to do a lot more but if he was offering, she'd be a fool not to undertake such a simple task when the rewards were going to be freedom from EJ's clutches.

"You're on!" she said and stuck out her hand defiantly for him to shake.

"Excellent," smiled EJ, taking her offered hand and shaking it.

He looked down at his watch and pursed his lips.

"Let's see," he pondered, "It's two thirty one pm exactly in 5, 4, 3, 2... now."

He looked at Sami then who was looking back at him challengingly.

"So twenty four hours from now eh?" he asked her brightly, "How does that sound sweetheart."

"Twenty four hours until I'm away from you sound like heaven," said Sami, very sure that she was going to make him regret his little wager.

When she made it to this time tomorrow without saying Lucas' name she was going to make him eat crow - big time! He'd be able to see her gloating face in the window of the jet as it flew her back to Salem and away from him.

"Well that's settled then," said EJ and smiled at her calmly down at her, "Tell you what darling, the house is open - you go on in and I'll organise the pack horses to bring your bags in."

"I don't think I'll bother with unpacking EJ," she said smugly, "It's not like I'm going to be here for that long anyway."

"Ah well," said EJ unworried, "I'll still bring them inside, just to get them out of the weather eh?"

Sami shrugged, not caring what he did. She did as he suggest then and walked up to the front entrance of the grand opening the door and walking in. She took in the opulent surrounds, shaking her head and this was only the foyer! She kept on walking into the sitting room and looked around, taking in the beautiful and definitely expensive looking furniture, almost colonial in style. Of course anything the DiMera's touched had to ooze money and Sami grimaced, not knowing why she'd let herself believe anything else. EJ appeared at the doorway then, two suitcases under his arm and another two in his hands.

"I'll just pop these in our room shall I sweetheart?" he said cheerily, about to head up the stairs that joined the foyer with the top floor.

"Our room!" squeaked Sami in horror, "Are you telling me a place this big only has one bedroom?!"

"Oh no," said EJ easily, "It has seven actually."

"Then there is no way in hell that we are sharing a room EJ!" she said hotly, "I wouldn't be able to look Lucas in the eye just knowing that…"

Sami stopped then, her eyes widening as she realised what she'd just done.

EJ twisted his wrist with his watch on it upwards and squinted to see.

"Four minutes, twelve seconds," he announced happily and then gave her a bright smile, "You lasted longer than I thought you would sweetheart - well done!"

He turned around then, leaving her there with her mouth hanging open and a growing sick feeling in her stomach.

"Crap," she said weakly and then shook her head in disbelief at her own stupidity, "Crap!"

Chapter EIGHT - Let's Get This Party Started

EVENING 1

EJ was just finishing off the dinner setting by lighting the candles and looked up as Sami entered the room to join him for dinner. He blinked a couple of times but apart from that he showed no other sign of emotion. Sami stood there and stared challengingly back as his eyes ran over the ensemble she'd put together for their meal together… and it was certainly that. Sami had decided that EJ wasn't going to have everything his own way and just because she'd blown her one chance to cut this horror trip short with the unfortunate Lucas incident didn't mean that he was going to have everything his own way. On no, she was there with him, alone on the island but that was as good as it was going to get for EJ DiMera!

So she'd dressed for the occasion… and how!

She was wearing so many different items of clothing that it was ridiculous, all mismatched, all designed to make her look as unattractive as possible. Her hair wasn't done and she wore no makeup and her footwear of choice was sneakers. Sami had chosen to wear a pair of jeans and then a pair of sweat pants over the top of those, a pair of shorts over those and finally a skirt over all of that again. Next there was a long sleeve blouse with a short sleeve blouse over the top of that, a singlet was next and then a camisole finally topped it all off. Sami had also opted for a knitted scarf around her neck and a beanie on her head. All in all it was quite the sight to behold. EJ straightened up and calmly blew out the lit match he'd been holding before it burnt his fingers while he took in her outfit.

"Well don't you look…" EJ paused to find just the right word, his lips pursed "… layered tonight Samantha?"

"What this old thing?" she asked smugly, "It's something I just threw on."

"And on…" replied EJ evenly, "… and on… and on it would appear my darling."

"I feel the cold," she sniffed, walking into the room although it was a bit difficult because all of the clothing restricting her movements somewhat.

"It's doubtful you'd feel a nuclear holocaust in that get up," noted EJ dryly, the corners of his mouth turning up as he watched her waddle into the room.

"Well a nuclear holocaust would be preferable to having to spend the next week stuck on this island with you," she snapped at him.

"So I'm a fate worse than death now eh sweetheart?" asked EJ, not seeming to be particularly fazed by that thought, "Well at least I know we're I'm starting from… things can only go up from here I suppose."

EJ pursed his lips then seeming to think about it.

"Although I have to say I wouldn't be completely adverse to some things going down this week I have to say," he said, looking at her innocently but there was a definite gleam in his eye that was just so infuriating.

"The only things going down this week are your hopes!" she growled.

EJ grinned at her pluck and held out a chair for her at the table and Sami defiantly went and immediately sat down in the chair he wasn't holding out for her and gave him an insolent look. EJ chuckled at her outright rebellion, enjoying her fighting spirit immensely.

"I hope you like prawns," he said smoothly, putting the chair back in its place.

"Oh sorry EJ," she said feigning exaggerated remorse, "I'm allergic… didn't you know?"

"No I didn't," he said and looked troubled for a split second and Sami gloated but then he brightened somewhat, "Well it's fortunate that beef is on tonight's menu then isn't it sweetheart?"

Sami's smirk quickly turned to a scowl as he deftly out manoeuvred her. EJ smiled to himself seeing her changing expressions and took himself off to retrieve the salads he'd made from the refrigerator. He just knew she was planning on being as difficult as possible tonight and that was fine with EJ - he did so love a challenge and being around Sami meant he always had to be on his toes. The patio area he'd set up for their evening together was only about ten feet from the kitchen area so it was still easy enough to continue on a conversation with each other as he picked up the salads and did a quick dressing for them.

"I'm not really hungry," Sami called out to him, "Don't bother with anything for me EJ."

EJ shook his head and smiled again, walking back out onto the patio with the freshly dressed salads in hand now and set them on the table.

"But aren't you worried you might become faint with hunger?" asked EJ with an arch of an eyebrow and then his eyes ran briefly over her outfit again, "… and possibly heat stroke and pass out and then I'll be able to have my evil way with you while you're unconscious?"

Sami frowned at little, that particular thought having not occurred to her. She'd planned to go on a bit of a hunger strike while she was there but that scenario, even though she suspected he was only teasing her, was a worrying one. EJ could see her thinking that over and the urge to lean down and kiss her for being so adorable was very strong but he managed to resist the temptation somehow.

Slowly, slowly, catchy monkey as his nanny used to say to him.

They had time - a whole week in fact and EJ felt a deep surge of happiness at that thought. No Lucas and Will to set off stink bombs, no Daddy Brady to barge in uninvited on them. Just himself and Samantha alone all week, along with all the possibilities stretched out before him and EJ couldn't help but be excited at the prospect. Sami saw his expression and didn't like it, feeling decidedly nervous now.

"Alright I'll eat something," she snapped, "But just like the rest of this nightmare… it's only because I have to!"

"You're so very gracious in defeat aren't you Samantha?" he asked her teasingly.

"I'm not defeated Elvis!" she returned quickly with an annoyed look at him, "I'm eating some food so I don't die… I don't think you should rush to send out the wedding invitations just yet?!"

"I want that you know Samantha," said EJ, suddenly very serious, his dark eyes looking at her intently.

"Want what EJ?" she asked distractedly as she gave her salad the once over just in case.

"Marriage, children," he told her quietly.

"Yeah well," snorted Sami, "I'm sure you'll find someone crazy enough to marry a DiMera if you look for long enough."

"I already have," smiled EJ and Sami's head snapped up and she scowled at him.

"Trust me," she said flatly, "You haven't!"

"So you say Samantha," said EJ mildly, "So you say."

He smiled at her then before heading back into the kitchen. Sami frowned when he'd left, not entirely thrilled with how her plan was working out. She picked up the crisp white napkin on the table and began to fan herself, feeling decidedly warm in the balmy tropical night underneath all of her clothes. Sami wasn't really used to dealing with this kind of wet heat, living in Salem and she might have to rethink this particular little plan of attack. EJ reappeared then and placed a perfectly cooked steak in front of her and sat down across from her at the table with his own steak. He'd cooked it just how she liked it of course but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of saying anything. EJ then picked up the bottle of wine that was on the table, masterfully uncorked it and poured them both a glass. Sami looked at the red wine, deeply suspicious. EJ's lips quirked in amusement at seeing her distrust.

"I haven't drugged your wine Samantha," he told her indulgently.

"Oh yeah," she said sarcastically, "Because you'd totally be telling me if you did."

"Fine," he shrugged, "Switch glasses if it will make you happy darling."

Sami frowned and thought about that and shook her head.

"I bet that is what you expected me to say and drugged the one in front of you, knowing I'd ask to swap," she reasoned, her eyes full of mistrust, "It's a double bluff."

"Actually it's a rather impudent Bordeaux sweetheart," he laughed at the way her mind worked, finding her very sexy when she showed her devious logic like this.

EJ shook his head when he saw that she wasn't going to be swayed by his words so he simply leant forward and picked up her glass and took a mouthful of her wine and then did the same with his.

"You see," he said calmly, "I'm still upright - no drugs Samantha. I wouldn't have the heart to do that to such a wonderful wine - it would almost be sacrilegious."

"And yet you wouldn't think twice about doing it to an actual person would you EJ?" she baited him.

"You think me quite the villain don't you sweetheart?" he asked her musingly.

"I know you're quite the villain EJ!" she declared emphatically.

"Perhaps I'm just misunderstood eh?" he asked her evenly, picking up his wine glass and indicating she should do the same, "You of all people must know how that feels Samantha. Now how about we make a toast?"

Sami gave him a defiant look and he smiled.

"Come now sweetheart," he cajoled her, "Don't be churlish. I tell you what - why don't you chose the toast?"

Sami picked up her glass and held it up, giving him an insolent look.

"To a hurricane coming and flattening everything in sight and forcing us to flee back to Salem," she suggested sweetly.

"To uncontrollable forces of nature being unleashed," agreed EJ, his voice all velvety as he re-worded her toast slightly and tapped her glass with his own, "And I for one am truly looking forward to being flattened by them."

Sami rolled her eyes at his spin doctoring. The man was impossible! Everything she did and said he seemed to be able to twist to his advantage somehow, it was so infuriating. She absolutely had to up her game if she wanted to come out on top… not that she wanted to be on top of him of course. Oh damn it! Now he was making her do it in her own head! She hated the man so much! Dinner was more of the same, word games going back and forth, each of them trying to get the last word in and neither one backing down.

"Ready for dessert Samantha?" he asked her when he'd cleared the last of the dishes away and Sami shook her head.

"I don't think I can," she said weakly.

This time she wasn't playing a game with him, she really didn't think she could eat anything else. The evening was so warm and she had so many clothes on that even after the simple meal that they'd just had they felt painfully tight. The red wine had heated her up even more and now she was feeling decidedly faint from the heat, even beginning to perspire slightly.

"Samantha?" asked EJ with a bit of a frown, seeing how pink she'd suddenly gone, "Are you alright?"

He came round to her side of the table to take a closer look at her.

"I just need to go to my room," she said, swatting away his helping hand as she went to stand.

After arriving and the saying Lucas' name fiasco she had been almost sure that he would force her to share a room with him but to her great surprise he hadn't. Taking her suitcases to a beautifully laid out room and informing her that his bedroom was just next door. She'd felt an unbelievable surge of relief at that but it remained to be seen if he was going to stay in his room and leave her alone.

"I just need to lie down for a bit," she said shakily as she stood up.

Suddenly being upright did not agree with Sami in her weakened, heat exhausted state and as soon as she stood up her head immediately began to spin and she promptly fainted. She would have hit the ground very hard if EJ's reflexes hadn't been quicker, simply grabbing her before she'd fallen very far and scooping her up in his arms.

"Impossible, stubborn, crazy woman," muttered EJ as he placed her gently down on the sofa, even as his heart was racing in his chest at seeing her pass out like that.

EJ quickly began to remove her clothing, starting with that ridiculous beanie and scarf. They were in the tropics for God's sake - no wonder she fainted under all that get up! EJ pulled off her camisole and the short sleeved shirt she had on underneath that and threw them carelessly to one side. His hands went next to her skirt and pulled that down her hips in one easy motion.

"Samantha," he said urgently to her as she still hadn't regained consciousness, "Sweetheart, wake up!"

She didn't respond so next were the sweat pants and EJ found them a little more of a struggle, the stretchy material catching on her jeans so he had to wrestle them off her. Through it all Samantha remained perfectly still and EJ was really beginning to worry now. He pulled her sneakers off so he could get her sweat pants off and realised it wasn't going to be enough his hands went to the buttons of her jeans and after a little bit of fiddling around he'd removed them as well, leaving her only in her panties and the long sleeved blouse. The wave of heat that rolled off her body when he took her jeans off deeply concerned EJ and he worried now that she might have done some real damage to herself in her silly act of rebellion.

How like his Samantha to do something like this he groaned to himself, caught between adoring her for it and fretting over her.

EJ quickly got up and grabbed a napkin from the table and dunked it in the now icy water of the ice bucket and hurried back over to where Sami lay stretched out on the sofa. He put the cold cloth on her chest and then moved it around to the back of her neck, holding it there with one hand while with the other he picked up a nearby magazine and fanned her with it.

"Okay Samantha," he said, trying to sound calm but there was definite tension in his voice now, "Enough of this silliness, you are to wake up now do you hear me?"

For a long painful minute Sami still didn't move but then her eyes began to flicker and EJ could have kissed her from the relief but he somehow thought his gesture might be misinterpreted. Sami gave a little groan, beginning to regain her consciousness properly now. Sami's eyes fluttered open and she struggled to focus her gaze. All she could see was a blurry looking EJ looking down at her anxiously and she wondered why he was all fuzzy like that and what was his problem.

"Samantha?"

His deep voice reverberated through her and he was so close that she could feel his breath on her face as he spoke. Sami blinked a few more times and tried to work out what had just happened. She suddenly realised something was different and in a split second she realised that she wasn't wearing any pants.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, suddenly finding her strength and pushing against EJ's chest where he was sitting beside her on the sofa, his hand at her neck for some reason, "Get away from me EJ!"

EJ was a little taken aback by her sudden vehemence but obediently leant back a little and Sami scrambled to her feet, glaring down at him.

"What the hell did you do to me EJ?!" she shouted at him, "Where are my pants?!"

"They are right there along with your other pants and your skirt sweetheart," he said calmly, glad to see she was alright, even if it meant that she was yelling at him, "And I didn't do anything to you - you did it to yourself with that ridiculous ensemble of yours."

Sami scowled at him, not sure what to believe now.

"You gave yourself heat stroke Samantha," he explained to her patiently, sitting back a little in the sofa and looking up at her, "I had to take some of your clothing off before you expired completely… it was like peeling an onion I have to say. How are you feeling now? You still look very flushed."

EJ's eyes ran appreciatively all over her body and Sami's flush deepened even more. She looked down at her bare legs and grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it down as far as she could, hiding as much of her body from him as possible.

"Give me my pants back!" she ordered him through gritted teeth, feeling exceptionally stupid right about now, "And I'm fine!"

"I think you should sit back down Samantha," he said kindly, "You still look a little shaky on your pins darling. Why don't I fetch you a cold drink of water eh?"

"I'm fine EJ," she said through clenched teeth, "The only thing I want is my pants back!"

"You can have the skirt," he informed her, reaching over to pick it up from where he'd thrown it earlier, "It's more ventilated."

He passed the skirt to her and she grabbed it, turning her back to him and quickly pulling it on.

"Please Samantha," he said with a little laugh at seeing her attempts at modesty, "I saw more of you than this the very first time we met, there is no need to be so coy now after all that has passed between us."

"How do I know you didn't… didn't do something to me?" asked Sami, deeply suspicious of him although somewhere deep down she knew he wouldn't have but something drove her to accuse him of it.

"Samantha," EJ sighed, "It I'd wanted someone lifeless with nothing to say I would have pursued your sister Carrie when I first came to town."

Sami was taken aback by that and instinctively opened her mouth to defend Carrie but then realised that this was the first time she'd ever really heard anyone speak ill of Saint Carrie. Even after the adultery thing which she'd managed not once but twice everyone had kind of let that slide and it was still 'oh poor Carrie'. For once in her life Sami really didn't know what to say at hearing a man not sing the praises of her perfect sister.

"You… you think Carrie's boring?" asked Sami in disbelief.

"Oh please," said EJ with a roll of his eyes, "I've got more exciting shirts in my wardrobe than your sister Samantha."

Sami didn't say anything to that, pondering it for a moment.

"Samantha," said EJ softly, standing up and walking over to her, pushing a sweaty bang back from her forehead, "You're not a consolation prize to me… you're the only prize that's worth having, worth fighting for."

"I'm not Lucas' consolation prize!" retorted Sami angrily, stung by his words that struck dangerously close to long held secret fears, "He loves me!"

"Keep telling yourself that sweetheart," said EJ calmly, expecting her to react as she did, "One of these days you might even believe it. Oh and by the way - you said the 'L' word so expect to have to pay for that at some point."

"You… you're taking advantage of me!" she said heatedly, "In my weakened state otherwise I would never have said Lu…"

Sami clamped down on wayward tongue and glared up at him.

"You just kept telling me you're perfectly fine Samantha," pointed out EJ mildly, "So which is it? You can't have it both ways you know?"

"I'm… I'm…" Sami stammered and tried to get her brain to work.

She wasn't sure if it was the wine she'd had at dinner or the fact she'd just given herself heat stroke but nothing was coming to her and she just stood there, her mouth opening and closing, looking not unlike a goldfish.

"I often find myself speechless around you as well darling," he teased her.

"Since when?" she asked flatly, suddenly finding her voice, "You've got an answer for everything EJ!"

EJ grinned at that, bending down so his lips were near her ear.

"Jealous?" he purred and wiggled his eye brows at her knowingly.

oooOOOOooo

EJ cocked his head and waited for the sound of running water to start; telling him Sami was in the shower at last. He made his way to her room, his bare feet noiseless on the wooden floors. EJ paused momentarily outside her door, thoughtfully scratching his chin with a finger, quietly contemplating what he was about to do for a brief moment.

He pushed open her door and walked in, making sure to leave the door ajar so he could listen out for when the sound of the shower stopped so he'd know that he'd have time to make sure he was out of her room before she returned to it. EJ looked around the room and saw one of her many suitcases open on the bed but it was nearly empty now. Not surprisingly really seeing as she apparently wore just about every article of clothing she owned in the world to dinner tonight. EJ's lips turned up into a smile at the memory, finding her unbearably cute when she was trying to defy him like this but he'd hoped she'd learnt her lesson and wouldn't do anything so foolhardy tomorrow night - in fact he'd make sure of it. After all, he still had yet to decide on her punishment for saying Lucas' name at dinner. Whatever else, Sami was certainly going to make the next six days interesting and he couldn't wait. EJ turned and walked over to the chest of drawers and pulled open the top drawer.

Sami had neatly folded her camisoles and singlets in there and before he could help himself EJ picked up one of the delicate pieces of satin and held it to his face, breathing in the undeniable scent of her. Even though they'd been freshly laundered there was still something that smelt of Samantha to him, delicate and lingering and EJ closed his eyes, imagining the soft scraps of material against her even softer skin. EJ shook his head as he quickly felt himself becoming lost in his fantasy.

This was not why he was here… he had another goal in mind right then.

He tried the next drawer down and found it full of her underwear, panties and bras in all colours and styles and the grin was back on his face again. He wondered which one of these sets he was going to have the pleasure of removing from her body in the next few days. He was feeling rather optimistic tonight so he rather hoped it would be all of them. Attempting to remain focused EJ stuck his hands into the drawer and began to feel about. Sami would not be happy if she came back her and found him elbow deep in her unmentionables and the thought made him smile. He wondered what her punishment would be and that made him smile even wider as he imagined it. His hands connected with something smooth and hard and his fingers curled around it and brought it out and held it to his face.

"Bingo," he said happily, "We have a winner ladies and gentleman."

EJ straightened up and placed the birth control pills on the chest of drawers while one hand went to his sweat pants pocket and pulled out a little phial of white pills. EJ flipped open the disc of birth control pills, seeing all the small white pills neatly arranged in a circle with only a couple missing. He then opened the phial he'd bought with him and began to painstakingly replace the real birth control pills with the placebo he'd managed to get his hands on.

"I don't think we'll be needing you little blighters this week," he muttered to himself as he went about the fiddly task.

EJ had known that this was her preferred method of birth control and come prepared because he'd listened in on a conversation Sami had with Carrie before everything soured between the two women. They'd been chatting as sister's do about such things, comparing notes. He and Austin had been off talking but EJ had managed to be able to maintain the conversation with the other man while covertly listening to Sami and Carrie talk. He wanted to know everything there was to know about Samantha Brady and the littlest detail mattered to him.

Not that this was a little detail of course.

His father had sent him to Salem with a very definite mission… take revenge on the Brady's and choose a Brady woman to have his child. A child that would provide life saving stem cells for his father's waning health. As soon as he'd laid eyes on Sami there had been no choice. She was the one that he wanted… instantly, without question. Being raised as a good, unquestioning DiMera solider he hadn't found his father's request to impregnate a woman he hadn't even met yet strange and would have done so regardless of how he'd ended up feeling about the woman. His father had asked it of him and he had never denied his father anything. Why should he? Stefano had been a wonderful father to him who had given him the world. What else could he do but repay that love with simple obedience? But it would be a complete lie to say that he found carrying out this particular request of his father's anything other than his utter joy to do so.

EJ finished his task and snapped the lid closed again, pocketing the unwanted real birth control pills… at least they were unwanted by him. The thought of fathering a child before he'd met Sami had simply been a means to an end, to help his beloved father. But now it was utterly different. The thought of Samantha bearing his child, carrying it inside of her, nurturing a life they'd created together with her body was something he suddenly found himself longing for. It should have been shocking to him considering his life of devil may care playboy up to that point but it just felt too right to be shocking somehow. He had fallen for this woman, entirely, wholly and he wanted it all with her. He wanted her love and devotion, he wanted her to be his wife and the mother of his children and he wasn't particularly concerned about what order those things came to him in… as long as they came to him.

The sound of the shower water being turned off warned EJ that Sami was almost done and he quickly returned the now defunct birth control pills to her drawer, burying them in her underwear as he'd found them. He silently turned around then and padded noiselessly from the room, closing the door behind her and so Sami would be none the wiser… well not until about a month's time anyway. EJ looked down the corridor at the closed bathroom door and smiled tenderly.

"This week is going to change our lives forever Samantha," he told her softly even though she couldn't hear his words uttered with complete certainty, "Nothing will ever be the same again for us… I just know it."

oooOOOOooo

Samantha lay in her bed, sheets pulled up to her chin as she waited on tender hooks. Every little noise she heard outside her door made her freeze and then her heart start to beat wildly. It was here, the moment she'd dreaded ever since she'd realised that she was going to have to go through with her deal with him. Any minute now EJ was going to walk through that door and demand payment in full for his part in rescuing Lucas and the thought sickened her. There was a gentle tap on the door then and Sami immediately tensed, sitting up in bed, bracing herself for what was about to happen.

"Samantha?"

EJ's voice came to her from the other side of the door.

"What?" asked Sami sharply, having no idea what she was going to do if he walked through that door, preparing herself for a fight if she had to, to protect herself.

"There are more blankets if you need them in the bottom drawer of the dresser by the window," he informed her calmly, "Seeing as you feel the cold so terribly I thought you might need them."

Sami could hear the smile in his voice as he said that and ground her teeth in frustration.

"Goodnight Samantha," he said to her softly, "Sweet dreams."

"Goodnight EJ," she returned flatly, "Burn in hell."

She heard him chuckle at that and then there was the sound of him walking away from the door. Sami listened intently for a long time after she heard him leave; sure he'd be back any second. But the seconds stretched into minutes and then they became an hour and still nothing. Sami had lain back on the bed and at some point without her realising it she'd fallen asleep, exhausted by the events of the day.

oooOOOOooo

EJ lay awake, sitting up in his own bed, his mind racing as he looked over at the wall that he shared with Samantha's bedroom. She was so damn close and the thought sent a shiver of expectation down his spine. Today had gone well, better than he'd expected actually. Her reactions to him today and tonight had told him that Samantha was anything but indifferent to him as she liked to make out and that was all he needed to know. He had the next six days to get her to open her eyes and to see him and their relationship for what it really was and EJ relished the thought of that.

Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough for him…

Chapter NINE - All The Kings Horses and All The Kings Men

DAY 2...

Sami woke up in the morning with a fright, forgetting where she was and taking a moment to come to her senses.

"Oh!" she groaned unhappily, flopping back on the pillows and covering her face with her hands.

She'd hoped it had been all some horrible dream but no, apparently it was real. A knock at the door made her tense.

"Yes," she called out.

"Are you decent?" asked EJ's voice from the other side of the door.

"Why?" she scowled.

"Because I have a policy about full frontal nudity first thing in the morning," he teased.

Sami rolled her eyes at his silliness and got out of bed, tromping over to the bedroom door and opening it. EJ was standing there, breakfast tray in hand laden with toast, fruit, bacon, eggs and croissants. He looked a little surprised at the door being suddenly flung open but he immediately smiled to see her.

"Let me guess?" she smiled up at him sweetly, "You're for it!"

"Generally speaking," he grinned down at her, "Good morning Samantha, don't you look quite the vision first thing in the morning?"

"What is this?" she asked him with a frown at the tray of food.

"Would you believe breakfast?" he asked with a charming smile.

"I wouldn't believe you if you said the sky were blue EJ," sniffed Sami.

"My little sceptic," he tutted at her, "Now can I come in?"

"What for?" she scowled at him.

"Well breakfast in bed requires two components – one… the breakfast…" EJ held the tray up a little, "… which I have provided and two… a bed…"

He looked over Sami's shoulder at the bed behind her and then back at her.

"… which you seem to have," he finished smoothly.

"I am not letting you in here and I'm certainly not letting you give me breakfast in bed EJ," she said flatly, "Forget it!"

"Hmm," he pouted and gave her an impish wink, "I was rather hoping that the way to the ladies heart was through her stomach."

"Yeah well EJ," she huffed at him, "Take a step inside that door and the quickest way to your heart will be through the gapping chest wound that I'm going to give you!"

"Have I ever told you that it gets me incredibly hot when you threaten me with violence Samantha?" he asked her, a definite twinkle in his eyes now.

"Yes," she said in annoyance.

"And yet you persist in doing it," he purred at her and arched a knowing eyebrow at her, "Interesting."

"I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast," said Sami, not willing to carry on this particular line of banter any longer, "After I get dressed."

"I'll wait and we can go together," he said happily.

Sami put a hand on her hip and gave him an unimpressed look.

"No?" he sighed regretfully, "Alright then I'll let you get dressed alone then. Oh and Samantha…"

Sami looked at him expectantly when he paused.

"Let's limit it to just one layer today hmm?" he teased her, "It's a warm day out we don't want a repeat occurrence of last's night excitement now do we? Although…"

EJ gave her a wicked look, his eyes flicking up and down her pyjama clad body.

"… any time you need help with removing any article of clothing I will be more than happy to help you out sweetheart," he said cheekily.

Sami's expression didn't change; she just wordlessly reached out and slammed the door shut in his face. She turned around and looked back into her room and behind her she could hear him chuckling merrily away to himself and made an unhappy face. Alright, today was a new day and a new game plan. Clearly the clothing idea had not been roaring success so she was just going to have to come up with another strategy. Sami had been a little surprised that he wasn't pushing her more, apart from the outrageous flirting of course. She'd been figuring on him playing much harder ball than he was now that he had her at his mercy. It seemed like he was trying to charm her into his bed but he was sorely mistaken if he thought that she would fall for that little game of his twice.

No, she'd trusted him once, bought into the caring, charming friend routine and it turned out it had been nothing but lies. This time round Sami had promised herself she wasn't going to be that gullible. He wasn't going to play her like he'd done everyone else in Salem. He was a DiMera and not to be trusted and Sami made sure to remind herself of that fact as often as she could. So much of the pain and heartache in her life had been caused by the hand of a DiMera and she would be the world's biggest fool for her to allow another DiMera into her life willingly. Whilst Sami had done some foolish things but she wasn't anybody's fool... least of all EJ's. Her resolve strengthened Sami slowly got dressed, taking as long as she could before joining EJ downstairs for breakfast and suffering through another day with him.

oooOOOOooo

"Where are you taking me?" complained Sami as they walked around the side of the large house and down a little track to one side.

They'd just finished breakfast and EJ had informed her that he'd come up with her punishment for last night's slip up with Lucas' name. Sami had rather been hoping he'd forgotten about that but no such luck apparently.

"You're not a morning person are you darling?" he teased her, unfazed by her bad humour.

"I'm not a morning, noon or night person if you're around EJ!" she snapped at him, her anxiety over what he had planned for her making her especially moody, "Now tell me what you are up to!"

"Shh," he told her as they came up to a little barn looking thing at the end of the dirt track they were walking along, nestled in against the rainforest, "You'll frightened him Samantha, no more yelling."

"Him?" asked Sami nervously, watching as EJ opened the door of the barn and walked inside, "Him who exactly?"

The unmistakeable smell of horses met Sami's nostrils as EJ left the door open and then her suspicions were confirmed when he walked out again, leading a horse. Sami's mouth dropped open.

"It's… it's a horse," she said weakly.

"Very good sweetheart," he said with a little laugh, "See – you're not a total city girl after all."

"Wh… what is a horse doing on an island?" asked Sami distractedly, staring at the large animal and ignoring EJ's teasing.

"Jellybean was a present to me from my father," EJ informed her.

"Jellybean?" asked Sami sceptically looking at the giant chestnut horse that looked more like it's name should be Zeus or some other overly masculine and imposing sound name rather than a sweet one like Jellybean.

"It's his name," confirmed EJ easily, affectionately patting the creatures long nose, "He's a real dolly Samantha, you'll love him."

"I wasn't planning on having any feelings about him actually," said Sami a little warily, backing up a bit as the horse flicked its tail and moved its feet, "Nice horsy – you stay there."

"He just wants to say hello Samantha," EJ encouraged her, seeing the way she couldn't seem to take her eyes off the animal, clearly very nervous of it, "Here…"

EJ walked over to where Sami had backed up to and gently moved her forward, towards Jellybean.

"Come on," he told her, his voice suddenly in her ear as he bent down from behind her, "You'll hurt his feelings if you don't say hello sweetheart."

"Ah… hello?" she said to the horse and made a vague, nervous waving hand gesture of greeting to the horse.

"Not like that," he laughed at her, "Haven't you ever been this close to a horse before?"

"Of course," said Sami defensively, "Just not one this big!"

"Don't let his size fool you," he said from behind her and she could hear the smile in his voice, "He's a real pussy cat… just like me."

"I'm allergic to cats," said Sami flatly even though it was a lie, he wasn't to know that.

"Oh well," he sighed, "That's disappointing."

"Not for me," she smirked at him.

"Maybe you just need to get used to it," he suggested, his hot breath by her ear now.

"So what?" she asked him with a frown putting a definite end to that conversation, "Jellybean is alone on the island when you're not around - how does that work?"

"The house and the island have a caretaker who lives here when the family isn't staying," explained EJ calmly, "They take care of the house and of course Jellybean."

"Must be nice to have servants," she sniffed in disdain.

"Enrique has been with our family for many years," EJ informed her, "He's more family than staff."

"Poor man," she said mockingly.

"Not everyone thinks of the DiMera's as the spawn of Satan you know Samantha," said EJ mildly, "This might shock you to know that some people actually like us."

"I don't that!" she said with a roll of her eyes, "If anything I think they like your money or are frightened of you!"

"Money and power can be intimidating to some," conceded EJ, "But not to you eh Samantha?"

"Well not all of us were born with a silver spoon up our…" began Sami in annoyance but he stopped her before she got too graphic.

"Ah ah darling," he tutted and nodded at Jellybean, "Young ears are present."

"He doesn't know what we're saying," said Sami dismissively.

"Jelly understands tones of voices," EJ disagreed, "He knows you're being mean to me and he doesn't like it."

"Well maybe if Jellybean knew the whole story he might take my side," huffed Sami, looking over at the horse, "Just so you know – your owner sucks!"

"You haven't given me a chance to yet," he said playfully giving her backside a quick slap and making her give a gasp of outrage, "But when you do I promise you Samantha…"

EJ walked around from behind her as he spoke, coming to stand beside Jellybean again and gave her an impish look.

"… you won't think that such an insult anymore," he assured her and wiggled his eye brows at her knowingly.

"You're disgusting," she informed him but didn't seem overly put out, she was getting used to his openly flirtatious ways now.

"Here," he told her, reaching into his jeans pocket and pulling out a carrot and offering it to her, "Make friends with Jellybean – carrots are his favourite."

"You have a carrot in your pocket?" asked Sami with an arched eyebrow.

"What darling?" he teased her with a wink, "Did you just think I was just happy to see you?"

"Do you see what I have to put up with Jellybean?" she asked the horse despondently, "He's like this all the time!"

Jellybean seemed more interested in the carrot Sami was now holding than offering her any real sympathy for her predicament. The horse took a couple of eager steps towards Sami and she panicked as the giant creature advanced on her, throwing the carrot at Jellybean's head in a desperate attempt to stop him coming any closer. The carrot caught him harmlessly on his nose and bounced to the ground. Jellybean gave EJ a seemingly bemused look at Sami's odd behaviour and EJ patted his mane reassuringly.

"She'll grow on you," he promised the horse, "Trust me."

Jellybean didn't look overly convinced but there was a carrot to be eaten so he couldn't be bothered worrying about it, simply bending his head and picking up the carrot, chomping on it happily.

"Let's try that again shall we sweetheart?" asked EJ brightly.

"Do we have to?" asked Sami unhappily.

Whilst Jellybean was obviously a beautiful horse Sami couldn't help but fret being this close to such a large animal. She'd never been this close to horse before and didn't realise how big they were in real life. EJ meanwhile seemed determined that she and Jellybean were to be BFF's because he'd disappeared into the barn to return with a bag of what Sami assumed was horse food.

"Here Samantha," he offered her, "Take a handful."

Sami gingerly dug into the bag and got a handful of the feed out. Jellybean's eyes lit up at the sight and he immediately advanced on her again and Sami, once again panicked, throwing the grain at Jellybean and this time managing to get EJ as well.

"Sweetheart," said EJ patiently, shaking his head to dislodge horse food pellets and then running his fingers through his hair to get the last of it, "Jellybean doesn't really enjoy his food when it's an aerosol… and I'm not particularly in love with the concept either."

"I'm sorry!" she said biting her lip, "I'm not used to dealing with livestock okay - so sue me!"

"Just relax Samantha," he encouraged her with a smile, finding her very cute like this, so out of her depths, "Take another handful of grain but please refrain from thinking that you're at one of your many almost weddings eh darling?"

That earned him a scowl but EJ had achieved what he'd intended, distracting her from her fear. Sami gave him a challenging look and grabbed a handful of horse feed and EJ put out a hand to stop Jellybean from moving towards Sami and then gave her careful instructions.

"Just turn your hand over Samantha," he said calmly, "And open out your hand and keep it really flat."

Sami did as he instructed and her face rumpling up anxiously as Jellybean walked over. EJ put his hand underneath hers to steady it when it looked as though she might pull away again as the horse ducked his head and began to eat from Sami's hand. Sami made a little squeaking noise at the feel of his whiskery face on her palm, at once course but also the velvety feel of his nose and the funny sensation of Jellybean's lips scooping the food up quite delicately from her hand. Very quickly he'd finished it all and was looking for more.

"Put both of your hands out," EJ told her and Sami did as he asked and he poured more feed into her outstretched palms which Jellybean instantly hoed into.

Sami grinned at EJ, delighted to have overcome her fears and enjoying this new experience. EJ smiled to see the child like excitement on her face as she hand fed the horse, watching her beautiful face light up. There were so many things he wanted to show her in this world. So many new experiences and sights that this world had to offer rather than her being cloistered away in Salem, not even knowing what it was that she was missing out on. She was surrounded by a disapproving family that made her feel ashamed of who she really was and EJ longed to take her away from their censure. EJ couldn't help the look of longing that washed over his face as he watched her with Jellybean.

He wanted to sweep her up in his arms and they could discover what the world had in store for them together. In so many ways Sami had lived such a sheltered life and he wanted to open her eyes to the possibilities that were out there for her… for them. Jellybean had finished again and was snuffling around Sami's hands looking for any last morsel of food, snorting noisily and making her giggle at the sensation.

"Alright you," said EJ affectionately, scratching him behind his ears, "That's enough for now; time to earn your keep."

"What do you mean?" asked Sami absently, still on a bit of a high from her first experience of hand feeding an animal.

"Your penance, not that I think you can really call it that for the 'L' word indiscretion," said EJ easily, "I thought we'd go for a ride around the island, so you could get your bearings."

"But I thought it was having to feed Jellybean?" asked Sami, taken aback by this new information.

"I never said that Samantha," said EJ with a shake of his head, "I just wanted you to get comfortable with each other before we go on our ride."

"Do you mean on Jellybean?" asked Sami, shocked that he would suggest such a thing for some reason.

"Well I toyed with us carrying him around the island but this seemed the simplest way to go darling," he said seriously.

"I can't get on that thing!" exclaimed Sami anxiously as though he hadn't spoken, "He's huge, he's as big as… as…"

"A horse?" suggested EJ helpfully and rather amazingly, straight faced.

"Your hysterical," she scowled up at him.

"Have you ever actually been on a horse before?" asked EJ with a quizzical look at her.

"Of course!" she said haughtily and then grimaced when she saw the sceptical look he gave her and had to come clean, "On a merry go round."

"Right," said EJ, trying to keep a straight face, "Well I don't know if that quite qualifies you for the Grand National darling but I guess it's a start."

"I don't want to do this EJ," said Sami with a shake of her head, looking warily up at Jellybean.

"Tell you what," said EJ cheerily, "How about we do a few circle laps so you're put in mind of your merry go round past glories eh… get your sea legs back as it were."

"Can't you pick another punishment for me?" asked Sami anxiously, thinking that she'd fall off Jellybean's back and break her neck for sure.

"I could…" said EJ and let his warm gaze drift all over her body suggestively, "… if you really wanted me to Samantha."

He held her gaze then and there was a wicked gleam to his eyes now.

"… I do have some other ideas that we could do if you'd prefer sweetheart," he purred at her, "In fact, instead of riding Jelly here you could always take a ride on…"

"Shut up EJ!" she interrupted him, glowering at him fiercely definitely not wanting to hear the end of that sentence, "Fine, fine! You win!"

"I always do Samantha," he said smoothly and gave her a little wink, "Perhaps it's time you just embrace that little fact and stop fighting me so much?"

"Jellybean?" asked Sami sweetly, looking over at her new found friend and ignoring EJ completely, "Could you tell EJ that he is the biggest creep I have ever met in my entire life?"

"Jelly," said EJ, playing along, "Could you tell Samantha that if she insists on being this adorable I will have no choice but to start kissing her and who knows where that will end."

"Jellybean," said Sami with a sickly saccharine smile, "Could you tell EJ that if he even thinks about trying something like that, that he will be permanently disfigured!"

"Jelly," returned EJ smoothly, "Can you tell Samantha…"

Jellybean blew out an exasperated breath - seriously, if he was going to have to put up with this kind of carry on all morning he was going to have to insist on more oats… or ear muffs!

Chapter TEN - Tiger, Tiger Burning Bright…

Day 2 (cont)…

Sami walked down the stairs from the second storey of the house later that afternoon and stood in the foyer. She peeked around the corner into the sitting room and saw EJ sitting on the sofa, nose buried in a book. She'd been avoiding him by staying in her room since their horse ride together that morning but then she hadn't been happy where her thoughts had been taking her so she'd come back downstairs again.

oooOOOOooo

Sami squealed as EJ suddenly picked her up and swung her up onto Jellybeans back.

"EJ!" she said in horror, "What are you doing? Put me down!"

Sami suddenly felt a little dizzy at how high up she was. If Jellybean had looked tall from the ground when she was on his back it was even worse and she immediately crouched forward and grabbed a hold of his mane.

"I'm going to fall!" she said anxiously.

"No you're not Samantha," EJ reassured her with a smile, seeing the way she was clinging onto an ever patient Jellybean's back, "Just relax."

"Get me off this horse and I'll be able to!" she said through gritted teeth, "He doesn't even have a saddle on!"

"Don't need one," said EJ simply, "The harness will do."

"I cannot drive this thing!" exclaimed Sami, "I'll be killed!"

"I'd never let that happen sweetheart," he told her sincerely, looking at her pale, worried face that was lying against Jellybean's mane, "I'd die before I let you get hurt Samantha. Besides…"

He walked around behind Sami, out of her eyeshot but she was too scared to lift her head to see what he was doing.

"Don't leave me!" she said urgently, tightening her hold on Jellybean.

"Never," he told her with great certainty and if Sami had been so distracted she might have worried about the way he said that last thing.

She suddenly felt movement behind her and then EJ's legs appeared alongside hers and she realised that he'd just effortlessly swung himself up behind on Jellybean's back. Sami was still hunched over Jelly's neck and EJ had to reach around her to pick up the reigns that were hanging loosely.

"Ah Samantha?" he said and she could hear the laughter in his voice, "Do you want to sit up sweetheart?"

"No thank you," she said very politely, having no intention of making herself any further off the ground than she had to be.

"We can't start moving until you do darling," he said in amusement, "Jelly's head is going to move as he walks, he'll bang yours and trust me… as hard headed as you are, Jelly is going to win that particular game."

"But I'll fall," whimpered Sami.

"I won't let that happen Samantha," he reassured her, "Come now, just straighten up, you'll be fine, I promise."

Sami gingerly did as he said, slowly straightening up.

"Am I hurting him?" asked Sami anxiously and EJ peered over her shoulder to see she had a death grip on Jelly's mane.

"No," he said in amusement, "He'll let you know if you are. I told you Samantha, Jellybean is a very placid and patient horse. Now, just try and relax will you?"

Sami made a little strangled noise as EJ made a clicking sound with his tongue and Jelly started to amble down the path. She leant back hard against EJ, his chest at her shoulders as he was the only solid thing that she had to steady herself against now. Instinctively she clamped her legs together, trying to hold on.

"Relax your legs Samantha," said EJ calmly, "Jelly will think you want him to gallop."

"Oh!" she gasped and immediately concentrated on loosening her grip on the horse, that being the last thing she wanted right now.

However she felt even more precarious now and when Jelly decided to trot for a few feet Sami relinquished her hold on his mane and grabbed both of EJ's thighs that she was currently sitting between and held on for dear life.

"Ah Samantha," said EJ, "Not that I'm not always very excited anytime your hands end up on my thighs but do you think you could loosen your grip just a tad… you're stopping the blood supply to my toes… I don't want them to start dropping off on the trip home."

"I'll fall!" protested Sami tensely.

"No you won't," he told her, "Here…"

EJ moved so that the entire length of his body was against hers now and tightened his legs around her a little, one arm snaking out across her stomach and holding her against him. In any other circumstances Sami would have protested the proximity and certainly the familiarity but right now, honestly all she felt was hugely relieved because he had made her feel safer by the simple action.

"You're safe with me Samantha," he whispered in her ear and EJ fully expected her to say something curt to him back at that but she just silently nodded, looking nervously at the ground.

He tightened his hold on her, urging Jellybean forward and just simply enjoyed the moment. It was a beautiful day, he was in one of his most favourite spots in the world and he had the woman he loved in his arms.

All in all, not too shabby mused EJ.

oooOOOOooo

Sami took a deep breath before walking back into the living room, knowing EJ was there. The horse ride had unsettled her and she hated that. At some point in the whole experience she'd forgotten herself and actually began to have fun. She'd been horrified when she realised that and knew that she couldn't let herself fall into another DiMera trap that easily. EJ was playing with her and she wasn't going to let him get away with it. She hated him she reminded herself. He was DiMera and the DiMera's had only ever caused pain and suffering in her life. Sami was done with being a victim to the DiMera's. However EJ decided to play this she wasn't going to trust him ever again. He might have made her forget who and what he was a few minutes today but she was back in the game now and if he thought that he'd made some head way with her then he was about to be sorely disappointed! Her resolve strengthened Sami marched into the living room.

"Would you like a lolly?" asked EJ casually, looking over the top of his glasses briefly at her, holding up the white paper bag of sweets he'd been sampling absently whilst reading his book.

"Oh I'm sorry EJ," she said, sounding anything but and giving him a defiant look, "I'm an American, I only eat candy!"

"Well they're at the bottom," he said, not missing a beat, "You'll have to dig for the candy I'm afraid."

"You shouldn't be eating that stuff anyway," she sniffed, "It's bad for you."

"I seem to have a predilection towards things that are bad for me," commented EJ idly, still not looking up, his tongue working to get lose a bit of the sugary substance from a tooth.

Sami didn't have to know what the word 'predilection' meant to know that his last comment was a thinly veiled dig at her.

"Well maybe you should just get over it," she snapped at him.

"Ah would that I could my darling," he sighed, feigning regret as he turned a page of his book, "But I find myself unable to say no to the sweet things of this world…"

He looked up then and gave her an impish wink.

"… or the sour as it would turn out," he teased her for her sullen expression she was currently wearing.

Sami gave him an unimpressed look and shook her head.

"Besides I thought you'd be thrilled to see me doing something that could potentially shorten my life," he commented, going back to his book and absently scratching his cheek with one long finger.

"It's just not quick enough for my liking," she sniped at him, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Ah," he smiled and looked over at her, "Patience is a virtue Samantha, take it from me… patience is a virtue."

"You don't have any virtues!" she huffed at him.

"Oh please Samantha," he said, a little smile lingering on his lips as he went back to perusing his book although he couldn't have possibly be managing to take anything in with all their toing and froing, "I have virtues up to the wahzoo… in fact I have virtues I haven't even used yet I'll have you know sweetheart."

Sami snorted loudly at that last statement.

"Was that you darling or did a wild boar just wander though the sitting room?" he asked her idly, not looking up from his book.

"Name one!" she challenged him and ignoring his little dig at her, "Name one supposed virtue of yours EJ and I'll name two flaws for every one virtue you can come up with."

"I'm a good listener," said EJ evenly.

"Just so you can gather information to use against people at a later date!" she scorned that particular virtue of his, "And you're a liar!"

"Everyone lies Samantha," said EJ dismissively, "To others… to themselves… "

He gave her a pointed look at that last part.

"… it's a very human condition," he said coolly, "And the saying people in glass houses comes to mind my darling about that particular flaw eh darling?"

Sami just curled her lip at him unimpressed.

"I'm good in a crisis," he continued on with his virtue list.

"Because you usually cause the crisis!" said Sami unswayed by that particular virtue as well, "And you're arrogant and smug!"

"Confident and self assured if you please," he dismissed her analysis of him.

EJ eyed her up and down then, pursing his lips thoughtfully.

"Samantha," he said calmly, "This conversation is like a broken pencil."

Sami frowned at that, having no idea what he was talking about.

"Pointless," he supplied for her with a little smile and she rolled her eyes at his attempt at humour, "We are the two of us impossibly flawed human beings… just like every other person in this world."

"Some more than others," she noted flatly.

"Indeed," he agreed with a little laugh, "But I rather have a sneaking suspicion Samantha that neither of us are quite as bad as everyone thinks but nor are we quite as good as we perhaps think ourselves eh?"

"Well I know you're not," said Sami sweetly, going to take a seat across from him.

"Ah Samantha," sighed EJ and just shook his head at her jab and went back to his book.

He didn't speak for a little bit after that and Sami became bored, fidgeting in her seat.

"I didn't know you wore glasses," she said, not really knowing why she was feeling the need to engage him in conversation.

"There are a great many things about me that you don't know Samantha," said EJ calmly, looking at her over the top of his glasses again, "That is what this week is all about after all… getting to know one another better."

"I thought this week was all about trying to dominate and bully me to get your own way," muttered Sami, determined to paint him as the villain of the piece no matter what.

"No that would be the last thing I'd ever want to do to you Samantha," said EJ simply, going back to his book and popping another lolly in his mouth and casually chewing, "You're thinking about someone else in your life darling."

"Lucas doesn't bully me!" snapped Sami.

EJ took his glasses off and looked at her calmly.

"What makes you think I meant Lucas sweetheart?" asked EJ mildly, "And just so you know you just broke the golden rule again."

Sami blew out an exasperated look, unbelievably frustrated at herself that she kept doing that.

"So what?" she asked him with a frown, "What's my punishment, another ride around the island on Jellybean?"

"You rather gave me the impression you enjoyed that sweetheart," said EJ calmly.

oooOOOOooo

"Can we go faster?" asked Sami and EJ smiled down at her even though she couldn't see it.

"Someone's gotten cocky rather quickly considering half an hour ago you were sure you were not going to get out of this alive," he noted in amusement.

"Yeah well," shrugged Sami with a sniff, "I'm over that now - can we go faster or what?"

"Well the next pace up from this is a trot and then a canter," EJ informed her, "But I should warn you - that can be a little bumpy for the first timer - especially without a saddle."

"So why can't we just go straight to galloping then?" she asked him, looking back over her shoulder at him with a frown.

"Oh Samantha," he chuckled and she could feel the reverberation of his deep laughter along the entire length of her back, "That is so like you - you're either full on or full off - no in between."

"No I'm not," she pouted.

"Yes my darling," he said laughingly, "You are."

Without realising it at some point in their ride together Sami had begun to relax into EJ and move easily with his body and the movement of Jellybean beneath them both whereas before she'd tensed and fought against each dip and bump, holding herself rigid. She'd quickly worked out that the advice of 'relax' that EJ had been giving her all along was a good idea and as soon as she did that the horse ride became infinitely more comfortable and enjoyable. Sami was also being distracted by her beautiful surrounds. She'd never been on a tropical island before and it was so far removed from anything that she'd ever experienced before that it was hard not to be in awe of it all. To think that just over a day ago she'd been in snowy Salem and now she was here in a tropical paradise - it was kind of mind boggling really.

"How about we take it slow?" suggested EJ, his hot breath on her face now and she started a little, lost in her own thoughts there for a moment, "We'll get back on the beach and try a trot - how does that sound."

"Too slow," she informed him, flush with her success of not falling off Jelly and breaking her neck thus far Sami was sure she could go straight to galloping with no problem, "At least let's canter."

"Samantha," he laughed at her enthusiasm and shook his head, "What am I to do with you?"

oooOOOOooo

"I enjoyed Jellybean's company," said Sami sweetly, reminding herself not to let him see her weaken in any way.

"Well he'll be pleased to hear that Samantha," said EJ mildly, giving her a considered look.

"So what?" she asked him with a surly look, needing to change the subject now, "You're just going to sit there and read all afternoon?"

"Oh," said EJ, looking over her with mock surprise, "I'm sorry sweetheart - I didn't realise you needed me to entertain you 24/7. In fact the general feeling I've been getting from you ever since you got here was that you'd be quite happy if I stayed out of your way for the length of your stay here?"

EJ cocked his head and gave her a speculative look.

"Or did I get that wrong Samantha?" he asked her, his eyes suddenly intent, "Is this yet another case of you saying one thing and meaning another I wonder?"

"Don't get me started on that one EJ!" she flared up at him, "That is all you do! I never know where I am with you! I can't believe a single thing that comes out of your mouth."

"Is that right Samantha?" asked EJ calmly, not willing to be drawn into that particular fight just now as she clearly wasn't in the mood to listen to him at the moment.

"You pretend like you are your own man but you're nothing but a good little minion for daddy Stefano!" she taunted him.

"Nonsense," he said, dismissing her claim, "I'm too tall to be a minion I'm sure. The tallest a minion can be is 5ft 9', 5ft 11' tops… like Steve Johnson for example… classic minion."

"Fine!" she said, not giving up, "Underling then!"

"No," he said with a shake of his head, "Patrick Lockhart was more of an underling."

"This is a ridiculous conversation!" exclaimed Sami, her voice rising in annoyance.

"You started it sweetheart," he pointed out quite reasonably.

"And I'm finishing it!" she snapped, "I'm going for a walk."

"Fair enough," said EJ, putting down his book, "Have fun."

"The only way I'll have fun is if I come back to find you've choked on your lollies!" she threw back at him.

"Hope springs eternal eh darling," he said mildly, unconcerned by her vitriol towards him as he got up then and poured himself a glass of scotch.

Sami gave up, fed up with him always having an answer for her. Everyone else in her life would have given up by now and just either stormed off or let her have the last word but not EJ - oh no, of course he had to be different. Sami stalked towards the door, needing to be away from him and his constant one upmanship, which, if she'd bothered to give it any real thought was pretty ironic really seeing as Sami was happy to play that game as long as she was winning… which she wasn't at the moment.

"By the way," said EJ casually just before she was gone completely, "I've thought up your penance for breaking the Golden Rule if you're interested."

Sami turned back round, a hand on the door and looked at him uncertainly.

"What is it?" she asked hesitantly, hating being at his mercy like this.

The last thing hadn't been that awful, not that she would ever admit that to him but Sami couldn't help but be nervous as to what the next thing might be.

"Starting tonight we're going to be sharing a bed," said EJ, holding her gaze steadily.

Sami's mouth dropped open and her eyes became huge.

"Have you lost your mind?!" she asked him in horror walking back into the room and facing off against him, "That is not going to happen EJ!"

"Yes it is Samantha," said EJ firmly, "You knew the rule, the only rule by the way that I've set down and you agreed to it. Now you've broken that rule of your own accord so don't make out like I'm the bad guy here. This is simply a consequence of a decision you made."

"A decision you forced me into!" she glared at him accusingly.

"I did no such thing Samantha," he said, having none of that, "Stop re-inventing history to suit your delusions if you please. Let's be perfectly clear here - I gave you an option and you took it. I didn't force you to agree to the wager but seeing as you did I expect you to abide by the terms we set down. Just as I would have done if I'd lost."

"Oh right!" she said derisively, stung by his criticism of her, "Like you would have let me go home if you'd lost!"

"If you didn't believe that I would do that very thing Samantha than one has to wonder why it was that you agreed to the wager in the first place," said EJ, looking at her intently, "Perhaps you wanted to lose and then whatever happens on this island you can try and justify and say that it was me tricking you in some way eh? Absolve yourself of any guilt."

"I'm not going to do anything to feel guilty about EJ!" she informed him haughtily.

"And I certainly am not going to force myself on you at any point," returned EJ, "So I'm uncertain as to why you have such a problem with us sharing a bed. You have told me on many occasions now that you are completely immune to my charms so this should be a simple request for you to abide by."

Sami gritted her teeth, realising he'd backed her into a corner and she couldn't find a way out without going back on everything she'd just said. Sami shook her head and headed towards the door again, needing to be away from him now and get her head straight again. Every time she was around him she seemed to get so confused nowadays.

"Oh and I worked out exactly what you are EJ DiMera!" she said triumphantly, turning at the door, ready to deliver her barb and sweep out of the room, "You're a bastard!"

"Well my parents never married," he agreed casually, not pushing his earlier points any further at the moment, "So I guess you've got me on a technicality there Samantha."

Sami glowered at him; annoyed her comment didn't hit home more. She turned on her heel and prepared to flounce out of the room but he stopped her just as she was about to disappear from sight.

"Don't wander too far will you sweetheart?" he called out to her.

"Why?" she sassed him, "Worried that I might find a way off this hell hole EJ?"

EJ looked around him then at the beautifully tropical surrounds outside the French doors to his left and the gorgeously and tastefully furnished room they were in that had every convenience known to mankind and arched a wry eyebrow at her.

"I'll leave that 'hell hole' comment be for the moment," he said dryly, "And the reason I said not to go too far is that I'm not entirely sure you'll be able to out run the tigers my father had shipped over to guard the compound perimeter."

"Tigers?" repeated Sami, her scepticism evident by the way she said the word, "You're telling me that Stefano stuck tigers on this island… as guard dogs? Do you really expect me to believe that EJ?"

"I expect you not to wander too far," he said evenly.

Sami gave him an uncertain look which he returned steadily and she suddenly began to have doubts. It wasn't like it was completely out of the realms of possibility - basically anything was possible when it came to Stefano DiMera.

"There are really tigers on this island?" she asked at last and now there was some hesitancy in her voice when before she'd been so certain.

EJ looked at her anxious face and relented.

"Of course not," he said with a twitch of his lips and Sami could have hit herself for being so gullible - what was wrong with her, "… the bears ate them all."

"Oh!" she growled, more annoyed at herself than him for falling for such an obvious lie.

Sami whirled round and this time she did manage to storm out of the room and slam the door shut but not before she heard the sound of his deep laugher rolling out from behind the room she'd just left.

The man was a complete pig!