* * *
An hour later, Sam watched Josie say goodbye to her friends. She was wearing a new outfit, a brightly colored, long gauzy skirt and a lacy, black, sleeveless top that ended just above her waist.
"Wow," he said appreciatively, "you look amazing. You did all this in an hour?"
"Those girls are professional shoppers, but this isn't your surprise. It's just the preview!"
"Preview?" He raised one eyebrow quizzically, "when do I see my surprise?"
"Later," Josie said with a devilish grin, "much later."
"Uh oh," said Sam.
"So�what's in there?" she asked, indicating the picnic basket at Sam's feet.
"An assortment of gourmet delights and everything else required for a sunset picnic."
"You really are a romantic!" Josie gushed.
"Shhh�you'll spoil my reputation."
They headed for Grant Park and found a soft, grassy spot overlooking Lake Michigan. Josie could just make out the Ferris wheel at Navy Pier. They spread out a red-and-white checkered blanket and Josie began unloading the picnic basket. Sam had thought of everything. There was an assortment of finger sandwiches, a delicious artichoke dip with crackers, even what Josie knew to be an expensive bottle of French wine, along with two glasses.
"Very nice!" she said examining the bottle, "the food critic at the paper loves this stuff!"
"I'm usually more of a beer drinker, when I drink," said Sam, "but I did develop an appreciation for good wine when I was in France."
"You've been to France? I've always wanted to go to Paris�" she smiled wistfully.
"I spent a semester at the Sorbonne when I was at Yale. You'll love Paris�it's a magical city�I'd love to see it through your eyes�"
"But I bet you've never been to the top of the Eiffel Tower," she teased.
He shook his head, "Nope. But I'd do it for you."
Josie said softly, "Someday�can we go there together?"
"Well," said Sam, "how about for our honeymoon?"
"Isn't that out of our budget�if we're buying the house?"
"You're probably right," he said a bit sadly, "but we will go someday, I promise."
"So�what's for dessert?" Josie asked.
Sam pulled the last containers from the picnic basket and opened them. Josie's eyes widened. "Chocolate covered strawberries!" she exclaimed, "my favorite."
He offered her the container and she took one. Josie delicately nibbled on the chocolate, completely unaware how the sight of her teeth on the soft flesh of the strawberry was affecting Sam. "Try it like this," he said, dipping his strawberry in frothy whipped cream and moving it toward Josie's mouth. Her lips parted and she daintily took a bite, closing her eyes to savor the combined flavors. Sam stared at her lips hungrily, "you missed some," he said as he noticed some whipped cream in the corner of her mouth. His mouth claimed hers and it was Sam's turn to taste�sweet whipped cream�dark, bitter chocolate�succulent strawberry�and Josie.
He pulled her down to the blanket, deepening the kiss. His hands wandered to Josie's bare waist, caressing her smooth skin and sliding beneath her top. Lost in each other, they barely heard the plaintive cries of the child.
"Mommmmmy!"
Startled from their passionate embrace, Sam and Josie sat up. A little boy, about three years old, stood at the edge of their blanket. Tears streamed down his face. "My mommy's lost," he cried.
Josie patted the blanket between them. The little boy shook his head. "I'm not s'posta talk-ta strangers."
Sam knelt in front of the boy, took his hand and shook it. "I'm Sam�and this is Josie�so now we're not such strangers�what's your name?" Josie was deeply touched by Sam's obvious concern for the child.
"Justin," he whispered, "I'm three�and a half."
"Well, Justin," he said, "why don't you stay here with Josie and I'll go see if I can find your mommy? I'm sure Josie will tell you a story�she makes up wonderful stories."
"'Kay." Justin shyly approached Josie and sat down next to her.
"I'll just have a look around�I'll be back soon," said Sam. As he turned to leave he heard Josie begin her story:
"Once upon a time there lived a shy and lonely princess named Josephine. Her father, the King, wondered what the people of his kingdom thought of him so he decided to send someone to live among them, to find out. He chose to send the princess, but told her she must wear a disguise and never let anyone know who she was. She was very afraid, but she had to obey the King. So she went out to live in the village�outside of the safety of the castle walls."
"Many of the people were mean to her�they were afraid of strangers�but she did make a few friends. One was a young girl named Aldys�the other was a poet named�Samuel. Josephine tried very hard to fit in�but she kept making mistakes and all the villagers laughed at her. One day, as they teased Josephine, Samuel rescued her. Suddenly, she was very happy�she had fallen in love with Samuel and he had fallen in love with her. She almost forgot that she had a job to do. But the King sent a messenger and reminded her. She was very sad for she knew that if Samuel knew that she lied to him he would be very angry with her. She decided to tell him, but before she could the truth was revealed. Just as she had thought, Samuel was angry and hurt, and he wouldn't talk to her."
"She went back to the castle and cried and cried. Then she decided to find some way to reach Samuel�to let him know that she loved him�to beg him to forgive her. She wrote a royal decree and said that she would wait for Samuel for five minutes before the big jousting contest. She waited and waited, but he didn't come. Then suddenly, there he was. He rode in on a big white horse and scooped her up. And he kissed her�her very first kiss."
"And they lived happily ever after?" Justin supplied.
"They will," she whispered, "they will."
Sam's breath caught in his throat at the sight of Justin curled happily in Josie's lap. He suddenly saw an image of Josie cuddling their children. "Josie," he called.
She glanced up. Sam was walking toward her, carrying some sort of bundle. A petite brunette walked next to him, holding something similar. "Justin," she called, clearly relieved.
"Mommy," he yelled, "you were lost�and Josie told me the bestest story ever." He ran to his mother, hugging her legs.
"Josie," he said, "this is Jennifer Adams, Justin's mom. And these," he said revealing the bundle in his arm to be a baby, "are Julia and Jessica."
"Hi, Jennifer�it's nice to meet you. May I?" Josie asked, holding out her arms.
Jennifer placed the sleeping baby in Josie's arms. Sam carefully sat down next to Josie, still holding baby Julia. "They're lovely," she said softly. Her misty eyes met Sam's. He smiled.
"How can I ever thank you? I was changing Joanna�and I turned my back for a second and he was gone�I was frantic�until Sam here found me," she said. "Hey�have we met before? You two look really, really familiar."
Sam and Josie grinned at each other. "Do you read the Sun-Times?" Sam asked.
"Yes�of course�wait a minute�you're them?� The reporter and the teacher?"
"Guilty," they said in unison.
"Wow," she said in awe, "that was some story�and some kiss."
"Thanks," said Josie, touched.
They offered to watch Justin and the twins while Jennifer looked for her husband. Josie gazed at Sam as he cradled Julia in his arms. Unlike most men, who looked uncertain and uncomfortable holding small babies, Sam looked completely at ease, relaxed and happy. "That's how he'll be with our children," she thought.
Sam met her gaze and smiled. He'd never seen anything lovelier than the image of Josie holding an infant. He hoped that someday he'd see her holding their baby.
"Sam," Josie said quietly, "you love children." It was a statement, not a question.
"Yes," he said simply.
She looked at the two sleeping babies and at Justin, who'd laid his head on Sam's leg. "I want us to have children, Sam," she whispered.
"I know what you mean," he whispered back.
It was dusk when Jennifer returned with her husband, Ty. They gathered up their children and said goodbye to Sam and Josie, promising to get together soon.
"I like them," said Josie.
"Yeah, so do I," Sam agreed, "I'm sorry about our date, though. I didn't quite have babysitting worked into the plan."
"Actually," said Josie, "I thought it was incredibly sweet. So�what now?"
"I had two thoughts on that," he said as they packed up the remnants of the picnic. "Ozomatli's at Delloser again tonight�or�we could go back to Navy Pier."
Josie thought about it for a moment. "Well�as much as I'd like to hear what Ozomatli sounds like when I'm not stoned out of my mind�I'd rather go to Navy Pier."
"I figured you'd say that. Would you go on the Ferris wheel with me? Hold my hand�so I won't be afraid."
Josie smiled broadly. "Mr. Coulson rocks my world," she teased.
Sam arched an eyebrow wickedly. "If the buckets a-rockin'�don't come a-knockin'," he teased back.
Sam requested bucket number five. The carnie gave him a strange looked, but honored the request. "It just seems appropriate," he said. "It's where I knew my life was changing forever."
Josie noticed Sam flinch as the carnie clicked the safety latch closed and they moved slowly backwards and up. She reached over and clasped his hand tightly. "It's just a ride," she gently reminded him. "Besides, Tommy's not here to rock the boat."
Sam lifted her hand to his mouth and pressed a kiss to her palm. "The last time we rode this�I was terrified. I'd been looking for you all night. You'd been so withdrawn all day long. You wouldn't talk to me and I found myself missing you. I hoped you'd come�that maybe I'd get a chance to talk to you�to spend time with you. And then, suddenly, there you were, all alone and�I couldn't help myself. I started to walk over to say hello�and then I heard Tommy taunting you�again. Next thing I knew, I heard the safety bar click shut�and there we were. You were so sweet, trying to make me feel better. You laid your hand on mine�and everything went sort of hazy from there. I had this jolt of physical awareness�you were sitting so close�and I could feel the heat of your body. I began babbling�trying to think of something to say�and I kept putting my foot in my mouth. In an instant, I knew I was in deep trouble�I was wildly attracted to you�and falling in love�"
The ride lurched to a stop, gently rocking their car at the top. "D�j� vu," said Josie softly.
"But I couldn't do this the last time," Sam said. He folded her into his arms and tenderly kissed her.
They wandered through the carnival again, hand-in-hand this time. "Before," said Josie, "when we walked around and talked after you rescued me�I kept forgetting myself�I'd reach for your hand�then suddenly realize I couldn't take it�"
Sam smiled, "I thought it was just me�"
"Then those guys ran into me�and knocked me into your arms�it felt so right to be there�"
"I know�I held you for quite a bit longer than was necessary just to steady you�" he said regretfully, "and I had to let you go."
"We never have to let go again," Josie said happily. "Let's go home."
"Uh oh," Sam grinned. "It must be time for my surprise."
* * *