"Who wouldn't be?" Ali teased the reporter, pulling on Sam's shirt. The show was over. Either Ali didn't want to answer the question or...well, Sam didn't want to follow that train of thought.

Once inside the club, Sam opened his mouth, ready to make amends. Ali squeezed his hand, turning her fake bright smile at him and with her eyes, indicating the waiting hostess who was closely watching them.

The apology died on his lips.

"Mr. Harrington," the tall, lanky blonde purred at him. "How nice to have you back with us."

Sam mentally moaned. This was not going to help. Why had he thought coming to a club he had frequented when he was single was a good idea? Oh right, he wasn't thinking. This was all Charlie's idea. His cousin had suggested the location and Sam had just wanted a fun night out.

"Nice to be back." Did he just say that? Ali's hand slipped out of his as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. Sam mentally smacked himself.

The blonde flipped her hair and smiled demurely in response, completely ignoring Ali and brushed past Sam. "If you'll come this way, I'll call the elevator to the VIP lounge."

She slid a key card into a slot on the wall and there was a ding as the elevator opened. "Enjoy your evening," sang the hostess as Sam and Ali separately entered the small space.

The elevator doors slowly closed. Sam turned to Ali immediately but was unable to look her in the eye, afraid of what he might see there. "I'm so sorry," he blurted out, desperate to make amends

"I don't know what I was thinking." The words started rushing out of Sam, his feet matching them as he paced back and forth across the short width of the elevator. "Obviously I wasn't thinking! Thinking about you."

Running his hands over his face, Sam couldn't stop the words. "I know we agreed to keep a low profile with the press, but I...I couldn't take it anymore. All those pictures of you and him together. Over and over, wherever I turn. And they keep replaying in my head. Every time I close my eyes," Sam closed his eyes for a moment and then sighed before opening them again, "All I can see is you and him, smiling, holding each other. I think....no...I wanted the world to know that you are with me, not him, give the bottom feeders a new image to play with. I just wanted...just one picture of the two of us, of you and me, smiling at the camera. I'm so sorry Ali. I'll never do it again. Please, please forgive me."

Sam ran out of words and his feet followed, stopping on the opposite side of the elevator to Ali. He dared to look at her, to see her reaction. He was prepared to get on his knees if he had to and beg for forgiveness.

Raising his gaze, Sam wasn't prepared for what he saw. A small smile greeted him. He didn't understand.

"You wanted the world to know we're together?" There was a kind of awe in her voice. "Even after...even with all my baggage, you still want to be with me."

Sam closed the gap between them in two quick strides, grasping her face in his palms, pressing his forehead against hers. "Oh, Ali. Of course, I do. Never doubt that."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, breaking their cocoon, ushering in the bass-laden music of the club. Sam didn't want to move, enjoying the reassuring warmth of Ali's touch, but they couldn't stay in the elevator forever. Taking her hand, he told Ali that he loved her.

"I love you more," Ali answered. Their code for everything is okay. Sam felt some of the tension leave his shoulders.

It was still pretty early for the NYC nightlife scene so it was easy to spot Charlie in the dimly lit lounge. Sitting in a square of couches, near the balcony that overlooked a crowded dance floor, he had two women with him. Sam rolled his eyes. Had his cousin been fishing already and forgotten that Sam was with Ali?

As they approached, Sam was surprised to see that one of those women was Emily. Part of the plan to convince Ali to come out tonight had involved getting Emily to agree to come as well. Clubbing and Emily didn't really go together in the same sentence but Sam had begged her for Ali's sake and his brother's old friend had been kind enough to agree.

But this was not the Emily, Sam expected. Gone was the usually drab and rather matronly black outfits that always made Emily look like she was in a perpetual state of mourning. Instead, she was wearing a green dress that not only hugged her in the right places, showing off a body that Sam hadn't realized Emily had, but it also set off her reddish hair, which was down for a change.

The soft waves rolled over Emily's bare shoulders, past the silver charm she always wore around her neck and caressed her exposed décolletage. And she was wearing makeup, smokey lines with a tinge of glitter lit up her grey eyes and a deep burgundy tint on her lips made them look luscious and full. Sam had always found her pretty, but tonight she looked...hot.

Sam hugged Emily, whispering in her ear, "Thank you for doing this." Emily squeezed him back in response.

After the obligatory man chest bump/handshake, Charlie introduced his date. "This is Tasmine."

The woman in question, dressed head to toe in black, including her blunt bob, looked up from the phone she was studying to give the new comers a once over. Sam got a nod of approval and Ali got an eyebrow raise. He didn't know if that was good or bad. Then she returned to the glowing screen, swiping up with her free hand.

Ignoring his date, Charlie told his new guests to sit down and started pouring a bubbly liquid into four empty glasses on the table between them.

"I hope you don't mind," shouted Charlie over the music, "I ordered Champagne."

"I love Champagne!" replied Ali as Emily nodded in agreement.

Noticing that they were missing a glass, Sam offered to flag down the server. "Oh no, Tasmine doesn't drink."

Three sets of eyes turned to stare at the woman. Looking up briefly, Tasmine replied in a bored voice as if she had already explained this. "I don't pollute my body with alcohol." She pronounced the word pollute like it left a bad taste in her mouth.

"Oh," was all Sam could think to say. Then he added, "Do you want me to get you some...soda?"

Tasmine's eyes slowly swiveled towards Sam as if she was just noticing him for the first time. She smiled at him and picked up a bottle that had been sitting at her feet. "I'm good. I've got my water."

"What shall we toast to?" cut in Charlie.

Ali raised her glass. "To polluting our bodies." The three other's repeated her words and clinked glasses. Tasmine did not look impressed.

The soft delicate flavours of the bubbly liquid hit the roof of Sam's mouth. There was nothing quite like a good glass of champagne. Except maybe another and another. The amber elixir did its job as it seeped into Sam's system.

Sam watched as the girls tried to engage Tasmine in conversation. They quickly learned that she was a social media consultant and that tonight was a "busy" night for her.

The little group, aside from Tasmine, who was still obsessed with her phone, were soon in fits of laughter over Charlie's tall tales. At one point, Ali looked over at Sam and winked at him. She was enjoying herself. The panic from earlier was weeping away, replaced with a warm contentment.

"Time to dance," announced Ali. Sam groaned. It was awfully comfortable on these couches and the dance floor would be full of sweaty bodies. Someone might step on his toes. But if Ali wanted to dance, he was going to oblige.

Ali seemed to read his mind. "Emily and I are good. You don't have to join us if you aren't into it."

Sam was happy for the pass but needed to make sure Ali was truly okay with it. "If you want me to..."

Ali leaned over and kissed his cheek. Whispering in his ear, "We'll dance together when we get home."

Sam's body instantly reacted to her words, blood rushing away from his brain. Ali grinned at him, stroking his arm before standing up and walking away. Sam enjoyed the view, her silver dress shimmering like a diamond in the low lights of the club.

"Might want to close your trap," groaned Charlie. "You're drooling."

Sam turned to his cousin. "Can you blame me?"

Charlie chuckled, "Nope, not really." Sam looked at Tasmine, feeling a tinge of guilt at the guy talk but the girl seemed oblivious. "I think it's time for shots."

It was Sam's turn to groan. Shots never led to anything good.