Cheating Hearts

Chapter 71

A week had passed since she'd finally admitted to herself that this was all happening. The department had been full of gossip, but it seemed more people had accepted it than she assumed would. Sam had been surrounded by questions, while Connie just had the board of directors jumping down her throat on all the practicalities of surgeries while pregnant.

He stood in the staff room with his locker open as he finished his shift, grateful to be going home after the long week he'd had. Across the last few evenings Sam had packed most of his things ready to take to Connie's, they were just yet to find the time to move everything. He scrolled through his phone not paying much attention to what he was doing as a few people came wandering into the staff room.

Their laughter and joking stopped as they noticed Sam, it had been weird around the department lately. Several people had kept their distance from him, gossiping idly instead. Oliver walked towards his locker before moving towards Sam. "I never got the chance to say before, congratulations." He placed a hand on his shoulder with a wide grin to which Sam smiled back. "Thanks, it's hard to believe I'm getting the chance to be a dad again."

The others who had wandered into the room looked up to see Sam before offering their own congratulations to him. "I know what you're all thinking, but nothing changes in my eyes. Mrs Beauchamp is still a pain in the arse, I don't think that's ever going to change." Oliver smirked seeing his sister finally crack a smile. "Well it is a little different, you know, now you're having a child with her."

Sam shrugged as he pushed his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, she'll be even worse than normal because of the hormones." He laughed before shrugging as he wandered towards the doors. "Being with her doesn't change how I'll be here, and don't think she'll take it any easier on me if anything I get moaned at even more because my behaviour 'reflects badly on her'." Oliver laughed as Sam rolled his eyes pulling the door open. "Take my advice, never let yourself fall for a boss. They only use it against you every opportunity."

He left the room with a few brief goodbyes before strolling along the corridor to see Connie standing outside her office glaring at him. Sam glanced over his shoulder not seeing anyone behind him before frowning as he closed the space between them. "Co-" "It's Mrs Beauchamp. As you so clearly stated, how you act reflects badly on me Mr Strachan." He pulled a face knowing she had clearly overheard some of what he had said. "What-"

He was cut off as she held her phone up seeing the call that was still ongoing from him. Cutting it off she glared across at him. "Still a pain in the arse am I, or are you just incredibly stupid?" Turning her back she stepped into her office as Sam opened his mouth to defend himself. "Okay I didn't know you could hear, and even if I did I still would have said it."

Connie watched him across the office as he shrugged. "Come on, you seriously telling me that you don't hate working with me? Just because we have sex-" "We're moving in together Sam, I don't really call that 'just sex' do you?" She sat down with an arched brow, somewhat entertained by the conversation. "You know what I mean. Tell me you enjoy working with me." "I enjoy working with you-" "Shall I add liar to your list of attributes too?" "I prefer to be seen as manipulating rather than lying."

Sam watched her amazed before sitting down on the sofa at the side of the office. "Did I say you could come in and sit down?" "Do you even expect me to listen to you anymore?" "You're right, I hate working with you." Sam laughed as Connie pulled a file in front of her looking down to it. He watched her from across the room as she leant into the back of the chair, a hand moving across her stomach. Sam couldn't help but smile as he watched her before she caught him staring.

"Mr Strachan if you're going to sit there gormless then I'd rather you went and moved some of those boxes from your house to be more useful." "Why, can't wait to live with me?" "Don't push your luck." Sam pushed up from where he sat moving towards the desk, getting in the way of what she had been doing. "Saaaam, I need to get this finished."

She looked up to him inhaling deeply before releasing it heavily in a strop. "Is it bad that you turn me on when you're in this mood-" "Get out before I sack you." He laughed leaning down to cover her lips gently. A smile spread on her lips causing him to part from her, lifting a hand to her cheek as he caressed it gently. She calmed a little as he kissed her again, wishing that she could give up and just go home with him but there was things she needed to sort before leaving.

"Seriously Sam, you're in my way." "Seriously Connie, I don't care." She pouted folding her arms against her chest as Sam moved slightly allowing Connie to see her work again. Before she could begin it, he wrapped an arm around her waist lifting her from the chair. "Saaaaaam-" "Connieeeee..."

He stepped back towards the sofa laying down sitting her above him. Connie huffed as she glared at him before moving to straddle over his waist. "I have work-" "And you're pregnant too, you've been non-stop all day." Rolling her eyes she felt Sam lace his fingers through hers as she looked down at him laying beneath her. "I'll be careful, I promise. Sam I'm not going to do anything to risk losing this baby."

He nodded watching her. "I know you'd never intentionally hurt our baby, I just worry." "Sam..." Shaking his head she let go of his hands to move them to his cheeks. "You are going to be the best father to our baby, and you're going to watch them grow up happy, you'll get to do all of that with them." Gritting his teeth he nodded, his eyes resting on her stomach as he placed his hands either side of her. "I'm just scared Con, I can't stop thinking about what happened before."

Moving from where she sat, she lay down leaning into his chest. "I love you, and I promise I'll be careful. If you want me to take less hours here, then I'm willing to have that conversation with Hansen." "You'd do that?" Lifting her head from his chest she nodded looking up at his face. "But you love being here, it's where you belong-" "But I'd do it for you." Sam wrapped his arms a little tighter around her running a hand up and down her back. "Don't do it just yet, just, let me look after you." "Why need the practise for caring for someone other than yourself?"

Sam smirked as she sat up. "Funny Beauchamp-" "I thought it was." Shaking his head he sat forwards placing a hand to her bump. "I love you both, I know we've never worked out in the past but I want this to work for us Connie. I don't want to be raising our child separately from opposite sides of the world." "Then promise you won't ever leave, because I don't plan on going anywhere."

Taking her hand gently he swallowed past the lump in his throat with a nod. "How about I promise something else? How about I promise to marry you instead?" Meeting his eyes she saw how serious he was about what he'd said. "You'd seriously want that?" "More than anything." Not able to find the words to speak, she simply nodded instead keeping her eyes on his. Leaning closer he placed a tender kiss to her lips before letting her get up and move towards her desk.

Sam wandered towards the door before being stopped by her. "I was serious too you know." He frowned before catching the keys she threw towards him. "I want all your stuff in that house by the time I'm home, but scratch my car and you'll be taking it all back again." "You're letting me drive your car?" "Don't make me regret it, or I really will make your working life a living hell Mr Strachan."

Laughing to himself, he threw her keys up before catching them. "Now get out and let me finish so I can come home." Stopping briefly she shrugged seeing his expression. "Say that again." "What?" "You know what." Looking to him she bit her bottom lip to stop from smiling. "Home... Get out and I can be back sooner." "See you at home." He kicked himself making sure it wasn't some weird dream, it was surreal to be thinking that soon that's what it would be. Their home. Soon to be filled with the cries of their baby, their little family.