What Grows After Rain 3
Pairing: Sammy Bryant x Reader
Summary: You and Sammy are good friends. After he finds out Tammi cheated on him, he asked to crash at your place. Unbeknownst to him, you’ve been in love with him the entire time, and the close proximity may force you to face what you’ve been pushing down all this time.
Tags/warnings: detective Sammy Bryant, he’s a sweetie in this, kinda slow burn?, female reader, eventual smut, little bit of angst, slight miscommunication, eventual happy ending, there will be a bit of Tammi in this, Nate lives, slight age gap, reader is mid twenties, Sammy is mid thirties. Since the fic is a little indulgent i imagine reader to be South Asian but it doesn’t really come up so you can imagine her any way
Sammy sat at his desk, dragging his hands through his hair as he poured over case files. It was the same story he’d seen a thousand times over now, gangsters shooting each other up, retaliation after retaliation until the original grievance was long lost to bullets and blood. It used to make him sick, light a fire of rage inside him until he wanted to roll over the city with guns blazing.
Years have tempered him. He knows when to pick his battles, he knows when to care. And right now, there were no victims in front of him save for a few men who had a long line of victims themselves.
No, he didn’t care much. The paperwork though, was driving him nuts.
His phone buzzed.
Paperwork and his soon-to-be ex-wife.
Sammy took a breath as he stared at the texts, jaw clenching as he scrolled through the log that went back early this morning.
Fuck you, Sammy. Don’t answer, we don’t need you!
Sammy, baby, I’m sorry. I messed up. Please come home.
The dog misses you Sammy, I miss you.
The texts paused for an hour then, and began again.
Are you mad about Victor moving in? Grow up Sammy.
What’s the Netflix password?
Sammy, fuck you, why won’t you answer?
I miss you, Sammy. I miss you.
Sammy dragged his hands down his face, shoving his phone back into his pocket without responding.
“Man I don’t wanna know what she’s saying for you to look like that,” Nate grinned, staring at Sammy from across the desk.
“This has to be a disorder or—or something,” Sammy groaned. “Can’t figure out what she wants, can’t fucking go back to my own house.”
“Think she’s being extra pissy cause the court’s forcing her to get a DNA test?”
Sammy scrubbed his chin. “Maybe. She’d do this stuff when we were married too, but…man I don’t know. I’m just so tired of—”
His phone buzzed again, and Sammy used all his restraint not to slam his fist against his desk. Nate seemed to swallow his laugh, shaking to himself as he turned back to his paperwork. But when Sammy slipped his phone back out and glanced at the message, he realised it wasn’t from Tammy.
hey! you free this saturday? there's a farmer’s market I wanna go to and Mariella ditched me :)
Sammy froze as he read the text, then read it ten more times, and he couldn’t help the soft smile that spread across his face.
You asking me cause you need a ride? Sammy wrote back.
Your reply came fast.
no :)
He let out a laugh, shaking his head.
see you saturday, was all Sammy wrote back. You sent back a little sticker of a cat voraciously licking at the screen.
Sammy had no idea what that meant.
“Woah, I know Tammi isn’t making you smile like that,” Nate said, and before Sammy could look up, his partner had snatched his phone out of his hands.
“Hey!”
His eyes scanned the texts, then he looked up with a shit-eating grin.
“Going to a farmer’s market, Sammy? What’s next, a fancy little house in the Palisades?”
“Oh fuck off. I’m just being a good friend.”
“Hm. Good friend. Sure, sure. A great friend in fact. Helps that’s she’s cute, huh?”
“Watch it or I’ll tell Mariella,” Sammy snapped, a thin line of irritation hitting his words. Nate stared at him, eyebrow raised.
“Hmm, okay. Meant no harm Sammy,” but he was smiling as he said it.
“Asshole,” Sammy muttered, turning back to his paperwork, but the phone felt a lot warmer stuffed in his pocket now, and he found himself looking forward to something other than drinking beers on Nate’s couch.
*
The long street closed off for the market was bustling with so many stalls that for moment Sammy’s vision was over taken. Each side of the street was lined with various sellers hackling their wares. He spotted massive blocks of cheese, and glass painted bottled filled with what looked like honey. Some stalls sold little wooden figurines in the shapes of animals, other sold stuffed animals, some hand crafted jewellery. Various smells rose in the air; hot oil and fish fry, sweet fruit scented cakes, greasy looking pizza, all mingling together into a pleasant smell that permeated around the crowds. In the distance, Sammy could see a merry-go-round set up in the centre of the street, dozens of children running about. Hundreds of people were milling about, leisurely walking arm in arm, sampling food, bargaining with vendors in the shaded evening sun.
Despite his quip about picking you up, he’d been late. A shooting that patrol officers thought to be gang related forced him to come in on a Saturday. Turned out to have been a crime of passion involved a furious wife and cheating husband. Sammy had promptly turned the case over to homicide and rushed out of the station, but he was still nearly forty minutes, resulting in you being forced to take three separate buses.
He was about to call you, when he spotted you standing in the distance. He froze for a moment, merely taking you in. You always looked pretty, he knew that, but you looked…extra beautiful today. You wore a short white dress that fringed your thighs, a blue and brown tote bag slung over your shoulder. Your hair was unbound, rolling down your shoulders as you gazed up at the vibrantly orange sky.
Sammy felt a tug go through, and he shook it away, swiftly making his way over to you. When you spotted him, a smile broke out over your face and you waved. As he came closer, you wrapped your arms around his neck and he pulled you in close, bringing his arms around your back and hugging you tightly, holding on for perhaps a moment longer than he should have. He didn’t quite know why.
“Hey,” you said.
“I’m sorry for being late,” Sammy winced. “I tried to get here as fast as I could.”
You waved your hand. “Don’t apologise, I figured it was probably something serious. I wasn’t waiting long.”
“Yeah, but it took you so long to get here,” Sammy said, biting his lip, and you smiled.
“It’s okay, Sammy. I know your job is important. Should we go?”
For a moment, Sammy just stared at you, blinking. It had been a while since anyone other than Nate had called what they do important. Most people gave him looks when they found out he was cop, and while he couldn’t blame them, it didn’t feel good to be stared at like he took a crap in people’s yards all the time. Tammi couldn’t have cared less, chewing his head off anytime he was late, accusing him of cheating or not loving her, when all he’d wanted was a hug to wash away the grime of his day.
“Sammy?”
“Y—yeah?”
“Should we go?”
“Yeah, sorry, yeah. Cmon.”
And he started walking, you falling in step beside him. For a little while, he remained silent, content with just watching you as you flitted from stall to stall, exclaiming excitedly over every little thing you saw, covering at length with vendors about their craft, holding up things for Sammy to inspect.
“Sammy, look, this cheese wheel is the size of my head. Should I get it?”
“What’re you gonna do a with a whole cheese wheel?”
“Good point. I can’t afford it anyway.”
Sammy chuckled, following you around like what he was sure looked like a puppy at its owner’s heel, but he couldn’t help it. At some point, you’d vanished into the crowd when Sammy was distracted by stall selling vacuum cleaners.
Why were they selling vacuum cleaners out here?
When he turned around, you were gone, and he felt his heart catch, wildly turning his head to catch glimpse of your white dress, when you’d materialised back at his side, two blue plastic cups nestled in your hands.
“Don’t do that,” Sammy scolded, and you pouted.
“I was just getting us hot chocolate.”
“Oh.”
You handed him a cup, the warmth spreading across his fingers.
“I could’ve gotten us that.”
“You treated me to dinner the other night, Sammy. I got this, don’t worry.”
“Just…tell me if you’re running off next time.”
“Geez, okay dad.”
Sammy stiffened at that, but you meandered on obliviously, sipping your drink.
“So what’s the point of these markets?” Sammy asked, giving you a sidelong glance. He couldn’t quite keep his eyes off the way your skin was glowing in the sun.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, is it just a way for people to scam you out of money? That old guy was selling honey for five dollars more than they got at Costco.”
“Yeah cause it’s locally produced?” You stared at him like he was an idiot.
He smiled. “Oh cmon, sweetheart, you know that doesn’t make a difference.”
You rolled your eyes. “Whatever, it’s fun to walk around. Why’d you come if you think it’s such a scam?”
“I needed to get away from Nate and Mariella,” Sammy shuddered, and you let out a little giggle.
“Yeah, I’ve crashed at their place a few times after Mariella and I do wine night. They go at it like rabbits.”
“Yeah, I’m never getting that out of my head,” Sammy winced.
“Soo, I’m your escape method?” You asked, batting your eyelashes at him.
“Nah, I wanted to come. I like hanging out with you.”
Your smile swallowed your entire face.
“Wow, did the mighty Detective Bryant just admit he likes my company? I’m so honored, sir.”
Sammy smirked, shaking his head, hoping you couldn’t see the faint pink on his cheeks at hearing you say the word sir.
He wanted you to say it again.
“Oh, here’s why I wanted to come,” you said suddenly, speeding through the crowd to a large, green painted wooden stall selling pots bursting with various flowers. Sammy spotted vibrant orange ones with massive petals, and smaller purple-pink flowers with their buds closed tightly. There was one with blue dots scattered over stark white petals. An old woman with her silvery hair tied back into a tight bun and a friendly smile stood behind the counter.
“You came for flowers?”
“Mhm.”
“You work at a flower shop.”
“Don’t be dense, Sammy, I got to sample some other wares too sometimes. Besides, always nice to buy some inspiration.”
“They all look like flowers.”
You stared at him incredulously. Then you pointed at group of yellow-pink flowers.
“Those are dahlias.”
Your hand turned to vibrant blue ones clustered together.
“Those are hydrangeas.”
“Flower.”
“My god, you are impossible,” you sighed as you greeted the stall owner.
“Hey I arrest people, I never claimed to know anything about flowers.”
The old woman smiled as you greeted her, laughing at what Sammy said.
“He’s a funny one, my dear. I’ve never seen him before. Is he your boyfriend?”
Sammy froze, as he watched you stutter your way through an explanation.
“Uh, no, uh, just a friend.”
The old woman looked from you to Sammy, nodding her head.
“Sure hun, whatever you say. So what are you in the mood for this week?”
Sammy suddenly became very interested in a tomato plant, staring intently at it while he listened to you flow into easy conversation as you launched into a million different questions, eventually buying two bags full of bright flowers. You moved to pay, but Sammy was swifter, whipping his card out like it was his gun and paying for the flowers, ignoring your protest as he lifted the bags in one hand. He shooed you to start walking and you obeyed, albeit grumbling as you did.
“I could’ve paid Sammy.”
“I know.”
“Then why didn’t you let me.”
“Just cause.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Mhm. You picked nice flowers.”
“Thanks. I like to think I’ve got an eye for it now.”
“You do….so you come here often?”
“Pretty much, yeah. Why?”
“Everyone knows you.”
“I guess, yeah, I sometimes talk people’s ears off. My annoyingness must be easy to remember.”
Sammy looked down at you, and an overwhelming fondness came over him. He stupidly wanted to pet your head.
What was wrong with him?
“I don’t think you annoy people. I think people like you a lot.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
And Sammy was rewarded by the sight of you blushing. It took him a moment to realise what was happening, but when he saw the faint red on your cheeks, he found himself leaning closer, following your face as you turned away from him.
He couldn’t quite understand why he was so fascinated by the sight, but he wanted to see more.
“Two compliments in one day? Who are you and what’ve you done with my Sammy Bryant?” You joke, but the humour doesn’t quite reach your voice.
Sammy liked the sound of that. He leaned in closer, so close that if he moved an inch, his nose would brush yours. His eyes caught on the bell-shaped silver earrings that dangled from your ears that clinked faintly in the wind.
“Your Sammy Bryant is right here, don’t worry,” Sammy said, and you turned away, your face as flushed as a tomato.
Sammy felt his body grow hot at the sight. He liked that quite a lot.
He reached out and gently tapped your silver earring, setting the little bell and small beads hanging from the bottom dancing, a soft, pleasant chiming sound that seemed to go straight through him.
“These are pretty.”
You were silent a long time, refusing to meet his eyes. “My mom gave them to me.”
“Ah. How’re your parents?”
“Having the time of their life. They’re currently in Nice, I think? Or Prague maybe, honestly it’s been a few days since we last talked.”
Sammy whistled. “Fancy. How long they there for?“
“No idea. They say they’re just exploring.”
“Yknow they could help you a little,” Sammy said, more venomously than he’d intended.
“Hey, cmon, don’t be like that,” you sighed as you stopped by a small stall glass wares. You greeted the owner and started looking over a bear figure crafted from blue glass.
“They’ve worked so hard their entire life, I’m really glad they’re spending their money on themselves for once.”
“I guess. Doesn’t change the fact that you’re wearing yourself thin.”
You thanked the stall owner, leaving the glass bear behind. You threw a small smile over your shoulder and shook your head.
“It’s not so bad. Some people have it worse.”
You were staring pointedly at him, and Sammy chuckled.
“Fair, but I don’t have school to make it worse.”
“You’re simply not going to accept that I’m okay, are you?”
“Nope,” Sammy said happily.
You glanced back at him again, grinning brightly.
“Well, I ‘ll have you know that—”
You were too distracted, not noticing the burly man walking in front of you. Swiftly, Sammy wrapped an arm around your waist, tugging you back until you collided with his chest. You let out a little whoosh of air, just barely missing colliding with the man.
“Sorry,” Sammy said gruffly to the man as he passed, but he held you close, a surge of protectiveness burning through him.
“You okay?”
“Mhm, sorry, got distracted,” you murmur, still plastered against him.
Sammy can feel the warmth seeping out of you, smell the faint jasmine perfume you like to use. He liked the way your body felt soft against his. He leaned closer, cheek pressed against your head, unable to stop himself.
“It’s okay, I’ve got you.”
“Mhm,” you sighed, seemingly content with remaining wrapped against him.
“Here,” Sammy said softly, regrettably untangling himself from you, but wrapping his free hand around yours, interlocking your fingers tightly. He could feel the smooth back of your hand against the rough callouses on his, but he held on tight.
“This way I can keep a close eye on you,” Sammy said innocently, and you let out a soft laugh.
“Cmon then.”
And you dragged him around once more, but Sammy didn’t mind. He didn’t think he’d ever had as much fun as he had that evening, being victim to your careful and long appraisals of random objects, or being forced into a acting as proverbial trashcan whenever you handed him something you didn’t like the taste of.
And whenever anyone got too close, he tugged you closer by the hand, and always you came, leaning into his warmth, uncaring that he was being so protective.
When the evening drew deep, Sammy all but carried your half asleep form to the car, where you promptly started snoring the moment he turned the engine to life. Sammy would glance over at every stop light, smiling as he brushed hair from your face, trying and failing to stop his fingers from lingering at your skin.
When he pulled into the street by your apartment, you stirred to life, sleepily grabbing your bag and turning the handle, but Sammy had materialised outside your door and slid it open for you.
He trailed after you until your apartment door, an amused smile on your face as he did.
“Thanks for the ride,” you said, leaning against your door sleepily, and Sammy felt like someone punched him in the gut.
“No—no problem. I had fun today.”
“Me too.”
And you suddenly took a step forward, leaning onto your toes and dropped a kiss on his jaw.
The softness of your lips brushed over his skin, and it was over before it really began, and but Sammy felt a bolt of lighting strike right through him.
“Goodnight,” he said gruffly, turning away before you could see the blush across his face. He all but sprinted to the car, slamming the door shut, gripping the wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white, willing the boiling in his blood to go away.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get the wild beating of his heart to slow.
sorry chapter 3 took so long but i hope u guys enjoy it!! Im currently working on chapter 4!! you can comment to be added to the tag list if you’d like :)
taglist: @quandoquires @fanggq @vastscoutweapon @geekmom3 @sunbonesss