He grins into the kiss, letting the curve of his mouth brush against hers for just a moment so she can feel it too, before he meets her as she surges into him again. And the thing is - the thing is when Sam was younger, when the gleam in his eyes and the attitude in his smirk was all cocky bravado of someone who's tested and tested and tested and always come out ahead, this was easy. Making a connection for a night, a week, a few months, falling into piercing eyes or a warm smile, soft curves or firm muscle, giving it his all until it faded into the next mission, the next flight.

It's never been with someone who - with someone like Shepard. And he can't tell - is it easy to free-fall with her because it'd always been before, or is it easy because it's Shepard?

He doesn't have the answer even when she pulls away, but his smile is softer than the grin he'd pressed against her skin.

"I'll be here."

Sam keeps half an eye on her and half on their surroundings, just in case - but no one comes close to them, giving them their space, and he turns back to her as she jumps down.

Of course he catches her.

When he sets her down, he stays pressed in close, just in case anyone decides to look their way again - and so he can see what she'd pulled down, of course.