Sam is guarded/private with his emotions but has very deep feelings for Max.
Throughout the games especially in the cartoon Sam seems to be slightly more conservative with his emotions especially when it comes to Max. He (Sam) seems to be affectionate toward Max in mostly private moments or away from people.
'Beyond time and space'
When Mama Bosco confronts Sam about Max, Sam almost instantly becomes guarded while Max has a kind of a relaxed response to it.
'The Devils playhouse'
Max gets VERY excited thinking Sam is proposing marriage to him.
Sam's clone show a connection to Max in a way, picking up a similar looking toy bunny. losing it when someone takes Max's brain and sacrificing the city to save Max.
Even in Sam's mind he seems he wants to actually ask Max to marry him, but brushes it off in both "Beyond Time and space" & "The Devils playhouse".
Max is a psycho but seems to be a bit more open towards Sam and just goes along with Sam's wishes to be private about their personal relationship as long as they can be together.
'Freelance Police' Cartoon'
When someone threatens Max, Sam becomes very scary, either throwing villain's off clock towers or threatening to flush them down the toilet. (Similar to what he does in 'The Devils Playhouse' when Max's brain is stolen).
In the final episode Sam and Max are running in fields together and post their wedding picture in the background talking to the 4th wall.
It could be for a number of reasons.
1. Fear of losing Max in a mission (which has happened a handful of times).
2. He knows Max has a unstable mentality and maybe feels Max wouldn't understand or commit.
3. He is just a private person.
P.S.
Many times Sam and Max mentions that Max has a terrible short term memory. In the Cartoon, they seem to be married. Maybe Max forgot? Maybe that's why their is a wedding cake in Sam's subconscious in particular within a setting of their police office?
Sam is guarded/private with his emotions but has very deep feelings for Max.
Throughout the games especially in the cartoon Sam seems to be slightly more conservative with his emotions especially when it comes to Max. He (Sam) seems to be affectionate toward Max in mostly private moments or away from people.
'Beyond time and space'
When Mama Bosco confronts Sam about Max, Sam almost instantly becomes guarded while Max has a kind of a relaxed response to it.
'The Devils playhouse'
Max gets VERY excited thinking Sam is proposing marriage to him.
Sam's clone show a connection to Max in a way, picking up a similar looking toy bunny. losing it when someone takes Max's brain and sacrificing the city to save Max.
Even in Sam's mind he seems he wants to actually ask Max to marry him, but brushes it off in both "Beyond Time and space" & "The Devils playhouse".
Max is a psycho but seems to be a bit more open towards Sam and just goes along with Sam's wishes to be private about their personal relationship as long as they can be together.
'Freelance Police' Cartoon'
When someone threatens Max, Sam becomes very scary, either throwing villain's off clock towers or threatening to flush them down the toilet. (Similar to what he does in 'The Devils Playhouse' when Max's brain is stolen).
In the final episode Sam and Max are running in fields together and post their wedding picture in the background talking to the 4th wall.
It could be for a number of reasons.
1. Fear of losing Max in a mission (which has happened a handful of times).
2. He knows Max has a unstable mentality and maybe feels Max wouldn't understand or commit.
3. He is just a private person.
P.S.
Many times Sam and Max mentions that Max has a terrible short term memory. In the Cartoon, they seem to be married. Maybe Max forgot? Maybe that's why their is a wedding cake in Sam's subconscious in particular within a setting of their police office?