Sarah's Child (13 page)

Sarah? he called, dropping his briefcase and overcoat, suddenly anxious to have her in his arms again. What would she think when he hustled her off to bed? But it had been a long, frustrating eight days, and he wasnt accustomed to celibacy. He was, however, as hed described himself to Sarah, a faithful husband, preferring domesticity and one woman to a multitude of brief tawdry encounters. Besides, he hadnt wanted any other woman. Hed wanted Sarah, with her cool reserve and comfortable silences, and her fairy-pale hair wrapped around his arms like silken ropes.

But she didnt come running out, and a frown drew his black brows together. Impatiently he searched through the apartment, already knowing she wasnt there. Where was she? Shopping? She could be job-hunting; shed mentioned that she had a few interesting prospects. He checked his watch. It was almost four, so she should be getting back anytime.

He unpacked, then sat down to read the newspaper. He watched the evening news. As the sun went down, the temperature dropped sharply, and he turned on the heat and sat for a long time watching the blue flicker of the fire. The October twilight was short, and soon there wasnt a hint of daylight left.

Keeping his irritation under control, Rome prepared his dinner and ate it alone, and he helped himself to a big chunk of the apple pie. As he cleaned up the kitchen a sudden black rage seized him, compounded in part by the unspeakable fear that he wouldnt name, even to himself. Diane had gone out and not returned; he wouldnt even let himself consider anything happening to Sarah.

But, damn it, where was she?

It was almost ten when he finally heard her unlock the door, and he got to his feet, a mixture of relief and pure fury filling him. He heard her say Thanks, Derek. I dont know what Id have done without you! See you tomorrow.

A deep, quiet voice said, Anytime that you need help, Mrs. Matthews, just call me. Good night.

Good night, Sarah echoed, and in a moment she walked into the kitchen, turning left instead of right into the living room where Rome was. At that moment she became aware of the puzzling fact that the lights were on, when everything should have been in darkness, and she stopped in her tracks. Standing where he was, Rome could see her slender back stiffen; then she whirled, and her face lit up like the Fourth of July.

Rome! she said, and launched herself at him.

Her open enthusiasm disarmed him, and he found himself forgetting about being angry; instead he was just glad to see her. He opened his arms to her, then at the last moment grabbed her shoulders and held her back, away from him.

Whoa! he commanded, laughing a little. Im not certainwho are you? The voice is familiar, but Ive never seen this dirt before.

Sarah laughed ruefully, so happy to have him home again that she wanted to whirl on her toes like a child. She wanted very much to kiss him, but she was filthy and she knew it. She looked down at her jeans, blackened down the front with grease and grime and various other stains, including one ketchup stain where shed dropped the hotdog that shed had for lunch in her lap. Unfortunately the grease and grime extended from her toes to her head. Shed covered her hair with a red bandana and now she carefully pulled it off; beneath it, her hair was still in a pristine knot, and the contrast was incongruous.

Im a mess, she admitted. Let me take a quick shower; then Ill tell you all about it.

I cant wait, he said dryly, wondering what catastrophe could have turned his spotless, impeccable wife into that ragamuffin. Her shirt-sleeve was torn, he noticed. Had she been in a fight? Impossible, and there were no bruises or cuts, which also ruled out an accident.

He followed her to the bathroom. Just tell me one thing: Have you been doing anything illegal, or has something happened to you that will require police action?

She gave the low, husky chuckle that always started a fire low in his gut. No, nothing like that. Its good news!

He watched as she stripped off her soiled clothing, her dainty nose wrinkled in distaste as she dropped each garment to the bathroom floor. Hungrily he gazed at her slender fluid curves, the body that was his, with the sweet honey nipples and pale gold curls, all his. He noticed the way she flexed her shoulders, as if they were stiff, and an unconscious sigh of weariness escaped her.

Have you had anything to eat? he asked.

Nothing since lunch.

Ill get something together for you while youre showering.

When she left the shower, feeling clean again, Sarah felt as if the warm water that had washed away the grime covering her had also washed away the last dregs of her energy. She was so tired, she could have fallen facedown on the bed and slept through the next day, but Rome was waiting for her, and she had to see him. He hadnt even kissed her yet, and it had been forever since shed touched him, felt his mouth on hers. She pulled on a robe, the only garment she bothered with, and went to the kitchen.

Hed opened a can of soup and made a grilled-cheese sandwich for her, and that seemed like ambrosia. She stumbled into the chair, already reaching for the sandwich as he placed a glass of milk beside the plate.

So, tell me your good news, he invited, turning a chair around and straddling it, propping his arms along the back. For a long moment she simply stared at him, unable to believe how good he looked to her. His thick dark hair was tousled, and his face was tired, but he was the most beautiful man shed ever seen.

Ive bought a store, she said.

He rubbed his cheekbone with a finger, a little surprised at how the news made him feel. Hed told her that their respective careers gave them much-needed independence from each other, but when it came down to the nitty-gritty, he wanted Sarahs undivided attention. Reminding himself yet again not to push her, that she expected, and deserved, the right to make that decision herself, he hid his reaction and instead asked What kind of store?

A combination do-it-yourselfer and handicrafts store. I bought it for a song, because the building was in ratty shape, she explained blithely. The location is great; its only a mile from here. But the stock is included, and most of it is handmade. Just wait until you see the pottery! The pottery wheel is in a back room, and I might try my hand at it. I did some pottery in high school. Ive been killing myself trying to get it ready before you saw it, she said. Weve cleaned and painted and put up new shelving, and Derek has put in new lighting fixtures

Whos this Derek? Rome interrupted, remembering the man whod come with her to the door.

Sarah made an exasperated sound at him. Derek Taliferro, Marcies son. Ive mentioned him to you. He saw me to the door.

That was Derek? I thought he was fourteen or fifteen.

He is. Fifteen. Just wait until you meet him! He looks twenty, at least, and hes a great kid. I dont know what Id have done without him. Its a school night, and he should have been at home studying, but he wouldnt leave me alone down there.

Smart kid, Rome said, lifting his brows at her in a way that told her he didnt like the idea of her being alone in the store so late at night.

Ignoring that comment, Sarah devoted herself to her meal, demolishing it with well-mannered greed. Just as she finished, she looked up to find him watching her intently, an unreadable expression in his eyes. Youre back a day early, she finally said.

I tied everything up this morning and caught the first flight home. I got in about noon, dropped by the office for an hour, and got here a little before four.

Im sorry I wasnt here, she said softly. I wish Id known.

He shrugged, and the indifferent gesture made her draw back. Shed been about to reach out for him, but now she kept her hands tightly in her lap.

I ate half of that pie, he said, changing the subject. Do you want a slice?

No. No, I She stopped, a wave of exhaustion sweeping over her. She tried to fight it off, but weariness over-whelmed her, and she couldnt keep going any longer. Im so tired, she sighed, closing her eyes for a moment.

She heard the clatter of dishes as he cleared the table, and with a supreme effort she opened her eyes to give him a sleepy little smile, one that sent a surge of electricity through him. Lets go to bed, she invited.

Without waiting for a second invitation, he bent and lifted her into his arms, his mouth at last finding hers in a long penetrating kiss. He knew she was tired, and hed meant to wait, but when shed asked him to go to bed, all of his good intentions fled. After carrying her quickly to her bedroom, he pulled back the covers and placed her on the bed, leaning down to loosen the robe and pull it away from her, baring her to his gaze.

She sighed and closed her eyes, and he stripped quickly, dropping his clothes to the floor. It took him only a moment, then he slid naked between the sheets and drew her into his arms.

She snuggled against him with a little murmur, and her bare breasts pushed against his chest. With sure, hard fingers he cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing against the small tight nipple. Aching with desire, he bent his head to kiss her, and in that moment realized she was asleep.

A low growl of frustration rose to his throat, but he lay back against the pillow, cradling her to him because he needed to feel her silken flesh in his arms; he had to hold her, if just for a while. She was exhausted, and he could wait, but every fiber of his body, every masculine instinct he possessed, wanted him to bury himself in her. There would be times when his work would demand long hours of him and hed be too tired to make love, he reminded himself, trying not to re-sent the unseen store that had already taken her away from him. It was just thathell, she was so comfortable to have around! Everything was right where it should be, and organized to the nth degree. He had the whimsical thought that, give Sarah a roomful of worms and within an hour shed have the worms crawling in formation. The humor lightened his mood, and he lay for a long time, holding her while she slept, because he began to feel drowsy and reminded himself that if he didnt get up then, he probably wouldnt, and shed made it plain how she felt about sleeping together. Making love with him was fine, and she obviously enjoyed it, but afterward she wanted her own bed and privacy. Easing away from her, he went to his own room.

Sarah woke several hours later, uncomfortable from the glass of milk shed drunk at such a late hour. Automatically she reached out for Rome, but her hand encountered the empty pillow and fell back listlessly. He wasnt there, and no matter how often he left her to go to his own bed, she couldnt become accustomed to it. Her body, her mind, just couldnt accept that he wasnt where he belonged.

She got up, feeling suddenly bleak, and wondering if she had any chance at all of ever winning any emotion from him other than mild affection. And lust, she reminded herself. But that wasnt an emotionit was a physical reaction.

There was a bad taste in her mouth from the milk, so she brushed her teeth, then yawned, and stared at herself in the bathroom mirror. Her hair was a mess. She was too tired to worry about it right then, though, so she pushed it back and stumbled her way back to bed, where she promptly fell asleep once more.

In the gray light of dawn, she came slowly awake, stretching under slow, warm caresses that roamed over her body and touched her with familiar intimacy. There was a magnetic warmth beside her and she turned to it, her head finding the hard pillow of Romes chest, her arms wrapping around him without thought.

Wake up, he crooned softly in her ear, nipping at the lobe with his sharp teeth, then kissing his way along her jaw to find her mouth.

Im awake, she murmured, sliding her palms up his naked back and feeling the hard ripple of muscle under his warm skin.

He took her immediately. She was warm and pliable from sleep, her body rosy, and she drew in a quick breath of pleasure as he moved with slow power into her. I cant wait; I have to have you, he muttered.

The room was considerably brighter when he lifted his head from her breasts and said on a note of astonishment. Damned if Im not going to be late for work.

Youve been away for eight days, she murmured, snuggling against him. You deserve to sleep late.

But I havent been sleeping. His wry observance brought a sleepy smile to her lips, a smile of complete physical satisfaction. During the normal course of the day, he treated her as if she were an old, comfortable house slipper: easy to have around, but nothing to get excited about. He wasnt affectionate with her, didnt often call her by endearments, and in fact often seemed to discourage any signs of deepening emotional intimacy between them. But in bed there were no barriers, no polite distances. In bed with him, she could forget about everything else and simply savor their closeness. The world was blotted out by the grip of his hard, strong arms and the heavy pressure of his body.

His hand stroked slowly down her side and found the curve of her hip, his fingertips feathering over the smoothness of her buttock. Hed missed more than the startling passion of her lovemaking, he realized in astonishment; hed missed the silences that so often fell between them, comfortable silences that held no sense of strain. He could talk with her, and he could also be silent with her. There was a sense of ease that enveloped him when he was with her, as if she were a very old friend who expected nothing but his company.

If I dont get up, he announced five minutes later, when his stroking hand had begun making bolder forays that were already exciting him, Max will probably come over just to pull me out of your bed.