The Secret Father

‘Oh, Sam!’ she cried, with a catch in her voice. ‘Oh, Sam.’ She knew she was in danger of sounding repetitive, but it was all she was capable of saying.

‘Kiss her!’ a loud voice suggested.

There was a huge roar of approval. ‘Yeah, kiss her.’

Sam didn’t even turn around, but he was never one to disappoint an audience. He swept Lindy into his arms in a masterful fashion and the applause was loud.

Bemused but smiling, Lindy gasped for breath once her feet touched the ground once more.

‘That’s so romantic. Want some popcorn?’ Misty eyes were dabbed.

‘Yeah, thanks.’ A boy on roller-blades dug deep.

‘Sam…’ Lindy stood on tiptoe and peeped over his shoulder.

‘Uh-huh…?’ he said, his voice muffled against the skin of her throat.

‘There are people…people watching us.’ At least twenty people of both genders and various sizes were gathered in a half circle.

‘I know.’

‘You know!’ she burst out indignantly. ‘God, but you’re such an exhibitionist,’ she accused hotly. ‘How can you share a precious, private moment…? Mmm…’ Her words were lost in the warm recess of his mouth.

‘Now I call that a kiss,’ a female voice sighed.

‘Way to go!’ someone whooped.

Lindy was relieved when even Sam decided that enough was enough. He led her through the gathered throng amidst comments that made her blush deepen. To her indignation, he even stopped to sign a few autographs.

‘What can I say?’ he responded when she complained. ‘I’m a performer. However, I think we should go somewhere we can’t be disturbed—urgently.’

‘That’s a relief,’ she mumbled. If I could only bottle this feeling. I don’t want to forget a single second, she thought fiercely. ‘This might seem pushy, but we do have a perfectly good hotel room,’ she reminded him.

‘Excellent! I like pushy,’ he approved. He paused in the act of flagging down a taxi. ‘What hotel was that, incidentally?’ he said casually.

Lindy grinned and told him.

‘It’s easy to say ‘‘Let’s get married’’,’ Lindy said a little later, sitting on the edge of the bed.

‘Speak for yourself,’ Sam retorted. The bed swayed gently as he joined her. ‘You didn’t do the asking. Neither were you very co-operative.’

‘I mean, it’s a lovely idea, but you’ve got to be practical.’

Sam heaved a sigh and continued to loosen his tie. ‘It was only a matter of time, I suppose. A more sensitive soul might be a bit upset about your lack of enthusiasm.’

‘How can you say that? I was enthusiastic in the taxi, wasn’t I?’ She blushed deeply at the answering gleam in his eyes.

‘I thought it wiser to distract you before you started getting logical on me,’ he replied glibly. ‘Ouch!’ he complained, falling back onto the bed with her on top of him. The humour suddenly evaporated from his face. ‘God, but I love you!’

‘I still don’t quite believe this is happening, Sam.’

‘I love these wispy bits around your face,’ Sam continued, winding one strand of hair carefully around his finger.

Lindy reached down to touch his face and his lips closed over one finger. She let out a soft cry as he began to suckle softly. He only stopped to turn over her hand and place his mouth against her palm. Heat pooled like liquid in the pit of her belly.

‘I can’t think when you do that.’

‘I should hope not,’ Sam growled, with a lecherous grin. He deftly pulled her down beside him and, turning his body, looped one leg over hers. His muscular thigh effectively pinned her to the bed. ‘Hush, my love.’ He touched a finger to her lips. ‘I know you want to talk about the conflicts of our careers, but all that’s just so much detail. We can cope with details later. The important thing is we love one another. You do love me, don’t you?’

‘Do you need me to tell you?’

‘Every second of the day,’ he confirmed.

‘I love you, Sam Rourke, for ever!’ she declared solemnly.

‘When I came to England, I was determined to see you suffer. I felt so betrayed when I thought you’d gone to the press. Then I saw you come out of the hospital. Did you know that skirt you were wearing is transparent in some lights?’ he teased, but his eyes held the dark memory of deep pain. ‘I knew I loved you, no matter what you’d done. Then he joined you.’

‘Adam,’ she prompted tenderly, when his voice became suspended by pain.

‘Yeah, only I didn’t know who he was. I wanted to kill him for touching you, and you didn’t even seem to mind.’