A No Risk Affair (Presents Plus)

by Carole Mortimer

  ‘I’m sure,’ he nodded, glancing over at the neighbouring cottage. ‘Your neighbour is out bright and early this morning.’

  Robyn stiffened at his questioning tone. ‘Yes.’

  ‘Argued, have you?’ Brad mocked her sudden withdrawal.

  She met his gaze with unflinching brown eyes. ’Considering I haven’t seen Sin since we saw him together last night that would be a little difficult.’

  His mouth quirked. ‘Giving you the silent treatment, is he?’ he mused.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ she snapped. ‘Sin wouldn’t stoop to such things.’

  ‘Beneath his dignity, is it?’

  ‘Yes!’

  ‘Don’t be a fool, Robyn,’ Brad derided. ‘If it will get a woman into his bed a man will use any ploy.’

  ‘Sin is merely out, Brad,’ she told him curtly. ‘Not playing stupid games.’

  ‘Talking of games,’ he drawled, ‘I don’t think Caroline would be averse to playing a few games with him if you aren’t interested.’

  Her mouth turned back with distaste for his crudeness. ‘Caroline can do as she chooses.’

  ‘She usually does,’ he said with amusement. ‘She’s gone off to London this morning and left Henry in the lurch with half-a-dozen planned tours. Perhaps you ought to go and help him out as you have nothing better to do now that the twins are going with me.’

  It wasn’t his arrogant assumption that he could still tell her what to do and when to do it that shook her, it was the fact that Caroline had left so abruptly for London. London. Could that be where Sin had gone too, after all it was his home? Surely it had to be too much of a coincidence for them both to have taken off so suddenly. Perhaps the meeting had been pre-arranged, maybe she had been arrogant in assuming Sin had left so abruptly last night because he had seen her with Brad!

  ‘Robyn?’ Brad prompted impatiently at her preoccupation.

  ’I—Yes, I’ll go up to the house later,’ she only just managed to recall the last thing he had said to her, angry with herself for her erroneous assumption.

  ‘I should,’ he nodded. ‘After all, we mustn’t upset old Henry, must we?’

  ‘Mustn’t we?’ she answered vaguely.

  ‘Not when I’m the only male heir he has,’ Brad snapped, as if her stupidity in not realising that amazed him.

  Robyn looked at him with puzzled eyes. ‘You surely aren’t expecting anything from him when he dies?’

  ‘Why not?’

  ‘Because—’

  ‘Look, I have to go, Robyn,’ he cut in abruptly. ‘Before the twins wreck the inside of my car.’ He glared over to where the two children were looking interestedly at the workings of the car.

  She stiffened at his criticism. ‘They’re just excited,’ she defended.

  ‘Excited enough to crash the damn car into your wall if I don’t get in there soon,’ he nodded grimly. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow, Robyn,’ he called over his shoulder as he strode to the car. ‘And I have no idea what time it will be,’ he derisively answered her next question before she asked it. ‘I’ll telephone you once we’ve arrived, if I think of it.’

  Robyn knew he wouldn’t think of it, but as she had his telephone number she intended calling herself when a suitable time had elapsed for them to have arrived.

  She stood in the driveway and waved them off, standing there until she could no longer see the excited faces of the twins pressed against the back window, desolation sweeping over her as she turned to go back into the house. She was used to the twins being at school all day, had even allowed them to spend the day with friends at weekends in the past, but she had never before known this complete separation from them, a separation that stretched intolerably before her.

  Her whole life had revolved around Kim and Andy since the moment they were born, even more so after Brad had gone, and she simply didn’t know how to fill her time without them. Maybe she should go up to the main house and help the Colonel out after all; she had nothing else to do.

  She felt as if she were escaping when she hurried from the cottage fifteen minutes later, wearing one of the smart blouses and fitted skirts that was her usual uniform when she went to work. As Brad had predicted, Caroline had left behind her complete chaos, the rest of the morning and afternoon passing so quickly Robyn didn’t have time to brood about the twins’ absence, only just making time to call Brad’s apartment later that morning, the conversation necessarily short as he was taking the children out shopping.

  Being so busy all day also stopped her thinking about Sin, and the fact that Caroline was probably in London with him right now. Although she didn’t have the same success when she finally got back to the cottage after six to find the Porsche—and Sin—were still conspicuous in their absence. She felt more alone than ever knowing Sin wasn’t there, and to think of him with Caroline …! It was useless to deny that that bothered her, because it bothered her a lot.

  The thought of sitting down to a solitary dinner suddenly brought the whole world crashing down around her, hating the fact that the twins were away, hating even more the fact that Sin was with Caroline when she needed him so much. She mentally recoiled from the admission even as she recognised it, feeling the tears begin to fall down her cheeks. She knew she was falling apart emotionally, and there was just nothing she could do to stop it.

  ‘What the—! Robyn, what’s going on?’

  She looked up at the sound of that harshly grating voice, not caring how he came to be there as she stood up to run into Sin’s waiting arms. ‘Sin!’ she sobbed her relief as she felt his strong arms move reassuringly about her.

  ‘What is it?’ he demanded into her hair. ‘Has someone hurt you?’

  She shook her head, feeling safe and secure with her face buried against his throat, intoxicated by the smell of his aftershave, and the much more basically male smell that was all Sin.

  ‘Your ex-husband …?’

  ‘He isn’t here,’ she shook her head again, her voice muffled. ‘He’s gone back to London.’

  Sin’s arms tightened painfully about her slender waist. ‘Is that why you’re crying?’

  ‘Of course not.’

  ‘Then why …?’

  ‘He’s taken the twins with him!’ She began to cry again, seeming unable to stop now that she had started.

  Sin pulled back to look down at her with concerned eyes. ‘Brad took the twins away from you?’ he rasped angrily.

  She realised from his fury that he had misunderstood her. ‘No, no,’ she hastened to explain. ‘He’s just taken them for a visit. And you were gone too—’

  ‘I’ve been up to London—’

  Even as she realised that she began to pull away, remembering that Caroline had gone there too. ‘I know,’ she said frostily.

  ‘You do?’ Sin sounded puzzled.

  ‘Yes.’ She stood away from him, regretting her moment of weakness. She may be feeling the loneliest she had ever been, but that was no reason to cry all over a man she would be better to avoid all contact with.

  Sin thrust his hands into the back pockets of his faded denims, the action pulling the bottle-green short-sleeved shirt he wore taut across his muscled chest. ‘How did you know?’ he frowned.

  She turned away. ‘Caroline left for there early this morning, and—’

  ‘And you think I’ve been with her?’ He spun her around angrily, a dark flush to his cheeks. ‘You know damn well why I left here last night—and it had nothing to do with Caroline Masters!’ he bit out tautly.

  ‘Are you saying you haven’t been with her today?’ she said disbelievingly.

  ‘I’m saying that after last night I’m not sure it’s any of your business!’

  Deep colour heightened her cheeks as she knew she probably deserved the accusation, how could she act jealously when last night he had seen her, to all intents and purposes, in her ex-husband’s arms? How could she act jealous at all when she kept denying, to herself as well as to him, that she wanted a relationship wit
h him?

  ‘Or is it?’ Sin asked slowly as he saw the confusion in her expression.

  She swallowed hard, blushing as she looked up at him. What did she want from this man, did she want anything? She hadn’t thought she had, but suddenly she wanted him to know exactly what he had seen the previous evening. ‘It was Brad’s idea of a joke,’ she told him tiredly.

  ‘A joke?’

  She nodded in the face of his disbelief. ‘He has a warped sense of humour.’

  ‘He would have to have to have found that in the least funny!’ Sin growled.

  She could see that he still didn’t believe her, and suddenly it was imperative that he did. ‘We had been arguing most of the evening, about you mainly.’ She evaded his gaze as she saw the sudden interest there. ‘And when he heard you coming home he decided to cause a little mischief.’

  ‘Mischief.’ Sin snorted disgustedly. ‘I left here last night with murder in my mind.’

  ‘Mine?’

  ‘His! I heard him leave and I wondered if it were just for appearances sake, if he would be coming back later. And if he did I didn’t want to be here,’ he added grimly.

  ‘He didn’t come back, Sin,’ she told him with simple honesty, her gaze frank.

  Sin’s eyes were narrowed as he remained unconvinced. ‘He doesn’t want you?’

  ‘I don’t know what he wants, and I don’t particularly care,’ she avoided his gaze, unsure any more what Brad wanted. ‘But I am sure what I want,’ she had no trouble looking at Sin now. ‘I don’t want him.’

  ‘And me?’ he queried softly. ‘Do you want me?’

  She swallowed, drawing in a steadying breath. ‘That’s something else I’m not sure of …’

  Some of the tension seemed to leave him as a wide grin lightened his features. ‘Even that’s an improvement.’

  ‘It is,’ she frowned.

  ‘Of course,’ he nodded, looking pleased with himself—and more like the Sin she had first met. ‘I came over to see if you and the twins would like to join me for dinner tonight, but in their absence the invitation to you still stands.’

  She hesitated about accepting, aware that the presence of the twins had acted as a sort of defence against Sin’s attraction to her, that the thought of being completely alone with him made her nervously aware of her own vulnerability where he was concerned.

  ‘I’m cooking,’ he encouraged softly.

  ‘That will make a change,’ she teasingly fell in with the game he was playing.

  ‘Wait until you’ve tried my cooking.’

  ‘The Sunday lunch you cooked was good. What would you be having tonight?’

  ‘Duck. With orange sauce. And—’

  ‘All right, you’ve talked me into it,’ she smiled.

  ‘The way to a woman’s heart is through her stomach,’ he quipped dryly.

  ‘This woman’s it is,’ she nodded. ‘I’ve been cooking for you all week.’

  ‘Would you rather go out for a meal?’ he frowned as the thought occurred to him. ‘The duck will keep.’

  She wasn’t really in the mood to sit in a formal restaurant, would much rather spend the evening quietly with Sin, would still be able to hear her telephone if it rang, worried in case the twins should need her. ‘The duck sounds wonderful,’ she answered Sin. ‘Although I would like to change before we eat.’ She looked down ruefully at her slightly creased skirt and blouse.

  He nodded agreement of that. ‘Dinner won’t be ready for a while anyway. Just come over when you’re ready, hmm?’

  ‘Fine. I—About last night …’ She was aware that nothing had been settled between them about that.

  Some of the humour left Sin’s face, leaving it hard and uncompromising. ‘If you say nothing happened with your ex-husband then I believe you.’

  ‘Nothing happened. And Caroline?’ It was strangely imperative that there be honesty between them.

  He shrugged broad shoulders. ‘Whoever she went to London to see it wasn’t me.’

  ‘I’ll be over in half an hour,’ she told him softly.

  There was an unfamiliar air of excitement about her as she changed into the black gown, knowing that the clinging style hadn’t dated in the six years she had had the dress, that the snug-fitting material clearly claimed she wasn’t the young girl Sin had first thought her, but a mature woman. Her hair she brushed loosely about her shoulders, her make-up heavier than usual, her eyeshadow brown, her long lashes made to look even longer with the application of mascara, her lipgloss a deep burnt orange. A quick spray of her favourite perfume and she felt more than ready for her evening with Sin, knew that her relationship with him was going to change before the night was over.

  Sin had changed too when he opened the door to her, his black shirt the finest silk, his black trousers moulded to the lean length of legs and thighs, his hair still slightly damp after a shower. He was tall and virile, and Robyn’s senses lurched at the sight of him.

  ‘Just in time for a drink.’ He handed her one of the glasses of wine he had just poured. ‘Now that you’re here I’ll put the duck in the oven.’

  Robyn watched in amazement as he took a silver-foil manufacturer’s tray out of the refrigerator and put it in the oven. ‘I thought you said you were cooking?’

  ‘I am,’ he nodded, putting a similar carton of cooked vegetables in beside the duck.

  ‘That’s cheating,’ she gasped incredulously, beginning to laugh.

  Sin gave her a look of feigned innocence. ‘I can assure you it’s very good. Sunday’s lunch came out of similar cartons.’

  She knew the brand name on the cartons, knew the food was of good quality, but even so—!

  ‘Wait until you try it,’ Sin told her confidently. ‘It beats slaving over a hot stove any day.’

  She had to admit that the duck melted in her mouth when it was served to her, the orange sauce delicious, the whole meal—although coming from a seemingly endless stream of boxes and tins—was mouth-watering.

  ‘So tell me,’ Sin prompted as they lingered over eating the strawberry cheesecake. ‘How often does Brad take the twins off like this?’

  Some of the enjoyment went out of the evening for her as she was reminded of her children’s absence. ‘Never before,’ she told him softly.

  ‘Isn’t it a little odd that he should do so now?’ he frowned.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Which is why you were so preoccupied when he called last week,’ Sin suddenly realised.

  ‘Yes,’ she said again, more flatly this time.

  ‘I’m sure they will be all right with him, Robyn.’ His hand moved to cover hers.

  ‘I’m sure they will too,’ she nodded. ‘I just—’

  her bottom lip quivered precariously as she tried to control her tears—and failed. ‘I’m sorry to be so silly about this,’ she looked about her frantically for a handkerchief as the tears fell in earnest.

  ‘You’re just being a mother,’ Sin told her gently, standing up to come round the table and pull her up into his arms. ‘Robyn—’

  ‘Hold me, Sin,’ she choked as she turned into him. ‘Please hold me!’

  ‘God, yes!’ His arms tightened convulsively, the gentleness replaced by burning desire. ‘I promised myself I wouldn’t do this,’ he groaned, his face contorted with passion. ‘But I need you.’

  ‘I need you too,’ she admitted raggedly, her face raised to his as she received his bruising kiss.

  In Sin’s arms, with his mouth and hands working a dizzying magic over her body, she could forget her unhappiness, could think and feel only him, groaning her need as his mouth left hers to travel the length of her throat.

  ‘I need you,’ she repeated more forcefully.

  He raised his head to look down at her, dark blue eyes searching the anguished desire in her face before he took her hand and led the way up the stairs to his bedroom.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ‘No,’ she halted his hand as he would have put on all the lights.

/>   Sin’s gaze held hers as he gently but firmly removed her hand. ‘There’s going to be nothing furtive or illicit about our making love,’ he ground out, the lights blazing. ‘I’m not ashamed of needing to make love to you, and you shouldn’t be ashamed of the way you feel either.’

  ‘I’m not,’ she shook her head.

  ‘Then why—’

  ‘I’m shy,’ she explained pleadingly. ‘Just shy,’ she repeated huskily. ‘I’ve only ever been with one man—’

  ‘And I doubt that he appreciated you as you should be appreciated,’ Sin rasped.

  ‘Until I became big with the twins he did,’ she recalled honestly. ‘Then he changed.’

  ‘I don’t want to hear about Brad or your marriage to him,’ he cut in harshly. ‘You’re with me now, Robyn.’

  He gave her no chance to explain further about Brad and herself, kissing her with fierceness even as his hand moved to switch out the overhead light, leaving only the glow of the bedside lamp. Robyn relaxed in his arms at his unspoken understanding, feeling the angry tension leaving his body as with a groan his mouth began to devour hers, tasting and gently biting until only their ragged breathing could be heard in the stillness of the room.

  Sin’s mouth didn’t leave hers as he expertly removed the clinging black dress, leaving her clothed only in peach-coloured bra and panties, his hands causing shock-waves of pleasure through her body, shivering with reaction as the fullness of her breast was suddenly bared to his questing lips.

  ‘I think,’ he said with husky softness, ‘that I might be at less of a disadvantage if we were on the bed,’ he gently mocked the disparity of their heights.

  Giving him a shy smile she took his hand and led him over to the wide double bed, stopping at its side. ‘Shouldn’t you undress first?’

  ‘You undress me,’ he invited.

  Hot colour entered her cheeks. ‘I’m not sure I know how,’ she admitted gruffly. Brad may like to think of himself as a liberated man, but as husband and wife they had only ever made love beneath the privacy of their bedclothes.

  ‘Try,’ Sin encouraged softly.

  Her movements were hesitant at first, then all the more knowledgeable as she sensed Sin’s efforts to maintain control, his breathing shallow as she slipped his shirt from his shoulders, his jaw rigid with tension as she kissed his hardened nipples, his hands clenched at his sides as she glanced up at him with a smile of satisfaction. She was filled with confidence at his unhidden reaction to her caresses, her hands moving lower.