‘And if they don’t?’
She sighed. ‘Then I won’t do it yet. But I will do it, Sam. I need to, preferably now, but later if necessary. And I won’t let myself be put on the back-burner out of sight any more. It doesn’t do any of us any good.’
‘No.’ He stood up and pulled her to her feet.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Taking you to bed. We’ve got a lot of catching up to do.’
‘Oh.’ She let him lead her by the hand, up the stairs and into the bedroom, then he laid her down on the bed and made love to her slowly, thoroughly, giving every inch of skin his undivided attention until she was almost sobbing with need.
Then, his face sharply etched with desire, he eased over her and gave himself to her.
‘That feels so good,’ she whispered. Her hands slid over his shoulders, tunnelling up into his hair and pulling him down towards her.
As their lips met, she whispered, ‘Let rip, Sam. I need you. Let’s see how fit you really are.’
He hesitated for a second, then levered himself up and peered down at her, his wickedly sexy eyes gleaming. ‘Is that a challenge?’
She smiled slowly. ‘If you like.’
‘I like.’
He started gently, gradually building the rhythm until she thought she would die. Again and again he took her to the brink and then eased back, letting her passion subside, tormenting her.
Then finally he didn’t stop and she felt the ripples start, heard herself cry out, reaching for him, mindlessly sobbing and holding him as he shuddered against her, his body slaked at last.
‘Oh, my,’ she whispered breathlessly. ‘Oh, Sam, that was…’
She trailed to a halt, unable to speak.
He levered himself up and looked down at her. ‘Satisfied?’ he asked wryly.
‘Oh, yes…’
‘Thank God,’ he muttered, and collapsed against her…
They made love again that night, and off and on through the following day.
On Saturday evening they went to the theatre and saw a visiting team of players presenting a wickedly funny Alan Ayckbourn play, and then afterwards they walked across the town square to Brooks’.
As they went in, a woman Sally recognised as Louise Brook crossed the room to her and clasped her hands.
‘Dr Alexander! You came.’
‘Sally, please. And this is my husband, Sam. Sam, this is Louise Brook.’
‘Pleased to meet you—and I’m very glad you’re in such good shape!’
Louise laughed. ‘Oh, me too! If it hadn’t been for Sally…’ She broke off with a shudder, and a shadow passed over her face. ‘Still,’ she said, forcing a bright smile, ‘every cloud has a silver lining. We’ve got a new car now.’
‘And we’ve had a wonderful evening at the theatre. Thank you both very much indeed.’
‘Oh, our pleasure. Come on, I’ve saved us a table.’
She led them to the back of the restaurant and seated them, then went to find Bernard.
Sam looked round curiously. ‘It’s nice here. We ought to come again another time.’
‘When it’s your turn to cook, perhaps?’
He chuckled. ‘I think the redistribution of household tasks ought to exclude cooking and washing. I don’t seem to have a gift for them.’
Sally couldn’t stop the laugh. ‘No, somehow I don’t think you do. Or gardening, although you’re quite good at digging and cutting the grass. Perhaps I’ll let you carry on with that.’
‘You’re so kind.’
Bernard and Louise joined them then, and after another round of introductions Bernard passed them the menu. ‘I don’t know what you fancy,’ he said, ‘but the filet de boeuf en croûte is very good tonight.’
Sam laughed out loud, and Sally bit her lips.
The Brooks looked at them in surprise.
‘Sorry,’ Sam said with an engaging grin. ‘It’s just that I wanted to impress Sally last night, so I got a firm of caterers to make me one.’
‘Well, have something else, by all means.’
Sam’s smile widened. ‘Oh, no. I’m really looking forward to it. We didn’t get to eat it last night. I put it in the oven and we got—um—sidetracked,’ he said, faint colour running up his neck.
He floundered to a halt and Louise chuckled. ‘How wonderful. I shall have to try cooking it for Bernard.’
They smiled at each other across the table, and Sally looked up and winked at Sam.
A wine waiter brought a bottle, of champagne to the table and eased the cork out, then filled their glasses.
Bernard raised his glass. ‘To Sally,’ he said. ‘We owe you more than we can ever say.’
‘Hear, hear,’ Sam said softly.
Sally’s eyes filled. ‘You are silly,’ she said with a little laugh.
‘Happy birthday,’ Sam said to her, tipping his glass to her.
‘Oh, is it your birthday?’ Louise asked.
Sam laughed. ‘No. Not any more. I messed that up, too. Still, I think I may have sidetracked my way out of trouble for now.’
He and Sally shared a smile of understanding.
‘You’ll do,’ she said laughingly, but she meant it.
The laughter left Sam’s eyes, to be replaced by a love no one could mistake. ‘Thank you,’ he said softly. ‘I’ll hold you to that.’
She smiled her love. ‘Please do…’
eISBN 978-14592-7722-9
TAKEN FOR GRANTED
First North American Publication 1996.
Copyright © 1995 by Caroline Anderson.
All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter Invented, Including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any Information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly Inspired by any Individual known or unknown to the author, and all Incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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Printed in U.S.A.
Table of Contents
Cover Page
Excerpt
About the Author
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Copyright
Taken For Granted Page 16
