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Darius watched thoughtfully, his mind full of Sara Balfour. He understood women, he knew what they wanted, but she was confusing him. Her actions six years previous had been unforgivable, yet his perception of her as a cold using manipulator was becoming harder and harder to hold on to. Edith and the rest of the household had nothing but praise to heap on the woman, Darius telling himself that she was only charming them as she had the contractors in the past.
When he would take her in his arms at night it became even harder to think of her as cold, their lovemaking full of passion and heat. He had never been short of lovers, but never before had he met somebody who reacted to him as she did, nor if he was truthful, one who he reacted to so strongly. With a grimace he knew that despite the fact that they had not been together for even a week, Sara was getting too close. Perhaps it was time to cut her loose, as he threatened to do from the first time he laid out his plan.
Moving back upstairs he quickly changed into jeans and a t-shirt, already knowing that he would not be throwing her out that weekend. Outside, Sara gently kicked the blue ball that David produced from his toy bag, his small face serious as he ran forward, his small legs kicking the ball a distance before he caught up with it. Sara pretended not to be able to catch him as he moved ever closer to the two shirts which had been fashioned into makeshift goals, throwing his hands up as he kicked it between them. “Goal!!” his delighted cry made her laugh as she feigned tiredness.
“Darn...too good for me...I need to get my breath”, surprised as David became silent, his small body moving closer to her as he stared at something behind her. Turning, she gave a small gasp seeing Darius move towards them. Not dressed in the suit of that morning but jeans, his look directed at her before he smiled at the little boy, shyly and warily watching the stranger striding towards them. Straightening, she felt her pulse quicken, her heart beating wildly within her chest, as once more her body lurched to instant awareness of this man who was blackmailing her in such an immoral way. However, she could not deny that it had taken very little for her to become more than just a willing participant in their steamy nights of sex.
“Darius...I didn’t realise you would be so early”, she managed, wondering if they had been making too much noise, her mind wondering what else to do with David. “Got finished early”, he smiled as he came level with them, his eyes turned to David. “You must be David”, he smiled, the young boy nodding shyly back, as Darius placed his foot on the ball which the young boy had discarded, flicking it into the air he bounced it on his knee. David rushed forward, his eyes large, his mouth rounded as he admired Darius’ ability with the ball. “Wow”, he cried, Sara moving forward as she raised an eyebrow, impressed with his skill.
“David...this is Darius”, her tone playful, “I think maybe he is a bit of a soccer shark” Darius laughed back as he allowed the ball to roll to David, who tried to flick the ball the same way he had moments before. “In Europe, we call it football”, he declared, David’s head bobbing up and down “I know...I watch it on television. My mum lets me”, he declared seriously, Sara seeing as like her, Darius struggled to hold back a laugh.
“Well how about I take you and your aunty on”, he declared, David grinning from ear to ear at the gauntlet that had been thrown down. For the next hour, the three played, Darius allowing David to keep getting the ball, evilly laughing as he would pick up the child to steal it back from him, each and every time David giggling hysterically as Sara would step in and pretend to rescue him, often holding Darius around the waist as she would cry to him to score. As he ran forward, Darius would grab her and drop a kiss on her lips, his eyes full of laughter as the small boy would run back to them, delighted at his success.
Finally she scooped up the little boy, Darius chuckling as she tickled his stomach, the boy writhing uncontrollably within her arms. “OK...where should we have dinner?” her eyes dancing as he cried out the name of a well known fast food restaurant, Sara feigning surprise. “Really...that is my favourite too!” David jumping up and down with delight as Darius gave a grimace, his eyes laughing. “I am sure there is one around here somewhere...I will bring round the car” Sara surprised that he would be coming with them. “My mother left his car-seat by the door”, she mumbled, a strange pleasure filling her, one that she could not understand.
As they queued for food, Darius stared at the board, his features sombre as he leant down to Sara. “We are still eating later right?” she giggled as she nodded, her eyes full of humour, “Do what I do...order a coffee...he doesn’t notice, especially when he has his toy” He gave her a quick grin before they were served. As they sat in the uncomfortable plastic seats, the bright colours of the restaurant garish but fun, David made short work of his food, Darius shaking his head as the small boy moved to his second sachet of Ketchup. “Tell me he knows that isn’t a vegetable?” he joked with Sara who laughed back. “When you are four years old, ketchup is a food group all on its own”
Having finished the small helping of food, David begged to play in the bright play area, Sara finally giving in as she allowed him to move to the room with slides and pipes all connected like similar ones she had seen in a hamster’s cage. The two moved to a seat closer to the enclosed play area, Darius smiling, seeing the way Sara’s eyes never left the small child who was happily chatting to another little boy on the plush mats. Taking another sip of his coffee he groaned, her eyes flying to his as he laughed.
“Even the coffee is bad” She gave a small snort, “How can the coffee be bad...it is just coffee” Darius adopted a knowing, superior look. “Ah...that is where you are wrong young lady. To an Italian a good coffee should be like a good woman - hot and intense on the tongue”. Sara choked on her drink making him laugh again, her head shaking as she wiped away a tear she was laughing so hard, “I cannot believe you just said that” Darius wiggled his eyebrows wickedly making her laugh even harder. As his head turned to look at David, she stared at the man by her side. The day had been wonderful, not only because she was spending time with David, but because she was spending time with Darius too. She had expected him to be aloof with the small boy, but he was a natural with children, David already so comfortable with him.
“Thank you” Her soft voice saw his head turn, a curious expression on his face as his mouth curled softly, “For what?” Sara looking over at David. “For such a lovely day”, she replied gently, not seeing the way his eyes flicked over her.
It was nearly seven in the evening by the time they returned home, David chatting constantly as he and Darius talked about soccer, his eyes widening hearing the names of some of the soccer stars the Italian knew personally. When Darius offered to get him a signed football of one of the biggest stars in the world - even Sara had been impressed to know that the two were friends - David squirming excitedly in his chair. “That is so cool”, he cried. Sara gave a chuckle as she smiled over, “Name dropper”
By eight David had been bathed, Darius hearing the way he talked constantly surprised to find that he enjoyed being around the child. Sara put him into the room closest to theirs; reading him a story but only getting halfway through before his small eyes blinked shut, exhaustion finally overcoming him. She plugged in the baby monitor her mother had brought and moved downstairs to join Darius in the dining room. She had just sat as Edith moved into the room, her eyes bright. “So nice to have a child in the house”, she cried, her eyes dropping pointedly to Darius, he rolling his heavenward as Sara chuckled. As the housekeeper left, she shook her head. “Poor you...Edith is on a mission now” Darius gave her a mock pained look. “Yep you could be right...might need to get a dog to keep her quiet” Sara laughed harder as she nodded, “Yes...that would teach her”
The meal that night was full of laughter, both so relaxed from their day together. Darius again thought how smart and funny Sara was, realising that she was also incredibly playful as she teased him, he giving as good back, Sara also enjoying the meal.
That night in bed, he lay over her, his eyes taking in every detail of her beautiful features, as his finger stroked her cheek. “I had a good day today, Sara Balfour” His soft tone brought a gentle smile to her lips as more seriously she nodded, “I did too Darius Garelli”, before his mouth dropped to kiss her so softly. Their lovemaking that night had been different, softer, more...intimate. Both took their time, caressing and kissing the other before they once more brought the other to the same mind-blowing release as they always did.
Lying with him over her, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, their heads together as they fought to bring their breathing back to normal she had been so happy, so in love. Snapping her eyes open, she stiffened, disbelief filling her at the realisation of what she had just thought. She was in love...in love with Darius Garelli, biting her lip to hold down the groan of pain which rose within her throat. How could she be so stupid as to fall in love with a man out to destroy her?
