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They were sitting in a pair of cushioned chaises, the platter of cheese and fruit on the low teak table between them. He held out his hand to her. She took it without hesitation and let him pull her over to his chaise.
He wrapped an arm around her, using his other hand to tip her chin up. They shared a slow, sweet kiss. And then he spoke against her softly parted lips. “I love the taste of your lips, the feel of your body pressed close to mine….”
She reached up, touched the silky black hair at his temple. A miracle, to be here with him, like this. To be free to touch him at will, to be the one he wanted to touch. “Oh, Rule. What’s happening with us?”
He kissed her again, a possessive kiss, hard and quick. “You don’t know?”
“I … think I do. But I’ve waited so long to meet someone like you. It almost seems too good to be true.”
“You’re trembling.” He held her closer.
She laughed, a torn little sound. “Not so prickly now, huh?”
“Come here, relax …” He stretched out in the chaise and pulled her with him, so she lay facing him, tucked against his side, his big arms around her, his cheek touching her hair. A lovely breeze came up, stirring the warm afternoon air, making it feel cool and comfortable beneath the oak tree. “Don’t be afraid. I would never hurt you. I’m only grateful that I’ve found you, at last.”
“So, then,” she teased, “you lied yesterday when you said you weren’t looking for me.”
“Can you forgive me?”
She took a moment, pretended to think it over and finally whispered, “I’ll try.”
“Good. Because I’ve been looking for you all my life. And now that I have you in my arms, I never want to let you go.”
“I want to be with you, too.” She laid her hand against his chest, felt the steady, strong beating of his heart. “And I’m not afraid,” she added. And then she sighed. “Well, okay. That’s not so. I am afraid—at least a little.”
“Because of those fools Ryan and Peter?”
She nodded. “I haven’t had good luck with men.”
He kissed her hair. “Maybe not.”
“Definitely not.”
“Until now,” he corrected her.
She tipped her head back and met those shining dark eyes and … well, she believed him. She honestly did. “Until now,” she repeated, softly, but firmly, too.
“Come out with me tonight. Let me come for you. We’ll have dinner, go dancing.”
It was Lani’s night out. But Sydney had more than one sitter she could call. “I would love to.”
Trev woke at a little before three, completely refreshed and ready to play some m
ore.
Rule was only too happy to oblige him. Together, they built a wobbly Duplo castle—which Trev took great delight in toppling to the floor the moment it was finished. Then the three of them took the red ball outside to Trev’s fenced play area and rolled the ball around. Finally, inside again, Rule and Trev played more trucks until Lani announced it was time for Trev’s dinner.
The man amazed Sydney. He seemed completely content to spend hours entertaining her toddler. He honestly did seem to love children and Sydney couldn’t help thinking that he would make a wonderful father.
Rule called his driver at five-twenty-five.
“Bye, Roo. Come back. See me soon!” Trev called, pausing to wave as Lani herded him toward the stairs for his bath.
“Goodbye Trevor.”
“We play trucks!” Trev started up the stairs in his usual way, using both hands and feet.
“Yes.” Rule nodded, watching his progress upward. “Trucks. Absolutely.”
