Robyn became very still as something else occurred to her. ‘Brad has been very interested in whether or not I have a man in my life,’ she revealed stiltedly, slowly becoming convinced that Sin was right; Brad did intend trying to take the children from her. ‘He—He asked a lot of questions about you,’ she swallowed hard. ‘I told him he was imagining things when he accused me of being involved with you, but—Oh God, this is awful!’ She buried her face in her hands.
‘It’s all right, Robyn,’ Sin took her in his arms, resting her face against his chest. ‘There’s nothing about our relationship that he can use against you.’
‘There’s last night,’ she choked.
‘The twins weren’t at home then.’
‘But they are now. No one would believe you came over here solely to see Kim if they knew we were together last night too.’
‘I didn’t.’
‘Didn’t what?’ she looked up at him with tear-wet eyes.
Sin’s expression softened as she looked down at her. ‘Didn’t come over here solely for Kim’s benefit. I could see that you needed me. Do you know how good it feels to know you needed me, for whatever reason?’
‘Sin—’
‘I know my timing is lousy,’ he groaned, his eyes darkening. ‘But I have to kiss you.’
Her lips parted invitingly beneath his, her head bent backwards under the pressure of his kiss, the caress all the more intense because of their already heightened emotions.
‘God, I’ve missed you since you walked out on me this afternoon,’ he rested his forehead on hers, the pressure of his arms about her moulding her body to his.
‘You wanted me to go,’ she reminded him.
‘What I really wanted was—Now isn’t the time to discuss that,’ he sighed as he probed the shadows in her eyes. ‘You look tired out,’ he said concernedly. ‘If you get a good night’s sleep—what’s left of it—things might not seem so bad in the morning.’
‘I think they might seem worse,’ she groaned. ‘I can’t believe anyone would be cruel enough to let Brad take my children away from me.’
‘They probably won’t,’ he assured her gently. ‘But things could get pretty nasty if Brad should try.’
‘I can’t see him doing that to Kim and Andy.’ But her voice lacked conviction as she silently acknowledged that Brad was capable of anything to get something he wanted. And if he were serious enough about this woman Tina …!
‘Let’s hope not.’ But Sin didn’t seem convinced of the fact either. ‘Now I’m going to put you to bed—put you to bed, Robyn,’ he bit out tautly at her dismayed expression. ‘Not share it with you!’
’I’m sorry,’ she was instantly contrite for her suspicions. ‘I’m just so upset about all this I don’t know what I’m doing.’
His face softened. ‘That’s why I’m putting you to bed.’ He turned with his arm still about her shoulders and led the way up to her bedroom, taking off her robe for her as if she were a child, before tucking her comfortably beneath the covers, much as he must have done with the twins earlier. ‘Now,’ he sat down on the side of her bed. ‘You are not to think about this any more tonight—I know that’s easier said than done,’ he said ruefully at her sceptical expression, ‘but if you’re exhausted tomorrow it isn’t going to help matters. Kim and Andy need your assurances that nothing is going to change in their lives, and if you walk around looking like a zombie with a permanent worried look on your face they are just going to feel more insecure than they do now.’
She knew he was right, but she just wasn’t tired, had too much on her mind to be able to sleep.
‘Close your eyes,’ he instructed. ‘And listen to me.’
Like an obedient child she did as he told her, trying to concentrate as he began to talk about the book he intended writing based on some of the Colonel’s war experiences.
The next thing Robyn knew the alarm on her bedside table was going off, and she turned to switch it off, her eyes widening as she saw the man who slept in her bedroom chair, his long length coiled uncomfortably into its dainty smallness. The alarm hadn’t woken him, and for a few brief moments she allowed herself the indulgence of imagining she could wake up in the same room as him every morning. It was a heady thought.
But it was an impossible one; after what the twins had revealed last night about their father she didn’t even know if she dare see Sin again, knew Brad was capable of using the friendship against her if he had to.
Which reminded her, Sin shouldn’t be here with her now! She got quietly out of bed, shaking Sin gently by the shoulder, gratified when he woke without making a sound. ‘Come down to the kitchen and have some coffee,’ she urged in a whisper.
He blinked dazedly as he took stock of his surroundings, running a hand around the back of his neck as he stretched his stiffened muscles. ‘God, did I really fall asleep here?’ he groaned as he uncoiled his lean length from the chair, his discomfort obvious.
‘Yes,’ she confirmed quietly. ‘Now would you come downstairs before the twins come in here and find you.’
‘I forgot,’ he grimaced, following her to the door, catching sight of his own reflection in the mirror as he passed her dressing-table. ‘God, what a mess I am,’ he muttered as they went down the stairs.
Robyn couldn’t altogether agree with him, found his sleep-mussed appearance highly disturbing, his hair lightly tousled, his eyes warm, lacking the angry coldness she had seen all too often lately, exuding a male attraction that he was completely unaware of.
‘Look at it this way,’ she teased as she prepared the coffee, relieved at having got down to the kitchen without being detected by Kim and Andy, ‘at least you haven’t got to go home in an evening dress!’
He grimaced as he sprawled on a kitchen stool. ‘I didn’t mean to fall asleep in your bedroom.’
‘It seems you can talk yourself to sleep as well as everyone else!’
‘I’ve never talked a woman to sleep before, especially when we’ve been in bed,’ he added wickedly.
‘Sin!’
‘It certainly is,’ he grinned as she blushed. ‘A waste too. You seem in a better mood this morning?’ he looked at her questioningly.
She avoided his gaze. ‘As you said, things often seem better in the light of day.’
‘They do?’ he sipped his coffee with obvious relish.
‘Yes,’ she insisted firmly.
‘How much better?’
She shrugged. ‘I’m going to telephone Brad today, see if we can’t sort things out.’
‘Do you think that’s a good idea,’ Sin frowned. ‘Surely if he had wanted to discuss his plans with you he would have done so by now?’
‘What other choice do I have?’ she snapped irritably, not exactly welcoming the idea of calling Brad, without Sin putting the dampener on it. ‘I can’t let things just linger on, not when Kim and Andy are being affected.’
‘I’m not sure confronting him with it is the right thing to do—’
‘Did I ask for your opinion?’ she flared. ‘I’m grateful for the way you helped out last night, but—’
‘Are you?’ he put down his empty cup. ‘I doubt it,’ he rasped. ‘But I have a responsibility to Kim and Andy. They’re expecting me to perform some sort of miracle and make their world right again.’
‘They’re old enough to know that life doesn’t work out that way—’
‘At least give me a chance,’ he ground out
‘To do what?’
‘I’m going up to London today, I could make discreet enquiries about Brad and his girlfriend.’
‘What would be the point of that?’ she frowned.
‘At least then you would know what you’re dealing with, and without antagonising Brad,’ he explained impatiently. ‘Why risk making an issue out of something the twins may just have misunderstood?’
His reasoning sounded logical, and yet she was loath to be beholden to this man for anything else.
‘I’m going to London, a
nyway,’ he encouraged, at her hesitation, guessing the reason for it. ‘Waiting one day isn’t going to make much difference to your own plans.’
‘No,’ she acknowledged softly. ‘All right, Sin,’ she nodded decisively. ‘But you will be discreet?’
‘Aren’t I sitting in your kitchen right now as if I’ve just arrived?’ he taunted. ‘That was the idea behind rushing me down here, wasn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ she blushed. ‘I nearly died when I woke up and found you asleep in my room.’
‘It was certainly a novel way of spending the night together!’
The sarcastic rejoiner she had been going to make was halted by the boisterous arrival of Kim and Andy, both children excited by the fact that Sin had come over to have breakfast with them!
It was a very long day for Robyn as she waited to hear from Sin, although at least she didn’t have to put up with Caroline’s bitchiness, the other woman having decided to stay on in London for another day. If it weren’t for her worry over Brad possibly remarrying it would have been a quietly pleasant day for her.
The telephone was ringing as she let herself into the cottage, and she picked up the receiver, reciting her number breathlessly, having been aware of its ringing all the time she was trying to unlock the door.
‘Robyn?’ barked a disgruntled voice.
‘Brad!’ she realised uncertainly, surprised to hear from him when yesterday he had given the impression he wouldn’t be contacting them for some weeks.
‘What the hell do you mean by letting me hear of your engagement from a third person?’ he exploded. ‘And that third person in particular!’
‘W … what?’ she breathed dazedly, this the last thing she had expected to hear.
‘I have just been talking to your fiancé, and believe me I am not amused,’ Brad ground out.
She could tell that, and neither was she! What was he talking about? ‘What fiancé?’ she asked in a bewildered voice.
‘Sin Thornton,’ he bit out grimly. ‘He’s just told me the two of you are getting married!’
CHAPTER NINE
‘MARRIED?’ she repeated dumbfoundedly. ‘Did you say married?’
‘Don’t try and bluff your way out of this, Robyn,’ he told her coldly. ‘I heard it from the man himself.’
She was well aware of that, knew that he couldn’t have heard it anywhere else and have actually believed it. She just couldn’t imagine what had prompted Sin to make such a claim. And rather than trying to ‘bluff her way out of this’ situation, she was going to have difficulty keeping up with the pretence, having no idea why Sin had told Brad. ‘Er—What exactly did he tell you?’ she delayed.
‘He wouldn’t have told me anything at all if I hadn’t happened to run into him just as I was leaving a restaurant,’ Brad said aggressively. ‘Just when was I going to hear of this marriage from you—when it was already a fact?’
She couldn’t help wondering how deliberate that ‘running into’ Sin had been! But she also didn’t like Brad’s attitude when he talked of her remarrying. ‘Don’t worry, Brad, I would have sent you an invitation!’
‘From what Thornton said I doubt I’ll be in the country!’ he rasped.
‘And what did Sin say?’ her voice was still sharp with sarcasm.
‘Just that you’re getting married, and soon. But I don’t need to tell you that,’ he dismissed angrily. ‘You’re well aware of your own plans.’
She only wished she were! This surely couldn’t be Sin’s idea of discreet!
‘Don’t you think you’re being a little hasty marrying a man you’ve only known for a week?’ he scorned.
‘It’s ten days, actually,’ she derided tautly, getting angrier and angrier at his assumption that he had the right to censure her actions.
‘Don’t be so damned petty, Robyn,’ he bit out angrily. ‘You hardly know the man.’
‘Better than you think,’ she drawled.
‘Going to bed with a man isn’t knowing him!’
She was glad he couldn’t see the livid colour in her cheeks. ‘I know that,’ she snapped. ‘I wasn’t talking about sex, Brad. Sin is a kind, protective, very gentle man.’
‘He’s also a ruthless reporter,’ Brad reminded tauntingly. ‘That is what you once called me, isn’t it?’
He knew it was, damn him. ‘Sin is no longer in that profession,’ she bit out.
‘“Once a reporter always a reporter”,’ once again he gave her back one of her own quotations.
‘Not Sin,’ she staunchly defended.
There was silence for several minutes. ‘So you really are going to marry him,’ Brad said slowly.
‘I—Probably,’ she evaded.
‘When?’
‘I—er—We haven’t set an exact date yet.’
‘Thornton sounded as if he were impatient for the day,’ Brad derided mockingly.
‘Shouldn’t he be?’ she returned defensively. ‘You once were,’ she reminded hardly.
‘So I was,’ he derided, his anger seeming to have faded to sarcasm now.
‘Which reminds me,’ she said slowly, finding the perfect opening to introduce the subject of his own possible marriage. ‘Kim and Andy mentioned meeting a friend of yours called Tina this weekend,’ her voice was deliberately casual.
‘Yes?’ Brad was now as defensive as she had been minutes earlier.
‘They just mentioned meeting her,’ she dismissed lightly.
‘Is there anything wrong in my introducing them to one of my friends?’
‘Nothing at all. I just wondered if—er—if she’s a good friend?’
‘About as good as Thornton is to you,’ he answered resentfully.
‘Does that mean you’re also thinking of getting married?’ She held her breath as she waited for his answer.
‘I may be,’ he hedged. ‘It depends.’
Robyn tensed. ‘On what?’
‘On a number of things,’ he returned agitatedly.
‘Such as?’ she persisted, despite knowing she was antagonising him. She needed to know, and he was her only source. Only he could tell her what his future plans were, although he seemed reluctant to do so, making her all the more wary.
‘Such as things that don’t concern you,’ he told her concisely. ‘When and if they do I’ll let you know.’
She bit back her angry retort with effort, knowing it would do no good to make him so angry he put the telephone down on her; she would learn nothing that way.
‘And in the meantime I’m not sure I approve of your marrying Thornton—’
‘I wasn’t aware that I had asked for your approval—’
’You’ll need it if he’s going to be a father to my children!’ Brad bit out angrily.
Robyn bristled resentfully. ‘Nowhere in our divorce settlement does it say you have to approve of any subsequent marriage I may make,’ she told him tautly.
‘All right, let me put it this way,’ he said with ill-concealed impatience. ‘Don’t you think you’re being a little impetuous by marrying a man you’ve only known a week—ten days?’ he amended dryly.
‘When you fall in love you don’t estimate how long it took, you just know it happened.’
‘And you’re in love?’ Brad scorned.
She moistened dry lips, the most predominant feeling she had towards Sin at the moment pure anger. None of this conversation need be taking place if he hadn’t told Brad that ridiculous lie, at least, Brad wouldn’t have been so resentful when she questioned him about Tina.
‘I doubt if you know what love is.’ Brad didn’t even wait for her answer.
‘Why you—’
‘You didn’t last time,’ he pointed out with satisfaction.
‘I soon learnt what love wasn’t,’ she returned heatedly, just about at the end of her patience with him.
‘Me,’ he acknowledged abruptly. ‘But you think Sin Thornton is “it"?’
’Yes!’
‘And nothing I can say will make you change you
r mind about marrying him?’
‘Not a thing!’
Brad sighed. ‘I suppose you’re old enough to make your own mistakes.’
’More than old enough I would have said!’ If he were actually here she knew she would have had trouble restraining herself from hitting him.
‘Mm,’ he still sounded as if he doubted it. ‘We’ll just have to wait and see, won’t we?’
Robyn hated his patronising tone, knew it was unwarranted, that he had been the one to end their marriage, even if she had known it was all over between them. But for the moment she had no comeback, her anger fading to be replaced by a stark realisation, a realisation that terrified the life out of her.
‘I have to go now, Brad,’ she told him stiltedly. ‘Kim and Andy will be home for their tea soon.’
‘All right,’ he grudgingly agreed. ‘But I would appreciate it if any further information about your marriage came directly from you.’
She consented woodenly, ringing off to stare dazedly into space, too shocked to move.
She loved Sinclair Thornton!
She had realised it even as she hotly defended her feelings for him to Brad, had suddenly known it was the truth; she really did love Sin, whether she had known him a week, ten days, or ten years! She had tried to excuse the weekend she had spent with him as nothing more than a physical attraction after so many years of denial, but she had known other men during those years, men who wouldn’t have been averse to making love to her with no strings attached, and she hadn’t been interested in them. She should have realised her feelings towards Sin were different.
But how did he feel about her? He had told Brad they were getting married, but she felt sure that could only have been in retaliation to something Brad had said to him, that he didn’t really mean it but had been antagonised into saying it. No doubt he would extricate himself from the situation as soon as he possibly could without making things too awkward. If only she knew what had prompted him to say it in the first place! Brad must have been particularly insulting.
It was a certainty Sin would never marry her. He was fond of the twins, physically attracted to her, but marriage …! He had managed to stay a bachelor for the last thirty-seven years, she doubted he would seriously consider changing that for a divorcee with two children.
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