He was so excited about the prospect of being a father he couldn’t wait to furnish the nursery and buy the baby lots of stuffed animals. It might sound crazy but he was even looking forward to the day to day baby care like diaper changes, baths, and reading stories. Never having thought he would have this, he’d been given a precious second chance and he wouldn’t mess it up. He’d enjoy every minute of it.
Sam had another hope as well. Maybe they might visit a jewelry store and look at rings. Just look. He didn’t want to scare her off, but he did want her to know how serious he was. This was it. He’d found the one he wanted to be with for the rest of his life.
Carrying her tea and toast into the bedroom, he stopped in the doorway to just look at the woman who had stolen his heart. Riley was still asleep, twisted in the sheets, her arm flung overhead and the other clutching the comforter. Her chest slowly rose and fell with each breath and he almost hated to wake her from her slumber.
Almost.
Placing her breakfast on the nightstand, he sat on the mattress and leaned over her like he was the prince and she was Sleeping Beauty. Brushing a stray strand of hair from her silken cheek, he lightly pressed his lips to hers as his fingers trailed down the bare flesh of her arm. He was about to pull back when one of her fingers tangled in his hair, allowing him to deepen the kiss. They were both flushed and out of breath when he lifted his head.
His thumb caressed her swollen lips. “Good morning.”
“Good morning.” Her voice was husky and her smile told him there was no regret about last night. “That’s a lovely way to wake up.”
“Play your cards right and I might do that every day.”
“I look forward to it.”
As far as commitments went, it was decent. They hadn’t spoken about forever, but they were talking about the future.
“I brought you some tea and toast for your tummy.” He helped her sit up against the pillows, the sheet slipping down and giving him a glimpse of her perfect breasts. With a giggle and a blush, she tugged the covers higher before accepting the steaming mug of tea.
Down, boy. Now is not the time.
“Thank you. You’re spoiling me, you know.”
That was entirely the point.
“It’s all part of my devious plan to make you want to stay with me forever.”
She took a sip and then licked her lips, a sensuous gesture that made his groin tighten painfully. Riley knew exactly what she was doing too from the witchy smile on her face, but he wouldn’t be tempted. She needed to deal with her morning sickness first.
“It’s working.”
Now in addition to a hard cock, he could barely draw oxygen into his lungs. Leaning forward, he planted a hand on either side of her torso, effectively caging her in so they were almost nose to nose.
“I love you, Riley. More than you can ever imagine.”
“I love you, too.” Her lashes swept down to hide her gaze. “I was trying to show you that last night. Words are good but actions…”
Yes, they meant more. He’d heard the words too many times but when they came from her pretty lips they actually had meaning.
Leaning even closer, he brushed his lips over the shell of her ear, delighting in the shiver she couldn’t hide. “Last night was amazing.”
“Yes, you are.”
Sam was as susceptible as any man to praise from his woman and today was no exception. Puffed up with pride, he chuckled as he recalled just how satisfied she’d been last night. Several times.
“Just think about it. If you say yes, I’d be all yours. Exclusively.”
“You’re making it hard to say no.”
“Then don’t.”
Their gazes met and held, and the world seemed to stop for the two of them. Nothing mattered but how they felt and the world inside his home. He could happily lie in her arms until the day he died.
The vibration of his phone shattered their intimate moment, drawing a groan from Sam and a giggle from Riley. She popped a piece of the toast into her mouth as he dug his phone out his front pocket.
“Go take your call. I need to get ready for our morning.” She playfully shoved at his shoulder. “Go on. I bet it’s your agent, or your publicist, or your business manager, or maybe a director that desperately wants you in his next film.”
It was his agent, returning Sam’s call about not accepting any more commitments for a few years. Maybe five or ten. If Riley agreed to marry him, he’d never work again if she didn’t want him to. His family would always come first.
*
It had taken some doing but Riley finally had persuaded Sam that she didn’t need an entirely new wardrobe. There was no point buying a bunch of clothes she wouldn’t be able to wear long, although he’d argued that she might be able to wear them after the baby was born. Luckily, she’d countered with the logic that they didn’t know where they would even be location-wise then, so she might need a completely different season of clothes. He’d given in, but she could tell that when it came time to actually buy maternity outfits she was going to have to leave him at home or he’d buy out the store.
Now they had just enough time to eat a late lunch before Sam had to be back on set this afternoon. He’d had the morning off since the director was working on some background shots around the city.
Riley’s stomach growled loudly after the waitress walked away, apparently anxious to be fed. The slight nausea she’d experienced this morning had worn off and now she was ravenous. She’d ordered spaghetti and meatballs and planned to eat every single bite. Carb heaven.
“Your parents were very nice on the phone this morning,” Sam said, tucking his phone away. She appreciated the gesture, although she’d assured him that if he needed to take a business call it was fine. “Considering I knocked up their daughter and all.”
They’d called Riley’s parents this morning after breakfast to tell them the news since Paula now knew. It would simplify things if the tabloids got wind of their secret and printed anything. Better to get in front of the story than try to catch up. Sam and his publicist Bobby were already working on a plan to break the news to the public.
“Knocked up?” Riley laughed at the statement. “We’re not two kids in high school who got carried away on prom night. We’re adults. I’m pregnant. We’re in a committed relationship. Of course, they were polite.”
She especially liked the committed relationship part. She’d felt slightly giddy when she’d explained to her parents that she and Sam were a couple and in love.
Rubbing his chin, Sam grinned. “It was kind of like prom night with both of us dressed up. And we are adults, but that doesn’t mean that your daddy doesn’t want to grab his shotgun and march us down to the nearest justice of the peace so I can do right by his little girl.”
“My father is not a violent man.”
Her father had been quite restrained on the phone call. Riley’s mother had done most of the talking. And the crying. Catherine Bridges had been overcome with joy that she was going to get a new grandchild.
“To be honest, I expected them to ask if we were getting married.”
Riley had expected that too, which was why she’d headed those questions off at the pass by first explaining that she and Sam were together as a couple. She could feel that her mom and dad wanted to ask more but they’d held off. It was enough for now that Sam was stepping up to the plate and caring for their daughter and future grandchild. The question, however, would be posed at a future date.
“They will ask,” she admitted. “But not when you’re on the phone. They would never embarrass me like that. They also trust me to make good decisions and I think they can tell that I’m happy.”
“They might be amused to learn that it’s you holding out on the wedding band, not me,” Sam observed with a chuckle.
She wanted to say yes. But there was something inside of her – that damn cautious part that kept her from having fun and taking chances – that was speaking the loudest.
>
Take it slow. There’s no rush.
Then the opposing voice would pipe up in her other ear.
He loves you. You love him. Go for it. He’s the one. Take a chance.
It was enough to give her a gigantic headache. She was constantly going back and forth, unable to make the commitment. Because this was the big one. The forever kind. It would be one of the biggest decisions she’d ever made in her life. This was her Achille’s heel. She was a big fraidy-cat. She just wanted…a little more time.
“They might be surprised but they also might predict my behavior. I’ve never been the daredevil type.”
“Marrying me is such a risk?”
Change was always a risk. “It’s a big deal and you shouldn’t rush into it. We haven’t known each other long. My siblings all dated their spouses for over a year before they got married. My oldest brother dated his wife for five years.”
“And they’re happily married?”
He’d effectively caught her in her own trap. Damn. She needed to think this stuff through more.
“Well…no. They split up recently but they were happy. You know, at the beginning.” Riley was aware that Sam had been married but he never talked about it. If she was going to marry him, she probably needed to know more about his past. “How long did you date your wife before you got married?”
Sam stiffened, his easy smile disappearing and leaving in its place a grim line for a mouth.
“Trish and I dated for awhile.”
Trish. His ex’s name was Trish. Was it short for Patricia? Was she beautiful? Had she also been an actress? Riley had so many questions, but it was clear Sam didn’t want to talk about it. This was part of what held her back from plunging into marriage with him. His avoidance of discussing his first marriage made her wonder if he was still in love with her.
“How long were you married?”
His long fingers played with the silverware. “Almost four years. Now let’s talk about something important. I spoke with my agent today about scheduling and it looks like I’ll be finishing my next film about six weeks before you’re due. After that, I’m not accepting any roles for the foreseeable future.”
Riley noticed the deft way he changed the subject and she wanted to call him on it, but his last sentence was way more important. He wasn’t going to take any work. Just how long was the foreseeable future?
“I’m not sure what that means,” she said, watching his expression carefully. “I know you wanted to take some time off after the baby’s born.”
The waitress appeared at the table with their food, the aroma of tomato and garlic reminding Riley that she was starving. Sam didn’t answer until she was gone.
“I’ve been thinking about retiring.”
“Retiring,” Riley repeated slowly. To her, he seemed far too young to retire. “You don’t want to be an actor anymore? Is it that you want to direct instead?”
He’d mentioned moving more behind the camera, but he hadn’t said he never wanted to act again. If anything, he’d expressed how much he loved what he did and how lucky it was that he was able to do it for a living.
Sam shook his head, digging into his lunch. “No, I mean retiring altogether. That way I’d be home with you and the baby all the time.”
“You want to be a stay at home father. I didn’t realize that.”
He wouldn’t look at her, concentrating instead on his salmon. “I don’t want to miss anything.”
“We talked about me traveling with you until the baby starts school.”
They hadn’t made any decisions but it had been one option. They were luckier than most in that they had several different ways they could go with this.
“It’s not important right now.” He finally looked up but his expression was guarded and shut down. “Have you told Tara the news yet?”
This was the second subject today he hadn’t wanted to discuss. Riley didn’t want it to be like this. Sam making all the decisions about their life and her simply along for the ride. Apparently, he’d been doing a great deal of thinking and keeping it to himself.
“I thought I’d call her this afternoon while you were on the set.”
“You can invite her out here if you’d like. You might get bored sitting around while I’m working.”
“Your mother will be here tomorrow,” she reminded him. “And it’s never dull around Paula Collins.”
“That’s true. It’s up to you. How’s your spaghetti?”
Kind of ruined since Sam had made his retirement revelation. The delicious pasta and sauce tasted like sawdust in her mouth.
“It’s good. Will you excuse me for a moment? I need to run to the ladies’ room.”
Grabbing her handbag, she headed straight for the bathroom. Once inside, she pulled out her phone and sent a text to Paula.
Need to talk to you. Sam’s talking about retiring from movies completely.
Paula’s answer was almost immediate.
Yes, it’s time we talked. There are things you should know.
Riley’s caution was looking pretty smart at the moment. Clearly there were things that Sam didn’t want to talk about, and she couldn’t rush into a marriage with a man that had secrets in his past. Before she said yes, she needed to talk to Paula and find out what Sam was hiding.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
The next afternoon, Riley sat on the bed in the condo’s spare bedroom while Paula unpacked.
“Even Callie doesn’t know this story,” Paula said, tucking her clothes into a drawer. “She met him long after he and Trish divorced.”
Riley hated this. Going behind Sam’s back to find out personal details felt distasteful, but if she was contemplating marrying him she needed to know what demons were driving him to make such rash decisions. After all, she was physically having a baby and she hadn’t even entertained the idea of giving up everything she loved and sitting home for the rest of her life. If she wasn’t a teacher, she still wanted to do something productive. She wasn’t sure what that would be yet but she wouldn’t stop looking until she found it.
“I tried to ask him about his marriage but he shut down. Changed the subject and made it clear he didn’t want to talk about it.”
Paula sighed and hung up her last blouse in the closet. “No one wants to talk about their failures. Not that Sam failed in my eyes. I don’t think that he did, but he does and that’s what matters. After the divorce, Sam swore off love, marriage, and family. He planned to be a happy go lucky bachelor for life.”
“Which would have worked if I hadn’t gotten pregnant.”
Chuckling, Paula came to sit down on the bed. “No, my dear, it would have worked if he hadn’t met you. The baby is just a bonus. He was falling for you long before he found out you were pregnant.”
Riley had a hunch that meeting Sam had been completely engineered by Paula. “You threw us together on purpose, didn’t you?”
The older woman couldn’t quite meet Riley’s gaze. “I wanted to help you.”
“And?”
“And I wanted to show Sam that not all women were the same. You two are perfect for one another.”
Crafty old woman. Riley would need to keep on her toes or Paula would have the baby’s entire future planned out. “It didn’t hurt that you would get to choose your daughter-in-law.”
Tapping her chin, Paula seemed to consider Riley’s words. “I never thought of that but you’re right.”
Sure you didn’t, Paula. It was all a happy accident.
Riley couldn’t hide her grin at Paula’s innocent facade. Her son was the actor in the family.
“Never occurred to you? Not once?”
“Maybe once. But what you really want to know about is Sam and Trish, and that’s a story I can tell you. Sam won’t. He doesn’t even discuss it with me.”
He wouldn’t even talk about it with Paula. That slapped Riley right in the face, making her think clearly for the first time that day. She’d been so worried about what she needed t
hat she hadn’t been focusing on what Sam needed.
He needed her to respect his privacy. Going behind his back to his mother to find out things he didn’t want to discuss wasn’t respect. It was slimy and she just couldn’t do it. She did indeed desperately want to know what was driving him to ask so strangely, but this wasn’t the way to find out.
“He and Trish met when he first went to Hollywood–”
“Stop, Paula.” Riley held up her hands and shook her head. “I can’t do this. I want to hear the story but I need to hear it from Sam.”
“He’ll never tell you.”
Never is a long time.
“I cannot imagine that he wouldn’t tell his future wife about his previous marriage. I think I have the right to know, but he needs to be the one to tell me, Paula. I just can’t go behind his back like this and let you tell me. Sam would be livid.”
“He might be relieved.”
Riley didn’t believe that for a minute and she didn’t think Paula did, either.
“I’ll talk to him again tonight when he gets home. I need to make it clear that if he can’t open up to me then I can’t marry him. Does that seem harsh? Am I being unreasonable? Because if I am–”
“You’re not,” Paula waved away Riley’s concerns. “Sam should tell you about his first marriage, especially as he has apparently lost his mind and decided to retire from acting. I have to admit that I know the story and I didn’t see that one coming. It’s a major overreaction but Sam, much like his actor friends, tend to be drama kings. He was like this when he was little boy too, everything was a big damn deal. I’m just sorry that you’re caught in the middle of all of this. But I do respect your decision, although I think it’s more than my son deserves right now. He’s been carrying this around far too long and letting it fester. In his mind Trish is blameless and believe me when I say that she isn’t some innocent here. There were issues on both sides of that marriage. Neither one of them were very happy.”
“So I simply need to get Sam to finally talk to me about his past. Piece of cake, right? I’ll just give him an ultimatum. I won’t marry him until he tells me. That should go over wonderfully. Maybe I should have Callie make a hotel reservation for me tonight after he throws me out.”
Love in the Spotlight Page 20