A REASON FOR MARRIAGE

He summoned control, Sara felt Simon’s arms secure around her waist, as looked down into his eyes. Her world had just been upended. He was shaking his head.

“You put me through hell. You’ve turned my life inside out and upside down. Letting you walk out of that apartment was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I had to let you go…and I just prayed that you’d come back to me. And you have.”

He reached up a hand and pulled her head down to his, kissing her deeply. Sara was still struggling to get her breath back, still in shock at what she’d just done, at what he’d just said. As if reading her mind, he pulled back before they went up in flames. He smoothed some hair behind one ear and looked into her eyes.

“I love you, Sara. I’m deeply and madly in love with you. How can you not know that?”

She shook her head faintly; awe made her voice shake. “I couldn’t allow myself to hope it for a second. I knew I had to do this, to tell you how I felt, but I couldn’t contemplate your rejection or else I would never have had the guts to tell you.”

He shook his head and pulled her closer. “I fell in love with you at that party when we met,”

Sara was melting into his warm, strong embrace. She shook her head faintly. “But how is it possible? It was just an affair.”

His eyes gleamed. “It was never just an affair. From the moment we first kissed it was more than that. When our eyes met we knew each other. We were made for each other.” He smiled then, and it made her chest ache. “Although, of course, all I saw at the time was you in that gown, all I wanted to do was undress you, undo you.”

Sara pushed back to look down at him again, a blush staining her cheeks. “You undo me every time you look at me.” She caressed his cheek with the back of her hand. Tears stung her eyes; she could feel her lip wobble. She’d come home, finally, and he was home. She smiled tremulously, not a hint of her past or any fears in her eyes any more.

Her voice rang in his ears, making Simon’s heart sing even more, making his body hum with urgent desire. He knew now that he could embrace the way she made him feel, knowing that she could contain every part of him, even the part that felt untamed. He knew now that it had just been her instinctive ability to connect with every part of him from the moment they’d met that had unsettled him. He pulled her head back down to his. When they were finally able to stop kissing, Sara sat back and smiled at him shyly. She brought his hand down to cover her belly where their baby was growing strong and bigger every day.

“I have all I need right here, right now. Anything else is a bonus.”

Simon pulled her head down to his, and just before he kissed her he whispered against her mouth, “I love you, very much.”

_________

Simon had insisted on them going out the following evening. He’d even booked a room for them at a hotel. It reminded Sara of that night at the Amorous Ambiance restaurant and she felt giddy all over, but Simon had been quiet for most of the night, as if he had something on his mind, although he said he was alright whenever she asked.

The suite was luxurious, with a giant king-size bed and a couch in the living area. Simon hadn’t spoken a word since they’d left the bar and Sara was starting to feel more worried.

“Do you want me to order drinks from room service?” she asked.

It wasn’t that she wanted a drink, but she needed to say something, needed to fill the oppressive silence and see if she could get him talking again.

Anything to get him talking.

He glanced over at her. “Sure.”

“What do you want?” She flipped through the menu, pretending a casualness she didn’t feel. If she seemed normal, maybe he’d relax.

Maybe he’d even open up to her.

“Order a bottle of champagne for me,” he said. “And some juice for yourself if you want it.”

“That sounds fine.” Sara picked up the phone and dialed room service. She looked around the room as the phone rang. The walls were papered in pale blue silk. The chandelier in the center of the suite was an ornate Venetian glass concoction shaped to look like flowers budding from a vase. The glass was multihued, beautiful beyond description. There was a watered-silk chesterfield sofa flanked by two modern leather chairs sitting on the biggest oriental carpet she’d ever seen. Sleek glass-topped tables rounded out the living area. Huge silk panels hung on the windows, held back by ornate tassels.

It was without doubt one of the most luxurious hotel rooms she’d ever been inside. While she waited for the champagne and fruit juice to arrive, Sara drifted over to the antique desk. She recognized the style as French. It was polished walnut, inlaid with flowers and scrolls. Sara sank into the upholstered chair and opened the drawers one by one, just for something to do.

A deck of cards lay in the center drawer. She took them out and flipped open the box. The backs had landmarks on them. Quickly, she shuffled, loving the feel of the cards in her hands.

A knock sounded on the door and she got up to answer. A man wheeled in a trolley with a champagne bucket, fruit juice and two glasses. Deftly, he opened them and poured some in each glass.

Simon came over and handed the man some cash, and then he was gone.

Sara sipped her juice and watched Simon. He took his glass over to the window and downed it.

“I found a deck of cards,” she said as she took the bottle over and poured him another drink. “Why don’t we play a hand or two of poker?”

His gaze swung toward her.

“I know you’re used to winning,” she said, “but you’ve never played me. I’ll try not to embarrass you, though.”