Sara's Surprise (18 page)

She moved her head lower and touched her lips to him. His hands sank into her hair convulsively. "Magnificent," she said.

He lifted her to her knees and cupped her chin in one hand. She looked up at him as her fingertips skimmed over his thighs and arousal. He traced her lips with his thumb, and devotion brimmed in his eyes. He mouthed the words I love you . Sara turned her face toward his palm and whispered them against the warm, callused skin.

She lay back on the bed as he knelt beside her. His hands parted her robe an inch at a time, savoring every moment. When she was bared, he let his gaze move over her just as slowly as his hands had, and the fierce love in his eyes coupled with primal need.

The moments that followed left Sara in a daze of wonder. He cared for her with his hands and his mouth, absorbed the essence of her skin and her mysteries, touched her everywhere, and brought her to an edge that made her cry out with happiness. In the midst of that pleasure he lowered himself on top of her and sighed hoarsely when she circled him with her legs.

They shared the joining, coming together on some silent signal, then following the rhythms of desire while their lips whispered words of praise and adoration. in the blue heaven of his eyes she saw a shattering that matched her own. Together, safe inside her magic and his enchantment, they made the world right again.

"Next we go out into the real world," he said as his fingertip traced a streak of afternoon sunshine across her stomach.

Sara raised her head from a rumpled pillow, lovingly eyed the chaos of her bedcovers, the empty Coco-Moo bottle that had gotten lost in them sometime during the night, and finally the naked man sprawled half on top of her with his head on her breasts.

"I don't think we're ready," she protested dryly.

"Obviously, we'd have to get dressed first."

"Yes." Smiling, she played with his golden hair, spearing her fingers through it, separating the copper strands that gave it such warm, dark undertones. "I've forgotten how to tie my shoes."

"No way. Tinker Bell. I've kept you in bed for only three days."

"But I haven't paid attention to my feet once in that whole time."

"They got you back and forth to the nursery and the kitchen."

"No, I was floating. I'm sure of it. You have that effect on me, Mr. Surprise. It's like nothing I've ever experienced before."

She felt him smile against her breast. He lapped his tongue across one of her nipples. "What flattery."

"My gorgeous man." She ran her hand down his back, lazily scratching a spot between his shoulder blades. "I know how to keep you from getting out of bed."

He made a gruff sound full of pleasure. "You think I'm helpless just because I go limp when you scratch my back."

Her laugh was throaty and confident, the sound of a woman who had been well loved. "Limp? Only on rare occasions when you're asleep."

"You've been peeking!"

From the nursery came Noelle's sleepy chatter, then the sound of the crib bumping the wall as she bounced around. Sara stretched and patted Kyle's shoulder, letting her hand linger on corded muscle and smooth, lightly freckled skin. "Baby time."

"I'll go get her."

He placed several jaunty kisses on Sara's breasts and another on her mouth before he rose from the bed. She sighed happily as she watched him pull on his T-shirt and a pair of sweat pants. He winked at her as he left the room.

She hummed with satisfaction as she put on her long blue robe and straightened the bed. After a second she heard Kyle call, "We've got a soggy-bottomed elf princess in here."

"Hold the fort. I'll be there in a second."

"Let me have a try at it. I've been the sorcerer's apprentice two or three times. Looks easy. I bet I can manage alone."

"I'll take that bet." Grinning mischievously, Sara sat down on the foot of the bed and waited. She heard Noelle giggling and Kyle talking in a low tone, the emphasized words occasionally making his progress clear.

"Ugh," she heard him say. Then, "Chew toes Incredible contortionist be still wrestling strong ouch a tornado with legs!"

"Need some help?" Sara called, trying not to laugh.

"No. I'm going to put her on the floor. I just need a bigger arena." Then, a minute later, "Run for your life! She's loose!" -

Sara got up and went to the door. Noelle was crawling down the hallway, chortling at her freedom, her fresh diaper flopping open on one side, only half pinned. Kyle and Daisy followed her. Kyle wiped imaginary sweat from his forehead. "That's all I could manage before she got away." He pointed to the diaper. "It's a new style."

He swooped his hands under Noelle and picked her up. She squealed with joy and patted his face. His smile grew wide under her exploring fingers. "Who loves ya, elf princess?"

"Cal!" she squealed.

"That's right. Cal."

Sara came to the two of them, grinning, her eyes damp from the sight of trusting baby and loving man. This was her revenge against Valdivia.

Kyle glanced at her carefully as he stopped his sports car beside the ever-watchful dragons at the gate. Sara sat stiffly in the car's bucket seat, both arms wrapped around Noelle as if evil wizards might try to pull her away at any second.

"We're just going to lunch," Kyle reminded her. She nodded finally. He helped her put Noelle into the baby carrier that was anchored to the backseat. When they were done. Sara faced forward and clasped her hands in her lap. Her face was pale. "I'll be fine. You Just have to remember that I've geared all my energies to keeping her a secret for almost a year and a half, ever since I learned that I was pregnant. It's not easy to relax."

"You've got to believe that no one is interested in you anymore. You're just an average citizen."

"Kyle, you're the one who told me that the people from your old organization are probably keeping tabs on me. What are they going to think when they find out I have a baby?"

He chuckled. "When I said they were keeping tabs on you, I didn't mean that they're watching every move you make. They're undoubtedly curious about your research, that's all, and they'll do their best to find out what you're doing before anyone else does. But they don't care about your personal life. You're allowed to have a baby."

"But the father was was Suradoran. You don't think anyone would find that disturbing? Questionable?"

Kyle reached over and brushed his fingers across her cheek. "What would our government accuse you of, Sara? Being human? Needing to take comfort from a rebel soldier? Sara, we support the rebels' cause. You didn't exactly cavort with the enemy."

"I didn't cavort at all," she said defensively, stiffening in the odd way she always did whenever he mentioned Noelle's father. "It wasn't, uhmmm, something I did for fun." She glanced back at Noelle, who looked a little perturbed by the emotions that were swirling around her. "But I don't regret the outcome."

"Neither do I," he said quickly. "I don't live in the past. All I care about is today, this moment. All I care about is the fact that we're together, the three of us."

She grabbed his hand and kissed it. "That's all that's important. I love you. Noelle loves you. Don't ever forget that."

Her fervor puzzled him. It was as if she were afraid of something, something she wouldn't mention. Kyle shook his worries away and decided that they were the result of being so dose to her in spirit and dreams. For the first time in his life he wanted to be part of another person's future.

"We'll have to buy a stroller for Noelle," he said, smiling. "Because well be going out a lot, the three of us."

"Yes. Yes ." She sounded pleased. "The three of us."

The little town near the national park was a model of laid-back southern style. Nothing new had been built in the last forty years, but the old stores were kindly cared for and the town square was a hospitable place of giant oak trees cloaked in red fall leaves.

Kyie swung the sports car into a parking place in front of a small, homey restaurant with rocking chairs on its narrow porch. Inside they found a table in one corner and put Noelle in a high chair provided by a plump waitress who stared at the three of them without hesitation.

Kyle knew that they made an intriguing familyhim with his scars and Noelle with her chocolate-colored hair and dark eyes, a coloring that a blond father and redheaded mother rarely produce. He grinned to himself. Family . He didn't care if anyone stared. They couldn't hurt Sara or Noelle, and the scrutiny they gave his ravaged face didn't bother him as it would have just a few weeks before. He was loved and needed; the world was perfect.

Tom and Lucy Wayne shuffled in halfway through the meal. With his buck-toothed, gold-plated grin and her pathetic shyness they looked like some insulting Hollywood version of hillbillies. They gaped like stunned trout when they spotted Sara with a baby they'd never seen before.

"What you got there, Miz Sara?" Tom asked, stomping over to their table. Lucy crept along behind him, peering over his shoulder.

Kyle glanced at Sara. Her eyes were suddenly shuttered with uncertainly. "I'm adopting a child," she said. "She's from South America."

Kyle groaned with dismay at her deception. What would it take to convince her that the past couldn't hurt her or Noelle?

"Sh-she sure is p-pretty," Lucy Wayne stuttered, nodding so vigorously that strands of her long white-blond hair shook free of its braid. "When'd you get her?"

"Just a few days ago," Sara told them.

"What place is she from?" Tom asked.

"Brazil."

He gave her a blank look, obviously not certain what Brazil was other than a type of nut. Lucy edged up to the table and stared at Noelle in awe. "You sh-shoulda't-told us. We l-love b-babies."

"Until recently I wasn't sure that the adoption would go through." Sara twisted in her seat and fumbled with Noelle's bib. Noelle seemed fascinated with Tom and Lucy. She smeared mashed potatoes everywhere but on her mouth and started to chew. Sara laughed nervously and rose from the table. "I need to clean her up." She took Noelle from the high chair and held her close. "I'll just take her to the bathroom and be right back."

"We sure look forward to seein' more of her next time we come to your place," Tom said, his eyes never leaving the baby.

"Of course. Next week. You can visit with her."