bills have been a burden on you, according to Tess.”
Damn Tess. “He’s doing okay, and I’m managing to pay the bills a little at a time. So it’s really not necessary for you to give us any money.”
His features softened. “I insist that you let me do this for him. For you.”
“I’ll think about it.” And she would, but not for herself. After all, Sam did have an obligation to their son, and she could use the extra money for his expenses. Not to mention, the sheikh probably had several fortunes to spare. Because of Chance, she would put away her pride and allow him to help.
Sam walked to the shelf across the room and ran a fingertip along the edge of the frame that held the most recent picture of Chance, as if trying to connect to the child he’d only known for a few hours. “Do they know why he has this diabetes?”
“No. It just happened. It’s not anyone’s fault.”
He glanced back. “And he’s doing well?”
“Most of the time, now that we have his insulin and diet regulated. He’s so brave. He doesn’t even complain when he has to have his shots.”
“I hate that he has suffered.” Turning his attention back to the photo, he released a long sigh. “Has he asked about me?”
Andi rose and stood behind him. “Yes, several times in the past few years.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“I told him that you couldn’t stay, that you lived far away in another land. I told him that you loved him and you’d be with us if you could.”
Slowly Sam faced her. “Then you did not lie to him.”
“I don’t know. Did I?”
He lowered his head. “It’s true. I couldn’t stay in America, Andrea. And now that I have seen him, I know that I would die before I let any harm come to him.”
Andi swallowed hard around the lump in her throat. “I’m glad you feel that way, but I’m also worried about what we should tell him.”
Sam raised his dark eyes to her. “I will leave that up to you, but I would like for him to know that I’m his father.”
In a perfect world Andi would consider that to be a good idea. But this wasn’t a perfect situation by any means. “Then what? ‘Hey, Chance, I’m your dad and I’m sorry about this, but I have to go back and do my princely duties’?”
“I can return to visit during the summers when he’s not in school.”
“Is that enough, Sam? Will that ever be enough for him?”
He streaked a hand over his nape and sighed. “Would you have given up the opportunity to have spent time with Paul and your father even knowing they would be taken from you?”
Andi cursed his logic. “No, I wouldn’t take anything for that time with them. But that’s different. You’d be absent by choice, not death.”
“Sometimes choices are made for us.”
“You mean your duty? I’m not sure he’d understand why your position takes precedence over him. In time he might come to resent you.”
“As his mother does?” Sam asked in a low, steady voice.
Andi had to admit that she’d resented his sudden departure. Resented that he had made love to her, created a child then left her alone to raise their son, left her alone to deal with her grief over her brother’s death. But she couldn’t fault him, at least when it came to Chance, since he hadn’t known about him until now. He also hadn’t made that possible because of his loyalty to a way of life that Andi couldn’t even begin to understand. Worse, he hadn’t even tried to explain or to stay in touch.
Still, she had to do what was best for everyone, even if that included calling a truce.
“I’m past my resentment, Sam.”
“But you’ll never forgive me, will you?”
“I have forgiven you.” To a point, but she would never be able to forget.
His eyes took on the cast of satisfaction. “I’m pleased by that, Andrea. I only hope that I can earn your trust.”
That would be a bit harder, in Andrea’s opinion. She still feared that Sam might change his mind and try to take her son back to his country, especially after he got to know him. Yet she was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, at least for the time being. “So where are you staying?”
“Here.”
“I beg your pardon?”
“Tess told me it would be best if I remain nearby, and I agree. She wishes to reside in the bunkhouse during my stay, though I argued against it. But she insisted. I’ve brought a few of my things and I’ll send Rashid back to the hotel in Lexington to wait for me until I’m ready to leave.”
Andi fought the bite of apprehension. If Sam stayed under the same roof, she couldn’t avoid seeing him on a daily basis. And with their son away at camp for two weeks, she worried that she might not be able to resist him. “I think you should wait until Chance returns before you move in.”
“I have promised Tess I will help do some repairs while I’m here, before Chance comes back.”
Tess. Always thinking of everything, darn it. “I guess I could use the help,” Andi admitted. She could also use some courage. Right now it was all she could do not to reach out and touch him, send her fingertips over the fine lines framing his mouth, his incredible lips that now formed a grim line as he studied her. Be brave, she told herself.
As if he intended to test her nerve, Sam took her hand into his, creating pleasant warmth that flowed through her whole body. One simple touch, and already she was battling for control. But she had to remain in control, prove to herself, and to him, that she was much stronger than before. Prove that her memories were colored by the fantasies of a young girl, dreams that no longer existed in a woman’s reality. She intended to conduct her own test.
Putting her best smile forward, she pulled her hand from his grasp and opened her arms. “Welcome home, Sam.”
His gaze roved over her from head to toe in a long, lingering look of appreciation, then finally he accepted her embrace. He felt good against her, strong and solid and warm. She remembered how wonderful it had been to hold him close, remembered his exotic scent, his overwhelming heat. Remembered how she had missed having him in her life, left only with her hopes of his return and memories of one night when he had been completely hers.
Trembling with the force of her reaction, she pulled out of his arms and stepped back. Her greatest fear was now realized.
Nothing had really changed, even after all these years.
Sam brushed a tender kiss across her cheek and studied her with those damnable mysterious eyes, dark and intense and capable of bringing her to her knees.
“Thank you, Andrea. It’s good to be home.”
