Burning Desires

BURNING DESIRES An Ellora’s Cave publication written by

MLYN HURN

MS Reader (LIT) ISBN # 1-84360-510-4 Other available formats (no ISBNs are assigned): Adobe (PDF), Rocketbook (RB), Mobipocket (PRC) & HTML © Copyright Mlyn Hurn, May 2003. All Rights Reserved, Ellora's Cave. Ellora's Cave Publishing, Inc. USA Ellora's Cave Ltd, UK This e-book may not be reproduced in whole or in part by email forwarding, copying, fax, or any other mode of communication without author/publisher permission. Edited by Kari Berton Cover Art by Bryan Keller

Warning: The following material contains strong sexual content meant for mature readers. BURNING DESIRES has been rated HARD R, erotic, by three individual reviewers. We strongly suggest storing this electronic file in a place where young readers not meant to view this ebook are unlikely to happen upon it. That said, enjoy…

Chapter 1 “Five minutes till curtain!” It has been twelve years now, Sabrina thought to herself as she sat in front of her dressing table mirror, absent-mindedly brushing her long auburn-colored hair. Slowly, she pulled the brush through her waist-length locks, the repetitive strokes soothing her already screaming nerves. Her green-gold, cat shaped eyes moved from her hair to the scars that covered the back of her hand. Slowly, she lowered her hand down to rest on the tabletop. It looked almost evil as it rested next to the matched silver-filigree comb and mirror set that lay on the table. In spite of the countless number of reconstructive surgeries endured over the last five years, the scars were still visible to her. Although to most people that happened to glimpse her hand, or any of the other scars, they were nearly unnoticeable. Almost reverently, she began rubbing the slightly rough and uneven scar tissue that covered most of the surface of the injured hand. There were times when she forgot what her life, before age twenty, had been like before the fire that changed everything. She frowned at the mirror, sternly reminding her image to stop feeling sorry. It was hard to see sometimes, but she was lucky. There probably wasn’t another actress with the guts to go on after having been disfigured by burn scars. A soft tap on the door behind her called her back to the present. “Come in,” she called quietly in response. A young woman stuck her head around the door. “Five minutes till curtain, Miss Selwyn.” Sabrina smiled back at the woman. “How many times have I asked you to please call me Sabrina, Carol?” She stood up and walked over to the younger, blond-haired woman. “I hope I’m not that forbidding a character!” Carol laughed nervously, brushing her sweaty palms down her jeanscovered legs. “Not at all, Miss Sel…I mean Sabrina. You’ve been so nice to me. I can never thank you enough for recommending me to the director to play your sister when Missy got appendicitis.” “Carol, I’m just glad I heard you practicing that day. You already had everyone else’s part memorized. You’ve also been such a tremendous help since this all started. I’m lucky to have met you and your family.”

Carol laughed and moved over to get Sabrina’s gown off the hanger. She held it up so Sabrina could slip it over her head. “Are you kidding? My parents think you’re great!” She began fastening up the buttons in the back. “I admit that at first they were a little overwhelmed by how they assumed you would be. After all, it isn’t every day that a deli-owner and his wife meet a real live movie star, let alone one who just won her second Academy Award in as many years! Hold still, some of your hair is caught in one of the buttons.” Sabrina shifted unconsciously. “There are times when I think that as soon as this run on Broadway is done I’m going to cut it all off.” She moved back to the chair and with an economy of movement, swept her hair into a neat French chignon. She took the elaborate headdress Carol handed her and secured it with a few bobby pins. “I guess that means that you’ve definitely decided against going with the company on the road.” Carol began tidying up the table as Sabrina moved to the door. “Carol, leave that for later, you need to get into your own costume. I never thought I’d be on Broadway in a musical rendition of Shakespeare,” Sabrina halfmuttered to herself as she ushered Carol out the door, closing it behind them. “And you’re right. I’m not going to Philadelphia with the rest of the cast. Have you made up your own mind yet?” Carol smiled ruefully. “You know my dad, Sabrina. He’s not too fond of me leaving home, let alone leaving the state and traveling across the country. I think he forgets I’m twenty-two years old now.” Sabrina wrapped her arm around the younger woman’s shoulders. “Now you know that’s not completely true. He’s just worried about what might happen to you.” “He wouldn’t be so worried if you would change your mind and come too. Since you’ve been staying with us, my dad has come to trust you and he’d feel a lot better if he knew that you were going along as well.” Sabrina laughed at the pleading look in Carol’s blue eyes. “I’ve loved staying with you and your parents, Carol. I would have gone crazy these last six months if you hadn’t taken pity on me and rescued me from that awful hotel the producers put me in. You and your family have made me feel normal again. And that’s something I haven’t felt in a very long time.” Carol caught the wistful look in Sabrina’s golden eyes as well as the flashes of pain, both physical and emotional, although Sabrina usually managed to distract her before she could ask any questions. Sabrina was sure that Carol knew some of the history behind her pain. Every time Sabrina or one of her famous family appeared in the media, which was more often than not, the whole gruesome story of the fire would be hashed and rehashed. Carol never intruded

but Sabrina had already indicated that, when she was ready, Carol would be the one Sabrina would go to. Sabrina gave the other woman a quick hug, saying, “You’d better hurry so you don’t miss your own curtain call.” Carol laughed. “I don’t want to blow my chances of going on tour. I sometimes feel Mr. Thedans only tolerates me because of you.” Sabrina smiled gently as she reassured Carol. “You’ve proven that you’re a good actress. And Joe knows that now. He only needed a little push in the beginning.” “I’m just glad you pushed him in my direction.” Carol saw the stage manager coming up behind her friend. “Here’s Mr. Harris. I’m gone before he blames me for making you late!” Carol quickly scampered off to the dressing room she shared with several other young women in the cast. Sabrina turned to greet the stern, but fair stage manager. “Hi, Tony. You’d better be careful. You’re getting quite a reputation with the rest of the cast for being an ogre.” The thirty-year old man who had just joined her smiled. He ran a hand through his tousled hair. “Don’t care about that so long as I get the job done! You’ve got thirty seconds to high-tail it over to your mark on stage.” Sabrina grinned at the man who professed not to care about having friends. Yet he had befriended her from the day that rehearsals had started. Sabrina had also noticed how many times Tony had followed Carol with his brooding gray eyes. She also knew that with just the right push, love could blossom between her two new friends, even though they were more than ten years apart in age. Despite her better judgment, she felt a yen to match-make. Sabrina gave a knowing smile towards Tony, and then left to get on stage.

***** It was nearly three hours later, at the cast party, that Sabrina allowed herself to unwind a little. Having never been much of a party girl, even before the fire, she had found herself a secluded corner from where she could observe the party. She especially wanted to observe the results of her machinations to bring Tony and Carol together. While she had always enjoyed watching other people, since the fire, Sabrina had turned the skill of observation into an art. Privately, she acknowledged that it had developed during the long period of rehabilitation when she had hated for people to stare at her. She had learned early on that it was best to sit quietly, thereby avoiding any attention at all. One of her psychiatrists had suggested her acting prowess was due to the fact that she was able to become an integral part of the characters she played, all

the while ignoring her audience. Sabrina sighed. Psychiatrists were people she could do without. At her family’s urging, she had submitted to various counseling sessions. Her parents believed that some good would come out of these meetings. Sabrina was never convinced. She was the only one in her family who had accepted the fact that the fire had drastically altered all of them. Their lives were no longer going to be the same fairytale adventure she had once thought, no matter how hard all of them tried. At least one of the shrinks over the years had told her it was this “unreal” life in which she’d been brought up that was the root of her problems. She’d never separated the two, and the fire had ended the television life, leaving a reality she didn’t want to face. Her family, of course, was still enmeshed in the family business of producing, directing and starring in one of the longest running soap operas or “daytime drama” as her father always insisted, in television history. Her parents played the original lead characters, a doctor who headed the local hospital board and his lawyer wife, whose marriage held up against everything. Her oldest brother, Paul, played the earnest doctor on the show while his real wife, Anne, also played his wife on the show. Her other brothers, Sam, the youngest of the three boys, and Tim, were executive producers of the program, and Sam’s wife, Libby, was one of their scriptwriters. Her sister, Marie, had joined the show later than the others, and played a cousin from out of town who never seemed to end her visit. And then, of course, there was her aunt and uncle, Sharon and Marty. Her father’s sister, Sharon, played the town busybody with a phenomenal intuitiveness that obviously had nothing to do with real life. Sabrina allowed herself a grin at the thought. Her Uncle Marty, having discovered early on in his marriage to Sharon that he had a real knack for wheeling and dealing, had been incredibly successful at combining his business acumen with the world of daytime drama and was now the “money man” of the show. Other assorted relatives also joined the show at different times of their lives. Sabrina was the only one, out of her close-knit family, who was not working on the show now. She had, however, started on it at the age of one month, playing the time-honored role of the starring couple’s baby. She had grown up on television. Over the years, she had experienced many of life’s dramas through the magic of the show’s writers. She had had school problems with not fitting in because of her braces, trouble with failing grades, and even acne on a date night, followed by gaining a little weight and even rejection by her high school’s most popular boy. Of course, after that story line, he had been the one to go. After all, how could anyone reject the precious Serena—needing a name as close to Sabrina’s own name as possible so that she could respond to it as well,

her parents had chosen Serena. Sabrina had often joked that maybe she really had a split personality. And then, of course, there was David. David…the supposed man of her dreams. God, thinking about it now, it seemed like another lifetime. He had joined the show when Sabrina was seventeen years old. Now, fifteen years later, he was the one who was still there. He was the one still working with her family. The one who had become so popular as a result of her departure from the show that he could literally write his own contract each time it came up for renewal! He had become the tragic hero, rejected in love, alone. The show’s female viewers, who made up the majority of the show’s fans, had taken him under their wing. Dane, his character, could do no wrong in the eyes of the public. He had fan clubs across the country. There were even branches of his fan club in England and Japan. Sabrina had also learned that he was now directing about one-fifth of all the episodes which gave him even more clout than before. There were times when she was feeling particularly lonely that Sabrina would cynically feel sorry that there weren’t any more single women in her family for David. He had blown his chance to marry into the family when he had rejected her after the fire. He would now have to settle for being an outsider. “Sabrina. Sabrina, are you in there?” Sabrina came out of her reverie and looked up to see a tall, broad shouldered man standing directly in front of her. She smiled up into his blue eyes. “Leave it to you, Brian, to end my solitude. I thought you weren’t going to come tonight. What happened to your dinner meeting?” The tall, blond man extended a hand and easily tugged Sabrina to her feet. At five feet six inches, Sabrina barely came up to his chin. She had to tilt her head back since she was standing so close to his six feet two stature. Her golden eyes swept over his craggy-featured face. He was an attractive man. Not pretty-boy handsome like David, but with his strength of character, personality and wit, he always was a pleasure to be with. Sabrina knew that there were quite a few women who envied her relationship with the millionaire film producer. But what most people didn’t know was that Brian was one of very few people that she called friend. She loved Brian dearly but she was not in love with him. Brian had intimated a few times that he was more than willing to deepen their relationship but he had respected her decision not to do so. Brian smiled down at her upturned face. “Well, honey, when I told them my leading lady was going to be you, they all signed on the dotted line. I even managed to get Wilhelm’s agreement to direct.” Sabrina laughed out loud, ignoring the interested glances being cast their way. In the world of high finance, movie production and anything that went

along with that industry, Brian was known for his rapier-like instincts and selfassuredness. If you wanted to make money, you had to invest in a Brian Richards movie. Sabrina privately thought that he was also a man that gave respect where it was due and she admired him for that quality. All her attention was focused on Brian. “So I guess this means my long-desired vacation is out of the question?” Sabrina was surprised when Brian didn’t return her laughter. As a matter of fact, he looked quite uncomfortable. “All right, Brian. I know you too well, my dearest friend. You might as well tell me right now what’s bothering you. You know I’ll find out sooner or later.”

***** Brian swallowed the rest of his double scotch in one hard gulp. He had known this wasn’t going to be easy, which was why he had stopped at the bar first before approaching Sabrina tonight. He also knew that what he had to say would likely cause Sabrina to blow a fuse. When Phyllis Lewis, Sabrina’s agent, had contacted him on how best to approach a subject they knew was taboo, they both agreed that Sabrina should hear it from him. Phyllis also wanted to break the story to the press as soon as possible. “Sabrina, honey, something else has come up. I don’t really know any other way to say it other than straight out…” “That’s always worked best for us in the past, Brian,” Sabrina nodded her head in agreement, but Brian could see the curiosity brimming as she eyed him up and down. “What in the world has you so tongue-tied?” She smiled up at him. “Maybe we should go back to my place, so we can discuss it in private…” Brian suggested, eying his empty glass, wondering if he should have another drink first—something that didn’t happen too often. Sabrina took a deep breath. “Brian, you know that I’m not the type to delay the unpleasant. I learned early on with having my burns dressed twice daily that delaying didn’t benefit me. Just tell me what it is. It can’t be that bad…” Brian set his glass on the tray of a passing waiter, and then grasped both of her hands in his. “Phyllis was approached by the producers of ‘A Place in the Sun’ for you to do a guest appearance on the show. It would last about twelve weeks…” Brian stopped as he saw Sabrina staring at him as if he had just sprouted two heads. Before he could say anything more, Sabrina was shaking her head from side to side. “Is Phyllis mad? Go back on my family’s show after all this time? How could she even think I might consider it? Why, it’s ludicrous…”

Brian pushed her gently back down onto the sofa. He was aware of the very interested looks they were drawing from curious actors and other show people surrounding them. The last thing either Brian or Phyllis wanted was for any of this to leak to the press before anything had been finalized, one way or another. “Sabrina, Phyllis was approached by your father and your uncle. They’re desperate to revitalize the show before the ratings fall any further. Let me finish, honey.” Brian touched her lips lightly with his fingertip as she started to voice her protest again. “They are very aware of your popularity. The two Oscars you won, the Tony for this show, and the three successful books you wrote during your rehab have made you a hot property. And they know that a brief return appearance by you would only help the show. They want you to come in tomorrow for contract negotiations…” “How dare they think that I would just agree? Like I have nothing else scheduled; that my agreement is tacit, so all they have to do is get it on paper.” Sabrina looked furious and tried to get up but Brian pulled her back onto the sofa next to him. “I understand what you’re feeling, honey…” “Don’t give me any of that psycho babble ‘I understand what you’re feeling’ crap,” Sabrina mimicked, her voice sounding harsh. “I’ve heard it all before. No one knows what I’ve been through, not even you! There were times when I felt I was burning in hell, the pain was so bad. Where was my family then? Where was anybody I had known back then? They wrote me out of the script, off the show, and out of their lives. Why should I give a damn about their stupid show now?” Sabrina’s voice broke off as her eyes filled with tears. She sniffed into the pristine white handkerchief that Brian placed in her hands and muttered, “Thanks.” Brian smiled tenderly at her bent head and slumped shoulders. He wondered what she would say if he told her that he had fallen in love with her a year after they first met three years ago. He hated to see her in pain and died a little each time he thought of the pain she had endured just after the fire. Shortly after they met, he had contacted some of his friends in high places and been given copies of the police reports on the fire as well as Sabrina’s hospital reports. He knew about the skin grafts, the plastic surgery, and the bouts with a number of different psychiatrists, and the physiotherapy she had endured. Sabrina had never told him a lot of the details that he had learned through his investigations. Patience had never been one of his strong points but because of Sabrina, it had become one of his newest virtues. Mostly because since he’d met her, he was working on it all the time! He had become her best friend and in time, Brian hoped that he would finally become her lover.

Sabrina allowed herself a few more muffled sniffles, then stiffened her spine and pulled herself together. “Let’s get out of here, Brian. The last thing I want to do is give the gossips of this city something else to devour.” She gathered her purse and stood up quickly. Before Brian could stand himself, she was already halfway across the room, murmuring good-byes as she glided past people. He noted the only person she stopped to speak to was her new friend, Carol. He saw the concern on the younger woman’s face as Sabrina spoke to her. But Sabrina had reached the front foyer by the time he neared Carol and the man she was standing with. “What’s going on, Mr. Richards? Sabrina seems to be really upset.” Carol questioned Brian with censure in her voice. Tony wrapped his arm protectively around Carol’s slim shoulders. Brian noticed the new familiarity between the two, and immediately recognized Sabrina’s handiwork. In the early days of their friendship, Sabrina had tried to “fix him up” several times before he put his foot down. Thinking about those incidents and how angry he had been when he had found out about them, he realized that he had probably already been in love with Sabrina then, he just hadn’t recognized it yet. Brian shrugged his broad shoulders, grimaced and then flashed her one of his devastating smiles. “She wants to kill the messenger. I’m going to take her to my place so she can cool off, then I’ll bring her back to your folks’ house. Okay?” Carol smiled weakly at him “All right. But don’t forget my Daddy has adopted her and he has a real big shotgun.” Both men laughed at the threatening tone she tried to convey. “Don’t worry, Carol. Sabrina will be safe with me.” Then Brian turned and followed Sabrina out the front door.

***** Tony turned a worried Carol back to face himself. “She’ll be fine with Brian. He cares for her very much. From the way he watches her, I’ve often thought he is in love with her.” Carol tilted her dark brunette head backwards to meet his warm brown eyes. “That’s what worries me, Tony.” He laughed and hugged her close. “You’ve a lot to learn about relationships, honey. Sabrina may not be in love with him but the fact that he’s in love with her is enough to bring out his protective tendencies.”

Chapter 2 Sabrina woke the following morning to sunshine and the sound of the birds singing as well as the smell of freshly brewing coffee. And then she remembered the news Brian had shared with her the night before and didn’t resist the urge to pull the covers back up over her head. She didn’t even lower them at the soft tapping on her door, but she did call out for her visitor to come in. It was Carol’s smiling face that peeped around the door. “Good morning. Is it safe to enter?” the younger woman asked tentatively. Sabrina smiled beneath the covers, and then slowly lowered them. “It’s as safe as it’s going to get for awhile.” Sabrina tossed the hand-sewn quilt back and came to her feet beside the bed, stretching unselfconsciously in front of the younger woman. They often started each day with an early morning chat, discussing everything from the evening’s performances to the antics of Carol’s younger siblings. Over the course of the last six months, Sabrina had come to love the Barzini family as if they were her own. Her relationship with Carol was more that of an older sister and best friend than anything else. Sabrina’s scars no longer had the power to shock Carol or her family. It had been difficult in the beginning not to stare at the discolored and misshapen areas on Sabrina’s body. Now it only made Carol want to cry at the pain Sabrina had gone through and the injustice of it all. Several times Carol had tried to convince Sabrina that the scars were not nearly as bad as the older woman believed them to be. “Did I oversleep again?” Sabrina asked tongue-in-cheek. “No! Well…maybe a little. But you know Mama; she saved some breakfast for you in the oven,” Carol replied as she threw herself on top of the bed. She sighed deeply. Sabrina stopped on her way to the bathroom, leaning against the door to ask caringly, “It sounds like one of us at least had a good time last night. Or was I mistaken in those meaningful glances I kept seeing rocketing back and forth between you and Tony? I was sure I felt the heat rise every time I was within ten feet of the two of you.” Carol rolled to her side, propping her head on her hand. “Gosh, do you think anyone else noticed? I’d hate to have people talking about Tony.” “Don’t worry, Carol. Tony can handle whatever anybody throws at him, and yes, I’m sure people noticed the two of you together last night. Besides, you don’t really care what other people think, do you?”

Carol rolled onto her back again. “No, I don’t. But I really care about Tony. I think I might even be in love with him. I just don’t want any gossip about him, or me, or us.” Sabrina couldn’t stop the soft laugh that escaped her smiling lips. “Carol, you’re in show business and there will always be gossip about somebody or something. And that, unfortunate though it may be, is the way it is. You just have to develop a tough skin and be true to each other. Now, fill me in on the rest of the party that I missed last night.” With the bathroom door half-shut, she could still hear Carol’s voice as she told Sabrina who drank too much, who ate too much, who talked too much and who left with whom. Sabrina took it all in, while another part of her mind kept going back over her conversation with Brian last night at his apartment. Thinking back on it, she had barely walked through his front door and tossed her ridiculously expensive, tiny jeweled bag onto the overstuffed sofa, when she had turned on Brian. “Who the hell do they think they are?” She’d jerked away from Brian’s outstretched hand. Pacing to the other end of the large living room, she spun back around to face him. “Of all the nerve, did they really think that I would fall over myself in my eagerness to do their bidding? Good God, how dare they? Well, I guess this answers my question about whether they regret the way they treated me years ago. Hah!” She paused to take the glass of wine from Brian’s hand as she passed him a second time. “Well, the answer is no; pure and simple, no. Better yet, hell no!” Sabrina perched on the end of the ottoman that matched the off-white sofa. She held her glass out to be refilled as Brian seated himself on the sofa near the ottoman. “Thanks,” she muttered, before jumping to her feet and beginning to pace the long length of the room again. “If they really cared, they would have called, no, they would have come to see me when I was in the hospital…or while I was recuperating from one of the countless surgeries. No, I won’t do it. I have so many other commitments and projects to do anyway.” She came over to him, dragging the ottoman with her. Sabrina sat close enough for her legs to slide between his legs. Leaning her forearms on her thighs, her cleavage pressed dangerously high over her neckline. Her voice drew his attention back to what she was saying. “After all, there is your movie that we’ve talked about, and been planning for the last two years. And there are the screenplays from my first and second books. Now that they are done, I’m sure production will start soon. And Joe Thedans was asking me to read another play he thought would be good for me to do…” Her voice trailed off as she lifted her head to finally meet Brian’s steady gaze. She looked down and saw that he had removed her glass and was holding her hands in his larger, stronger ones.

“Sabrina, you’ve said no about a dozen times since I first told you about doing the show.” He squeezed her fingers gently. “Who are you trying to convince? It’s not me. You know I’ll stand behind you no matter what you decide to do. And even though this is far from the right time to be bringing this up, I love you. No, don’t say anything yet,” he placed two fingers on her lips when she would have interrupted. “I’ve been in love with you these last two years, and nothing you say or do will change how I feel about you. Just say the word, and I’ll take you back to California in the morning. We’ll forget Phyllis ever brought the subject up in the first place.” Sabrina stared into his blue eyes, seeing the color of the sky at noon. No shadows and storms to cloud the picture. He was the best friend she had had in a long time. No, Brian was the best friend she’d ever had. They had shared many a laugh and a smile together. There had also been times when she had considered asking Brian if he wouldn’t be interested in deepening their relationship. Mostly because there had been times when the loneliness was nearly unbearable and she longed for someone to be there, beside her, when the nightmares tore her from her sleep. So why did eyes the color of a much deeper, darker blue come to haunt her? Once they had had the power to thrill her to the core of her being with their velvet softness, so stormy…but that was a long, long time ago, she reminded herself. Sabrina also knew, that for a long time, she had been thinking of Brian as more than a friend. Sabrina stopped her reviewing of last night’s discussion with Brian. She was surprised to find that her thoughts had been deep enough to freeze her hand in mid-air while she was brushing her hair. Turning away from the bathroom mirror, she sat down on the closed toilet. Like a thunderbolt almost, she was suddenly remembering another incident involving Brian. It had been a few months earlier, before flying to New York to start rehearsals for her current play, when she and Brian had been in the pool at his house in California. The phone had rung, and he had vaulted out of the pool to answer it. Sabrina remembered now what she had buried in her subconscious for some reason. While Brian stood talking on the phone, her eyes had trailed over his tanned, broad chest, flat stomach, tight buns, and finally to the very beguiling bulge contained in his wet trunks. For the first time ever, Sabrina remembered that she had not just looked at him once. Indeed, she had let her eyes move back up to his chest, noticing how muscular he was. When Brian had eventually returned to the pool, Sabrina had joined him in some childish water play. Sitting on the toilet in the Barzini’s bathroom, Sabrina was shocked to realize that she had been the one to start the “innocent” play. Yet thinking about it all now, there had not been anything naïve about the way her hands had eagerly sought out ways to touch Brian. By the time they had finished

in the pool, Sabrina had been feeling aroused, which had not happened in a very long time. Outside the bathroom, she could still hear Carol talking about something, or was it someone? Her thoughts were unexpected, and she was shocked by the intensity of her feelings. These were the same feelings she had felt sitting so close to Brian in his apartment last night after the party. She recalled it was those feeling that had caused her to lower her eyes from his, looking instead to their clasped hands. Without pause, her mind returned once again to the previous evening— “I wish to God you’d told me that a week ago, even a day would have made a difference.” She gently, but insistently, freed her hands from his and rose. She walked over to the windows that allowed such an impressive view of Manhattan at night. “Just hearing you offer to rescue me has made me realize that I have to face my demons. I can’t keep running away for the rest of my life. And I have been running for what seems such a very long time right now.” She turned her back on the scene outside to face her dear friend. “I will go and face my family. I need to see for myself whether they really did desert me, or maybe it’s true what one of my learned doctors suggested. I pushed them far enough away so I could be the one who was rejecting, and not waiting to be rejected. Maybe I really did use the fire to allow me to escape from my family for the first time in my life.”

***** Sabrina slowly became aware of Carol’s voice calling to her from the bedroom. “I’m sorry, Carol. What were you saying?” “I asked what your plans were for the day. Are you and Mr. Richards going somewhere together?” Sabrina laughed as she came out of the bathroom. “You have the most incredible talent of putting the most innocent of words together and making them sound anything but!” She tossed her towel at the reclining, giggling brunette on the bed. “Well, I have to admit, Sabrina, I think your Mr. Richards is really nice, and quite a hunk, for a man his age that is.” And that last comment brought on an old-fashioned pillow fight that required the intervention of Carol’s mother to settle things back down to a livable state.

***** It was twenty-four hours later when Sabrina, accompanied by Phyllis Lewis, her agent, entered the building where ‘A Place in the Sun’ was filmed. Even as

she walked through the corridors that had remained the same since she was last there, she acknowledged all the small changes that had been made to the offices and studio in order to keep them modern and up to date in appearance. Of course she remembered where the conference rooms were. She had played in these halls, rooms and studios as a child. Today’s meeting had been arranged for the main conference room on the second floor. This was the largest of the three conference rooms, and had large glass windows that overlooked the main studio where filming took place. They were only a few feet from the door when it suddenly swung open. Sabrina saw her father standing there, looking distinguished and only slightly older than she remembered, in his gray three-piece suit. His former blueblack hair was now silvery gray and his face had just the right number of “character” lines that continued to make it so attractive to the female viewers of the show. He was still very trim, probably from working out at the gym located on another floor of the studio building. She noticed the hesitation in his own deep brown eyes, as if he wasn’t sure what to say to her, his own daughter. “Hello, Father. You’re looking well, as usual.” Sabrina swallowed her own emotions and extended her right hand. She couldn’t help feeling validated at the look of indecision and hesitancy on his face a second before he covered it with a smooth smile and took the hand she offered. Sabrina followed her father’s gaze as he looked down at their clasped hands, when he realized that her hands were covered in gloves that were as thin as silk, yet made of suede. The gloves were a perfect match in color and material to the hunter green two-piece suit that draped and displayed her figure to perfection. The suit had been made for her by a designer who was known to be exceedingly expensive. John Selwyn slowly released the hand of his youngest daughter. “You look wonderful, Sabrina. I’m really glad that you accepted our offer…” Stumbling over his words, he couldn’t hide the look of relief to be gently pushed aside as his wife of thirty-eight years took charge of the situation. Sabrina felt she was maintaining her cool façade, until her mother enfolded her in a maternal embrace. As Marina held her close, she whispered to her softly. “Sabrina, I know a lot of mistakes have been committed in the past and I can only hope and pray that you would be able to forgive these mistakes.” Marina paused to caress her daughter’s cheek. “I do so hope that we can become a family again. Sabrina, please believe me in this. Even if you say no to help us out, I don’t want to lose touch with you.” Stepping back from Sabrina, she said in a louder voice, “Hello, Sabrina. You look lovely. I can still see some of the California sun on your face. I hope you’ve enjoyed your months in New York though.”

Sabrina watched as Marina turned to her daughter’s professional agent and offered her hand in greeting. “It’s nice to see you again, Phyllis. I understand you’ve become quite the jet setter these last few years. Is it true you have clients on both coasts and in Europe?” “Yes, its true, Marina. And I owe it all to Sabrina here. She’s taken me with her on her continuing voyage of success. Thanks to her I just signed Marcello Manzano and Philippa Moren.” Phyllis smiled at Sabrina as she mentioned two of the fastest rising stars in the European film industry. “It was through Sabrina that I first met them, and discovered that they were looking for someone new to help them manage their careers both in the States and in Europe.” “I just hope they don’t bring you down with them, Phyllis, when they end that tempestuous affair they’re currently having.” Sabrina and Phyllis both turned to see Paul Selwyn coming up to them. Her brother had the dark handsome looks of his father, but it appeared that he hadn’t lost the tendency to be spiteful and nasty—something that had only developed after he had gotten married. Sabrina called on her own superior acting skills and laughed gaily as she came to Phyllis’ aid. “Oh, there’s no need to worry about Phyllis. She has to turn people down daily now, she’s become so busy. And, just to let you in on a little secret,” Sabrina hugged Phyllis’ arm, but shot a conspiratorial smile around the room. “They have a contract that is wrapped up so tight it won’t be possible for Marcelo and Philippa to break up any time soon.” Sabrina paused for effect as she prepared to reveal a fact that many journalists and trade rags would kill for. “You see, they’ve been married for almost ten years now and have adopted several lovely children. I spent a couple of weeks at their vineyard in France last year and in spite of four children and assorted dogs and cats, it was the most peaceful vacation I’ve had in years.” Paul smiled thinly, as his wife, Anne, who was still extremely thin and graceful, joined them. Her long dark brown hair was swept into a chic French roll at the back of her head. Sabrina knew that Anne had not had any children. Her reason was always that she wanted to keep her figure for as long as possible so she could continue acting and keep looking younger than her age. It was obvious her silk dress would never stand up to curious, often grubby, little hands. Sabrina felt a warm glow as she remembered her friends and their beautiful children. They had welcomed her into their home and their hearts. And Sabrina loved hearing herself called “Aunt Sabrina.” Out of nowhere came the thought that she would somehow drag Brian to visit next time. She would enjoy seeing his reaction to the four children! “Unless I’m mistaken, that’s an original Keissen design, isn’t it?” Anne’s precise, measured tones interrupted Sabrina from her pleasant reverie. Sabrina

saw that Anne could not control the jealous look in her eyes, for the young American designer was so exclusive, that it was very difficult to get into his salon on Fifth Avenue. The old antagonism was still there, Sabrina thought wryly, remembering how she used to egg Anne on without mercy in the old days. No, Anne wasn’t worth the time or the effort, Sabrina decided with surprise. “Why, yes it is, Anne. I met Simon when I was working on that film dealing with AIDS and how it had devastated so many people’s lives, even those who don’t have the disease. Simon’s companion had written the book it was based on, and they were often at the hospice where some of the scenes were shot.” She turned to Phyllis, who had also met the young men on the set of the film. “I stopped by to see Simon the other day, and he felt that Thomas was finally feeling better.” Sabrina smiled at her friend. “Well, enough about that. Do you think we could get down to business?” She had to stop herself from saying that she had other pressing engagements later that day because she really hadn’t. It was time to shed the childish behavior no matter what was said or who said it. Her mother, as always, stepped in gracefully. “Of course, Sabrina dear. You know everyone else here.” Sabrina noticed for the first time that her older sister Marie and her husband, Curt McMasters, were already seated at the conference table. Next to them were her father’s sister, Sharon, and her husband, Marty Goldstein and flanking them on either side were her two other brothers, Sam and Tim. She wondered where Libby, Sam’s wife and a writer for the show, was today. Sam met her gaze and answered the unspoken question. “Libby wanted to be here, Sabrina. But both the kids have the chicken pox this week.” Sabrina had to laugh at the expression on his face. “I know what she’s going through, Sam. Two of Philippa’s kids had them while I was staying with them, and it was quite a learning experience for me. I became quite proficient at both French and Italian fairy tales!” “Think you might be interested in teaching my two a foreign language or two this week?” Sam questioned with laughter in his eyes and voice. Sabrina reached across the table and took her younger brother’s hand in hers. “I’d love to help you and Libby out. After all, now that the play is closed, I do have some spare time for a little while. And I’ve discovered that I love children, even sick ones.” A voice she hadn’t heard for nine years spoke from the shadowed corner of the room. “That doesn’t surprise me in the least, since you usually acted like a child anyway.” Sabrina heard her mother’s admonishing voice say “David, please…”

But Sabrina only saw the man moving into the light of the room, the man of her girlish fantasies, her ex-fiancé. It was David who had jilted her without a thought after the fire when he had learned just how extensive her scarring could be. Oh, yes, David Shelby, the golden boy of daytime drama. He had it all: looks, talent and now money. His coal black hair, his height and slender yet hard body, was enough to make him number one. Sabrina was surprised he had stayed with the show so long. It was a wellknown fact that he could write his own ticket to practically any other soap he wanted but the movie fame he so desperately wanted continued to elude him. Sabrina bit back a smile as she recalled the one movie he had made. She was absolutely sure that the two other people sitting two rows up from her had been the only ones attending its opening day at the theater near her home in California. If Sabrina had thought David devastatingly attractive fifteen years ago when he had first joined the show, he was even more so now. But the remarkable thing was that she didn’t feel a thing. Maybe she should give thanks to all those years of therapy, she thought as David advanced into the room. During those years she discovered who she really was, who her friends were and just how cruel the world could be. Despite the scarring, the many skin grafts, the pain and the loneliness, Sabrina realized that the little girl she had been before the fire was gone forever, she was now stronger and more confident about herself. She was an adult now. She had her own friends, her own success, and maybe someday, she’d love again. Meeting those stormy blue eyes Sabrina took a deep breath, smiled at David and actually felt okay. “You’re right David,” the corners of her mouth tilted upwards. “I was spoiled rotten wasn’t I? Quite the little princess, much too set in my ways and always wanting things done my way or not at all.” Sabrina turned back to her parents who looked stunned at her admission. “I don’t blame you at all. It just happened that everyone fussed over me so much as a child that I just expected everything as my due.” Sabrina felt a warm rush near her heart as she spoke the words out loud. It was all so true, she thought, and now, finally, she could put the past behind her. Sabrina reached out to clasp each of her parents’ hands. “The past is the past and we can’t change it. We can all just go forward and see what happens, so let’s get down to business.”

***** David watched as Sabrina deftly manipulated and maneuvered everyone around the table and noted ironically, that the only empty seat left was at the far

end of the table, opposite to where her father sat at the head of the table. Despite what Sabrina had said, he didn’t believe her. He had said, no he had insisted, that this was the wrong thing to do. They could find another way to revive the show’s sagging ratings. They didn’t need to go running to Sabrina, who was now the “darling” of film and theater. Though she hadn’t done any television since she had left the show nine years ago, it would be hard to find someone who didn’t know her name let alone recognize her face. Fifteen years ago, when he had first joined the show, Sabrina had been a knockout. He had quickly sized up that if he wanted to be more than just another actor, dropped to the wayside, he would have to be related. Marie was older, and already married. So that left Sabrina. But now, as David let his gaze run over the smooth, nearly perfect features of her face, he had to admit that she was still a knockout in spite of the clever way her clothes covered the scars he knew were still there. At the time of the accident, he had, at his own insistence, been told by Sabrina’s doctors quite graphically just what her scars would look like and, more importantly, what could and couldn’t be repaired by plastic surgery. Although he was still repulsed at the thought of her scars, David could see that her body had fulfilled the promise of its youth. At five foot six, Sabrina was the smallest in the room yet she more than made up for her lack in inches with a body that was almost perfect. Long lustrous red hair fell almost to her waist like a waterfall; her face could not be called classically beautiful because of the generous, upturned lips but it was her eyes, cat-like in their green-gold intensity and shape, that hinted at the unplumbed depths of a passionate nature. Rather than the modern anorexic women of modern time, Sabrina resembled a Reuben’s painting of a woman in all her glory—full breasts, small waist and deliciously rounded childbearing hips. A woman the way God had intended, she was truly a vision of loveliness and David realized with a gut-wrenching blow to his abdomen that he still wanted her. Sabrina represented so many things to him, not just a former fiancé either. She would have been his permanent link with the family and the show. Now she possessed connections to the film world and would be even more valuable. Her newfound maturity and confidence that hadn’t been evident when he had last seen her only added to her allure. Yet David couldn’t help but wonder if Sabrina was fooling them all—that maybe she was still angry at the way he and her family had treated her and was plotting some form of revenge. “Sit down, David. Let’s get started and explain our ideas to Sabrina.” John’s voice brought him back to the present with a jolt. He moved awkwardly to his chair. John continued. “I’m not sure just who should present our ideas, Sabrina. Traditionally, it would be Tim and Marty, as our executive producers, and Sam

here, who shares a lot of the directing responsibilities these days, to pitch you the storyline, and finalize the deal. But I must admit, that I want to tell you since it was really my idea in the beginning, and if you’re going to get mad at someone, I suppose it should be me.” He paused expectantly, meeting his wife’s eyes and then turning back to Sabrina. “I’m not sure if we can separate family from business, like we probably should, but I want you to come back to the show permanently.” He held up his hands as several voices started to break in. “Just hear me out, everyone. Sabrina, you should know that we were not in complete agreement about asking you to come back. I don’t think we should dwell on the past, but your mother and I want you back. She and I wanted you to know this before things went any further.” Sabrina was stunned. There was silence in the room. It was hard for her to take in what her father had just announced. And she could tell from some of the stunned faces, that this had not been the original plan. Leave it to her father to throw a wrench into a situation because he wanted to see what happened. She took a deep breath, releasing it slowly, yoga-style through pursed lips, gathering her thoughts and emotions together. It felt as if she had just run a marathon and was speechless at first by the rush of emotions his words had caused. The whole situation was not going the way she had originally anticipated and she closed her eyes wishing that Brian was sitting next to her. The feelings that were coursing through her body amazed her and it was almost too much to handle. Sabrina smiled. Just thinking of Brian made it easier for her to sort through her jumbled thoughts—she was after all, older now and wiser, she hoped. “Daddy,” Sabrina unconsciously reverted back to her childhood name for him, something she hadn’t done since she was eight or nine. Catching sight of the tears that momentarily filled his brown eyes she reached out to place her gloved hand over his clenched one where it rested atop the table. “You’ve done more than take me by surprise. I have to admit that I was going to turn you down flat. No, let me finish now, please,” she asked when her father would have interrupted. “A lot has happened between us, nine years has gone by and I’m going to change my mind again. A woman’s prerogative, right, Mother?” She grinned at her mother’s nod. “So I won’t beat around the bush any longer. I understand the show needs a boost so I’ll come back for the twelve weeks originally suggested. I know you want to haggle over details, Phyllis, but the money isn’t so important, you can work that out later. But it is only for the twelve weeks,” Sabrina repeated when she caught her Uncle Marty’s expression and added, “and I’ll work for scale only…” Phyllis cut across Sabrina’s softly spoken words. “You’re crazy, Sabrina! You can’t just give your services away…”

Sabrina smiled at her long-time friend. “You know me better than that, Phyllis. I’ll still pay you your full commission,” she added jokingly. “That’s not what’s bothering me about this, Sabrina,” Phyllis objected strenuously. She had a bad feeling about this. “I know that’s not it, but you will get your full commission regardless. It’s always been our agreement. Besides, I’ve worked for less than scale before, and I’m sure I’ll do it again. But if I, not you, want to keep those two rambunctious sons of yours at that private school so I can continue to be invited up for parents’ day this year then so be it. I always have so much fun each year…” Sabrina trailed off. “Well, enough on that subject. Uncle Marty, you and Phyllis can work out whatever details are left. I don’t insist on script approval, you can kill me off in twelve weeks any old gruesome way you choose, but I will not be persuaded to stay any longer despite what the script says, as I have other commitments and don’t want to leave anyone in the lurch. I was going to take three months off before my next film anyway, so I guess this was preordained.” Sabrina took a sip from her glass of water as conversation erupted around her. But she only caught snatches of whispered comments here and there. “What nerve! Acting as if she were Queen of the Manor, saying money doesn’t matter to her…” “We can get to work on the script revisions today. I’ll head home now so Libby can come in and get together with the other writers and get the rough draft ironed out as soon as possible…” “John dear, just be happy that she’s coming back for twelve weeks. The rest, well, we’ll let the future take care of itself…” “I insist she have a private dressing room, catered lunch each day to her specifications and a chauffeur at her disposal…” But it was Marie’s question that finally brought her back to the table. “Where will you stay for the twelve weeks, Sabrina? I know you don’t keep an apartment here in the city.” Marina offered quickly, before anyone else could reply. “Why, she’ll stay with us at the penthouse, that way she can ride in with us each day…” Phyllis shook her head vehemently. “No. We’ll rent a suite at the Towers and she’ll need the chauffeur for transportation back and forth.” Uncle Marty, minder of the purse strings, interrupted at that. “I don’t think we can afford a suite and a chauffeur, Ms. Lewis, especially when there are several empty rooms at the penthouse.” “You wouldn’t even suggest such a thing to any other guest you needed so desperately.” Phyllis bristled, and argued vehemently on behalf of her client.

“But Phyllis, she is our daughter, and John and I would love having her stay with us, financial considerations aside.” Sabrina had heard enough. She had already solved the situation herself; it only needed Brian’s agreement. “Actually, um, I’m very grateful for the offer, but a friend has an apartment here that I’m sure I can use. And he keeps a car at his underground garage that I can drive back and forth each day.” “Oh, Sabrina, we’d much rather have you stay with us so you wouldn’t have to hassle with the drive.” Marina reached out to take her daughter’s hand. “If the drive is too much, I’ll just take a taxi. It’s no problem, really.” Sabrina squeezed her mother’s hand gently. But it was Anne who decided to ask the one question that was on everybody’s mind. “Didn’t you say ‘he’, Sabrina dear? Just who is this generous male friend of yours who’s willing to share his apartment so easily? Is he married, single…gay? What would people say?” “Anne, really!” Paul spoke in censuring tones to his wife. But it was the sneering curve to David’s mouth that caused Sabrina to answer the question at all. “No, Anne dear, he’s not married or gay. Apart from Phyllis, he’s the best friend I’ve ever had.” Her father’s stern tones interrupted her this time. “Sabrina, I think it would be best if you stayed with your mother and me. There’s no reason to give the gossipmongers more to talk about than is absolutely necessary.” “Let me talk to Brian, then I’ll let you know definitely about where I’ll be staying. But I definitely don’t need the chauffeur nor do I need catered lunches, Phyllis. I can eat with everyone else in the cafeteria, or I’ll pack a sandwich in a brown bag each day.” She squeezed her friend’s hand in silent thanks for her protests, but also as a reminder that she normally never insisted on those things in her contract anyway. She worked hard to keep her life uncomplicated, and she wanted it to stay that way. “Life is too short to be quibbling over such unimportant things. I have a feeling everything is going to work out just fine, after all.” What amazed Sabrina was the fact that she was actually in a hurry to leave so she could go and talk to Brian about everything that had occurred this morning. He was going to be surprised, considering her reaction to the news two nights ago. She smiled to herself and started to rise, when she heard David’s voice questioning her. “And just who is this generous friend of yours? This Brian character?” The sneer in his tone was obvious to everyone in the room. Marie actually gasped out loud at his impudence. Everyone else might be thinking the same thing, but they kept their questions to themselves.

Sabrina continued to stand, pausing a moment to smooth the suede skirt over her hips. “Even though it’s none of your business, David, I’ll tell you anyway. It’s Brian Richards. I’m sure you’ve heard his name mentioned once or twice.” And with that parting remark, Sabrina left the conference room.

***** As the door closed behind her, everyone seemed to start talking at once. It was Anne’s voice that finally stopped all conversation dead around her. “Brian Richards—who would have thought our little Sabrina would nab such a big fish? He’s worth millions, I believe.” She paused to take a long drag off her cigarette she had just lit. The speculation in her voice was obvious. Phyllis was the one who replied to her crass statement. “Actually, it’s several hundred million, Anne dear. But I’ve heard he doesn’t count it anymore.” She paused, knowing the others were all speculating about the wealthy financierturned-producer and the relationship between Brian and Sabrina. She could see it on their faces. John and Marina were concerned that Sabrina could be hurt again. Marty was pondering the benefits of having a wealthy investor come into their struggling daytime drama. An infusion of capital never hurt any business venture. Tim and Sam were obviously struggling between brotherly concerns and concerns as producers of the show. They could visualize the same benefits that Marty could. She did not care to speculate what David was thinking. Marie looked happy that her sister might be involved with another man. After all, it was common knowledge that she had not indulged in the thoughtless affairs as so many others had in Hollywood. But it was Anne’s expression that was the best. She looked like the cat whose cream had turned to vinegar instead! Phyllis smiled quietly to herself. This little session was definitely going to bear repeating, both to Sabrina, and to her husband.

Chapter 3 Sabrina caught a taxi and headed straight for Brian’s office in the financial district of Manhattan. Long before she ever met him, she knew who he was. He had made his first hundred million by succeeding his father, who was taking early retirement. Brian took the already successful investment banking firm and turned it global. Brian had then decided he wanted new challenges and turned his eye towards movie producing. Again, it appeared that he had the Midas touch in this industry as well. He had been the power behind six incredibly successful mega action/adventure pictures over the last six years. This time he was turning his eye towards a different type of film. He knew it was risky; independent films always were. But he had two trump cards: the best foreign film director in the world today, and Sabrina. He had told her many times that he had faith in her acting ability. She had never been to Brian’s offices before but had always thought of the steel, glass and chrome tower as very much like Brian—an iron fist in the velvet glove. The building, which occupied a prime corner in the financial district, housed Brian’s east coast operations with his personal offices occupying the top floor. She looked at her surroundings with interest as she wandered around the lobby, slowly making her way towards one of the six high-speed lifts in the lobby. Tastefully decorated in muted tones of plum, gray and cream with huge murals adorning the walls, the lobby quietly hummed with efficiency. Exiting on the forty-fifth floor, her heels sank into the plush charcoal gray pile of the carpet as a well-dressed woman bearing the badge “client services” gave her directions to Brian’s office. As she walked towards the executive offices, Sabrina felt a new respect for Brian. It had nothing to do with his money, she was sure of that. When they had first met, she had no idea who he was or that he had more money than all the people in the hospital, both patients and staff put together. She had been in for yet another reconstructive operation when she had accidentally bumped into him as he made his way slowly, and obviously very painfully, down the hall. Sabrina recalled the grimace that flashed across his face as she grabbed his arm to prevent him from falling after nearly knocking him over. She tried to apologize, but he was more interested in dealing with the pain jolting through

him, than in actually noticing her. She had seen how he had clasped his left hand to his lower abdomen to cushion the waves of pain. His pain had been a major part of why she had sought him out later that day in his private room. After a smile and a small bribe to the nurse at the desk in the surgery wing, Sabrina walked the short distance to the correct hospital room. She later felt that the autographed copy of her latest book for the night nurse had definitely been well worth it. From within the room, a deep voice had called out “enter” at her tentative knock on the door. Sabrina did take note on one level that instead of the friendlier welcome, “come in,” he had used the more imperious “enter.” That gave her proof that this man was used to commanding people and power. She had pushed the door open gingerly, taking in the rather plush surroundings. The room was on one of the private floors at the hospital, and had to be one of the more expensive and exclusive rooms that she had heard other patients talking about over the years. “Who are you?” Brian’s gruff voice asked her that right off. She’d been surprised by his size as he sat upright in the bed. She thought he was rather like a large grizzly bear, except he had blond hair and clear blue eyes, which reminded her of the Madonna’s blue vestments in a picture she had once seen. “I’m the one who bumped into you in the hallway this morning. I wanted to apologize for the pain I caused by almost knocking you down. I really hate the thought of causing anyone pain.”

***** Bringing herself back to the present, Sabrina smiled at the rather stern looking woman seated behind the desk outside the double doors bearing Brian’s name. Her voice was as frosty as her face. “Good morning. May I help you, Miss…?” Sabrina knew she wouldn’t get around this watchdog very easily. A smile escaped her lips when she wondered if bribery would work, but Sabrina didn’t think she looked like she was open to bribery of any sort. “I was hoping to see Mr. Richards. Is he in his office yet?” If it were possible, Sabrina thought the woman’s back got straighter and the temperature dropped at least ten degrees. “Do you have an appointment, Miss? Mr. Richards sees people by appointment only.” This was getting tougher by the minute. But it was her own fault that no one here knew Brian and she were friends. He had offered several times to show her his offices, but because she would have to drive past the studio to get here Sabrina had avoided the place like the plague, “If you’ll just buzz him,” she

paused to read the name on the woman’s desk. “Ms. Randell, I’m sure he’ll see me if he has time. We are friends, you see…” Sabrina let her voice trail off as she saw the look the woman gave her now. She was tempted to turn tail and run, but because she was still feeling the rush of adrenaline from earlier she held her ground. “Very well,” Ms. Randell acknowledged Sabrina’s words. The woman picked up the phone and dialed a number she concealed from Sabrina with her other hand. A second later, she spoke softly. “Mr. Richards, I’m sorry to disturb you, sir, but there’s a woman out here, a Miss,” she covered the phone, looking at Sabrina deliberately. “I’m sorry, it’s Selwyn,” Sabrina supplied quickly. Ms. Randell gave her a cool looking-over before she continued. “A Ms. Selwyn, who says she…Mr. Richards…Mr. Richards! Are you there, sir?” Both women turned in surprise as the double doors to the right were flung open. Brian came through the doors and wrapped his strong arms around Sabrina’s slender body. Sabrina was stunned by the emotions that swept through her at the feel of his powerful arms wrapped around her. Her breath seemed to catch in her lungs for a split second of time as she savored the feel of him, pressed so intimately against her. A moment later she noticed the wonderfully masculine scent of him. It was the same after-shave he always wore, but for some reason it seemed different. Or maybe I’ve changed, she thought, as she deeply inhaled the scent of him. Brian pulled back, seeing her closed eyes and her caught breath. “What’s wrong, Sabrina?” She smiled softy, letting the air slowly leave her lungs. “I’m making a memory.” Brian looked confused. “Whatever are you talking about? Are you sure you’re okay?” Sabrina felt compelled to lean back into his embrace, burying her nose in his jacket, and inhaling once again of his scent. Savoring the sense of it, and the scents, she slowly released her pent up breath. “I saw it in a movie once. A young girl spoke of making memories, and for the first time I realized what she was talking about.” “Sabrina, my love, you’ve lost me. I think you need to sit down. I’ve been worried that I put too much pressure on you and maybe the meeting today was more than you could handle.” Brian looked at her with genuine concern on his face. “No, really, I’m fine. I just want to always remember how you smell to me.” She smiled as she saw the look of embarrassment on his face as he glanced selfconsciously at the formidable Ms. Randell. “I’m sorry, Brian. I didn’t mean to

embarrass you—maybe you’re right. I’ve been told that I’m acting rather strangely today. Nothing went as I thought it would.” “Well, I’m glad you came here. I’ve been sitting in there thinking about you for most of the morning. Come in and tell me what happened.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her into the office. They were nearly inside, when he turned back to tell the flabbergasted Ms. Randell to hold all calls. Sabrina laughed as he closed the door behind them. “Ms. Randell is perfect for you. I’m sure she keeps you in line.” Brian smiled rather sheepishly at her accurate assessment. “She worked for my father. There are times when I feel she knows more about my business than I do.” He poured her a glass of bottled water, no ice, and handed it to her. “Obviously, she’s not the only one who knows things.” Sabrina held up the glass. He knew her preferences so well that he didn’t have to ask anymore. “And besides, Brian, as your secretary, she does know more than you. She’s the one who screens all your calls and your mail. Who better to know the workings of your business? You know, maybe you should promote her to your personal assistant.” “I’ve never seen you like this before.” He paused for a moment. Sabrina knew that Brian had wanted to go with her to the meeting. From the confused look on his face, she guessed that he was not sure if he wanted to know what had happened to so totally change her outlook. She had been sure it was to protect her. Brian rubbed the spot between his eyes for a moment. It looked like he was indecisive about something, but then he spoke. “Was Shelby there?” Sabrina was surprised at his words. “He was, but everyone was there, except Libby. He didn’t say much though. It was mostly my father.” She didn’t wait for Brian to say anything else though. “You were right, Brian.”

***** Her words cut through his confused jumble of thoughts. For a moment, he felt stabbed through his heart. He knew his days as altruistic friend and knight in shining armor were numbered. And he had known that David Shelby would be there also. During the lonely hours of the night, he admitted to himself that he hated the thought of Sabrina forgiving David, and possibly going back to him. God! He hated to admit to jealousy, but that’s what it was. He loved Sabrina, and he had wanted to make sure there were no chances, and no opportunities for David Shelby to get her back. But seeing her like this, he knew a real fear that his worst nightmares just might have come true.

But then she spoke again. “I’m so glad you suggested I wait a day. I spent yesterday walking through the park. It was really quite cold, you know. I walked for hours, just thinking about everything that had happened in my life since the fire. And finally, I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but Dr. Thomas, you know my long-term, quietly suffering psychiatrist, was right all along.” Sabrina paused to take a sip of her water. Then she noticed the strange look on Brian’s face. “I’m sorry, Brian. I seem to be in such a strange mood today, I keep digressing. There was no one to blame, really. I acted like I always had—a spoiled little girl who had never had any one tell her no before. And I rebelled, for the first time in my life.” She shook her head slowly. “Now I can see that my parents were just as overwhelmed by the accident as I was. I just had no room in my heart to forgive them, or anyone. Until today, that is.” She paused to cross her legs and take another sip of water. “So what does all this mean, honey? Are you going to do the show? Is everything going back to the way it used to be?” Brian tried to keep the tension and anger out of his voice, but he failed. “Yes, I’m going to do the show. But just for twelve weeks—they’re on their own after that.” Brian felt compelled to interrupt her again. “You mean they wanted you to agree to longer than that?” Sabrina smiled and reached out to draw Brian down on the leather sofa next to her. “My father wanted me to come back permanently. No, wait a second and let me finish. I told him no, that I had other commitments, your film for one.” “Is that all it is for you, a commitment?” Again he was unable to keep the anger from his voice and words. He could see the surprise in her face. “No, it means much more to me than that. I care about what you want to say with this movie about our changing world, and how we are destroying it so heartlessly. But I also care about you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had. You know that. You know more about me than anybody else.” “Not even David Shelby?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. “I never told David the things I’ve shared with you. When I was engaged to him, I was like a child. I can see that now. You and I have shared our thoughts, our hopes, and our dreams to try and make a difference in this world.” Sabrina leaned forward to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “I don’t want to argue with you. That’s not why I came up here.” Brian could feel the tingling her kiss had caused all the way down to the most sensitive part of his anatomy. Sometimes, even her lightest touches could have him harder and hornier in seconds than any other woman could have done naked and in bed. He leaned back against the sofa. “Okay. So tell me why you

came up to my office in the middle of the day, a place you’ve avoided for the last three years whenever we were in town at the same time.” “And there I was thinking I was being smart,” her mouth made a small moue of resignation. “All right, I’ll get down to business. I want to stay at your apartment for the next twelve or so weeks.” If he had been a betting man, Brian would have placed all his money on all or nothing that the stock market would crash again, than on hearing Sabrina ask to share his apartment. He had never pressed her to deepen their relationship to a physical level. But he also knew she had been aware of his desire for her for quite some time now. Admitting his love for her last night had surprised him as well as Sabrina. He wondered if she was anticipating that they would share the apartment. Or had she figured he would be returning to California soon, so it really wouldn’t make that much of a difference anyway. Well, she had another thing coming if she thought he would get out to let David Shelby have a clear field of pursuit, and in his apartment, to boot. Brian had no doubts in his mind whatsoever that Shelby was greatly regretting breaking the engagement with Sabrina all those years ago. And even though he was directing some of the episodes now, he was still an outsider there. He would never be a part of the family business unless he married into it. And unless Marie divorced her husband of ten years, there was no other way into the family except through Sabrina. He’d be damned if he would make it easy for Shelby this time. “So, what do you think, Brian? Will you be willing to have me for a roommate for twelve weeks? I’ll promise to make my own bed and pick up after myself.” Sabrina added coyly, unaware that Brian’s mind had wandered from their conversation. “That’s why I came down here. I just couldn’t wait until dinner tonight.” “Sabrina, honey, this situation could get complicated with us living together, under the same roof.” Brian felt compelled to point out, as tactfully as possible that their relationship could progress in a direction she hadn’t fully considered. Part of him wanted to make it clear that being with her, seeing her in different stages of undress, had a good chance of making him lose his control.

***** But Brian, like most men, had a lot to learn about women still. Sabrina might not sleep around, but she did know the facts of life and she had been very careful not to let him become aware that she was physically attracted to him. She didn’t know if she was in love with him or not, but she knew that she loved him more than she had ever loved anyone else. And she had decided to try and “make things physical” when they returned to California.

Sabrina knew he might not believe her, thinking the decision had to do with seeing David again and going back on the show. But she had seen David today, and she hadn’t passed out in fear or lust. What little he had said to her had made her feel rather glad he had broken off the engagement. He was still the most handsome man she had ever seen. But yesterday she’d done a lot of thinking. When she took her memories of David out of the past, and looked at them with the eyes of an adult, they had not been quite as sweet as she had remembered them. Sabrina decided a little bravado was needed to get things back on track. “If you’re afraid to share your home with me, just say so. I’m sure I can rent some lonely, impersonal hotel room for the twelve, long, interminable weeks.” She looked up at him through her lashes, her lower lip turned down and pouting. “You are welcome to stay there if you want. But I’m not planning on returning to California right away,” he added decisively. “I’m glad to hear that, Brian. Even though I’ll be working long days, we can still spend time together when you’re there.” And the devil in her insisted she add, “Since we will be living together, technically.”

Chapter 4 Sabrina moved from Carol’s parents’ house amid a flurry of protest and lots of help. They insisted she continue to stay with them, even though Carol would be leaving with the tour company soon. And since she really only had her clothes, some books and her portable computer, it didn’t take long at all to get settled into Brian’s apartment. Of course, Mr. Barzini had been worse than her own father about her moving into a man’s apartment. But after the talk he had with Brian on moving day, he was much better. And neither man would reveal just what it was they had sat and discussed for an hour in the Barzini’s faded living room. Because she couldn’t get either man to talk about it, Sabrina finally decided it really didn’t matter. She was lucky to have discovered such wonderful friends in Carol and her family and even though Christmas was still more than twelve weeks away, they wanted her to promise to spend it with them. Sabrina chose the empty bedroom that was across the hall from Brian’s, rather than the one that was next to his. She thought the view out that window was better. There was also a very small balcony that seemed to have been added as an afterthought. The room was decorated in soft shades of peach and sea foam green, on a background of off-white. It was just as lovely as the rest of the apartment. She admitted, as she lay on the bed that first afternoon just three days after Brian’s agreeing to her idea, she was curious to see Brian’s bedroom. She wanted to see where he slept, and where he bathed and shaved each morning. There was a deep need inside of her to see if he was fastidious in his placement of his personal possessions, or if he laid them down haphazardly as she did most of the time. Her biggest surprise, as she rolled to her side and curled into a ball, was that she was curious at all. Maybe it was more than just curiosity, which she was sure she could handle. What if these feelings were just the beginning of something deeper? She had avoided any emotional entanglements for so long, that she was unsure of her emotions in this area. So carefully had she separated her life into work and friendships, that she doubted her ability to handle a relationship with any man, let alone someone as dynamic as Brian. Then there were all the other feelings of wanting a physical relationship with a man, but the man had to be Brian. As she stared out the window, tears slowly coursed down her cheeks onto the peach down comforter. Maybe she should just

turn tail and run. Not just to California this time, but maybe all the way to Europe. She knew Philippa and Marcello would welcome her. The longer she lay there, the more she thought. Finally, even though she was scared, she knew that she couldn’t run anymore. It was time to face all of her demons, and decide what to do about them. She drifted into a restless sleep from which Brian’s voice woke her several hours later. “So this is where you’ve been hiding? Mrs. Jennings thought you might have gone out when she wasn’t looking.” He walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. It was impossible not to notice the tear stains on her cheeks and the pillowcase. He reached out to gently rub at the dampness on her face. “Do you want to talk about it?” he asked her. Sabrina smiled and caught his hand in her own, which for once was not encased in a glove. She pressed his palm against the soft skin of her cheek. “I’m just fighting ghosts and goblins from the past. I’m fine now.” Then she saw Brian’s eyes go to the rough, scarred skin on the back of the hand that held his. She had always been careful to conceal her scars, even from him, until now. She was unaware that she held her breath, until he raised her hand to his face and pressed his lips against the lightly puckered skin. As he heard her slowly release her pent up breath, he allowed his lips to open slightly, kissing the hand again. This time as her eyes met his, he let his tongue sample the taste and the textures of her skin.

***** Brian saw the surprise on her face. As he began a gentle sucking on the skin of her hand, her eyelids drifted shut as she absorbed a familiar yet strange sensation. He slowly turned her hand over and pressed his open mouth to her palm this time. It was Sabrina’s soft moan and shifting to her back that had him moving over her, bending down to take her slightly parted lips with his own. As he deepened the kiss, stroking his tongue across her lips and then deeper into the hot recesses of her mouth, she shifted over on the bed. Brian aligned himself next to her. “God! Honey…” Brian groaned softly. Sabrina felt the hard length of him against her side. She felt so hot, so restless, yet somewhat drowsy. She couldn’t seem to put her thoughts together. She felt Brian’s hot lips on her neck, then they came back to claim her lips again. She couldn’t keep a soft cry from escaping her lips, but she thought she also had invited him to take more. She hoped that’s what she had said anyway. In her lower belly and at the apex of her thighs, her womanly body cried out for attention, and release. His large left hand slipped beneath her sweater, over the occasional puckered skin of her stomach, until it rested just below her breast. She had

removed her bra right before she had lain down. He seemed to be waiting for something. Sabrina wasn’t sure what. She shifted ever so slightly so that her eagerly waiting breast filled his hand to overflowing. Her gasp of satisfaction was lost within the molten heat of his mouth. He squeezed her gently, once, then twice, a little more firmly, feeling her breast swelling with passion from his touch. He had to see her, to touch her with his mouth now. “I need to taste you, Bree.” Sabrina’s breath caught for a second, followed by a passionate moan. Maybe it was the pet name…it didn’t matter that much because the sound was lost as he raised the sweater and enveloped her right nipple with his mouth. The suction increased, slowly at first, until he drew her whole nipple deeply inside his mouth. Her back arched off the bed, unconsciously offering him even more. Brian couldn’t refuse the blatant invitation and turned his attention to her left breast. “Beautiful,” he whispered, a second before he began suckling her left nipple with gentle pressure, alternating between teasing licks of his tongue. He began squeezing her right breast again. Sabrina felt her breasts swell to an unbearable fullness. She pressed his head to her with both hands. It was crazy, but she felt like she was burning up inside, going beyond restraint and losing any sense of control. “Yes…please…” Sabrina gasped, because her soft pleading was answered a moment later as one of his hands deserted her breasts and slipped down her stomach, undoing the zipper of her jeans. His fingers trailed down her softly curving tummy, and paused at the very top of her mound. Slowly, he swirled his fingers on her skin, his breath sighing across her naked breasts. Sabrina savored the feel of his fingers and hand, slightly rougher than her skin, as they stroked across the softness of her warm flesh. The waiting was over and Brian let his fingers move ever so slightly, seeking her soft curls, downward. Abruptly, Brian stopped and rose above Sabrina, his fingers frozen in place. A few moments passed before Sabrina became aware of Brian’s stillness, both above her, and of his hand. Her hips actually lifted upwards and her thighs fell further apart, inviting his possession. She had been so looking forward to his touch continuing that she reluctantly opened her eyes and looked up into his blue ones. Sabrina soon became aware of just where it was that his fingers had stopped. There was a small scar on her pubic area, from where the fire had followed the clothing she’d worn that day. It was not terribly noticeable, yet she held her breath wondering if the thought of her being scarred, there, of all places, was repelling him, or turning him off. Her brain told her to move away from him,

before he could hurt her with his change of mind. Her subconscious knew that Brian’s rejection would be more damaging than David’s had ever been. Brian seemed to feel the tension in her muscles because he spoke quickly. “No, darling, don’t move.” He moved his fingers further down, just a bit, and then a little more, until he reached her slit. He stopped there, and began letting his fingers explore the absolutely hairless mound beneath his hand. Finally, with his fingers resting at the top of her pussy, but still moving a tiny bit, he asked her softly, “Do you shave, my love?” Sabrina slowly felt his meaning seep into her brain, and her soul. It wasn’t the scar that had surprised him, but her smoothness. A tiny smile began to curve her luscious lips as he gazed down at her. Instead of soft or perhaps even wiry pubic hair, he had discovered beautiful smoothness. Sabrina savored the feel of his large hand covering her pussy, his fingers idly flicking between and across her wet lips. “Because of the scars, one of the nurses suggested that I have the hair on my legs removed, to prevent having to worry about possibly catching it with a razor. Since that scar was near the edge of where my bathing suit would be… Well, I decided to have it all removed.” Brian held her eyes and soon his fingers moved again, this time further down. A hoarse groan escaped him as he quickly discovered that she had absolutely smooth lips too. Any conscious or logical thoughts trailed away as he moved his fingers between her hairless pussy lips to the sweet fire that awaited him. His mouth returned to hers as she gasped. “Brian! Oh, God! Brian…” His skillful fingers found what they sought. He lightly touched her clit, and immediately Sabrina was gasping and crying out. As Brian continued to finger her flesh, Sabrina felt her passion rising above her surprise. Over and over, he teased her clit, and ran his fingers over her smooth and now very wet lips. Her legs slipped farther apart and she moaned helplessly again as his hand slid lower. And then, just when she had thought it couldn’t get any better, his fingers slipped backwards, just a bit, to find the hot, sweet opening he sought so eagerly. First one, then two, fingers slipped inside her. His thumb began a rhythm on her clit that she couldn’t help but respond to. His mouth returned to her breast, drawing her distended nipple deep inside. Sabrina was feeling like she was surfing a huge wave without a board. As Brian matched his suckling of her full breast to the movement of his fingers, slowly, then faster, and wilder, Sabrina knew she was really riding a tidal wave. Out of control, her head thrashed back and forth on the pillow, her lips wide open, gasping in air. Her hips moved restlessly under his skilled touch, while her legs scissored impatiently against the bed beneath her.

Suddenly, Sabrina dug her heels into the bed, her hips jerked madly out of control, and she cried out in sheer ecstasy. The look on her face revealed her passion and astonishment to Brian. Sabrina slowly became aware of her surroundings. She felt the air from the gently rotating ceiling fan across her naked stomach. Then she felt the heavy weight of Brian’s head as it rested on her breasts. As she inhaled deeply, she felt her left nipple being enclosed once again, the deep erotic suckling beginning again. Oh my God, she thought, as she felt his fingers gently slide out of her. His hand passed over the small area of puckered and drawn skin of her lower abdomen, pausing here and there, to rub gently at one area or another, until he reached her breasts again. Sabrina couldn’t look away as he slowly lifted his head, bestowing a gentle kiss on each nipple, watching until his hand finally cupped and enclosed her right breast. He gave one gentle squeeze, and then he looked up into her cat’s eyes. “Your eyes are so mysterious, Sabrina. You hide all your feelings and secrets so well.” Sabrina took a deep breath, incredibly aware of his hand resting on her breast. She was amazed. She was flabbergasted. Then she smiled. She was definitely satisfied. Then she became aware of his arousal as he rested at her side. “What about you…” Sabrina asked him anxiously. He silenced her with a soft kiss to her swollen lips. “My time will come later. Now we both need to get cleaned up, or did you forget that you accepted a dinner invitation for both of us tonight at your parents’ house?” Her groan was answer enough for him. Sabrina could see the regret in his face, which mimicked her own. She liked that he wished she had not accepted any dinner invitation. “Thank you for that groan, honey,” Brian told her softly. Sabrina frowned at him, and Brian grinned in reply. “I’m taking your groan to mean that you would rather stay right here…” Sabrina nodded her head, but instead of pursuing that thought, he spoke softly. “I’ll leave you to get ready by yourself. If I stay here another minute, well, hurry up and get dressed.” And with that he left her alone to prepare for dinner. For a few moments she couldn’t move. Her body was sated and her limbs felt heavy with lassitude. It didn’t matter that she was lying half naked on the bed—her sweater shoved up and her pants yanked down. She was the epitome of slaked lust right then. It was silly, but she could probably be the “poster child” for lust just now. Sabrina left the bed with great reluctance. She didn’t want to move. She felt too good. Most importantly she didn’t want the feeling to go away. Her legs felt rubbery as she stood and she was intensely aware of the wetness that bathed her

smooth pussy lips and upper thighs. Shoving her jeans and panties down the rest of the way, she kicked them aside. As she walked past the mirror, she paused. Her sweater was still shoved up beneath her arms, and her breasts appeared swollen and flushed, as they were reflected in the mirror. Her nipples were still distended, and she had never before seen them such a dark pink color. Almost reluctantly, as if it were a forbidden act, she let her eyes move down her body. She was indeed naked the rest of the way down and her wetness could be seen glistening on her shaven mound and puffy lips. Taking in the whole picture of her near nakedness, including her mussed hair, and her mouth that looked as if she had been more than thoroughly kissed by a lover, Sabrina realized how she had looked to Brian when he had stood next to the bed for a long moment, before leaving her room. She wondered what he had thought, seeing her look so obviously rumpled from lovemaking. Did she excite or repel him? Finally, Sabrina turned away from her image and went to the shower. As the hot water cleansed her heated skin, she admitted that she had loved every minute of what had just happened to her on the bed. She wished he hadn’t stopped. Dear God, she realized that if he had only said the word, she would have cancelled their dinner plans. She was ready to know what it was like to make love with Brian. She felt the time was finally right. As the water coursed across her skin, she moved her hands lightly over her sensitized breasts. They were the same, she knew that, but they felt different all of a sudden. And when her fingers touched her pussy lips, she could still feel how swollen they felt, how incredibly sensitive. Abruptly she pulled her hand away, realizing that she had better hurry, or she would never be ready on time.

Chapter 5 It was a few minutes after eight when Sabrina and Brian finally made it to her parents’ penthouse apartment overlooking Central Park. They had had a heated discussion before they even set foot out the front door. Brian had called her from the living room saying that it was getting late, and when she had not answered, he had wandered back into her bedroom. The air was knocked out of him when he found her standing in front of her closet, clad in a demi bra, tiny high cut panties, a lacy garter belt, and stockings, all in black silk and lace. Damn, he thought, their timing sucked. And so much for his twenty-minute cold shower. Brian tactfully cleared his throat to announce his presence, but Sabrina didn’t turn around, nor did she hurriedly grab something to cover herself. She stood in front of her closet, muttering to herself about what she should, or should not wear that evening. She turned to face him finally, holding one of her black highcut dresses in her hand. She had not yet put on the habitual gloves, though they were lying on the bed—a super soft and ultra thin suede pair, in black this time. Brian walked across to her, looking down at the dress. He then reached past her, pulling out a different dress. It was gold, and made of a soft material, almost tapestry-like, but very thin. It was much lower cut, and a lot shorter than the black one she was holding. “How about this one, honey?” he asked her innocently. Sabrina pursed her lips, glaring just a bit. “I don’t have the gloves to match that dress, and it is a little… daring to wear to my parents’, Brian.” Brian looked from one dress to the other. Finally, he met her eyes. “Wear this one for me, sweetheart, and leave the gloves at home.” Sabrina started to protest, but Brian pressed his fingers against her lips. “I know what I am asking, Sabrina. You don’t have to cover anything from me, scars or feelings.” “All right,” Sabrina answered. “Go on and I’ll be right out.” She appeared finally, wearing a lightweight coat so he had not yet seen the full effect of the dress he had chosen. In the car, his thoughts kept returning to the vision of Sabrina lying half-naked on the bed. The cold shower had helped initially, but walking into the bedroom and finding her looking like a Victoria’s Secret model ready for the runway had managed to make him aroused once again. He tried to focus on something else, and finally he pulled out his memories of when Sabrina first barged into his life. After almost knocking him

down and ripping his stitches out, she had shown up on the private wing of the hospital, in his room— Brian Richards, Wall Street shark and successful Hollywood producer, was surprised by what he felt were genuine emotions expressed by the woman’s words of apology and remorse. After his first mega-hit, he had soon become adept at telling the honest people, from the “players.” He slowly took in the red hair pulled high into a ponytail atop her head. Her face was clean of any makeup and she was dressed in one of the hospital’s atrocious gowns. Dressed as she was, it was obvious that she wasn’t one of the hospital’s more exclusive clients who usually, apart from the hospital staff, were the only ones who had access to the floor he was on. He wondered who had broken the strict rules of privacy that were in force for the protection of the wealthier, and in many cases, more high-profile patients on this floor. He decided that she was probably an out of work actress who needed a job. Or maybe, he thought cynically, she was looking for another type of position. He knew it was a well-known fact about town that he had recently broken up with a widowed socialite from New York City. The break-up had been amicable, but was still well publicized. He narrowed his eyes and rubbed his chin as he considered what she might be offering. But in that grayish-white, wrinkled gown he really couldn’t tell much about her except that her face was quite beautiful and her lips were full and sensual. As his eyes traveled downwards, he noticed the bandages on her hands and the hint of a larger dressing, just showing at the neckline of the gown. “Do you have a name, or was that all that you wanted? To remind me that you bumped into me, or do you want something else?” He knew he was being deliberately rude, knowing she would either respond in kind and leave, or admit that she really was only there to apologize. “I’m sorry. I’m Sabrina Selwyn. I was so lost in my own thoughts today that I didn’t see you until it became impossible for me to stop. I’m really sorry if I caused you any pain.” She started to offer her hand in greeting, but she suddenly stopped. Brian watched her face as she self-consciously recalled the bandages. She nervously folded both hands behind her back. Brian regretted his outburst. “I guess I’m lucky we weren’t in a car with you driving if you daydream like that.” Sabrina answered his smile with a smaller one, as he continued. “But I have to admit, I was pretty angry at first. I had to have a pain shot to settle back into bed and I hate shots.” He gave a rueful grin as she laughed softly. “I hate them, too. But after awhile, you kind of get used to almost anything.” Sabrina agreed with him and shrugged her shoulders. Brian motioned for her to take the chair next to the bed. “I take it you’ve been in the hospital a lot, Ms. Selwyn.”

“Please, call me Sabrina. And yes, I have, over the last few years anyway. Before that, I wasn’t even sure what the inside of a hospital looked liked.” She drew the faded blue and white striped, wrinkled cotton robe closed, which had parted slightly as she sat down. Her action drew his gaze downward and he caught sight of the bandages on her legs. “I don’t mean to pry, but were you in some sort of accident or something?” He watched as her bandaged hands plucked nervously at the robe and gown. Just as he was deciding she wasn’t going to answer him, she did. “I was burnt nine years ago in a freak accident at a studio where I was working.” Then she glanced up to meet his eyes and saw the gradual recognition as he realized who she was. She was one of the famous “acting Selwyn’s.” Sabrina was the one who had been horribly burnt—it had occupied the entertainment media’s attention for months. Brian paused, realizing by the look on her face that she expecting something from him. It didn’t take long for him to guess that it was an outpouring of sympathy. He imagined that sympathy was very common from people who had met her since the accident. “The soap opera fire, right?” Brian immediately saw the surprise on her face that the directness of his words caused. “That’s daytime drama, if you please,” Sabrina corrected him with an impish smile. “They used to fine the actors if they heard them using the dreaded words ‘soap opera.’ “ Brian’s laugh boomed around the room, bringing a genuine smile to Sabrina’s lips, although he ended up clutching his left side. It also brought a surprised smile to his own doctor’s face as he entered the room just then. Brian had been the original grouch since his appendectomy that even his doctor had come to dread this daily visit to his patient. The nurses were threatening to boycott his room. His doctor, Mike Phelps, had warned him that if he didn’t want to give his own shots, he’d better shape up! The surprise on Dr. Mike Phelps’ face was obvious as he discovered Sabrina Selwyn sitting in a chair next to the original big bad bear. Of course, he knew she was currently in the hospital, under the care of his own colleague and friend, Cheryl Simms. Whenever there was a “star” of any renown, the whole staff knew it. They just didn’t let anyone else know it. “How did you get in here?” he asked Sabrina. Both men noted the guilty pink flush that stained her smooth cheeks. And while Sabrina was definitely more famous and noteworthy than Brian, he was the one who was staying in the private wing of the hospital, not her. “Alright, I admit it.” She confided, a sheepish smile curving her lips. “I bribed one of the nurses, but don’t ask who because I won’t tell you and before you go on about corruption and such, the only thing she would accept was a

copy of my book. But I’m the guilty party, not her.” Sabrina paused, and pressed her bandaged hands to her chest in a pleading pose. “So punish me if you must, kind sir, not her. For she is truly just an innocent ploy as I formed my dastardly scheme to seek out this innocent man.” It was Brian’s laugh and applause that had her raising her demurely lowered chin. A slow smile lit her face from within. And at that precise second, Brian began wondering about the strange feelings that were bombarding his senses ever since this petite woman had entered his room. In those few moments, he had found her to be smart, sympathetic, with a great sense of humor. Something told him she played fair, and she still didn’t appear to know who he was. He was definitely feeling more than a little captivated. But Mike’s next words brought understanding to her face. “I’m grateful to you, Ms. Selwyn, for bringing the first smile to Brian’s face in several days.” “Brian Richards,” Sabrina said finally. “Of course, I recognize you now.” He couldn’t help the sarcasm from his voice as he questioned. “I thought you knew who I was since you knew which room I was in.” Sabrina tilted her chin, showing that she was ignoring the sarcasm and answered honestly. “No. I described you to the nurse, and she said you were ‘Mr. Richards in 302.’ Actually, I won’t tell you what she really said except that it was a bit more detailed than just your name.” She paused as Mike laughed uproariously. “I wonder if they were the same names I’ve heard him called over the last three days.” Sabrina stood up and made her way to the door suddenly, unable to contain her anger, or conceal the hurt at his blatant assumption. “Now I imagine you think I had some ulterior motive for knocking you down in the hallway.” Mike cut in diplomatically. “I refuse to believe such a small woman, Ms. Selwyn, could knock down my friend here, who is six feet two and weighs at least two-twenty!” “I protest.” Brian responded quickly, hating himself for causing the hurt in Sabrina’s eyes. “I’m down to at least two-seventeen after three days of this crummy hospital food.” His laughter invited her to join him, as did his warm, smiling blue eyes. Sabrina laughed a few moments later. “You’re quite right, about the food that is. I was thinking you guys over here in the plush rooms got better food. I was planning on ordering in pizza for dinner tonight, would you like to join me?” Brian was grateful for the olive branch and grabbed it before she could change her mind. “Your room or mine?”

Sabrina had giggled, and turned around just before she left the room. “Mine. I think my nurses like me better than yours like you. We’ll be less likely to get in trouble down there.” Standing at Sabrina’s side as they waited for the door to open to her parents’ Park Avenue condo, Brian acknowledged it had been the wink she had given when she’d mentioned that the nurses liked her better. Everyone, he noticed as their friendship deepened over the following months and years, liked Sabrina. It was always because of the little things she did, beginning with the very next day after they had met. He was dressed, ready to leave, but he went down to seek out Sabrina. There was no way he was leaving the hospital without several sure ways of finding her and keeping in touch. But she wasn’t in her room or on her floor, he soon found out. He found her on the children’s ward, playing with a child in isolation, who had received third degree burns over fifty percent of his body in a house fire. Luckily no one else had been injured anywhere near as severely. Watching her for several minutes, he had soon found himself meeting Juan Alverado’s parents. Sabrina came out of the room, slowly peeling off the isolation gown, mask and gloves. Brian saw the tears in her eyes that she now felt she could shed, outside the child’s room where he could not see her. He also noted the surprise when she saw him. Right then Brian knew that their lives were going to be intertwined, in more ways than one—

***** “You look very handsome tonight,” Sabrina told him softly. Brian smiled, turning his head towards her. “Thank you. Have you heard from Juan lately?” Sabrina laughed and threaded her arm with his for the walk from the elevator to her parents’ co-op. “Whatever made you ask about Juan? And yes, I got a lovely crayon letter from him last week, plus a detailed note from Maria. Things are going very well. The new graft is working out great, and he wants to know if we’ll be home in time for the party.” “Damn it! I need to check my schedule. Since we gave the planning over to my assistant in Los Angeles, I hadn’t given it much thought. I know Lucy will have me where I need to be on the right date.” “I know she will as well. We talked two days ago, and plans are going great. All you have to do is show up, whereas I will have to do some prelim work this year.” Brian opened his mouth to ask her what she meant when the door to her parents co-op started to open.

Chapter 6 It was Marina who opened the door to them. She smiled and quickly enfolded Sabrina in a hug. Then she turned her brown eyes to Brian. She had seen his picture and heard of him of course, but this was the first she had ever met him. Brian Richards was definitely a Hollywood insider. “How nice of you to join us for dinner this evening, Mr. Richards.” Marina graciously offered her hand for him to grasp while she signaled for the maid, Jessie, to take their coats. “Please call me Brian, Mrs. Selwyn.” He smiled down into her upturned face. And his smile turned even brighter when Sabrina took his hand into hers as her mother released her. “And I insist that you call me Marina. We are usually quite casual, aren’t we, Sabrina dear?” Sabrina smiled and nodded. Before she could answer, her mother continued speaking. “Now, let’s head in and get you both something to drink.” Marina escorted them with a hand resting on each of their elbows. She smiled at her second oldest son, Sam, who had been nominated to be bartender for the evening. “Sam, we need some drinks here.” Marina spotted Jessie across the room, waving her hand to attract her attention. “Oh dear, I do hope dinner isn’t going to be delayed. You know how your father is about having his dinner on time. Have a seat, and I’ll be right back.” Sabrina watched her mother’s departing figure across the room, and then turned to smile up at Brian. But before she could share her humorous thoughts with him, a sneering voice interrupted her. “I guess the party can begin, the ‘prodigal daughter’ has arrived.” Anne held her glass out to Sam for a refill, before turning to the man beside her. “David was just wondering when you were going to arrive, weren’t you, darling?” Sabrina stood in stunned surprise for a long moment. Her mother had neglected to mention that David had been included in what her mother had called a “family dinner party.” Then Brian came to her rescue, offering to help her up onto the high barstool. Since this was a rather common occurrence between the two of them, she laughed out loud as he hoisted her up. As she glanced up into his own smiling blue eyes, she could see that Brian was also recalling the first time they had been in a bar together. She had tried to get up by herself and succeeded in only unseating herself as well as three other patrons sitting at the bar in what could only be described as a slow motion

domino-effect. “Thanks, Brian. The last thing I need to do is to knock over poor Libby here. She’s probably got about all she can cope with right now what with the kids having chicken pox.” Libby laughed. “There’s got to be a story in that comment.” It was Brian who answered for her. “The only time I let Sabrina get up by herself, we had a domino collision of bar stools. They still give us dirty looks whenever we go in there together.” Sam interrupted the laughter to question, “Will you have your usual gin and tonic, Sabrina?” Sabrina fought to keep the grin off her face at the amazed looks of the others when Brian again answered for her. “Not anymore, Sam, isn’t it?” At Sam’s nod, he continued. “Now she sticks to bottled water, no ice.” Everyone around them saw the conspiratorial smile the two of them shared. “And for a special treat she adds a slice of lime.” Sam laughed at the whole exchange and grinned at the looks on Anne’s and David’s faces. “Well, I’d say that this is a ‘slice of lime’ time. And what’s your poison, Brian?” Sabrina decided that if she was in for a penny, she might as well be in for the pound, so she answered quickly. “I’m afraid that I haven’t been able to convert Brian to my way of thinking yet. But I do keep working on him.” And Brian, seeing the hint of impishness and devilment in her cat’s eyes, obviously decided to play along. He leaned down and placed a light kiss on her surprised parted lips. “I’ll have whiskey, neat.” Sabrina was smiling as she glanced away. She met her father’s eyes, and knew that he had seen the kiss between his daughter and the man everyone knew to be very wealthy and powerful, both on Wall Street and in Hollywood. Her father had never met Brian Richards before, but it was common knowledge that Richards could be ruthless in the pursuit of what he wanted. Sabrina was also pretty sure her parents, and especially her father, did not like the idea of Sabrina sharing Brian’s apartment, period. But her father was a good actor and an excellent host, so Sabrina watched as he relaxed his face into a smile and said, “A man who knows how to drink fine whiskey. A rare breed these days, I’m afraid.” John moved close to Sabrina and hugged her with his free arm. “You look lovely tonight, honey.” Then he turned to Brian. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Richards.” Brian shook John’s hand. “As I asked your lovely wife, sir, call me Brian.” John laughed, relaxing his stiff posture slightly. “My pleasure, Brian. Sabrina has probably told you that we don’t stand on ceremony, or bother much with formalities. We’re usually too tired from having to get up at five for filming. I hear you’re going to start production on a new film soon.”

Brian took a sip of the expensive whiskey before answering. “Yes, I am. I was going to head back out to California next week.” He paused as he saw the surprised look on Sabrina’s face. He smiled directly into her eyes as he continued. “But I’ve decided to stay here until Sabrina finishes with the show. I’ve been in contact with my staff out there, and they’ll be commuting for awhile until we can get out to California.” Libby, sitting next to Sabrina at the rounded bar, which occupied a small corner of the living room, didn’t miss the undercurrents of the look between Brian and Sabrina. “What’s the movie about, if you don’t mind my being so nosy?” She wrinkled her nose at Sam as he laughed loudly. “I don’t mind at all,” Brian said, smiling at the other woman. “It’s about our changing world, and how the ways that we have looked at problems and crises in the past will no longer help us save the planet today. We need to begin seeing the world as systems that are interconnected and interrelated. We can no longer concentrate on just one problem at a time, but rather understand how each is involved and dependent on the other.” Brian paused to sip his whiskey, and then he continued. “We need to look at issues like the American Indians used to. No major decision was ever made without first looking at how it would affect the next seven generations.” “Wow!” whispered Libby in awed tones. Brian smiled ruefully, laughing at himself. “Sorry, I tend to get carried away about this film.” David’s caustic voice interrupted the silence that followed. “Doesn’t sound like much of a money maker to me. I imagine you’ve had a hard time finding investors.” He sipped his own gin and tonic. He couldn’t hide the jealousy he felt as he had seen the rapt expressions on the faces of the various members of the Selwyn family. Sabrina was smiling when she happened to catch David’s eyes. Her smile faded as she saw the look on his face. In her heart she knew he felt like he didn’t belong. He wasn’t a member of the family, and when he had broken their engagement, he had lost his only chance of ever really belonging or truly being an “insider.” Sabrina turned away quickly, sipping her water. His resentment and anger was tangible to her, and even though he had remained on the show, continued to be invited to most family functions, and now directed a third of all their episodes, he still was not a member of the family. Brian’s voice drew her back to the present. “You’re right that it will never be a box office hit. But that’s not what I’m after this time. I feel it’s important to still make films that have something to say to the world about the world.”

“I guess the six movies you already made were just a lapse away from your higher ideals,” David said jokingly, but with a distinct bite of sarcasm in his voice. Brian hid his grin as he took another sip of whiskey. His hand came out and curved around Sabrina’s arm. Her eyes lifted and met his. Little did David Shelby realize that he could not have picked a worse subject to attack Brian on than this new project of his. Brian’s voice was still calm as he answered. “I can’t take credit for the change of heart. I made those other movies when I first got into producing, and the last two were already in production when I met Sabrina.” He reached out and smoothed a lock of auburn hair back from her cheek. He turned back to meet David’s dark blue eyes head on. “It was Sabrina who introduced me to the author of these ideas. And, with some persuasion on her part, I have to add, she convinced me to talk with the learned scientist. And from there, I finally convinced him that we could work together to make a change; reach much more people than he could ever hope to reach through his books and lectures. So, we got him to do the screenplay with Mike Shaw, and then all I had to do was get Willem von Helsen to direct.” Sabrina was tired of listening to Brian defend himself, and spoke up in his defense. “Brian’s playing down how much work he has actually invested in this film already. But you were right about one thing, David, investors were not knocking down his door. I think that was the hardest part, trying to make these media giants and capitalists realize a change is coming. The ‘Green Party’ is growing larger everyday as people see the deterioration of our planet occurring right in front of our eyes. And, well, I’ll get off my soapbox, as Brian calls it.” Sabrina was angry until she felt Brian’s fingers stroking down the side of her face. She turned towards him, catching the surprise he had felt at her vehement words in his defense evident on his face. The anger faded quickly and she smiled up at him slowly. It had made her feel good to defend Brian against David. Anne leaned forward, taking advantage of the silence. “Have you begun casting, Brian?” Anne asked, her voice much softer and more pleasant this time. “Actually, Anne, we’ve been putting that off until we had all the main details ironed out and major contracts signed. I imagine we’ll start a couple of weeks after we return to California.” Looking away from a stern look cast her way by her husband, Anne revealed her eagerness for an answer. “We’ve heard the storyline, but who are the leading characters in the film?” Sabrina was getting more than a little impatient with her sister-in-law, and trying to decide how to shut her up when Marina announced dinner was finally ready. Sabrina caught Brian’s smile at her audible sigh of relief.

***** Dinner passed without any major conflicts. Her parents were successful in keeping the topic of conversation to Sam and Libby’s children, and the possible plot changes to the show’s “bible.” The only tense moment for Sabrina had been when her mother had asked Brian whether he liked children or not. Talk about being obvious! And she would have kicked Brian if she’d been close enough to him when he replied that it depended on whether they were talking in general about other people’s children, children of the world, or any children he might have. And then he had looked directly at Sabrina. Coughing over the bite that went down wrong, she didn’t know what had gotten into him tonight. He was saying things that kept surprising her. When he had mentioned his children, then looked at her, she had actually felt her toes curl up in anticipation. Babies were something that she had decided probably would not be a close part of her life. And here she was, sitting at her parents’ antique dining room table, wondering what it would feel like to have her body swell and change with a baby. What really threw her for a loop was when she realized that it just wasn’t anybody’s baby. It was Brian’s baby that she was daydreaming about. She glanced around nervously when she realized that she had absent-mindedly been rubbing her lower stomach for several minutes without being aware of it. She breathed a sigh of relief when she noticed that no one seemed to be looking at her right then. Suddenly, her thoughts and life seemed to be going off in directions she had never anticipated. Sabrina wasn’t sure what was going to happen next, and that was making her even more nervous. She’d argue that she was not a control freak, but she had managed to keep her life on a nicely planned, even keel. Deciding to return to the show was going to upset her well-planned days. And from the way Brian had been acting, she couldn’t help but wonder how much. Luckily for Sabrina, her mother soon suggested they all go to the living room for their coffee. As they entered the room that held so many memories for her, she paused. Brian took her hand and pulled her over to a two-seater sofa. And then he casually draped his arm across the back of the sofa, allowing his fingers to begin playing with the long strands of her hair. He spent several seconds winding a long, silky lock around his index finger, and then he began rubbing it between that finger and his thumb. Sabrina had just decided to ask exactly what he thought he was doing when David’s voice stopped her. “I’m glad you’ve never cut your hair, Sabrina. I’m sure you remember how much I liked it long, down the middle of your back.” He smiled smugly as he took a sip of coffee. His irritation from watching Richards touch Sabrina all evening was blatant. He made no effort to hide his satisfaction when Brian visibly tensed on the sofa beside Sabrina.

It was Sabrina who snapped back with a reply, deciding a little fib wouldn’t hurt anybody. “I’ve often wanted to cut it short, being in California so much of the time, but each time I bring it up, Brian manages to talk me out of it.” She felt Brian jerk slightly in surprise, and then he gave a deliberate tug to the lock of hair he still had wrapped in his fingers.

***** Sabrina didn’t see the look on his face as Brian listened to her. The little vixen has decided to play, Brian thought to himself. He wasn’t sure just how far she would go but he was enjoying seeing Shelby squirm and look like the outsider tonight. He’d been jealous about the other man’s prior relationship with Sabrina almost from the first time he learned that she had been engaged to him. He decided to give Sabrina a little taste of her own medicine, just so she wouldn’t be too smug. “Well, if you feel that strongly about it, honey, I guess I could cave in. After all, you could wear your hair short for the film. It might help you look a little more radical anyway, and less a conformist. Maybe something really short, and spiked?” He moved sideways, to pull her hair back off her neck. “What do you think, Marina? Without all that soft hair around her face, she does look a little tougher.” He ignored Sabrina’s soft gasp of surprise, looking at her mother for an answer. Marina looked a little surprised, but quickly decided to answer honestly. “Actually, I think you would look quite beautiful with your hair cut short, Sabrina. You know one of those real short, waif cuts. It would really accent your bone structure.” At that, Sabrina appeared to be ready to shout there was no way in hell she’d cut her hair, when Anne interrupted with a question of her own. “What part are you talking about, Brian?” “Oh, I thought I’d mentioned it already. Sabrina has the female lead in this new film we were talking about earlier. I admit that I used her name quite a bit to secure the investors, and she was the drawing card that finally convinced Willem to direct for me.” “So, do you have anyone in particular for any of the other parts yet, Brian?” Anne smiled at him ignoring the looks Paul was directing her from way across the room. As Brian started to answer her, Sabrina interrupted. “Excuse me.” She popped up off the couch and took off down the wide hall to the bathroom.

Chapter 7 Sabrina closed the door behind her, turning the lock and leaning back against the door. She took a deep sigh and wondered just when things had started to go haywire this evening. She had felt confident that in inviting Brian she would feel protected and secure, no matter what her family might bring up. But then, things had gotten out of her hands, and she felt as helpless as a leaf in the wind at times. When David had seemed to be attacking Brian, she had felt an undeniable need to defend him. She moved over to the black porcelain sink and began running some cold water. Slowly she dipped her hands into the water and splashed it onto her heated face. It didn’t matter that she was rinsing off her carefully applied makeup. She scrubbed until her face was clean. Finally, Sabrina looked up into the lighted vanity mirror, taking in her golden green eyes, surrounded by thick auburn lashes, which were now devoid of mascara. She always felt she looked more vulnerable, softer, without the dark eye makeup she usually wore for performances. Tonight was a performance of sorts. Even though it was her family, there was still a lot that needed to be ironed out, so to speak. Facing everyone, with Brian at her side, Sabrina had felt better equipped with a good layer of makeup on. Patting her face dry with one of the black towels, Sabrina paused to look at her hands. She was so used to the scars, that at times she forgot they were there. Yet she still felt it was necessary to cover her hands in public. She had finally decided it wasn’t because she was ashamed of the way she looked, but rather that she had grown weary of the questioning and often pitying looks she received. Until this afternoon, no one besides her doctors and hospital staff had ever seen any of the scars on the rest of her body. Her eyes closed unconsciously as she remembered lying on the bed, letting Brian do all those delicious things to her body. My goodness, she was getting all steamy and wet just thinking about it! She quickly replaced the towel and jerked open the bathroom door. She spun about quickly, pulling the door shut behind her, and promptly bumped into a broad, suit-jacketed chest. As strong arms wrapped around her to steady her, she inhaled deeply. “Brian! What are you doing out here?” “Well, the logical answer is that I’m waiting on the bathroom.” He noticed that her face was clean of her earlier makeup and jumped to what seemed was a

logical assumption. “Have you been crying in there? Is that why you were in there so long?” Sabrina stepped back, out of his arms, to rest against the wall. “That is a very improper question to ask a lady, sir!” Then she broke into a large smile. “No, I wasn’t crying. I was just feeling a little over-heated, and decided to rinse my face to cool down.” She narrowed her eyes as another thought came to her. “Did you follow me deliberately?” “Yes, that is partly true.” He held his hands in front of himself as in defense. “I saw Shelby moving to get up, and I didn’t want him waylaying you in the hall.” Sabrina crossed her arms below her breasts and took a deep breath. She did notice Brian’s gaze drop momentarily to appreciate the luscious bosom that he had spent so much attention on that afternoon. “Is that the only reason?” “No. I also thought we needed a moment alone to discuss something.” Sabrina reached out and grabbed one of his hands. “Is it the fact that my family has been grilling you so badly?” “No, honey, it’s not that.” He took both her hands in his own. “It’s the fact that we’ve been playing with one another all night in a way we’ve never done before. I just wanted to protect you from Shelby and that bitchy sister-in-law of yours. But I’m not sure why you’ve been acting as if there’s something going on between us.” Sabrina swallowed nervously. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you angry. I hated it when David and Anne kept sniping at you. And I didn’t know any other way to do it. I’m sorry if I’ve embarrassed you.” She paused a second, then went on more quietly. “Maybe I took too much for granted after…” Brian pulled her into his arms. “Oh God, Sabrina! I meant every action and word this afternoon. You have no idea how much restraint it took to stop.” He held her pressed tightly to his chest for another moment or two, and then gently moved her away. “Which reminds me…that dress…” Sabrina smiled, laughing softly. She felt honor bound to remind him, “But you were the one who picked it out.” Brian narrowed his eyes at her impertinent reminder. Two could play this game. “Yes, but you should have forewarned me.” Sabrina knew he was referring to the fact that the dress fit so tightly that it precluded wearing any underwear. She put on her most innocent expression. “Oh, goodness me. I didn’t mean to shock you with my lack of…panties…shall we say? Isn’t that what Joey on ‘Friends’ calls ‘commando’? “ Brian held his laughter in check. “That isn’t all that’s missing beneath that dress.” He moved closer to her, pressing her back against the wall. He deliberately raised his right hand, holding her eyes for a moment, and then

looked downward towards her full breasts. Sabrina felt compelled to look down also. Her nipples were peaked up hard, against the soft fabric of the dress. Very slowly, Brian cupped her right breast in his hand. He squeezed the plump globe once, and then let his fingers explore the peaking nipple. Over and over, he squeezed, pausing now and again to lightly pinch her nipple. Just when Sabrina thought she could stand no more, he moved to her left breast, squeezing first, and then teasing. Finally, he bent down and kissed her parted lips, hard. His tongue found hers, and stroked it lovingly. A soft moan escaped her lips, and Brian drew back. Leaning back against the wall, almost boneless, Sabrina partially closed her eyes. Her mouth felt swollen and she knew she looked obviously kissed. Brian shrugged slightly as he spoke. “We should probably get back to the living room. Your parents would be upset if they saw you right now.” Sabrina nodded her head up and down as she agreed. “Probably they would think that you have taken advantage of their daughter.” She grinned and Brian shook his head. She wasn’t taking this seriously, he realized. “In fact, everyone would definitely know what had taken place just down the hallway.” Brian ran his fingers lightly over her cheek, drawing her attention. “Come on, sweetheart, we had better be getting back. We’ll continue the discussion later.” “Okay. Let’s go back and see if anyone’s still here, or if they all went home waiting for me to come out of the bathroom.” She paused and turned to look into his face. “And you’re wrong, Brian. I do know how much restraint it took to stop this afternoon because I didn’t want you to stop.” Time stopped for a moment. Brian felt like she had socked him in the gut with that last comment. He had hoped that her feelings had been the same as his own, but he hadn’t been sure. He took her upper arms in his hands. “I doubt we’re going to be that lucky. Much more talk like that and I’ll drag you back into that bathroom!” And so it was with a laugh and a bright flush staining both their faces, that they reentered the still occupied living room. It was Marina who came up to her, shielding her from the others in the room. “Are you feeling all right, sweetheart? You were gone an awfully long time…” Marina’s voice faded away as she slowly realized that her daughter had not been alone the whole time she had been out of the living room. There was no way she could prevent the blush that stained her cheeks. Luckily, her husband came to her rescue. “I think it’s time to break up the party, dear. Sam and Libby want to get home to the kids.” A short time later, Sabrina sat quietly next to Brian as he drove back to his apartment. She was feeling a trifle unsure of herself at the moment. She wasn’t at

all sure why she didn’t have anything to say. When he finally parked the car in the private lot below the building, Sabrina hurriedly exited the car. He followed more slowly, taking his time as he locked the doors, and then strolled over to join her at the elevators. He didn’t say anything as Sabrina stood there with her index finger continuing to keep the “UP” button depressed. He followed her silently into the elevator, again not saying a word as she did the same thing with the button to their floor. Sabrina fairly catapulted out of the elevator the second the door slid back, and then had to wait until he caught up with her at the door since she didn’t have a key yet. Without a word, she immediately started down the hall. She stepped inside the apartment after he opened the door but was brought to an abrupt halt when Brian grabbed her wrist. Hiding her insecurity beneath a show of bravado, she quickly spoke. “I’m awfully tired, aren’t you? See you tomorrow.” She had quickly decided not to mention the word bed. Taking the final step was a lot harder than she had imagined. Brian just stared at her for the longest time before he slowly released her slender wrist. “I hope that no matter what you are thinking, or imagining right now, you won’t forget that you are my best friend.” He switched off the main hall illumination leaving only a dimly lit alcove providing the faintest of lights. Brian went down the hall without another word, into his room and shut the door. Sabrina stood there for nearly sixty seconds before her feet dragged her into her own room. It was strange, she realized, as she got ready for bed. Even though she had not followed him, when he shut his door it had felt as if it had been closed in her face almost. Sleep eluded her though, as she was plagued by feelings of inadequacy and the look on his face before the door had closed. Earlier, flirting playfully with him at her parents’ and even when they had been lying here on her bed, it all seemed so much easier. Yet when she was faced with the decision to say, “Okay, let’s go do it,” it had not been at all easy. She had screwed up royally, and now…finally she fell asleep.

Chapter 8 Sabrina rarely saw Brian, except in passing, over the next few days as he had mentioned that he would be busy with some new projects. They were quiet days with only herself for company and she spent most of it contemplating her current state of mind and what had gone disastrously wrong. A week after the fateful dinner party, Sabrina received her first call down to the studio, having received the show’s script a few days earlier. She wasn’t surprised at the way the writers had miraculously rediscovered her character, coming up with a somewhat plausible excuse for her return to the city of Langley. Her first few scenes were with her parents and several of the other characters on the show who were mostly unknown to her. There seemed to be a tacit thread running through the script that no one would mention the past. That first week in the studio, Sabrina lunched either with her parents, Marie or one of her brothers. Everything seemed to be going pretty smoothly and she had no problem keeping up with the inevitable last minute changes to the script of a show that went out daily. She had always been lucky in that she had a good memory, and could visualize the written words in her mind. To Sabrina’s complete surprise, on Friday morning, Brian announced that he was going out of town for a couple of days on business. He left her several numbers where he could be reached if she should need anything. He was rather preoccupied when he left on Friday, right after she got home from the studio. But Sabrina didn’t know what to say, so she was silent as he bid her goodbye, giving her a light kiss on her cheek. She brooded that night in silence, stewing and then steaming, but about what she wasn’t sure. Saturday she puttered around the apartment and met her sister for lunch and some shopping. She was grateful when Libby called to invite her to the country on Sunday with the children, who were now fully recovered. She spent a hectic, but totally enjoyable, day with them and promised many more visits. Monday morning Sabrina was up bright and early for work. Brian had still not returned and when she called Ms. Randell at his office, she was met with a brick wall and no information. By the time Tuesday rolled around, Sabrina was starting to feel decidedly testy. Unfortunately, today was her first day of filming with David and their first scene together was filled with tension and drama.

Sabrina had come to the conclusion that she wanted Brian to come back and she wanted him back right now! Of course they were friends! He had been silly to even suggest she might forget that fact. She had spent most of her waking moments thinking about him, and all they had shared so far. And she always came back to that incredible afternoon more than a week ago. She wanted him. She wanted to make love with him. She wanted to share how he made her feel with him. And most definitely she wanted to make him burn with passion for her. She wanted him to feel what she had felt that afternoon. She wanted him to feel the way she felt now. And finally, she wanted, no…she needed him to feel as miserable without her as she was feeling without him!

***** David had spent his own time trying to come up with a plan to make Sabrina fall in love with him again. He had little doubt that he could do it. After all, he was perfectly aware of his own good looks. He had thousands of fan letters each week telling him so. He was everything she had known since she was a child. He was a part of her family’s world, and he was doing everything he could to encourage each one of the family to persuade her to stay and rejoin the cast permanently. All he had to do, he had decided, was to get her alone and remind her of all they had once shared. He would remind her of the beautiful parties they had attended, and get her involved with their old circle of professional friends. It shouldn’t be too hard to make her see what she had been missing the last twelve years. David didn’t really anticipate any problems from Richards. He had made it his business to know that the other man had been out of town for several days. And while Richards might be attractive to some women, the ones who liked the rough-hewn and grizzly bear types, David was sure that Sabrina did not. If she were to compare the two men, David knew she would choose him. Obviously he was more attractive, successful in their world and he would pull her strings like he had before if necessary. Becoming engaged to Sabrina years earlier had all been part of his plan when he had first landed what was supposed to be a very limited role on the show. He had flattered the naïve young woman, and then romanced her subtly so as not to draw the attention of others at first. Waiting until she was firmly enthralled with him guaranteed that she would fight any objections her parents might have. It had been almost too easy, becoming engaged to her. If he’d suspected that anything could destroy his position, namely the fire, he would have pressed her into an early marriage, even against her family’s wishes.

He was positive that Sabrina had been playing a game on the night of the dinner party. He was sure that she was making him think the two of them were having an affair. She’d been acting so he would think that Richards really did have some say in her life. Well, he had decided to push her into doing what he wanted, not what Richards might want her to do. Later, he could point out to Sabrina just how easily he controlled her and manipulated her world. Without disclosing his plan to anyone, he had used his influence to get the script changed at the last minute. It was going to be the last scene today, and since there was little dialogue, he had convinced the director to use the teleprompter for everyone. Eagerly he awaited the outcome.

***** Sabrina came on the set for the last scene of the day, learning as she stepped to her mark that they had changed the script, but she was flexible and went with the flow. So she just followed the teleprompter. As she read the line that stated she was going to show everyone just how much she really had changed, she spotted Brian standing off the current set. From his position behind the camera and at this angle, she could see his expression. Then she read her next line, “Angela, I want you to cut my hair off short, right now. Do it this minute to prove to Dane that I’m no longer the little girl I once was.” Stunned silence followed her line. Before she could move, the woman who played Angela, having known in advance what was coming and had been assured that it was exactly what she was to do, lifted the large scissors in her hand and cut off a large hunk of hair from the back of Sabrina’s head, quite close to her scalp. She dropped this to the floor and picked up another handful and sawed through it before anyone could do anything. Pandemonium erupted as people rushed onto the set, and the director had to yell, “cut”. Brian was the first to reach Sabrina as she stood there in stunned silence, her eyes not quite focused on anything. From a distance, she could hear people talking around her. She heard “Angela” drop the scissors to the floor, saying that’s what she had been told she was to do, that everything was okay, at which point “Angela” burst into tears. Sabrina heard her father shouting behind her that he wanted to know what the hell was going on as none of what just happened had been in the script he was holding in his hand. Her mother’s soft voice called her name. From the back she heard Anne’s voice saying she deserved it and laughing. But all she saw was Brian’s blue eyes in front of her. As if in slow motion she raised her gloved hand to her head. Her hair had been cut off completely from behind her right ear to more than halfway

across the back. She almost laughed as she realized what a ridiculous sight she must look right now. A moment later she caught sight of David over Brian’s left shoulder. There was no mistaking the gleam of triumph in his eyes that he quickly masked. She was sure at that moment that he was responsible for the last minute changes and for deluding that poor girl into cutting her hair. Suddenly she realized that all of her suspicions from years earlier were true. The years of therapy were finally paying off! The proof had been visible in David’s eyes. It was all about his controlling her. She knew without a doubt that he had lied to the actress portraying Angela, and his goal was to control her. She turned to Brian. “I need to leave now,” she whispered to him softly. Like a powerful magician, Sabrina later thought, Brian whisked her away from the studio and back to his apartment. Yet once they reached it, she walked away from Brian without a word of explanation and went to her room, ignoring Brian’s outstretched hand as they had entered. For a long time, she just sat on the edge of the bed. Finally, she walked into the bathroom. Sabrina stood in front of the mirror just staring at her reflection. Unfortunately, the bathroom had been designed with multi-angled mirrors, so she could the see the damage done to her hair reflected back at her in three different ways. She knew if she weren’t so sad right now, she could see the humor of being able to look at something she really didn’t want to see at all, in three different ways. After stripping to her panties, she picked up the scissors from the vanity drawer. She had been standing there for more than ten minutes grasping a small section of hair poised to snip it off. Her fingers couldn’t do it. She could rationalize on one level that it was only hair, and it would always grow back. Yet she had loved her hair long. The feel of it as it brushed across her neck, and the way it felt as it shifted over her back when she didn’t have a top on. It had been her last claim to beauty, she had believed, after the fire. And now it was a hopeless mess.

***** That’s how Brian found her several minutes later, with her eyes swimming in tears, nearly naked, and the scissors in her hand. He stopped directly behind her, meeting her eyes in the mirror. Her words cut him more than he had ever thought possible. “You’ll have to finish it for me…I just can’t seem to make my hand work.” “Oh, baby, I don’t know…” Brian held her eyes through the mirror. He could see her pain, reflecting back at him, in her beautiful, tear-filled eyes. He raised his hands to rest on her shoulders, one naked and the other still draped in her silky auburn hair.

He had loved her long hair. He had dreamed of it. When he made love to her in his dreams, he would pull it slowly forward, winding strands of it around her stiff pink nipples. Or he could see her above him, her hair draping them both in a curtain of luxurious auburn silk. When the scissors had sliced through that first length of hair that afternoon, he had felt his heart stop. Then he had seen the look on her face and known that she had not agreed to the cutting of her hair. Now, looking at the tortured look in her eyes, he didn’t know what to do. “I can’t go to a salon with it looking like this. At least if it’s all one length, it won’t be quite so horrible looking. Please, Brian, I just can’t seem to…” Sabrina spoke slowly, her eyes pleading with him through the mirror. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s silly, really. Damn! It’s only hair, for goodness sakes!” Brian chuckled softly at her vehemence and self-humor. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to the nape of her neck. When he looked back up, he met Sabrina’s eyes in the mirror. Slowly, she smiled. “Go on and let’s get it over with. No one ever died from a haircut.” Finally, after an interminable silence, he took a deep breath, and then took the scissors from her. She slowly lowered her arm to her side, watching his hand intently. Then she dropped her other arm. He softly picked up a small section of hair from her left shoulder, just behind her ear. He paused just before cutting and she added, “It should be just as short as the other side. To match…sort of.” The scissors sliced through the first section of hair, cutting it quite short, right at the bottom of her ear. He held the section in his hand for a moment, and then he met her gaze in the mirror. “Just put it in the waste basket. I’ll have no use for it.” He was sure he could hear a loud thud as the hair landed in the basket. He picked up the next section, slightly thicker this time, so it wouldn’t take so painfully long. The scissors seemed to saw through this section, and he dropped that into the wastebasket also. Three more sections he carefully sliced off, making the hair as even as he could with what had already been cut. He set the scissors down on the vanity top, and then looked up into her eyes reflected in the mirror. He slowly took in the raggedy edges of her hair. It wasn’t very even, but he knew he couldn’t cut any more off. He raised his hands to her shoulders, avoiding touching her hair. “Come with me, honey. I’m going to have you soak in my hot tub to relax.” He ran the hot water. He slid her underwear off and then encouraged her to settle into the tub, so that she was submerged in the bubbling water from her shoulders down. “Close your eyes and I’ll be right back.” She wasn’t sure how long he was gone, but she heard him after awhile opening a bottle and pouring a liquid into the tub water. “It’s a special aromatherapy blend to help you relax. I got it from one of your friends out in California—the one with the crazy little store that has a little bit of anything strange in it.”

He held out a short glass, half-full of amber liquid. “No arguments, just drink it.” And to his surprise, she did, in two swallows. He should have warned her to go more slowly as it was bound to be more potent since she didn’t normally drink alcohol. He had changed into a polo shirt and jeans on his way from the wet bar, and sat down on the broad rim of the tub. In silence he watched her. The water had splashed up to wet the ends of her hair. He thought that he could call a friend of his who owned a private salon a little later to see if he could come over to help repair the damage, if that were possible. He buried his own anger for now, knowing he would seek out answers later.

***** It was at least five minutes later before Sabrina raised languid eyelids. She was a realist. Life had forced her to become a survivor. She knew who was truly responsible for this, but there would be no way to prove it. Seeing her family again proved to her that she didn’t have it in her to be vengeful. Sabrina believed in the old saying that what went around usually came back once again. She also had no desire for anyone else to get involved, or hurt, along the way. As she looked up at Brian, she felt her mind clear for the first time, in a really long time. She could see the concern in his face, which slowly turned to puzzlement as she continued to stare up at him. And then, she made up her mind. Nothing had really changed what truly mattered. She wanted Brian to make love to her now. Either in the tub or on his king-size bed or wherever he wanted to. She didn’t want to wait any more. She would no longer mourn the past that the fire had taken her away from. She wanted the future and she wanted Brian Richards in it. Ever so slowly she rose up in the water until she was sitting up straight. She saw Brian’s eyes lower to her breasts, where the water bubbled about her pink nipples. As he gazed at her, she felt her nipples begin to tighten and pucker. She saw his pupils dilate, and then his eyes narrowed as he observed the effect the water was having on her as well. She was sure that he wanted her but there was still that tiny self-doubt that kept surfacing. Firmly pushing her self-doubt and fear aside, and knowing in her heart that he wouldn’t reject her, Sabrina lifted her arms towards him. Her action lifted her breasts fully out of the water as she asked huskily, “Will you make love to me?” Her lips trembled and her confidence slipped a notch as he shook his head back and forth for a few seconds, before he actually could speak. She guessed that she must have really shocked him. “Sabrina, I think you’ve had too much to drink and…” She placed her fingers over his mouth to stop his words. “You’re wrong. I know what I’m doing, Brian. I know that I want you. Will you please make love

to me, now, tonight?” She shifted about in the tub to kneel in the frothy water in front of him. With more bravado than confidence, she lifted his left hand and placed it over her right breast. At his touch, she inhaled deeply, allowing her breast to completely fill his eager palm. Her nipple responded to his first tentative squeeze by puckering up even tighter.

***** Brian lowered his gaze to his hand, enjoying the sight of his darker skin over her milky white, blue-veined flesh. One part of his brain argued that she wasn’t in full possession of her senses, and probably didn’t know what she was doing. But then he felt the tight, pebble-hard nipple as he squeezed more tightly this time. Her breast seemed to plump visibly for him as he began to rhythmically squeeze and massage her. His arousal, hard from the moment he had walked into the bathroom that second time, was becoming unbearably tight within the confines of his jeans. He started to take her left breast, when her hands pulled at his shirt. He yanked the shirt over his head, casting it off to the far reaches of the bathroom. Impatiently, he returned to her breasts, massaging them, and then bestowing plumping little squeezes to the sensitive, full globes. Brian lowered his head to give her mouth a hot kiss, and then jerked back when he felt Sabrina’s tentative fingers fumbling with the zipper on his jeans. In record time, he was naked and beside her in the churning water. She pressed close to him, and that was the end of his sanity. He moved back to rest against the tub’s edge, pulling Sabrina atop his lap. It took a moment as he arranged her legs to surround his waist. He knew he was precariously close to the edge of his control, and reached his hand down. As Sabrina felt his fingers probe down her soft belly, over her smooth mound, and then straight to the heart of her desire, she arched her back, crying out his name. “Brian! Oh…my God, yes!” He wiggled his fingers across her lips, with his index finger going straight to her clit. Hearing her crying out as his finger moved across the soft flesh, learning which places were most sensitive, only heightened his own desires. His need to be inside her was great, but it still wasn’t as demanding as his will to pleasure her. For three years he’d waited for her to finally see him. Now that the time had come, regardless of why, he wanted her to want him. He needed to know that she desired him, not just any man. As her body jerked and wiggled and squirmed to his moves, he had pushed two, and then three fingers inside her. Slowly, as her body relaxed, he stretched the tight channel wider. The last thing he wanted to happen was to hurt her. Being a big bear of a guy, he also knew he was well equipped. That is what most

of the women he’d been with had told him previously. Since he’d met Sabrina, he was pretty sure she’d never had a physical relationship. Whether she had had one prior, or with Shelby, he had never wanted to know, so he had never inquired. Feeling Sabrina’s lips on his earlobe drew him back to his task at hand, so to speak. “Take me, Brian. I want to feel you inside me.” Her words were like dry tinder to the flames within him. “I know, Bree, I know. But I don’t want to hurt you.” “I know you don’t, but I don’t want to wait. It isn’t your fingers I need. Fuck me, please,” she whispered softly. Within seconds he was pressing the head of his cock to her soft pussy lips, probing, then with a firm push he was completely and deeply buried within her heat. “Oww! Oh!” His heart stopped at her soft cry of pain. He didn’t move as he paused to meet her nearly closed eyes. He had long suspected she was a virgin but the slight smile curving her lips made him close to losing any chance he had for coherent thoughts. “I’m sorry, my love! Are you all right? Should I stop?” Brian spoke the words softly, even though he wasn’t completely sure he could follow through if that was what she truly wanted. She looked beautiful to him, and he loved her. He watched as she shook her head side to side, trying to speak and reply. “I…I’m fine. I just didn’t really know what to expect.” Brian knew a grin split his face right then and he began thrusting towards his own satisfaction. He felt Sabrina’s sweet, fleshy cunt convulse around him just seconds before his own climax. He muffled her hoarse cries beneath his mouth.

Chapter 9 Sabrina had no idea how long she rested her head in the crook of Brian’s neck. She became aware of his breathing slowing down a few seconds after hers. She took shallow breaths deliberately to give her brain a few moments to catch up with her body. She knew deep inside she had no regrets. Brian had been fantastic, wonderful, exquisitely tender, passionate beyond her wildest dreams, and the writer in her ran out of adjectives! She finally took a deep breath, shifting her body slightly and feeling Brian’s cock still within her body. The sensation was so incredibly sensual that she could not stop the soft moan that escaped from her parted lips. She felt him lift his hands to cradle her head, raising it so he could see her face. He looked the same, yet totally new and different to her in that split second. He held her gaze for a long moment, and then he pressed his mouth to hers. He kissed her gently, lightly several times, before easing her lips apart for a deeper exploration of her mouth. It took her less than three seconds to wrap her arms around his neck, pulling him as close to her as she possibly could. A few seconds, or a minute later they broke apart, both dragging in deep breaths of air. Sabrina shifted herself on his lap and felt him hardening within her. Her startled yellow-green eyes flew to meet his. She recognized the laughter within those blue eyes of his. Neither said a word as they both felt the sensations of their simultaneous arousal begin once again. Sabrina finally spoke after several long seconds when her body moved on him of its own volition. “I didn’t think it was possible…” Brian chuckled softly as his body danced in response to hers. “I’m a little amazed myself, honey.” “Oh, you mean this doesn’t happen for you every time?” And then she blushed brightly at the inference. “I think I have my work cut out for me in expanding your education,” Brian said softly. He laughed at the blush that crept up her neck to stain her cheeks. “You also seem to think that I have women coming out of my ears.” This time he deliberately moved, flexing his hips once, then twice. “It’s been awhile since I’ve been with anyone else. I’m not promiscuous, and I’ve always been very careful.” Silence reigned as they looked into one another’s eyes. Their bodies were rapidly hurtling towards another climax. And they both realized that for the second time they were making love without any form of protection.

***** He had been up for close to an hour before he had gone back into the bedroom. When he had first awakened, he was immediately aware of the warmth of Sabrina’s body next to his. After he had carried her to the bed several hours earlier, they had made love again. This time he had remembered to reach into his nightstand for appropriate protection. He had lain there in the near darkness, watching her sleep. He hoped to God, as he looked at her peaceful face, that she would have no regrets when she woke up. He certainly did not. How could he? Their lovemaking had fulfilled his fantasies and more. Even now, he could feel himself getting hard yet again. He decided to leave the bed before his body demanded he awaken her. He had started down the hall, and then wandered into Sabrina’s room. The bathroom door was still open, as they had left it. He walked in and went straight to the wastebasket. He slowly bent, retrieving the long strands of hair. He smoothed them into an even length, his hands almost reverent in the care he used. Then he took the shorn locks to the kitchen, where he wrapped them in plastic. After a few moments of thought, he went into his study, crossing to his large oak desk. Sitting in the comfortable leather chair, he held the plastic-wrapped hair in his hands for a long time. Finally, he opened the bottom, left-hand drawer and placed the package in there. After quietly sliding the drawer closed again, he reached for the phone. He noted that it was nearly ten o’clock. From memory, he dialed John Selwyn’s home number. It was answered on the third ring. It was John’s voice that spoke a terse hello. Brian remembered then that her parents would have to be up at five for filming the next day. He quickly apologized for the lateness of the call. “Hello, John. This is Brian Richards. I’m sorry to be calling you so late…” “Brian! How is Sabrina?” “She is sleeping. I was calling…” Brian started to reply, when he heard Marina’s anxious voice in the background. Then John spoke again. “Marina wants to come over.” Brian heard their voices again but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. Finally, he interrupted. “John, tell Marina that Sabrina is fine. She’s asleep right now.” Where she was sleeping, in his opinion, didn’t need to be part of the conversation. Then it was Marina’s voice that spoke directly into his ear this time. “I know it’s late, Brian, but I really think I should come over there to be with her. John, no…”

John spoke next. Obviously they were disagreeing about what to do. John finally said. “She’s been frantic since the incident this afternoon, Brian. I started asking questions, but so far I have no real answers as to how this terrible thing occurred. The actress who did this,” John paused unable to keep the anger from his voice. “Well, she broke down, crying hysterically. We couldn’t make much sense of what she was saying.” Marina broke in. “I’m appalled that this occurred, Brian. After all this time, I finally get Sabrina back, and something horrendous like this occurs. I’m on the extension, John, and I want to be part of this conversation. Sabrina is my baby girl, and I can’t stand the thought of her being hurt anymore than she already has. And of all the days for this to have occurred…” Brian frowned as he asked, “What do you mean by that, Marina?” It was John who answered him. “Our publicity department had arranged to have a photographer and a reporter from Day Drama. It’s a weekly media rag for daytime drama and they were present to do a story on Sabrina’s return. I’m sorry to say that there are going to be photos in the papers tomorrow. Nobody noticed the photographer shooting the whole thing until it was too late.” Brian’s harsh curse was quite audible across the phone wires before he spoke again. “I’m sure it’s too late now to get it pulled.” “I called a few of my friends,” John said. “But it is too hot of a story for anyone to hold back on it. What does Sabrina want to do?” Marina broke in again. “That’s why I think I should be with her. She needs someone to talk to right now.” Brian didn’t say anything as he half-listened to her parents argue about what was or was not the right thing to do. He knew he couldn’t tell her parents why they hadn’t talked about what to do next. He couldn’t say they had been too busy making love to worry about tomorrow. You didn’t tell a woman’s parents, who were sick with worry anyway, that you had spent the last several hours having mind-blowing, heart-stopping sex with their daughter! Even though they were in the business, the Selwyn’s had always been known to be faithful to one another. Brian finally interrupted them by saying, “I really called to tell you that I was planning to keep Sabrina home tomorrow. I figured that way she’d have time to decide what to do next.” He left it unspoken that Sabrina might decide to break her contract with the show. John was a straightforward man and spoke the possibility out loud. “She could probably break her contract over this. Marina and I talked about that, feeling it was a distinct possibility. And while the show might have to sue if she did so, I have a strong feeling that we would probably lose in the long run.”

John took a deep breath. “Sabrina didn’t insist on script approval, but an incident such as this would most likely be construed by most juries as unacceptable without someone’s prior approval.” Marina spoke finally, breaking her lengthy silence. “What has she done about her hair?” Brian exhaled loudly before he answered. The scene in Sabrina’s bathroom splashed through his head like a kaleidoscope. It was several long seconds before he finally answered, and his voice was quite husky when he did. “She asked me to cut the rest off, so it would be even.” No one spoke for a few moments, and then Brian continued. “I’ll take her to a friend of mine who owns his own salon in the morning if she wants.” Marina finally spoke, her voice filled with tears. “Will you tell her that I’ll call her tomorrow, and that I love her, please, Brian?” Brian agreed to do so, and then he heard John say good night and hang up. He had stayed in his study for another thirty minutes or so, before he went back to his room.

***** Sabrina awoke with a start, rolling over to see her alarm clock. She frowned, rubbing her eyes when the clock wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Disoriented, she flopped back down on the bed and turned her head to the other side. She saw a strange, larger clock that had red numbers, not the blue ones she was used to. She shifted her legs, slowly becoming aware that the sheets she was lying on were not cotton, but a smooth, cool satin. Reluctantly her brain began to function as she thought, “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Dorothy.” And like a floodgate opening, it all came back to her. The day’s shooting, followed by the nightmarish last scene, Brian cutting her hair for her, and finally the ecstasy she’d felt in his arms. It seemed anticlimactic to say “wow” but that was the only word she could think of at the moment. Then she heard a noise in the hallway, and sat up as the bedroom door swung open. She quickly tucked the sheet under her arms as Brian came through the door wearing a dark blue terry-cloth robe. For a long moment, he just stared at her in his bed. Then he moved forward to seat himself on the side of the bed, nearest to her. He watched as she shifted her legs to sit cross-legged beneath the sheets. His first words surprised her, to say the least. “Are you hungry? We missed dinner, but I found a note from Helen in the kitchen. She left several things in the fridge for us if you are.” She chewed her lower lip nervously for a second or two before answering. “Maybe a little.”

“Good. So am I. Here’s an extra robe of mine if you’d like to join me in the kitchen.” He handed her a silky, black thigh-length robe, then walked back out of the room. She sat there for several minutes before she got up, went to the bathroom, and slipped the robe on as she walked to the kitchen. Brian had started heating up a casserole the tactful Helen had left, with microwave instructions taped to the lid. He had poured two glasses of iced tea, and was gazing off into nothingness while he waited for the buzzer to signal the food was ready. Lost in his thoughts, it was a moment or two before Brian turned as he heard Sabrina enter the kitchen. “I’m heating up a chicken casserole. Does that sound okay with you?”

***** Sabrina hid a smile behind her glass of tea. She couldn’t remember when, if ever, she’d heard such a tentative tone in Brian’s voice. He always spoke with such sureness, confidence and authority. She was sure that he was still concerned about her. But he had a few things to learn about her if he thought that something like this could break her. She was a survivor. Of course she hurt now, but she also knew that she would heal and go on. She had before and she would now. And, she reminded herself with a wry smile, it was only hair, and it would grow back. There would be no permanent scar. She was too strong to let this, or anyone, get the better of her. Her smile widened as her thoughts continued. It had been the catalyst for the rest of the evening. And making love with Brian was something she would never regret, no matter what happened from here on out.

***** Brian’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “That’s an interesting smile on your face for this time of night.” “I know,” was all she replied at first. “I think chicken casserole sounds great. I’m famished. I’ll get the plates and silverware down.” He watched her in silence as she puttered about, setting things out, pouring herself more tea, this time adding sugar. He couldn’t help but notice how his robe clung in all the right spots to her luscious body. And when she leaned over, the lapels gaped open enough to allow him a tantalizing glimpse of her breasts. After he dished a heaping serving on to each plate, Sabrina surprised him by picking up both plates and telling him to follow her to the living room. She announced they could eat in front of the television.

By the time Brian reached the living room with their glasses, utensils and napkins, Sabrina had pulled the coffee table close to the sofa and cleared enough off the top of it for their plates. Now she was using the remote control to select a show to watch. As he lowered himself next to her on the large, overstuffed sofa, she made her decision with a gratified “Oh, fantastic.” She picked up her plate and leaned back into the sofa just as the opening credits started to roll. “I just love these movies,” she said between mouthfuls of the steaming chicken casserole. Brian turned to the TV set and found the show was an old horror movie, starring two of the genre’s most famous actors. Sabrina’s voice drew his gaze back to her. “You’ll like this one. It’s about a creepy old house, and this young girl goes there, and she…well,” she paused and flashed him a smile. “I won’t tell you anymore. I wouldn’t want to spoil it for you.” “Are you serious?” he asked, but she had already turned her rapt gaze back to the screen. Obviously, she was serious, because she shushed him a second later when he questioned her about wanting another helping. But she did hold out her empty plate to him and nod her head in agreement. He took the plate without comment, for a moment letting his eyes wander over her face and hair. Her face revealed her concentration in what he considered a bad movie, and he noted she had unconsciously tucked the short strands behind her ears. The ends were fairly even. For a moment he mourned the loss of her beautiful hair, and then he rose and went to the kitchen to refill their plates. He admitted to himself with a chuckle as he started for the kitchen that once again Sabrina had surprised him. When he reseated himself on the sofa next to her, she turned to take her plate from him. She took a quick glance towards the TV, saw a commercial was on, and turned back to him. “Is something wrong, Brian?” “I just want to know one thing before we go any further.” Sabrina took a deep breath and said. “Go on.” “Are you going to be sleeping in my bed from now on?” Brian asked quietly. She met his gaze straight on. He couldn’t read what she was thinking, and wondered if she could guess what he was thinking. She swallowed, and then answered quietly. “I’d like to.” They continued to stare at one another for what seemed a very long time. Together they turned back to watch a genre of movie he’d always hated. He muttered “good” after a few moments. Slanting a glance sideways, he saw the small smile curving her lips upwards.

Chapter 10 Several blocks away, in an apartment near the top floor of a building that had recently gone co-op, David Shelby was stretched out on his own couch. He was working his way through a bottle of good whiskey, while his blood-shot blue eyes stared at his own television screen. He wasn’t watching an old horror movie though. Instead, he was playing a videotape of a movie Sabrina had made two years ago. In fact, he was watching it for the second time that night. On the screen, David saw the woman Sabrina was portraying making love to an older man. He hadn’t followed the storyline. He was only interested in seeing Sabrina. He knew that there were times she wore one of those body stockings, but he couldn’t tell exactly when she was and when it was really her body he was seeing. He took another swig of the whiskey as the “on screen Sabrina” was rolled over by the actor. He stared and swallowed hard as the camera revealed a brief glimpse of her full, perfect breasts. He knew now there could be no covering up in that scene. And he could see no evidence of the scars that he knew had to be present. Her doctors, nearly twelve years ago, had explained to both her parents and him that the scarring would be extensive, and that while plastic reconstructive surgery would be done, it would take time, and of course there were no guarantees. Now, watching as the camera revealed quite a bit of her body, he was feeling angry at her doctors for making him believe that she would be so disfigured that he had been unable to hide his revulsion whenever he was near her over the first several months following the accident. If only he had known that she would be as she was now, he was sure he could have hidden his true feelings from her. And if he had, he knew he would have much more security at the show than he had now. He knew Marty would involve him in more of the decisions if he were a nephew-in-law. He was quite sure as Sabrina’s husband that he would now own stock in the production company John and Marty had formed four years ago if he been a part of the family. David wanted it all. And he could see no reason why he shouldn’t get back what by all rights should be his anyway. All he had to do was marry Sabrina and he could move up in status at the show. He knew he would have more power, because not only would he be one of the show’s more popular regulars, he

would be able to direct more episodes, and even get to do some of the family’s other production and direction work. It all seemed so simple to him, sitting there, watching the actor kiss Sabrina and wrap her long hair in his hand, pull her head back to expose her neck for a sucking kiss. He paused a moment in his plans and stared at Sabrina’s hair. He smiled as he drained his glass. Well, he had shown Richards that he had the ultimate control over Sabrina. They had acted like he didn’t matter the other night at the dinner party. He had shown them! With the skillful manipulation of the silly young woman who played Angela, he had managed to take the decision of Sabrina’s hair right out of either of their hands. He remembered the look of horror in her eyes when she had felt the scissors slice through that first hunk of hair. He knew that she would not be as attractive with short hair, but she had to learn that he was the one in control. And she would do what he wanted. After they were married, he would take a mistress, or several, if he wanted. And she would have to quit the show to have children because that would help cement his relationship with the family. He was sure he could manage to have sex with her often enough to produce two children. That should be enough, he decided with a smug smile, to keep her satisfied. She would probably be ecstatic just being married to him, and he wouldn’t have to do his husbandly duty any more than was absolutely necessary. Watching the television screen, he continued to drink. Sometimes he cursed his bad luck, and other times he was reaching down to massage his cock while looking at Sabrina. It wasn’t erotic thoughts of Sabrina that fueled his masturbation. He jerked himself to climax while imagining himself lording over her and then accepting his long desired Emmy. And then he slipped into an alcoholic stupor.

***** David was certainly not at his best when he arrived on the set fifteen minutes late the next morning. Since he knew he was scheduled to shoot the scene with Sabrina that morning where they continue their heated confrontation that would finally end with a very tempestuous kiss, he had gone to makeup first. And even though he was hung over, he was looking forward to that kiss. He planned on leaving his mark on Sabrina’s white skin. Therefore, he had missed the first few moments of Stan Godonga’s explanation about the day’s change in shooting schedule. The tall black man, who was the main director for the show, was telling everyone which scenes would be filmed and the new shooting schedule. When Stan saw David, he spoke to him next.

“We’ve changed the schedule around today. We’ll be shooting your scenes with Paul and Anne, where you discuss the party that’s planned to welcome Serena back home. And you’ll be over on set C, instead of A.” Stan picked up his clipboard that signaled everyone was to report to his or her new assignments. He walked over to where John and Marina were standing, both holding their own last minute changes. “Do you think you’re up to this, Marina?” Stan asked with real concern in his voice. He was a close friend of the Selwyns. They were godparents to his fiveyear-old twin boys. They had been incredibly supportive when his wife, Lisa, had miscarried last year. John and Marty had believed in him when nobody else had. “I’ll be fine, Stan. And with the changes you’ve made, I’ll be able to leave in three hours anyway.” They all turned as David strolled up next to them. “Actually, that’s why I came over to talk to you, Stan. Why the sudden changes? I’m supposed to be filming three scenes with Sabrina today.” Stan, who had done some digging of his own, and had a pretty good idea who had been behind yesterday’s fiasco, bristled. But, after meeting with John and Marty earlier this morning, they had all decided that nothing further would be said or done until all the facts were in. “It’s a good thing you’re only in one scene today as it is. You look like hell, David.” David, who knew that he did in fact look pretty bad, and the makeup department had done as much work as possible already, decided to skip over that comment. “I’m just surprised at the changes. No one’s really had any time to prepare…” “I know. I went over that, and apologized. We’ll be going slower than usual, and anyone who wants to can use the teleprompters.” But David still didn’t have the answers he wanted. “Where’s Sabrina this morning?” It was John who answered. “Something came up at the last minute for Brian’s film, and Sabrina had to go with him.” David caught the surprised look that flashed on Marina’s face at her husband’s quick answer. “Did they fly to California?” David persisted, not believing the story at all now. “No,” Marina replied. “Brian is sure they can handle the problems with a teleconference call this morning. And then I’m going to go shopping with Sabrina this afternoon.” She smiled up at John as he folded her close to his side for a quick hug. And at that split second, David realized that he had miscalculated. The family had closed ranks, and he was left standing on the outside.

***** Brian tugged at Sabrina’s hand, pulling her from the backseat of his chauffeur-driven Silver Cloud Rolls Royce. He rarely used the grand old automobile, except on special occasions. His father had bought it shortly before his retirement, eight years earlier, and he often felt it was too ostentatious to use. But he felt Sabrina needed some heavy-duty pampering today, so he called Pete earlier this morning to get it ready instead of the Benz they usually used. Sabrina adjusted her sunglasses and scarf after she exited the car. Standing on the sidewalk next to Brian, she looked around. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Brian? I think we should have picked a salon that isn’t so exclusive.” Brian tucked her arm under his after telling Pete to come back in an hour. He led her through the deluxe entryway of the most well known hair salon in Manhattan. At the reception desk, he told the young black woman he had an appointment with Miguel. The woman checked the book after an extremely doubtful look at the mismatched couple standing in front of her. While the man looked quite distinguished in a three-piece suit, the woman didn’t look the type for the extremely fashionable Casa Miguel. The woman wore oversized sunglasses, a man’s topcoat over her jeans and a purple wool scarf over her head. But she had been well trained to be respectful to the clients. At least she had to be polite until she was sure they really had no business being there. Then she could call Kip, their burly doorman, to escort the people back out the door. When she looked back up though, her expression had definitely changed. “Oh, I’m sorry to keep you waiting Mr. Richards. There’s a note here to call Miguel as soon as you arrive. Just a second and I’ll tell him that you’re here.” Brian smiled at the now flustered young woman. “That’s all right. We’ll just sit over here until he comes down.” He led a still silent Sabrina over to the beautifully upholstered green velvet chairs. She couldn’t help but voice her thoughts the minute she sat down. “I still have my doubts. And how do you know this Miguel is willing to see you…I mean me…without an appointment? You know this place looks real nice, Brian, but are you sure he’s good? Maybe he’s into those real avant-garde looks. I’ve always…” Sabrina broke off as a very attractive Latino man came up to them, calling out Brian’s name, and then clasping him in a friendly bear hug. “Let’s go straight up to my private area, my friend, and you can fill me in on what’s been going on with your family.” With only a brief glance in her direction, the tall, dark slender man led them to an elevator that took them up two flights. He led them into a large open area that was comprised of sofas, chairs, desk, entertainment wall, and a wet bar. He motioned for them to be seated as he offered them something to drink.

Sabrina shook her head side to side. “No, thank you. My stomach is dancing with the butterflies at the moment.” Brian accepted coffee. Taking the seat beside Sabrina, he smiled at the other man. Miguel seated himself on the sofa opposite to theirs, crossed his legs and grinned at Brian. “So how come you never come down here to check out your investment anymore?” Sabrina turned in surprise to Brian, catching his sheepish look. “Ah, I see.” Miguel smiled. “You did not tell your pretty lady that we are old friends.” Miguel grinned, and when he next spoke, his sexy Spanish accent faded away.” I went to college with Brian’s younger brother, Mark. When I shocked my family by deciding that this is what I really wanted to do, well, needless to say they thought I was crazy turning my back on an MBA, and it was Brian here who came to my rescue.” Brian was shaking his head. Miguel laughed. “He backed me in setting up this salon and making it so successful. And I’ve still been able to put my education to good use running this place. So tell me, Brian, how are your parents, and how are Mark and his family? It’s been close to a year since I’ve seen them.” Sabrina turned again to gaze at Brian. This time her mouth was actually gaping in surprise. He had never really told her anything about his family. From the look in her eyes, Brian could guess that he was going to have a lot of questions to answer when they got home. Her eyes narrowed as he met her gaze. He shifted uneasily under that stare through her sunglasses. He considered that he could state that she had never been overly curious about his family or his life before they met. It was equally true that he had never volunteered the information. At times, he had felt distinctly irritated by what he felt was her lack of interest in him. Once, he had thought to himself, that Sabrina must think that he had just sprung up from the earth full grown! “They are all fine, Mike. Mark and Tracy are coming to the city this weekend. Why don’t we get together for dinner Saturday night?” He turned to Sabrina with a questioning look in his eyes. She nodded her head in agreement. Miguel laughed at the quiet interchange. It was good to see his friend had finally met someone to love. “I know Sarita and I are free. What about the kids? Are Mark and Tracy bringing the triplets with them this time?” Brian swallowed a little nervously when he saw Sabrina’s eyes widen, then narrow again. He was just beginning to realize that he probably should have insisted on telling her about himself. Once he started, he knew she would be interested. He had just never felt the time was right, even though he had known all about her family.

“As a matter of fact, they are all coming for a visit. My folks wanted to see the kids. I think it would be a good idea to bring yours over, they can help keep one another occupied.” Both men laughed. Mike’s voice interrupted her thoughts. “Enough about the old times, my friend. I know you had a reason for wanting to see me. So, how may I help you?” His dark eyes went from Brian to the small woman next to him, who as yet had not been introduced to him. His curiosity regarding this woman was blatant in his expression each time he looked at her. Brian set down his cup on the coffee table and leaned forward. “I called you because I knew I could count on your discretion.” Of course, he had all of Mike’s attention now. Brian looked over at Sabrina. “We…I need you to help out my friend. Why don’t you take off the disguise now, honey?” Mike watched in fascination as the woman raised her gloved hands, which he had not noticed before, and removed first the sunglasses, then the scarf. His recognition of her was instantaneous. Her picture had been splashed across all the trade papers that morning, and many of the large mainstream newspapers had also picked up the story, due to the notoriety of all the awards she had won over the last few years. Mike met Sabrina’s green-gold gaze straight on. Then he smiled. “I’ve been a fan of yours for years, Miss Selwyn. I took Sarita to see the play you just finished. My wife cried so much at that one scene that I could have taken a bath with my handkerchief.” He leaned forward, his clasped hands resting on his thighs. “Hopefully Brian won’t deck me for saying this, but my own personal favorite was that movie you did two years ago. The one where you fall for the older man…” Brian cut him off abruptly. He knew the movie very well. He had hated, and loved, every nude scene in the movie. And even though Sabrina had laughingly explained about the body stocking, not to mention the “body double,” he still hadn’t liked that she had done it in the first place. “We all know which one you’re talking about. Does Sarita know that’s your favorite movie?” The other man laughed when he saw the sparks of jealousy flying from his friend’s eyes. “As a matter of fact she does. She likes it too. Now, why don’t I get started to repair the damage.” He was so matter of fact that Sabrina got up and went with him after slipping off her coat. He led her to a salon chair that had been hidden behind a partition. It was set up with mirrors and a basin. He quickly seated her, and draped a cape over her clothes. Then he took stock of her hair. He combed it for a few moments, and then started asking her questions about her daily routine, how much time she liked to spend on her hair. His voice was so calming that she answered easily and honestly. He made a few suggestions, but she wasn’t able to really say what she wanted.

Because all she really wanted was to have her hair long again and that just wasn’t going to happen. Mike then told her to trust him, and close her eyes. He could tell by the strain in her face that this was very hard for her. He knew some women, and even some men, were very influenced by the appearance of their hair. Not that it was always a vanity issue, just that some people cared more than others. And obviously, Sabrina had been deeply affected by yesterday’s affair. He knew it would be easier for her if she didn’t have to see her hair being cut and changed again. Sabrina closed her eyes. She felt Mike lift the first strand of her hair, and then she heard the faint snipping sound of the scissors as it sliced off more of her hair. She knew she shouldn’t care so much, but she just couldn’t seem to control her emotions. The snipping went on and on for what seemed a very long time to her. He would pause every now and then to raise or lower the chair, and then turn it to a new direction. The worst part was the clipping and snipping he did at the nape of her neck. Her skin seemed to be hypersensitive right there. She felt his fingers brushing away the cut ends. Then he spoke again. “Let’s wet it down again, and I’m going to put some conditioner on it. Then we’ll finish up.” He had turned the chair away from the mirrors, so when she opened her eyes all she saw was Mike and he quickly led her over to the washbasin. It felt quite soothing to feel his strong fingers, washing her hair, and then massaging the conditioner into her scalp. He wrapped a warm towel around her wet hair, and then he led her to a leather lounge chair. After seating her in it, he reclined it and told her to close her eyes and not move. Just relax, he ordered, and he’d be back in twenty minutes.

Chapter 11 Sabrina fell into a light sleep as the warmth of the towel seeped through her scalp, relaxing her tense muscles. And she was rather tired, she thought right before she dozed off. After all, she had gotten very little sleep last night—

***** After the movie the night before, she and Brian had gone back to his bedroom. At first, she felt a little self-conscious. But he took the decision of whether to sleep in the robe or not right out of her hands, removing it just seconds after he dropped his own onto the bench at the end of the king-sized bed. In the near dark room, Sabrina had felt somewhat safe. After her blatant boldness earlier, she wasn’t sure if he was going to expect that every time. She wasn’t sure how to tell him that she was not a sex kitten. Suddenly, she felt Brian’s hands on her shoulders. They rested there heavily, not moving much. His head lowered and he kissed the tender skin beneath one ear, just pressing his lips to the flawless, white skin. His kiss deepened as he began lightly nipping at the skin, and then licking and sucking it gently afterwards. As his hands slid down her arms, his voice surprised her. “Come over here, my sweet.” Sabrina paused to wonder if perhaps she had judged him wrongly and he had some strange kind of sex room. When he stopped in front of the dresser, which held a wide and tall mirror, she had the fleeting thought that a kinky room would be better than revealing all of her naked body to him at once. Brian reached out and turned on the small light beside the dresser. It gave off a soft light, which really only partially lit about half of their bodies. Sabrina couldn’t stop the sigh of relief that escaped. Brian met her eyes. “What’s wrong, honey?” Sabrina met Brian’s eyes in the mirror. Since he was standing behind her, his body was mostly in shadow. The warm, dim light fell across her body lovingly, hiding places that she wasn’t ready to reveal completely. As she watched, Brian’s hands lightly traced the outside of her arms, which hung limply at her sides. When he reached her hands, his fingers curled between hers.

Clasping fingers, Brian lifted her arms, crossing them across her chest. Holding her so close, Sabrina could feel his heartbeat against her back and the gentle flow of his breath against the side of her face. Standing there, feeling Brian’s warmth, strength and especially the multidimensional support he kept giving her, tears started rolling down her face. It took a few moments, until her body sobbed with her tears, that Brian realized she was crying. “Sabrina?” Sabrina shook her head, smiled through her tears and inhaled deeply. “I’m fine. It was just standing here, with you…” “I didn’t plan on making you cry.” “I know, Brian, and you didn’t. I just felt so protected…safe, I guess.” Brian frowned a little, and Sabrina realized that those were not the feelings he had probably been hoping to instill in her. “Oh, damn!” “Damn what, honey?” “I’m not saying what I really mean. I keep mucking it up, which isn’t very good for an actress, and worse for a writer.” Brian laughed softly, and his fingers released hers. His fingers once again began caressing the soft skin of her arms, gliding over the scarred skin the same as the unblemished. “I can’t speak for other men, sweetheart, but an actress is the last thing I want in my bed.” His meaning sank in as his hands began caressing across the skin of her upper chest. She started to laugh, but the sound became a gasp as Brian’s hands cupped her breasts. In the dim light, she watched his hands caress and fondle her skin. Each touch seemed to be setting her skin on fire. Only this time, the heat felt wonderful. When his fingers began to slowly circle each nipple, coaxing and teasing them to a taut, tender arousal, Sabrina felt her knees weaken. Brian pressed more fully against her, and one thigh slid forward, between hers. Brian’s voice whispered into her ear, “Just let go, my love.” Sabrina was trying to keep up with the sensual assault. Brian’s hand slid down her stomach. His fingers eased between her soft fleshy lips, finding her clit without error. Sabrina’s body jerked in response to his erotic touch. Brian didn’t let up though. Her tender clit received undivided attention, and her hips moved, rotated and pressed against the hard cock behind her. Suddenly her head spun as she turned in Brian’s arms. A moment later, her feet left the floor and her bottom sat down on the cool wood of the dresser. Brian smiled as he saw the surprised look on Sabrina’s face. He pressed close to her wet lips, revealing his desire blatantly. Despite the passion racing through her body, Sabrina still felt compelled to point out something. “You don’t want to ruin the furniture…?”

Brian entered her body, cutting off her words. Pressed so intimately together, he shook his head. Kissing her neck, his words passed over her skin as warm puffs of air. “Damn the furniture, Sabrina!” Sabrina giggled, but that lasted only a moment as Brian eased back and thrust forward into her body again. Quickly deciding to hell with the furniture as well, Sabrina wrapped her arms around Brian’s shoulders. Her feet braced against the dresser front as Brian continued his slow thrusting in and out. “Oh my God!” Sabrina spoke huskily, breathing quickly. The flames inside her body were flaring higher with each thrust of Brian’s manhood. “Yes, Brian!” Sabrina’s arms fell away from Brian’s shoulders and her palms flattened down on the dresser. She felt the inferno nearing and needed to brace against the searing passion. A moment later, her back arched, her head fell back and her hips jerked wildly in response to Brian’s thrusting magic. “That’s it, honey! Just let go!” Brian told her quickly, his voice sounding husky and hoarse. Sabrina shivered and shook in her passionate release. She opened her eyes to watch Brian. His hands were clasping her hips as he began to quicken the pacing of his thrusts. Feeling her body absorbing his thrusts, her breasts jiggling and bouncing, Sabrina was aware on two levels. Her physical response was still resonating through her body while she was intently aware of Brian buried inside her flesh. Watching him wasn’t enough suddenly. Sabrina lifted her hands to his chest, curling into his muscles and squeezing. Her fingers caught his nipples, pulling and pinching them until he groaned in response. Brian met her gaze. Sabrina tried to read what he was thinking from his face, but she couldn’t. Without thought, she spoke to him. “Take me, Brian! Let me feel your hardness and strength!” Brian shivered at her words. He groaned as he replied. “Talk to me, honey!” Sabrina felt his tension and the slight change in his tempo. It was a chance, but she took it and did as he wanted. “Fuck me! Come inside me, please! Fill me…” Brian groaned harshly, his back stiffened. His body had definitely reacted to her words as he climaxed deep within Sabrina’s body. His thrusts were short and jerky as his body emptied its seed into Sabrina’s. Sabrina curled her arms and legs around Brian. She knew they had stepped over a boundary tonight. There could be no going back, and she didn’t want to go back. Anticipation would be too mild a word to describe how much Sabrina was looking forward to this change in their relationship.

Soon they stumbled back to bed. Holding Sabrina spoon fashion, they fell into an exhausted, dreamless sleep. When she’d awakened this morning, she had been alone again. She had gone to her room to shower and change into jeans and a soft green T-shirt. She had avoided looking in the mirror before her shower, and didn’t bother to wipe the steam from the mirror afterwards. When she had gone to the kitchen in search of breakfast, she had found Brian seated at the breakfast nook, having toast and coffee. There was no way she could prevent the blush that stained her cheeks bright pink when he had looked up from the paper at her. Her voice was soft and a little shaky as she’d bid him good morning. He had just smiled that damned complacent smile of his. “That is the all-natural cereal you like in the bowl, and juice and soymilk are in the fridge.” He had gone back to reading the paper. She stared at him, or rather she stared at the newspaper for a long moment, then got her juice and milk and sat down. She normally wasn’t real talkative first thing in the morning, so she didn’t mind his ignoring her until she woke up completely.

***** In the dream she was having now though, Brian was kissing her again, whispering some wonderful suggestions about later. Then she awoke with a start, and realized he really was lightly kissing her closed lips. But when she gasped in surprise that her dream was reality, he took advantage of her parted lips to deepen the kiss. He finally lifted his head, placing a kiss on the tip of her nose, saying softly, “Did I remember to tell you last night that I think you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met?” Sabrina smiled up at him. Her lips were tingling from his kiss. “I don’t believe you said that. I do remember you remarking on how nice you thought my legs were. And I do recall you saying my eyes were mysterious and my lips were luscious.” Brian caught his breath at her mischievous words. He decided two could play at this game. “Now, I remember saying your breasts were like ripe melons and praising the fruit crops this year…” He broke off as she aimed a firm punch to his midsection. “Mike sent me in to wake you up. He’ll be here in a minute,” he went on at her questioning look. “He got a call from Sarita.” He levered the lounge chair back into the upright position, and easily tugged Sabrina to her feet. “And I do think you are beautiful, Sabrina, inside and out. Don’t ever doubt that, okay?” he told her quite seriously. She barely had time to nod, when Mike came back around the corner. Mike smoothly directed her back to the chair in front of the mirrors. Again he told her to close her eyes until he was all done. Then he removed the towel

and checked her hair for response to the conditioner. Within seconds he had her hair rinsed and she was back in the chair with her eyes closed. She still didn’t object to keeping her eyes closed, especially when he began snipping off a little more of her hair, here and there, as he combed it. The blow dryer soothed her, and it was several minutes later that she reluctantly opened her eyes at his command. Her eyes met Brian’s in the mirror as he stood just to the side of her. Then, taking a deep breath, she let her eyes travel to her own head. Her hair was a smooth cap, parted slightly off center, with a few wispy bangs. It had been cut to curve under and was a smooth curve to the tips of her earlobes. After a few seconds, Mike spun her around and passed her a hand mirror so she could see how the back was cut short to the nape, still curving under as it did in the front. It was a smooth, sleek and quite chic cut. And nothing was going to bring back her long hair. She took another long look in the mirror, this time tilting her head to the side, then turning so she could see the sides were short and curved under also. It made her face look different. More sophisticated, she thought, and her cheekbones were more pronounced and her eyes appeared larger than ever before, even with no makeup! She finally looked over to meet Mike’s eyes in the mirror. He looked as nervous as Brian did awaiting her response to her new look. Mike suddenly started talking. “I went a little shorter than when you came in. I thought it would help me achieve the smoothness and sleekness, which would then be so easy and carefree to maintain.” Sabrina’s voice was soft when she finally spoke her thoughts. “I think I’ll like it, Mike, once I get used to it. You were right because I would not like to be stuck using a blow dryer every day.” He smiled, and quickly explained how to comb it when wet, and with using a little styling lotion, she wouldn’t have to blow dry it at all. It wasn’t too much later, after much protesting, that he refused to accept money from either of them. With hugs and shaken hands it was agreed that they would see him Saturday night at Brian’s before Mike escorted them to the front door.Sabrina was glad she had put her sunglasses back on because it was quickly obvious that the owner rarely escorted any customers, anywhere!

***** After riding in silence for several minutes in the back of the Rolls, Brian finally asked what she really thought of her new style. Sabrina couldn’t help but smile at the somewhat diffident way he asked her. And she gave into her impulse to slide over next to him on the seat, tucking her arm under his. She gave his strong, muscular arm a squeeze when she saw the rather surprised look

that came onto his face at her impromptu action. “Mike is very talented. But why does he go by Miguel?” Brian looked like he was going to change the subject, but then he just shrugged as he replied. “He felt that it would encourage a more elite, exclusive type of patronage. As Mike put it at the time he was trying to talk me into this venture of his, ‘American women want someone with a foreign-sounding name to style their hair.’ Something to do with feeling pampered or privileged, I forget just how he swayed me the rest of the way. But it has turned out to be a great investment.” Sabrina hugged his arm again and when he glanced down at her, she told him, “I think you would have helped him out even if it hadn’t been just a potential investment. If there’s anything I’ve learned about you these last few years, it is that you are fiercely loyal to your friends and family.” She frowned, and then went on in a sterner tone of voice, “Which reminds me of another matter.” Brian nodded his head, but Sabrina could see he had no idea what she was going to talk about now. “Why did you never tell me about your family? I knew about you taking over from your father, but that was because Mike Phelps told me…” Sabrina stopped abruptly. She had just revealed something she had never planned on telling Brian. After she had left his room that first day, she had waited by the elevator to grill Dr. Phelps about his patient. Brian only lifted one eyebrow in response to her admission. “Granted, a lot of this is my fault, and I do apologize,” Sabrina added quickly. “But I still can’t believe that in three years I’ve never heard you mention your parents or your brother. I know in the beginning I was still pretty wrapped up in my problems, but I told you all about my family.” He winced at the accusatory tone in her voice. “You are right. I apologize for not telling you sooner, and having you find out in front of Mike was rather rude of me…” “I don’t really care how I found out, Brian. What I do care about is that I hope you won’t keep me out of any more important facts of your life.” Brian responded indirectly to her question. “We both have to admit that our relationship has changed dramatically in the last week…” Sabrina cut him off by placing her gloved fingers over his lips, pressing lightly to stop his words. “I think you mean the last twenty-four hours, to be specific.” “And I want you to know that I have no regrets whatsoever, honey. I loved every minute of our time together. I hope you haven’t had any regrets, either.” He paused, but Sabrina could tell that her answer mattered quite a bit to him.

“No, I don’t. How could I after you made me feel so wonderful last night? You were definitely worth waiting for.” She laughed happily when she saw the faint flush that stained his cheeks in embarrassment at her praise. “Now tell me, where you are taking me now? This is the first time I’ve played hooky, and I have a feeling I’m going to enjoy it.” “We’re meeting your mother for lunch at the Plaza, and then she’s taking you shopping, my treat.” He waited for her reaction to his rather high-handed arrangements of her life. He was pleasantly surprised when she rubbed her cheek against his jacket sleeve. “I know the woman’s activist in me should object to all this because you didn’t ask for my opinion, but I think, just this once, mind you, that I’ll just sit back and enjoy being pampered and not have to make any decisions.” “The only decisions you’ll have today are what to eat for lunch and what to buy. But you still didn’t answer my question about your hair.” “I know I didn’t, but I guess I wasn’t as tactful in doing so as I’d hoped to be. Very well, ‘Mr. Arranger,’ yes, I do think I’ll like it just fine, once I get used to it. I really liked my hair long, but that doesn’t mean I can’t adapt to something new.” She slipped off her gloves and raised her hands to feel the silky smoothness of the new cut. “It will seem strange not to feel all that hair at first, and my neck will probably be cold for awhile, but I have learned to pride myself on being flexible. I’m a survivor, as you very well know, and I’ll survive this as well. Which brings up another point I’d like your help with.” Brian nodded his head slowly. As a businessman, he wasn’t used to agreeing to anything without knowing all the facts. Sabrina smiled. “I decided in the shower this morning that I don’t want any problems from this situation for anybody.” She pressed her fingers against Brian’s lips as he started to interrupt. “Let’s just consider it over and done with, and I don’t want anything to happen to the young woman who plays Angela. Even though I was a little bit shocked, I could tell she thought it was okay, in the beginning.” Sabrina stopped as she saw the disagreement in Brian’s eyes. She quickly added, “And I’ll probably need your help convincing my father and Uncle Marty to agree to let the incident die down. By the way, I did see the front page you had thrown into the trash before I got up this morning. The whole thing will be old news as long as we ignore it.” She took a deep breath, and then went on. “I decided that if anyone asks, I’ll say I knew it all along.” She smiled at Brian’s stunned look and couldn’t resist giving him a quick kiss on his mouth. “And if any reporter is so rude to ask about the stunned look on my face in that photo, well, I’m going to say that’s just one of the reasons I got the Academy Award last year.” Brian pulled her close, pressing a searing kiss to her lips, which caused them to part in surprise. He certainly knew how to kiss, Sabrina acknowledged with a

sigh, as his skillful tongue explored her mouth. She finally pushed him back to catch her breath. “Wow!” She used her gloves to fan her face for a few seconds, ignoring the satisfied look on his craggy face. Brian wasn’t handsome in the classical sense, but it didn’t matter. He certainly knew how to make her body come alive at his touch. She was amazed she hadn’t gone up in flames a long time ago. Thinking back over the years, there had been quite a few times that she had felt electrical currents leaping through her nervous system after Brian had touched her. She cleared her throat and scooted back across the seat to the other corner before she asked him something she had wanted to know since she’d met his eyes in the mirror at the salon. “What do you think of my hair, and I want you to be honest.” Brian looked into her green-gold eyes and saw that for all her bravado, she was still hurting some underneath. He glanced to make sure the glass partition was up between the seats before he answered. “I’m sorry I can’t see your hair draping down over your breasts, with your pink nipples pouting through the strands.” He went on despite Sabrina’s little gasp of surprise. “I wish that I could feel your hair draped over my chest as you rise above me when you take me inside your body. I hate the fact that this was done without your consent. But I think you look very beautiful, no matter what length your hair is, and this way, when you’re naked in front of me, there will be no part of you hidden. And just saying the words has me so hard that I want to tell Pete to turn the car around so we can go back to the apartment and make love all afternoon. Is that honest enough for you?” Sabrina barely choked out a brief “yes” and was quite glad the car had glided to a stop in front of the Plaza hotel. A few more minutes of listening to Brian’s honesty and she would have insisted Pete take them back home. Her legs felt a little wobbly as they made their way to the hotel’s restaurant. The Maitre’d escorted them to a secluded table where both her parents were waiting. Marina popped up the instant she spotted Sabrina, hugging her daughter to her own trembling body. “I was so worried about you, darling. Are you okay?” Sabrina was quite surprised to hear a delighted laugh escape her lips. It had felt really wonderful to be held close by her mother. She couldn’t prevent the tears that sprang to her eyes as the emotions overwhelmed her. In that split second, she knew it no longer mattered about the past. The pain of rejection had faded, and she even admitted to herself that she had done most of the rejecting herself. From now on, she knew that she wanted to be back with her family. Not necessarily on the show, but she wanted to be in their lives, and she wanted them to share in hers. She paused, and realized that it was more than that. She wanted them to share her life that she was becoming certain was also going to include Brian, as much more than a friend.

“I’m fine, Mother.” She leaned over the table to kiss her father’s cheek. She seated herself as her father exchanged a handshake and measured glances with Brian. She unconsciously reverted back to her childhood names for her parents. “Dad, you can believe me. You don’t have to look to Brian to see if I’m telling the truth. And anyway, I thought just Mom was going to have lunch with me.” Sabrina glanced at Brian as if to say “why didn’t you tell me they both were coming.” Not that it would have made any difference. It was a nice surprise this way, actually. But Brian shrugged back, indicating his surprise also. “I decided at the last minute to join you. I was done anyway and told Marty that I wanted to lunch with my wife and daughter, and he graciously agreed to rearrange a meeting we had for this afternoon.” Sabrina smiled at them both. “I’m glad you joined us, Dad. Did you know that I’m playing hooky today with Mom? I understand we’re supposed to go shopping this afternoon. Whose idea was that?” She turned an accusing glance to Brian that told him she knew very well whose idea it was. “You know your mother as well as anyone, Sabrina,” her father stated with a grin. “No one has to insist she go shopping. I’ve often considered it her part-time job.” He ignored the sharp jab his wife gave to his left side. “Oh, good, here’s our waiter. Let’s order, then we talk about something other than shopping.” Amidst good-natured banter regarding what to eat, what not to eat, what to drink with what they had ordered and having the waiter leave very satisfied, Sabrina brought up the subject of the shopping spree again. However, it was Brian who answered the question she put to her mother. “It was my idea, honey. I thought you might like to get some new clothes to go with the new hair cut. You’ve also been wearing dark clothes for so long that it feels like you’ve been in mourning.” He quickly held his palms up as her mouth opened in what he was sure was going to be a loud protest. “I know I was being presumptuous but I thought you’d look prettier in some lighter colors…not that you don’t look good in what you usually wear.” Brian stopped abruptly. Sabrina watched him closely, guessing that he was feeling unsure about this topic suddenly. As long as she’d known Brian, dark colors had been the only colors she wore. Early on in their friendship, she had jokingly confided that one of her many psychiatrists had told her she was choosing dark colors in the hopes of fading into the background. And it had nothing to do with hiding from fans, but rather to hide her scars. For several long seconds, Sabrina stared into his blue eyes. And her anger at his high-handedness dissolved as she realized that he did it because he cared. She also knew that if she refused he’d let the whole idea of the shopping trip drop without even blinking an eyelid. “Okay,” she finally replied. A small smile lifted the corners of her lips. “I’ll try to find something more colorful, but don’t expect anything radically different.

My eyes are trained to zero in on black, so we’ll just have to wait and see what I end up with.” Sabrina sipped her iced tea, and then turned to her father, catching the smile that he couldn’t disguise revealing his enjoyment of their conversation. She decided to let that subject drop, and asked him if there had been any problems in rescheduling the shooting scenes. She also added with a smile, that even though she was sorry for the inconvenience she’d put everyone through, she loved her day off. John laughed in response, his fatherly love apparent as he watched the banter between Sabrina and Brian. He denied any difficulties and assured her that they would be ready for her if she wanted to start filming tomorrow. “Of course, I’ll be back on the set tomorrow, Dad. I’m fine. I’ll be even finer after I spend an obscene amount of Brian’s money!” she wriggled her eyebrows at Brian. Brian couldn’t resist adding, “I’ll make sure she gets to bed early tonight.” John and Marina both saw the bright blush that crept up their daughter’s cheeks, and they exchanged a knowing look. John glanced at Marina, and it was obvious from the look on his face that he was not sure what his response should be in a situation like this. Sabrina looked over a moment later. It was easy to see the indecision on her father’s face. In fact, she could just about hear his argument inside his head: Was he supposed to act like the outraged father, or be a modern man and act like it was no big deal to be eating lunch with his daughter and the man he was now sure was her lover? Glancing towards her mother, she saw her shake her head negatively. John took a sip of his coffee and looked muddled over the changes in the modern world until Sabrina interrupted his thoughts. “And I’d like it if you could make sure that the subject of…well, what happened yesterday, gets dropped by everybody. I know how you and Uncle Marty can be sometimes, Dad. I’d like to consider it over and done with. Please, no secretive investigations, or interrogations.” “But, Sabrina, I feel we need to get to the bottom of who was behind it. I haven’t been able to make any sense out of what that girl Angela said yesterday …I know that isn’t her name, Marina…” Sabrina placed her hand over her father’s. “That’s just what I mean, Dad. Don’t ask any more questions of her. I know she was being used. But honestly, I don’t want to know who or why. Please, Mom and Dad just trust me in this. It’s already going to cause tension on the set tomorrow, without stirring things up like a couple of nosy detectives.” She paused as the waiter placed their orders on the table. Her mother spoke first when they were alone again. “But the newspapers, sweetheart, are going to

be doing their own digging after those pictures that got splashed all over the front pages.” “And I’m going to tell them I knew all about it. The shock that appeared on my face I’m accrediting to my superior acting ability.” She smiled at her own audacity. “I don’t think anyone will be brave enough to call me a liar after two Academy Awards, do you?” John laughed at his daughter’s temerity and patted his wife’s hand to calm her down. “All right, Sabrina. I’ll call Marty right after lunch. Now let’s enjoy our food, shall we?”

Chapter 12 Sabrina finally made it back to the apartment at six o’clock that evening. Brian, having been alerted by Pete on the car phone, opened the door for her, laughing when he saw all the bags she was trying to manage. He set down the glass of iced tea he had prepared for her on the credenza in the foyer, and then stepped into the hall to relieve her of most of them. “Why in the world didn’t you have Pete help you with these bags?” He followed her into the living room, dropping the bags he was carrying on the carpet as she flopped onto the sofa. She just grinned at him first, and then held out her hand, wiggling her fingers and pointing to the glass of tea in the entryway. Brian shook his head in silence and went back to retrieve the glass. He waited patiently while she downed half the glass. “I knew he had to be exhausted from chasing after my mother and me all afternoon. I also knew that Helen would have his dinner waiting as she always does, at six-fifteen sharp. Pete is just as much a creature of habit as you are, my dear Brian. And I also knew I would get as far as the front door and then I could shove the rest inside with my foot. But thank you, anyway, for coming to my rescue. I’m exhausted. My feet are killing me!” Brian laughed, and then shifted her on the sofa so that she was lying with her head resting against the sofa’s arm and her feet resting across his muscular, jeans clad thighs. He slipped her shoes, then her socks off. Slowly, he began to massage her feet, at times pressing deeply on the soles, then smoothly and lightly over the tops. When he felt her relax, and then sigh softly, he knew it was working. The tension had been building up since this morning at Miguel’s salon and it hadn’t been helped by the lunch with her parents or the shopping. He knew she still had a ways to go before Sabrina could be completely relaxed with her parents again. Sabrina shifted and let her body sink deeper into the sofa. “This is a little bit of heaven,” she said quietly, as Brian massaged her feet. His voice pulled at her until she opened her lids to gaze at him. “Are you hungry? Helen left a salad and casserole in the fridge. I told her we’d heat it when we were ready so she could go downstairs to be with Pete.” Sabrina smiled up at him. “See, you’re just as much a softy as I am.”

He laughed in agreement. “Granted, but Jessie also told me that Ken, their youngest son, was due home on leave from the service today. Every time he’s home on shore leave, she cooks up a storm so I knew she’d be anxious to get started cooking. She thinks they starve him and it’s her duty to fatten him up. But you haven’t answered my question yet.” Sabrina paused as Brian’s strong hands worked their way to her calves, massaging them gently. After a few seconds, he moved his hands around to the front of her thighs, working his magic on the sore muscles there also. But after a few more seconds, relaxation turned into a tension of the most delicious kind. Brian watched as Sabrina became aware of the change in his touch and her hips shifted voluntarily. She glanced up and met Brian’s intense blue eyes gazing back at her and she swallowed hard. He was just as aware of her as she was of him. “I think I could wait a little while longer for dinner, if you could,” Sabrina finally choked out the words that caused Brian to lift his hands to the fastening and then the zip of her jeans. His eyes never left hers as he began easing her jeans and panties down to her hips then lower as she raised her hips to make it easier for him. Then he took the glass from her lax fingers, setting it on the end table. Brian eased himself over Sabrina, answering her softly. “Oh, I’m sure I could wait awhile to satisfy that hunger, anyway.” He took her mouth in a hot, searing kiss. He stroked her lips, and her soft inner mouth, with long, arousing caresses of his tongue. Sabrina felt him easing her shirt up, exposing her unbound breasts to his avid gaze. Her nipples were already hard from his unintentional foreplay with her feet and legs. He smiled briefly before lowering his mouth to capture her right nipple. He suckled briefly before turning to her other breast. His hand slid down her soft white stomach until they curved over her smooth mound. Sabrina gasped his name as he claimed her with his fingers, stroking her, flexing gently until she screamed out her satisfaction. He held her within his arms as their breathing returned to nearly normal, letting his head rest on her warm, full breasts. As he felt the soft convulsions of her body stop, he began worshipping her breasts again with his lips and tongue. “Brian, please…wait! I need to catch my breath…” She pleaded for him to wait, to let her rest a moment. Brian ignored her and smoothly shifted their positions on the sofa. Sabrina’s head swam for a minute as she tried to regain her balance. She felt dizzy from her climax seconds earlier and became aware that Brian’s strong hands were supporting her waist. She shook her hair back, taking a deep breath as she rested her hands atop his rapidly rising chest as he sucked in air himself. A few moments later she felt him begin to ease her down onto his aroused flesh, and it felt so delicious that she tried to speed up her descent. Brian

admonished her gently by tightening his hands around her waist to prevent her from reaching her goal too fast. Very slowly he completed their joining. Sabrina let her head fall forward on her neck as the emotions rushed through her. “Brian…” She whispered his name as his hands slid up to capture her full, burgeoning breasts. He squeezed her gently, then more firmly, to match the thrusting of his hips. Her breasts seemed to swell within his grasp with each tremulous breath she took, beginning to match his rhythm with her own gentler rocking motion. His left hand deserted her breast to rise to her face, brushing back the short strands of damp hair, and then curling around her neck. He pulled her down to meet his mouth in a hot, wet kiss, just as he exploded deep within her. She followed seconds later in her own sweet release. Long moments passed before Sabrina raised her head from where it rested on Brian’s broad, sweat-dampened chest. Slowly, she moved her hands to rest on the damp curls of coarse chest hair as she levered herself back into a sitting position on his lap. She couldn’t resist the temptation to run her fingers through the springy hair that covered his muscular chest. She was having trouble putting coherent thoughts together when she glanced up and found his blue eyes were hooded and observing her in silence. For the longest time, neither spoke. Then Sabrina, unable to keep her mouth shut for very long in most circumstances, finally spoke her thoughts out loud. “I’m not completely sure, not having a vast range of previous experience to compare it to, you see, but I do believe that the earth really did move just then.” She couldn’t stop the nervous laugh that escaped her lips. She self-consciously raised her hands and brushed her hair back off her face. But to her further consternation, since it was so much shorter now, it just fell right back forward onto her face. “Damn,” she muttered and tried to hold the hair back with her hands as she used to, but again the much shorter strands slipped through her fingers. Brian caught her hands in his and lowered them back to rest on his chest. He couldn’t keep the smile from his face after such a mind-blowing experience. His voice was raspy as he commanded her, “Leave it, Sabrina. I think it’s rather sexy falling forward like that. And if you keep squirming around trying to fix it, we’re not going to get dinner for quite a while yet.” She smiled back, giving her head a gentle shake. “Okay, but I’m not used to all this hair in my face.” “Honey, you have a lot less hair now than before.” “Just like a man to only see the obvious,” Sabrina muttered in frustration as she lifted herself off of Brian and came to stand beside him as he continued to lie on the sofa looking like a well-satisfied cat. “I used to be able to pull it back so it was off my face. Now it’s too short to do that and I’m not used to my hair being on and in my face all the time.”

Sabrina realized that Brian wasn’t really listening to her as he enjoyed the sight of her full breasts bobbing and jiggling as she continued to try to put her hair into some semblance of tidiness. When he didn’t respond, she stilled and noticed where his attention seemed to be glued. She then noticed that her movements seemingly had an interesting hardening effect on another portion of his anatomy. Sabrina couldn’t help the giggle that escaped as she turned and headed towards the bedroom, “I’m so wobbly…I guess I’m lucky I don’t have a…uhm…cock that could get damaged if I walked into a wall or…” Sabrina gave a shriek when Brian jumped off the couch and ran after her.

***** To give Sabrina some time to herself, Brian took a quick shower in his own bathroom after a quickie against the wall in the hallway. Brian then returned to the kitchen to start heating up dinner. He turned when he heard some loud sniffing behind him. Sabrina sniffed appreciatively at the wonderful odors that were emanating from the kitchen. Brian saw that she was enveloped in a green flannel robe that had seen better days, under which she wore an old red jersey style tee shirt with fuzzy brown animal slippers. Her face was scrubbed clean of makeup. Brian, who was dressed in nicely creased, off-white linen trousers and pale blue polo shirt, smiled at her when she commented on how good everything smelled. Brian let his eyes travel from her wet, combed hair, over her disreputable clothing, bare legs, and down to the outrageous slippers. “Nice slippers,” he commented softly. Sabrina nodded. “They were a gift from Marcello and Philippa’s children.” Meanwhile, she took in his own polished, uptown yuppie look, right down to his sock-free feet and expensive Italian loafers. She chewed on her lower lip as he finished his inspection of her. Sabrina waited for the sarcastic comment she was positive was coming her way. She admitted to herself while she waited that she had unconsciously dressed this way to see how Brian would react. Even though she had never slept with David, he had always insisted she be impeccably dressed. Even when they had planned to stay in his apartment for dinner, he had insisted she be dressed to the nines. One of the things she had come to relish over the years away from her family and David had been a much more relaxed attitude about appearances. She had come to learn not to judge people on their outward appearance, whether it was their looks or their clothing. Perhaps her subconscious had decided to test Brian, to see if he would react to the way she looked now. But again, he surprised her.

“One of us is a tad over-dressed, and if you’ll watch the microwave, and check the biscuits in the oven, I’ll go and correct my error.” Brian left Sabrina in the kitchen with her mouth hanging open as he went back to his room to change. She went quietly to the oven, saw the biscuits had gone a delicate, light brown, and removed them. She placed them in the waiting, linen-wrapped silver basket, just as the microwave oven dinged to warn that its contents were ready. She removed the fragrant vegetarian casserole, setting it on a hot plate next to the oven. She turned as Brian reentered the kitchen. She watched as he casually went to the refrigerator and began removing the salad and pouring their iced tea. This time he was dressed in fringed cut-off jeans, which possessed some very intriguingly placed holes and rips, and bare feet. She couldn’t keep from licking her lips in appreciation of his bare chest and swallowed a cough when she tried to say something and couldn’t. Her voice, when it came out was squeaky and caused Brian to stop what he was doing and question her. “What did you say, honey? I’m not sure I heard you.” He smiled when he saw her pink tongue make another sweep of her lower lip. “I…I uhm, well, I…” Sabrina stammered for a moment. Brian finally interrupted her nonsensical speech. “I’m comfortable and I assume you are also. If you’d prefer I can put a shirt on…” His smile widened into a grin as she interrupted him this time. “Please don’t…I mean, don’t put it on just because of me. I like…” Sabrina stopped mid-sentence after she caught his knowing smile and hurriedly added, “Let’s eat! I’m starving!” She blushed when she remembered the reason for her current hunger. “Jessie is such a wonderful cook, everything smells heavenly tonight.” Brian smiled but didn’t say anything else about the shirt subject. Sabrina guessed that the businessman decided discretion truly was the better part of valor and dropped that subject before she flustered herself to the point of losing her temper. “Do you want to eat in here or in the living room and watch TV?” Breathing a sigh of relief that Brian did not pursue the conversation, Sabrina picked up their plates and opted for the living room. Since there were no good horror movies on tonight, she let him choose. So they settled down to watch the news, followed by a documentary on the “greenhouse effect.” Sabrina couldn’t help but think that they resembled an old married couple, rather than two people who had just become lovers. When she grinned, Brian asked her what was so funny about the diminishing ozone layer, but she just smiled and shook her head that it was nothing.

Chapter 13 When Sabrina returned to the studio the next morning, she found her schedule had been rearranged so that the two scenes she had been scheduled to do with David had been moved to the following day. She breathed an unconscious sigh of relief. She had no desire to confront David with the knowledge that she had no doubt that he was the one behind the trauma the day before nor did she have any interest in hearing what he had to say. She had already decided that the best thing to do was to ignore the whole incident. She had no wish to put herself through any more stress, and she wanted nothing else to interfere with the shooting. While she acknowledged the fact that she was enjoying working with her family again, she had no desire to prolong the shoot beyond what she had contracted for. Her first few scenes went off without a hitch although she did have a few butterflies in her stomach. The scriptwriters had written out the scene where her hair had been cut and instead had Sabrina allude to her new hairstyle as an act of independence. Sabrina had always enjoyed being in front of the camera, be it for the television or the big screen and little by little, the camaraderie that had always been present before she left the show returned. Growing up in front of the camera, she had always had an innate ability to put people at ease, and since she had been injured, she had perfected her skills as a listener. She had no trouble making friends with nearly all of the crewmembers as she encountered them throughout the day. Sabrina shared lunch with her sister Marie and her mother. Rather than allow questions on what had been going on in her life over the last nine years, Sabrina worked at keeping the conversation focused on what her family had been doing. Halfway through their lunch break, they were joined by Sam’s wife, Libby. Talk naturally turned to her children and the recent bout with the chicken pox. Sabrina returned to her afternoon scenes feeling quite relaxed and ready to face the scene with her brother Paul and Anne. The scene was one of those tense situations that was filled with clever, biting comments and sly innuendos. Sabrina felt it was rather ironic the way the scene reflected the real way they all seemed to be feeling towards one another. She felt invigorated and stimulated at the end of the scene, which they got down in one take. Sabrina moved off camera and grabbed some iced tea to help her cool down. The director was reviewing the rushes, and soon he would let everyone know if

they were free to go for the day. She was sipping her tea watching a rerun of the scene when a voice came up from behind her. “That was an impressive display of acting just now.” Sabrina jumped and turned around to find David immediately behind her, his deep blue eyes unwaveringly trained on her. For a moment, she felt like a startled deer caught unexpectedly in the glare of oncoming headlights, unsure of which way to run. She had to clear her throat before she could answer him. “I’ve always felt both Paul and Anne have a lot of talent. I’m surprised they haven’t tried to do some other projects over the years.” David smiled at the way she avoided his compliment. “You know damn well I meant you. You’re a very good actress.” “Thank you,” Sabrina accepted reluctantly, trying to edge away from him. “I need to check to see if there’s anything else they need me for.” David deftly moved to block her escape. “We can hear the call from here when, or if, they need you back again. I was wondering if you’d like to go out to dinner with me tonight. I thought we could go to that favorite place of yours, that Italian place down in the village. It would be like old times. We could catch up on things. I’d like to hear what you’ve been doing these last few years.” He reached out and took the glass from her hand, draining the remainder of the liquid from it, and then setting it on a nearby stool. “I thought you only drank diet soda.” Sabrina swallowed her indignation at his presumptuous actions. But she was determined to remain calm, and in control of her reactions to David. He was not going to get the better of her. “My tastes have changed over the years, David, in many different things. And I really don’t think dinner would be such a good idea.” She didn’t notice that David’s attention had wandered slightly before coming back to rest on her face, this time with a rather feral and predatory look on his own face. Sabrina went on, “And besides, I am involved with Brian…it wouldn’t be right to go out with you…surely you can see that…” Her stumbling refusal was cut off abruptly as David grabbed her arms, hauled her into his embrace and kissed her fiercely. Her gasp of surprise was swallowed up by his open mouth. He held her tightly, her hands unable to force any distance between them. She felt his hands move down to grasp her bottom, pulling her closer. She was just about to knee him, something she had learned in her self-defense classes, when another pair of hands, much larger than hers, forced them apart. Tearing her eyes from David’s smug face, her anger turned to apprehension when she met Brian’s blue gaze. Of all the people to help her, Brian was the last one she would have chosen, if she’d really had a chance to think about it. She

would have preferred pretending the kiss never happened, rather than have it witnessed by Brian. As usual, Brian’s first words surprised her. “Practicing a scene, were you?” Sabrina could see that Brian was controlling his anger through a jesting comment. The inane thought that she was becoming terribly tongue-tied around Brian came into her head, which allowed David to answer. “I guess you could say that. Sabrina was just getting ready to tell me where she’d like to go to dinner with me when you arrived.” As Sabrina sputtered in disbelief and anger, Brian wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to his side. He answered smoothly, “Any other night we’d enjoy having dinner with you, Shelby, but I’m afraid Sabrina’s forgotten that we already have plans to dine with some business associates of mine. We’ll have to make arrangements a little farther in advance next time. My assistant is handling all of Sabrina’s appointments for the foreseeable future so you can check with her. If you’re done, Sabrina, we really need to get going.” Sabrina thought her mouth had to be hanging open. With very little fuss, Brian swiftly extracted her from the situation and from the studio. Pete was waiting at the curb, double parked, but no ticket in sight. Sabrina shook her head at what Brian was able to get away with at times. She settled back on the plush seat of his limousine, scooting to the far end of the seat. Brian settled onto the seat, directing Pete to take them home. After a few moments, he turned to face her. He didn’t say anything at first, and Sabrina did not want to be the one to bring up the scene between her and David. She found herself making a silent wish to the powers above to rescue her from what she was sure was going to be an unpleasant encounter. But more than anything, she was surprised to realize that she wished Brian had never seen the kiss between her and David. Not just to avoid an unpleasant situation, but rather that she had no desire to hurt Brian, and the real jolt was in finding that her feelings had so much more than friendliness as a basis. She had felt no desire for David to kiss her at all. She quickly realized that she felt only irritation, then anger, when he kissed her. Most of all, her overriding fear was how the kiss might have looked to anyone watching them.

***** Brian watched the myriad of emotions chasing themselves across Sabrina’s face as she sat in the farthest corner of the seat, chewing alternately on her lower lip and the tip of her finger. He could tell she was definitely stewing over what to say to him about the scene he had interrupted. He felt that he knew her well enough to know she was probably thinking and worrying over what he might be thinking had or had not occurred.

But he had seen more than she probably thought he had. He had been able to see her struggling against the other man’s embrace. There was his moment of tense dilemma, trying to decide if he should go over and knock Shelby flat on his ass. Or he could be diplomatic, and save any possible undue attention from the crew and further embarrassment for Sabrina. As he watched her anxiety growing, he knew he had made the right decision. Brian finally spoke into the tense silence, which Sabrina had been anticipating so greatly, that she jumped in her seat. “I should have let you return to your dressing room so you could take off your makeup and get into your own clothes.” Sabrina’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Brian could see that he had definitely surprised her. “I’m all right. I can shower when we get home. Do we really have a dinner engagement tonight? I can’t remember that you mentioned it to me.” Brian felt a flush stain his cheeks. “I told a lie, honey. I hated the way he was talking to you, and I let my macho tendencies get the better of me. Will you forgive me?” He stopped there, not wanting to ask if she had wanted to go to dinner with Shelby after all. She smiled, turning sideways on the seat so she could face him more easily. “This once, I guess. Just don’t make a habit of that macho nonsense, although I do appreciate having you open the door for me when my arms are full of packages.” He responded with laughter, and he watched as Sabrina visibly relaxed. He put his arm across the back of the seat. “Do you want to talk about Shelby?” he finally asked. “He was being a jerk.” She scooted closer, so that his arm was directly behind her on the seat. “And I want you to know that I didn’t invite him to kiss me…” “Honey, I could see that from across the room.” “Well, I just want to make sure you know that I didn’t want him to kiss me.” She raised her eyes to meet his finally. “I know, Sabrina, and I believe you.” “Well, okay…” she paused and looked down at her hands that were making a wrinkled mess of her stage dress. She stopped and smoothed the skirt deliberately. She took a deep breath before she went on, and Brian wondered what she was so reticent about saying. For a moment he worried that it was going to hurt him deeply, and then she finally spoke. “I want you to know that I didn’t like his kiss either, not just that I didn’t invite it. I was irritated, then just mad, but I never felt what I’ve felt when you kiss me. I just wanted you to know…” Her voice trailed off under the intense blue gaze of his eyes.

Brian muttered “thank God” and then pulled her into his arms for a passionate, scorching hot kiss. Sabrina lost track of how long his kiss lasted, but then it didn’t really matter. What she did notice was that Brian stopped for a moment and asked Pete to “drive through the park, slowly.” “Are you planning on doing some bird watching?” she asked pertly, grinning. Brian shook his side to side. “I thought it might be fun to do something you always see in the movies.” “Hmm, and just what might that be?” she asked, folding her arms across her chest. “I was planning on making love to you in the backseat of this car. That’s why I told Pete to just drive. That should give us plenty of time.” Brian’s hands had already slid her skirt upward and the zipper of her dress down while he talked. Sabrina tried to lower the skirt over her nearly naked thighs, but his hands kept getting in the way. “We can’t do that! What would Pete think?” “I don’t care what Pete thinks. And besides, I pay him enough for him not to think.” Brian now had her dress down below her breasts and was working on the front clasp of her bra. He was very adept at ignoring Sabrina’s hands, which kept trying to stop him. “Does that mean he’s had lots of other incidents where this has occurred?” Brian looked up from the clasp he had just undone. “No, my love. Unless my parents made some ‘whoopie’ in here, we are about to christen a Silver Cloud.” Sabrina couldn’t decide whether she should continue to protest, or just give up like she really wanted all along. Feeling Brian’s hands sliding his fingers under the cups of her bra swayed her towards surrender. “Pete won’t be smirking at us will he?” Brian shook his head, which was now between her breasts. Moving his hand away, he paused to circle her nipple with his tongue. “Of course not, darling. Pete is from the old school, and entirely a gentleman.” His mouth enclosed her left nipple and suckled it gently for a few moments. Sabrina sighed as the sweet tugs echoed deeply throughout her body. She moved on the seat, encouraging Brian to move over her, nestling between her legs. “Will he tell Helen?” Brian lifted his head from her breast, meeting her serious face. “I have no doubt that he and Helen have been betting on just when this would occur, sweetheart.” The giggles seemed to come from nowhere and Sabrina couldn’t suppress them either. “Then who am I to stand in the way?”

“You aren’t standing anymore.” Sabrina smiled, and shifted her hips as she felt his hands pulling her pantyhose and panties down. When he lifted his head and met her eyes again, a lock of hair had fallen onto his forehead. To her surprise the need to brush the hair back with her fingers was irresistible. Gently she slipped her fingers through his soft hair, curving her hand to caress its way back down to his cheek. In her heart, she was beginning to see that this was so much more than just sex. As to what it was, she didn’t know and she wasn’t ready to consider the possibilities. “Seems to me that you are one with a ‘standing’ body part,” she told Brian pertly, purposely diverting her thoughts to a more light-hearted focus. “And it seems to me that someone who has enough time to be chatting at a time like this needs to be distracted.” Sabrina gasped as Brian rubbed his cock back and forth against her wet pussy. She tilted her hips to give him better access, slipping off the seat and balancing her foot on the carpeted floor. As he entered her body, Sabrina lifted her arms up above her head. Her eyes closed as he filled her body slowly, completely. “I think you have distracted me enough.” She paused to catch her breath. Brian grinned at her. “Maybe a little more.” Slowly he began moving in and out, grinding his pelvis against hers. Sabrina cursed under her breath as her passion rose and she no longer cared about clever conversation. The need inside her kept getting tighter and stronger, like a coil inside her. Release was more desperately desired with each passing moment. “I need…I—” Her voice choked as she tried to tell him what she wanted. Brian stopped his movements so that only the motion of the car and the occasional rut in the road provided stimulation. Sabrina tried to wiggle her body, flexing her hips. But it wasn’t enough to bring her climax. She looked into his eyes. He knew it! He was completely aware of how close she was, and that was why he had stopped. Concentrating on her body, blotting out everything else, she began contracting her deep, internal muscles. The late night nurses at the hospital one time had had a very enlightening conversation a number of years ago. Combined with flexing her hips, she began an incredibly erotic cock massage! It only took a few moments before Brian groaned, “God!” Their eyes met and Sabrina knew she would have some explaining to do later. No more thinking for now though. As she felt him climaxing deep inside her body, her own release swamped her senses. Her body took over and jerked, wiggled and squirmed to exhaustion.

***** Close to five minutes later, Brian helped her to sit up while he used the intercom to tell Pete they could head home. Turning back he saw that Sabrina had gotten her skirt down, but her breasts were still exposed. “Where are my nylons and panties?” “I’ll look for them…in a minute,” he told her quietly. He couldn’t resist cupping both breasts in his hands, resisting Sabrina’s hands lightly batting at him. “I think you have the most wondrous of bosoms, my love.” “And you say the silliest of things.” One hand lifted to cover the small area of scars that still remained. “Or you are blind. I haven’t decided which, just yet.” Brian released her breasts, and closed the clasp on her bra. Pulling her dress up, he zipped it shut. Turning away he found her undergarments in the corner. He wadded them up and pushed them into his jacket pocket. Finally he settled back onto the seat beside her. “I’m not blind, Sabrina. If I had scars, would it change how you felt about me?” Brian asked the question, knowing he was taking a risk. She still hadn’t spoken about how she felt, since their relationship had deepened. It was quite plausible that she no longer had feelings for Shelby, but that didn’t automatically mean that she had fallen in love with him. Sabrina shook her head negatively. “No.” Brian waited to see if she would say more, but she didn’t. She did move closer to him on the seat, resting her head against him. He did wonder if he would have been better off not expressing himself that way. Telling her she was beautiful to him, despite the scars would have worked, and left the whole issue of deeper feelings for another day. Damn!

Chapter 14 The next seven weeks passed in a pleasant haze for Sabrina. She spent every night in Brian’s arms. She talked long hours with her mother and father, mending fences and hearts. She and Brian went to Sam and Libby’s for a long weekend. The children were back to their usual boisterous and noisy selves. And Sabrina loved every minute of it. Without asking, Libby had put them in the same room for the weekend. Sabrina knew then that her true relationship with Brian was now a well-known fact within her family. And she was glad they all knew. She had never enjoyed confrontations, and she had worried over what her family would say and do when they found out. But to her surprise, they all made Brian feel comfortable, or at least he never complained about the amount of time they were spending with her family. On the set, things went smoothly. Sabrina managed to avoid being alone with David. The only times he saw her were during their rehearsals and filming. Every so often she would catch David’s eyes resting upon her in a speculative way. At times it worried her, but then she would convince herself that she was being silly. There was nothing to fear from David Shelby. There was no way he could harm her. Of that she was sure. In just three weeks, she and Brian would be heading back to California, where he would start pre-production work on the film and she would enjoy a few weeks in the sun. And she had already set weekends for her parents and her brothers and sister to come out and visit. So, as she lay in bed early one Sunday morning, enjoying the last few drowsy moments before getting up, she felt quite content. The only concern she really had, and she had convinced herself that she was being foolish to even wonder, was how, or if, Brian’s and her relationship would change once they were back home again. He would be in his large ocean-front house, and she in her much smaller, two-bedroom house in Hollywood. She had never felt it necessary for a larger place. She did very little entertaining, and very little partying. She had kept busy with her writing and her acting. But now, she couldn’t help but wonder just how their lives were going to change. Brian had made no mention of his plans beyond working on the production of the film. She had wanted to bring the subject up several times over the last three weeks, but the time had never seemed quite right, or something always

came up at the wrong moment. And she had been denying one very important fact for the last four days that she knew she couldn’t ignore anymore. This was the morning she had made up her mind. Brian said he had to get up early and run down to the office for some papers so they could spend the rest of the day together. Moving quickly, since she wasn’t sure how soon he would be back, she rose to her feet, stopping to grab a small box out of her purse and headed into the bathroom. Thirty minutes later she emerged, still dressed in her nightgown and all because the pregnancy test had turned the wrong color! She wandered over and sat down on the side of the bed. She just sat there in stunned silence for several long minutes, and then flopped back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn’t believe it! Things like this happened to other people, or in the movies and soap operas. Not to real live adults, she told herself, as she let her thoughts run wild in her head. It was true that in the beginning they hadn’t used any kind of contraceptive, but then Brian had gotten condoms and they had been quite faithful about using them. Still, despite all her logical thoughts, and excuses, she couldn’t keep the rueful smile from turning up her lips. She guessed it was true that it only took one time for some people, and unfortunately, she was one of those people. She hadn’t thought about having children of her own for a very long time, and her thoughts and feelings were rather rusty on the subject. She rather liked the idea of a baby, she finally decided. She was sure she could make it work. She had enough money so that she wouldn’t have to work for a while, and if she had to, she could always manage on the income her investments generated monthly. It wouldn’t be a lavish lifestyle, but then, she wouldn’t need or want that kind of life for her child, she decided as she lay there in the silence of the large bedroom. She rubbed her hand gently over her lower abdomen, wondering if it was a boy or a girl. She really didn’t care which, but thought it might be easier to bring up a girl by herself. Sabrina was so lost in her thoughts, that she didn’t hear Brian until he was across the room and heading into the bathroom. But her startled cry to wait went unheard. He was already in the bathroom, and probably seeing the evidence of her early morning activities. She rose to her feet as he reentered the room, carrying the little stick that had the wrong color on it. Sabrina couldn’t think of anything to say, so she waited for him to speak first. It was several long moments before Brian finally raised his blue eyes to hers. He didn’t say anything for what felt to Sabrina an eternity. When he finally did speak, she was quite surprised by the first words out of his mouth. “I don’t know much about these things, Sabrina. What does this color mean?” He watched as she took a deep breath before answering him. She clasped her hands together nervously in front of herself.

“Well, at first, I thought it was the wrong color, but now that I’ve thought about it, I’ve decided it’s the right color after all.” Her voice wobbled slightly in her defiance. “Honey, that doesn’t answer my question. Are you or aren’t you?” Sabrina thought for a moment about trying some humor in the situation. “Am I or aren’t I what, Brian?” Brian sighed deeply as he walked over to stand directly in front of her. She had to tilt her head back to see his face clearly. “I don’t think levity is called for in this situation.” Sabrina started to step around him, but he caught her arms in his big hands. “Just tell me the truth, Sabrina. We’ve always been honest with each other before.” His words fell into a deep silence. He watched as Sabrina nervously chewed at her lower lip for several long seconds before she finally found the courage to be honest with him as he requested. He barely heard her muttered “yes” but the single nod of her head was unmistakable. He felt his breath catch in his chest. The joy on his face was blatant, instantaneous and euphoric. Yet it was clear to see that Sabrina did not appear to be sharing those same feelings at the moment. And with her head bent forward, there was no way he could read her face for what she might truly be thinking or feeling. So he gently lifted her face to his. Her eyes met his for a brief moment before her long lashes lowered to conceal them. He waited another few seconds before he finally spoke to her again. “I’m going to tell you how I feel about this, then you can tell me what you’re feeling, okay?”

***** Sabrina felt her heart pause in its steady rhythm at his words. Surely he wasn’t going to talk about getting rid of the baby! She had been so sure that she knew Brian, and yet she reminded herself silently, that people often acted strangely in stressful situations. And this certainly qualified in her book as a stressful situation. “I’m glad you’re pregnant and I’m sure it’s a chauvinistic thing to say but I have to admit that I like the idea of you carrying my baby.” Sabrina interrupted him hotly. “It’s my baby!” Brian smiled at her heated words and her fiercer expression. “Our baby, okay?” At her nod, he went on. “I have to admit that I’m shocked at the news, since we’ve been careful ever since that first night, but in no way am I angry or upset. And I don’t want you to think I blame you…” Sabrina stepped away from him and placed her fisted hands on her hips. “I didn’t do this by myself, you know!”

“That’s not what I meant, Sabrina. I’m only trying to say that I hope you can be as happy as I am.” “I never said I wasn’t happy,” she went on heatedly, pacing away from him, then back. “I am happy. I even think I’m very happy. It’s just that I haven’t had any time to adjust…and, well, you kind of burst in here and…well, I had just found out myself, let alone tried to think of a tactful way to tell you.” She came back to stand directly in front of him, toe to toe. “I don’t have any experience in this area, and well, I didn’t know what to say or do. I imagine there’s some kind of etiquette that covers situations like this…” “It’s not important how I find out, honey. The only thing that matters is that you’re happy and feel okay about the baby.” Sabrina sighed and relaxed her tensed body position as Brian drew her gently into his arms. As she rested her head against his chest, she felt his large hand begin stroking softly over her hair. Then she felt his fingers resting warmly against the skin of her nape. She was reminded of all that had happened in the last weeks. The way her life had changed drastically, and how much of it had felt out of control. She knew that whatever happened from this moment on, her life would never be able to return to the way it had been previously. And in that moment, she knew with a deep certainty, that she was happy with the way her life was right now. And even though a baby had never really figured into her scheme of things, she wouldn’t turn back the clock for anything. Brian gently set her away from him. His blue eyes had never looked so blue to her before, she thought in the second before he spoke. “Do you want to talk about the baby now, or would you like a little time to yourself?” Sabrina laughed softly to herself, and then when she saw the confusion in Brian’s face, she impulsively wrapped her arms around his middle for a quick hug. “I’m not laughing at you, but at myself.” When she drew back and saw he was still looking strangely at her, she went on quickly. “It never fails to surprise me, but you always manage to say the right thing at the right time. I think you need to give me lessons so I can be as considerate as you are.” “I wouldn’t change one single thing about you, my love. How about I go start some breakfast, since we’re on our own today, while you get cleaned up?” “Is this where I’m supposed to volunteer to do the cleanup afterwards? I never know on the complex etiquette questions, Brian, so I’ll clean up.” He laughed and gave her a quick swat on her shapely behind as she skirted past him. “That’s right, take the hard job of loading up the dishwasher.” Sabrina glanced back at him from the open doorway of the bathroom. “I’m pregnant, so I’m supposed to take it easy.” She quickly danced on into the bathroom to the warm sound of Brian’s laughter.

Chapter 15 Sabrina arrived at the studio earlier than usual the next morning, hoping to catch a moment alone with her parents. She wanted to tell them about her baby without the chance of being overheard. She and Brian had spent the whole previous day alternating between making love, eating and watching old movies. Neither had brought the subject of the baby up again, but she knew that Brian was waiting for her to do so, and she wasn’t completely ready yet to hear what Brian really thought. She was still unsure herself just what the future would hold for her. She only knew that now she had another person to consider in any decision, her baby. And she was feeling more than just a little overwhelmed at the moment. She knew she was still adjusting to the fact of restoring relations with her family. She had been on a roller coaster of emotions over that. Then she had become her best friend’s lover. Quite honestly, that fact still had her reeling at times. She knew Brian would put her feelings first, he always had. But this time, Sabrina was beginning to recognize that she needed Brian to tell her what he wanted. And in her most private moments, she had finally admitted to herself that she hoped, and prayed, that he would want to spend the rest of his life with her, and now with her baby, too. And while she had at times flaunted conventions, she wanted Brian to ask her to marry him. The hardest truth to face and the real rub to the situation was that she had wanted him to ask her without his knowing about the baby. Brian was such a good man, that Sabrina was afraid that he would ask out of duty to the baby, and not because he was as madly, crazily, in love as she had discovered herself to be with him. Sabrina found her parents in their joint dressing room, enjoying coffee and croissants. They both greeted her with happiness and smiles, inviting her to join them. Sabrina quickly declined the coffee her mother started to pour for her, instead pouring herself a glass of bottled water that she had stashed in her large carryall bag. She took a big gulp then interrupted her mother’s questions regarding her weekend. “I’m sorry, Mother, but I have something to tell you. And I need to say it right away or I’m afraid I’ll lose my nerve.” Marina reached across the table to cover Sabrina’s hand with her own. “Of course, darling. Whatever’s bothering you, we’ll be here for you.” She glanced worriedly at her husband as he sat silently next to her.

“Well, this is kind of hard to just blurt out, but I really don’t know any other way to do it. This is hard for me, just as we’ve gotten back together. I hate the thought that anything might change your feelings for me…” Marina couldn’t stand Sabrina’s mutterings another second, she had to get up and pull Sabrina up into her loving arms. “Sabrina, no matter what you have to say, we’ll always love you. Are you trying to tell us that you’ve decided to go back to California earlier than you had planned? I hate the idea of your leaving, but we won’t let anything come between us. Your father and I will work extra, and take longer time off from the show so that we can come out there and see you. We’ll plan to spend holidays together…” This time Sabrina interrupted her mother. “Mom, please, let me finish.” “Of course, darling, I’m sorry. I just don’t want to lose you…” “Mom you aren’t going to lose me.” She took a deep breath, and even let out a rueful laugh. “As a matter of fact, soon there will be a lot more of me than ever before.” John decided he’d heard enough of this chatter. No one was getting anywhere. He stood and gently turned his daughter towards himself. “Sabrina, what are you trying to tell us?” Sabrina glanced from her father to her mother. “I’m pregnant.” Several long seconds of silence followed her announcement, and then her mother let loose with a squeal of delight, pulling her back into her arms. She hugged Sabrina tightly, as tears of joy streamed over her unlined cheeks. “Oh, baby, you had me so scared there.” “Wait a minute, you’re not upset? I thought parents were supposed to get upset when their unmarried daughter makes an announcement like that.” She laughed ruefully at herself. “That’s the way it always happens in the soaps.” Both her parents laughingly replied, “Daytime drama!” A moment later her mother pushed her back into her chair. “I’m thrilled, Sabrina, and a little surprised. But you’re an adult, and you certainly are financially able to afford a baby. I just didn’t know you and Brian were trying.” “That’s just it, Mom. This is one of those ‘I can’t believe you didn’t know better’ situations. It was an accident. Or I guess I should say that the possibility never occurred to me. I can’t excuse myself by saying I was so caught up in all that was going on around me.” John spoke sternly, as he reseated himself. “What about Brian? This is just as much his responsibility. What does he have to say about this?” Sabrina patted her father’s hand. “Now that’s more like what I was expecting you to say. And Brian, well, our relationship isn’t quite what I first made it out to be.”

John pulled his hand free, crossed his arms, and then he leaned back in his chair. He leveled his narrowed gaze on Sabrina. “Brian is the father, isn’t he?” “Of course, Dad. It’s just that we, he and I aren’t, well…uhm…” “Is he going to marry you?” “Dad!” Sabrina gasped aloud, frightened to have her own fears put into words, by someone else. “John, really. This is the new millennium, remember. People don’t automatically marry just because there’s a baby coming.” “I don’t care, Marina. I’m old-fashioned. I think parents should be married, before the child is even born.” “Mom, Dad, please. Brian hasn’t asked me to marry him. And he doesn’t have to,” she went on hurriedly. The hurt, defensive look in her daughter’s eyes was obvious to a loving mother. And she saw the militant, stubborn look appearing in her husband’s eyes. It was time to defuse this confrontation until later. She turned as she heard a noise in the hallway, through the partially opened doorway. “Let’s leave this for now. Obviously Sabrina is still adjusting to the idea herself, and we don’t need to be barging in where we don’t belong, John.” She stood hurriedly as she saw John gathering himself to reply to that. “Sabrina dear, hurry along and get your makeup on.” She waited until the door closed behind her daughter, and then she turned to her fuming husband. “I know what you’re thinking, darling. But this is none of our business. We need to be there for Sabrina, not antagonize her. Just remember, it’s not good for her to be getting upset right now.” And with that, Marina had the last word.

***** The morning’s shoot went smoothly, with only minor problems and interruptions. Sabrina noticed her mother and father giving her long serious looks throughout the morning, but neither said anything else to her on the subject of her pregnancy. She declined their offer of lunch, deciding to eat alone in her dressing room. She was absently munching on vegetable sticks, bemoaning the need for a healthy diet, when the dressing room door opened. Turning in surprise, since it was common courtesy for someone to knock, she saw David Shelby stepping through the doorway, closing the door behind him. She met his gleaming gaze calmly. “Did you want something, David? If not, I’m busy going over my lines…” David lowered his lanky body onto the sofa, opposite the chair Sabrina was seated on. “I want the same thing I’ve always wanted.” David paused, letting the true meaning of his words just hang in the air between them. “And I know that you really want the same things that I do. You just don’t know how to ask me to

come back to you.” He stopped to cross his ankles and fold his hands behind his head, his whole body appearing relaxed and confident. Sabrina stared at him in disbelief. She couldn’t believe his gall. He couldn’t really be that dense, could he, she thought to herself? She started to laugh at him, when she recalled her earlier thoughts that David could harm her, and now her baby, if he wanted to. “Ah, my dear, I see I have your full attention now. You haven’t been treating me too kindly of late. But, I’m willing to forgive you. I’m even willing to forgive your recent liaison with Richards. And I feel the best way to handle the current situation is for you to make a quick trip to your doctor, and then we can get on with our lives.” Sabrina gasped at David’s nerve! He continued on though, as if he didn’t give a damn about her thoughts or feelings. “I’ve decided it would be best if we eloped this weekend, and then you can take care of the baby before things progress too much further. We wouldn’t want any of this to leak to the press, would we?” He paused and gazed at her sneeringly. “You wouldn’t want to do anything that would hurt your family, or the show, would you, darling?” Sabrina sat there in stunned silence. She couldn’t believe that David was serious. Yet there he was talking so calmly, arranging her life and the end of her baby’s life. She felt deep, searing anger building up inside of her at the callous way David talked about her baby. Then it dawned on her, how on earth did David even know she was pregnant? She knew her parents wouldn’t have told him, so how… David seemed to be reading her mind as he interrupted her thoughts. “I just happened to be walking by your parents’ door this morning, when I heard your voice. I can’t believe you were so careless as to get knocked up by that big jerk! And while I will forgive you your indiscretions with him, I refuse to raise his bastard as my own. The last thing we’ll want is a snot-nosed little brat in the way all the time.” Sabrina listened, but she was sure this had to be a dream. How could David think she had any interest in him? She shook her head from side to side. David’s harsh laugh drew her attention. “I have no desire to have two little monsters around all the time like Sam and Libby. I have big plans for the both of us. I figure we can do a movie together, maybe get a spin-off drama of our own. We’ll be the darlings of the press once word of our marriage gets out. And with your Hollywood connections, we should be able to write our own ticket. In a couple of years, maybe then I will let you have a child.” Sabrina continued to stare at him, beginning to feel that there was something not altogether right with David. She was beginning to think he was insane. How

else could he have conceived such a wild scheme, let alone assumed she would go along with it. “What makes you think I’ll go along with this, David?” David smiled slowly, a sneer that turned his sculptured face into a cruel mask. “It’s simple really. You don’t want to have your sordid story plastered all over the tabloids. Just imagine how the press will eat you up, and your family too. Do you really think the show could survive if the fans turn against you? Did you consider the effect this could have on all of Richards’ investment partners? I doubt those stuffed shirts would enjoy seeing his face on every sleazy magazine and tabloid newspaper. And all of his Middle America stockholders won’t approve of his affair with a movie star, let alone his bastard child.” David paused as he saw the fear in Sabrina’s gold eyes. She was still such a tenderhearted fool, even after all these years. Yes, indeed, he thought to himself, he would have no trouble at all controlling her once they were married. The world would be his oyster, so to speak, and he wouldn’t have to worry about answering to a domineering wife. His eyes gleamed as he saw his future in front of him. He stood up and walked over to the door. “I’ll give you until Gary calls it a wrap for the day. Then I’ll expect you to come to my dressing room with your answer. And don’t forget that I have a number of connections in the press that could work to your advantage, or disadvantage if that’s what you choose.” The door closed silently behind him.

***** Sabrina lost track of time as she sat in stunned silence. She felt a deep, gutwrenching fear. The fear had wiped out her anger. She couldn’t let her family suffer, and God knew there was no way she would let Brian suffer for her mistakes. She refused to be sorry she was pregnant with Brian’s baby. Yet she knew that others would not see it as she did. They would see only what the press deemed to print. She couldn’t stand it if the backers walked out on Brian’s production. Above everything else, she also knew that she could not abort her baby. It was a personal decision, and she wanted to have Brian’s baby. She wanted to have a little piece of him, in case she never got to see him again. And then it came to her. She would tell David yes, but she would disappear from all their lives before he could do any damage. She would go to her friends in Europe. Philippa and Marcello, and their lovely children, would help her heal. And they would be a wonderful support for her baby when it came into the world. She wiped the tears from her cheeks as she heard the bell ring, signaling the start of the next scene. Her head was pounding, but she went out with a sense of determination, and a strong feeling of being an unwilling martyr.

*****

Sabrina was standing off by herself as the last scene neared completion. She wasn’t in it, but David was. And he had cast several meaningful glances her way as the scene drew closer and closer to its conclusion. Sabrina kept hoping someone would make a major mistake, so the whole scene would have to be done again, anything to delay the inevitable. Maybe the director, Gary Ross, would tell everyone else not involved in this scene to take off so they could finish more quickly. But even as she finished that thought, she admitted to herself that it wasn’t very likely. And if she left, David would either come looking for her, or go ahead with his scheme to call the tabloids. She chewed nervously on her fingernails, knowing that the show’s manicurist would have a fit tomorrow when she saw the mess Sabrina had made of the perfect manicure she’d gotten earlier today. But she didn’t care. At the moment, she didn’t really feel like tomorrow would ever come anyway. She turned her back when she accidentally caught another mocking glance from David. She choked back a sob as a rush of despair poured through her body. Even when she had been burned, in the very beginning, she hadn’t felt this depth of pain, this sense of loss. She didn’t know how she would tell Brian. Then she remembered that she wouldn’t have to tell anyone. David would probably make some big announcement to the whole cast, with members of the media present, of course. Sabrina turned back in surprise as she heard some loud music coming closer. Soon she saw the men, about fifteen of them, all dressed in tuxedoes, and playing string instruments from an orchestra! “Holy shit!” Sabrina muttered as she realized they were heading towards her, where she had been half-hiding in the shadows. When they were about twenty feet away from her, they stopped their forward motion, forming a semicircle and continued to play. Sabrina shook her head as if to clear away the fog, and then she recognized the music as part of the Four Seasons by Vivaldi. It was one of her favorite pieces of classical music. To her surprise, Brian had decided to use it as background music for their upcoming film when he had heard about her love for the music. He had stressed, when they had been discussing it months ago, that it was ideal for the film since it was primarily about conservation, saving the planet, and if the human population didn’t do something soon there wouldn’t be four seasons ever again for future generations to enjoy. Sabrina smiled as she recalled Brian’s reasoning. Her heart caught a little as she realized how much she loved him, and… Her thoughts ended abruptly as she saw the musicians’ part and Brian step forward. He looked so dashing in his own tuxedo, with a peach-colored rose in

his breast pocket. Tears welled up in her eyes, for peach-colored roses were her favorite as well. Brian stopped about three feet in front of her. With a decidedly dramatic gesture, he pulled from behind his back two dozen long-stemmed peach roses, intermingled with baby’s breath, green leaves and two white roses. One of the white roses was fully opened, and the other was just a tiny bud. Brian smiled at her tears, and then grew serious as he spoke to her softly, but loud enough for those who were pushing inwards around the musicians to hear. “Don’t hate me, my love, for surprising you like this, but I felt the occasion called for something out of the ordinary.” He pulled the full white rose out first, holding it out to her. As she took it from him, he went on. “This is to thank you for the wonderful gift you gave me.” He paused when he saw the bright blush staining her cheeks. Then he handed her the tiny white rosebud. “And this is for the gift you created for me.” He smiled at the tears, which were streaming down her cheeks now. He handed her his handkerchief, then gave her the rest of the roses. Sabrina wiped her face, juggling the roses. She felt as if her heart was breaking. No one had ever done anything like this before for her. She didn’t know what she could possibly say, when to her total astonishment, Brian went down on bended knee in front of her continuing with what he wanted to say. The words blurred in her head as suddenly there were flashbulbs going off in every direction. All she heard was, “Will you marry me?” Sabrina looked into his light blue eyes and knew that no matter what else happened, she had to say “yes.” The deafening roar that accompanied her answer covered up Brian’s own shout of joy just seconds before he swept her up into his strong arms, hugging her tightly.

***** It was several long minutes later before Brian lowered her to stand on her own two feet. He had become aware that they were closely surrounded by her family now, all of them clamoring to offer their own wishes of congratulations and joy. His own feelings of elation still filled his soul. He knew he had been taking a chance at doing his proposal this way, but when John had called him this morning, he had decided that he would “take the bull by the horns” so to speak, and make it very difficult for Sabrina to turn him down. He had spent the rest of the day organizing his proposal of marriage with the same determination and skill that had made him so successful in the world of business. His secretary had been the one to suggest he call his friends at two of the most widely read newspapers, rather than let the news leak out to the tabloids first.

Now, he looked down into Sabrina’s tear-stained face. She was smiling, laughing, shaking her head at him in bemusement and crying all over again. Her voice was shaky as she spoke her first words to him since she’d first said yes to him. “I can’t believe you went to all this trouble! And where in the world did you get the musicians?” Brian laughed back in sheer joy. “I called in a few favors from some of my board members, and gave a large donation to the Philharmonics for next season. By the way, we now have box seats.” Sabrina laughed, and then turned at her mother’s insistent voice next to her. “Sabrina, darling, what a wonderful surprise! Now we’ll have to start planning the wedding.” She hugged her daughter close. “Let me think, we have so much to get ready…” John’s voice interrupted her plans. “Marina, dear, give them a chance to catch their breath. They haven’t been engaged for five minutes yet.” He hugged his daughter also, then turned and offered his hand to Brian. “Congratulations, Brian. I don’t imagine I have to tell you what a wonderful woman you’re getting.” Brian shook his hand firmly, conveying much more than his simple “thank you” did alone. “You don’t have to tell me how lucky I am. I thank God every day for letting me meet Sabrina.” Without wasting another second, he pulled Sabrina back into his arms for another quick hug. Neither of them saw the malevolent, furious glance David shot their way as he went past them on his way to his dressing room.

Chapter 16 It was several hours later when Sabrina and Brian finally returned to the apartment. At the studio, someone had magically appeared with several bottles of champagne, and everyone, family and cast members, enjoyed numerous toasts to the lucky couple. Sabrina had limited herself to just a few sips under the eagle eyes of her new fiancé and her mother. In the apartment Sabrina headed straight for the bathroom in Brian’s bedroom, dropping clothes as she went. By the time Brian reached the bathroom a few minutes later, she was already standing under a steaming hot spray of water. She turned as she saw his reflection in the shower’s partially frosted glass. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t wait another minute to get all this stage make-up off. I’ll probably have ten zits by morning! “ Brian was stripping as she spoke, his clothes joining her heap on the floor. Her gasp of surprise was lost under the additional jets of water that came on when he opened the glass door to join her. “Doesn’t matter…” Sabrina blinked drops of water away as she watched him pick up the soap and begin lathering it in his large hands. She waited several long moments, met his gaze and offered softly, “Shall I wash your back, Brian?” He put the soap back on the built-in dish, then took a step closer to Sabrina. His voice was husky as he replied, “Eventually.” A second later, his warm hands enclosed her full, sensitive breasts and began a sensuous massage that had nothing to do with cleansing. His hands prepared her breasts slowly, first just holding them in his palms. Sabrina let her head fall backwards. Her breasts felt as if they were becoming fuller, firmer, with each ragged breath she took. He began caressing her breasts slowly, more firmly, in ever increasing circles. Sabrina moaned and desperately grabbed his shoulders for support because her legs seemed to have turned to Jell-O under his sensual onslaught. His fingers began gently tugging at her sensitive nipples, which didn’t help to steady her legs at all. Brian quickly shifted them around, seating himself first on the tiled shelf-seat, and then ever so slowly he placed Sabrina astride his thighs onto his lap. Her gasp of desire coincided with his own groan of desire as he lowered her onto his aroused manhood. As he set the rhythm for her to follow, she caught his mouth to hers for a deep, soul-searing kiss.

Amidst the hot steam, she reached her climactic finish first. Her head fell forward onto his strong shoulder just as he emptied himself deep within her. Sabrina lifted her head long moments later, placing gentle kisses along his chiseled jaw-line. She raised her right hand to push her hair back and looked into his blue eyes. She was in love; there was no doubt about it now. He had told her once that he loved her, but he hadn’t said it when he found out about the baby, or when he proposed earlier. Her heart was torn between baring her love for him, or risk learning that he had changed his mind. After all, he didn’t propose until after he learned that Sabrina was pregnant. She placed a light kiss on his mouth. “I think this baby will like the water, considering how much time we seem to be spending in it ourselves.” “We’ll set it up to take him to one of those infant swimming classes.” Brian let his arms move from around her back, so that his hands rested lightly on her hips. “Okay, I guess. But you can be the one to get in the water with her, because I doubt I’ll be ready to wear a swimsuit let alone appearing in public in one. I’m going to look like a beached whale!” “You’ll look beautiful no matter what you wear or how big you get. But if you want, we’ll arrange for private lessons at the house by the beach. The pool there is perfect anyway since it’s heated year-round.” He raised his left hand to push back the hair she was having trouble controlling. “Tell me the truth, Sabrina. Are you sure? I know I put you on the spot proposing that way, but I wanted you to say yes so badly, I didn’t want to take any chances.” Sabrina wouldn’t have thought it possible that her heart could feel such joy, and she was close to bursting at the concerned way he was regarding her. Her throat choked up with her tears. She was tempted to blame it all on her now raging hormones, but she knew it was so much more than just that. “I’d be hard pressed to be any happier right now.” Brian pulled her close to his chest, hugging her tightly. She couldn’t resist squirming slightly, then whispering in his ear, “Speaking of hard…” Brian laughed at her impudence, and it was quite awhile later before they managed to get out of the shower.

***** Brian awoke several hours later, drowsily reaching for Sabrina. He felt the cold empty space beside him, and couldn’t prevent the shiver that snaked down his spine. He had never been one for feeling unjustified fear, but he was discovering that being in love tended to make one act irrationally at times. He moved slowly out of the bed, pulling his robe on as he walked towards the faint light in the living room. He stood in silence for several long seconds as he watched Sabrina on the sofa.

She sat there watching a black and white movie, with the sound turned down. She had her knees pulled up to her chest, and her arms wrapped tightly around her legs, as if holding them in place. Then he noticed the big tears that rolled silently down her cheeks as she stared at the silent screen. He felt his stomach curl as he realized that she was watching an old Marx Brothers movie, and there really wasn’t any reason in that film for tears. Without any warning, Sabrina turned her head towards him. She rubbed the tears away against her knees, and then gave him a slight smile. “If I’m not careful, you’re going to start to think you’ve gotten yourself engaged to someone whose elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top.” “Surely you don’t mean to tell me that you might be a few fries short of a happy meal!” Brian chuckled as he lowered himself next to her on the big sofa. She was dressed only in the white dress shirt he’d had on earlier with his tuxedo. Since it was wrinkled, he assumed it was the one he’d had on earlier that day. He spoke carefully, trying to keep his own churning emotions under control. “You look like you’re cold.” Sabrina laughed. “Not really. Your shirt is warm enough. You don’t mind my wearing it, do you?” she asked hurriedly. There were so many facets of Brian that she felt she still had to learn. “No, honey, I don’t mind you wearing my shirt. You look kind of sexy in it, with the sleeves half rolled up and your hair a little mussed.” He leaned over to place a kiss on the side of her neck. “And those top three buttons undone.” Sabrina glanced down and saw the deep cleavage that the open shirt and her position were revealing. She quickly lowered her legs, and then raised her hands to do up the buttons. Brian held her hands down on her lap, as he shook his head. “I’m not complaining about the view.” Holding her golden-eyed gaze with his blue one, he slowly parted the shirt even more. Resting his right arm along the back of the couch, he cupped her right breast in his left hand. Never taking his eyes from hers, he began to squeeze her breast, slowly at first, then more quickly, more firmly. When Sabrina gasped, he deserted her breast for the taut nipple, gently rolling it between his fingers and then pulling it, ever so firmly, until it became erect and at his full attention. The unconscious squirming of her hips in response to his exquisite touch revealed the intensity of her desire and passion. Her mouth was open, gasping in air, when his right hand tangled in the short strands of her hair. He pulled her head back, and then covered her lips with his own. With one light, gentle kiss, Brian began scattering open-mouthed kisses down her neck. When he reached her carefully prepared breast, his mouth claimed her nipple. A moment later, his eager hand started a gentle trip down her stomach, past her belly, to the smooth flesh awaiting him. He stroked her hot, damp skin while his mouth pulled and suckled deeply on her right nipple. He heard Sabrina’s

voice as if from a distance, chanting his name and then a softly spoken “please” broke from her lips. He raised his head from her breast, stopping for a second to admire the taut, distended pink nipple, which glistened in the flickering light from the silent television. He paused to blow gently on the tense, puckered skin, once, twice, amazed to see it tighten just a bit more. Sabrina barely heard his own softly spoken “lovely,” when he simultaneously claimed her with his mouth and hand. Her cry of ecstasy was lost in his own hot mouth, as her body convulsed around his questing finger.

***** Sabrina slowly opened her eyes, seeing Brian’s smiling gaze above hers. Sensual pleasure still numbed her brain as she started to speak. No words came out when she felt his hand between her legs, still in possession of her pleasure. Swallowing hard, Sabrina started to speak again, when he gently shushed her. With incredible skill, he brought her to yet another shattering climax. Several long moments later, Brian’s voice brought her back from the edge of oblivion. “Want to tell me why you were crying?” Sabrina opened her eyes drowsily, taking several long seconds to focus her gaze. When she did, she saw the smug look on Brian’s face. She thought about pretending, or joking, but decided to be honest with him. She trusted him, and her mind, let alone her body, didn’t have the strength to be clever or evasive. But her first words surprised him. “Thank you.” Brian didn’t ask for what, just waited in silence for her to continue. Sabrina gazed up at him as she spoke. “I woke up and my brain started going a mile a minute about the baby.” “Are you scared about carrying the baby? We’ll find the best doctors, you can stay in bed…we’ll delay the movie…” Sabrina laid her fingers across his lips to halt his words. “No. That’s not why I was crying, although I do admit I am a bit nervous about the whole thing. No, I was just sitting here thinking about all the changes in my life so far, and in such a short time, and then I realized that I was the one who was going to start changing, physically, that is. Then I realized that before too much longer I wouldn’t be able to sit with my knees hugged to my chest anymore, that I’d get as big as a barn, my breasts are going to get bigger, I’ll probably get stretch marks…” Brian stopped her words this time with his own mouth. When he raised his head, he smiled down into her rueful eyes. “Which worry should we tackle first? I understand that you’re afraid of being pregnant, but I will be with you all the way. And even though it won’t be my body changing, if you want, I’ll get morning sickness right along with you.”

He paused as she laughed softly in reply. “I’ll love rubbing lotion on your tummy as it gets bigger, and I’ll happily rub in lotion wherever else you might want it, too.” He loved the slow look of happiness returning to her face. Then he cupped her right breast again. He rubbed his hand around it soothingly, and then just rested it, holding her full breast. “And as to your breasts getting bigger, well, that sounds like a fine idea to me.” Sabrina laughed out loud this time. “How just like a man. That’s the only portion of a woman’s anatomy that’s allowed to get bigger! I happen to think my breasts are too big as they are, and I’ll have to get new clothes, new underwear…” Brian gently squeezed her right breast again, this time to get her attention. “I love your body the way it is now, and I will love it as it changes.” Sabrina stopped smiling. “Scars and all?” she had to question. “Sabrina, I don’t see any scars when I look at you. I see the woman you are, the woman I want to marry and spend the rest of my life with. That’s the truth, honey.” He stopped speaking, waiting for her reply. Sabrina shook her head for a few seconds, which obviously caused the worried look to cross his face. She chuckled softly. “Okay, big guy. But maybe you’d better buy some stock in a company that makes body lotion, because I have a feeling we’re going to need a ton of it.” They ended up falling asleep on the couch.

***** Sabrina met her mother for lunch two days later at her mother’s request. After they sat in silence for several long minutes, Marina finally admitted why she had wanted to meet with her daughter privately. “I’ve been hearing rumors floating about the last few days about you and Brian.” Sabrina frowned at her mother’s serious tone. “I don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about, Mom. I have to admit that I purposely have avoided the newspapers, and I haven’t let Brian watch anything but old movies on TV since he proposed the other day. I didn’t want to see what might be printed about us.” Marina put her fork down, patted her mouth with the pristine white napkin before she spoke again. Sabrina thought silently that there were times she wished her mother could just get to the point. “Well, Marta, she does my hair on the set, well, she said she heard some whisperings that the baby you’re carrying isn’t Brian’s. That he only proposed to protect you from scandal, and the man who is the father has refused to marry you.” Marina paused as she saw the stricken look on her daughter’s face. “Sabrina, darling, I hate to be the one to tell you these things, but I’m afraid it’s going to

end up in the scandal sheets soon, unless you counteract it with a story of your own.” Sabrina continued to sit in silence for several long moments, her thoughts racing madly in her head. Her foremost thought was for Brian. She knew it wasn’t true, and of course Brian knew it was his baby, but she was afraid again of what a scandal like this would do to him. There was no doubt that it had to be David at the source of this terrible story. He had reacted in anger when he saw that his blackmail scheme had fallen through because Brian had acted so quickly. She knew that she should have told Brian about the blackmail attempt right away, but when he had proposed, she had had so many other more pleasant thoughts on her mind and it had all seemed like a bad dream. She hadn’t wanted to let any mention of David cloud her beautiful horizon. But now she was afraid he had found a way to manipulate her yet again. “Sabrina.” Her mother’s voice drew her out of her thoughts. She looked up to meet her mother’s concerned gaze. “I haven’t heard a thing about this horrible story. I guess everyone was afraid to tell me.” She paused as the waiter came up to refill their water glasses. Before she could go on, an elderly woman came up to their table. She held a pen and a napkin in her hands. Sabrina smiled as the woman asked for their autographs. “I didn’t want to intrude, but my friends will never believe I really saw the two of you unless I have some kind of proof to show them!” Marina signed first, as Sabrina asked the woman, “Do you have a camera? We could have someone take your picture with us if you’d like.” For a minute, Sabrina was afraid the woman might faint, from the stunned look on her face, and then she hurriedly signaled her husband to come over with the camera. With Sabrina taking command, they had the Maitre’d take a picture of the couple seated at their table as proof of their having met their favorite soap opera stars. After that, several other people came up for autographs and pictures. It irritated Marina at first because she wanted to continue the conversation but when she saw that it wasn’t bothering Sabrina at all, she decided to wait until later. It was still nearly thirty minutes before Sabrina and her mother were able to leave the restaurant. Sabrina was laughing as they came out into the sunshine. Her mother caught her arm close to her own as they started down the street. “I can tell all that nonsense back there didn’t bother you like it used to.” Sabrina smiled at her mother’s concerned face. “I changed a lot after I got burned, Mother. I decided there were times when you just should relax and go with the flow, or you could drown in the undertow. And besides, those people didn’t mean any harm. If they didn’t come up and want autographs, then you wouldn’t have a successful soap opera, and I would not have been as successful in the movies I’ve made.”

Marina laughed herself this time. “You’re right, of course, darling. But whatever you do, don’t let your father hear you calling it a soap opera. You know how antsy he gets when it isn’t called daytime drama. I think it makes him think it has some social redeeming factors if you call it by a different name. Now, what should we do since we’ve been given the afternoon off? Are you in the mood to do any shopping?” Sabrina saw her mother gazing wistfully at the very exclusive dress shops across the street. She laughed as she tugged her mother across the street and into her favorite shop. Her mother was greeted the moment the door closed behind them. “Why, Mrs. Selwyn, what a pleasure it is to see you today. We weren’t expecting you…” Marina smiled apologetically at the attractive salesperson that had greeted her. “I know I always call in advance, Leticia, but my daughter and I were just having an afternoon out, and she insisted we come in here.” “Mother!” Sabrina protested half-heartedly. She had seen the look the woman had given her. She had definitely dressed down when they had left the studio, putting on a loose pair of jeans, and an even looser sweatshirt she had borrowed from Brian’s closet that morning. Her own clothes were getting a little snug and she had had to leave the snap on her jeans undone today when she put them on, and that had been before she had stuffed herself at lunch. “Leticia won’t mind if we browse around a bit, will you?” “Not at all,” the woman said. Marina Selwyn was one of their best customers, but she usually arranged a private showing of clothing in advance for her. She wasn’t sure, but maybe they were there to buy some clothes for the daughter, who certainly looked as if she could use some. “I’m free myself right now. Was there anything in particular that you had in mind?” Marina glanced around the tastefully decorated shop, locating two empty chairs over to the left. “My daughter would like to see some clothes, an assortment you understand, as she needs to expand her wardrobe now.” As Marina gently pushed her towards the plush chairs, Sabrina had to admire the sales woman’s aplomb. She hadn’t flinched so far at the thought of trying to come up with some suitable clothes to make up for the way she looked today. Marina settled herself next to Sabrina, and then smiled up at the other woman. “We’ll need to see an assortment of day and evening clothes, Sabrina do you have any idea what size you are right now?” Sabrina saw the woman’s eyes run over her speculatively. She was sure the woman could tell her size, even in the ill-fitting outfit she had on now. Sabrina removed her sunglasses finally, and looked the woman straight in the eye. “I might as well be honest, since my mother doesn’t seem to be able say it, I need maternity clothes, if you carry any, that is.”

Leticia recognized Sabrina now that she had removed the sunglasses. After all, her picture had been plastered all over the papers earlier this week, carrying the story of her engagement. But she was quite surprised to hear her admit so openly that she was pregnant. There had never been any hint of pregnancy in any of the stories she had read or from any of the gossip she had overheard. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you, Miss Selwyn. I’ve read all of your books, and I really enjoyed the movie you made last year. And yes, we just started carrying a line of maternity fashions. There’s been quite an increase in demand for more fashionable clothing because a lot of women are choosing to have children a little later in life.” She paused as she realized what she’d said. “Oh, I didn’t mean to imply that you were doing this later in your life…I meant that…” Sabrina leaned forward and clasped the other woman’s hand. “Don’t worry. Now, I’d enjoy seeing anything you might have in your maternity line.” When Sabrina and her mother left the store two hours later, Sabrina had her maternity wardrobe bought and a much lighter purse. As Marina flagged down a cab, Sabrina shifted her bags around, amazed at how heavy clothes could feel once you’d paid for them. As she stood waiting for the cab to stop, she felt more than a little self-conscious. Not because of all the bags she and her mother were holding, but because her mother had talked her into wearing one of her new maternity dresses home. With a maternity dress on, she felt like she had a sign around her neck that proclaimed her pregnancy to the world. Whereas before, she could hide behind loose clothes and look like she’d put on a little weight. But just by putting on a maternity dress she felt that more people were noticing her. Three women had commented and asked her when she was due in just the short time it had taken to pay for purchases and walk out of the store. It was with a sigh of relief that she settled next to her mother in the cab. Sabrina had just laid her head back when she heard her mother give Brian’s apartment address. She struggled upright and asked her mother, “I thought we were going back to your place first. Aren’t you and Daddy going out for dinner?” “We were. But while you were in the changing room, I called your father and arranged to meet him at Brian’s. I thought we all could go out to celebrate.” “Celebrate what, Mother?” Marina patted her knee lovingly, then handed the cab driver the fare for the ride. The doorman rushed forward to help as Sabrina struggled to get out of the cab with her packages. He signaled his young assistant to escort the ladies up to Mr. Richards’ suite. Sabrina smiled absently in thanks, speaking to her mother who was already inside the building waiting on her. “Is it just me, or do I seem to move slower since I put on this dress?”

Her mother just laughed, and tugged her into the elevator for the quick ascent to Brian’s penthouse apartment. Her mother tipped their young helper as the elevator doors opened, assuring him they could manage from there on their own. As Sabrina struggled to get out her keys, her mother agreed she seemed to be having trouble moving about in general, and she hoped the men were here already, because she was quite famished from all the shopping they had done that afternoon. Sabrina just laughed, then looked up in surprise from her useless rifling through her purse to find Brian standing at the now open front door. She noted the rather smug look on his face as he watched her fumble to stick things back into her purse. Meanwhile, Marina signaled him to bend down for her to kiss his cheek, and then she sailed on past him to where she heard John speaking from within. Brian struggled to keep the laughter from his voice as he offered, “Do you need any help?” “No!” Sabrina replied shortly as she continued to fumble about. Her mother had talked her into getting a sleek new purse to match her new clothes, and she couldn’t find anything she’d put into it so far. “I think this damn bag has a secret compartment in it. I’m having a terrible time finding my keys…”

***** Brian took the rest of the bags from her tenuous hold, then ushered her on into the apartment. “For someone who told me she had no intention of buying anything this morning when I last saw you, I’d say you did damned good. Or are you going to tell me all these bags belong to your mother?” He stopped abruptly as he saw Sabrina had lowered her arms to her sides. He let his blue eyes travel over the soft peach colored dress she wore. It was definitely a maternity dress, with its tiny, yet quite fashionable collar. In that moment, the baby seemed to become a reality. Of course, he had rationalized it all out in his head. Still, seeing Sabrina standing there in the full cut dress, he thought about the baby resting inside her body. He was amazed at the rush of warm feelings through him—feelings that had nothing to do with sex. He wanted to protect Sabrina and their baby. He wanted to keep them safe and secure. He knew he was falling deeper in love with her every day. Then he noticed the perturbed look on her face. “Are you feeling okay, honey?” Sabrina walked past him, into the living room, where she found her parents drinking her father’s favorite before-dinner drink, a martini. She heard Brian follow her and she felt guilty about being cross with him, but when he had stared at her in the maternity dress for so long, she had felt strangely unattractive. She

suddenly felt huge; she was going to get even bigger which would make her less attractive and she was afraid that Brian very soon wouldn’t want her in the same way as he had since they had first made love. She had just decided to apologize to him when she felt him take her hand in his. “Let’s go to the kitchen, Sabrina. We need more ice, and we’ll get some juice for you.” Without waiting for her to reply, he pulled her behind him into the kitchen. Once there, instead of going to the refrigerator, he pulled her into his arms. “Now, tell me what’s bothering you. And don’t bother denying it. You’ve been wearing a burned look on your face since I opened the door.” Sabrina glanced quickly up into his eyes, then back down. “It’s this dress.” Brian took a deep breath, and then raised her face to his again. Pregnant women were a mystery to him. “Okay, where should I start guessing? You don’t like the color after all, it was okay till you walked out of the store, it was too expensive…no, I can’t believe you’d think that one.” He relaxed a little as a slight smile curved her lips gently upwards. “No, silly. It’s a maternity dress.” “So? You knew that before you tried it on, right?” “Of course I did. It’s just that once I start wearing maternity clothes, well, everyone will know… And I guess I wasn’t really ready to have perfect strangers asking me when I was due, or even just noticing me as ‘a pregnant lady,’ not as a…” Her voice faltered. Brian pulled her closer as he felt her deep sigh. He raised his hand and smoothed it over the sleek, short cap of her hair. Then he caught the short strands between his fingers, tilting her head back farther. “Is that all, Sabrina?” “Well, I just felt dowdy and fat all of a sudden when I put this dress on.” “What can I do to let you know that I think you look beautiful? Let’s see…” Brian maneuvered her over to the table, and then easily lifted her onto the edge. He eased her thighs apart, moving in between them. “Hmm-m, maybe I could do this…” Brian slowly moved his hands up the inside of her thighs. At her yelp of surprise, he quickly covered her mouth with his since her parents were in the next room. As his hands found the juncture of her thighs, he lifted his mouth a scant inch from her own. His warm breath teased her swollen lips. “Shush, sweetheart. Or maybe I should try this…” His hands deserted her heated center, moving up over her slightly mounded stomach, where he paused to caress her lightly. He claimed her mouth again before he went on. “Or perhaps you’d like this better.” Brian’s big hands then claimed her full breasts. He massaged her lightly for a few seconds, and then he began squeezing more firmly, plumping her breasts for

his satisfaction. He enjoyed the look of rapture on her face. “Uhm, I do believe this is what you want.” He claimed her lips one more time, and then he eased away from her. Brian leaned back, enjoying the sight of Sabrina’s flushed face, and wet, swollen lips. “You have no idea how much I want to finish this now, but your parents are on the other side of that door and they’re expecting us to go out to dinner with them.” Sabrina raised shaky hands to smooth damp strands of hair back from her face. She tried to tuck the strands behind her ears, but they were still too short, falling back onto her cheeks. The stylist at the studio continued to cut her hair, to maintain a constant look. “I really think I’m too tired to go back out tonight. All that shopping has worn me out.” “That sounds great! I mean, I’m sorry you’re feeling so tired.” He couldn’t keep the grin from his face though. “I think we need to get back in there with the ice.” “And if we’re lucky, maybe they’ll leave after one more drink.” Sharing a grin, they went back into the living room.

Chapter 17 Sabrina had just finished hanging up her new clothes when Brian strolled in. He had turned out the lights after her parents had left, making sure all was secure. He watched her silently as she stood in front of the closet, dressed in just panties and a bra, putting her dresses in next to his own clothes. He liked seeing her clothes hanging next to his. Silly, he knew, but sometimes it was the little things that filled the heart to overflowing. And his heart had been so full of love for Sabrina, for so long… Sabrina turned and saw him leaning against the doorframe. She smiled, and then shrugged her shoulders. “I hope I didn’t use up too much closet space.” Brian straightened and strolled casually over to stand beside her. He crossed his arms over his chest, rubbing his chin then with one hand. He stared at the clothes, nodding his head for a moment or two. Sabrina looked up at him. Finally, Brian turned to nod his head at her. “I believe I can make do, my dear.” Sabrina laughed and then threw her arms around his neck. She hugged him tightly. “Hrmph,” he said. When Sabrina stepped back a bit, he met her eyes. “I imagine that soon I shall find my things shoved into a tiny spot in the corner, as more and more of your things find their way in here.” Sabrina looked at him for a moment and then nodded her head this time. “I believe you shall.” Brian pulled her close once again. “Minx!” he accused her lovingly while he caressed her exposed skin between her bra and panties. Sabrina moaned softly as he covered her parted lips with his own. His fingers slid under the catch of her bra, and then it fell loosely forward, held in place by their bodies. His hands slid down into her panties, caressing her rounded bottom eagerly, before pushing them down over her hips. “I have to tell you, Sabrina,” he said between kissing her mouth and then sliding his lips to the side her neck. “That little scene in the kitchen made it very difficult for me to get through the rest of the evening with your parents. I couldn’t believe it when you said you were tired and your mother immediately suggested we order in pizza!” Sabrina moved her hand down his chest, until her hand cupped itself around his hardness. “I can feel that it was quite ‘hard’ for you, my sweet,” she whispered.

Brian groaned as her soft hand cupped his hard cock, before she grasped him more firmly. “Damn, woman!” Sabrina eased back from him, and let her bra fall to the floor. She stood before him, naked. “I have a little problem myself.” Her hands moved to unbutton his shirt, pushing it back and off his shoulders. Brian watched her hands dispense with his clothes. “You do? Is it anything I could assist you with?” Brian could see that Sabrina bit her lip to hold back her laughter. Her fingers undid his belt, and then moved to slip the button free on his trousers. As she slid the zipper down, it sounded quite loud in the silence of the room. She slid her hands inside his briefs, letting her fingers tug at the waistband, pulling them down. She eased them over his manhood, hard and eager for the return of her touch. When her hands curled around him again, his breath caught in his throat. Sabrina leaned into him, rubbing her breasts back and forth against his chest. She looked up at him through her lashes, her hands still eagerly caressing, stroking and tugging on his hardening cock. “I believe there is something, kind sir, which only you have the power to relieve for me.” Brian’s breath caught in his chest at the saucy look she gave him as she whispered the innocent sounding words. His voice was hoarse as he answered her. “A true gentleman would never refuse a lady her request.” His hands moved between them and cupped her full, sensitive breasts. He began a sensual massage that caused her to lean more fully into his hands. “Aah…” she whispered, gasping for air. “I…I am so happy to hear that you will grant my request, sir.” Brian looked down into her half-closed eyes, dazed with her own growing passion. “And what request might I fulfill for a gentle lady, such as you?” Sabrina licked her lips, and Brian smelled the scent of her desire. She moved her hands though, still stroking his hardness with one hand, while the other slipped back to cup and fondle his balls. When he groaned deeply, Sabrina smiled. “Fuck me, kind sir.” Her words struck a fire deep inside him and he swung her up into his arms, and carried her over to the large bed. He kissed her hotly, as he positioned her body. He thrust into her soft, wet heat, groaning as her body enclosed and engulfed his hardness so eagerly. “Yes…” Sabrina cried out, loving the feel of him inside her. “Fuck me, Brian, please…now!”

Brian watched her face as he began thrusting into her hot body. “Nothing gives me greater pleasure…” His voice cracked for a moment. Sabrina’s legs moved to encircle his hips, pulling him deeper with each thrust he made. “Than fulfilling my lady’s wishes!” Sabrina climaxed around him at his words, her muscles clenching around him, pulling him deeper into her soft pussy with each contraction. Brian cried out to her, unable to hold back any longer himself. He thrust inside her again, and let her muscles milk his cock dry of its hot seed. Finally, his body came to rest along side her on the bed. Both were completely spent. Sabrina reached out and flipped off the light, throwing the room into darkness. She cuddled up to him, laying her head on his chest. She kissed his sweat-dampened skin. She whispered to him softly in the darkness. “Now that, kind sir, is definitely a present worthy of writing home about.” Brian chuckled, wrapping his arm around her and holding her close. “I wouldn’t be quite so descriptive when you write to your father, or he might come after me with a shotgun, my love.” Sabrina smiled. “I’ll save the good parts for my diary. Just imagine what yummy memoirs I’ll have someday.”

***** Sabrina left her dressing room, carrying her script with her. She had studied her lines, and was ready to face the upcoming scene. She was going to have the entire scene alone with David. She was wearing a loose-fitting dress, a last minute change, thanks to the wardrobe department. Trying to make-believe that she was enjoying a romantic dinner with David was going to require all of her acting skills. Gary beckoned her over to discuss the scene once more, and then it was time for the usual run through of the lines where they blocked their movements. Gary announced they would rehearse it once and then shoot it. Sabrina saw David was watching her, and she didn’t like the look in his eyes. She knew how spiteful and hurtful he could be when he didn’t get his way. She was more than a little bit concerned over what he might do. But she took a deep breath, and nodded she was ready. It took a few hours to get the scene, which was going to be one of the big scenes of the whole “return story line,” perfect or as near perfect as could be. David was particularly “touchy-feely” during the whole time, taking every opportunity to lightly touch her hand, her face. And when it came time for the big kiss she knew he was going to do his best to make it real. Sabrina broke away from the kiss, as soon as she heard Gary call out “cut.” She wiped her hand across her mouth, deliberately and obviously wiping away David’s kiss.

“That was great, Sabrina and David. I don’t think we will have to do anything else, but I’ll let you know tomorrow if there is. Sabrina, I thought we could do that bathroom scene next, but David you’re done for the day.” Gary told them as the props and room changed around them. Sabrina nodded, heading for her dressing room to get undressed. She closed the door behind her, grateful to get away from everyone. She had the distinct feeling that everyone was watching whenever she and David were together. She tossed her script down, closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead. She leaned back against the door, glad to be alone, in the silence. She had found the scene with David more stressful than she had thought she would. She heard a noise and lifted her eyes and saw Brian was standing in the doorway of the bathroom. She smiled as she saw the concerned look on his face. “Hi there,” she told him softly, moving across the room towards him. Brian held his arms open, folding her close to his chest, just holding her in silence for a few moments. “Will you be much longer?” “Just a few minutes, I’m afraid. What brings you down here? I thought you had a bunch of meetings today.” Brian nodded. “I moved some things around so I could take you out to lunch.” “Oh, Brian, that sounds wonderful!” Sabrina stepped back from him. “Damn it! I’ve got this other scene, but I don’t think it will take too long, if you want to wait.” Brian smiled. “I’ll wait, my sweet, for as long as it takes.” Sabrina held his gaze silently, seeing the unspoken message in his eyes. She blushed and turned towards the closet. She began taking her clothes off and when she was naked and only put her robe on, Brian felt compelled to clear his throat. “Uh, honey?” Sabrina turned and smiled at him. “What is it, Brian?” “Are you wearing anything in your next scene?” Sabrina laughed. “I’m wearing a tub full of bubbles,” she told him saucily, grinning and wiggling her eyebrows suggestively at him. “I have to go get my makeup done. Why don’t you come and watch?” Brian nodded and followed her out of the room, and over to the makeup area. He watched in silence as her face was very carefully repaired, and her hair was done, using a diaphanous pink length of material to tie it back from her face. Sabrina loosened her robe, and let it drop to just the very top of her breasts, concealing her nipples. Looking up, Sabrina thought Brian was going to say something for sure, yet he didn’t. He just watched as makeup was lightly applied to her upper chest and

her breasts, to conceal the blue veins that were more prominent now that she was pregnant. Finally, Sabrina was ready, and taking Brian’s hand, she walked onto the closed set. Gary greeted them both, telling her they should be ready in just a few minutes. Sabrina’s voice drew Brian’s attention back to her. “I do hope they got the water warm this time. Once I did a tub scene and the water was cold. Needless to say, the director got the response he’d been looking for.” Brian smiled at her attempt to relax the tension. “Well, we have that scene in the movie, where you’re skinny-dipping. I’ll admit that previously, the thought of you doing that didn’t upset me. But I’m already rethinking that scene.” Sabrina laughed and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. “I could use a ‘body double,’ if you prefer. Though I imagine that if things proceed as planned, I will be in no shape to be seen nude by anyone!” Brian smiled down at her upturned face. “Except me, of course.” Before she could reply, Gary told her it was time to get started. She nodded and walked up onto the stage. Sabrina was very much aware that Brian caught his breath as she handed her robe off, and then climbed into the tub. The removal of her robe had been as tastefully done as possible, with her assistant holding it up while she got into the tub. Brian saw the smile on her face, so obviously the water wasn’t cold, as she had been anticipating. She sat down into the lush bubbly water, and sat still as the bubbles were arranged artfully around her.

***** Gary had her run through the scene, and then they started shooting. It was a really short little scene, and was probably put in to tantalize the audience, and add a little tension to the story line. Sabrina got her lines and movements perfect the first time, but Gary did it twice more until he had all the angles and lighting just how he wanted. Sabrina looked relieved when he finally called it a wrap, and she gratefully stepped out of the tub and into the robe held up for her protection, hiding her from most of the people present. She walked over to Gary. “Is there anything you need me for, Gary? If we have to shoot it again, I’m going to turn into a ‘diva’ and demand you add more hot water.” Gary laughed, smiling at Sabrina, and then over her shoulder towards Brian. “We’re done with your scenes, Sabrina. You don’t need to be back until tomorrow.” Brian smiled, showing how glad he was to hear that information. He wrapped his arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, starting back to the dressing room.

They both noted Shelby standing off to the side at the same time. It was obvious he had watched the tub scene. Even though it had been a closed set, he had obviously managed to get in past the usual security. Not that it was a complete surprise, since he was a cast regular, it most likely would be assumed he was there for a definite, approved reason. Brian tensed and Sabrina must have felt the sudden tension in him because she turned in his arms, pressing her hands against his chest. When he stopped and looked down at her, Sabrina whispered to him. “Kiss me, right now!” Brian grinned and lowered his head, kissing her hotly, sweetly and more sensuously than David had been able to do during his romantic scene. Of course, Brian wasn’t acting. He pulled Sabrina close as he let his tongue taste hers, and slowly savored the sweetness of her kiss. As he lifted his head, he saw Shelby turning away angrily, and he didn’t try to squelch, or hide the feeling of satisfaction he felt just then. Sabrina saw where he was looking, and lightly punched him in the stomach. “Hey!” Brian protested. “I’m hungry, so let’s go feed me and the baby, okay?” “You’ll get no complaints from me, honey.” While Sabrina dressed to leave for the day, Brian made a quick call to his home, and then wandered over to talk to her father. When Sabrina came out of the dressing room, she saw the two men talking quite seriously, and Brian was nodding his head, frowning. They stopped talking though as she neared, both turning and smiling at her. John kissed her cheek. “What are two going to do with the rest of the day?” Sabrina shrugged. “I don’t have any plans, Dad, unless you count my nap. In fact, I’m thinking that a nap sounds like an excellent idea.” Her father laughed, smiling at his daughter, but looking at Brian as he spoke. “Every time Marina was pregnant, we would have to go through this regular routine of finding a shooting schedule that would let her get her nap in. Don’t tell your mother I said this, but if she didn’t get her nap in, she’d get downright nasty!” Sabrina sighed heavily. “I have a feeling I am the same way. Brian is too nice to complain, but I’ve been a little testy some days when I don’t get enough sleep.” Brian tried to muffle his laugh, but they both heard. John grinned. “It will get better, I promise. Or at least it will be better until you are up with late night feedings, teething or colic.” Sabrina kissed his cheek, telling him she hoped so, and then they left for the apartment.

Chapter 18 When the twelve weeks were nearly ended, Sabrina read the future script plans. After talking to Brian, she agreed to stay another eight weeks. Everything had been wonderful…until two weeks ago. Brian had been gone for over two weeks. First he’d had to go back to California to have meetings about the movie that he had repeatedly postponed because of the need to be with Sabrina, until he couldn’t postpone them anymore. Then Wilhelm had called and since the director was working on a movie in Europe, Brian had decided it was easier for him to fly there rather than the other way round. Even though he called twice a day, once before she left for the studio and then later when his schedule permitted, it wasn’t enough. She was suffering from his absence and it showed. She was grumpy and difficult to work with; she wasn’t happy with her acting. Everyone put it down to hormones, as she was normally one of easiest persons to work with. Living the hermit life was taking its toll. Apart from going to the studio for rehearsals or filming, Sabrina usually stayed in the apartment and was beginning to feel sorry for herself. But she had wanted to be alone, only her idea of alone had Brian in it. Things had come to a head yesterday when a dress that Sabrina had worn in one of the first episodes she filmed since returning to the show had to be resurrected to film a dream sequence relating to the scene in which she had worn the dress. The only problem was that the dress was now too tight and could not even be patched to make do. Sabrina had ended up staring at herself in the mirror realizing for the first time just how much weight she had put on around her middle. Gary shuffled the entire shooting schedule to allow time for a copy of the dress to be made with Sabrina’s new measurements. For Sabrina though, that only made it worse because now everyone would notice how much weight she had gained. If she heard Anne talking about “happy, plump hausfraus” one more time, she might just strangle her. Marina had also been pushing her to make an appointment to see Libby’s obgyn but Sabrina had kept putting it off using the time honored excuse of “no time.” The appointment had actually been scheduled to coincide with Brian’s return to New York in a few days. To top it all off, Brian had called this morning to say that he had to delay returning to the States for a few more days. She had burst into tears when Brian had rung off and cried for twenty minutes.

Her make-up kept running as she tried to get ready for work and in the end she just left the apartment with red puffy eyes and a matching nose. There were no cabs, and she didn’t want to wait while their friendly doorman called for one, so she took the bus. Even with the puffy eyes, Sabrina was still recognized and continued signing autographs long after the bus stopped. The bus driver good-naturedly told her to take as much time as she needed which resulted in traffic being held up. It didn’t take long for the police to show up. Sabrina pleaded with the officer not to write the driver a ticket and explained what had happened. Before she knew it she had signed three more autographs for the officer’s wife, mother and mother-in-law. When Sabrina had finally reached the studio, she was thirty minutes late and went straight to make-up where they fretted over the state of her eyes. Sabrina broke down again when Junine, the woman who had done her make-up since she was a child, asked her if she was all right. It all came pouring out. The fact that she was missing Brian, that she didn’t want her parents to feel that they had to keep her company while he was away, and lastly was her fear that she would always look like the Good Year Blimp! Junine worked quickly and helped Sabrina get into the remade dress. She arrived on the set a minute before she was due, which seemed a miracle considering everything that had happened so far. Soon it was time to take her mark on the set. The scene was one with Anne and David. While Sam was setting up for the scene, Anne let it be known that she was not happy about the fact that “once again the world seemed to be revolving around the little princess” and didn’t even bother to lower her voice as she came around the corner onto the set. Anne continued on blithely when she saw Sabrina, “I’m surprised they were able to alter the dress enough to cover all that extra weight you’ve gained, Sabrina. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were pregnant!” The set was silent enough for the words to be heard by anyone who was there. David saw an opportunity to add more fuel to the fire. “Anne, dear, she is pregnant. And it looks as if the father has deserted her for ‘thinner’ pastures.” Several people gasped in surprise at David’s coarse remark. Sabrina was aware that she was breathing quickly in order to remain calm. She refused to let either one of these two think they could upset her and it took every ounce of acting ability in Sabrina to hit her cue when Sam called for quiet and then “action.” She gained a small measure of satisfaction at the look of surprise on Anne’s face as the scene panned out perfectly. Sabrina walked off the set, hearing that she had thirty minutes before her next scene was scheduled to shoot with Gary in the studio next door. Sabrina closed her dressing room door. She slowly removed her dress and sat in front of the dressing table mirror. She combed her hair, and reapplied her lipstick. As Sabrina studied her reflection, she knew the small tasks helped to calm her.

It was hard to remember that she’d been back doing the show for longer than the agreed on three months. It was coming up on five months, and she knew they wouldn’t be able to keep filming her from the waist up for very much longer. Brian had changed his plans around, as much as he could, but Sabrina knew he would have to face the fact that soon she wouldn’t be able to star in his film as planned. Every time she brought it up though, he changed the subject. And when it was suggested that Sabrina stay on with the show, he had offered no objections. Sabrina rested her chin on her hand and stared at her reflection. Maybe what David had said was true. Could it be that Brian was coming to see that he had made a mistake? After all, with her pregnant, it would have made a nasty scandal when the news did break. And by proposing as he had, both the show and his production company had gotten a lot of good publicity. And everyone in the business knew that friendly publicity was always the best kind. The door opened behind her. She turned and saw it was her dresser, come to help her change for the next scene, and she smiled a welcome. It didn’t take long at all, and she was back out, waiting for her cue. The scene was with two of the minor actors on the show, and Sabrina was glad when it was finally done. It seemed that one or another of the three of them kept messing up a line or a word. Desperately trying to keep her composure intact, Sabrina missed her mark and knocked a vase off an end table. Blushing in embarrassment and feeling like she was getting as clumsy as an ox, she apologized to everyone. Sabrina had never been so glad to see the end of a day at work. She refused a dinner invitation to join her parents, using tiredness as an excuse. It was true though, because she fell asleep without eating on the sofa almost as soon as she got to Brian’s apartment. A disgustingly insistent buzzing finally woke her. She stumbled to the intercom, and learned she had a visitor. Without thinking, she assumed it was one of her parents and told the doorman it was all right to let them come up. She stumbled into the bedroom, stripped her clothes off and wearing just her panties, pulled on one of Brian’s old sweatshirts that reached to her knees. Her face was bare of makeup from leaving the studio in a rush. Junine always offered to apply some light coverage, which was much gentler to the skin, but Sabrina refused. Yawning, Sabrina opened the door. Through sleepy eyes she saw her visitor was David. She cursed under her breath. “What do you want, David?”

***** David let his eyes move over Sabrina’s body insolently. He noticed that she had not yet stepped back to allow him to enter. He pressed his advantage and took two steps forward. Sabrina reacted as he thought and quickly stepped back

to avoid touching him. David came through the doorway and shut the door behind him. “And it’s nice to see you as well.” He paused to look around at the very large and tastefully decorated penthouse-sized apartment. Knowing how expensive real estate was in New York City, he could mentally guess what a place this size had cost Richards. “I’d love a drink, Sabrina. Thanks for offering.” David walked over and sat on the sofa.

***** Sabrina considered her chances of throwing him out, and knew that was hopeless unless she called for help. She walked over to the elegant concealed drinks cabinet, opening it so the drinks rose from the center. “I don’t have any ice,” she told David curtly. “That’s no problem. I’ll have scotch, neat.” Sabrina poured him the drink and took it over to him. She managed to hand him the drink without letting contact between their fingers occur. She ignored David patting the cushion beside him on the sofa, and sat in the matching armchair across the small cozy sitting arrangement. She curled up in the armchair, tucking her legs underneath the sweatshirt. When she looked up, she found David had been watching her. He smiled as he met her eyes. “No need to cover up, my sweet. I’ve seen it all before.” Sabrina considered replying and decided against it. He’d leave quicker if there was nothing to say. David just grinned and sipped his drink. He finished it, and without asking, went over to the drinks cabinet and poured himself another larger measure. He stood and looked at Sabrina. “Richards has a nice place here, doesn’t he?” Sabrina nodded, kicking herself mentally for not asking the doorman who it was before letting the person come up. David was the last person she’d expected to see though. “Yes and it’s convenient to his business interests here in the city.” David nodded. “I’ve heard his house in California is pretty impressive.” Sabrina sighed, but nodded. “If you want to think in terms of impressive, I guess it is.” “Aah. One of the perks of the very wealthy, I should imagine.” “I wouldn’t know, David.” David wandered around the room, assessing the worth of the assorted paintings, sculptures and other decorations. He paused at one interesting cabinet. It was small, ornately carved in a deep cherry wood, and had several panels of exquisitely detailed inlays. He opened it and saw sculptured chess pieces, checker pieces and a folded game board. He closed it and murmured, “Cute toy.”

Sabrina was getting tired of his innuendos about Brian’s money and being polite. “It should be. It’s an eighteenth century antique game cabinet and it’s valued at eleven thousand dollars.” “Expensive toy,” David added, with a sneer curling his lips. Immediately after she had spoken, Sabrina wished she had just kept her mouth shut. It was just that she hated David’s little digs and slurs. “I wanted to play chess, and the next day,” she waved her hand towards the cabinet, “that arrived from Sotheby’s.” But as soon as the words left her mouth, Sabrina regretted them even more than what she had said a few moments earlier. It was none of David’s business. David stopped in his wanderings. He turned and looked at Sabrina. Everything about her, and this top-of-the-line apartment, reminded him of what should have been his! “I see, Richards just snaps his fingers at your slightest whim. Immediately he can present an expensive toy for his damaged toy?” Sabrina stiffened in her chair, not needing to guess what David was inferring. She opened her mouth to tell him she was not Brian’s toy but didn’t get the chance. Neither of them had heard the silent opening of the door a few minutes earlier, nor seen Brian entering his apartment.

***** Brian, on the other hand, could feel the tension emanating from Sabrina the instant he had stepped into the hallway and had stayed silent while Shelby wandered around putting a price tag on his possessions. “I wasn’t expecting a visitor tonight, Shelby. And while it might be a trite phrase, nothing is too good for my fiancée.” Sabrina had jumped to her feet when she heard Brian’s voice. Brian could see the range of emotions on her face and smiled. “I know I should have called to let you know the change in my itinerary, but I decided to change it again at the last minute.” He walked over to Sabrina, and hugged her tightly. It didn’t make any sense, but he was inordinately pleased that she was wearing one of his favorite sweatshirts. He leaned down to kiss her cheek, as casually as an old married couple might do. “Have you eaten yet, honey?” Sabrina shook her head, still unable to believe that Brian was here, and not in Europe. “There’s probably something in the fridge to warm up.” Brian nodded and turned to look at Shelby, who was still looking shellshocked. “I hate to be rude, Shelby, but I’m asking you to say goodnight and leave. I’m exhausted after the long flight, and I know Sabrina must be tired. I’m sure you probably have an early call tomorrow as well.” David looked from Sabrina to Richards, cursing silently. He mumbled something, drained the very expensive scotch, turned on his heel and left.

Sabrina turned to speak to Brian but he was already halfway across the room heading towards the bedroom, so she hurried after him. He was already in the shower when she walked in and started to pick up his clothes that had dropped on the floor in a trail.

***** The sheer “wifeliness” of her actions made her smile. Maybe it didn’t make sense, and she was probably betraying some feminists’ pact, but it warmed her heart to do these things for Brian. Granted he had a housekeeper to do it, but Sabrina felt like she really belonged in Brian’s life for the first time. A big grin curved her lips as she walked into the bathroom and watched Brian through the glass. She quickly slipped off the sweatshirt and her panties, and stepped into the shower behind him.

***** Brian didn’t flinch as he felt Sabrina’s soft hands touch his waist. He smiled a little, keeping his face turned up into the water. A second later, he felt her arms sliding around him, and then the press of her body against him. He thought he felt her lips against his back for a moment, and then the press of her cheek and the soft caress of her hair. He wrapped his hands over hers. His voice was deep and husky when he spoke. “I missed you, Sabrina.” Behind him he heard a distinct sniffle, followed by a sob and a louder sniffle. He patted her hand. “Don’t cry, honey.” Another sniffle came, but louder. “I can’t help it. It doesn’t make any sense, you know.” Brian loosened her death grip and turned around to face her. He shifted them both so he could sit on the built-in seat and pulled Sabrina onto his lap. He listened as she sobbed once again and then had two more sniffles. Her voice was choked as she spoke, cuddling into his embrace and resting her head on his shoulder. “I didn’t ask him here.” Brian chuckled. “I never thought you did, honey. But I’m confused on what doesn’t make any sense.” Sabrina almost told him the truth, but bit her lip at the last minute. “Why are you here? You told me this morning it would be at least another week.” Brian stroked his hand up and down Sabrina’s arm. He considered telling her the truth, which was that her father had called him earlier. John had told about the slight contretemps on the set, and that they had just learned that Brian

was out of town. Brian had made some quick calls and left for the airport a short time later. He was dead tired, not having been able to sleep on the plane. “I just decided to hell with everything, and came home. I missed you, Sabrina.” That did it. The tears poured out like a dam broke. Brian held her close, wrapping both arms around her. “Its okay, honey,” he told her softly, patting her shoulder and pressing kisses to her temple and the top of her head. It had been pure hell being away from her. He had always felt pangs at being away from Sabrina, but nothing ever like this gnawing ache to get back to her as quickly as possible. He wouldn’t have thought it possible. But since they had been living, and sleeping, together, and especially with the baby added in, he loved her more now than before. Sabrina finally snorted hard and sniffed loudly. “I missed you so much, Brian. It’s like…I don’t know, damn it! I can’t explain it! I don’t know if it’s hormones but it’s been awful without you to come home to every night.” Brian felt his breath catch as his heart leapt in his chest. Hearing Sabrina admit she missed him was one thing. But adding to her calling this home and wanting to come home to him hit him like a ton of bricks. He opened his mouth to finally tell her that he loved her, and that he’d been in love with her for such a long time. Sabrina was faster though. She covered his mouth and slipped her tongue inside. She stroked her tongue along his, flicking and caressing, setting up an almost teasing sort of dance. The only break she gave his tongue was when she shifted on his lap. Turning to face him, she now straddled him. She caressed her hands across his shoulders and down his chest. Her fingers honed in on his taut nipples and plucked at them eagerly. A few moments later, Sabrina slid her mouth to his cheek, kissing her way to his ear lobe. Her lips caught the lobe and held it lightly for a moment, and then began to nibble at it with her teeth. Kissing her way along his jaw, she worked her way back to his mouth. She caught his lower lip with her teeth, tugging it a little and finally sliding her tongue along the edge as if to soothe it. Brian lifted his hands between their bodies and cupped her breasts. He touched her gently, squeezing her lightly. He remembered how tender her breasts had been right before he’d left, and he didn’t want to hurt her. And then Sabrina released his mouth and whispered to him, “You can squeeze a little harder.” Brian immediately complied, lavishing his full attention on her burgeoning breasts. After a few moments though, he slid one hand down her body. His fingers easily found her clit, already engorged and eager to be touched. Even though it was light, that first touch had Sabrina’s hips jerking forward in response. She had truly missed him, emotionally, mentally and physically. She

flung her arms around Brian’s neck, hugging him tightly. She pressed against his stroking finger. Brian slipped his hands to her armpits and lifted her upwards. He felt Sabrina’s hands move to his shoulders to steady her body as she ascended slowly to heaven. Brian heard her groan as her flesh parted to admit him. It had indeed been too long for him as well. His cock had been semi-hard from the moment he got into the cab for the ride from the airport. He had finally let his erotic thoughts have free rein over his consciousness. Having her come into the shower, and then feel her soft hands, followed by the pressing of her soft body to his, had completed his arousal.

***** Sabrina lowered her forehead to rest on Brian’s shoulder as her body adjusted to once again being filled with his hardness. It had only been a few weeks but it felt like an eternity. She felt Brian’s hands begin moving up and down her back, caressing her wet skin. His mouth lowered to kiss and nibble at the side of her neck. He nipped her flesh and sucked it lightly when Sabrina sighed loudly and moved her hips. Sabrina lifted her head and looked into Brian’s eyes. Her hands were braced on his shoulders and she leaned forward to press a light kiss to his mouth. When his tongue moved to enter her mouth, she pulled back. She began to squeeze her innermost muscles around his cock, and her hips began to move. Her hips moved forward, and then back. And when Brian groaned this time, she started moving them faster. She tried to use her hands to lift her body up and down, but she couldn’t because her feet didn’t touch the floor of the shower. Brian slid his hands to her armpits, and began assisting her. He moved her upwards and then let her descend slowly. He flexed his own hips so he pressed firmly against her clit in her rise and descent. Sabrina couldn’t keep up the momentum as her climax washed through her. The involuntary contractions took over as her body shook and her hips jerked as she orgasmed wildly. Brian watched the passionate response of her body for as long as he could hold back, but a few moments later he jerked his hips upwards and his seed spewed forth into Sabrina’s eager body. He groaned as her muscles kept on clamping down and squeezing his cock, draining him of everything that he had. Even as he could feel his seed erupting, Sabrina seemed to melt into his arms, exhausted. As his cock twitched with its final effort, he could still feel the tiny contractions, erratic now, that signaled Sabrina’s orgasm was still commanding her attention. Her soft little mews and gentle flexes of her hips were the only visible signs of her continued response. Brian slid his arms around her limp body. He knew he was the luckiest man on the face of the earth. And even though he knew she might not love him in the

traditional sense, she cared for him. He had his proof in her body’s responses. He had had even greater proof in that she had decided to keep their baby. And he would let nothing tear them apart, especially not Shelby.

***** Sabrina’s final scene was ready to shoot. She’d been forced from her dressing room because of the ocean of flowers that were being delivered and they didn’t look as if they were going to stop any time soon. There were big baskets from her family but the majority had come from her fans when it had leaked out that today was her last day of taping. It was funny that she’d forgotten how warm and caring soap fans could be as acting on the big screen brought a different kind of fame and notoriety. She noticed several reporters from entertainment television shows lurking around, wanting to be in the “hot spot” in case something happened. Walking across the studio, Sabrina was greeted warmly. A lot of the cast and crew had worked on the show for years, and many of them had watched Sabrina grow up on the show. It had been wonderful seeing them all again, but she was ready for her life to return to normal. Reaching the edge of the sound stage where everything had been set up, Sabrina rubbed her hand in circles over her round belly. Her life would never be the same again. She certainly didn’t want it to be. She was in love with Brian, she was going to have his baby and if she never acted again it wouldn’t bother her. She was happier and more content than she’d ever been. Finally, Gary signaled he was ready for her scene. While there had been a big farewell party the night before, Sabrina’s final scene, oddly enough, was another farewell—this time to David. She couldn’t shake the feeling that he would try something else today, especially with all the press coverage the show was receiving. Sabrina smiled as she came onto the set, blushing when there was a spontaneous eruption of applause. She shook her head and gestured they should stop, turning as Gary came over to her. “Are you ready for this, kid?” Sabrina smiled. “Ready as I’ll ever be. Uhm, do me a favor, will you?” Gary grinned. “For you, gorgeous, anything! I’m not sure whether you’re aware of the fact that you’ve saved the show and our asses.” Sabrina shrugged, doubting that it had been that dire. “If something happens, as long as no one is in imminent danger, keep the cameras rolling. Don’t cut the shot.” Gary reached out and touched Sabrina’s short hair where it curled onto her cheek. “You think he’s going to pull a fast one?”

Sabrina pressed one hand to her bosom and gasped. “Me! What would I know? I’m totally innocent…always.”

***** Gary shook his head, but agreed. He called for quiet, and gave a few more last minute directions. It would be great to get this in one shot, and with all three cameras running different angles, if both actors would cooperate, it was possible. He walked over to his usual spot behind the main camera, and noticed that Brian had come onto the set. Gary waved him over as he handed his script pages to his assistant. Gary held his hand out in greeting to the other man, speaking softly. “I shouldn’t be so nice to you since you are taking my favorite actress away.” Brian grinned. His next words surprised the director. “We’re only a phone call away, Gary. It took Sabrina a long time to get to this point in her life. And if you need her again I’ll do my best to make it happen.” “Thanks. You, of all people, should know that bringing Sabrina back was like a blood transfusion and I don’t just mean what people see on the box! The change in her parents has been nothing short of amazing—like a missing arm that’s been returned to an amputee!” Gary cleared his throat and said gruffly, “Well, before I get teary and all, I best get back to business.”

***** Brian grinned and watched as Gary gave a few more last minute instructions. His eyes moved over to Sabrina, where she was waiting for her cue to enter the room full of people. He’d read the scene, and was anticipating some real tears ruining more than just the women’s carefully applied makeup. Sabrina looked beautiful as always. There was no missing her rounded tummy anymore, but Gary had arranged it so that her shots were always above the waist. Brian hadn’t admitted it to anyone, but he was suspicious that Shelby might try something today as well. The man was a camera hog, and with all the added press coverage, it would be true to character. Like clockwork, the crew went into action at the silent countdown. Sabrina’s entrance was perfect, and as she moved through the room, everyone was nearly perfect in the delivery of their lines. Reaching David, Sabrina smiled, accepting a glass of champagne from a passing waiter. Everything seemed to be going fine until David said something that was obviously not in the script. Brian could sense it by the way some of the cast froze. Sabrina, however, didn’t appear phased by what he had said. “I was wrong all those years ago, Sabrina. I should never have let you go. My life has been empty without you. Please, stay and marry me! Let’s continue what we started so long ago and make the fairy tale come true.”

Sabrina could hear the gasp of surprise from a couple of the cast who couldn’t hide their true emotions. She knew she had a few options here, but the one she never even considered was leaving Brian for David and went smoothly into her response. “David,” Sabrina deliberately used his real name. “In spite of everything you’ve done, I don’t hold it against you. But if you think for one single, solitary minute that I would give up what I’ve got now then you need to see a doctor.” Sabrina took a deep breath after that but could see that David wasn’t going to give up easily. Reacting partly on instinct and rather than allow him to reach out to her, she turned to the nearby table. Without thinking or caring, Sabrina picked up a pitcher from the table and turned to face Shelby. She grabbed his belt and trousers and then tipped the entire liquid contents down the front of his trousers! “If that doesn’t cool you off,” Sabrina added loudly enough for everyone to hear, “I’ll get you some ice cubes.” Suddenly deciding the whole scene was a waste, she looked directly into camera number one. She waved to the camera. “I love this show, I love my family and I wanted to thank all the kind people who have written and sent me things since I came back.” Sabrina smiled and pointed downwards and the camera panned down to show her pregnant belly. “But I need to get myself back on track now and that means heading back to California to have my baby and make another movie with the man I love. Good luck to you all and goodbye.” Sabrina smiled at everyone, but ignored the applause and walked off the stage. She saw Brian and came over to him. “Hi, handsome! Will you take your baby and his mommy home, please?” Brian was grinning from ear to ear. His heart was soaring from hearing Sabrina announce to the world that she loved him! He hugged her close. “Nothing could give me greater pleasure, my love. Let’s go say goodbye to your family and we’ll be on our way.” Sabrina took the hand Brian was holding out to her. It certainly had taken her a long time to find peace with the past. But once she knew she had a future that she didn’t want to lose, it was easy to forgive and move on. Doing the show had been the right thing to do, and Brian had known it. Somehow, she had been lucky enough to meet him, and finally been smart enough to realize that she loved him. She stopped abruptly, pulling Brian to a halt beside her. “What’s wrong, Sabrina?” “Nothing is wrong. I just wanted to tell you that I love you. And thanks for being my lover and my best friend.” Brian looked into the shining eyes of the woman he had loved for so many years. “Sabrina, I love you. The day you bowled me over in the hospital was the start of something wonderful. We started as friends, became co-workers, and

then lovers. Soon we’ll be parents. I don’t think a man could ask for more than that. I love you and I can’t wait to become a family with you. Now before anyone decides to stop us, let’s get out of here.” Sabrina giggled and eagerly followed the father of her child and the man she was head over heels in love with!

Epilogue Sabrina exited the black limousine, smiling up at her husband. Her breath caught in her throat when she saw again how handsome he looked in his black tuxedo. She was wearing an Armani original designed by the great man himself. It was a slim-fitting, shoulderless sheath in a muted cognac color; the dress glittered with copper and gold in the sunlight. Sabrina thanked the power above for the weather that had suddenly turned warm. Brian tucked Sabrina’s arm in his and it was a magical moment for the maniacally flashing cameras as they made their way towards the entrance to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Sabrina smiled and waved at the fans stopping now and again to speak to reporters and television interviewers that she knew well. The last year had been hectic after their return to California, especially when their son Ryan decided to arrive on the last day of filming. The movie had been rewritten to feature a pregnant lead character. Many reviewers agreed that Sabrina’s pregnancy had added poignancy to the movie’s message about conservation and the future. Since her pregnancy had been revealed on national television, she had been subjected to countless requests for print and television interviews—some of which she granted. She’d also been subjected to countless visitors. Thank God her parents had arrived the day after Ryan’s birth for a week’s visit! They ably managed to field all requests for photos and interviews to Brian’s office. The most help had come in the form of Brian’s mother. Maggie Richards was down to earth, and babies were coped with as easily as combing her hair. Of course, Sabrina had cried when it was time for her mother to leave. But she had downright sobbed in fear when it was time for Maggie to go. Tom Richards had finally assailed her worst fears when he’d pulled from his pocket an open airplane ticket, for travel any time and any length of stay! She’d assumed that once the baby arrived all the fuss would stop. Now quite a few magazines wanted to photograph all three of them. There were parents’ publications requesting interviews, along with the expected fashion magazines. Brian was selective as to the ones he agreed to, and all three of them had appeared on Oprah! It took forever to walk down the red carpet with all the press calling out to speak to them both. Sabrina had been answering a question about their next project, when a group of fans in the grand stand had screamed out her name.

Sabrina had turned to look up, unaware that a cameraman had moved to be able to catch her expressions. A small group of fans had taken and enlarged the most recent picture of Ryan from this month’s In Style Magazine. They were waving it wildly and shouting her name. Sabrina couldn’t stop the tears from falling and she turned to get her husband’s attention and pointed to the picture. He squeezed her hand and Sabrina knew that it didn’t matter whether they won any awards. She had everything she needed in her life. Waving wildly back to her fans, Sabrina shouted, “thank you.” Brian curled his arm around her waist as they continued down the carpet.

***** Their interviewer remarked to his audience, having seen the tears, “There goes the happiest couple in Hollywood, folks. And I’ll deny it to my dying day if anyone repeats this, but it makes you feel all mushy inside just to see their love for each other. Now, I think I see the star of the new action movie coming our way…”

The End

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