‘Pregnant Vampire Zombie – that sounds like agreatmovie!’
Sam laughed. Yeah, I’d go see that.’
‘Someone should get on it.’ She squeezed his hand. ‘But are you sure? There’d be a lot of staying in.’
‘Sounds great. And it’ll be fun. I mean, have youseenbabies? They’re so cute and funny!’
‘But it’s not all fun and games. Babies also cry a lot and demand constant attention and don’t let you sleep.’
‘Yeah, I’ve heard that. But that’s just a few rotten apples giving all babies a bad rep. Your baby won’t be like that.’
‘True.’ Sive patted her stomach. ‘Bean will be good as gold and never give me a moment’s trouble. I’ve already decided.’
‘And I know Ben is the father and everything, but it’d be nice for Bean to have a stepdad too, wouldn’t it?’
‘It would be very nice.’
‘More fun for you too. I could take Bean to the park on Saturday mornings so you can have a lie in. Help them make you breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day.’
Sive smiled. ‘Are you serious, Sam? You really want to do this? Eyes wide open?’
Sam nodded, grinning. ‘Eyes wide open. Heart on my sleeve.’
For a moment they just sat there, gazing dopily at each other.
‘So, does this mean we’re dating now?’ Sam asked finally.
‘I guess it does.’
‘And I can … do this?’ he said, leaning closer, his gaze dropping to her mouth.
Sive nodded, her heart fluttering as she met him halfway.
Their lips brushed, softly and tentatively at first. Sive buried her hands in Sam’s hair, adrenaline flooding her body as she pulled his mouth to hers, harder. Sam deepened the kiss, his lips clinging to hers as she tipped back onto the floor of the stage, pulling him down on top of her. Sam’s hand pushed under her sweater and he groaned low in his throat as he encountered bare skin. Sive shivered as his fingers tickled her sides.
‘Oh god, this is crazy.’ Sam pulled away abruptly and sat up, rubbing his eyes as if he’d just woken up from a sleep. Sive sat up beside him and wrapped her arms around him, nuzzling her face against the stubble on his jaw.
‘We can’t do this here,’ Sam protested, but then his lips found hers again as if of their own volition and he was kissing her again, his hand bunching the wool of her jumper and Sive willed him to pull it off.
With visible effort, he pulled away again, shaking his head. ‘Sorry.’
But Sive’s body was on fire, delicious flames licking along her veins, and she was in no hurry to put them out. There was also the fact that she was a little nervous about having sex with someone other than Ben and she didn’t want to give herself time to overthink it and psych herself out. She clasped Sam’s hand and stood, pulling him to his feet alongside her. ‘Green room,’ she murmured breathlessly, jerking her head towards the wings.
Sam raised his eyebrows but didn’t protest, his grip on her hand tight as she led the way through the backstage corridors to the green room.
‘Not the most romantic of settings,’ Sive said, flicking on the light and stepping inside. Why hadn’t they put dimmers in here? Probably because they’d never intended for it to be used as a scene of debauchery, she answered herself wryly.
‘Hang on, I can help with that.’ Sam darted off in the direction of the props room, lights flicking on as he went.
‘Props master saves the day!’ he said, returning moments later with his arms full. ‘Here, take these.’ He handed Sive a Tiffany lamp, a candelabra, a pair of pillows and a beautiful embroidered coverlet that had been used inPrivate Livesbefore dashing away again.
While he was gone, Sive plugged in the lamp, lit the candles and turned off the light, then arranged the pillows on the sofa and draped the coverlet over it.
‘Looking good,’ Sam nodded approvingly, struggling through the door with another armload of props. Sive watched as he placed a large vase full of dried flowers on the floor at one endof the sofa, then put a portable speaker on the table next to the coffee machine, alongside a samovar they’d used inThree Sisters. He pulled a phone from his pocket and moments later, soft music filled the room.
‘That’s better.’ He nodded, admiring their handiwork.
‘The magic of theatre.’ Sive took his hand and led him towards the sofa. ‘One question, though: why the samovar?’
