Chapter 2

(Autumnal blues followed by a hot date.)

The weather was cooling ... It was the beginning of September and the weather was definitely cooling. It was four weeks ago that Sarah had met Sam, met Sam and her life had somehow seemed empty ever since.

By the time she had emerged from the train there had been no sign of him, he had disappeared into the crowd and that had been that.

Every Friday since then Sarah had arrived at waterloo station at ten to three and her heart would do a little skip as she scanned the crowd looking for the tall, dark haired man who had so thoroughly kissed her.

She would climb onto the train and enter the same carriage and as the train would lurch into motion she would swallow her disappointment along with the slight sickly feeling.

It was September and she pulled on her jacket and changed summer dresses for snug fitting jeans and pretty blouses. She let her hair down and left it flowing in soft curls down her back.

It was six minutes to three as she clambered onto the train and dove into the nearest carriage just as the doors slammed closed and the train began to move.

Sam looked up at her as she turned from closing the door.

"How are you Sarah?"

She fell into the seat and sat staring at him. God he was gorgeous!

She cleared her throat and tried to sound casual. "I'm fine thank you Sam. How about you?"

"The same thanks."

He sat staring at her and she began to feel uncomfortable.

"What's the matter Sarah you don't look too happy to see me again."

He sneered a little, though more at himself, she thought "Don't worry I'm not about to attack you again."

She could not help but feel disappointed. She'd had a lot of fantasies about where that kiss might have led to - had they been anywhere else.

"Oh!" she sighed as she sat back in her seat and drew her legs up, tucking her feet under her.

Sam's eyes flashed at her before he looked down at her discarded shoes.

"I'm surprised that you can walk anywhere with heels like that!" He frowned at her.

"You sound just like my dad." She smiled. "I need the extra inches they give me."

"Why?"

"Just cos." she shrugged her shoulders. "They boost my confidence."

"Why would a girl like you need her confidence boosting?"

"What do you mean, 'a girl like me'?" she scowled at him preparing to be offended.

"Beautiful, intelligent ... Nice," he finished lamely.

"Oh." she said again.

He leaned forward suddenly. "Did you miss me?" he asked softly.

"I'd only just met you Sam. I hate to break it to you but you didn't have that big an impact on my life!" she fibbed.

"Liar!" He moved across so that he was sitting next to her and took one of her hands in his.

"Don't tell me that you haven't once thought about me in these last few weeks."

"What are you doing Sam?" Sarah leaned away from him and tried to reclaim her hand. "You're spoken for ... Remember?"

"I lied." He pulled her hand back, and bent and kissed it as he raised his eyes and met, and held hers; something seemed to flash in his, and Sarah felt a moment of alarm.

"You want this as much as I do," he said as he pulled her suddenly into his arms.

"Sam, please!" Sarah tried to arch away from him but he held her firmly.

His head lowered and his lips claimed hers. Soft and gentle, coaxing and seducing and Sarah was lost.

Sam pulled away, his breathing a little ragged.

"I knew it," he muttered, "I knew that it wasn't just a one off!"

Sarah sat upright moving away from him.

"What are you talking about Sam?"

He sat back keeping hold of her hand.

"All I've thought about for the last few weeks - is you Sarah."

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "It's stupid I don't know anything about you, but here I am sitting on a train I don't need to be on ... just so that I can be with you."

"Oh!"

"Yes Oh!" he growled at her as he moved to pull her close again.

She moved away in panic. "Please Sam!"

It was the sheer panic in her voice, that brought Sam back to reality; and he suddenly felt like a real lecher.

"God Sarah I'm sorry!" he brushed his hair back again and sighed. "I know that this is too much too soon but you drive me crazy. I look at you and all I want to do is hold you. I hold you and all I want to do is kiss you. I kiss you and all I want ... well I don't think your quite ready for that!"

He got up suddenly and moved across to the other side again. Sarah breathed a small sigh, partly relief but partly she felt regret.

He was nice and safe across the other side, but he did have this tendency to stare at her; and that look in his eyes was very unsettling!

She searched for something to say but her mind was a complete blank.

"So what have you been doing these last few weeks?" she asked stiffly.

"Working ... Not sleeping much ... working." He shrugged dismissively.

"What do you do?"

"I deal in law," he said vaguely. He laughed suddenly. "We really don't know anything about each other; do we?"

"There wasn't exactly any opportunity to get acquainted last time; was there?"

"What do you do? What puts you on this train every Friday?"

"I do computers with a friend," she said promptly. "We do work for several of the smaller companies, some of them are still living in the dark ages though," she smiled.

"Friend? Was that the girl I saw you with, last time?"

"Yes. That was Maggie, we went to college together and when we left, we decided to try our hand at running our own business. Maggie's parents live in London and they let us stay in the flat over their garage for a small rent. They have always liked to travel a lot, so they never saw the need of owning a car, especially living in London where the most effective way of getting around is by using public transport." She grinned as she shrugged her shoulders, and held out her hands as if to emphasise the point.

"Maggie's dad had the garage turned into a workshop for us ... and while they are away we can keep an eye on their home for them, so everyone is happy ... then at the weekends I get to go home."

"To Derbyshire?"

"To Derbyshire," she confirmed with a nod of her head.

"What about you?" she asked. "Where do you live? Work? - Any family? You said you were over twenty-one, but how old are you?"

He held up his hand with a smile, and she stopped the beginnings of her interrogation.

"I'm thirty three, years old, and Scorpio is my star sign I believe." He grinned mockingly. "I live and work in London," he told her, "I have a flat there. My parents are both still alive, and well ... and together thank you. I have two brothers both older than me - both married ... and you Sarah ... any family?" he changed the topic from him to her, so suddenly that all she could do was sit and blink at him for a moment as her thoughts reorganised themselves; from assimilating information, to gathering together and parting with information.

"Yes; mum and dad both alive, both well, and together still."

"Any siblings?"

She smiled slightly. "Yes thank you; I've two brothers..." she paused and then grinned mischievously, "and five sisters."

His eyebrows rose slightly. "Six daughters! Your dad must have his work cut out for him!"

Sarah laughed. "He has lots of grey hair, and a slightly manic look in his eyes - most of the time."

"Do you look much like your sisters?"

"There's a passing resemblance, but I think it's certain mannerisms that we have in common that gives the game away."

He looked at her, trying to picture several more like her.

He muttered something to himself before asking abruptly. "So what is the line up in this family of yours?"

"Well, Paula is the eldest then there's James. Samantha's next followed by Janey.

Then there is Laura, then Peter then Jenny. And last of all there's me." She pointed to herself for emphasis.

"So you're the baby of the family?" he mused softly.

Sarah grinned at him. "Scared yet?" She raised her brows and her grinned widened. "You should be you know."

Sam look at her blankly for a moment, before the implications of him fooling around with the baby of such a large - and female dominated family dawned on him.

He frowned at her. "Have you told them about me?" he asked warily.

She grinned again. "What's to tell? I met you once, we talked briefly – you kissed me - you left - I haven't seen you since." She shrugged her shoulders dismissively.

"Hah!" He leaned forward and ran his fingers through his hair, disgruntled by her reply.

"So tell me..." he suddenly asked, he kept his eyes on the ground, refusing to look at her; "your sisters, are any of them married?"

She scowled at him distrustfully. "The elder four are," she nodded. "Jenny - the next one up from me she's engaged to Keith, but they haven't settled on a date yet, they seem to be happy enough just living together at the moment – both my brother's are married." She added before he could ask.

"So there's just you left?"

The door was suddenly pulled open and they both jumped guiltily.

"Refreshments anyone?"

It was the same woman as before.

Sam looked up and then dug his hand in his pocket

"Coffee please." He looked across at Sarah, "what about you Sarah can I get you anything?"

Sarah giggled.

"Same please," she nodded her head and the tea lady poured two cups of coffee and handed them over.

"Anything else?"

Sam looked at her with his brow raised questioningly.

She giggled again then she shook her head. "Nothing for me, thank you."

He took out a five pound note and has he handed it over to the woman, realised what was amusing Sarah so much.