hands with her, which was unusual, to say the least, in the film business -the most tactile industry in the world, in her experience.
'Have fun, children,' he said - rather wistfully, Sarah thought. 'Remember NSIT, Sarah,' he added as she moved away.
'What on earth did he mean by that?' Ben asked as they went down to the waiting car.
'Oh, I'll tell you some time,' she told him sweetly. Her mind was still on the gentle kiss Nick had given her. Why on earth had it affected her so much? she wondered in amazement. It was just a kiss, after all, and a light one at that.
* * *
Nick was pensive that night as he joined Diana in their wide bed, long after the party was over. He had been restless, and in no mood to sleep, and had spent time trying to unwind playing the piano, as he often did when he was unable to sleep.
Diana was still awake, however, when he finally came to bed, and surprisingly moved into his arms - something she rarely did these days. For a few moments he lay still hoping she wouldn't make any other demands. The days when he had been eager to make love to his wife were over, and Diana had ceased to really welcome him from the moment she had become pregnant with Charlotte. But tonight she moved impatiently against him as he tried to move away.
'What's the matter, Nick?' She was furious, because he was behaving as if she were not there.
'Nothing's the matter,' he said slowly. 'I'm tired, that's all.'
'You're never tired when it comes to sex with other women,' she almost jeered at him. 'What's the matter, then? Have you got that wretched child on your mind still? I might have known you'd chosen her for more than her acting ability!'
'Stop that!' He pushed her back onto the pillows and rolled away from her, but Diana, furious at his rejection when she had made an effort, swung a fist at the side of his face, catching him unawares. Nick was simply angry that she had reminded him of the girl he had kissed earlier, whose soft mouth was probably still imprinted on his, however much he had tried to push her to the back of his mind.
He was uncharacteristically hurried as he finally gave in to the need inside him that he knew Sarah Campbell had evoked. Then, at last, his better nature took over, and he was filled with real remorse.
'Darling, darling,' he whispered. 'I'm sorry - I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Put it down to too much champagne.' But it wasn't champagne, and they both knew it.
Diana, he knew, was the perfect wife for him. In all their years of marriage she had never complained about his appalling working hours, or the months he spent away from home on location. She was an ideal hostess, an incredibly good mother to Charlotte, and he never had to worry about domestic details in any of his homes.
So why, for heaven's sake, was he thinking as he was, about a young girl of twenty-four? From what Charlotte had confessed of her conversation with James, she was probably already sleeping with James anyway, and, knowing James as he did. Nick knew it was more than likely.
CHAPTER 5
It was hard to believe this was her last Do or Dare, and even harder to concentrate after the wild farewell party the night before. Paddy clutched his head in his hands as she messed up an introduction for the umpteenth time that morning. 'Tell her Nick Grey will be a doddle compared with what I am going to do to her in a minute!' he roared into the mike connected to the floor manager's head-phones. He yelled so loudly that Sarah could hear it through the cans. Rob raised his eyebrows at her.
'Buck up, Sarah,' he chided quietly. 'We are getting our knickers in a twist!'
'And don't sympathize with her!' Paddy rejoined in his ear. 'Too many late nights, that's her trouble!' Sarah smiled sweetly into camera one.
'Sorry, Paddy, darling.' She disarmed him completely, and proceeded to do it perfectly. At that moment, more than one hardened stage-hand thought regretfully that Do or Dare would not be the same
'Have fun, children,' he said - rather wistfully, Sarah thought. 'Remember NSIT, Sarah,' he added as she moved away.
'What on earth did he mean by that?' Ben asked as they went down to the waiting car.
'Oh, I'll tell you some time,' she told him sweetly. Her mind was still on the gentle kiss Nick had given her. Why on earth had it affected her so much? she wondered in amazement. It was just a kiss, after all, and a light one at that.
* * *
Nick was pensive that night as he joined Diana in their wide bed, long after the party was over. He had been restless, and in no mood to sleep, and had spent time trying to unwind playing the piano, as he often did when he was unable to sleep.
Diana was still awake, however, when he finally came to bed, and surprisingly moved into his arms - something she rarely did these days. For a few moments he lay still hoping she wouldn't make any other demands. The days when he had been eager to make love to his wife were over, and Diana had ceased to really welcome him from the moment she had become pregnant with Charlotte. But tonight she moved impatiently against him as he tried to move away.
'What's the matter, Nick?' She was furious, because he was behaving as if she were not there.
'Nothing's the matter,' he said slowly. 'I'm tired, that's all.'
'You're never tired when it comes to sex with other women,' she almost jeered at him. 'What's the matter, then? Have you got that wretched child on your mind still? I might have known you'd chosen her for more than her acting ability!'
'Stop that!' He pushed her back onto the pillows and rolled away from her, but Diana, furious at his rejection when she had made an effort, swung a fist at the side of his face, catching him unawares. Nick was simply angry that she had reminded him of the girl he had kissed earlier, whose soft mouth was probably still imprinted on his, however much he had tried to push her to the back of his mind.
He was uncharacteristically hurried as he finally gave in to the need inside him that he knew Sarah Campbell had evoked. Then, at last, his better nature took over, and he was filled with real remorse.
'Darling, darling,' he whispered. 'I'm sorry - I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to upset you. Put it down to too much champagne.' But it wasn't champagne, and they both knew it.
Diana, he knew, was the perfect wife for him. In all their years of marriage she had never complained about his appalling working hours, or the months he spent away from home on location. She was an ideal hostess, an incredibly good mother to Charlotte, and he never had to worry about domestic details in any of his homes.
So why, for heaven's sake, was he thinking as he was, about a young girl of twenty-four? From what Charlotte had confessed of her conversation with James, she was probably already sleeping with James anyway, and, knowing James as he did. Nick knew it was more than likely.
CHAPTER 5
It was hard to believe this was her last Do or Dare, and even harder to concentrate after the wild farewell party the night before. Paddy clutched his head in his hands as she messed up an introduction for the umpteenth time that morning. 'Tell her Nick Grey will be a doddle compared with what I am going to do to her in a minute!' he roared into the mike connected to the floor manager's head-phones. He yelled so loudly that Sarah could hear it through the cans. Rob raised his eyebrows at her.
'Buck up, Sarah,' he chided quietly. 'We are getting our knickers in a twist!'
'And don't sympathize with her!' Paddy rejoined in his ear. 'Too many late nights, that's her trouble!' Sarah smiled sweetly into camera one.
'Sorry, Paddy, darling.' She disarmed him completely, and proceeded to do it perfectly. At that moment, more than one hardened stage-hand thought regretfully that Do or Dare would not be the same
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