Love in the Limelight Volume Two: Seduced on the Red CarpetLovers Premiere

by Ann Christopher

  “Oh, no,” Sofia started shaking her head. “That’s not going to happen.”

  “Oh, yes,” he contradicted. “You owe me.”

  “Come again?”

  “Yeah. Just when we got old enough to go hang at the skating rink without chaperones, you dumped me. Remember that?”

  “This wouldn’t happen to be the same skating rink you took Connie Woods to, would it?”

  Ramell’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Oh, so you knew about that, did you?”

  “Of course I knew about it.” She stiffened and straightened her shoulders. “I also heard that you and Connie were caught necking in the back of the rink next to the boy’s bathroom.”

  He choked.

  “Uh-huh. You didn’t think I knew about that, too, did you?”

  “More like I didn’t think you cared,” he challenged, leaning back in his chair and smiling at her. “Now I just need to figure out if you’re just giving me grief or if you’re actually jealous.”

  “Now why would I be jealous of that ten-year-old tramp? For all I know she’s probably pulling tricks down on Hollywood Boulevard nowadays.”

  “She’s not pulling tricks. She’s a Broadway actress.”

  Her head jerked toward him. “And how do you know that?”

  “She’s an A.F.I. client…which I guess now makes her a Limelight client.”

  Sofia worked her jaw while she reached for her lemonade. “I never knew that. Does she work under her real name?”

  Ram laughed. “What? You think I’d tell you now? Look at you.”

  “What?”

  “My lips are zipped. You’re not going to go back into the office and drop her from the company.” He laughed.

  She shrugged. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I was just going to check and see how she was doing…see if she’s a good fit for the company.”

  “Chill out, Sofia. It was just a kiss—a peck, really.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Actually,” he said leaning forward. “I kissed her hoping that the news would get back to you.” He reached across the table and picked up her hand.

  “Yeah. Likely story,” she said, pulling away playfully, but he held firm.

  “I have no reason to lie,” Ram said. “I had to do something. You refused to talk to me—even at your parents’ funeral.”

  Sofia dropped her gaze and just stared at their connected hands.

  “I’m sorry about that,” Ram said, quickly wishing he hadn’t brought up Sofia’s parents.

  A silence drifted between them and Sofia could tell that he wanted to pursue his line of questioning and for a few seconds her stomach looped into knots. The last thing that she wanted to do was to ruin their playful mood to start talking about what happened back then. Plus, she still felt uncomfortable at the possibility of having to tell Ramell about his father and her mother—especially since his parents were still married.

  “Anyway…Connie and I are just good friends,” Ramell said, returning to the subject at hand.

  She sensed that he changed the subject for her. Sofia glanced up and met his intense gaze. He was clearly trying to read her like a book. “Don’t.”

  “Don’t what?”

  “Don’t stare. It makes me uncomfortable.”

  “Then what do you propose I do when I want to let you know that I’m sitting here remembering some of those tricks you showed me this morning?” Ram said, attempting to steer the conversation in yet another direction.

  She blushed.

  “Do you have any more?” he asked.

  It was her turn to lean back and level him with a sultry look. “Maybe.”

  “Well, then, before we get to that, first I think we need to fill in a few blanks.”

  So much for thinking that she had dodged a bullet. “What sort of blanks?”

  “Well, I know a lot about the ten-year-old you, and I definitely know a lot about the—”

  “Watch it.”

  “The mature businesswoman side of you, but there a few questions I should know…seeing that we’re now man and wife.”

  “All right. Shoot.”

  “Okay.” He set his beer back down. “Is yellow still your favorite color?”

  “It’s one of my favorites. I tend to like coral or peach a little bit more nowadays. How about you? Is blue still your favorite color?”

  “Guilty. Favorite song?”

  “‘Purple Rain.’ You?”

  “I’m all over the map on that. But if pressed I’m really feeling that joint Charlene and Akil performed at our Pre-Award party.”

  “‘The Journey,’” Sofia said, nodding. “Yeah. I have a feeling that’s going to be a big hit for them.”

  They continued through the standard line of questioning until they eventually reached some stickier topics.

  “What was the longest relationship you’ve ever been in?” Ramell asked.

  Sofia shrugged.

  “C’mon. You can tell me,” he pressed.

  “John Davis. We dated when I went to Cambridge. When we were together, I was too busy to notice that he was a complete jerk. Once I graduated and we spent, like, a whole week together, I noticed.”

  Ram chuckled.

  “What about you?” she asked.

  “That’s easy. I’ve been in love with one woman my entire life.”

  Sofia blushed again. “I’m flattered. But we haven’t been in a relationship that entire time so come out with it. Who was it and how long?”

  He rolled his eyes back and thought about it for a second. “I guess that brings me back to Connie.”

  “You dated Connie?” she asked incredibly. “I thought you said that it was just a kiss.”

  “It was just a kiss that night,” Ram clarified. “We dated in college for about three months.”

  “Three months is your longest relationship?”

  “Like I said, I’ve been in love with one woman my entire life. No one else has ever come close, so…”

  “So you’ve had a lifetime of booty calls and one-night stands?”

  “Something like that.” He started shifting in his chair. “Hey. Don’t hate on me because you didn’t come around soon enough.”

  “Look. You’re the one that chose this line of questioning.”

  “Good point. So let’s get off this subject before I have to look this John Davis dude up and put him out of his misery.”

  “Right. And you know Ms. Connie is going to be looking for another agency to represent her when I get back to the office, right?”

  Ramell threw back his head and laughed. “Whatever. Come on. We’re going skating.”

  “Uh, wait. I don’t know about this,” Sofia protested, but Ramell tossed money down on the table and then grabbed her by the hand. Next thing Sofia knew they were renting skates, helmets, knee and elbow pads.

  “I’m going to look ridiculous in all of this.”

  “You’re going to look safe,” Ram said.

  “Then how come you’re not wearing all this stuff. I look like a tall three-year-old.”

  “Because I know what I’m doing. You haven’t been on skates in years.”

  “More like decades,” Sofia clarified.

  “Then there you go.” He stood up and turned to help her.

  Sofia was up for a full minute and then her long legs tried to roll in two different directions. She screamed and then made a desperate lunge for Ramell. He grabbed her and tried to hold her up, but then he toppled over along with her. When they hit the concrete they immediately burst into laughter like pain was funny.

  “Well, at least you got busting your butt out of the way pretty quickly.” Ram laughed and then helped her back up. “Are you all right?”

  Sofia was still laughing so hard that she was crying. “Yeah, I’m fine. I can do this,” she affirmed, and then took a deep breath.

  “Are you sure?” he asked, helping to wipe away a few tears.

  She shook her head no, but said, “Yes.” />
  Thirty minutes later, while she was still a trembling mess on wheels, Ram tried to convince her that she was ready for him to remove his hands.

  “No. Don’t let go,” she begged.

  “You’re doing fine,” he said.

  “Wait! Don’t!” She started to tremble harder. “Don’t do it, Ram,” she begged. “I swear I’ll never forgive you.”

  “Is that a fact?” he asked.

  “Yes! I’m not trying to break my neck out here.”

  “You’re not going to break your neck.”

  “How do you know?”

  “Because you’re already skating by yourself,” he informed her, rolling out to her side so that she could see that she was now skating on her own.

  Sofia’s eyes nearly bugged out as she glanced down. “I’m skating!”

  “I know! Look at you.”

  Her head jerked toward him as she proclaimed again, “I’m skating by myself!”

  “I know!”

  “I’m skating by myself,” she announced to everyone on the boardwalk.

  A few people stared at her but some of them clapped. A big smile exploded across Ram’s face at seeing her so happy. Soon they were skating and eating candied apples like a couple of kids. The day breezed by to the point that Sofia was sad to see the sun set. But with Ramell standing next to her and staring at her that sadness was replaced by desire.

  “You ready to go home?” he asked.

  Home. They had a home together. The whole thing was just so strange to her. It was blowing her mind and stealing her heart at the same time.

  “Yeah. Let’s go.”

  *

  Sade’s “Soldier of Love” played softly from the speakers that Ramell had set up next to their new bed. After taking a long shower together to wash the day’s dirt and grime away, the newlyweds stood in the center of the room, lips locked and smelling like Ivory soap and baby oil. The more their tongues tasted the hungrier they became.

  Ramell moaned while his hands made light circles along Sofia’s lower back. His touch was so feathery soft that it caused goosebumps to rise across her body. Her nipples hardened and ached, but they were nothing compared to the iron pipe that was pressing against her brown, wet lips.

  Unable to resist, Sofia’s slender fingers drifted down between their bodies. She took hold of his oiled rod and started stroking him. Though their mouths were still connected, she felt him gasp. She smiled against his lips. She might not be able to win an argument with him, but she sure as hell held power over him when their clothes came off.

  Wielding some of that power, Sofia pulled their lips apart and nibbled her way across his strong jawline until she reached his right ear to whisper, “I want to taste you.” She blew a cool stream of air against his lower earlobe. He shivered and then stretched a couple of more inches in her hand. “Oooh. That’s a good boy.” Slowly her knees dipped until they kissed the floor.

  With her head at waist level, Sofia continued to rotate and stroke Ram’s thick erection. Just gazing at its smooth length and fat mushroom head made her mouth water. Putting on a timid act, she leaned forward and just swirled her tongue around the tip like it was a piece of candy.

  Ramell hissed and stepped forward, hoping that she would open her mouth wide. She didn’t accommodate him. Instead, she ran her tongue along the side and then rolled under and slid back up toward the tip. “You’re trying to kill me,” he panted.

  “Now why would I want to do that?”

  “I don’t know. You must hate me or you wouldn’t torture me like this.”

  “Torture?” Her wonderful tongue moved to the other side. This time inching along at a snail’s pace. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She glided over a small vein near the top and felt Ram jump reflexively. Sofia smiled and then did it again. Same reaction.

  Convinced that she’d found a small sensitive spot, she concentrated on that area, licking and sucking until Ramell’s large hands gently grabbed fistfuls of her hair. Showing no remorse, Sofia stretched her mouth over the head, but made sure her tongue massaged the hell out of that vein.

  Ram rolled up onto his toes. Not wanting to come yet, he summoned superhuman strength to jump back and spring himself free from her divine mouth. “You know I’m going to pay you back for that, don’t you?”

  Sofia put her innocent face on as she blinked up at him. “What did I do?”

  “That’s not going to work.” He took her by her elbows and pulled her up from the floor and before she could process what he was about to do, he lifted one of her legs and pressed it high against his chest so that she had to balance her weight on one leg and lean against him. Ram reached down and squeezed his fat head in between her melting brown sugar and hissed slowly.

  Like before, Sofia’s mouth sagged open at his initial entry. He was thick, heavy and felt so damn good that a few tears streaked down the corners of her eyes.

  With one hand on her stretched leg and the other one on her hip, Ramell started moving. “How does that feel, baby?”

  Sofia couldn’t speak and didn’t bother to try. She was too busy enjoying all the feelings that he was working out of her body. She was on a fast train to ecstasy and he was definitely driving.

  “Uh-huh. I have you now, don’t I, baby?” His hips stopped stroking and started pounding. “You’re not the only one with power in this bedroom, sweetheart.” To prove his point, Ram stopped long enough to get a good hold so he could go ahead and lift her completely off the floor and then just bounce her body on top of his length.

  It was too much. Sofia could feel her orgasm brewing. When it finally exploded, she threw back her head and released a strangled cry. Ram was right behind her, but with everything rushing to one area, his knees weakened. Finally, his orgasm hit him like a truck and his legs went out from underneath him.

  They tumbled to the floor with his body absorbing most of the impact. After the initial shock wore off, they laughed. Like when they fell during skating earlier, once they got started, it was hard to stop.

  “I love you so much,” Ram said, pulling her close and planting a kiss against the top of her head.

  Sofia smiled in the dark, but she was still waiting for that other shoe to drop.

  Chapter 16

  The next week floated by like a dream. When Sofia and Ram weren’t making love, they were trying to patch together plans for their future. When Sofia informed her family about Ramell buying her parents’ old home, everyone expressed their joy and excitement for having the house back in the family, especially Rachel. Sofia became obsessed about redecorating and Ram kept dropping hints about them having a real honeymoon.

  So caught up with creating their new life together, Sofia started spending less and less time in the office. It didn’t mean that she was off her game; she still made and closed some great deals for her clients, but she started spending less time on her BlackBerry and Ram declared their bedroom a no-electronics zone, so the iPad and the laptops had to stay in her new home office.

  If there was one thing that was starting to cause Sofia some anxiety it was the wedding reception her aunt Lily was planning. It wasn’t the list of friends and colleagues that her family invited—it was the fact that Emmett Jordan was going to be there.

  Ramell picked up on her apprehension but Sofia struggled with confessing about its source. After all, Emmett was Ram’s father and it was clear that the two of them were close. Sofia told herself that she just needed to suck it up. It was just going to be one evening. Surely, she could handle that. If she could glue on fake smiles for Hollywood pow-wow meetings and parties, she could grin and bear being around that lying, backstabbing jerk.

  Sofia didn’t know how her aunt pulled it off on such short notice, but their wedding reception was booked at the Beverly Wilshire in the heart of Beverly Hills. Both Ramell and Sofia hoped for just a small event with their closest friends and family. Somehow that equaled over a hundred people in her aunt’s mind.

  Sofia se
lected a lavender Stella McCartney gown that was all classic chic and timeless on her willowy frame. Her long hair hung in soft, structured waves over her bronze shoulders. When her small team of stylists finished getting her ready and she descended the staircase, Ramell literally stood at the bottom with his mouth hanging open. Everyone chuckled at his reaction while Sofia simply blushed.

  An hour later when they strolled arm and arm into the Beverly Wilshire, the beautiful couple was greeted with an enthusiastic round of applause before being surrounded and congratulated on their marriage. It was at that moment that it truly sunk in for Sofia that she was indeed a married woman. The idea was both scary and thrilling at the same time.

  Uncle Jacob and Aunt Lily swept their way over and showered Ram and Sofia with hugs and kisses.

  “I’m just so happy for the two of you,” Lily said, blotting away her tears before they had a chance to ruin her makeup. “You’re both just so beautiful together. I know in my heart of hearts that you two were destined to be together.”

  Ramell’s arm draped around Sofia’s slim waist and then pulled her closer. “That’s what I keep telling her.” He smiled at her and couldn’t resist leaning in for a quick kiss.

  A few minutes later, Rachel and her fiancé, Ethan Chambers, approached. With their own wedding a week away, the happy couple glowed with love.

  “It looks like we’re going to be brothers soon,” Ethan said to Ramell, thrusting out his hand.

  “I’m looking forward to it,” Ramell said, pumping his hand. “But I’m also expecting you to take good care of Rachel here. If not, I would hate to have to hunt you down.”

  “That would make two of us,” Uncle Jacob cut in.

  Ethan pulled at his collar to let them know that he could feel the invisible noose they were threatening him with. “I don’t think that you guys have anything to worry about.” He pulled Rachel close and captured her with a kiss.

  Ramell frowned and then glanced over at Sofia. “I think we can do better than that, don’t you?”

  Sofia smiled. “I don’t know. Do you think?”

  Ramell straightened his arm and then in dramatic form grabbed Sofia, dipped her back so that she kicked one foot up and then laid a kiss on her that was reminiscent of the old black-and-white classic movies. When he finally lifted her back up, the entire room erupted into applause.