“The only part of my profile I lied about was my photo and my name. My hobbies, my interests in another person – were all honest. The database picked you as a potential, and I wasted a lot of valuable time looking at all the wrong ones. And then right before I logged off, there you were.”
“There I was.”
“I have to admit; it was the non-selfies you posted that had me intrigued.”
“Is that so?” She bit down on her lip. Nope. Not dreaming.
“That and the fact you were reading Gone with the Wind. A classic.”
Her brain tried to keep up with the switch in topics. Michael Vilander. Was she upset? She could have the driver take her back home. Or she could stay. Enjoy something that she wasn’t likely to experience anytime again in her life. She cleared her throat. “A classic for sure. Have you ever read it?”
“Once.”
“I’ve read it at least six times. Every single time I read it, I’m hoping for a different outcome. I always find myself wishing Scarlett and Rhett would end up together.”
“And all six times you’re disappointed?”
“Yeah.” She tried to smile. “Scarlett was too much of an independent woman.”
“Nothing wrong with that. You aren’t angry with me?”
She searched his face. He was sure of himself and his rightful place in this world, that much she was certain. His eyes were guarded as he waited for her to answer. She had an inexplicable urge to smooth out the creases in his forehead. She could understand why he used a fake name and photo. If their positions were reversed, she would have done the same thing. No questions.
Tonight, was all about tonight. One night with each other to enjoy one another’s company and nothing more. She knew nothing would come of this, he was completely untouchable. Especially with a woman like Sophia. She could live with the fact that he gave her a different name and photo. A billionaire? She didn’t know what a person’s life was like that carried that status, but she surmised it was one of trying to hide his personal life from the public and from what she saw in the tabloids about him, she could understand why he did what he did. It was a life she would never know.
Sophia reached out and laced her fingers with his. It was an automatic gesture, and when he gripped her hand tightly, she knew he must feel that unexplainable pull between them, too. It was like they’d known each other in a past life – not that they’d only met twenty minutes ago. She squeezed his hand reassuringly. Her body vibrated with rightness.
“No. I’m not angry. In fact, you’re much better looking than your profile picture. The fangirl part of me can’t believe I’m sitting in a limo with Michael Vilander.”
A deep laugh rumbled from his throat, his smile quickly warming her insides as her heart jolted and her pulse pounded. The limo glided to a stop, and she reluctantly released Michael’s hand. They’d arrived at the gala. She smoothed her dress, happy he had the foresight to send her something so extravagant. More than likely, he wasn’t a man that dated women who had only one decent dress from a few years ago. She was restless, edgy, and tried not to allow her nerves to get the better of her. Michael seemed so at ease about the entire ordeal. His body at ease against the leather seat cushions. His tuxedo impeccable. His beautiful face absent of any tell-tale signs of feelings. Did nothing bother the man?
“You look fabulous, Contessa Sophia.”
He leaned forward and placed a feather light kiss on her cheek. He paused, a mere inch away from her face and those caramel eyes of his made her insides tingle as his gaze raked boldly over her. A feeling she’d never felt before. She would simply have to hang on for the ride. How had she gotten this lucky? Assuming the CEO of Together.com wasn’t an unknown serial killer in the city of Denver, she had a handsome date for Valentine’s Day who’d picked her up in a fancy limo, and it was Michael Vilander, Chief Executive Officer of Together.com. It was all a dream. Watching him, and acknowledging their strong chemistry, she wished she would have taken him up on his offer to have his driver take them around the city. Also, wishing that they could have more time together.
More than this one night.
“Sophia?”
“Yes?”
“Did you hear me? You look fabulous. Stop fretting. When we step out of the limo, there are going to be a ton of cameras flashing in our faces. Can you handle that?”
Chapter Three
The dress fit perfectly.
He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told Sophia it fit like a second skin. So perfectly, he was certain she wasn’t wearing a bra. And that was going to torture him, slowly, all night long. That was how good she filled it. He made a mental note to send Maureen a huge thank you for this one. She had impeccable taste, and this choice had been spot on.
Sophia surprised him.
She hadn’t lived up to the photos she’d posted online - she was much more beautiful than those and admittedly, he had been skeptical. Her dark hair flowed freely around her oval-shaped face. Her breasts, probably a little more than a handful, filled the deep V of her dress just as nicely as the rest of her filled out the dress. The indention at her waist, the curves of her hips all the way to the miles of legs that he’d caught a glimpse of when she thanked him at her apartment complex, continued to tease him. She was a beauty. She had a natural elegance and charm that most of the women in his social class didn’t possess. A naiveté at how gorgeous she truly was – something else most of the women in his social class didn’t possess. Instead of the usual in-your-face confidence he was used to from most women, Sophia was low-key, quiet and didn’t flaunt her beauty.
If Cole showed up at the gala tonight, he was going to have a field day with her. Especially once he knew she was only Michael’s fill-in date for the evening, Cole would question Michael about why Michael wasn’t staking claim to her. Playboy that Cole was, he was going to want Michael’s blessing to go after her. That thought would have never bothered him before; in fact, there had been a few times Michael had given him the go-ahead on a couple of women that he hadn’t found attractive. But this woman, the thought of him having her, settled heavy in his chest like a lump of coal. He had no claim over the woman whatsoever, but he couldn’t ignore his conscience whispering to him that Cole Carrington, long-time friend and business partner, wasn’t going to get near her. The only saving grace was that he hadn’t seen Cole with any women in quite a while, and that thought gave him comfort.
Michael hadn’t been able to stop watching Sophia inside his limousine. He was thoroughly intrigued. The way she kept biting her plump lower lip and smoothing her palms over her dress, had him wanting to take her in his arms and reassure her that she was going to be the belle of the ball and he knew she hadn’t missed his obvious examination and approval. But Michael didn’t do that kind of shit, so he didn’t appreciate how his instinct was to be protective of her, the second she got into the car.
Telling Sophia he’d lied online had gone better than he thought it might. How many women would’ve been angry over being intentionally misled? Of course, he was Michael Vilander, so there was always that. It would take an awfully hot-headed woman to demand him to turn the car around. He watched Sophia as she considered the situation and the twinkle in her eyes when she realized it wasn’t the end of the world. A woman who was practical. He liked that.
“Can you handle that?” Michael asked again.
“You mean the paparazzi?”
He laughed. “Yes, Sophia. The Denver Art Foundation gala is a big fundraising event. A lot of well-known philanthropists will be in attendance.”
“Dish the Dirty will report. I read their article from last year’s gala.”
Intrigued that she followed through with some homework, all he said was, “Did they?”
She bit that bottom lip of hers again and smoothed her dress, which was a definite turn-on. “I wanted to get a feel for what to expect for tonight.”
“I like a woman who is prepared.” He marveled as his hands ached to caress her s
kin.
She smoothened the rumples in her dress once again and looked at Michael with worried eyes. He knew he’d taken her out of her comfort zone.
Then suddenly, she transformed before him. The worry was gone. She sat taller, the hard lines vanished from her face. An actress ready to set the stage on fire. Interesting transformation and one he couldn’t help but wonder if she’d had to do a time or two before.
“Okay, let’s do this.”
Aslan opened the passenger side door and made room for Sophia and Michael to exit. Michael stepped out first and the cameras momentarily blinded him. He turned to help his date out of the car and the cameras went into overload just as he knew they would. Gossip hounds. They were going to have a good time with this. Tomorrow’s paper would have him married with children. He swore they weren’t even interested in him as much as they were about who he was spending time with. With the flashing and commotion, he could hear shouts of someone asking who she was and where did he find her – as if she were a stray. Michael pulled Sophia tightly into his side, trying to protect her from the wild bunch as they made their way inside.
Sophia pressed in close to Michael’s side and the pulse on her neck beat quickly. “That was intense. Does that happen to you all the time?”
“Only at big events. A few of them are allowed inside tonight because it’s a fundraising event. They can only take a few photos. Generally, I don’t find it to be a huge nuisance.”
“May I take your shawl, madam?” The person working the coat-check asked her.
“Please,” she said.
Michael gently removed the black cloth that draped her body, his fingertips skimming along her bare shoulder and arm as he disengaged her from the fabric. He passed it to the coat keeper without taking his eyes off Sophia. Their gazes held and there was a current so grand between them, he didn’t understand it. He’d sat close to her in the limo admiring the view and now, seeing the bare skin of her back, which was perfectly showcased along the seams of the gown – hell, he was getting hard right there in front of the crowds of people entering the gala.
Her breasts were perfectly rounded globes underneath the silky fabric. He didn’t like overly-large breasts and hers were a perfect size. Just how he wanted them. His gaze moved lower, and he appreciated her slightly curvy hips, the delectable contours of her back as the gown clung to her in all the places he cared about and he couldn’t help but be slightly skeptical that something wasn’t what it seemed. How had he gotten so lucky to find the perfect date in only one day?
“Do you see something you like?” Her quiet voice brought him out of his trance, and he grinned.
“Oh yes, Sophia, I’ve definitely found something I like. You are magnificent. The most beautiful one here, and I’m lucky enough to be your date.”
“You haven’t even looked around, yet.”
He reached out and grazed the blush along one of her cheeks before holding her chin gently in his hands. “I don’t need to. Every person here is doing the looking around and they are all looking at you.”
She glanced around self-consciously, taking in the truth of his words. Her cheeks darkened in color, and that was the moment he decided he liked that spot of red along her cheeks and how it made her face gleam underneath the indoor lights. He made a mental note to flirt with her more than he usually did with a date just so he could see that smile and blush, that intake of breath she took when he flattered her, over and over. He’d never cared to look for that blush upon a woman, until now.
The Art Foundation building where the gala was being held was comprised of a recently renovated gallery for artists’ work to be put on display. Some items were for sale, while others were owned by the Art Foundation and kept on display. The event was set up throughout the area they were currently in as well as the main lobby of the building. An entire wing of the building had been roped off from people due to current renovations.
As expected, the gala was full of people. Large groups made up of a variety of familiar faces milled around the silent auction tables as well as the bar, and Michael hadn’t spotted Cole yet. Cole had sent him a text earlier that he and Dylan were going to make it tonight. Cole had put up a hundred-thousand-dollar shopping spree for his company as a silent auction item, and Michael’s mother had profusely begged Dylan to donate his services as a fitness guru for an entire year to one lucky bidder. Michael had been lucky enough to get away with his wallet intact for the silent auction items.
“Michael, how are you doing, son?” His father smiled showing off his slightly crooked front tooth. “Are you going to introduce us to your date?”
Michael warmed at the sight of his parents. “Mother. Father. This is Sophia Baldwin. Sophia, this is Jeanette and Tyrone Vilander. My pain-in-the-ass parents.” He grasped his mother’s outstretched hand and kissed her cheek before she reached for Sophia.
“It’s so nice to meet you. How do you do?” Sophia said.
“We are doing extremely well. Michael mentioned he had a date but stayed mum on giving me any details. Where did you two meet?” Michael’s mom’s approval shined in her eyes while he rolled his. Thirty seconds and she was already gung-ho. Michael had repeatedly told his mother that he was not interested in long-term. She knew he wasn’t looking for anything permanent, yet that never stopped the gleam in her eyes. As if she were thinking that the next woman draped on his arm could be the one.
“Actually—” Sophia started.
Michael interrupted. “I’ll explain it to you later. I’m surprised Regina didn’t tell you already. Where is she? Didn’t she come with you?”
“Yes, she is already busy with admirers, but she hasn’t mentioned a thing.” His mother pointed over his shoulder, and sure enough, Michael’s grandmother was being helped out of her coat by one man, while another man, who was standing in front of her, was telling her something that had all three of them laughing.
“Now, answer your mother. How did you two meet? You are beautiful!” his mother beamed.
Michael shook his head. “It’s a long story and not one I’m fond to tell here, so if you’ll please excuse us I’d like to show my date around and introduce her to Regina.”
Michael’s mom gave him a pointed look. “I’ll let you off the hook for now, Michael.”
“You’re at our table so we look forward to getting to know Ms. Baldwin.” His dad said as he pat Michael on the shoulder.
Michael caught the look that passed between his parents as they politely, and a little too eagerly, told Sophia how happy they were to meet her, before finally walking off and leaving the two of them alone.
“They seem so nice,” Sophia said.
“They’re great as long as they aren’t your parents.”
“They seem pretty great to me. Who is Regina?”
“She’s my grandmother. Follow me. We’re going to look around. Once she is unoccupied, I will introduce you two.” Michael crooked his arm, and she latched onto his elbow, settling in. Many people graciously gave their hellos, and he was every bit the gentleman they expected. He introduced Sophia to everyone and made it a point to keep the conversation short as the two of them made their way around the gala. He wasn’t one to mingle, especially with this group.
“Nina, this is Sophia Baldwin.” Michael introduced his board member to his date.
“Nice to meet you.” Nina didn’t immediately extend her hand in the customary gesture of a handshake, but Sophia did. Nina must have sensed Sophia wasn’t going away and his board member begrudgingly raised her hand and gave Sophia a quick shake. Nina was always prickly toward Michael and his dates but that was no surprise. She whole-heartedly disapproved of Michael’s two-date rule. He didn’t engage in longer conversation with his board member and guided Sophia away by the elbow.
“She wasn’t too friendly,” Sophia said.
Michael laughed. “She never is, Sophia.”
With the party in full swing, Michael managed to tamp down his annoyance at having to chat wit
h almost everyone they ran into. He didn’t care for any of the people in attendance. And truthfully, he knew they didn’t care about him. They were all pretentious. All they cared about was money and who had the bigger dick—something the men as well as their wives worried about—whether it was their husband or someone else’s husband, because there were more than enough affairs going on in this group. Neither Cole nor Dylan had shown up, and even though it would have been a nice break from the people that weren’t Michael’s friends, he was happy he had Sophia.
“She’s his new date of the week.” He heard two ladies snicker as Sophia and he walked past. Eyes followed them around the center and if Sophia noticed, she never let on. Michael knew it wasn’t so much from his looks as it was Sophia’s. He gazed at her beneath his lashes while she admired a mural done by the Street Team, as they called themselves. The low-income youths who got selected to be a part of the Art Foundation’s program. They were set apart from other students based on their skill and lack of money. The mural was done with spray paint and covered a fifteen-by-fifteen-foot space. The entire mural was of the Rocky Mountains. Done by a group of nine youths, it was quite spectacular.
“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Definitely the best thing I’ve seen all night.” Slowly, his gaze slid over her body and to her face and when she glanced up at him, he made sure his desire for her was clear. What would it feel like to bury himself inside her? To feel his cock slid through the slick folds of her pussy. That faint blush marred her cheeks, and he couldn’t help the cheesy grin he gave her.
“I was talking about the painting,” she said.
“I wasn’t.”
“Michael, are you going to introduce me?”
He turned toward the melodic voice of his grandmother. She looked stunning tonight wearing a long black gown and the pearls he’d gotten her for Christmas last year. He enveloped her into a bear hug.
“Regina, you look fabulous. Where are your, shall I say, plus-twos? I saw those gentlemen flirting with you the second you arrived.”
Nothing But Trouble Page 5
